Ondine

I think it would suit you fine. Son (he's 60) and I did Christmas (14 nights) last year on QE to NZ and after the first few days when I found all the woodwork a bit overpowering and old fashioned I came to love her and would go back in a heartbeat except she is shunning Melb. Oooo. The food in the buffet was great, I think better than the dining room. New Year's eve the buffet had special food from 11.30 to whenever the last person left and boy was it good. We had a great entertainment officer who got us involved in everything including croquet which was a hoot. They gave out stickers for winning (or appearing at) various events and at the end of the cruise you could exchange for decent prizes. I was surprised how casual some people dressed and of course there were some in long dresses and monkey suits on special occasions. Not much different to Princess a couple of years back. Princess seem to have slipped now or maybe it is the climate down under. Remember you will be travelling with a lot of Aussies so it is the cruisers who set the standard. I think the main disappointment was the main dining room. There seemed to be a heirachy with the waiters and bosses so not the happy go lucky waiters I have become used to. She is a beautiful ship, the Garden Lounge, the Sports Area and the Commodore Club, the Golden Lion Pub to name just a few lovely areas. Go for it if you can get a good price I am sure you will be happy.

But sooooo true. After this season there only seems to be boutique (expensive) cruises to take from Melb. And then only if they can be done B2B eg Silversea. This season we do have Norwegian Sun for a couple of B2Bs which is mid range. Oh and Disney.

Just prior to the big lock down I found myself in Luganville on a magical mystery cruise when ports were shutting down and cruise ships were banned. I was delighted because Melbourne ships seldom get that far north. I did the tour of the military sites and found the people there to be delightful. I would love to go back there.

20 for me!

It never ceases to amaze me how the message seems to fall on deaf ears. Especially as people living in Australia and New Zealand know we have strong quarantine rules even between states. Try taking something forbidden into Tasmania. I hear people on board all the time discussing what they will take from the buffet to have for lunch ashore even though there are signs on every table and the loudspeaker is constantly announcing the ban on taking food ashore.

Years ago when we called into Stewart Island on Pacific Jewel there was one customs officer and he went through every passenger's bags getting off. He was very chatty because they didn't get many cruise ships calling. It too ages to get ashore. I was told subsequently by staff on P&O that they didn't do hard boiled eggs for breakfast on port days because certain guests (from an extremely large country north of us - think Pandas) always took them ashore for lunch and I believe the ship also gets fined if they are caught.

I booked 2 cruises using Cruise First certificates and was dubious like you as to what would happen if I saw a price drop. However whenever I have seen a drop I have contacted my planner and he has simply refared the booking keeping the original booking number and no problems. I have had multiple changes to the price over the last few months. One of my trips is under half of what it was when I first booked. I must say that I have booked in Australia do don't know it this makes it different.

Norwegian Sun is doing several cruises out of Melbourne this summer. I am doing Melb - Auk and B2B Auk -Melb and looking forward to seeing what Norwegian is like.

She only has 114 passengers. Suggest you look on Youtube for some videos to get an idea of what life is like onboard. There are a couple there.

I used my ING debit card for Cunard and Virgin Cruises last year because it is the only card I have which didn't have an overseas transaction fee. I just made sure it had a reasonable cash amount available. I think when I registered it online there was a test debit of $1 made to ensure it worked but otherwise no problems and no complaints from the companies.

My email said that the circumnavigation would be moved to September and would reduce from 28 nights to 24 nights. Crown is booked into Melbourne on 20th October - 24 nights after your Sydney date of 26 September! She is booked again 6 days later on 26th October. There is no September booking at this stage for picking up Melbourne people, so maybe she will start in Sydney?? So she goes from Melb to Syd on 26th October (Circumnavigation was anticlockwise) and then maybe comes back down for a SA and Tas cruise in the 11 nights. If she doesn't pick up in Melbourne then I won't be on her. A circumnavigation to me is to get on and off in the same port.

The way I read it they will be moving the dry docking from September to be in November and therefore bringing November cruises forward and pushing the Decembers later.

My two seasons are saving for cruises and spending on cruises.

Just got notified that the circumnavigation on Crown Princess for November 2025 has been cancelled due to dry dock changes. It now appears that it will leave on September 26th instead and be 24 nights - not 28 nights. Further details on 15th September. $200 OBC as compensation. No details as to whether it will pick up in Melb/Adel/Perth as was the original itinerary.

