Princess Cruises 2023/2024 Australia, New Zealand and Asia Program Release

[SNJCruisers]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

You don't need to book one way fares. You book what is known as a open jaw ticket - arrive at one city and depart from another. Most airlines have the option to do this, it's usually shown as multi-city or something similar. You choose the first leg departure and arrival airports, then choose the departure and arrival airports for the flight home and it's fared as a return journey not two one ways. We've done several trips like this over the years ie:

Arrive Dublin depart London Heathrow

Arrive Paris depart Barcelona

Arrive San Francisco depart New York

Arrive Rome depart London Gatwick

 

So, would you choose the 10 day Queensland or the 12 day southern combined with the 13 day NZ trip?

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, SNJCruisers said:

So, would you choose the 10 day Queensland or the 12 day southern combined with the 13 day NZ trip?

They are both so different. The Queensland cruise allows you see the Great Barrier Reef - from either Port Douglas or Airlie Beach or both. Note that Willis Island is just a token "stop" of about ten minutes which is allows duty free to be sold onboard. It's not actually a port, it's essentially a sea day. At that time of year it will be very hot and humid in Far North Queensland.

 

The Southern option gives you a chance to visit more Australian cities as well as Kangaroo Island. All the cities have different vibes and are worth visiting.

 

I'm not going to recommend either. It's very much up to you what you want to see.

 

Personally I'd lean very heavily on your DW and do the triple on Grand Princess since you're coming all this way. 35 days is a good length for a big overseas trip.

 

I'm not a fan of the Royal class ships. I've been on both Royal and Majestic. Yes, they are newer but they are also bigger with more passengers so the smaller port stops will more crowded. Also Majestic is quite a bit different from the usual Princess ships as it was originally designed for the Chinese market. However it would be good for cooler climate cruising, like NZ, as it has the Hollywood Observatory which is an enclosed free lounge overlooking the bow, instead of the Sanctuary on most Princess ships.

Edited December 6, 2021 by OzKiwiJJ

[temani]

Hi Everyone - looking for advice please. We are booked on Coral Princess 14 night cruise ex Brisbane to New Zealand leaving 6th February 2023. We chose Princess Plus and a B2 cabin on Caribe Deck but we couldn't choose which one.  There is just "Guarantee" in place of Cabin Number and our TA couldn't tell us why.  Would appreciate any answers.

Thank you.

 

 

 

[SNJCruisers]

23 minutes ago, temani said:

Hi Everyone - looking for advice please. We are booked on Coral Princess 14 night cruise ex Brisbane to New Zealand leaving 6th February 2023. We chose Princess Plus and a B2 cabin on Caribe Deck but we couldn't choose which one.  There is just "Guarantee" in place of Cabin Number and our TA couldn't tell us why.  Would appreciate any answers.

Thank you.

 

 

 

The B2 is currently sold out at this time so no specific cabins are available.  Princess gave you a guarantee, so if any B2's open up, you will be assigned one, if not you will be assigned a cabin in a higher or better category, but you may not like the location. You're guaranteed to be in a B2 or better, not anything less.

[SNJCruisers]

50 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

 

The Southern option gives you a chance to visit more Australian cities as well as Kangaroo Island. All the cities have different vibes and are worth visiting.

 

I'm not going to recommend either. It's very much up to you what you want to see.

I need to be educated about the difference between the north and the south.  I know about the "gold coast" and the great barrier reef.  I'm 61, my DW is 51 and needs a scooter.  This trip is at the top of my "bucket list trips".  If Kangaroo Island is like the name implies, that would highly interest me, but I still need to be educated regarding the difference between the two areas.  Thank you.

[OzKiwiJJ]

52 minutes ago, temani said:

Hi Everyone - looking for advice please. We are booked on Coral Princess 14 night cruise ex Brisbane to New Zealand leaving 6th February 2023. We chose Princess Plus and a B2 cabin on Caribe Deck but we couldn't choose which one.  There is just "Guarantee" in place of Cabin Number and our TA couldn't tell us why.  Would appreciate any answers.

Thank you.

