crochetcruise

Do cruises out of Australia carry Australian beers by any chance (just hoping for a special low-carb one like Pure Blonde to keep the cals low)? Or should I expect just the ones listed in the menu pic?

I'm sailing on the Golden Princess in November. My Cruise Personalizer shows in Beverage Packages (I think, had a bad night so a bit muddled), Dos Equis (sp?) and I think Heineken for purchase 5 for 4-don't remember the prices as not a beer drinker. From what I've seen on Cruise Critic, there's no special adjustment for Australian cruises re local alcohol-newbie cruiser so could easily be proved wrong. HTH.

Background: this was our 19th cruise with Princess. We always enjoy ourselves and have learned that each ship, crew, and passenger group present a different experience. This was no exception. We have sailed multiple times on the Caribbean Princess and despite many recent reports to the contrary, we found the ship to be in good shape especially given her age. There is the odd fray to carpet or stain here or there but that is to be expected. They even were replacing tiles in our bathroom during the cruise. Constant maintenance cannot be easy around the ever changing set of passengers. From our point of view they are doing a good job.

 

Ports: We have been to both Costa Maya and Cozumel before and find the first to be a boring made up point with little to do and the second to be a fun port with a lot of options. In Cozumel, we took the Mexican Cooking class excursion through the ship at Playa Mia. What a great time. It was well organized and well executed. The instructor, Luis, was very charming and funny, the food was delicious and it was a well priced tour. I would highly recommend this excursion (as have many before me, thank you Cruise Critic for the tips!).

 

Service: best to describe as spotty. The bar service was great at the Wheelhouse and awful at Crooners. Twice we waited over 10 minutes without anyone acknowledging us for service at Crooners. Our response was to move to Wheelhouse. All better. Odd in our experience but there appears to be a cut back across the board on bar servers throughout the ship, especially on deck. Not a huge issue just noticeable. Dining room service was fine, we are anytime diners. The ongoing line issues continue ever since they took one anytime dining room for early traditional dining (a huge mistake in my view). Service tended to be a bit rushed but always solid even with special requests.

 

Food: Some of the best, love the new 50th anniversary menu and the Normal Love desserts. One terrible meal at dinner, oh well, probably what I ordered (stay away from the mahi mahi). All good in my book. One note to Princess - for god sakes renovate the dining room breakfast menu, it has been the same since we started cruising in 2002. Everything else has been updated, its time, trust me.

 

We usually plan far in advance for our cruises but this one was such a deal and fell into our work schedules easily, we only booked it about 6 weeks ago and am glad we did. Everything was lovely. We were on a ten day on the Royal this past October and returning to the Caribbean Princess was interesting. We recognize that that Royal is controversial among passengers, although we thought it was magnificent, returning really brought home the concept of how Princess has evolved their ships. It was interesting and noticeable. We would sail the Royal class in a heartbeat, followed by the Gem class and then Grand class. Interestingly, despite having sailed her many times, the Caribbean is probably our least favorite ship as it is the bridge between Grand and Gem class (and not in a good way).

 

One new thing I had not read about before: The photo package. They claimed it was brand new on the ship and it may have been as it was news to me. It is $50 and you can get all your pictures from the cruise (some fine print suggested that it was one photo per event...embarkation, ports of call, dinner, formal etc) and it was slightly vague about whether or not you also got a thumb drive with digital pictures on it included, some said yes, some said no. We did not take advantage of the offer but thought it was a great deal for families and about time. I think it is a smart move.

 

On to the next cruise!

THANK YOU! Especially for the information about the Photo Package and the pricing. I am sailing on the Golden in November, and was looking at it as a memento of my 1st cruise.

Here's a suggestion to get the cash you need:

In the next port, spend money for a taxi and go to a currency exchange and pay the fee to exchange money. Or head to the ATM in the casino and withdraw the money, paying the ATM Fee. Or find a bank where you can get a CASH ADVANCE on your credit card. Those are the HONEST ways to get the cash you desire.

 

 

I spend a good deal of time in the casino and enjoy the PRIVILEGE of purchasing casino credits prior to sailing as well as charging casino credit to my room-- SO THAT I CAN GAMBLE IN THE CASINO.

 

I am glad that Princess is in the process of closing the loophole that allows people to CHEAT the system. Using the casino as a Free ATM costs the cruise line money since ultimately you are paying for your vouchers that you convert back to cash with a credit card.

