Aus Traveller

With the major hit that the cruise lines took with the COVID shut down, I don't think buying the Conflict Islands would be something they could consider.

If you book on board without using a FCD, you have to pay the normal deposit and do not get extra OBC (unless there is a deal available at the time). The $100 you pay for the FCD can be the deposit for a cruise you book, whether it is on board or not. Obviously it means you have a bit more to pay when the balance is due. When you book using a FCD whether it is on board or not), you get the OBC (3-6 nights $15 for inside/o'view; $25 balcony; 7-10 nights $50; 11-16 nights $75 and $100; 17+ nights $125 and $150). You can book on board, but then I suggest you buy an extra FCD for each of you (if you are travelling with a partner). Then you have it when you see a good price/itinerary pop up.

Yes. The term "White Shoe Brigade" was always used a bit derisively.😁 And then it became on the nose.

Exactly the same benefits when you book using the FCD, whether you are on board or not when you book. We have often bought several FCDs at a time because you can only buy them when you are on board.

Western Australia has tougher regulations regarding the importation of honey than the rest of Australia does. Travellers aren't even allowed to take in a container that once, in a former life, contained honey and now might contain nuts and bolts or whatever.

That might have been where the term White Shoe Brigade originated, but with regard to Queensland, it was used several decades ago with reference to some real estate developers on the GC.

The main advantage is to buy a Future Cruise Deposit while on board, not necessarily to book a cruise while on board. With a FCC, the $100 pp it costs is your deposit and you are gifted a small amount of on-board credit.

The White Shoe Brigade referred to Mike Gore (I think that was his name) and his associates.

No. White Shoe Brigade at Tangalooma. Several decades ago, the White Shoe Brigade were involved in developments on the northern part of the Gold Coast.

Maybe there aren't any other changes in addition to not having to up-load a photo of the neg RAT onto Verifly. I found that to be a hassle. When we were checking in for our recent cruises we were asked to confirm that we had tested negative to COVID. For the P&O cruise I felt that up-loading info onto the Verifly system had been a waste of time and a lot of effort, but Geoff points out that it was to ensure that the cap of 5% unvaccinated passengers wasn't exceeded. We had to have a photo of the RAT test available, but we weren't asked for it and don't know of anyone else who was. Maybe this is only done if someone appears to be unwell, or if they later test positive on the ship.

Because this is the start of a cruise, I believe the last boarding for a 3pm departure would be 2pm. If it was a port call, the last boarding would be 2.30pm.

Maybe the decision to spend two days at Mystery Island was made by someone who hasn't ever been there.😁

I always said our dog was easier to train than my husband. We only had to tell her once that she wasn't to do something, and she obeyed. She also hated thunder. On one occasion when we were away, she took off in a thunder storm. Our daughter was at home and received a phone call from someone several suburbs away who said they had her. She wore a disc on her collar with our phone number on it. We didn't allow her to go upstairs to the bedroom level of our house, but if there was a storm, we pretended we didn't see her when she crept into our bedroom. Remember and talk about the goods times with your girl, even if at the moment, it is with a sad smile.

Kelpie's are lovely dogs. We had a Staffordshire/Kelpie cross and she was fantastic. It is a sad day for you. Soon, you will just remember your great times with her.💔

Unfortunately, only some flights are at reduced prices.

Neither the Gold Coast nor the Sunshine Coast are suitable for a major port. As we know, they front directly onto the Pacific Ocean that sometimes isn't pacific. 🙂 Any port there would be closed much more often than the Port of Brisbane is currently. BTW, the position of the Portside terminal meant that only fairly small cruise ships could berth there and it was not unusual that they had to delay leaving. If there were strong afternoon winds (and this isn't a major weather event) they were not permitted to turn in the river because of the danger caused by windage. I cannot see any reasonable alternative for a cruise terminal for Brisbane other than where BICT was built.

I disagree with your friend's statement "the weather has to be quite flat before the ship can come into the new port". If that was the case, we would have hardly any ships (cruise or otherwise) docking in Brisbane. When the Coral Princess was delayed returning to Brisbane, the Port was closed to all shipping by extreme weather. The last time I can recall that happening was in early December three years ago. Where else could a terminal have been built? The Port of Brisbane is somewhat sheltered by Stradbroke and Moreton Islands. A port built on the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast would not have such protection and it would be much further from the main centre of population.

It is obvious that the terminal was built where it is so the large cruise ships can dock there. There is a wide turning basin at the mouth of the river and the water is deep to fairly close to the shore. There would not have been much point in building it in a place that is more convenient to reach, if only the smallest ships could use it. We already have that with the Portside Cruise Terminal.😁 Large ships can't turn in the river at Portside and some can't get under the Gateway Bridge. I have to ask, where else could it have been built?🙂

Two days at Mystery Island!!! Although the island is lovely, I agree that one day is more than enough.

I have put a note in my diary to book parking for our January cruise.

Wharf street probably did lead to the wharves. The Customs House (no longer used for that purpose) is a couple of hundred metres downstream from the river end of Wharf Street.

From what we have experienced, you can do it any time on the previous day.

In early Brisbane, even during WWII, the wharves were a kilometre or two downstream from the Botanic Gardens. They were near the Customs House (corner of Queen and Ann Streets). The first photo below is from 1943. The Customs House would be on the far left of the photo. The second photo is of the Customs House from the Queen Street side in 1898.

The residents of those high rise buildings complain, and complain, and complain about the cruise ships. To try to placate them, noise restrictions were put in place (similar to Sydney) where the sailaway is quiet - no horn blowing, no loud announcements etc.

I don't believe there is a lower deposit for previous Princess cruisers. I have never found it to be the case. The only way there is a lower deposit, other than special offers, is booking with a Future Cruise Deposit. You buy these on board for $100. This is used as the full deposit on a cruise (although not on the World Cruise) and in addition, you are gifted a little bit of on-board credit. If you don't use the FCD within 2 years, it is refunded to your bank account. This is something that is a win-win with no negatives.