Balsam12

Just now, M-H-B said:

You need to be checking it almost daily to catch any other good fluctuations.

I used to check it twice a day 🙂

It was actually one of the enjoyable parts of booking with RCI... I had something to do between booking and boarding. Now booked with P & O with package included, and it's a very boring wait.

I kept a spreadsheet documenting the price fluctuations for many things on three RCI cruises.

On one Radiance cruise, the Beverage Package price varied between $90 and $65 per day, and with absolutely no pattern. This was for a cruise that was due to sail a week after Covid shut things down, so obviously prices will probably have gone up now.

You will need to confirm, but the good part with RCI is that if you buy the package, and the next week they drop the price, you can always cancel your purchase and buy it again at the lower price. You will need to stump up the cost of the cheaper package in full, then wait a couple of weeks for the original one to be refunded.

I did this five times:
Originally purchased on 30/8/2019 for $83.57, finally got it at $65.76.

It went up and down after that date, but never dropped below $65.76.
 

I've posted about this many times, and each to their own, but I would never cruise without a drinks package. Again, prices may have changed, but you can get value out of a drinks package without having to be rolling drunk for the entire cruise.

On  a port day:

Breakfast - Real coffee $4, fresh juice $4
2 bottles of water to take ashore - $6

Back on the ship, soft drink or water $3

Pre dinner cocktail $12

2 glasses of wine with dinner $20
After dinner cocktail $12

Bottle of water to take back to your cabin $3

That's $64 on a port day, with only 4 alcoholic beverages. On a sea day, with a couple of afternoon drinks by the pool, you easily break even.

Finally, a couple of intangibles... RCI don't (or didn't last time I cruised) have a daily limit on the number of drinks you can have with the package. This means if you order a cocktail, take one sip and hate it, you just put it back and order something different. The same goes with wine at dinner. The other one is no bill shock at the end of the cruise... you don't have to keep checking how much you've spent on drinks.

Obviously, if you don't drink at least three alcoholic drinks a day, you probably wouldn't bother... you could get a refreshment package for the coffees and softies, and just pay as you go for alcohol.

14 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

I am not sure about the profitability of such a move, but it is possible, Aussies are the biggest (per capita) market in the world and I expect it will continue to grow. Royal obviously  think the market is large enough as per their investing in the Brisbane terminal, Lelepa Island and possibly the 3rd Sydney terminal at Port Botany.

I think if the third Sydney terminal happens, and they can get to some NZ ports, then it could be a go.

It would just come down to profitability (as does everything)... will they make more money in OZ/NZ or in a different market?
 

I'm not sure if I would want to sail on Oasis class with so many people, but on the other hand, I would love to just experience the size...

12 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

In Noumea, the smaller cruise ships can usually dock at the cruise terminal. Larger ships dock at the container dock.

Ok... I've not been there so wasn't aware of that option.

12 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

No but it might do Brisbane to Lalepa Island, Vanuatu, Noumea and back

That's possible, but I'm not sure about Noumea... I wouldn't think it's deep enough for Oasis class?

Still, would it be profitable to bring a ship here to do the same run over and over, compared to leaving that ship in the Caribbean or similar where there is a much bigger market?

The Quantum class seems to be a much better fit for our market... big, but still able to access a lot of ports.

Personally, I can't see Oasis class ships coming to Australia and NZ anytime soon.

The important part that nobody seems to have mentioned is that Oasis class ships simply don't tender.
 

Add this point to the number of Australian and NZ ports that Oasis class can dock at (i.e not many) and it simply isn't worth bringing one of these ships down here.

RC isn't going to bring an Oasis here to sail from Brisbane to Eden and back...

3 hours ago, NSWP said:

RAT's are only free if you have a concession/Healthcare card, Julie.

 

Unless you are in WA, where we have all been given 15 free RATS by the state government...

Well we can't track Explorer for now, so here's Quantum of the Seas and Spectrum of the Seas parked side by side today in Singapore 🙂

Under way 🙂

Early.... to ensure you obtain maximum benefit from the drinks package 🙂 

It's also a good chance to explore the ship (if you haven't sailed on it previously) before there are too many people around.