 

Previously, Princess charged a 3% Fee to obtain credit in the casino. They dropped that fee to encourage CASINO PLAY, not to facilitate currency exchange or create a fee free ATM.

 

 

How much are you really trying to save by making Princess pay credit card processing fees to provide you with free cash?

I will be purchasing Casino Credits, and paying for each transaction, at the Travel Agent on the day of purchase! I am doing this, so that as many purchases as possible, are pre-paid, or funds brought in the form of ADDITIONAL to my planned gambling so I do not need to worry about clearing Security at the airport and leaving my purse unattended while I am taken to a different area for a "wand search" due to multiple handicaps making it impossible for me to use the regular screening device. Please explain why it is unreasonable of me, to want to make sure I have as near to the correct taxi fare as possible, ready for the taxi driver-they always appreciate an organised passenger who can provide the fare in small change, even coins are welcomed with delight by those taxi drivers I've travelled with! And several have expressed their appreciation of someone who understands they only have a limited amount of "change" carried with them. Even when the fare was AUD$30 and I asked if they objected to me paying entirely in AUD$1 coins, I had no trouble, and was delightedly asked, "Do you have any $5 or $10 notes, or even $2 coins to make up the fare?" I did, and had extra which the taxi driver happily changed for me, solving his change problem very nicely-so a win-win all round!

The website when ordering these now says that it will be given as OBC, which sounds like no more pieces of paper as was in the past when it specifically said 'casino vouchers'.

 

To the OP, this now requires an extra step in getting cash. You will need to create a slot account, charge money to that account via a slot machine, then ask to 'cash out' your card at the cashier cage.

THANK YOU! This is new information for me. I have budgeted for some Casino Slots Playing, so I could add my Taxi Money for the Disembarkation and Home cities to it, and just create the account on the Friday night of sailing, or Saturday morning if necessary, and make sure I close out the account by Sunday lunchtime. We dock Monday Morning in Melbourne, Australia.

With the knowledge shared by Cruise Critic, a potential problem has neatly been averted. I will start purchasing Casino Credits next month, I've already done some Gift Services which are showing in my Cruise Personalizer-a very easy way to monitor things. :D Yes, I've already been advised to take a hard copy printout of everything with me, a special clipboard folder is already allocated to the task.

I embark in less than 278 days my time. I hope, by April, to have the details of November 2017 cruises, and that there is 1 suitable 2 night cruise between Sydney-Melbourne, or Melbourne-Sydney I can take. I don't care which port I sail from-had to change plans once, was sailing from Melbourne to Sydney but the cruise was cancelled for "Operational Reasons" so it's Sydney-Melbourne for me.

On the Emerald next year $125Aus for $100US. It's been that for months. I'd buy before it changes.

Heartily second that. I'm on the Golden in November, and that's the rate for me.

i havent embarked in Melb but going by Sydney check in starts anytime after 10am and you should be onboard having lunch by 12 noon

THANK YOU! I'm sailing from Sydney 11/11/2016, and am staying with my cousins on their property about 1 hour out of Sydney. I'll let them know about this-first cruise so everything's a steep learning curve at the moment!

That makes us very happy :) The Dawn had New Zealand Natural in place of the usual ice cream nook. We went up there just before sail away and were shocked to be confronted by a $5 a scoop, $10 a double sign. Let's hope it's just a franchise on a couple of ships. The experienced Princess travellers were avoiding it like the plague, refusing to buy and complaining loudly.

That's a little bit more than I pay for 2 scoops in a cup from Royal Copenhagen Ice Creamery in my home town. They have a selection from 24 different flavours-a core section, then others. I have my own favourites, and just choose from them-ALWAYS a chocolate selection. Generally rotate between Devil's Chocolate; Ferraro Rocher or Mint Chip. Haven't yet tried the Salted Caramel, might need to find some small change and try it next payday.

THANK YOU for the "heads up" about the ice cream costs. ISomeone else recommended I try New Zealand Natural if I ever got the chance, so shall add 3 servings to my budget calculations, 1 a day is a tasty way to have some calcium! :D

When we bordered in Oct they were taking power boards, I believe they were examined and if OK returned.

 

It seems surge protectors are an issue.

