P&O around Australia - June 2024

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, sewgood said:

I had a great day on the old Dawn Princess on the ground floor in the atrium watching the waves hit the windows during a crossing of the Bass straight.

Half the ship stayed in bed and the other half were in the atrium.

I had a couple of seasick tablets as well as plenty of coffee to keep me awake.

I don't know if I would like to do a few days like that though.

At least you would have got a seat in the bottom level of the atrium, nearly always full of chair hoggers who spend all day there.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

I have crossed Bass Strait numerous times, over a dozen anyway,  so far it is about 1/4 rough and 3/4 fine or smooth..

At what time of year? Any crossings in winter? And if so what was it like then?

[MicCanberra]

Both winter and summer, all the rough crossings have been in summer.

[sewgood]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

At least you would have got a seat in the bottom level of the atrium, nearly always full of chair hoggers who spend all day there.

We actually were able to get a window seat as well, a very rare occurance usually.

It was only because it was so rough and most people kept to their beds that day.😁

[OzKiwiJJ]

24 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Both winter and summer, all the rough crossings have been in summer.

That's a bit surprising, given it's reputation.

[MicCanberra]

3 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

That's a bit surprising, given it's reputation.

Yes, goes to show that reputations can wrong or just be generalisations, seas known to be rough can be smooth and vica versa at differing times.

[OzKiwiJJ]

5 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Yes, goes to show that reputations can wrong or just be generalisations, seas known to be rough can be smooth and vica versa at differing times.

You may have just been lucky.

 

The NZ MetService weather site used to have a really good marine forecast map where you could select wave heights. You could actually look at seas all over the world. I saw some very scary predictions for the Tasman and Bass Strait at times.

 

We were on Majestic Princess in 2018, trying to outrun a storm coming back from Tasmania to Sydney. They were predicting 8 metre seas. I'm not sure what they ended up being but we had a window table for dinner in the Harmony restaurant on deck 5 and it looked pretty rough from there.

[MicCanberra]

10 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

You may have just been lucky.

 

The NZ MetService weather site used to have a really good marine forecast map where you could select wave heights. You could actually look at seas all over the world. I saw some very scary predictions for the Tasman and Bass Strait at times.

 

We were on Majestic Princess in 2018, trying to outrun a storm coming back from Tasmania to Sydney. They were predicting 8 metre seas. I'm not sure what they ended up being but we had a window table for dinner in the Harmony restaurant on deck 5 and it looked pretty rough from there.

Perhaps, although there were many more people aboard than just me.

As you have stated it can be rough at times, but not all the time, one particular  time the ocean was like glass with hardly a swell. Another time it was so rough passengers were requested to remain in their cabins, take care moving around and definitely not to use the balconies.

[GUT2407]

Price seems a bit steep, balcony from about 300 pp pd.

[Porky55]

3 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Price seems a bit steep, balcony from about 300 pp pd.

My thoughts exactly - 🤔

[OzKiwiJJ]

7 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Price seems a bit steep, balcony from about 300 pp pd.

Princess fares for balcony cabins are in thst range now, especially the Round Australia cruises which have always been expensive.

[Porky55]

2 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Princess fares for balcony cabins are in thst range now, especially the Round Australia cruises which have always been expensive.

Agreed, but as nice as a P&O cruise is - it isn’t a Princess Cruise 😉

But, same type of itinerary, same $$ -  Would still choose Princess first 👑

[OzKiwiJJ]

Just now, Porky55 said:

Agreed, but as nice as a P&O cruise is - it isn’t a Princess Cruise 😉

But, same type of itinerary, same $$ -  Would still choose Princess first 👑

Me too but P&O suits some people.

[sewgood]

1 hour ago, Porky55 said:

Agreed, but as nice as a P&O cruise is - it isn’t a Princess Cruise 😉

But, same type of itinerary, same $$ -  Would still choose Princess first 👑

Princess anyday over P&O at the same price but then Princess don't really have any ships here in winter anymore. By the time June comes around the Coral should be off in Europe on the WC.

With Princess getting rid of a few of its older ships recently it might be a few years until we see a Princess ship homported here over winter.

[OzKiwiJJ]

14 minutes ago, sewgood said:

Princess anyday over P&O at the same price but then Princess don't really have any ships here in winter anymore. By the time June comes around the Coral should be off in Europe on the WC.

With Princess getting rid of a few of its older ships recently it might be a few years until we see a Princess ship homported here over winter.

Yes, Princess seemed to stop having that extra ship here once they got rid of Dawn Princess. Prior to that she would do top end runs that were very popular in winter, plus a few other cruises to warm places I think.

[SinbadThePorter]

1 hour ago, sewgood said:

Princess anyday over P&O at the same price but then Princess don't really have any ships here in winter anymore.

 

P&O was usually best value for last minute fares.They seemed to discount them more consistently than Princess.

 

I recall that it wasn't very difficult to get sub $100pp inside fares and occasionally sub $100 inside single fares.

 

At the moment I think P&O would be pitching its prices high in anticipation of pent up demand for cruises. Once the initial rush settles down we'll probably see the old fare structures return.

[Porky55]

9 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

At the moment I think P&O would be pitching its prices high in anticipation of pent up demand for cruises. Once the initial rush settles down we'll probably see the old fare structures return.

Let’s hope so, their current pricing of - one advertised price, but add for value plus then add for midship location is a bit OTT, nothing like the old simple book a room and cruise.

[MicCanberra]

Once the cruises begin, prices will steady and there will be reductions, it may take a season but once all the lines are here again and people can also cruise overseas more easily, the pricing will drop.

[Russell21]

23 hours ago, sewgood said:

I had a great day on the old Dawn Princess on the ground floor in the atrium watching the waves hit the windows during a crossing of the Bass straight.

Half the ship stayed in bed and the other half were in the atrium.

I had a couple of seasick tablets as well as plenty of coffee to keep me awake.

I don't know if I would like to do a few days like that though.

You should try it in a 63 foot Trawler, we used to surf down the face of some of the waves.

[Ondine]

8 hours ago, Porky55 said:

Let’s hope so, their current pricing of - one advertised price, but add for value plus then add for midship location is a bit OTT, nothing like the old simple book a room and cruise.

 

P&Os current campaign started 2 days ago and includes a full drinks package so the current pricing reflects this.  If you look at the Pack and Go prices they are cheaper. 

 

Having said that they have increased their prices since the shut down but we will have to wait and see. 

 

The new itineraries for 2022/23 cruises were released yesterday but there is buckleys for Victorian cruisers.  Only here Dec to Feb and mainly short cruises.

[icat2000]

Yeah. I had a look at PO cruises releases. Slim pickings for Melbourne. 

 

That 24 day PO cruise they have no competition really cause Princess doesn't run them at that time. And it on a former Princess ship I believe 😄

 

[MicCanberra]

Just watched P&Os Flying the Flag live event on Facebook. I miss cruising so much.

[stki]

13 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Just watched P&Os Flying the Flag live event on Facebook. I miss cruising so much.

I loved watching it. Made me miss cruising too