Q & A for those cruising Princess June 16, 19, 23 & 26 out of Brisbane

[OzKiwiJJ]

4 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

I hope you don't get caught up in the forecast bad weather.  

We're stopping in Coffs Harbour for a few nights on our way home. Hopefully the worst will be over by then and, if necessary, we can take the rest of the trip home with more stops.

[arxcards]

Just possible that ships will pass in the night. In a couple of hours, you might be able to spot the old Dawn Princess off your port side. Also possible that the ships could be a bit far apart, so don't stay up on my accord.

[Cbtours]

8 hours ago, arxcards said:

Just possible that ships will pass in the night. In a couple of hours, you might be able to spot the old Dawn Princess off your port side. Also possible that the ships could be a bit far apart, so don't stay up on my accord.

I didn’t stay up 🥰🥰🥰

[Cbtours]

12 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

Thanks, OZKiwiJJ, look forward to seeing them.

Can I ask a question about the tap water onboard. Is it heavily chlorinated? I can bring a water bottle with a filter, but won't bother if the taste is OK.

We always have water with every meal and found no problem at all. No taste of anything chlorinated.

[~*Lou*~]

We didn’t notice chlorinated smell or taste either and we drank plenty of water!!. 
 

This cruise (26th June) had 1810 passengers including 113 teens (don’t know younger children numbers). Apparently the one departing today (3rd July) will be more heavily loaded- horizon court staff member told us. 
 

I noticed 2-4 cabins per deck with tables at the door (covid isolation), as well as the deck 5 port corridor was closed with covid side on the door. I don’t feel I noticed TOO much coughing round the ship - hope it stays manageable and no further cruise “pauses.”

 

We have booked Grand to NZ in January 2024. 

Lou 🙂

[Aussieflyer]

2 hours ago, ~*Lou*~ said:

We didn’t notice chlorinated smell or taste either and we drank plenty of water!!. 
 

This cruise (26th June) had 1810 passengers including 113 teens (don’t know younger children numbers). Apparently the one departing today (3rd July) will be more heavily loaded- horizon court staff member told us. 
 

I noticed 2-4 cabins per deck with tables at the door (covid isolation), as well as the deck 5 port corridor was closed with covid side on the door. I don’t feel I noticed TOO much coughing round the ship - hope it stays manageable and no further cruise “pauses.”

 

We have booked Grand to NZ in January 2024. 

Lou 🙂

Are you saying that the cabins you saw for COVID isolation were being used or were they there in cases needed? Interested to know what sort of infection rate there was on board. I have had 4 vaccinations and been wearing masks when in shopping centres etc but still picked up COVID last week - possibly from a friend - and may have unknowingly passed it on to another friend. Seems to be widespread here. But, if I had had these symptoms pre-COVID, they would be put down to the lurgy/bad cold.

[arxcards]

5 hours ago, Cbtours said:

I didn’t stay up 🥰🥰🥰

Just as well. They would have been far enough apart to be just a few white dots in the distance.

[Cbtours]

On 6/30/2022 at 9:06 PM, Tripmode33 said:

Thanks for photos of balcony. I think I do prefer our Dolphin fully covered. May have slight advantages in poor weather and a little more private from above being fully covered. Either way, really enjoyed being spoilt re the suite and it's benefits.  Thanks also for confirming re the thermal suite. Good to know.

Just out if interest how wide were the dolphin balconies. I had a feeling someone said the caribe ones were 9ft wide (metric??? Nearly 3 mt ?) we’re dolphins same?

[Aus Traveller]

On 6/29/2022 at 4:10 PM, cruiser3775 said:

Even the "Plus Package" wines are a rip off.That Leasingham Riesling they want $86 a bottle for actually costs $18 retail, and I bet they didn't pay more than $9 for it wholesale, probably less.

I'm flying in for my cruise, so I can't carry much wine, but I intend to visit a local retailer near the port and get a few quality bottles to take on the ship. Even with the corkage, it's a winner for me. If enough people do it, maybe they might get the message?

The nearest retailer I know of near the new Brisbane terminal is Dan Murphy's at the corner of Kingsford Smith Dve and Racecourse Road, Hamilton. This is a 20minute drive from the new terminal. If you were in a taxi, you could order ahead and pick up from the shop, resulting in a minimum delay in the taxi.

[Aus Traveller]

22 hours ago, arxcards said:

You can bring as many as you like. One bottle each attracts no corkage unless you consume it in their restaurants. All additional bottles attract corkage.

Officially, you can take one bottle per person on board without a corkage charge. On previous cruises, we were 'escorted' to the alcohol table immediately after the security x-ray, so we could pay our corkage. On our latest cruise this didn't happen so we assumed we would be charged corkage when we took our wine to the restaurant. This didn't happen either - not once on the seven night cruise. 😁 I can't guarantee that this will continue.

[Aus Traveller]

22 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

Thanks, OZKiwiJJ, look forward to seeing them.

Can I ask a question about the tap water onboard. Is it heavily chlorinated? I can bring a water bottle with a filter, but won't bother if the taste is OK.

We didn't notice any chlorine in the water, but I can't guarantee that you won't taste it. 🙂

[Ozwoody]

57 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

The nearest retailer I know of near the new Brisbane terminal is Dan Murphy's at the corner of Kingsford Smith Dve and Racecourse Road, Hamilton. This is a 20minute drive from the new terminal. If you were in a taxi, you could order ahead and pick up from the shop, resulting in a minimum delay in the taxi.

Or maybe order by Phone or Net, then have taxi pick up, and deliver to terminal, and go out and meet them. Taxi fare only one way then...  Just a thought??