I specifically got one without surge protection. Found it at the Reject Shop-think it's the equivalent of a $2 store in the USA. Basically cheap stuff.

I personally found the way to tell surge-protected power boards was to look for a light AND carefully read the packaging. I also bought myself a 10' extension cord, so I should be ok.

LOL,that happened to me with a plug in alarm clock, It drove us crazy,showed different time every time we looked at it :confused:

I've noted to take a battery-operated alarm clock with me. Will have my mobile to "set" the clock's time accurately-oh must remember there's a 30 minute time-difference between my home state and where I'm cruising!

If there are mobility issues, book F315, it's the Handicapped Accessible Window Suite. I've booked it for this November Sydney-Melbourne, a 3 night cruise. The TA was stunned, Sydney-Melbourne is usually only a 2 night cruise-I lucked out with an extra night!

My apologies for forgetting to quote the previous poster-me very bad:confused:

crochetcruise,

 

I seem to recall that you are going to be cruising in a full suite, so your laundry should be free when sent out with your steward. Just in case you did not know.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

Mark

THANK YOUMark! Yes I knew about laundry being a Suite Perk, and will use it on the Saturday to get my Embarkation/Disembarkation outfit freshened up, but I did plan to do a small load on the Sunday morning, so it's only the overnight clothes in a small bag to pack on the Monday morning. I will ask the steward if it is possible to send out laundry on the Sunday, only a small bag, but if needed, could do it at the Melbourne hotel on the Tuesday morning-my flight's mid-afternoon, so don't need to check out until at least 10.30. If I can manage the washing and transfer to the dryer, I'll tell Housekeeping to clean the room, I'm just getting some laundry done to go in my carry on case.

As far as possible, using disposable medical stuff-rather than washable-an absolute challenge with a twin tub washing machine, and not sure about the capacity of the dryers on board, but will take copious notes for future reference, as packing a washable "waterproof" for the bed with a shower curtain and towel placed under to catch "accidents provoked by excitement" IYKWIM, would be much easier to manage.

This 1st trip, I don't know exactly what laundry facilities will be available at the Melbourne hotel, I do know the Adelaide one, have stayed there regularly, and know what my cousins have near Sydney.

Most of the planning's been done, only sunscreen, rash vest for sun protection, medication and hopefully new orange casual shoes to be bought now. Started the Gift Services Purchases, still to do Culinary Delights, Soda and More Package; Photography, On Board and Casino Credits and finish paying for the cruise. Have the TA's required dates noted down, she asked me last Thursday, and was shocked to find it noted in my diary! :D I've inspired her to take a cruise herself, she's sailing on P. & O. Australia's Pacific Eden.

Try needing a HA cabin-conscious choice made to upgrade to a Window Suite for a belated Special Birthday-and travelling solo. I really only have the Golden and Emerald Princesses to choose from if I want to occupy a Suite for a Milestone birthday.

I do wish Princess would consider refitting a Suite with Handicapped facilities when a ship is in Dry Dock. Even the lowest category of Vista Suite-or Window Suite for the Golden, Caribbean and Grand Princesses, is better than nothing.

The population is aging, so the potential for cruisers who NEED the grab rails in the shower and beside the toilet, as I do on advice from an Occupational Therapist for safety reasons, is growing.

Yes, most ships have a HA Penthouse Suite, but that is VERY expensive when your primary income is a Government benefit-cruising requires much careful planning and budgeting to achieve.

It is swipe your card for tokens :)

THANK YOU! I've been trying to locate that information, so I can better calculate my On Board Spending Costs.

You don't need to carry the cup around with you to get the drinks.

THANK YOU for that information! I want to photographically document all food and drink on the cruise for friends, and it would be a LOT easier to show the colours of the Mocktails and Cocktails in a regular clear glass. Once I've had my 1st sample of a drink, any others can be in the cup as I won't need another photo, just a written note that I enjoyed another such-and-such sitting wherever.

In 300 days time, I should be aboard the Golden Princess, sailing to Melbourne and heading for dinner! I have Anytime Dining, not sure about the Speciality Restaurants but will budget for them. Have already made a Lotus Spa Booking for myself, and noted the amount on my budget.

Advice please. This is what my personaliser shows:

 

Am I safe to presume I am purchasing $25USD for $31.25? (Xe.com says $31.25 = $21.25USD).

