Gratuities on Australian itineraries

[ldubs]

On 3/11/2023 at 7:15 AM, groundloop said:

 

🤣   This is, after all, cruise critic.

 

 

24 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

This!  I seem to forget this when mostly what I find is very good information about what's going on on various cruise lines.  We haven't been extremely loyal to any one cruise line, so I continue to peruse many boards.   Lately I'm spending more time on the HAL boards due to our TA coming up, and they take that name to heart and it's very negative.  I've learned how to "Ignore" certain posters.   

 

Sometimes I think it lost that "critics" would be talking about positive and negative things.  The term isn't exclusively criticisms.  

[RoOkla]

We took the 23 day from Seattle to Sidney and the gratuities are mandatory. The prices in Australia are inclusive of the gratuities. But as U. S. Citizens our dollar is discounted about $.25 per dollar. (Depending on fluctuation between Australian to the dollar)

[RoOkla]

At the end of my statement it states “OPTIONAL CHARGES” Prepaid Gratuities $319. But when I went down to get the tips reversed (on the 23 day Carnival Splendor 9/2022)I was told that it was not optional to remove the fees. We never eat in the dining room or go to shows. I did prepay the taxes on this trip. My husband passed away two weeks after we returned from that trip. This will be my first cruise without my mate of 50 years and sailing over 60+ cruises. I’m already dreading my single cabin. I’ve been reading about a lot of single cruisers so I know it can be done. Happy sailing. 
 

Edited March 13, 2023 by RoOkla

[LPGA Golfer Gal]

On 3/12/2023 at 7:41 PM, lasekeye said:

Sure, would love to help…pay it forward 😉

what are your ports?

Carnival excursions were slow to populate on their site, due to so many of the suppliers not surviving the COVID break, or weren’t quite ready to start.

Thank you.

We booked at start of Covid, hubby and daughter would love to dive the reef, but Carnival has mostly done away on last few cruises in Caribbean with scuba. Australia poet times do not allow for docking and making any trips privately to Reef pontoons. If you just look at all Carnival excursions (without logging in) it lists GBR excursions to reef pontoons where we can snorkel. 
We are at Tangalooma, Airlie Beach (usually lists a GBR excursion here), Cairns (also lists a GBR excursion here)

Currently 100 days out and not one reef excursion. I really am hoping something will still populate on website in coming days.

Im also confused as everything we read and on our booking says excursions can be purchased on board, but they clearly have many to book already and many are already sold out.

Thanks for any insight you may have.

 

[lasekeye]

LPGA Golfer Gal,

yes, it was soooo frustrating not to be able to book from a plethora of excursions, compared to the norm with Carnival.  Many cruisers from “the land of Down Under”, that’s how things are done.  We did have some options populate fairly close to sail date, I think once the check-in date came all of the excursions were posted.

Our sailing didn’t cover any of the Australian Ports, we visited some of the South Pacific Islands that had wonderful snorkeling (that’s our “thing”), so unfortunately I can’t comment on the diving options for your ports.

Many ports we “did” our own thing, (excursions were sooooo expensive), check out locally offered diving tours…read their reviews…contact them for info, - use local transportation to get to sites too.

[LPGA Golfer Gal]

19 hours ago, lasekeye said:

LPGA Golfer Gal,

yes, it was soooo frustrating not to be able to book from a plethora of excursions, compared to the norm with Carnival.  Many cruisers from “the land of Down Under”, that’s how things are done.  We did have some options populate fairly close to sail date, I think once the check-in date came all of the excursions were posted.

Our sailing didn’t cover any of the Australian Ports, we visited some of the South Pacific Islands that had wonderful snorkeling (that’s our “thing”), so unfortunately I can’t comment on the diving options for your ports.

Many ports we “did” our own thing, (excursions were sooooo expensive), check out locally offered diving tours…read their reviews…contact them for info, - use local transportation to get to sites too.

Thank you! Truly appreciate the response and hoping as we get nearer the time things will keep being added.

Will check out all options. Thanks