reedy8

Is any type of wine OK? I like Stones Green Ginger Wine, its not fortified like port or sherry, its just a dry white wine infused with ginger and a couple of spices. Do you think its worth while if I print out the details from the makers site to prove its just wine?

Like I said before, it depends on the security staff, the policy is for 12 cans pp.

 

Have you tried Kirks Ginger ale, a nice spicy flavour and standard can size.:D

Kirks, I forgot all about Kirks, comes in a bigger carton than I need but the ones that don't come with me won't go 'off' in my fridge .

Hi, getting excited now about our first RCI cruise (out of Sydney) in four days' time.

 

We don't have complete confidence in the quality of ship's water so have always taken a slab of water bottles onto our previous (P&O) cruises (their policy is "12 loose" bottles per person but 24 sealed ones between us has passed muster).

 

RCI's documentation and Web site are silent on this question so I phoned them. After checking with his supervisor the operator said "That's not possible" (In fact it IS *possible* but perhaps isn't allowed). Does anyone have experience with this?

Would that be the over the top cruise to Perth?

Do you have the internet package? If you do, can you update us on how you went with the water as we are on the next cruise, Perth to Sydney via NZ.

It seems the situation is similar if you bring a few cans of cool drink on board, they policy says no, but the main RC page reports they are rarely confiscated.

Would you also add if you have a kettle in your room. RC are very inconsistent with kettles. They are in ships in Aust waters for some itineraries but not on others. They were on Radiance for 'Rock the Boat' but I've heard they don't have them now.

Thanks

Does everyone in the cabin have to buy the soda package like they do if its an alcohol package.

My friend drinks 4 or 5 sodas a day, but I'd be lucky to have 1 or 2 a week so its not worth it for me.

Thanks

Looking at the pic's of the cabins on here (we're in D1 class if that makes a difference) a kettle AND a coffee maker are shown.

 

Today one of her customers (just off this ship) told my wife there was NO kettle in their cabin! Can this be true?

 

Really, if we can't make a goodnight cup of tea, life won't be worth living!

I've asked on the roll call if the previous cruise to ours (that would be the 13/2 Top end cruise) that if some one has the internet package, can they post if they have a kettle in their cabin or not.

If not, from what I have been told you can get boiling water 24hrs a day from the cafe in the solarium. I've got a $12 Kmart thermos, I'll take it with me and leave it behind when we get off.

it is 12 cans of non-alcoholic drink loosely packed. We take a mix of soft drinks and red bull / v (the big cans of v count as one!!!!) You do have to loosely pack them - don't know why, but the security screener made me take it out of the plastic. They had a hose / funnel set up at the x-ray machine as well for people to empty out their water bottles.

 

I will say they didn't count the cans at all, nor check how many people I was carrying cans for so you could possibly get away with more than the 12 per person.

I wonder if they are the mini cans if you can take more than 12, can't find ginger Ale in any cans but the mini size

No kettles in the room on Radiance.

 

But you can make tea in the solarium and take it to your room. Faclities there to make yourself open 24 hours.

What a pity, they did on a "Rock the Boat' cruise last November.

Thanks for the tip re the Solarium, I have a $10 K mart thermos, will bring that and leave it behind after afterwards. Don't know if it will stay hot until morning.

If room service continental breakfast is free, I wonder if they would just bring jug of boiling water instead.

Looking at the pic's of the cabins on here (we're in D1 class if that makes a difference) a kettle AND a coffee maker are shown.

 

Today one of her customers (just off this ship) told my wife there was NO kettle in their cabin! Can this be true?

 

Really, if we can't make a goodnight cup of tea, life won't be worth living!

Oh dear, conflicting information. I asked a friend who was on a Rock the Boat out of Sydney last year and she said they did in their inside cabin, but horror of horrors, if someone got of recently and they said no, I would be horrified.

The kettle is the thing I switch on first thing in the morning on the way to the loo. Members of this site usually from the US say, 'Why don't you get room service to bring boiling water' or "go up to the Windjammer for it" Alas, they just don't understand.