Trouble is my personaliser also shows I have bought $250AUD (that is what I paid in AUD)in OBC but not the USD equivalent amount.

So I reckon its a big ambiguous.

Yes. I've just checked my Personalizer, and these are the rates shown:

USD$ 25.00 = AUD$31.25

UDS$ 50.00 = AUD$62.50

USD$100.00 = AUD$125.00

HTH. I tried to line it up neatly, but it didn't work! :eek:

So you should have purchase USD$200 with that AUD$ amount. HTH.

Personally, I'm thankful the conversion for me, is a straightforward-divide USD$ by 4, and multiply the result by 5 to get the AUD$ value. It's simple and I don't need a calculator!

My March cruise is still showing $100 US for $110 Australia. So it might be when you booked the cruise.

My original 2 night cruise Melbourne-Sydney 04/17/2016, was booked 01/24/2015, and transferred to the current 3 night Sydney-Melbourne cruise on 05/07/2015. My Cruise Personalizer is showing USD$100 = AUD$125 for On Board and Casino Credits. HTH.

This sounds right up my alley. I LOVE shellfish, but my wife has a food intolerance so I rarely get it. The fact that I could do this while she's at the Horizon Court (not wasting $20 getting a burger so I can have shellfish) is awesome. She does, however, LOVE hushpuppies. I saw that listed as an appetizer. Is there a way to get that without the rest/paying $20 (or can I share without issues)?

Is this offered every day in the Horizon Court? Or just certain days?

Thanks,

dogdoc2002

From what I've read, the hushpuppies are served WITH shrimp. You could ask for the hushpuppies to be served separately. HTH.

I have completed more of my blog from 21 - 27th December.

 

If it amazing how much time it takes.

 

The next installment will cover 28th December to 3 January (hopefully)!

THANK YOU! 3 pieces of information I find very useful-the Platinum/Elite/Suite Function details, a warning about the Promenade Deck being used by smokers, and additional information about the lifts. Hopefully, I will get the PES function on my 3 night cruise.

In 44 weeks time, it will be time to repack my suitcase ready for disembarkation. I noted in your earlier blog that you flew Air New Zealand. I hope to save up and do the 4 night Auckland-Melbourne cruise some day-been looking at QANTAS re flights, would prefer an Accessible Ladies Room but that possibly means flying via Sydney which adds to the expense. I shall investigate Air New Zealand, and cross check the aircraft details with Seat61, that's how I found out about QANTAS meeting my preferences for an Accessible Ladies Room.

Looking forward to the next instalment.

I've been there. It's good, but didn't answer too many of my questions. The most difficult part is figuring out oxygen since we couldn't fly with it.

Could you arrange, through your dr., to collect a supply of oxygen at your destination?

Thanks Mike.

 

That may be the tipping factor, just really looking for any other differences.

The Golden Princess is based in Melbourne, and you lose at least 2 days sailing to Tasmania. I've actually looked at this cruise, and for my 60th Birthday, will probably be in the Handicapped Accessible Penthouse Suite on the Emerald Princess, it's 8 days from Sydney based on current itineraries available. Port Arthur is the only tender port I know of in Tasmania, that is something I must consider with my Rollator and travelling alone.

There is, for me, a financial consideration, as the Penthouse Suite on the Emerald and the 2 extra days from Sydney, are more expensive than the Window Suite on the Golden, sailing from Melbourne. I would be able to get the All-Inclusive-Beverage-Package on the Emerald, which I can't, on current requirements of an 8 day or longer sailing, get on the Golden.

HTH.

But as you noted' date=' this was a last minute assignment when no one who needed the room had booked it. That's great for you and for Princess. In fact, many years ago we got "upgraded" to an HA cabin...in the old days before we needed one. Little did I know.......

 

The problem occurs when someone who doesn't need such a room requests it and then other people who do need it can't cruise.[/quote']

 

I was re-assigned from F315 on the Golden Princess, the Handicapped Accessible Window Suite-I use a Rollator and need the grab rails in the bathroom, the TA rang Princess when I made the original booking which was transferred to this booking, to F311. She had a very agitated client to deal with and calm down. She contacted the call centre, and was told I could be re-assigned if someone in a wheelchair wants to cruise. She told me not to worry, she has a contact at Princess, and we've done everything by their rules. Already had to postpone once due to operational reasons, and getting near the 300 day countdown.

