Would you book a future cruise?

[pooh/tigger]

Hi gang,

 

I've been away from all the forums for a while. Cancer is a B....

 

Anyway, my wife and I are planning an Australia and New Zealand cruise for the first part of 2025. 

 

With their recent financial stories, would you book a future cruise with Virgin for this destination? 

Thank you

[jon81uk]

Not sure I would book 18 months out, but I’ve not seen financial issues, more just itineraries changing that makes me unsure. I think once they’ve done the first season of Aus/NZ then it should be clearer what’s going on. So maybe book 12 months out? January often has good offers anyway.

[cantgetin]

Each new ship launch seems to have scheduling changes.  However, the ships on established routes are sailing at near capacity now.  Each time we cruise, the ship is more full in terms of numbers than on our previous cruise, but we really don't notice it.  I think they have learned how to spread out the peope on board better and have more events occurring at the same time.

[CruisingWalter]

I would have no problems booking VV that far out and in fact we have booked cruises pretty far out in the past. Not sure which financial stories you're seeing, there was one fairly recently about a potential fund raising campaign for them, but as far as we can tell, they're solid right now. As with any other cruise, get third party, independent travel insurance to cover you in the event of cancellation. 

[pooh/tigger]

You all are the best. 
 

Thanks for getting my wife to relax 😎😎

 

 

[cantgetin]

There is one particular individual on YouTube and sometimes here who seems to have a "doom and gloom" philosophy about VV.  The funny thing is that if his last YouTube is to be believed (which is often stretching things), he has done several VV cruises, all either "free" as a travel professional or severely discounted casino rates.  He was predicting that VV couldn't make it financially this far.  Bottom line, if someone has nothing good to say, take their posts with a grain of salt.  Even those who find that VV isn't the line for them can usually find something that was good!

[_tacocat_]

2 hours ago, cantgetin said:

He was predicting that VV couldn't make it financially this far.

Lol I’m STILL waiting for NCL to announce

that acquisition that he swoooooore was imminent 🙄 

[cantgetin]

1 minute ago, _tacocat_ said:

Lol I’m STILL waiting for NCL to announce

that acquisition that he swoooooore was imminent 🙄 

You got the right guy!   And just watch what happens if you comment on some of the things he reported that were different on your cruise!

[pooh/tigger]

sounds like if this gent responds here, I’m going to enjoy it 🤪🤪🤪

[Ondine]

16 hours ago, pooh/tigger said:

Hi gang,

 

I've been away from all the forums for a while. Cancer is a B....

 

Anyway, my wife and I are planning an Australia and New Zealand cruise for the first part of 2025. 

 

With their recent financial stories, would you book a future cruise with Virgin for this destination? 

Thank you

 

They haven't come out with itineraries yet for 24/25 here in Australia.  They recently cancelled 4 Aus/NZ cruises from Melbourne for this season Feb/March and replaced them with 2 - 5 night cruises.  I got caught up in the cancellations.  I don't think they researched our area very well before deciding to come here and sail from Melbourne. 

They are planning to come in 24/25 but I have no idea what the itineraries will look like.  I think they will put in more departures from Sydney if they can get berths.  Best to wait awhile and see what eventuates.

[lisabucsfan1]

On 7/10/2023 at 1:15 AM, Ondine said:

 

They haven't come out with itineraries yet for 24/25 here in Australia.  They recently cancelled 4 Aus/NZ cruises from Melbourne for this season Feb/March and replaced them with 2 - 5 night cruises.  I got caught up in the cancellations.  I don't think they researched our area very well before deciding to come here and sail from Melbourne. 

They are planning to come in 24/25 but I have no idea what the itineraries will look like.  I think they will put in more departures from Sydney if they can get berths.  Best to wait awhile and see what eventuates.

 

FWIW I'm booked on a NZ cruise on a different line for Feb 2024 (booked in April of 2022) and within the last month we had one of our ports of call wiped off the agenda. Not exactly the same as what you're referencing, but cancellations & changes are definitely not unique to VV

[Ondine]

During the last summer season (Sept to April) in Australia we had trouble with NZ authorities who cancelled several various cruise line visits to ports especially the Sounds/Fiords.  Companies were made to scrape the ships hulls.  No rhyme or reason or which ships or shipping lines just seemed random.  The greenies were flexing their muscles because there are some people who don't want cruise ships over there at all.  

Which port was cancelled?

[pooh/tigger]

That’s scary to hear. So much beauty down there that my wife and I want to see. Don’t want to miss a thing 😎😎 but we always go into our journeys with the same mindset. It won’t be perfect. 

[lisabucsfan1]

On 7/12/2023 at 12:55 AM, Ondine said:

 Which port was cancelled?

 

For us, it was Eden, Australia. Our cruise leaves out of Auckland and ends in Sydney. So now we get into Sydney one day early, but we won't be at our final disembarkation destination, so will still be using the boat for sleeping & dining.

[Ondine]

7 hours ago, lisabucsfan1 said:

 

For us, it was Eden, Australia. Our cruise leaves out of Auckland and ends in Sydney. So now we get into Sydney one day early, but we won't be at our final disembarkation destination, so will still be using the boat for sleeping & dining.

That's a pity.  Eden is a lovely small town.  Unfortunately there have been several cancellations there lately.  We are not sure why.  It used to be a tender port and then they built a new dock for the ships which got finished during the Covid lockdowns.  We are not sure if vessels over a certain size are having trouble berthing there or if there is some other problem.  Posters on the Australian New Zealand pages have been commenting on it.

[lisabucsfan1]

9 hours ago, Ondine said:

That's a pity.  Eden is a lovely small town.  Unfortunately there have been several cancellations there lately.  We are not sure why.  It used to be a tender port and then they built a new dock for the ships which got finished during the Covid lockdowns.  We are not sure if vessels over a certain size are having trouble berthing there or if there is some other problem.  Posters on the Australian New Zealand pages have been commenting on it.

 

Yes I've been following that... we are disappointed because we are already spending a few days pre-cruise in Sydney thus would have enjoyed seeing at least one other spot in Australia. I guess we'll have to plan another trip to see more of the continent! 😂