Your Thoughts on Booking an Australian Cruise late 2021

[NSWP]

With P&O UK cruises, Australians cannot book direct direct with cruise line, we have to book it through P&O Australia or an Aussie T/A.  Having done half a dozen P&O UK cruises, that's the only time I use a T/A.  So perhaps P&O Australia has the same policy with non Aussies.  

[SinbadThePorter]

3 minutes ago, V_icki_e said:

I don't know how we stumbled across it, but we grabbed it!  

 

Was that direct with Princess or some other place?

[NSWP]

14 minutes ago, By The Bay said:

I was reading articles which quoted comments by the Queensland CHO, Jeannette Young. The CHO stated that traveling on cruise ships was not safe during the pandemic. Given that the politicians in Australia follow the advice given from their medical experts, I cannot see cruising recommencing in Australia any time soon. Possibly not until the pandemic is declared over. If there was a change in Government after the state election, I would expect no change in the cruising ban. 😒 Here is an extract of her statements from 7News. Also reported by the Brisbane Times.

 

“The problem with cruise ships is that they lead to transmission very, very readily,” Queensland CHO Jeannette Young said on Thursday.

 

“We know that from the past. We’ve seen outbreaks of norovirus, we’ve seen outbreaks of flu.

 

“So it’s not surprising that you would see outbreaks of COVID.

 

“So really, they are not safe.

 

“We know if someone goes onto that cruise ship from wherever, they might have the infection and it would spread.

 

“We saw that as one of the early consequences of this virus when there were few cases in the world.

 

“So no, it’s something that would be quite late in our process before we’d think they were a good idea.”

 

If that is the Qld policy, I reckon it will be 2 years before a ship arrives in Brisvegas.

[NSWP]

15 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I haven't been on Sapphire yet but have been on her twin - Diamond. I liked Diamond better than Golden. Not exactly sure why but Diamond had a much nicer Wheelhouse Bar for starters.

Little bit different to other Grand Class, Sapphire and Diamond were built in Japan, the other Grand class inc Golden, built in Italia.

[By The Bay]

1 minute ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

The cruise lines are selling hypothetical cruises, but not for hypothetical money. 🤑

 

Unless you are forced to because of expiring FCCs, I would not book anything given the current state of the virus.

My thoughts exactly. I would not be using my had earned cash. The refund for a cancelled cruise took 5 months to arrive in my account. At the rate cruise-lines are hemorrhaging cash, if there is no cruising by mid 2021, they will be in serious trouble.

[V_icki_e]

2 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Was that direct with Princess or some other place?

Directly with Princess on the day that the 21/22 Australian sailings were released.  I do wonder if someone stuffed up because I don't see that pricing anymore... but the early bird gets the worm!   It's for an itinerary that I've not seen before either, including Bay of Islands, Picton and New Plymouth.  Only 504 sleeps 🙂 

[NSWP]

3 minutes ago, V_icki_e said:

Directly with Princess on the day that the 21/22 Australian sailings were released.  I do wonder if someone stuffed up because I don't see that pricing anymore... but the early bird gets the worm!   It's for an itinerary that I've not seen before either, including Bay of Islands, Picton and New Plymouth.  Only 504 sleeps 🙂 

The people on the 2022 Coral Princess wordlie, which is 99% booked out had to pay 30% deposit I am led to believe, you cannot use FCC's for cruises over 45 days, right?   So Princess has taken a lot of money already,  a couple might have forked out 20K plus deposit already.

Edited October 4, 2020 by NSWP

[SinbadThePorter]

2 minutes ago, V_icki_e said:

but the early bird gets the worm!

 

Good luck! Well deserved spotting. 🧐

[OzKiwiJJ]

10 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Little bit different to other Grand Class, Sapphire and Diamond were built in Japan, the other Grand class inc Golden, built in Italia.

Yes but apart from a few obvious differences - the Wheelhouse Bar and the MDRs - they are both standard Princess ships, yet Diamond seemed nicer than Golden. Perhaps it was the subtle things: a better executive chef so slightly better food; maybe musicians who played more music that suited our tastes; better company at dinner - all small things but that overall leave you feeling that that ship was better than the other ship.

[NSWP]

1 minute ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes but apart from a few obvious differences - the Wheelhouse Bar and the MDRs - they are both standard Princess ships, yet Diamond seemed nicer than Golden. Perhaps it was the subtle things: a better executive chef so slightly better food; maybe musicians who played more music that suited our tastes; better company at dinner - all small things but that overall leave you feeling that that ship was better than the other ship.

