Live from Pacific Explorer - 31st May - Australia is Cruising Again

[SinbadThePorter]

I went out to the terminal for a look.

 

Pacific Explorer is looking spic and span. The terminal is looking good too.

 

Parking was free today.

[arxcards]

18 minutes ago, CDaze71 said:

Is that the selfie I saw from Cruising with Honey ?

Awe geez, I hope not.

[arxcards]

38 minutes ago, CDaze71 said:

Is that the selfie I saw from Cruising with Honey ?

It was around that time, but hopefully the media has a photo of the group.

 

The instruction was for people with the white P&O shirts to come up for a group shot, but the social media royalty couldn’t help themselves.

[Elorac123]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

Give it time. For now it is a bit barren, but it is nice outside the terminal and plenty of room for food trucks for now. There was a coffee and cake truck there this morning. 

Give it time ? Call me harsh but they have had 2 years to pretty things up and plan for at least a coffee shop.

Cheers Carole 

[arxcards]

Just now, Elorac123 said:

Give it time ? Call me harsh but they have had 2 years to pretty things up and plan for at least a coffee shop.

Cheers Carole 

There is a coffee shop, just not open till a ship is based there. There is also a bits & pieces shop that will be open soon too.

[Elorac123]

2 minutes ago, arxcards said:

There is a coffee shop, just not open till a ship is based there. There is also a bits & pieces shop that will be open soon too.

Oh good to know

Cheers Carole

[Chiliburn]

@arxcards

Do they have kettles in the cabins?

We have a suite with free room service but I was thinking about taking my coffee plunger along.

[arxcards]

2 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

@arxcards

Do they have kettles in the cabins?

We have a suite with free room service but I was thinking about taking my coffee plunger along.

You have a nespresso machine in your suite.

[arxcards]

One thing that is a bit different. How would you go paying for entertainment on your cruise?

 

Minor celebrity & camp entertainer, Hans is performing two shows on the ship. There is a difference to these shows, as they are ticketed. I think it is $18pp. I am not overly impressed, as the shows have been mentioned on the socials, but no hint there was a fee.

 

 

I am not against the idea, as the concept has a lot of merit. Say if a Jimmy Barnes concert was announced on a cruise and marketed, his fans could book the cruise and passengers already booked could choose whether they wanted to pay the extra and attend. Anyone not interested would not be paying extra in their fare to have an upmarket act.

 

On the flip side, part of the cruise experience is to be entertained, and there is a risk that visiting acts become dominated by pay-per-view artists.

[CDaze71]

There is no way I will be paying extra to see any guest entertainer. P&O seem to be trying to charge for lots of things (food, shows, P&O Edge). I believe the show is $20pp.
Then issue I see is if these shows are sell outs, then P&O will continue to charge and charge for more and more things. If the show hardly has anyone at it, then maybe they will re-think charging a fee. So people need to boycott these ticketed events or it will only escalate.

Edited June 2, 2022 by CDaze71

[cheznandy]

Thanks for update Geoff, yeah go P&O🙄upcharge for everything.

The 3 night cruise I have booked next year is a comedy cruise.....hope I am not paying to see the comedy haha! Only booked because it was $250 and I want to see how they have changed the Golden Princess, not particularly for the P&O experience.

I have seen Han's for free on Sunrise😂

Edited June 2, 2022 by cheznandy

[arxcards]

2 minutes ago, cheznandy said:

Thanks for update Geoff, yeah go P&O🙄upcharge for everything.

The 3 night cruise I have booked next year is a comedy cruise.....hope I am not paying to see the comedy haha! Only booked because it was $250 and I want to see how they have changed the Golden Princess, not particularly for the P&O experience.

I have seen Han's for free on Sunrise😂

I am guessing Sunrise is the G rated version.

[arxcards]

6 minutes ago, cheznandy said:

Thanks for update Geoff, yeah go P&O🙄upcharge for everything.

The 3 night cruise I have booked next year is a comedy cruise.....hope I am not paying to see the comedy haha! Only booked because it was $250 and I want to see how they have changed the Golden Princess, not particularly for the P&O experience.

I have seen Han's for free on Sunrise😂

And sorry to say,  the headline comedy act on your cruise could be ticketed if they continue down this path.

 

I am not bothered by any FOMO though. If they were never going to be booked as an included act, they would never have been aboard anyway.

 

As for Hans, we decided if we wouldn't pay to see him on dry land, we wouldn't pay to see him at sea. That is our line in the sand, so we haven't missed anything. Any promotion pre-cruise should have included pricing though.

[CDaze71]

The problem here though is that if they successfully get people buying tickets, they might reduce the free Production Shows in the Theatre to say one show a night, down from 2 shows. Or if they introduce a new show, they might charge to see the new show. Where does it stop?

[Porky55]

Like Arxcards - wouldn’t go to see the act on shore, wouldn’t bother on a ship.
 

But didn't they pay for that Adult Only dinner / cabaret on P&O before Covid?

Edited June 2, 2022 by Porky55

[Aus Traveller]

If P&O get a large negative response to having an entry charge to some shows, they might re-think the idea. If we were on board, we might go to Hans' show. Nothing to lose if we don't like it, but would not if there was a $20 charge.

[arxcards]

4 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

If P&O get a large negative response to having an entry charge to some shows, they might re-think the idea. If we were on board, we might go to Hans' show. Nothing to lose if we don't like it, but would not if there was a $20 charge.

But would he be within the booking budget if it was a N/C show?

 

I think they will mostly ignore negative feedback, and it will be purely about the number of tickets sold relevant to the extra cost of the act - vote with your feet.

 

Rock the Boat cruises are popular, awesome, and it is all covered in the fare. The fare is pretty much double that for an equivalent cruise though.

[arxcards]

Bianco night tonight. 

 

A Johnny Cash outfit would be suitable? 

[shireboi]

I think that this topic - 'charging' for shows - needs its own thread - see where else it leads to...... 

Edited June 2, 2022 by shireboi

[Mikey22]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

One thing that is a bit different. How would you go paying for entertainment on your cruise?

 

Minor celebrity & camp entertainer, Hans is performing two shows on the ship. There is a difference to these shows, as they are ticketed. I think it is $18pp. I am not overly impressed, as the shows have been mentioned on the socials, but no hint there was a fee.

 

 

I am not against the idea, as the concept has a lot of merit. Say if a Jimmy Barnes concert was announced on a cruise and marketed, his fans could book the cruise and passengers already booked could choose whether they wanted to pay the extra and attend. Anyone not interested would not be paying extra in their fare to have an upmarket act.

 

On the flip side, part of the cruise experience is to be entertained, and there is a risk that visiting acts become dominated by pay-per-view artists.

I am probably not their target audience but it would have to be a show where I knew something of the act I was paying to watch.

I doubt I would be interested in the show if it were free.

 

[CDaze71]

4 hours ago, arxcards said:

For anyone who is seeing Brisbane media, there is a group shot of Annastasia with a bunch of cruisers in white t-shirts. Barb is in the picture. It would be a great souvenir if it is published.

Saw it just now, on Channel 10 News.

[arxcards]

Well Brisbane, thanks for a beautiful day. A lovely glow before last light to boot.

 

[arxcards]

Ocean Bar drink menu1387620-ca-menu_-_inside_lounge_apr22_v4_web.pdf

[Aus Traveller]

The ship hasn't moved yet. Do you have any idea when you will depart?

[Aus Traveller]

55 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Bianco night tonight.

Please let us know when the ship begins to move.