Could be a sign she will sail shortly....

AU BOO Pilot Station will probably be Booby Island...

42 minutes ago, CDaze71 said:

It has changed. The current position of PACIFIC EXPLORER is at South East Asia (coordinates 1.32107 N / 104.06733 E) reported 3 mins ago by AIS. The vessel is en route to AU BOO PILOT STN, and expected to arrive there on Apr 12, 20:00.
What is the AU BOO PILOT STN?

Where are you seeing that she is under way?

43 minutes ago, CDaze71 said:

The current position of PACIFIC EXPLORER is at South East Asia (coordinates 1.321 N / 104.06723 E) reported 4 mins ago by AIS. The vessel is en route to the port of Sydney, Australia, and expected to arrive there on Apr 17, 19:45.

It was showing as "Under Way", however the speed was still 0.0kn.

It has now changed back to "At Anchor".

3 hours ago, arxcards said:

This works for Explorer and Coral who are both arriving without passengers. It will be interesting to see how things go in October when the seasonal ships all arrive from distant ports with passengers aboard.

 

100% covid free aboard is only a true goal if we were 100% covid free on land. As with the US restarts, the ship looks clean for the first couple of cruises, but doesn't take long for someone who has caught it in transit, tested negative prior to boarding, and there is transmission to the crew. It then comes down to isolation, management, increased testing.

 

From what I have seen recently, NSW health is not requiring anything near a long quarantine period for vaccinated crew. They just need a negative RAT on arrival.

Definitely... once there have been a couple of sailings from Australia, all the precautions will be out the window. For the first one/s however, what I posted is still relevant.

2 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

The lower prices on US cruise might because of the high level of competition in that market.

 

I have noticed that cruises out of the US are usually priced without fees and taxes. These charges add considerably. Then there are the gratuities ....

US pricing is just plain silly.... you really have no idea of the actual cost until you look at your credit card statement.

Just to be clear.... from the Princess website, if you purchase from Australia for an Australia or NZ cruise, tips ARE included. For cruises in other regions, you will still need to pay them.

24 minutes ago, CDaze71 said:

Watch this space, but I think the Pacific Explorer will arrive in Sydney 'some time' in April. Yes her first passenger cruise is the 31st of May, but rumor has it she will arrive between after the ban lifts (17th April) and before the end of the month. 

This fits in with what I have been saying all along.... the cruise lines will make sure that their ships coming to Australia are 100% covid free. Explorer will sail to Australia and anchor somewhere for 5 or so weeks, fully crewed, and have regular testing onboard. This way, when the first passengers board, they can be happy that the crew are covid free.

They simply couldn't risk it any other way.

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

It is starting to look like she won't dock. Fuel bunkers are at her side at East Johor boarding grounds, and there are some small passenger craft in attendance.

Yeah... saw that:

9 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Not at Cruise Centre. I think one of the Changi docks was showing when they left the Suez, as they are taking on crew and no passengers. I am not aware if they are getting any last minute work done as well.

Makes sense... no point paying port fees for the Cruise Centre if you're not taking on passengers.

11 hours ago, arxcards said:

Finally, a terrestrial ping

 

 

Looks like she's going into Singapore today... I have no ide if docking at the Cruise Centre or not?

Pacific Explorer currently just off Banda Aceh...

6 hours ago, gbenjo said:

Well, they are an American owned/ based company and they use the same systems world wide so entitled to use whatever suits them 

I think you missed the joke...

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I should have guessed by the name. 🤣

 

Probably because all US cruises have to visit at least one non-US port and the Princess software developers can't understand that some other parts of the world work differently to the US. 🙄

Sorry, but the rest of the world just needs to do things the American way... you know, Imperial measurements, no free health care, guns for everyone etc...

On 3/20/2022 at 8:26 AM, Cruisers47 said:

A bit rude🥶🤐

Actually, a lot rude....