First Time P & O questions

[Twosox]

Hi there everybody

 

My husband and I are first time cruisers on P and O

(more recently on Princess and Celebrity) We have booked on Pacific Sun on July 5th and I am wondering if they have deck quoits on board which we would enjoy in the colder weather.

 

I also notice on the website photos that thetop deck has very few lounger chairs or come to that chairs of any description. Is this correct.

 

Also (sorry for so many questions) are the gratuities automatically added to your shipboard account and can we ask for them to be removed and pay direct to who we wish in envelopes??

 

We have family coming with us on this cruise and are really looking forward to the snorkelling in Vanuatu which sounds fantastic.

 

Have been to Noumea a couple of times and snorkelled off Duck Island which is great (apart from the sea snakes!) and also on the outer reef in New Caledonia, also on Bora Bora.

 

Does anyone know how Vanuatu compares to Bora Bora? I am rather nervous of the reputation there for sharks and also Dengue Fever via the mossie...or am I being paranoid??

 

Looking forward to the cruise, any time on the water is a great time. Love these message boards for all the info they give..Thanks guys

[Ela 2]

Hi Twosox,

Welcome. To answer some questions:

 

1. I understand that deck quoits became available on the Pacific Sun several months ago. Another deck game you might enjoy is shuffleboard.

 

2. Lounge chairs were added to the top deck when the Pacific Sun was renovated a few months ago. There is a charge to use this area - think it is $15 for a day and $10 for a half day. Personally, I think I will just have a look at the area, but on principle won't pay to use it. I believe all areas should be available without extra charge. Many years ago there used to be a charge to use deck chairs (before we started cruising in 1984) but so many people objected to always putting their hands in their pockets, that they made it all inclusive. I don't want to encourage a return to that practice. (Sorry for the personal opinion.)

 

3. Gratuities. This is optional. You can have it removed from your on-board account and pay people personally. It is up to you. In our experience you will get the same excellent service from the staff whether you have left the tips on or not.

 

4. Mozzies. I suggest you take some insect repellent, although this isn't much of an issue. The only place we have found mozzies is on the walk to the cascades in Port Vila. Generally mozzies are around from dusk through to dawn, and at that time we are all on the ship well away from their habitat. At Pentecost there were pesky little black flies. At Ouvea there can be sea lice. (Sorry to talk about all these different biting critters. At least they don't all appear at the same place!)

 

Have a fantastic cruise. :):)

 

Evon.

[Brossy]

Hi Twosox

 

Welcome to CC.!

 

Evon has done a great job answering your questions so i'll just say enjoy reading this board. If you have any more questions don't hesitate to post it as i'm sure somebody here will be able to answer it for you.

 

Have a great cruise (you have just as long to wait as me :p).

[Twosox]

Thansk Evon for all your info and Brossy for your kind words

 

Evon I am rather surprised that there is a charge just to use a deck..Are there any other surprise charges we need to know about. We are used to having to pay for Aqua Spa treatments and on some occassions icecream but certainly not to use a deck. Is there ongoing coffe and tea available free and what about afternoon teas??

 

We love shuttleboard so will definitely be into that.

 

Brossy have you snorkelled in from Mystery Island. It is my husbands birthday the day we are there so that will be diferent.

[MargnGrah]

Hi Twosox,

Welcome to CC. :D

 

I think the others have answered most of your questions, and I have not been to Bora Bora , so I cannot compare It to Vanuatu the 2 for you, sorry.

Enjoy this site, it will answer many questions for you....even some you wouldn't think to ask!!!:)

[Ela 2]

Are there any other surprise charges we need to know about. We are used to having to pay for Aqua Spa treatments and on some occassions icecream but certainly not to use a deck. Is there ongoing coffe and tea available free and what about afternoon teas??

Hi Twosox,

Tea & coffee are available all the time in the Lido buffet area. Small cakes etc. are available there for afternoon tea, or you can go to the formal fancy afternoon tea in the restaurant. Do it at least once.

 

Any other surprise charges - Can't think of any. I can understand your surprise about a charge to use this particular deck area.

 

Snorkelling at Mystery Island is quite good. Walk across to the far side of the island and walk to the right a couple of hundred metres. There should be a white pole standing up in the water (was when we were there anyway). The coral near there is OK.:):)

Evon.

[wildweston]

Hi there Twosox. A friend of mine has just come off the Pacific Sun and what Evon told you about the fees for that particular area is right (he's always pretty spot on) that includes all the lattes/cappas you can drink and all the NZ icecream you want ( a bit of a NZ touch for you ). It is also kids free.

I am going on in April so it's all pretty exciting.

[thied]

. Lounge chairs were added to the top deck when the Pacific Sun was renovated a few months ago. There is a charge to use this area - think it is $15 for a day and $10 for a half day. Personally, I think I will just have a look at the area, but on principle won't pay to use it. I believe all areas should be available without extra charge. Many years ago there used to be a charge to use deck chairs (before we started cruising in 1984) but so many people objected to always putting their hands in their pockets, that they made it all inclusive. I don't want to encourage a return to that practice. (Sorry for the personal opinion.)

