clairebearinaus

hint: ebay :)

Oh in that case, I deny all responsibility :)

clairebearinaus

 

its not worth losing sleep over. We have cruised on 'Australian' ships and overseas and while it is somehting we arent used to in our daily life it was easily picked up along the way. No one will think badly of you if you dont give any additional tips or if you tip less than the people in the cabin next door.

Relax and enjoy your trip :)

 

BTW, do I 'know' you from some different chat boards?

It's possible, I'm on a parenting forum as well, there are a few who cross over both from what I've seen! Want to give me a hint? I'm known as a bit of a feral on the other board, and I'm old, if that helps ;)

Thanks for the reassurance about tipping.

Which thread.

It's ok thanks Gut, you've already been there at least once.

Thank so you much everyone, I feel a lot more informed about the whole issue.

Great advice re: coins, and I will get some small denomination USD instead as we do plan to use room service breakfast as our morning wake-up call some days, they will also be useful to have on shore excursions and throughout our post-cruise travels in Asia.

And I'll take a packet of $20s in case other tips are warranted, very handy to know that I can pick up envelopes from guest services and discreetly leave them for staff at the end of the cruise, no awkward conversations!

I'm also relieved to know that it's not expected at all, and I can concentrate on those who have gone the extra mile.

Thanks again :)

They definitely refare, I knew our booking numbers off by heart there for awhile because I was calling so often! From the initial booking to final payment I saved thousands.

I also changed cabin type but that was from interior to balcony, not sure if they will switch you to a lower value cabin without penalty.

Let's not do this all over again and again and again...............:)

Do what? Ask some genuine questions and receive a bunch of helpful replies?

:confused:

PS: now I've backed you up, can all you wafflers in the Sydney thread come and help me with my tipping conundrum??! :D

I'm going to have to disagree.

There's no doubt this is a great site for information sharing, I have learned so much. But it's also a *community* of like minded people, some of whom have had shared experiences and built friendships in real life.

Many people are socially isolated for one reason or another and forums like these are an invaluable way of building connections with people, in some cases it's a 'safe' way to interact for those who have anxiety and other barriers to regular social participation.

So I think forums like these can serve both purposes. It's easy enough to spot the threads that have derailed by the size of them, and easy enough to click away and unsubscribe when they take that turn.

I actually think it'd be a pretty boring place to hang out if we all just stuck to the facts.

Yes it's a minor irritation if you were expecting more from the thread, but weigh that up against the benefits to the wider CC community that humour and a sense of belonging can bring :)

Would any experienced cruisers like to speculate on when formal nights will be on my cruise next week? It's an awkward one, with most of the port visits clustered at the end of the voyage.

Day 1 Fremantle

Day 2 at sea

Day 3 at sea

Day 4 at sea

Day 5 Bali dep 5.00pm

Day 6 at sea

Day 7 at sea

Day 8 Kuala Lumpur dep 7.00pm

Day 9 Penang dep 9.00pm

Day 10 Langkawi dep 6.00pm

Day 11 Phuket dep 6.00pm

Day 12 at sea

Day 13 arrive Singapore

If it makes a difference, this ship only offers traditional dining and the first sitting is 5.45pm.

I'm thinking maybe day 2 and day 7?

Thank you :)

I'm sorry, I know it's been done to death but the multiple train wreck threads on here have only served to leave me more flummoxed, so I'm seeking your advice.

Here are the irrefutables we don't need to argue about:

- I'm on an AU based ship so grats are included in the fare

- I *will* be giving key service staff and additional tip

- I am shy, have some deep seated awkwardness about my privilege vs that of the people serving me, and feel very squicky about the whole tipping thing

I'd like to be prepared, as I wouldn't be carrying AUD for any other purpose than this, so am hoping you can offer some advice on the following:

Who are the key staff one would normally tip? I think I've read that the minimum is steward, head waiter, assistant waiter, anyone else? How familiar does one need to get with a bar or other occasional server before they end up on the end-of-cruise tip list?

Room service is paid as you go, and $2 per delivery will do, is that correct? Is there a way I can do this discreetly, ie. is there a folio to sign where I can tuck the coin or am I going to have to press it into the person's hand?