Thanks Jean I feel happier being able to take a paper form with me in case there are problems at embarkation. Always like to be prepared. I know I am over cautious. The day before embarkation may be a tad busy and I don't want to be wrestling with an app or computer which may or may not do as I want. Computers and apps have been known to crash.

From what I have been reading in The Mercury they are all sorts of trouble. Still being sued for the deaths of 16 polo ponies who died enroute to Melbourne. Also problems over the sinking of two Tassie tugs a year or so ago.

I still can't complete it because it wont accept Diamond Princess. Tells me to download the paper pdf copy. However I so far have failed to find it. As for having it on my phone well I wont be connected to the internet to do it on the ship. Don't have the package. I have found a pdf of the NZ Passenger Arrival Card. Maybe that will do.

I have just noticed that this has appeared in my travel documents from Princess for a forthcoming cruise with Diamond Princess to NZ in less than 2 months. It was not there last season. Has anyone struck this recently? I know there have been references in past posts but it seems to be compulsory now. I tried to start it online, however when it asked for my ship would not accept Diamond Princess. I tried to find a pdf version of the form but was unsuccessful. The world cruise has just come through NZ, how did they handle it? The paragraph about the $35 visitor fee has been deleted. REQUIRED NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD): All guests travelling to New Zealand (including NZ and AU passport holders) must submit this form, which collects information about your travel and links it digitally to your passport. The time frame for submission begins 24 hours before departing the last international port prior to arriving in NZ, and ends when you arrive in your first port in NZ. Download the NZTD app or visit https://app.travellerdeclaration.govt.nz.

I have an ING maximiser saving card which has no conversion fees or account fees but it is a debit card. Has saved me heaps on international spends. However they have introduced a credit card but I was not eligible for it because I depend on super and part age pension. No payg income. Assets and super didn't count. Maybe worth a look.

Maybe you could butter them up and say how good it would be for public relations after the disappointment felt by Australian cruisers at their unexpected pull out. They didn't do themselves any favours with the way we were treated with changes in itineraries, cancellations and all the rest while they were here.

Oh those were the days

I'm booked on her 21st Dec and return 3rd Jan. First time so am keeping my fingers crossed for a good cruise. I don't ask too much. I usually like the size of grand class ships more than her, however going and returning from Melbourne and being on a ship is all I need to give it a go. I believe she was given a multi million makeover a short time ago (maybe 2020?). I notice that all the railings on balconies were replaced with glass sections. The role call has mostly Americans and Canadians on board. No doubt rusted on Norwegian cruisers. Watch the pricing. They do suddenly drop it and then raise it again. They are happy to re-fare until final payment which is good. I believe after final payment if it drops you can ask for OBC. Yet to try that one!

I booked NCL for this Christmas (B2B Melb/Auck/Melb) because we don't have much out of Melbourne after Princess leaves in December. I thought it was pricey at the time, however I have been able to get it re-fared each time the price has dropped and now the fare is around 20% cheaper than when I booked in February. My Norwegian pp is easy to deal with and happy to chase the price reductions. Also travelling solo there is a solo fare available. At first I had to book the 3 for Free option which is all inclusive, drinks/internet/speciality dining/shore excursions etc but a sailaway price has now come out. Not much of a saving though so I haven't changed yet. I have also got a circumnavigation of Australia on Crown Princess booked and the price for that, which is 29 nights, balcony standard fare, solo is now $1,000 dearer than the price for my all inclusive 29 nights (Christmas and New Year) Norwegian Sun fare which may yet be reduced further. Compared to what I usually pay for Princess they are really price gouging the round Aus trips. Norwegian is now far better value. I see that Silver Moon is going to do a few B2Bs from Melbourne during 2025/26 season and the price for those is really heart stopping. Oh boy!! Doesn't stop me dreaming of winning Tatts.

Just checked my invoice from Grand Princess which was 2 weeks prior to Pacific Explorer in Jan when we also missed Wellington and Princess refunded both myself and son $49.70 each in Refundable OBC. Not a small amount when you consider the number of passengers. P&O are really money hungry. People were not happy.

When we missed Wellington last January on Pacific Explorer they refused to refund the port fees. Said it was not P&O policy. Quite a few passengers asked and no it was not replaced by anther port, just another sea day. We have always got them back as refundable OBC from Princess.