 

 

ela 2 they started at 5$ per half day this included a bottle of water use of the spa and sun Lounges and also kid free. it has gone up sence we then

when we went on the star in 2007 this same area was free had sun Lounges a bigger spa pool and was for 18 yrs and over, but the sad part was it was closed at night

 

my thoughts is that it should be free

[Twosox]

Thanks all once again, Cheryl and Thied as well.

 

We won't bother using a deck we have to pay for either....

 

Thied I see you have booked to do Alaska...Fantastic stuff. We did it in 2006 also did a land tour up to Fairbanks over 6-7 days. Are you also doing the land tour and which ship are you going on??

 

Linda (Twosox)..call me what you like!!I only just noticed that many contributors do use their real names so I may as well use mine

[kazzacruise]

Thanks all once again, Cheryl and Thied as well.

 

We won't bother using a deck we have to pay for either....

 

Thied I see you have booked to do Alaska...Fantastic stuff. We did it in 2006 also did a land tour up to Fairbanks over 6-7 days. Are you also doing the land tour and which ship are you going on??

 

Linda (Twosox)..call me what you like!!I only just noticed that many contributors do use their real names so I may as well use mine

hi Linda, Sorry to crash this thread but Im off to ALaska August this tear on Hals Zuiderdam from Vancouver. Any hints to give me? kerrie

[leggyliz]

I'm absolutely gobsmacked that you have to pay for the deckchair area now! That's outrageous. What's the reason behind it if anyone knows?

Liz :confused:

[planning obsessed]

I'm absolutely gobsmacked that you have to pay for the deckchair area now! That's outrageous. What's the reason behind it if anyone knows?

 

Liz :confused:

 

They're discussing the very top deck of the Pacific Sun, not the Lido deck. They don't have a user pays deck on the Dawn.....yet. I've noticed that exclusive decks that have a charge seem to be onboard a number of international ships. From memory I think one line calls them the Serenity Deck. From photos I've seen they're quite luxurious and offer a bit more for the money than a chair and a child free environment.

Debbie.

[Twosox]

Hi there Kerrie

 

I don't know whether we sould be changing topic but Alaska is wonderful, although being a Kiwi I would say it is like New Zealand in Panorama.

 

We also went in August and also from Vancouver on Coral Princess. It is late summer then and we had fairly good weather but it is coldish so make sure you take thermal underwear so you can dress in layers. Be sure to take woolly hat and a good warm jacket. If you want to buy clothes there wait until you get to Skagway as the prices are more reasonable. If you go to Juneau be sure not to miss the "Red Dog Saloon" fantastic fun. My highlight was cruising Glacier Bay, absolutely beautiful, all misty and moody like huge huge Milford Sounds. The Princess ships have really good Naturalists (not nudists..Ha Ha) on board who narrate over the speaker systmen so you can hear it all over the ship. They are very good and can explain all about the wildlife that inhabit the areas and the wonderful vistas you see.

 

Be sure to get a Balcony cabin as there is so much to see on this cruise. We are not normally fussed and will take inside cabins as we don't spend much time in them and there is no point in staring at the ocean to my mind, but on this cruise a Balcony is a MUST.

 

If you go onto the Celebrity or Princess forums you will find a heap of info on Alaska...very informative.

 

Are you also doing a land tour.

 

 

Cheers Linda

[Ela 2]

Hi Kerrie,

I hope you don't mind if I add a bit more. We left Vancouver on 16th August.

It was so cold in Glacier Bay that I thought my nose and ears were going to drop off! :D Take a beanie or other warm headwear and gloves, as well as a parka of course. The cruise was fantastic and Alaska was also.

 

We hired a motorhome from Anchorage and drove around for nearly two weeks. Went to Denali NP, Fairbanks, Kenai Peninsula. All gorgeous. We went as late in the season as we could so we could see the Northern Lights. We did - it was amazing. The best displays can be seen anywhere in the latitude of Fairbanks on nights without the light of the moon to interfere. Then it is the luck of the draw, but we stacked the odds by going in a year of solar maximum when there are more spectacular auroral displays.:):)

 

Evon.

[kazzacruise]

Hi there Kerrie

 

I don't know whether we sould be changing topic but Alaska is wonderful, although being a Kiwi I would say it is like New Zealand in Panorama.

 

We also went in August and also from Vancouver on Coral Princess. It is late summer then and we had fairly good weather but it is coldish so make sure you take thermal underwear so you can dress in layers. Be sure to take woolly hat and a good warm jacket. If you want to buy clothes there wait until you get to Skagway as the prices are more reasonable. If you go to Juneau be sure not to miss the "Red Dog Saloon" fantastic fun. My highlight was cruising Glacier Bay, absolutely beautiful, all misty and moody like huge huge Milford Sounds. The Princess ships have really good Naturalists (not nudists..Ha Ha) on board who narrate over the speaker systmen so you can hear it all over the ship. They are very good and can explain all about the wildlife that inhabit the areas and the wonderful vistas you see.

 

Be sure to get a Balcony cabin as there is so much to see on this cruise. We are not normally fussed and will take inside cabins as we don't spend much time in them and there is no point in staring at the ocean to my mind, but on this cruise a Balcony is a MUST.

 

If you go onto the Celebrity or Princess forums you will find a heap of info on Alaska...very informative.

 

Are you also doing a land tour.

 

 

Cheers Linda

Big thanks to Linda and Evon for your comments, better not hijack this threadaanymore lol ! Kerrie