Cruisers47

Have just flown Melbourne to Perth with Qantas. When we go overseas we fly business, but not on Qantas, but this was a package as we are on Azamara out of Fremantle. Food in cardboard boxes, on Qantas, was horrible. We checked if we could upgrade but it was $350 each just to bid. Did not bother. Paid extra to be on Qantas should have tried Virgin. Eileen

Ha ha…,you sound as if you worked for the ATO like me…happily retired.

I have booked several cruises on Celebrity and RCL IN Australia with Australian online booking sites. All taxes and gratuities haven always been included. These cruises have been in Australia and overseas. I again say I think that it is mandatory in OZ.

Which cruise lines do not include gratuities when the cruise is booked in Australia?

Come on Chilli how do you get OBC on a 2 day cruise? Eileen

I have tried to tell my husband that we pay the gratuities in our fares as that is Australian law. Americans can actually reduce their gratuities at the guest services. I have actually heard Americans doing this! We can’t do this. the problem with men who used to have companies who paid for their tips find it hard when wife’s tried to limit costs!! Ha ha Eileen

Hi my husband has just had a conversation with one of our neighbours he has just returned from a cruise, on Princess, I think to NZ. He told him he caught Covid on board and when asked how he managed the said he didn’t tell anybody. what a painful selfish person.

Do you think this is just in Australia? We did three cruises..,one around the UK and two in the Med, We had no issues….do you think the Covid issues are causing them too many problems? Staff shortages, entertainment staff issues? Eileen

I always thought that the bathroom water was not drinking quality? we fill a glass from the dispenser and then transfer that into our bottle but quite often we just by a bottle of water when we reach a port..,usually not expensive!

Have you tried Air NZ . My daughter always flys with them.. to the UK has been very happy with them!

Is it easy to get a taxi from Brisbane airport to the Model in Hamilton thanks Eileen

Thanks for the information…,I have just booked this motel for our cruise in February. Appreciate your help. eileen

I had the same issue with Qantas….they are rogues!!🥶

The media are not wrong again! It would be funny if not serious. I think all the journalist were watching Harry and Megan and the office boy was asked to look for stories🥶

ABC just said there were 100 people with Covid on the celebrity eclipse…,bit different from 1500! Eileen

It was mentioned in a written news report from channel 7 but then it has been repeated on news.com.au. if this is incorrect it should be corrected with an apology as it puts the wind up people like me who are cruising over Christmas. We are flying to Perth to do an Azamara cruise which ends in Sydney,

I have read that there are 1500 Covid cases out of 3000 on the Eclipse? Under NSW government it says Tier 2. I think 50% of pax with Covid is more than Tier 2. who is telling the truth? Do they mean 150? Eileen

I have read that there are 1500 Covid cases out of 3000 on the Eclipse? Under NSW government it says Tier 2. I think 50% of pax with Covid is more than Tier 2. who is telling the truth? Do they mean 150? Eileen

Hi that is a hard question. we have done one cruise on both ! It may depend on where you want to go! We went on Oceania to Israel pre Covid. Their “free excursions “ is what we chose from the list. I thought they would only allow us to choose the cheapest ones but we chose expensive ones to Jerusalem and Nazareth! Both excellent. we did Azamara, pre Covid in Oz. A Christmas cruise from Fremantle to Melbourne via Sydney, we could watch the Sydney fireworks from the boat. We are doing Azamara Christmas cruise again this year. I think they are both fairly expensive but if you are treating yourself then both are worth the extra expense. sorry not much help.👍 Eileen

Well that tells me not to do B2B….is that just in OZ….is it the cruise line or OZ Border Control? in the Med on RC we arrived early and as we had already had all our documents ready and our RAT done we just walked on. Very easy. Eileen

Hi we have been on three cruises outside OZ this year but I am very nervous reading all the information on CC. We are flying to Perth for 2 days prior to our cruise from Fremantle. but it is coming up for Christmas and we have a few lunches before. I am buying the best Masks and will wear them on the plane and when we board but the time between now and then has made me nervous. You really can’t cancel everything. We will stay home for the last week, I hope we make it. Having knowledge can make it difficult. wish me luck!👵🥳 Eileen

Having worked for the ATO I know why places want cash rather than credit cards🤐. I very rarely use Cash these days. Use my credit card all the time! read this week the reason that Banks won’t give retirees credit cards is that they pay them off each month so the banks do not get any interest. you have to make sure that both partners have separate credit cards before retiring, Mind you once my husband had his own credit card there were more trips to Dan Murphy’s and the Golf shop.

I have cash left over from different pre Covid trips. when in the UK some places would not accept it as they had changed the currency. Went into one bank and asked them to change it and they said as we were not customers..,hard luck. Finally Barclays Bank changed it. I have $100 in NZ currency,I hope it is still acceptable!😩 Eileen

Hi yes I wondered that. we have done three cruises since they started again. one around the UK, out of Amsterdam. We are Diamond on RC so attended the diamond lounge where there was quite a few people and nobody mentioned Covid. Not many wore masks! then we did two out of Rome and again went to the diamond club and met a few pinnacle pax..who tend to know everything that is going on…nobody mentioned Covid. have to mention that on the new RC ships there are sinks and somebody asking you to wash our hands before you go into the buffet and most people did. Only a few did not! is it just because of this new Covid variant that has just hit Australia. Eileen

I am sure you will enjoy. most people on the cruise did the first day with the cruise ship. Yes it took time to get through Border Control. You get a slip of paper to put in your passport and need to make sure you do not lose it as it has to be shown each time you leave the ship. eileen