arxcards

I don't think it is an issue with the app, but it is also the same when doing it on the personaliser. I can only get as far as selecting the thermal suite pass, but it won't allow me to go any further.

That reads as a bit of a mixup between Concierge Lounge & Diamond Lounge. I haven't been on Brilliance, but this is consistent across the fleet, and I am not aware of any recent changes. Yes, there is a separate Concierge Club for suites. Diamond Lounge is for Crown & Anchor status of Diamond & above, where they have an evening "happy hour". In days gone by, those with the loyalty tier were served drinks in the Diamond Lounge. As numbers grew, these were initially replaced with vouchers and are now loaded on your seapass. Those drinks can be redeemed at any bar and at any time of day. Suite Concierge club is as it always was. Numbers are static, so they can still do it the traditional way. In the lounge your choice of drinks is a bit more restricted, but you are not capped at 4 drinks. The drinks are available each evening, usually from 5 till 8:30pm. This is the only time & place you can get an open bar. They are not pre-loaded on your seapass.

Yes, an online version is available for printing your own tags, or you can grab a generic tag from one of the porters and write your details.

OPT is much better than the previous incarnation. I get what you mean here. If you could disembark directly to the baggage hall, the check-in floor could be used for check-in prior to zero count. However, there is no amenity after check-in for toilets, water, and there is limited space for seating. Rain, wind, heat, cold - yes, minimal shelter outside the terminal is the biggest drawback for OPT, but it has lots more pluses than minuses.

Personally, we have boarded several Princess cruises in Sydney, and they have generally been slick. One exception, which wasn't a normal day (see below). We have boarded several other cruise lines there too, generally without a hitch. San Francisco is not Sydney. That numbering system used to be used in Brisbane & in Darling Harbour/White Bay, and may still be used from time to time. The numbering system doesn't work at OPT, as there is only limited seating after check-in. The numbers allow check-in to open prior to the disembark being completed, while OPT wont open check-in until that has happened. When picking-up your medallions in the terminal in Sydney, it is a quick check-in process. Medallion is not just the thing around your neck, but also the app that has most of your check-in info stored. The lines move much faster than in past years. This is what @OzKiwiJJ was referring to about medallion check-in, of which Julie has done many in Sydney. To get priority boarding you need any of: Captains circle status of platinum or elite, A full suite or Reserve Collection mini suite, Premier package. On a normal day, check-in will open at around 11, priority guests get a priority line through the terminal and everyone else joins in. If you are ready to join the line at 11am for general boarding, you will be on by 11:30. If you have priority, and are near front of queue, you will likely be on 15 minutes ahead of those doing open boarding. Most days are normal days, but not all. What is a normal day: Any day when the ship is not delayed due to weather and the like, Any day that doesn't required enhanced screening of disembarking passengers (previous cruise originating at a distant foreign port or overnighting in a foreign port etc). When either of these occur, check-in can't open until the ship has been cleared, and there will already be 1000+ waiting & wanting to get on early. The queues will grow, so on days like that I would suggest doing baggage drop then taking a short walk to a cafe and taking it easy until the lines begin to shorten. The 2nd floor cafe at the nearby MCA offers a great vantage point.

It is medallion. Nothing is normal. 👿 I haven't tried to pre-book any thermal passes. It looks a bit difficult at present for me too.

Oops, somebody pressed the wrong button.

A B2B as seen as a single cruise, and it was also that way on the old app.

$AU640 is somewhere around $US420, so it isn't a stretch from one to the other to a price that includes taxes & "tips". Maybe `the 10g of Beluga was the kicker, as that stuff is really expensive here. It is either a top notch restaurant or an expensive one. $AU60 - 80 buys me a great steak. We find it more expensive here than you do. At least your dollar has some buying power here.

Only one of the booking needs ID for check-in, whether it be by app or photo ID. Barb has the app, but gets checked-in from mine.

I agree. The Red Sea problem is purely about a heavily booked and profitable cruise being replaced with a loss making cruise past South Africa. Yet any future changes will be announced under the guise of the Houthis made us do it, as well as supply line + staff shortages. They are a 3 ship cruise line that can't afford to finish the fit-out of their 4th ship, with over $US 1 billion of new financing in the past 18 months. They need to place their 3 ships where they can generate the most cash in order to unblock the supply line. After review, that could still be in Australia/New Zealand. They also need to fill their infinity room with smoke in time for the next PR release.