 

I am monitoring my booking closely. Also keeping a sharp eye on the upcoming cruises, eagerly waiting to price any 2018 cruises that are suitable for me. I use the current costings as a guide to save for future cruises. I have several I'd like to do.

All Princess ships have printers near Guest Services where you can check your current account balance, so you don't even have to go to the desk. And the newer ships (Regal/Royal and some others after internet upgrades) have an app that you can access your current account from your phone or computer. So if you want to pay off your bill before you leave with cash it is easy to monitor how you are doing. As others have said using a debit card can cause holds on your bank account that you may not want.

THANK YOU! I have noted to check my outstanding balance at the printers, calculate the remaining number of cocktails to be enjoyed as I will have the Soda and More Card and the All-Inclusive-Beverage-Package isn't available on my cruise, and pay the calculated amount, explaining that I have allowed for further planned Cocktail consumption. The instructions have been recorded on my Cruise Information Notepad #2, I'll need to buy another notepad on Thursday. WHAT a lovely problem to have-information overload on how to get the most out of my cruise! :D

In 313 days time, I will be embarking at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney, very excited! I have 2 male,, former work colleagues travelling on the same cruise-1's on Plaza Deck in an Inside Stateroom, and the other claims to be in a Window Suite, possibly beside me. I shall see.

We do this every time - just call Room Service and go line-by-line about what we want to get rid of and what we want to replace it with. They usually have to do it that way because of the language barrier and the form they fill out. We've always had it delivered correctly when we take the time to go through it with them slowly.

 

There are many times when we've traded all the alcohol for vodka and all the soft drinks for Diet Coke. You still have to go line-by-line with them: "2 Sprites for 2 Diet Cokes, 2 Dewar's for 2 vodkas"...

THANK YOU! I intend to swap out the cans of beer for 2 cans of Sprite, and the tonic water and bottled water for cans of Coke. I intend to bring cans of Sprite with me, so I have cold soda should I wake overnight-which is usual for me.

I didn't know about the need to go through the requested substitution line-by-line, but it does make sense to be very specific with the details. Much easier to get the swap right 1st time.

I've written down the information on my Cruise Information Notepad #2, nearly need to start #3 with all the helpful information on Cruise Critic. :D

Just returned from a ;not so great cruise on the Crown. I did a review of the trip, but I thought it would be helpful to tackle each "beef" with a separate thread. I have recently been on two Crown cruises, a ten day in late Sept/early Oct. and a seven day which returned on Dec 12. I was in c101 and c235 respectively, both outside balcony cabins.

 

The beds were awful particularly on this last cruise. The mattress which is about seven inches thick sagged - with a capital S. I decided to see what was the cause of the sag and put my tablet under the bed to take a picture of the platform supporting the thin mattress. The support consists of a plastic coated wire crisis-crossed (attached) to a steel frame. This set-up should be described as a non-folding cot. It is very similar to the folding cots sold to accommodate spill-over guests at home. The set-up would not accommodate a board to make the bed more firm but thankfully this was only a seven day ordeal!

 

I don't think that I ever experienced such bad beds on other Princess cruises. I have cruised ten times eight of which were on other ships. My advise is to quiz the line or your TA to assure that your cabin has a real bed. I attached a pic of the contraption but don't know if it took.

Quite dark but even I, with only 10% vision in my good eye, could see the framework. It DOESN'T look very comfortable.

First you are giving away our secret. Shame! :rolleyes:

 

On the sun deck forward is the spa and fitness center. Beside the Lotus spa pool are the male and female changing rooms with showers, hot sauna and steam room and they are free. Just walk past the desk at the spa entrance and they will be off to your left. You do not have to check in, schedule or pay anything to use the changing rooms, fitness center or pool. Towels, body wash and shampoo are provided free. They have a changing bench and lockers for your use as well as a separate bathroom.

THANK YOU! I've made a note for my cruise in November. It will be far easier to dry off, and change back into daywear, even if I don't feel safe in the shower-sailing in a Handicapped Accessible Window Suite due to balance problems, I upgraded from a Balcony Stateroom to enjoy the Suite Perks as a Belated 50th Birthday Present to myself. I have a waterproof cooler bag I can use for the wet swimsuit and towels-already put that on the packing list for shopping pre-cruise. Multi-tasking to the max!