I agree there, having been on both Sapphire and Diamond, plus the Italian built Grand Class and Super Grand Class, Golden, Star, Crown, Ruby, etc etc. As for Royal class, don't like them at all.

 

But my favourite Princess ships which I have cruised on have been Coral Princess and Pacific Princess.

[possum52]

1 minute ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes but apart from a few obvious differences - the Wheelhouse Bar and the MDRs - they are both standard Princess ships, yet Diamond seemed nicer than Golden. Perhaps it was the subtle things: a better executive chef so slightly better food; maybe musicians who played more music that suited our tastes; better company at dinner - all small things but that overall leave you feeling that that ship was better than the other ship.

I preferred some things on the Diamond but others on the Golden. I actually preferred the food on the Golden and the dining rooms to the Diamond. The Diamond dining rooms to me seemed dark, perhaps because they were quite small. We had a great pianist in Crooners on the Diamond whereas the Promenade Bar on the Golden didn't have the same atmosphere. Having an International Cafe on the Golden was quite convenient at times. 

 

Leigh

[MMDown Under]

24 minutes ago, V_icki_e said:

Directly with Princess on the day that the 21/22 Australian sailings were released.  I do wonder if someone stuffed up because I don't see that pricing anymore... but the early bird gets the worm!   It's for an itinerary that I've not seen before either, including Bay of Islands, Picton and New Plymouth.  Only 504 sleeps 🙂 

I liked that itinerary with Picton and New Plymouth, which would be new ports for me.  About time a cruise line, in addition to small cruise lines, did a different itinerary to NZ from Aust.  

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

The people on the 2022 Coral Princess wordlie, which is 99% booked out had to pay 30% deposit I am led to believe, you cannot use FCC's for cruises over 45 days, right?   So Princess has taken a lot of money already,  a couple might have forked out 20K plus deposit already.

I booked a couple of segments of the WC and was able to use FCDs because each segment is less than 45 days. I also got much more OBC by booking the segments separately. A person wanting to do the whole cruise could probably do the same thing, but of course they might have to change cabins during the trip.

[NSWP]

26 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I booked a couple of segments of the WC and was able to use FCDs because each segment is less than 45 days. I also got much more OBC by booking the segments separately. A person wanting to do the whole cruise could probably do the same thing, but of course they might have to change cabins during the trip.

Correct, if I was going I would do it that way, but I am not going, too expensive and with all due respect, the uncertainty of sailing and the rules and regulations that may be implemented, e.g. only ship's shorex, masks, social distancing etc.  But then life is a gamble, is it not? 

 

We did a half Worldie on Arcadia, in 2012, Sydney to Southampton via Africa - 49 days, that was great. Plus a world cruise sector on QM2 about 3 years ago.

Edited October 5, 2020 by NSWP

[Aus Traveller]

22 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Correct, if I was going I would do it that way, but I am not going, too expensive and with all due respect, the uncertainty of sailing and the rules and regulations that may be implemented, e.g. only ship's shorex, masks, social distancing etc.  But then life is a gamble, is it not? 

 

We did a half Worldie on Arcadia, in 2012, Sydney to Southampton via Africa - 49 days, that was great. Plus a world cruise sector on QM2 about 3 years ago.

I doubt that the WC will go ahead unless there is a vaccine. I cannot see that it would be viable with everyone wearing masks and keeping social distancing. MSC introduced the 'only ship's shorex' but I don't know that Princess will be doing that in the middle of 2022 or even when they start up again.

 

I booked part of the 2020 WC, but we all know what happened there. 😁 On its Australian WCs, Princess seems to alternate between Norway/Iceland and St Petersburg/Talinn. I have been to these latter ports a couple of times (once on a land trip where we stayed several days) so I don't want to go back there. With the Norway/Iceland option only offered every second year, if I don't go in 2022, I will have to wait until 2024. That is four years from now. My planned 2020 trip was going to start with five days in London, then the cruise. When I booked, I felt I could still manage such a long trip on my own (my husband doesn't want to go). Looking 20 months ahead, I feel I can still do it, but four years hence, I am not so confident. 😁 

[NSWP]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I doubt that the WC will go ahead unless there is a vaccine. I cannot see that it would be viable with everyone wearing masks and keeping social distancing. MSC introduced the 'only ship's shorex' but I don't know that Princess will be doing that in the middle of 2022 or even when they start up again.

