The Tide Is In

[Skyrules]

Pacific Star is back in Brisbane - and it looks from the webcam like the tide is in today - so they should have less problems with the baggage handling this morning!

 

It's a busy day in Brisbane today - Pacific Star is in at the Cruise Terminal and at lunch time the residential ship The World is arriving and berthing temporarily at the original temporary facillty at the Sugar terminal on the south side of the river. Once Star has left The World will move over to Hamilton. Two ships in one day...... Maybe Premier Pete was right - Brisbane is becoming the cruise capital!!! :D

[aussiedisneyfan]

They certainly will be under pressure to keep on schedule if another ship is waiting for them to leave. I looked at the port movements and it showed them coming in at 4.55 and still scheduled for departure at 2pm.

[qld cruiser]

Hi everyone I am new to cruise critic, but not to cruising.

I have 2 friends who came off the star this morning and they are already home on the Gold Coast, so things are moving OK.

 

 

 

38 cruises so far with P&O.

from the old Oriana,Fairstar,Regal Princess, Pacific Princess, Pacific Sky(my favourite),Pacific Sun, and the Pacific Star.

 

other cruise lines...Star cruises. Norwegian cruise lines.

 

 

no cruises booked at present.....still looking .

[karmac]

Muy linedancing teacher is off on the Star today, along with 157 other linedancers. Would love to be there with them.

The World comes to Sydney on Friday for the weekend. Would love to go & have a look (wouldn't I love to see inside that ship!) but uinfortunately won't have time.

 

Karen

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Hi everyone I am new to cruise critic, but not to cruising.

 

Welcome to the board qld cruiser.

Trust you enjoy calling in from time to time.Its a great place to keep up with all the news on cruising in Australia and the South Pacific.

[qld cruiser]

Welcome to the board qld cruiser.

Trust you enjoy calling in from time to time.Its a great place to keep up

with all the news on cruising in Australia and the South Pacific.

 

 

Hi David, thanks for the welcome.....I am a cruise fanatic and love reading everyones mail. I was on Star July 22-30th out of Auckland.

[suexxx]

Hi all. Star still in port. Must be having some trouble. Not good as another ship waiting to dock where she is. She was due to leave at 2pm. Now 3-40pm. Suexxx

[Rallo]

You beat me to the punch Sue I was just about to comment on her still sitting at port. Looks like it's still fun and games at the new terminal - blast! They have one more practice run until we set sail to get it right. I have just gotten home from a picnic with my fellow cruisers (26 of us altogether) where we sorted out last minute details. Two weeks to go and I'm getting very excited.:)

[suexxx]

Star has left dock

[howsthis]

Hi everyone I am new to cruise critic, but not to cruising.

I have 2 friends who came off the star this morning and they are already home on the Gold Coast, so things are moving OK.

 

 

 

38 cruises so far with P&O.

from the old Oriana,Fairstar,Regal Princess, Pacific Princess, Pacific Sky(my favourite),Pacific Sun, and the Pacific Star.

 

other cruise lines...Star cruises. Norwegian cruise lines.

 

 

no cruises booked at present.....still looking .

 

Welcome to our board qld cruiser, just think how much you could contribute with all that experience, can't wait to hear more from you. We are all quite happy to hear of others experiences while we wait for our next cruise. I've only been once, i can only imagine 38, wow. Check out the Pacific Dawn 75th Anniversary cruise on Nov 9 2007, quite a few of us are booked on her already.

[Skyrules]

Star has left dock

 

We just got home from watching Star sail. We arrived at 12.30pm and there were still long queues outside the terminal. The last passengers boarded about 3.30 and the ship pulled away at about 3.45.

 

The wharf complex is wonderful - however the management of the complex isn't. At the same time Star was casting off it's lines ready to sail, security staff were closing the high level public viewing platform - non too politely moving people downstairs, not for any security reasons to do with Pacifc Star, but because there was "a private function" at the (enclosed) venue on the same level as the viewing platform. Family & friends who been waiting several hours to view the ships departure weren't too impressed with this - so once again the complex management are off side with a large group of potential customers.

 

They didn't seem to understand that if they'd waited 10 more minutes the ship would have pulled away and most people would have gone on their way naturally.

 

So a major thumbs down to the management of the Portside Wharf who need to work out whether it's a cruise terminal or an entertainment venue.

[Skyrules]

Luggage handling and ship provisioning wasn't the cause for delay today - this was all completed, and all doors except the main passenger entry door, closed well before 2 o'clock, but passenger embarkation seemed to be protracted - the last passengers didn't board until 3.30.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

So a major thumbs down to the management of the Portside Wharf who need to work out whether it's a cruise terminal or an entertainment venue.

 

 

We have had similar problems in Auckland,although they are starting to sort them out now at last.The viewing platform is also the outside deck for one of the Hilton Hotels bars and the public staircase leading up to it has a metal gate that can be locked.At one stage the Council had to issue an order stating that the gate must remain open when a ship is docked.