The kettles must be there on the ship somewhere, perhaps our Room Steward can be 'persuaded' to find us one on our Radiance cruise starting 1 March. The 'persuasion' would be worth every penny.

As of yesterday, there was in our GS.

Tee hee, they do in Grand Suites don't they.......sigh.......none left on this last minute sale, just 1 oceanview and some inside. Did a GS once, heavenly!!

Just got a going, going gone sale cabin on Radiance on 1st March from Perth and am pretty happy. Can any recent cruisers on Radiance (In Australian/NZ waters) advise if there is a kettle in the cabins like there is on Explorer & Voyager in Australian waters.

Thanks

Hi Brett

Yes, I can tell you. They have just announced 2 new sailings on Ovation, I got an email about it a couple of days ago

Here's the the browser line if you just copy and paste it you should see the details.

http://click.rccl-email.com.au/?

qs=d0d8df957c7485ffad416504ec807902b185787335f1aae59f6750369a85ad6620c00136b7c423a44a0f35a4b3128134b87dfe594fb90c08

Hopefully they will be on the Australian website by now.

I also read about it on a blog called (strangely enough) royal caribbean blog that I look at sometimes.

Royal Caribbean announces new sailings on Ovation of the Seas in Australia

IN: Ovation of the Seas

By:

Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean has extended the 2018/2019 cruise season in Australia, making it the longest season down under yet. The cruise line released two new sailings in March and April 2019.

Before making her way to Alaska via Hawaii for her maiden season in the region, Ovation of the Seas will sail two additional local sailings to the South Pacific and New Zealand, offering Australians even more opportunities to sample the USD$1 billion cruise ship. Ovation of the Seas will then sail a 16 night Trans-Pacific cruise to Hawaii.

Guests who have New Zealand on their bucket list can book a brand new 10-night New Zealand roundtrip departing Sydney on 30 March 2019, calling at Dunedin, Wellington, Napier and Picton, with a day of scenic cruising through Milford, Doubtful and Dusky Sounds.

Also new is an 8-night South Pacific roundtrip, departing Sydney on 9 April 2019 and visiting Noumea in New Caledonia and Mystery Island in Vanuatu.

The stairs go all the way to the bottom of the pool. Very easy to walk in and walk out.

Thank you for your reply, that will make it much easier for me

From the photos I can see, the solarium pool seems to have a set of stairs going down into the pool as well as ladders. Its not quite clear as to whether the stairs end at the water line or go fright down into the pool. Can anyone tell me please as stairs would be much easier for me than ladders.

Just browsing on Freo ports cruise ship arrival/departs page and am pleasantly surprised that Princess have already booked turnaround berths for Emerald and Diamond Princess from Nov 2020 - April 2025. Much nicer than the little Sun or Sea Princesses we have been getting.

Any chance a red back spider would be in your cabin?

Red backs aren't the most dangerous spider in Australia, and even though they are common in the back shed or garden you don't see that many inside. I would think the chance of a red back getting on to a cruise ship would be almost non existent.

I found a few threads about this question in the Search Forum. The Sea Princess has both the 110V and 240V outlets in cabins. You may still need to pack an adapter if you're staying in a hotel in Sydney.

That's what we're doing.

This is a video post the refit in late October 2017. About 3/4's of the way through when you see the updated cabins over the desk you can see a choice of 3 different outlets which fits in with their website that states they have 110v and 240v. I was just happy to see the demise of the old apricot curtains!

Hello

I found this youtube video of Sea Princess post reno in November 2017. Thank goodness that apricot curtains in the cabins are gone.

Where is the Jewel September to November 2018? The schedule is now available for the Jewel on 11/12/18 sailing from Singapore to Australia and then the Australia and New Zealand schedule into March of 2019. What I am waiting for are the two months from Alaska to Singapore. Anyone hear any rumors? We return to the Philippines every fall, would love to cruise from Seattle or Vancouver to Hawaii and then Hong Kong. Much prefer the 100 minutes flight from Hong Kong to Manila as opposed to the 13 hour 10 minute flight from Vancouver. Not in a hurry, would love to sail into and/or out of Hong Kong. Honolulu would be great also.