 

 

 

Don't panic, you will get a cabin that's either a B2 or better. Mostly likely you will get a B2 or a B1 on Caribe deck  as this is the only deck thst has Premium Balconies on this ship. However there is a very slight chance you could get upgraded to a mini-suite in a less desirable location.

 

We've had guarantee cabins in the past and both times ended up exactly where we expected to be.

[OzKiwiJJ]

18 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

I need to be educated about the difference between the north and the south.  I know about the "gold coast" and the great barrier reef.  I'm 61, my DW is 51 and needs a scooter.  This trip is at the top of my "bucket list trips".  If Kangaroo Island is like the name implies, that would highly interest me, but I still need to be educated regarding the difference between the two areas.  Thank you.

Firstly how does your wife handle tendering ashore and excursions by bus? All the ports, other than Brisbane, on the Queensland cruise are tender ports with limited wheelchair access. I'm not sure if Princess allows scooters on the tenders, I have a feeling they don't. I'm not sure what the transportation options will be at the new cruise terminal in Brisbane, it's a fair way out of the city so you'll probably have to take an excursion or a shuttle bus. Most of the other ports are in the more tropical areas of Queensland, primarily reef locations, although there are other options but some may not be feasible if your DW has limited mobility.

 

The only tender port on the NZ itinerary is the Bay of Islands, the rest are docked.

 

Kangaroo Island and Port Arthur are also tender ports. Once ashore Port Arthur is fairly easy to get around but some of the sites there are uphill. 

 

Kangaroo Island does have a lot of wild life. We were there on a land trip earlier this year and saw kangaroos crossing the road, a koala up a tree, and loads of seals although you'd need to go on an excursion to see these as they are a long way from the tender wharf. It's a lovely place to visit.

 

The Melbourne Port is right by a tram route into the city so easy to do if you want to sightsee on your own or can't do bus excursions. I think the Adelaide port is a fair way from the city but there may be trains to and from. I haven't been to Port Lincoln yet so can't comment on that. The Hobart port is right in the city so easily accessible.

 

I suggest you look at the types of excursions available at each port. That will give you a fair idea of what is in and around each port, and what might be doable for your DW. You can access the Excursions under Plan a Cruise and typically they show all the regular excursions for each port. 

 

 

[SinbadThePorter]

1 hour ago, SNJCruisers said:

I need to be educated about the difference between the north and the south.

 

From the point of view of cruising, the North is anything north of Brisbane in the east and Perth in the West, and South is anything south.

 

They are two completely different climatic regions. The North is tropical, like the Caribbean. The South is temperate like California and Florida, with a bit of coastal Oregon thrown in.

 

The North is hot all year, wet in summer, dry in winter, and subject to cyclones in summer. The South has cool to cold winters, warm to hot dry summers, and is subject to winter storms.

Edited December 6, 2021 by SinbadThePorter

[temani]

Thanks so much SNJ Cruisers and OzKiwiJJ.  I understand the situation now.

Tessa

 

[SNJCruisers]

20 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Firstly how does your wife handle tendering ashore and excursions by bus? All the ports, other than Brisbane, on the Queensland cruise are tender ports with limited wheelchair access. I'm not sure if Princess allows scooters on the tenders, I have a feeling they don't. I'm not sure what the transportation options will be at the new cruise terminal in Brisbane, it's a fair way out of the city so you'll probably have to take an excursion or a shuttle bus. Most of the other ports are in the more tropical areas of Queensland, primarily reef locations, although there are other options but some may not be feasible if your DW has limited mobility.

 

The only tender port on the NZ itinerary is the Bay of Islands, the rest are docked.

 

Kangaroo Island and Port Arthur are also tender ports. Once ashore Port Arthur is fairly easy to get around but some of the sites there are uphill. 

 

Kangaroo Island does have a lot of wild life. We were there on a land trip earlier this year and saw kangaroos crossing the road, a koala up a tree, and loads of seals although you'd need to go on an excursion to see these as they are a long way from the tender wharf. It's a lovely place to visit.

 

The Melbourne Port is right by a tram route into the city so easy to do if you want to sightsee on your own or can't do bus excursions. I think the Adelaide port is a fair way from the city but there may be trains to and from. I haven't been to Port Lincoln yet so can't comment on that. The Hobart port is right in the city so easily accessible.

