Aus Traveller

I suggest you have a second option as well. Wise sounds good for paying for your hotel. I was in Singapore last June on the world cruise. Taxis wouldn't take cash cards but they would accept credit cards and Singapore cash.

We can't be sure why Princess operates two different systems, but I feel it is likely to be for marketing purposes. Aussies are much more inclined to book a cruise when they don't have the complication of using a foreign currency - just the same as Americans would be. Australia is a fairly large cruise market so it is probably worthwhile for Princess to use our local currency. Maybe the reason the trans-Pacific cruises are in US$ is because there is a fairly large group of American passengers on board. Tips are included in our fares because Aussies are not comfortable with tipping. We are used to an all-inclusive price even when we go to a shop or restaurant where the prices include taxes.

Visas depend on the ports. Last year we went to Srilanka and had to arrange the visa ahead of time. It was done on line and approval came through in literally one minute - even on a Sunday. We also had to get an ESTA for USA and a Chilean visa for Easter Island. One of the up-coming world cruises (probably 2025) is only scheduled for scenic cruising at Easter Island, probably because on only about a third of scheduled visits are they able to land passengers by tender. Maybe the change is to avoid disappointment. Another change will be for the EU where soon passengers will need a visa - probably one they have to arrange themselves. Princess organised visas for other ports. Info about visas required was all shown on the Cruise Personalizer. From memory it was at the bottom of the Itineraries page. I spoke to several people on the ship last year who had paid a lot of money for visas they didn't need because they were going on their TA's advice. They hadn't read the info helpfully supplied by Princess that even had links to help passengers applying for visas.

With the present wifi system, passengers stay logged on. It would be difficult to monitor the 'old' allowance of 250 minutes. As 'compensation' elite passengers get the new wifi at a 50% reduction in price.

The price has really gone up since the last time I paid for internet on the Coral Princess for the world cruise last year. It cost me a bit more than $6.50 per day (it was well under $7). I know the price went up after I purchased, but $20 per day for elite means it would be $40 a day for everyone else.

$5 a day is so good. When someone offered a good deal, my Mum used to say "Shoot him in both legs before he gets away!"

I felt that both prices you were quoted were wrong. The first one seems too high and the second one too low. I agree with 'resordanis' - book it for the 15 day cruise. On a separate phone call enquire again about the price for the short cruise. You might be quoted a lower amount. 🙂

Next time I have to apply for the Shareholder's OBC, the site will probably tell me if I have to up-load an up-dated statement of shareholding. Anyway, it should go easier for me next time. I hope so anyway.

If we don't have to provide an up-dated statement of the shareholding, how does Stockperks know that we still own the shares? With the account number blanked out I don't see how they could easily check this, and why should they.

Before you attach your shareholder's statement, blank out the number of your account. For anyone to take your stock they would need that and probably your PIN number as well.

Yes, it is a new requirement and there is no way around it.

You are lucky. My experience with Stockperks has been one problem after another. When I finally registered then got my stockholding verified I applied for the OBC as I had to. I was stunned to get an email saying that I wasn't eligible because I had booked a discounted fare. What??? I booked following receipt of an email from P&O that would have been sent to probably thousands of people. It wasn't specially discounted. I had to apply to P&O. Anyway, finally today after a couple of weeks, I have got the OBC. The amount of time I have spent on this was far in excess of $100 value. Not happy with the process at all.

Our worst locally was 12 metres seas on the little Pacific Pearl. Another bad one was crossing the Drake Passage in a small expedition ship. I was literally thrown out of bed. I skidded across the cabin floor. Luckily I had no injuries except bruises but a few others weren't so lucky.

Thanks for the suggestion of going to Guest Services. I hope my application goes through OK and I don't have to do that.

You have to be kidding!! I emailed them around 10-11 days ago and received a polite response telling me to go via Stockperks. I responded that I don't have a smartphone and I don't 'do apps'. I received a reply saying that I would have to go through the Stockperks app. This whole process has taken many hours. Anyway, I have answered my initial question. We were out for a few hours, during which time I decided I would have one more attempt at the Stockperks app. As I mentioned previously, for the date of the cruise, it gave a month, date and year. When we touched these, pressed them or whatever, nothing happened. Although there was nothing to indicate that I should do so, I scrolled on the date (that was the one that was wrong) and it was like a spinning dial. I managed to get the date correct and complete my application.

What a saga that isn't finished yet. First, the app wouldn't accept my Bigpond email so I finally switched to gmail. That worked OK. Of course, with the Easter holiday there has been a week's delay getting approval. It finally came through overnight. Stockperks is in New York. Now the next step. I have gone into the Stockperks app and put in my booking number (so far so good), then I have to put in the cruise date. there are only three options - April 5 2023, May 6 2024 and June 7 2025. I am not crazy - these are the options the app gives me. There is no way I can change the dates. Our cruise is 3rd May so obviously I can't proceed past this roadblock of the date of the cruise. P&O suggest I email Stockperks which I have done, but I am hoping someone on here might have had the same problem and found a way around it. Please help if you can.

Agreed. If the port is in an undeveloped country AND a tender is required to get back to the ship, I would have only taken a private tour if it was a morning tour with planned return time of 1pm at the latest. I am not familiar with this port, but maybe being an island, the tour would not have taken the people terribly far from the port. Surely, if it get to (say) 1pm and it doesn't appear that you were heading back to the port, you would tell the tour operator to cancel the rest of the tour and head back - NOW. I read that the woman organiser said she told the tour operator they had to be back by 3pm. Crazy. That does not allow for any problems. She should have said they had to be back by 1pm, or at the latest 2pm.

👍

I have heard that they access the passenger's safe and give the passports to the Port Agent, but I haven't heard that they pack their belongings as well. I have never seen that happen. Keep in mind it would take at least an extra hour to pack up everything.

I feel that the passenger who blamed the cruiseline for not following their duty of care, was 'red hot'. The passengers (and the local tour company) are to blame. The passengers said they told the local tour company that they had to be back by 3pm. Big mistake! If the last tender is at 3pm they should have told the tour company it was at 2pm. Although I feel they have a valid complaint that the ship wouldn't allow them to board when the local authorities took them to the ship in their boat. To refuse at that point appears that the ship's authorities were trying to make a point.

Happy Easter to you also Les. I hope you are getting along OK. 🙂

Congratulations! Enjoy!

I would keep meds in the original containers if I was travelling in the Middle East and also many other countries. However, when I board a ship in Australia and the meds remain on the ship until I return to Australia, I haven't found it necessary.

We have never been asked to show our prescription meds either.

They don't have to have a smart phone or use the QR code. In January we were on a Princess cruise with my daughter and her family. I printed out the booking form etc and just showed that (that didn't look closely) to be allowed into the terminal. At the check in desk they had all the info on the computer system.