[cruiser3775]

Thanks Aus Traveller. That's the Dan Murphy's I was planning to buy from just before the cruise. I'm prepared to pay the corkage. It's a much better deal than buying cr*p wine onboard.

Maybe I'm overthinking the water, it's just that we live with rural tank water so chlorinated city water is more obvious to me.

[cruiser3775]

Thanks, Ozwoody. I'm staying overnight in Hamilton within walking distance of the Dan Murphy's, so I will be able to organise both pickup and taxi to the new terminal efficiently.

[Aus Traveller]

9 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

Thanks Aus Traveller. That's the Dan Murphy's I was planning to buy from just before the cruise. I'm prepared to pay the corkage. It's a much better deal than buying cr*p wine onboard.

Maybe I'm overthinking the water, it's just that we live with rural tank water so chlorinated city water is more obvious to me.

We also live with tank water so I think we would have noticed chlorinated water. I do notice the chlorine when I drink Brisbane city water.

[Porky55]

28 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

We also live with tank water so I think we would have noticed chlorinated water. I do notice the chlorine when I drink Brisbane city water.

Agree, Corals water much nicer than Brisbane city 🤔

[Jean C]

On 6/29/2022 at 6:10 PM, cruiser3775 said:

Even the "Plus Package" wines are a rip off.That Leasingham Riesling they want $86 a bottle for actually costs $18 retail, and I bet they didn't pay more than $9 for it wholesale, probably less.

I'm flying in for my cruise, so I can't carry much wine, but I intend to visit a local retailer near the port and get a few quality bottles to take on the ship. Even with the corkage, it's a winner for me. If enough people do it, maybe they might get the message?

Don't forget that you can also top up wine supplies from Cairns and Port Douglas supermarkets - both easy walking from the port🍷I don't actually know if Aus supermarkets sell vino, just presuming here 😀 

[Aus Traveller]

4 minutes ago, Jean C said:

Don't forget that you can also top up wine supplies from Cairns and Port Douglas supermarkets - both easy walking from the port🍷I don't actually know if Aus supermarkets sell vino, just presuming here 😀 

Supermarkets in Queensland don't sell wine. Dan Murphy's is the best liquor outlet I know of, so that's where I do my alcohol shopping. I don't know if we would be permitted to take wine on board at the intermediate ports and Port Douglas would be an expensive place to buy wine.

Edited July 3, 2022 by Aus Traveller

[Jean C]

3 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Supermarkets in Queensland don't sell wine. Dan Murphy's is the best liquor outlet I know of, so that's where I do my alcohol shopping. I don't know if we would be permitted to take wine on board at the intermediate ports and Port Douglas would be an expensive place to buy wine.

Aha, so not useful ramblings 😄 On our last cruise pre covid you could each bring a bottle at port stops and they didn't charge corkage - this was while their website said one bottle per passenger on embarkation. No worries, will work around as we're flying in too.

[Aus Traveller]

2 minutes ago, Jean C said:

Aha, so not useful ramblings 😄 On our last cruise pre covid you could each bring a bottle at port stops and they didn't charge corkage - this was while their website said one bottle per passenger on embarkation. No worries, will work around as we're flying in too.

BTW, Princess charges $40 for its shuttle transfers to the airport. A taxi ride would cost around $35-$40. If you really wanted some wine, you could pre-order on line with Dan Murphy and get the taxi to go via the shop. It would add probably an extra 15 minutes (maybe 20) drive to the time for a direct airport-terminal trip.

Edited July 3, 2022 by Aus Traveller

[Jean C]

1 minute ago, Aus Traveller said:

BTW, Princess charges $40 for its shuttle transfers to the airport. A taxi ride would cost around $35-$40. If you really wanted some wine, you could pre-order on line with Dan Murphy and get the taxi to go via the shop. It would add probably an extra 15 minutes (maybe 20) drive to the time for a direct airport-terminal trip.

Thanks for the tip 👍 

[Stuartm]

On 7/2/2022 at 2:21 PM, OzKiwiJJ said:

I have taken screenshots of the full beverage menus on the app but won't have time to post them until we reach home next week.

Thanks OzKiwiJJ. I look forward to seeing the fruits of your labour once you are home and suffering from post-cruise blues. At least you can look at the beverage menus and reminisce!!

cheers

Stu

[OzKiwiJJ]

9 minutes ago, Stuartm said:

Thanks OzKiwiJJ. I look forward to seeing the fruits of your labour once you are home and suffering from post-cruise blues. At least you can look at the beverage menus and reminisce!!

cheers

Stu

I've only got to wait two months then I'm back onboard Coral.😊

[~*Lou*~]

8 hours ago, Aussieflyer said:

Are you saying that the cabins you saw for COVID isolation were being used or were they there in cases needed? Interested to know what sort of infection rate there was on board. I have had 4 vaccinations and been wearing masks when in shopping centres etc but still picked up COVID last week - possibly from a friend - and may have unknowingly passed it on to another friend. Seems to be widespread here. But, if I had had these symptoms pre-COVID, they would be put down to the lurgy/bad cold.

The cabins had people in them - whether it was staff or passengers I don’t know - they had a small table outside the door (like the table from the balcony) and room service trays with disposable food and drink containers.
 

Transport from the port - this morning we waited 40 mins in a queue for a taxi to to the airport- seems not many taxi drivers know about the new cruise terminal or that any cruise ships are operating again. The driver we eventually got had done 7 trips from port to airport this morning.  

[Aus Traveller]

10 minutes ago, ~*Lou*~ said:

Transport from the port - this morning we waited 40 mins in a queue for a taxi to to the airport- seems not many taxi drivers know about the new cruise terminal or that any cruise ships are operating again. The driver we eventually got had done 7 trips from port to airport this morning.  

What time did you leave the terminal?