 

I booked part of the 2020 WC, but we all know what happened there. 😁 On its Australian WCs, Princess seems to alternate between Norway/Iceland and St Petersburg/Talinn. I have been to these latter ports a couple of times (once on a land trip where we stayed several days) so I don't want to go back there. With the Norway/Iceland option only offered every second year, if I don't go in 2022, I will have to wait until 2024. That is four years from now. My planned 2020 trip was going to start with five days in London, then the cruise. When I booked, I felt I could still manage such a long trip on my own (my husband doesn't want to go). Looking 20 months ahead, I feel I can still do it, but four years hence, I am not so confident. 😁 

Thanks, well we all hope 2022 WC on Coral Princess is a goer, with all ports on itinerary open. Plenty of excited pax on your roll call, caste of thousands, I had a peek.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

When the new ships ,that were coming out thick and fast at one stage ,  were going into service ,it was not advisable to book the first few cruises . It takes several cruises for the ship and it’s services to establish a “rhythm “.

I imagine it will be the same when the present fleet resumes operations once more.

[NSWP]

5 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

When the new ships ,that were coming out thick and fast at one stage ,  were going into service ,it was not advisable to book the first few cruises . It takes several cruises for the ship and it’s services to establish a “rhythm “.

I imagine it will be the same when the present fleet resumes operations once more.

Yes, they call them 'shake down' cruises, I do believe.   Well come 2021 or 2022, there will be a lot of 'shakedowns' we hope, anyway.  Otherwise more cruise companies will go to the wall.

[Aus Traveller]

8 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

When the new ships ,that were coming out thick and fast at one stage ,  were going into service ,it was not advisable to book the first few cruises . It takes several cruises for the ship and it’s services to establish a “rhythm “.

I imagine it will be the same when the present fleet resumes operations once more.

I don't think the early cruises will be too bad  The ships aren't new, but they will probably have some new waiters and stewards. That can be interesting.

[The_Big_M]

15 hours ago, NSWP said:

With P&O UK cruises, Australians cannot book direct direct with cruise line, we have to book it through P&O Australia or an Aussie T/A.  Having done half a dozen P&O UK cruises, that's the only time I use a T/A.  So perhaps P&O Australia has the same policy with non Aussies.  

 

Not really. They just don't cater for non-locals, unlike P&O UK, who do have many international passengers.

[MMDown Under]

On 10/4/2020 at 3:39 PM, OzKiwiJJ said:

That still doesn't mean you'll be able to cruise. Bookings like yours were in place before the pandemic started and Carnival will have to deal with them shortly as they are unlikely to happen.

With the new releases for late 2021 and early 2022 I imagine the cruise lines are hoping things will be back to normal then but there is no guarantee they will be. The cruise lines will, presumably, deal with that situation once they know what is happening.

I suspect they already know, with no bookings made at Australian ports (e.g. Sydney)!

[portcbob]

We have png booked for august, 2021 on the pacific explorer. Snaged a great balcony price on a 3 day flash sale.

I reckon we are only a 50/50 about going.

Finals are in June so we will carefully make our decision then before dishing out any money 

Thinking about a Alaska cruise in June, 2022 however we'll have to see how the world is shaping up for that. 

We believe if that doesn't happen the whole travel industry will be down the gergler.

[MMDown Under]

19 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I booked a couple of segments of the WC and was able to use FCDs because each segment is less than 45 days. I also got much more OBC by booking the segments separately. A person wanting to do the whole cruise could probably do the same thing, but of course they might have to change cabins during the trip.

Well done being able to use your FCDs and getting more OBC by booking segments separately.  

No doubt the cruises were expensive, so nice to get some of your own money back. 

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Well done being able to use your FCDs and getting more OBC by booking segments separately.  

No doubt the cruises were expensive, so nice to get some of your own money back. 

I booked my WC segments using Future Cruise Deposits that cost me $100 each when I bought them on my last cruise. Booking with a FCD gives the passenger additional on-board-credit.

 

My Future Cruise Credits from cancelled cruises are still in my 'account' with Princess. I hope the company survives🙂 and that cruising re-starts🙂 so I can use these credits.

[NSWP]

8 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

 

Not really. They just don't cater for non-locals, unlike P&O UK, who do have many international passengers.

What I was trying to say that from Australia we cannot book P&O UK Cruises direct with P&O UK, neither on their website or phone, I tried several times in past years.  We had to book via an Aussie T/A or via P&O Australia. So I used a an on line Aussie T/A and they still had to put the booking through P&O Australia who put it through to P&O UK in Southampton, too many commissions there.