 

I suggest you look at the types of excursions available at each port. That will give you a fair idea of what is in and around each port, and what might be doable for your DW. You can access the Excursions under Plan a Cruise and typically they show all the regular excursions for each port. 

 

 

Thank you for your help, I'll check out the different options.  My DW's scooter issues have recently occurred during the pandemic so the only vacation was at a land based all inclusive in which she maneuvered fine.  Our list of cruises starts next month with 6 of them in 2022 consisting of 12, 14, 14, 12, 14 & 11 days.

[SNJCruisers]

25 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

From the point of view of cruising, the North is anything north of Brisbane in the east and Perth in the West, and South is anything south.

 

They are two completely different climatic regions. The North is tropical, like the Caribbean. The South is temperate like California and Florida, with a bit of coastal Oregon thrown in.

 

The North is hot all year, wet in summer, dry in winter, and subject to cyclones in summer. The South has cool to cold winters, warm to hot dry summers, and is subject to winter storms.

So, since we would possibly be in the south from the 10th to the 22nd of December, it would be warm to hot, dry California like.  This is summer time, down under, right?

[OzKiwiJJ]

5 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

So, since we would possibly be in the south from the 10th to the 22nd of December, it would be warm to hot, dry California like.  This is summer time, down under, right?

Yes, it's summer. It depends on where you are in the south.

Sydney is usually warm to hot, humid and prone to late afternoon thunderstorms that are usually of short duration.

Melbourne is renowned for having four season in one day. Usually hot but I've been there a few times when it's been cooler than expected.

I think Adelaide is more consistent, warm/hot and dry.

Hobart can also be variable but every time we've been there on a cruise it's been pleasant. However if you go up Mt Wellington it will be at least 12C cooler than at sea level due to the altitude. It's worth going up though, either on an excursion or even by taxi for a fixed rate which is what we did.

[SinbadThePorter]

15 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

So, since we would possibly be in the south from the 10th to the 22nd of December, it would be warm to hot, dry California like.  This is summer time, down under, right?

 

Early summer, but remember that weather is weather. A La Nina weather system has formed, which produces higher than usual rainfall along the east coast. The opposite is El Nino, which produces fires and droughts as it did in 2019.

 

I'm in Brisbane and tomorrow is predicted to be dry with a high of 83F and low of 68F. Thunderstorms later in the week and highs of 88F.

 

Sydney is looking at a week of rain and highs in the low 70s.

 

Hobart is looking at highs in the low 60s.

Edited December 6, 2021 by SinbadThePorter

[OzKiwiJJ]

13 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

Thank you for your help, I'll check out the different options.  My DW's scooter issues have recently occurred during the pandemic so the only vacation was at a land based all inclusive in which she maneuvered fine.  Our list of cruises starts next month with 6 of them in 2022 consisting of 12, 14, 14, 12, 14 & 11 days.

I'm jealous! Our (hopefully) first cruise isn't until December 2022. However we are sitting on FCCs hoping that Princess will be able to offer some autumn and winter cruising here, once our damn governments decide to let cruise ships operate here again.

[possum52]

3 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

So, since we would possibly be in the south from the 10th to the 22nd of December, it would be warm to hot, dry California like.  This is summer time, down under, right?

Yes it could be hot, not neccessarily dry though. December in the south can easily be cool to warm, and even wet. For example here in Melbourne, the past few days have been -  Friday 3rd it was a mild mainly sunny day until late afternoon, when it clouded over and there was a quite a coldish wind. Saturday was similar as was yesterday with highs of around 18-20 degrees C.  Today was mainly sunny and quite warm for a high of around 28-30 degrees C (82-86 degrees F) and then in middle of the afternoon a thunder storm hit, it is still warm here around 27 at 6.20pm. Tomorrow is going to be only a top of 16 with showers. Adelaide has been a couple of degrees warmer and Tasmania a couple of degrees cooler. But in saying that, it could easily be much hotter. Come prepared for all weather! New Zealand will be most likely be similar.

[OzKiwiJJ]

NZ will be cooler, especially if doing the pre-Christmas option. Always pack a warm layer, including hat, gloves and scarf (the Fiordland scenic cruising can be decidedly chilly), and also a rain jacket.

