Sandielle

I'm greeeeennnnnn. Did this so long ago I can't remember it. :cool:

CRYSTAL SYMPHONY at ShipWatcher

CRYSTAL SYMPHONY at ShipWatcher

CRYSTAL SYMPHONY at ShipWatcher

CRYSTAL SYMPHONY at ShipWatcher

CRYSTAL SYMPHONY at ShipWatcher

At the risk of being facetious, I'm forever blowing bubbles! Champagne waterfall overflow? :D:D:D

SEA PRINCESS at ShipWatcher

Looks such heady weather, too.

Thanks for the heads up on Ensenada.:p

Good one! :D Actually I think Ensenada is just ahead.

Smile please! :) Lucky (or not) capture from Symphony's port cam.

CRYSTAL SYMPHONY at ShipWatcher

Thanks ozziepost. Have been looking at Island Princess's refurb. That's a big one - restyling the aft section and adding more staterooms etc etc. 45 days in drydock. :rolleyes:

In Auckland you just walk off the ship straight into the city. Other ports have shuttle buses to take you into the city where you can shop, or just wander around and also visit the iSite office.

Heaps on offer at all NZ ports. Auckland has lots on offer at the Ferry building between the main cruise wharves.

Suva today. This cruise seems to have gone quickly. We have book this cruise for next year - just hope we are able to save enough for it. :rolleyes:

David, do you know if they are making any changes or is it just for maintenance?

Astera, one thing to be aware of. At Lifou you can swim right near the jetty where you land from the tender, but I believe on Mare you have to catch the shuttle bus to the swimming beach. I have read what the price for the bus is, but cannot remember. Haven't been to Mare but I believe the beach is nice, but then so is Lifou and the markets are also near the jetty.

This could happen to any ship at any time, as I posted a similar occurrence on an NCL ship. If it is human error, then training will mitigate its repetition. If it is mechanical (more likely electronic), then review of maintenance will mitigate its repetition. You will almost be guaranteed that you will never hear "what really happened", and no one can assure you it won't happen again. Ships are machines. Machines have problems, and whether human or mechanical, you can never be assured of 100% reliability. The odds of this happening to the Sea Princess again are almost infinitesimal (the incident will lead to more scrutiny onboard), but the odds of it happening on another cruise ship are far greater.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. My FB friends who were on the Sea Princess have reported the event too. They still enjoyed the cruise. We got off the Sea Princess a month ago- marvellous cruise and staff/crew. Very strict regarding preventing norovirus. We were not allowed to serve ourselves in the buffet for 48 hours in case a passenger had brought the disease aboard. Captain Kent was very good at informing us what they were doing to avoid the approaching cyclone and what decisions he had made. This incident would not prevent us from going on Sea Princess again. In fact we have booked a 35 day cruise to Hawaii on her for 2016.

LOL, Notice they've turned their backs on one another! :D

I am fed up with the same entertainers being on board P&O every cruise we go on. It's time for them to look at some new blood. Same old, Same old. Finding it very hard to find things to do at night as we have seen them all.

Thats the price you pay for repeat cruising. We watched hardly any production shows on our recent Sea Princess cruise as we had seen them several times.

An interesting read. It is, though, as I thought! :)

Son't know if this has been posted before - I've been away. Sounds interesting. :)

From Cruise Industry News:

Carnival Launches Mystery Island Tours

on 17 February 2015.

Carnival Australia has launched the first shore excursions at Mystery Island, according to a release.

Cruise passengers will be able to try four experiences during a visit to the Vanuatu destination including a glass bottom boat tour over the aqua waters, a guided snorkel safari on the reef, a glass bottom kayak excursion and stand up paddleboarding.

Two additional cultural tours of Aneityum’s Anelghowhat village will soon be available with highlights including a visit to a fish bone hut and the ruins of the Presbyterian church where missionary John Geddie helped bring an end to cannibalism.

Located in the southernmost Tafea province, Aneityum is known as the “last island in Vanuatu”.

Carnival Australia Destinations Director Michael Mihajlov said cruise ships had been calling at Mystery Island for 30 years but tours had only just been introduced in the remote region due to the absence of satellite communication, fuel supply, suitable management structures and insurance coverage as well as the challenges associated with transporting a boat to the island.

Kayaks and paddleboards have been carried to Mystery Island on P&O Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line ships.

“It has been a long road developing these excursions and providing the necessary resources to the community to manage them but we’re very excited about what the tours mean for the people of Aneityum and their beautiful cruise port Mystery Island,” Mihajlov said.

“We are passionate about working with the island communities we visit to create a sustainable tourism success story so that cruise ship visits deliver a positive experience for all.”

While other Carnival Australia cruise lines Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises and Holland America Line will also offer the tours, Carnival Cruise Line guests became the first to try the snorkel safari, glass bottom boat and paddleboarding when Carnival Spirit called at the island on Friday.

