Quest Docking Location in Sydney

[jkadventures]

Just received my docs for an upcoming February 7, 2019 sailing of the Quest. They clearly state the ship’s docking location in Sydney to be the Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT), despite the Port Authority of New South Wales showing it to be White Bay.  I recall reading earlier this year that Azamara will be docking at White Bay for all Sydney port calls. 

 

I just called AZ and the representative (& his supervisor) insist the ship will be at OPT. For those  familiar with Sydney, these locations are some distance from each other. I am trying AZ for the second time after a somewhat frustrating first experience last year. Seems confusion still reigns supreme. 

[laurieb]

I’m seeing white bay but there aren’t any large ships there that day so I suppose it could be possible.  If it is white bay, azamara will have shuttles.

We are on the cruise after and it shows white bay, but there aren’t any large ships in port that day either

Edited December 31, 2018 by laurieb

[donaldsc]

The last time we sailed in to Sydney on AZ, they changed the docking location at the very last moment while we were on the cruise.  So I guess that no matter what they tell you, it might not be true.

 

DON

[NeilWM]

We docked at OPT last February, if there are no big ships it is possible (bigger ships can’t fit under Harbour Bridge)

Happy New Year from Australia 🥃

[jkadventures]

Thanks for the replies, fortunately I am staying in the Rocks area so I can see if the ship is there that morning.  For others flying in or traveling from outside the CBD, this will lead to some confusion & potentially some unnecessary high cab fares.  It’s the conflicting info that bothers me and I went through this the last time with AZ. 

[JRS47]

The Quest is scheduled to arrive in Sydney at 11:00am on 6/2/2019 and to depart 5:00pm 7/2/2019 which is your cruise.  It will berth at White Bay as the Majestic Princess is scheduled for the OPT.  You can check all the schedule for Sydney Harbour on the following website www.portauthoritynsw.com.au/cruise/cruise-schedule/

[donaldsc]

4 hours ago, JRS47 said:

The Quest is scheduled to arrive in Sydney at 11:00am on 6/2/2019 and to depart 5:00pm 7/2/2019 which is your cruise.  It will berth at White Bay as the Majestic Princess is scheduled for the OPT.  You can check all the schedule for Sydney Harbour on the following website www.portauthoritynsw.com.au/cruise/cruise-schedule/

 

I repeat what happened to us.  They changed the docking location about 1 day before we got to Sydney.  What they say is not what you will get.

 

DON

[JRS47]

Don,

 

The main problem here is that the Majestic Princess is too big to get under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and therefore must berth at OPT.  Quest is small and will be send to the inner harbour to White Bay.

 

John

[jkadventures]

The Majestic Princess is scheduled to be in port and depart on 6 Feb, the Quest sails on 7 Feb. As I mentioned, my docs & two AZ CSRs insist the ship will leave from the OPT. The Port of NSW clearly shows the Quest in White Bay. We have this & one other AZ voyage booked for this year- I was truly hoping the pre-cruise confusion & misinformation had gotten better after our experience last year. Yes, the onboard experience is nice but there are many good options out there. 

[ShazM]

5 hours ago, jkadventures said:

The Majestic Princess is scheduled to be in port and depart on 6 Feb, the Quest sails on 7 Feb. As I mentioned, my docs & two AZ CSRs insist the ship will leave from the OPT. The Port of NSW clearly shows the Quest in White Bay. We have this & one other AZ voyage booked for this year- I was truly hoping the pre-cruise confusion & misinformation had gotten better after our experience last year. Yes, the onboard experience is nice but there are many good options out there. 

They might well move you around to the OPT after Majestic Princess leaves if there are no other ships due in on the morning of the 7th

[jkadventures]

Thanks, I understand the ship may move but it still makes it kind of hard to book transfer arrangements when you don’t know the destination. I trust the NSW Port Authority info way more than anything I get from AZ. I would love to be proven wrong. 

[obira]

The NSW port authority website shows the Seabourn Encore at the Overseas Passenger Terminal from 0630 to 1600 on February 7th.

Edited January 7, 2019 by obira
Misspelt Seabourn

[jkadventures]

Bonnie, if you are out there, we could really use some clarifications. Others on this cruise have also advised their docs state OPT as the embarkation point, as do the CSRs and their supervisors. Yet, the Port Authority still shows White Bay. To add to the confusion, our port call in Napier on Feb. 18th was scheduled for 1 pm arrival, yet the Napier Port shows arrival at 4 pm. Many of us have booked private tours leaving soon after a 1 pm arrival.   Calls to the office yield no clarity. 

 

We went through this on our last AZ cruise and it was with much trepidation that we booked this trip and another in April. The itineraries always sound so good but this ongoing confusion and misinformation just doesn’t make it worth it. We like the demographic and, yes, the staff is nice, but things like poor & ridiculously expensive shore excursions and the never ending included drinks saga make this whole experience way too much like work. 

[jkadventures]

I escalated this question today directly with Azamara. The Quest advised they will be berthed at White Bay in Sydney & that arrival time in Napier will be 1:00 pm. Whether or not a correction of documents is sent to all pax remains to be seen.