The Sydney Port Authority site has her booked to berth there on 8/10/2018

Nearly the entire fleet is scheduled well into 2019 but Jewel disappears in September, 2018. Does anyone know what's going on? This isn't one of those "no US customers wanted" things like Carnival is doing, I hope. Maybe it's for sale?

The Sydney Ports website: https://www.portauthoritynsw.com.au/cruise/cruise-schedule/ shows from page 36 the Norwegen Jewel from 8 October 2018, so that would be your 'fall' and our spring.

Very handy site as it shows which line/ship/berth for every ship that docks in Sydney. They are trying to find other berths as cruising it getting more and more popular in Australia, especially from Sydney as you can see from the scheduling. There is ongoing discussions on the Aust page of this site as to where they will find in Sydney for more ships.

I would like more ships from Perth, not many visit and we have to fly about 3300 kilometres or 2050 miles to Sydney for NZ or Pacific island cruises.

It also protects you from an attack by Drop Bears

Go on, tell him about the drop bears!

Recently I heard that the selections have been reduced on MDR menus, also that they are now allowing people to wear shorts in the MDR. Does anyone know anything about these MDR issues?

I noticed this on my recent (first) Princess cruise, the menu choice was much smaller than on RCCL and I was surprised to see there was no steak option on the everyday menu. Very surprised to see a hamburger on the dinning room menu, really? A hamburger at dinner? I could understand it at the buffet, but not in a more formal dinning option.

That said, the food I did have was very nice.

I just saw another lucky cruiser getting a visit from the upgrade fairy on an Australian cruise (RCCL) then I discovered they were from the US. I realised I've never seen a post from an Australian cruiser cruising in Oz, the Pacific, or NZ getting a visit from the fairy on this site. Perhaps I've just missed it or do the US cruise companies favour there own citizens with upgrades?

Thank you all, I am glad to know that I was wrong (I don't mind being wrong) we get them too, and I hope you get many more!

Really hope they keep the BOGO for $1 ....as no way will we be buying the drinks packages. Giving our livers a small rest before we get to WA for 3 month stay��

Any one have info on the Sea Princess refit??...we are on her November sailing out of Singapore to Freo post refit & hoping all will be fine & dandy.

I asked on board at the service desk, but I got the impression they didn't really know. I have read they are putting Princess Luxury beds in all cabins with new linen, (please, please replace those awful apricot curtains) Cafe Corniche will have more Italian choices as well as the very nice pizza, new decor and menu in the Wheelhouse bar (something Victorian/prohibition era) , they are upgrading the screen on movies under the stars (I wish they would show movies in the indoor theatre during the day!) some of the kids areas will be upgraded, a new musical called Encore, and a 'The Voice' type show and I think I read on the main princess page they are altering some of their suite categories.

I just saw another lucky cruiser getting a visit from the upgrade fairy on an Australian cruise (RCCL) then I discovered they were from the US. I realised I've never seen a post from an Australian cruiser cruising in Oz, the Pacific, or NZ getting a visit from the fairy on this site. Perhaps I've just missed it or do the US cruise companies favour there own citizens with upgrades?

Congratulations on the upgrade. The JS on the Radiance are very niceShe has only just arrived for the Australian cruise season. Radiance is one of our favourite ships. We promise to take care of her and her crew whilst downunder. Just wish we could keep her all year round.

It would be lovely if we could keep her year round, even better if we could have MORE ships visit us. I did some research recently on cruises that either cruised from Perth (or picked up passengers as part of a segment) over the next 2 years. There had been about 23, but something like 16 were booked out and another 3 only had inside cabins left. (excluding the Astor, a 600 people ship that is ancient)

Alas, we must go to Sydney or S/E Asia and I have developed a dislike of flying.