Aus Traveller

We are in Brisbane, but have a Sunshine Coast holiday booked with our family from late Nov into December.

I am so sorry to hear you are so ill. All you can do is rest, drink plenty of fluids and follow the medical advice. Hopefully, you will be feeling much better soon.🙂

On Princess ships, passengers must wash their hands before entering the buffet. I suppose the only extra precaution would be to have staff serve the food.

Most cruises that sail past Willis Island do so on the way back after leaving Cairns. After looking at many itineraries, I only found two Carnival cruises that go past Willis Is before Cairns. I based my comment about Willis Island being on the starboard side on the cruises we have been on including two this year. The ship actually passes north of Willis Island, then does a turn to head south.

I would go. With a comedian it doesn't matter very much where you sit. You can go in shortly before the start of the show and choose seats right over at one side away from anyone else, hoping no-one will come and sit beside you. If you keep coughing until the show starts it might deter someone who thinks they would like to sit near you. 🙂

I had similar support from Queensland Health. At the end of a week, they told me I was "discharged from the virtual-COVID ward."

Yes - the starboard side is the right-hand side of the ship when facing forwards. In modern ships, either side of the ship can be against the wharf. The origin of the term 'starboard' comes from the ancient term 'steerboard', a large 'paddle' that was used to steer the ship. It was at the rear of the ship on the right-hand side (as you faced forward). By necessity, the other side of the ship was always against the wharf, therefore it became the 'port side'. Too much information ......

Most times you are out of sight of the mainland. If you have a balcony, maybe the only suggestion would be the starboard side for sailing past Willis Island.

Yes. We went there on the Sea Princess pre-COVID. It was a lovely island.

That might change.

A cough is a common symptom of COVID and it often lasts a long time.

You drinks package covers cocktails up to AUD$16 as well as beer, spirits and glasses of swine. If you are having problems with the Medallion app, have you tried the web version? The link is on your Cruise Personaliser. You can then enter info using your computer. If you have problems, you can go onto a live chat with someone at Princess or phone them - working hours only of course. I found the live chat reps and the phone reps very helpful.

That's good news. I hope you are well soon.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for you. 🤞 All the best to you both.

Sorry to hear your husband has COVID and hope it remains mild. All the best.🙂

In Port Vila, I suggest going to the Mele Cascades by taxi. Fantastic. Wear swimming costume and take towels. Negotiate a return price with the taxi driver and he will wait. If you don't do this, it will cost double or more for the return trip;. Dunedin - I believe that the Taieri Gorge train doesn't operate any more.

Princess' Happy Hour (buy- one get one for $1) ended a couple of years before COVID. ☹️

I would not even consider leaving the airport with only a 4.5 hour wait between flights. You will probably have to go from the domestic terminal in Sydney to the International anyway.

Yes, you can name your supplier. The only restriction here is that we cannot name travel agents.

With Princess, you choose your embarkation time on the Medallion app. It doesn't relate to the deck on the ship. Within the embarkation time slot, people can still go into the Elite line for check-in. I don't know what happens if someone with a late boarding time and Elite status, turns up earlier than their allotted time. We had the first time slot so I didn't have to check that out.

Sorry to hear that COVID has hit you so hard. From what I have read, the experts say that the current variant is more easily transmissible, but it results in fewer cases of severe illness because it targets the upper respiratory system and not the lungs. However, that doesn't mean you won't feel very sick with it. I hope you both feel well very soon. 🙂

I didn't look to see if it is on their itinerary. It is a tricky port for larger ships. On one visit we were told that they have to sail over an area of relatively shallow ocean and can't do so close to low tide. This is made worse by the extreme tidal variation on this part of the coast. This was the explanation for the strange arrival and departure times from Broome.

The theme nights are the same as pre-COVID - white night, Gatsby and Back to School.

I can relate to that. 🙂

Don didn't say that the Coral is in Melbourne now, but that the ship will be there when his cruise is due to leave. The Coral is currently sailing off the NW coast of WA, between Darwin and Broome.