arxcards

On this thread, the mention of these being invisible bed bugs was due to P&O's denial of their existence. If anything, those jibes are largely directed at P&O. Within this cruise forum, we are mostly rusted-on cruisers. We will pull apart any cruise news and have an opinion on it. I haven't read discussions in other locations, so thanks for the extra details. I see your side and support your stance. Good luck!

A little island cruise around Australia is usually 28 days. A return cruise out of Sydney up the east coast to Cairns is 10 to 11 nights. Most Australian departures to NZ are 14 days, with departures from Sydney & Brisbane, with perhaps a few from Melbourne. There are return cruises and there are 1 way cruises between Aucklland & Sydney. Perhaps the latter will give you the best of both worlds, as the 1 ay NZ cruise usually includes Australian cities Hobart, Melbourne & Sydney.

It has always been a limited access port, but I don't know if it is a cruise line thing or at the discretion of the locals. It is out of the way on the NE coast of Santo, especially now that other nearby stops such as Pentecost are no longer visited. It is also a tender port with limited facilities, and it needs as many sunlight hours as possible. Now that P&O's ships have gotten larger, it is possible that they can't get everyone onto the island and back in a day.

Ships have taken on fuel and fresh water in Noumea. I haven't taken any notice on more recent visits. There has been an arrangement with Noumea of sorts, particularly for access to Mare & Isle of Pines. Now that both are currently off the table, there can't be much of an arrangement.

An extra $5 per year to be able to travel the world is doable. It is the $60 passenger movement charge I am not so fond of.

A quick and painless decision. I am not ready for another repeat of P&O's 9-year-old menus being offered in the cookie-cutter dining venues. Booked, signature updated.

I think that is the same itinerary as was planned for the current cruise. Even if the issues in Noumea are resolved by then, I think it will be some time before ships resume their calls there. At this stage, I would suggest that you will have Port Vila, Mystery Island and Luganville or something similar.

😴😴😴 Night, night, sleep tight. I hope the ..... well, you know! 🤣

A friend encountered beg bugs on a Pacific Jewel cruise 10 or so years ago. It was handled pretty well, and no compensation was sought. They aren't endemic to a particular brand of ship, and like covid, they are initially bought aboard by passengers in their luggage. I haven't encountered any on our cruises, unless they were the invisible type with invisible bites.

Till now, a winter cruise was the last thing on our minds. Anyway, the good news is that we may get a winter cruise after all. Barb's surgery has been and gone, and she is recovering well. She should be cruise fit in a month or so, so we are looking at a July cruise. Splendor or Pacific Adventure? Still shopping around, but Splendor is winning so far.

Yes, AKA goodwill. The other point is they are repatriating Rotary volunteers, and P&O have often delivered emergency relief supplies on behalf of Rotary in the past.

Kudos to P&O, and possible due to some available accommodation. Pacific Encounter is due in Port Vila on Tuesday, and hopefully they also have a few cabins to help out some more stranded Aussies. Carnival Splendor will be there in a few days, perhaps some more - we will see. The advice since lockdowns has been to avoid flying via Air Vanuatu, and this isn't the first time they have had planes grounded. After a few days, someone has come to rescue the airline, but not this time.

Just some shipping news. Yes, as mentioned it is secondary to the problems in New Caledonia, but it is a cruise forum and two of the most prolific ports are in New Caledonia. I don't think anyone here would be feel that their right to cruise there is more important than the locals in New Caledonia, but the cruise lines are slow to communicate their "plan B". Carnival Splendor has departed for the Islands this evening. They have altered their ports for the current cruise to Santo (Champagne Bay would be nice but likely to be Luganville) and Port Vila. Pacific Adventure hasn't added extra alternate ports. The stops were Port Vila & 2 days at Mystery Island. They are bound for Sydney with a slow cruise back or an early arrival. As expected, they are skipping both Lifou & Noumea. I have yet to read, but I believe there is another thread for P&O repatriating passengers stuck on Vanuatu due to their airline being grounded. Pacific Encounter has called at Mystery Island & ports in Fiji, as was their schedule. They have Port Vila next, then will skip Lifou and return to Brisbane. It looks like both P&O and Carnival will try to keep cruising to the Islands, but with alternate ports. With only three ships during the off-season, they should be able to avoid bumping into each other.

Oh, the suspense. Full time: Swans 17.15 (115) Blues 9.11 (65)

He is one of the best to ever play rugby league. Played for Australia, NSW, and competed in 9 grand finals for 6 wins over an 11 year period. He was pretty good, and I was lucky to see him play for Australia at the SCG when I was a rather young fan. Like many famous and infamous VFL/AFL players, there was a tendency to use their names as rhyming slang, like feeling a bit Kevin Sheedy after a big night out.

He played for Souths, then the Roosters in the 60's and 70's.

50th deserved 50 days. One of my workmates did one of those cruises, his one & only. He is a mad Souths fan, but found out he is not a fan of sea sickness. 😂 I am not sure how regular, but P&O is still a Souths sponsor, and have plans for more member cruises. It would be a good time for a Ronny Coote 😉 I like the Princess idea, as it reads that at least some of the current squad will be aboard.

Lots of blue medallions, and it should take them a few days to find the best haunts.

I hope the guy is alright too. They are currently on a cruise to nowhere, and Sydney Harbour will be a nice distraction for the other cruisers. I see Splendor is heading back to pick up another pilot outside Sydney Heads, and hope it isn't for another medevac. She is expected in the harbour soon for a short stay.

In Vila today, a day early. Mystery Island skipped but may be planned later in the cruise. Let's see what comes next.

The ship should be half full of regular cruisers already, so you won't be alone. The member events will be easily avoided, but there is a risk of footy paraphernalia in the dining room each night. We have done a dedicated P&O Melbourne State of Origin P&O cruise, and much of it was like any other P&O cruise, with the addition of footy jumpers in the dining room. If we chose to, we didn't have to attend any of the events or even go to the match.

I have bought litre bottles in Vila for the price of a schooner. But it doesn't come icy cold, expertly mixed in a glass by a bartender, then served with a smile by a waiter.

Jealous. Yes, been, loved it, and can't wait to read about your experiences.

I think P&O has been there, but in days of smaller ships. Other than that, it is just a handful of expedition type ships that call there.

A couple of hours ago, Pac Adventure changed course and appears to be heading for Mare or Lifou. They were going to Mystery Island tomorrow, so it looks like an itinerary shuffle. I am thinking Mare, although maybe the locals have given assurance and they are getting Lifou out of the way while they can. As with Mic's thoughts of another Vanuatu port, it would also be the most direct course to Luganville.