Even before the complex was built ,I contacted the then Harbour Board and wanted to know what provision would be made for farewelling ships,but they did not want to know and passed me on to the developers who did not even realise that people went down to see ships off.They fobbed me off by saying that they did not want streamers being thrown as they were environmentally unfriendly.

So I guess Brisbane is the same,a balance has to be worked out between the private owners of the facility,the shipping line,and the public.

[karmac]

.....It's a busy day in Brisbane today - Pacific Star is in at the Cruise Terminal and at lunch time the residential ship The World is arriving and berthing temporarily at the original temporary facillty at the Sugar terminal on the south side of the river. Once Star has left The World will move over to Hamilton. Two ships in one day...... Maybe Premier Pete was right - Brisbane is becoming the cruise capital!!! :D

 

 

Is there a webcam around the terminal area where we can get a view of The World while she's there?

Anyone who's never seen it, check out the website & make sure you check out the floor plans of the apartments. It's amazing.

 

http://www.aboardtheworld.com/index.aspx?pageID=1

 

Karen

[Skyrules]

Is there a webcam around the terminal area where we can get a view of The World while she's there?

Anyone who's never seen it, check out the website & make sure you check out the floor plans of the apartments. It's amazing.

 

http://www.aboardtheworld.com/index.aspx?pageID=1

 

Karen

 

Haven't seen anything about a webcam down there. We saw The World, sitting off in the distance at the Sugar Wharf yesterday waiting for Star to depart. We thought we might pop down today and have a look - see if we can get up onto the viewing platform.

[Skyrules]

We have had similar problems in Auckland,although they are starting to sort them out now at last.The viewing platform is also the outside deck for one of the Hilton Hotels bars and the public staircase leading up to it has a metal gate that can be locked.At one stage the Council had to issue an order stating that the gate must remain open when a ship is docked.

Even before the complex was built ,I contacted the then Harbour Board and wanted to know what provision would be made for farewelling ships,but they did not want to know and passed me on to the developers who did not even realise that people went down to see ships off.They fobbed me off by saying that they did not want streamers being thrown as they were environmentally unfriendly.

So I guess Brisbane is the same,a balance has to be worked out between the private owners of the facility,the shipping line,and the public.

 

 

I think if it had been closed the whole day it wouldn't have mattered so much, but because it was open and people were up waving to the friends/family, or like us just looking, and then right at the time the ship was going to sail (and that was obvious, she'd sounded her horn and the ropes were being pulled in) they came and made everyone leave - and they weren't asking nicely either.

 

It just wasn't the same watching it from ground level. It was good to see that lot's of passengers on the ship had Streamers and were throwing them.

 

Kym

[frog cruiser]

You beat me to the punch Sue I was just about to comment on her still sitting at port. Looks like it's still fun and games at the new terminal - blast! They have one more practice run until we set sail to get it right. I have just gotten home from a picnic with my fellow cruisers (26 of us altogether) where we sorted out last minute details. Two weeks to go and I'm getting very excited.:)

 

I am on the cruise leaving the 30th wish they would up date the ticket and not have use leaving from Roma St.This really upsets my mum and that upsets me(bless her)

I am also excited so is Suey as she is also on it.

I had knee Op friday so working on getting that right

Never know my meet on the cruise Suey and I love trivia:)

[Tropicalshowers]

I am on the cruise leaving the 30th wish they would up date the ticket and not have use leaving from Roma St.This really upsets my mum and that upsets me(bless her)

I am also excited so is Suey as she is also on it.

I had knee Op friday so working on getting that right

Never know my meet on the cruise Suey and I love trivia:)

 

Hi frog cruiser!

I'm just curious,as we leave the cruise before you do....where on your ticket does it say that you are still leaving via the transit centre? I have double checked ours (in a panic:confused: ) & the only mention of using the transit centre I can find, (& the old wharf) is on a brochure included with the documents. Our tickets don't even say where the ship will be berthed!

Cheers

[Tikibird]

Maybe some of the passengers were confused about going to Roma St or direct to the terminal. That could be why they boarded late.

 

Well, at least they improved over the last cruise leaving 11 hours late! Hopefully, they will get their full itinerary.

[suey]

Hi frog cruiser!

I'm just curious,as we leave the cruise before you do....where on your ticket does it say that you are still leaving via the transit centre? I have double checked ours (in a panic:confused: ) & the only mention of using the transit centre I can find, (& the old wharf) is on a brochure included with the documents. Our tickets don't even say where the ship will be berthed!

Cheers

 

Our tickets state that the ship is to leave and depart from Pinkenba, and the old brochure is in the wallet (re. Roma St). Not believing it though as I am sure all departures will now be from the new port. But our mum always likes to have her T's crossed and i's dotted and starts with the what ifs!! Surprising that your tickets for the previous cruise show nothing.:)

[Skyrules]

There didn't appear to be any buses coming or going from Hamilton yesterday, apart from one shuttling crew. Everyone we saw arriving was doing so under their own steam.