B2B Cruising on PO in Australia

[CruisingJulie]

Has anyone had experience yet on PO protocols in regard to staying onboard during B2B cruising here ?. I loved how Princess now allow you to stay onboard and was wondering if PO have changed their policies.

[Sparky74]

We are doing B2B on P&O in October so I’m also interested. 

[MMDown Under]

5 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

We are doing B2B on P&O in October so I’m also interested. 

Bon Voyage!

[Hogbay]

On 8/18/2022 at 4:45 PM, CruisingJulie said:

Has anyone had experience yet on PO protocols in regard to staying onboard during B2B cruising here ?. I loved how Princess now allow you to stay onboard and was wondering if PO have changed their policies.

Their policies changed every b2b, one cruise all had to disembark till deep cleaning  finish another out of cabins by 8am and meet out side the Pantry. One cruise was changed from 10 to 8 nights and b2b,s were accommodated at Darling Harbour and allowance $100pp each day plus pro rata and OBC . Cant ask more than that . On Covid woops Coral Princess now to join Dora will report back next week 🙂

[Hogbay]

On 8/18/2022 at 4:45 PM, CruisingJulie said:

Has anyone had experience yet on PO protocols in regard to staying onboard during B2B cruising here ?. I loved how Princess now allow you to stay onboard and was wondering if PO have changed their policies.

Dora at OPT Sydney in the morning all Pac's must depart by 930 am can re board at 1130 am via priority  line . Can leave luggage on board . Saying due to boarder authorities and local health requirements .

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Hogbay said:

Dora at OPT Sydney in the morning all Pac's must depart by 930 am can re board at 1130 am via priority  line . Can leave luggage on board . Saying due to boarder authorities and local health requirements .

 

Bummer! Did Dora go to an overseas port? If not border authorities usually aren't involved. 

 

We're doing B2B on Coral Princess, boarding the first one on Saturday. It will be interesting to see what happens at the end of that cruise. In Brisbane the B2Bers were allowed to stay onboard. If NSW is different it's probably NSW Health being too officious after their balls up in 2020.

[Hogbay]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Bummer! Did Dora go to an overseas port? If not border authorities usually aren't involved. 

 

We're doing B2B on Coral Princess, boarding the first one on Saturday. It will be interesting to see what happens at the end of that cruise. In Brisbane the B2Bers were allowed to stay onboard. If NSW is different it's probably NSW Health being too officious after their balls up in 2020.

No overseas port but Willis Island is a external territory so they say they drop anchor to sell duty-free and then have to pay for border authorities. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

11 hours ago, Hogbay said:

No overseas port but Willis Island is a external territory so they say they drop anchor to sell duty-free and then have to pay for border authorities. 

That's customs then, not border security. I know there was a customs check when we disembarked in Brisbane early July after a Willis Island visit but I think the B2Bers stayed onboard then. Oh well, I'll find out for myself in eleven more days.

[Hogbay]

6 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

That's customs then, not border security. I know there was a customs check when we disembarked in Brisbane early July after a Willis Island visit but I think the B2Bers stayed onboard then. Oh well, I'll find out for myself in eleven more days.

https://www.abf.gov.au/home

 

No customs any more under Governments home affairs is ABF , Australian Border Force , they are the ones doing the checks . 

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Hogbay said:

https://www.abf.gov.au/home

 

No customs any more under Governments home affairs is ABF , Australian Border Force , they are the ones doing the checks . 

Are they all under the same group now - Passport Control (ie Border Control) and Duty Free / Biosecurity. I guess it makes sense.

[Aus Traveller]

This morning when the Pacific Encounter returned to Brisbane from a cruise to Cairns, the people who were staying on as a B2B, were told they had to disembark at 10am with their old cruise card, then board again with their new card.

[arxcards]

14 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

This morning when the Pacific Encounter returned to Brisbane from a cruise to Cairns, the people who were staying on as a B2B, were told they had to disembark at 10am with their old cruise card, then board again with their new card.

So for Encounter, you collect your cruise cards at check-in, as in the past? For Explorer out of Sydney. they were in the mail slot at your cabin.

[Aus Traveller]

6 minutes ago, arxcards said:

So for Encounter, you collect your cruise cards at check-in, as in the past? For Explorer out of Sydney. they were in the mail slot at your cabin.

On the Encounter the cruise cards are in the mail box outside the cabin, but someone on a B2B, said they were waiting for their new cards and gestured towards the guest services desk. The fact that they were sitting in the atrium indicated that they weren't given the new cards in their room, but I can't be sure where they got them.

[Hogbay]

DORA has berthed at White Bay this morning B2B pac can stay aboard must vacate cabin and Charlies bar is transit lounge.

[MicCanberra]

Good stuff, enjoy

[CruisingJulie]

Thanks everyone, I now have a friend onboard encounter who told me they got to stay onboard also, just no coffees were available during the transit unlike Princess who stayed open. Happy to know we wont have to get off during the 2 cruises and do nothing here at Brisbane😆