Could you offer me your views on a $$ range for each role, based on 2 passengers x 12 nights, which is neither offensively low nor ostentatiously high? (In AUD and assuming service is to the expected standard.)

I *really* hate this stuff and am very shy, how can I do this with the least amount of awkwardness? An envelope with thank you note in the room on departure for the steward? How about the waiters, can I leave an envelope on the table on our last night or do I really need to hand deliver?

Arrrgghhh it's keeping me awake at night, please help!

LOL... my ears were burning. Wow, I must be typecast or something... :D

 

Here ya go:

 

Chairman of the Board

 

3 parts Grey Goose Vodka

3 parts Bombay Sapphire Gin

1 part Cointreau

Chilled over ice and strained

Garnished with 3 plump olives (or a twist)

 

Chairman of the Board martini by RickEk, on Flickr

Good grief, no wonder you forgot to get the recipe OP, I'd have forgotten my own name after that!

23 April 2016

 

 

 

Ship Name:Sun Princess

Cruise Code:S609

Departure Date:Tuesday, 19 April 2016

Cruise Name:Singapore to Fremantle

Nights:12

Departing:Singapore, Singapore

From $980 pp

Nice, that's the first cruise after dry dock. Brand new luxury beds and Share restaurant.

I'm watching this one with interest, I read a rumour on Facebook that the scheduled stop in Indonesia has been cancelled, and replaced by a day in a PNG port.

Thank you to recent posters for bringing some empathy and compassion back to the conversation, as another who has seen the devastating effect of Alzheimer's and dementia on loved ones and their carers.

It's naive and, quite frankly ignorant and offensive to suggest that a family member should, or could just 'not let' a dementia sufferer act the way they do.

Please carefully consider the ethics of any tourist attraction which relies on wild animals being held in captivity and 'trained' to perform for profit.

There are many wonderful choices which are aimed primarily at conservation, rescue and rehabilitation, unfortunately the majority place profit well ahead of the animal's welfare. A bit of research beforehand will help you separate the two.

As a starting point I'd recommend you steer well clear of anything involving dolphins or orcas in swimming pools, and riding any kind of animal that isn't domesticated.

Thank you :)

They're continuing to have Norman Love chocolate creations and are expanding them in 2016.

 

http://www.princess.com/news/press_releases/2015/12/Chocolate.html#.Vt4AtPA76rU

That is great news!

Lol. Typo I think. Recook?

Anyone else want to speculate on what the alternative would be for the 2 Princess cruises going from Freeo to Singapore this month? It'll be a long stretch of sea days if we do nothing.

I've left a question on Princess' Facebook page, will keep you posted.

With port fees, elephant excursions and visas for 4 pax we'll save a fortune if we don't go, close to $1000 for the day.

Thanks everyone, as if I didn't have enough to look forward to already! :D

Lombok is also in Indonesia. It's pretty boring too.

Thanks, yes I know what country it's in, was just speculating on what could be less risky alternatives for Princess that don't involve much of a change of course. Added bonus is that they can still ream us for visa fees!

Interesting!

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com.au/news/news.cfm?ID=6859

 

Hope Princess does the same on our Golden cruise next month.

I'm wondering the same, I'm due in Bali in three weeks to the day.

Not at all fussed about missing it, having been there many moons ago and not liking it. But I'm interested to see what they do instead. An alternative port would be nice... Lombok? Though it's probably not enough time to organise.

Sometimes they want to show you to your table ever night, other cruises they a re happy for you to take yourself.

 

Well that's been our experience anyway.

Today 12:52 PM

NSWP Quote:

First night in the MDR for traditional/fixed dining..the head waiters/Maitre'd will be at the MDR door asking for your table no. and just inside the door an army of waiters, one of whom will be dispatched to show you to your table, after the first night you get there your self. Easy.

 

With Princess your dining time and table no will be on your cruise card.

 

Thank you both. I would have stood at the door waiting, like a dill.

Pancakes on the Rocks!

It's a 40+ year tradition in my family.

Eggs Benedict on a pancake.... mmmmmmmm

Thanks Gut.

This Easter coincides with school holidays in some states, so we might get a few more rugrats than normal on Princess.