This would improve your odds - 21 pages of discussion for your cruise here -

Luminosa must have newer or better door seals than Splendor. We hated the outward opening door, as the seal was worn, and the breeze whistled through it day & night. For bacon, I find if I ask for crispy bacon I get crispy bacon, although that is in the dining room. I reckon they have to keep a special batch of fully nuked bacon to keep the American cruisers happy. Carnival tries to break up the queues by breaking-up the food locations, but I agree entirely that it gets frustrating having to queue in 3 of 4 different lines to get the meal you want. We want to do Luminosa and while not yet booked, we are planning to do a 3 nighter next Feb, followed by a day in Brisbane before boarding Diamond Princess. For now, we like Carnival, but in small doses.

It has been years since I have read any reviews on this tour. It isn't something we have done, but people who have done it have rated it as one of THE tours to do. The link above is for Princess, but I think it likely that it will be very close to the same as HAL. It appears the tour arrives at the ship in Port Chalmers after lunch, but it does include a Dunedin scenic tour. We have considered doing this, but the tour often sells out before we board, and I don't like the idea of pre-paying so much for a tour that can be easily cancelled when the weather prevents the ship from transiting into Milford Sound. If you haven't seen the fiords by ship, that is also something to see - and included in your fare.

Yes, it is expensive as heck ($AU1500) for the Princess version. The overnight is in Queenstown. Princess Cruises - Excursion - Fiordland, Queenstown & Dunedin Overland (Double Occupancy)

Princess does have postmix. At some bars they will give you postmix unless you ask for a can. If you are drinking scotch & coke, at most bars the coke will come from postmix.

I agree. And anyone who is bad enough to scare off customers would be told by management to go and find another vocation.

At $65, I think you need to be a 3 alcoholic drinks per cruise day person, or you never get the value. Some justify their package by internet, but that is optional. The app and phone connects to the ships wi-fi network (wi-fi access is free, internet access from ship to shore is charged). All of the inclusions are optional inclusions. Standard gives you a fare that is $65 per day cheaper, and anyone has the right to bring non-alcoholic drinks aboard, drink MDR and buffet coffee (at their own risk), bring preferred teabags/coffee sachets aboard, a couple of bottles of cabin wine and "sippy cups" for dodging corkage in the dining room. The one thing muddied now is that to Ocean Now order via app now incurs a per cruise charge - negligible on a longer cruise, but close to $10 per day on a 3 nighter. Alfredo's also, if you like their pizza.

I don't think they are bothered either way on what Princess fare you choose, as long as you choose Princess. There is a market for a standard fare, and a market for inclusive fares. They are just looking to cater both to attract new customers and retain some who are looking at inclusive offers on other lines. For internet, you can still buy for just the day(s) you need it, and only need to pay for one, not both. Plus is essentially a drinks package that is attractive to those that would ordinarily drink alcohol or a lot of juice & hot beverages.

The 28 degrees conversion rate is THE daily conversion rate determined by the inter-bank rates on the day prior to the transaction (US time). XE is the live inter-bank rate, hence the minor discrepancy between the two. 28 degrees is the best possible rate for the day, as it is the official inter-bank rate without any commission being taken. A charge on most Australian credit/debit cards would have converted $US90 into approx $AU145. PS: This is true for Latitude 28 degrees, but Latitude has other credit cards that do not have the benefit of commission free conversion. You will not get this rate on their Go mastercard you got with your 128 year interest free purchase from Harvey Norman.

There are quite a few posts from a few weeks ago to a few months ago that are more up to date than the one you linked. One of those posts mentioned that Celebrity had a free shuttle into Christchurch which was out of step with what the other cruise lines were offering.

If they wanted to change things up and bring out an Oasis class ship with dedicated facilities in Port Kembla cruising to a Perfect Day at Lelepa, those comments would be in context. Otherwise, they will be shooting themselves in the foot to withdraw from the most popular port in Australia.

Last September, Virgin cancelled several cruises based in Piraeus and transferred them to Portsmouth UK . Currently, Resilient Lady has cruises available up till the end of September ex-Portsmouth. Altering homeports seems to come easily to Virgin.

Note to self: I will check whether there has been much of a squeeze on prices while on Coral in a couple of weeks time. The non-alcoholic still looked pretty close to that in November.

Princess is pretty reliable that the prom deck smoking is starboard, and outside the doors adjacent to Vista lounge.