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Pacific Encounter nearly ready to sail home.
Aus Traveller replied to Bowm54's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
You mention Post #207 on the Roll Call. Presumably you mean the Roll Call for the Pacific Encounter cruise from Singapore. There are only 50-odd posts in that Roll Call. Am I looking in the wrong place? -
Pacific Encounter nearly ready to sail home.
Aus Traveller replied to Bowm54's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
A few of us on the World Cruise are researching the Indonesian visa issue. Do you know the link you used to get your visa? One Indonesian website I have looked at refers to flying into the country. So far I haven't seen where people on a cruise ship can apply. Maybe you can help. -
Princess Medallion and elderly Elite
Aus Traveller replied to Iainmac's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
My comments to the OP. Since cruising restarted there have been changes (another word for cut-backs). They don't now have the little bag of toiletries, pen, paper or tote bag for any passengers. I don't know if this was in your cabin or not, but on our last couple of Princess cruises we have had a sheet on the desk that outlines Elite events (evening drinks event, wine tasting, cocktail party). Because this is usually placed under the sheets that outline safety etc. it would be easy to miss. If your name was on the screen outside your door (and it would have showed elite), I am pretty confident that your room steward would have placed the proper paperwork in your cabin before your arrival. We have received a paper copy of the new version of the Princess Patter every day on each of our recent cruises. BTW, if you have a refundable credit balance on your account at the end of the cruise, you should receive an email notification in a month or so advising you how this can be forwarded to your bank account. This message isn't a scam. -
Is Specialty dining still worth it?
Aus Traveller replied to Hammer61's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
The Italian restaurant on the Coral Princess is called Sabatini's. I have heard good reports, but after the recent price-rise, it mightn't be good value for money. We had a voucher for a specialty dinner on the Coral and chose the Bayou Cafe. The atmosphere was OK, the food was quite good, but the service was abysmal. The restaurant wasn't even a quarter full and our waiter had only six people to serve. Even so, it took two hours for the meal. I have to confess that our main course took so long coming that I asked the head waiter if we should go to the Horizon Court for dinner. The people near us commented that they hoped we would get our meal by midnight. Maybe if I hadn't made my remark to the head waiter we might have been there that long. He brought our food personally. My only excuse is that we had finished a full bottle of wine (more than we usually drink) while waiting for our main course. We had only had a few nibbles of food with all that wine. Our main course was served around 1.5 hours after we arrived. Other people had a similar experience although I don't know if they made any remarks to the head waiter! We certainly wouldn't pay to go to the Bayou after our experience. If we have another voucher, we might try Sabatini's. Otherwise, it's the MDR for us. -
Clothes to pack for New Zealand cruise
Aus Traveller replied to Zanny's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
If I am looking at the correct cruise (Pacific Explorer on 11th March) your first 'port' in NZ is the Fiordland National Park. On this itinerary the ship usually enters Milford Sound very early in the morning (around 7am). At that time it will be cold so I suggest you have a warm head covering as well as a warm jacket and long pants. For the entry into Milford, I suggest it is worth going to a deck where you have a view forward. It will be breezy, but the views are superb. After the ship enters the Sound, you might prefer to go back to your cabin if you have a balcony. Otherwise, stay on an outside deck on the port side (left-hand side of the ship) for the best views. If your balcony is on the other side, it could still be worth relocating to there because you will see both sides of the fijord anyway. What you don't see on the way in, you will see on the way out! Have a great cruise. -
Pacific Encounter nearly ready to sail home.
Aus Traveller replied to Bowm54's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
AUD$47 is great. Princess is going to charge us US$60 (AUD$88.63) - nearly double what you were charged. -
Screenshots Princess MDR Wine List
Aus Traveller replied to Tripmode33's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
You will probably be going on another Princess cruise prior to the 2024 world cruise. Maybe it would be worth asking someone in authority if you can check in cartons of wine and pay the corkage on board, either when you retrieve them from Security, or when you take bottles to the dining room. Although, it's possible that whatever you are told, won't necessarily be what happens on a later cruise. -
Pacific Encounter nearly ready to sail home.
Aus Traveller replied to Bowm54's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
What did P&O charge you? AUD$50? -
Screenshots Princess MDR Wine List
Aus Traveller replied to Tripmode33's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
You could take a couple of cases when you board in Sydney and buy a couple more at Dan Murphy's when you are in Brisbane. Then stock up a bit more at other ports. -
El Cheapo Cruises Thread
Aus Traveller replied to icat2000's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
P&O has another flash sale. One special is a 7-night cruise to Port Vila from Brisbane 16-23rd September. The price on a balcony is $849pp. -
DISMAYED about Cleanliness
Aus Traveller replied to kent05's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
I agree - two separate spots. I suspect the towel animal has fallen down and the cabin steward hasn't cleaned the corner sufficiently to see it. I would like to know if this was brought to the attention of a Housekeeping Supervisor (I would have) and what the response was. -
DISMAYED about Cleanliness
Aus Traveller replied to kent05's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
the OP will have to come back on and explain where the mess was. From the photos it appears to be in the very narrow space between the desk/dressing table and the balcony doors. I have come to this conclusion because of the glass shown in the second photo and the curly cord (probably from the hair drier) shown in the top photo. If I am correct, this is a space where no-one would normally look and certainly no-one would walk. -
Screenshots Princess MDR Wine List
Aus Traveller replied to Tripmode33's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Julie, I have to caution you. 😁 We aren't wine experts. I agree that you will get value out of the Plus package at $30pp. -
Pacific Encounter nearly ready to sail home.
Aus Traveller replied to Bowm54's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Did you need a visa for your visit to Indonesian ports? I am getting conflicting information on this with regard to a visit on a Princess cruise. The P&O website refers to 'visa-free' entry to Indonesia, not Visa on Arrival that has a fee. -
Screenshots Princess MDR Wine List
Aus Traveller replied to Tripmode33's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
I hope they keep it at $36 for our next two P&O cruises booked. 🙂The Blue Sand was recommended by our waiter last year. We found it quite good. -
Screenshots Princess MDR Wine List
Aus Traveller replied to Tripmode33's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
The prices shown above are more reason to take your own wine and pay the corkage. The Blue Sand Pinot Grigio that is $51, is $36 on PO. -
DISMAYED about Cleanliness
Aus Traveller replied to kent05's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
After reading Chengkp75's post above, I think you should feel reassured that the mess wasn't caused by rodents. -
DISMAYED about Cleanliness
Aus Traveller replied to kent05's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
You obviously have more experience with rodents than I do. 🙂 I won't challenge your expertise. 🙂 -
DISMAYED about Cleanliness
Aus Traveller replied to kent05's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
The photo demonstrates a serious break-down in the Housekeeping Department. I would like to know what the response was when this was brought to a supervisor's attention. I can't see anything in the photo that looks like rodent droppings.I haven't had rats or mice in my home, but a Google search indicates that rat droppings are 12ml-18ml shiny black and pellet-shaped while mouse droppings are very dark brown pellets somewhat smaller. I feel the photo looks more like crumbled particle board or crumbled wood. -
DISMAYED about Cleanliness
Aus Traveller replied to kent05's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
On our two cruises last last year on the Pacific Encounter, our cabin was kept clean and we didn't see any maintenance issues. -
Majestic back in Sydney
Aus Traveller replied to TommyH2006's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
My guess is that the reference to 18% gratuity is something that doesn't apply in Australia.