cruiser3775

16 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

love the Casino, even when it is packed, the bar is always free

OK, I'll bite. I'm not a gambler at all, don't even know how to play a poker machine.  How little can I gamble on a ship's casino in order to get free drinks?

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

Pale Ale or Dark? 

I like them both, but the dark is like a beer milkshake.

Coopers Pale Ale, definitely!

Thanks for that. Looks like a better choice than the rubbish on Princess.  Some reasonable Australian and NZ wines there, and prices seem to be holding for 2024.  Also pleased to see they have my favourite beer, Coopers.

1 hour ago, windsor26 said:

They had a free cruise and just had to pay their air fares 

Yes, I met a few like that, who were using up their cruise credits from the pandemic shutdowns. I imagine most of those are now used up, so more passengers are actually paying the going rate to cruise.

9 hours ago, Dididi said:

I won't do Carnival. I won't fly two hours to Florida to board their many (20+) behemoth booze cruises to nowhere let alone fly 13-14 time zones away.

You might find it is a different experience with Carnival around Australia and New Zealand. There are a minority of the 3-4 day "booze cruises", but they also have longer ones.  I htought I would hate Carnival Splendor, having read about the horrific decor and the party vibe, but I actually found it to be a good ship to cruise on, and have booked another.

Thanks for the pics of the food choices. looks like a varied choice. Would you be able to take a pic of the wine list? Interested in wine by the glass and also bottles.

22 hours ago, ceeceeDee said:

When's your December cruise, Cruiser?

I'm on the Dec 2 sailing from Sydney to Hobart to Kangaroo Island. It's my birthday present to myself - will be on Kangaroo Island for my birthday.  It's also my first P & O Australia sailing, and now it will be my last.

Spoke too soon. I just got the same email as you, confirming my December cruise is still on.  A bit cheeky to tell us we should now be booking last minute P & O cruises for 2024, so we don't miss out on saying farewell.

19 hours ago, ceeceeDee said:

Better late than never (or else P&O are reading this forum and me whinging).

 

Lucky you. I still haven't received anything.

I'm booked on a P & O cruise this December, which I gather is still going ahead. However, P & O hasn't bothered to let me know. Instead I got a message from my travel insurer, with the details of the changes.

There is a new resurgence of it now we are moving into winter here, and many people have not bothered to top up their jabs.

Not much fun on cruise.

Even if you are in transit in Auckland on your way to Melbourne, you will still need that NZ visa for when you disembark at the end if the cruise.

That $1100 you save will pay for a couple of nights in an Auckland hotel before the long flight home, plus you get to pick the flights you want.

Yes,I have found  good quotes from the airlines' travel insurance if you quote a frequent flier number, and you don't actually have to be flying with them to get the insurance for a cruise.

If you fly with the same airline that you did the first leg on,you can have your luggage checked right through to Melboune. Auckland is not a huge airport, so doing a transit there is not difficult. But long internationalflights are often delayed, so I would allow a minimum of three hours for the transfer.

Remember you need visas for both New Zealand and Australia.  Get them before you book anything non refundable.

You have to take out international travel insurance that includes all the foreign ports the ship is going to visit. Shop around. There is often a big difference between companies. Look for discounts from companies you already have a connection with, like airlines with frequent flier programs or motoring organisations.

Also, pay the insurance as soon as you can, so you are covered for cancellation  before the cruise begins. It won't get cheaper if you hold off until you pay the final payment.

I think every guest gets one. I watched but didn't participate,and the certificate was delivered to my cabin the next day.

Magnetic Island is certainly possible as a day trip from Townsville. The Sealink ferry runs regularly all day, takes 30 minutes, no need to book in advance.  Once there, you can hire a car right at the ferry terminal (booked in advance) and drive around the island. Or there is a good bus service which will get you over to the seaward side of the island, to magic Horseshoe Bay.

It is the most beautiful tropical island, lovely beaches, great places to eat, good walking tracks, wild animals etc. - well worth a visit.

My main worry is tackling roundabouts. Specifically getting off them when turning. Can't get my head around them.

You need to be aware that there are very few of the Australian coastal cruises to choose from. It's not like cruising to the Bahamas from the US.

One option you might consider is a cruise from Darwin to Broome or vice versa, along the Kimberley Coast. There are quite a few choices including some nice smaller ships on this very scenic route. The season runs from roughly May to September.

Great photo of Table Mountain with the fog layer.

Those pointy mountains in Mauritius  are volcanic plugs, similar geology to the Glasshouse Mountains in Queensland.

What a lovely group. They will liven up the ship!

Thanks for all the different opinions. I actually chose the P& O cruise because of date and destinations, not the food. But the drinks selection was also a factor. I'm a wine drinker and the P&O wine list looked better to me and was certainly better priced than on Princess.

Depends if you like a lot of sea days. Cruises around the Aust coast, especially the south and west coasts don't have many port stops.  You won't  spend much time in sight of land between ports.

A cruise is also not the best way to see the Great Barrier reef.

NZ cruises are more scenic with frequent port stops. The Fjordland area at the bottom of the south Island is spectacular from a ship.

If you have limited time, find a cruise that starts in Sydney and ends in Auckland or vice versa, saving two days sea crossing.

Australia is better seen from land if you have limited time.

Great trip report so far and lovely photos. More please!

Thanks for the research Sparky. Glad to see Carnival Splendor featured a lot. It's got a poor reputation, but I enjoyed my first cruise on it enough that I've now booked a second one.