rugbypopsie

Even when the price drops are marked "new bookings only" they usually give them to you, after all if you can cancel without penalty there is nothing to stop you doing that and rebooking..unless you don't want to lose the particular cabin.

Sue

I did the Ocean Princes 28 day Honolulu to Sydney this year great ship and two visits to Bora Bora loved the trip!!!

Sue

I got off Solstice last week and the loud music everywhere on the ship was a constant annoyance! Its such an elegant and classy ship it was a real spoiler for me so if you have managed to get the message through to the "powers that be" thank you!

Sue

I just got off Solstice and there was no priority for Aqua class...get your tender tickets early its a slow process.

Sue

I thought it was $15 corkage on wine, but in any case I agree about bringing an elastic line for drying your smalls. We just use the shampoo for detergent and ask for some extra towels to help dry some of the items overnight.:D

Definately $25 corkage if you take your own wine into MDR.

Sue

Re the conspiracy theory..and drinks generally. Molecular bar cocktails $14, I like Cosmos simple drink but not worth that price. We could do direct comparison as 6 of us together two on package (since they got it for nothing) and 4 without. We had anytime dining on level 4 ask to be seated in Marlon and Richards tables...great service for both food and drinks. Our friends on the package had their drinks continually refilled throughout the meal...we thought $25 corkage on your own wine was a bit steep. They did sometimes have bucket beer specials on weird beers. No bulk laundry deal either..I'm not paying $2.50 for someone to wash socks..so take a line folks. However pants at $5 I thought reasonable.

Our room steward was very ordinary..didn't leave us comment cards either..wonder why? We tipped him anyway...heck if someone wants to do any of my housework I'm happy.

Overall it was a good trip..my tips are do your own excursions its so easy in NZ they are well set up with tourism tents or shuittles to the I site. Be ready for the $15 and $10 shuttle costs. Take washing liquid and line...and if you enjoy a drink book through the states..:)

Sue

Quick example from the Soltice...we could have done the ships tour on the train to Taieri Gorge $197 USD! Pick up from ship/small lunch glass of champagne OR booked online..picked up from ship, bused to top of Gorge great scenery, boarded train, lovely fresh sandwich $6 NZ Great coffee $4 NZ...enjoyed historic train and great scenery $113 NZD delivered back to ship and balance of dollars still in my pocket. Dd a great private tour in Akaroa too...great value at $65 NZD.

Sue

Just off the 12 day Aus/NZ on Solstice. Hmm..there is a lot to love..the banks of lifts are great... very little waiting but they come at the expense of a having a big central atrium. The ship feels very grown up...nice colours and decor. The buffet and food generally were very good...but the food was often not hot when it should have been even in the speciality restaurant Tuscan. Our balcony cabin was nice, good bathroom and proper shower door, but no line to hang a wet cossie or undies and no guest laundry. Not a lot of storage in the cabin either would have to leave a lot in the case on a long trip. Great bed, stupid pillows! We were in 7336 towards the starboard aft..good location very very quiet..view slightly obstructed by life boats looking down but otherwise good. Decent sized table on balcony...good chairs. Production shows some of the best I have seen! Friend had a bump out cabin 2110 on deck 12 definately worth trying for one of those..much larger balcony.. The pools were nice the outdoor one didn't get a workout but the indoor one was very nice. Service throughout the ship was very hit and miss...in the MDR and speciality restaurant...very very good, else where sometime OK otherwise ignored. We didn't have the drinks package...and yes the drinks were hiked up just for us...:mad: also in the gift shop. I overheard a US person complaining that the prices had changed from the previous US trip and the assistant confirmed they had been "adjusted" for Australia. No bargains in booze either.:mad: By the way my friends booked through US agent and got the drinks package and gratuties free...

So...there is a lot to like..this is a real grown up ship..mmmm to me its more like a floating luxury hotel than a ship..just my opinion..its a bit too closed in and its not just the size..but as I said they made compromises in the design, there are lots of intimate spaces to sit..if you could only be heard my least favourite part of the cruise...is everyone deaf..the sound levels throughout were awful..if you sat in the Martini bar you were assaulted by "doof doof" music at high decibels clashing with the music coming from the entertainment atrium one floor down...grrr..even in the buffet it was at times hard to have a conversation. We only had one tender port (Akaroa)..and they need to practise..it was pretty chaotic for the first couple of hours..two people were trying to organise..just not working well..too slow.

Next is Voyager and then back to a little ship Azamara. I think I am still a Princess princess (US ones) but Solstice has many fans and its easy to see why.

Sue

If you like bushwalking/hiking I would suggest that you do that in the Blue Mountains instead..lots of places to stay with hiking trails on your doorstep. The only problem is currently there have been extensive fires the bush will have started to regenerate by next December so you should check it out before deciding.