[LittleFish1976]

On 12/6/2021 at 6:05 PM, SNJCruisers said:

So, since we would possibly be in the south from the 10th to the 22nd of December, it would be warm to hot, dry California like.  This is summer time, down under, right?

So here's us, and here's you. https://www.virtualoceania.net/australia/maps/how-big-is-australia.shtml

 

I'm not sure why you're having trouble with the 'North-south thing'. You have north and south, too. The only difference here is that our north is closer to the equator and the south is closer to the south pole. 

 

I usually look at historical weather data when I'm considering going to a place to see what the range of temperatures and rainfall and humidity might be during those dates.

 

In the dates you describe in December, Melbourne will most likely be mild and pleasant. Sydney a bit warmer and more humid and Queensland - which is enormous in itself - varying from warm to hot. Decmeber is a good time to be here. Don't just visit Sydney on a cruise ship when you come to Australia - please do your trip justice by seeing more of Australia than that.

 

FWIW, Kangaroo Island is on my wish list to visit. Tasmania is lovely. All our beaches are pretty wonderful.

[SNJCruisers]

12 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

So here's us, and here's you. https://www.virtualoceania.net/australia/maps/how-big-is-australia.shtml

 

I'm not sure why you're having trouble with the 'North-south thing'. You have north and south, too. The only difference here is that our north is closer to the equator and the south is closer to the south pole. 

 

I usually look at historical weather data when I'm considering going to a place to see what the range of temperatures and rainfall and humidity might be during those dates.

 

In the dates you describe in December, Melbourne will most likely be mild and pleasant. Sydney a bit warmer and more humid and Queensland - which is enormous in itself - varying from warm to hot. Decmeber is a good time to be here. Don't just visit Sydney on a cruise ship when you come to Australia - please do your trip justice by seeing more of Australia than that.

 

FWIW, Kangaroo Island is on my wish list to visit. Tasmania is lovely. All our beaches are pretty wonderful.

Thanks for the response.  The southern route was a one time sailing and had unique port stops like Kangaroo Island so that is why I chose it over the Queensland route.

[OzKiwiJJ]

26 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

Thanks for the response.  The southern route was a one time sailing and had unique port stops like Kangaroo Island so that is why I chose it over the Queensland route.

The southern route happens at least twice a year with Princess in normal times. It's usually sold as a sector of the Round Australia cruises plus at other times from Melbourne or Adelaide. It doesn't always stop at Kangaroo Island though.

Edited January 20, 2022 by OzKiwiJJ

[NSWP]

Western Australia has suspended the opening of its borders indefinitely.   That has not helped recommencement of cruising in this region.

 

WA Premier is fearful of hundreds of omicron carriers coming into the State, plus no quarantine.

[SNJCruisers]

5 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The southern route happens at least twice a year with Princess in normal times. It's usually sold as a sector of the Round Australia cruises plus at other times from Melbourne or Adelaide. It doesn't always stop at Kangaroo Island though.

We will be on it as a 12 day sailing out of Sydney on the Majestic combined with a 13 day to NZ in Nov/Dec of next year.

[By The Bay]

1 hour ago, SNJCruisers said:

We will be on it as a 12 day sailing out of Sydney on the Majestic combined with a 13 day to NZ in Nov/Dec of next year.

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, By The Bay said:

Are you implying that things will be the same TWENTY TWO months from now?

[By The Bay]

15 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Are you implying that things will be the same TWENTY TWO months from now?

Who would have predicted that, after 2 years, cruising has not returned to Australia? Changes to legislation required for cruising to return are held up in the two houses of Parliament, with no guarantee that it will be passed any time soon. To make matters worse, we have these comments from the leader of WA.

 

"Premier unsure when WA will be ready to open.

 

When pressed by journalists for a revised timeline on WA's border opening after it was indefinitely shelved on Thursday night, Mr McGowan said he did not know when WA would be ready to reconnect with the world."

[NSWP]

16 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Are you implying that things will be the same TWENTY TWO months from now?

They could well be in Australia/NZ.  Our leaders Federal and State are very, very nervous about allowing the ships in.

Edited January 21, 2022 by NSWP