Carnival Cruise Line Vice President Australia and New Zealand Jennifer Vandekreeke said Mystery Island was the line’s most popular South Pacific destination and these tours would only make it more appealing.

“While we know our guests love simply going ashore and taking a stroll through the markets, posing for photos in the infamous cannibal pot or just enjoying the beach, these tours add a new dimension to the destination. Mystery Island is the perfect spot for a paddleboard, snorkel and glass bottom exploring and these experiences will be a real highlight for our guests,” Ms Vandekreeke said.

Hi David

Please add the following

11 October 2015 - Sea Princess - New Zealand

(Can't stay away, :D)

The event was announced this morning as a news report on a local radio station. Unfortunately they got it all wrong.......

They announced that Queen Elizabeth was arriving today and anyone could go down and add a poppy to the wall. The announcer even looked out the window and said she could see its light as it came up the harbour.

 

I did a double take , as I knew she was coming in on Friday. Checked again and I was right. They then backtracked and said the lights were from an Apartment buildingand not the ship.

 

Do they ever check these reports they are given?

I can remember at school being taught to always ask the 5 "wh'" questions.

Who , Where, What , Why , and When.

 

I think all they do these these days is run spell check:D

OMG, does the media ever check their stories? :rolleyes:

What a great thing for Cunard to do. I will look forward to seeing the wall in October.

Word from Sandi onboard is captain has foot to the floor and Sea Princess will be in in the morning :)

He did too. 21 knots. We got to the Mooloolaba pilot station about 11.15 pm. We could see the lights when we came out of the International Crew Show about 11.20. We were supposed to dock about 4.30 ish. I don't know about that - I was still asleep. :D There was actually no wind at all - they didn't have to put sick bags out! It was a great cruise!

I wondered if the OP found the departure times advised in the initial cruise itinerary were different from the actual times of departure. They do advise in the cruise personaliser that the itinerary times are approximate.

We have found that, often, the ship actually departs in less than an hour after the boarding time advertised on the gangway, so I really do not understand what the OP means.

Unless it's a short stay, eg Napier, there is plenty of time to do a private tour. Sometimes they have to leave earlier because of tides, winds etc. In any case they always leave as soon as possible after boarding time.

I wish the OP would come back and explain exactly what it is he/she means. :confused:

The water is fine. We drink filtered water at home, but drink water from the bathroom tap on the ship. I don't like cold water. If you want cold water there are taps in the buffet where you get tea and coffee. I have once or twice noticed a taste of chlorine, in that water.

hi guys im going on my first cruise full stop. my partner and i are going on the jewel from melbourne on the 8/3 taste of tasmaina were staying on deck 10 in a inside room and wondering what the rooms are like and is it worth paying to dine at salt.

Welcome Melb78. If you are like most of us it will be the start of an addiction. The rooms are fine with plenty of storage. We have had a meal at Salt only once because the restaurant food has been fine. Last cruise we had lunch at Salt Grill for our anniversary and it was absolutely delicious with wonderful service.

You CAN buy celebration packages on P&O. There are two or three, different choices and they are good value, with either a meal at Salt Grill or High Tea at Salt Grill. Can't remember the prices. Flowers, photo, champagne.

I prefer P&O cabins as the bathroom and dressing area is larger and there are many more drawers.

You can have tea or coffee in the restaurant if you ask for it - no problems.

Meals were great on both, but Princess is better.

I preferred entertainment on Princess because they have often have classical music eg violinists, pianist, once a harpist, another time a Hungarian trio who sometimes played gypsy music. I think all this adds to the ambience.

And, of course, the loyalty perks win hands down on Princess. :):D

We got a move over offer when we tried to do New Zealand on the Sea Princess in December 2011, we ended up doing New Zealand on the Diamond Princess :) .

I remember that KC.:D Thought it was a great deal. In fact I have often read of someone in this part of the world being offered a great move over deal.

To us, it would depend on the circumstances whether or not we would take one. On the whole I think we are very lucky if we are given the opportunity to do as the OP has.

I wouldn't mind getting an offer like this for our cruise next month. ;)

Hi Aus T. Haven't been on CC much until lately. We did this cruise in Nov 2013, but on P&O. Found the same as you did. We got some kina here but they did not have small denominations. We changed them at the bank at Alotau - the place was packed out with passengers and locals so I'd advise doing it all before leaving Australia.

At Rabaul we went on a tour from the wharf. We had booked it online and it was very good value AND their buses are air-conditioned - which was a blessed relief. It was supposed to be for 3 hrs but ended up being 5 hrs. Very good value. The only place we didn't get to was right to the hot springs near the volcano. A 'frightening' figure, backed up by a truckload of 'bouncers', denied us access as he said the bus driver owed him money. I have read of this happening before.

We thought Doini Is was lovely too - certainly the best snorkelling. :)