Sue

Ok anyone who bumps into Ann Sherry ask her why she was so rude not to acknowledge or reply to my letter regarding the festival..which led to me cancelling.:mad::mad:

In any case have a great cruise I love PNG and I really really want this to be a success for the local people.

Sue

I' m on this one should be good we are doing a 10 day private tour in India beforehand...my first Azamara cruise.

Sue

Holland America 14 day Sydney to Auckland - only $899 inside or $1299 balcony. Departing 10 November. Doesn't seem too bad a price!

Thats a great price...if I wasn't already on the Solstice I would have gone for that...HAL ships are very nice.

Sue

I don't give a flying fig about the amps...I just want to have a safe time onboard. If the cruise line has said its unsafe please don't,...then I believe them. Apart from the fire risk can you imagine the chaos if the sprinkler system went off. I'd feel like throwing the dolt that brought a power board on...overboard.:mad:

On a lighter note obviously this is a safety issue and the cruise line would do well to offer a safe alternative...

Sue

No pirates apart from land based ones..sharks, crocs, stonefish and sea snakes but no pirates..cant wait to see the photos..

Sue

I have six nights of blackout conditions through pirate waters next April on my Azamara cruise..not worried my Navy Boy son was there earlier this year making sure his mum is going to be safe.

Sue

Heaven forbid that I find myself agreeing with Sutho...sorry Kiwi "should be Ok" does not fill me with confidence. I don't think they are banned without reason, you take one board, the next cabin feels entitled to take a powerboard , a steamer and an iron, the next cabin takes all of that and a kettle...where does it end...potentially a tragedy at sea. We can manage without all this stuff..I use a camera with lithium batteries because its more convenient...hate the hair dryers in the cabin but heck they do the job, I take a double adapter and converter and just juggle whatever else needs charging.

Perhaps an electrical engineer or a moderator can throw some more light on the issue.

Sue

It tastes like sucking on a peppery mud puddle (I think cant say I have tried that). It is deeply significant to those who cultures...Vanuatu kava is stronger than Fijiian. No it is probably not too hygenic but then it is an experience and travel is all about experience.

Oh Debsta do tell...???

Sue

Sutho(Karateman) or whatever....sometimes you have valid information but the message gets lost into your arrogant responses. My concern is that apart from alcohol the banning of some items being brought onboard is a safety issue. No one wants a fire at sea. There are alternatives and yes charging all our gear is a problem..perhaps the cruise line should publish some information on these safe alternatives or even rent out safe alternatives through your room steward for a small fee? Good publicity for the manfacturers and perhaps they could be stocked through the ships stores..

I'd love to see some pictures of suggestions for alternative to power boards.

Sue

We are in Sydney from Friday night until noon on Sunday before our cruise. (Dec) We are staying at Sydney Harbour B&B for two nights

 

Any ideas what to do with two 18 and 16 year olds and how to get around.

After our 14 day cruise we are going to the Blue Mountains for the day then flying back to The USA

 

You can also e-mail me mourhaan@aol.com

 

Thank you

Michelle

For the teenagers Luna Park (funfair) is just a short ferry ride across the harbour. Lots of beaches..surf lesson? Jetboat on the harbour. catch from beside the Opera House. lots to do in Sydney.

Sue

Thanks for your review and photos...I particularly liked the photo of Dubrovnik...one of my favourite ports...

Sue

YAY YAY YAY!!!!!

Sue

Perhaps she hadn't heard that Prince William has quit the rescue helicopter.:p

Sue

The promotion still appears to be going on, however for the sailing I'm looking at, they've made it impossible to take advantage of it.

 

Last night, it'd let me pick an interior guarantee, but would error out toward the end, saying that category was not available. Get up this morning, low and behold it's working! Except...it's not applying the discount. Even put one on a courtesy hold, still nada. Well now I know why.

 

In the fine print, it says an Interior or Oceanview Guarantee. Ok, fair enough; in the fine FINE print, it says an Interior Guarantee Category Z, or Oceanview Guarantee Category Y. Well, wouldn't you know it, the Interior Guarantee they'll let me book is a Category N, and the Oceanview Guarantee Category Ys are all sold out.

 

I've been checking for price drops on this cruise for a while, guess I must have missed the small window that there was an actual sale. But how is it that they can continue to advertise a sale that they are supposedly all sold out of? Shouldn't they either, I dunno, put up more cabins for sale? Or remove the entire cruise from the sale page?

 

It's one thing to miss a sale. I get that. But right now it feels like I am in the middle of missing it. That's worse.

Try going through a ta if no joy report to ACCC to investigate!

Sue

In the words of another Queenslander...."Bogans ....please explain". Some people here need to get a grip...oh perhaps that's the problem.:p

Sue

Maybe something to do with taxes or port fees...anything in the teeney teeney print? Otherwise I would ask...ACCC would not approve.

Sue