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jennyau

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Posts posted by jennyau

    Whos Cruising and When ?

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    I've rebooked for our next cruise! I can see this becoming a bit addictive. Who needs to buy a house anyway???

     

    We're booked for 17th February 2015 on Rhapsody of the Seas, 11 nights Tropical Queensland.

     

    So looking forward to it!

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

     

    :thumbup:

     

    Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

    Beverage package, is it worth it?

    in Royal Caribbean International

    Posted

    We're not given a better deal. Our limit for wine and cocktails under the packages IS higher, but that is because the prices for each drink is that much higher too. I've read stories from those doing B2B on a ship that is repositioning to Australia and once here the menus all get changed over and all of a sudden everything costs so much more.

     

    We pay more for our cruises, don't get OBC or prepaid gratuities deals like you guys do, our travel agents don't give any bonuses, we have different final payment dates (meaning loss of deposit if the cruise is cancelled), and we don't get nearly as many of the specials you guys do.

     

    Living on the butt of the world has some disadvantages sometimes...

     

     

    Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

     

    Ah butt it's an oarsome place to live!

     

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    How much money should we take?

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    All up ports and all..

     

     

    Sent from my iPhone using Forums

     

    We only prebooked one shore tour that ended up being cancelled...... though your tour expense is more than we would have done.

    My last cruise was also my first cruise but someone said while I was researching to allow the price of your cruise ontop. Say if the cruise cost 3500 allow 3500 extra.

    We did that and I guess it was almost about right.

    We pre purchased the drink package plus did a couple of expensive nights in Sydney afterwards and splurged on a couple of jewellery items and presents. Add in the limo to Sydney and back.

    We may have gone over the 3500 as I add it up!

    We took $400 AUD with us for 6 ports..... but one was canceled and we didn't get off in Lifou. We estimated almost spot on for the 4. Probably $100 per port would have been better.

    It really does depend a lot on what you want to do on board also and whether you drink or plan on buying duty free.

     

     

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    Pre-Cruise Accommodation in Sydney

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    Also print out anything in regards to bookings.

     

    Very, very good advice. I'd almost go so far as doing voice recordings. I'd NEVER recommend the Langham to anyone.

     

    And the OPs original question..... I'd go for the bigger rooms at The Menzies. Trip advisor is not the be all and end all! In a way it has a bit in common with CC.... people prefer complaining to complimenting.

     

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    How much money should we take?

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    My family and I are going on the p&o pacific jewel this month.. It's an 11 night cruise to santo, wala, Vila, mystery island and isle of pines.. We have booked our shore tours and they work out to be around $1000 for 3 tours for 2 adults and 2 children.. Just wondering roughly how much spending money we would need not including the tours.. Thanks

     

     

    Sent from my iPhone using Forums

     

    Do you mean for the whole cruise or do you mean per port?

     

    Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

    South Pacific Data Roaming

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    I'm traveling from Sydney to Honolulu via NZ andTahiti on the radiance of the Seas. I'm using the voda phone red cap travel deal. For $5 a day in approved countries you get to use your red cap plan as if you're in Australia. So all calls to Australia and all calls in the approved country come under your plan. And you can use your plans data download in the approved country as well. I think at $5 a day to use an existing plan of unlimited calls, txt and 3gig data is pretty good. And it's a month by month plan so I can cancel when ever I want. Win/win :)

     

     

    Sent from JD's iPhone using Tapatalk

     

    Can you use the same phone number you already have?

     

    Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

    when did cruising become so sloppy

    in Ask a Cruise Question

    Posted

    I do agree (to a certain extent) with the OP. I dress up on formal nights and enjoy seeing others do the same. I follow the rules and have never thought of a cruise vacation as a way to go wild, indulge in offensive behavior or "get over" on the cruise line or my fellow passengers. That said...

     

    I've learned over the years that I can only be responsible for myself. I'm relaxing on a beautiful cruise ship eating food I don't have to cook, sleeping in a bed I don't have to make, in a room I don't have to clean. It's all good. The way others choose to enjoy their cruise usually doesn't impact me.

     

    Life is short.

     

    Spot on. :thumbup:

     

    Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

    South Pacific Data Roaming

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    Don't know about Optus but my Telstra package included cellular at sea while onboard. Also in Vila I used Digicel which was much faster than edge.

     

    Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

     

    Just went and checked and no mine didn't include cellular at sea which shows as Bermuda but the data rate was pretty reasonable. Sorry for the wrong info.

     

    Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

    Brilliance not for younger cruisers

    in Royal Caribbean International

    Posted · Edited by jennyau

    Maria my first cruise was February this year on the Radiance. For background I travelled with my husband, daughter, SIL and two grandkids.

     

    We met some fantastic people on board because we smoke. One of the smoking areas is on the pool deck. We all seemed to meet up there after dinner. For the first day the pool bar shut at about 9 I think. After that the shutting time started to get earlier and earlier until it was about 7.30pm.

     

    Individually and unbeknownst to each other we all complained and lo and behold a miracle happened....... the bar remained open till late!

     

    Now this is not just a smokers issue either...... an outdoor movie was shown every night at 8.30pm. Because the bar was closed there never seemed to be anyone availing themselves of this treat. Once the bar started opening later people started watching the movies.

     

    Moral maybe? Complain.....nicely of course!

     

    PS: please don't yell at me for smoking. I know it's a terrible habit Ok.

     

    Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

    Rhapsody doing the Black Sea June 2015!

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    Hi don't know if it's showing up on the AU website yet but the US website is now showing Rhapsody doing three Black Sea cruises out of Istanbul in June 2015. After that a repo cruise in July to Civitaveccia where I assume it will be based for the rest of the summer.

     

    We got off the Radiance on the 14th and one of their flyers was "RCI 2015 exciting change of itinerary for Rhapsody of the Seas".

     

    Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

    Radiance...South Pacific review, Sydney Australia lots of photos

    in Royal Caribbean International

    Posted

    We will be cruising next month on the Radiance and heard they enforce the boarding times by Deck. We are on Deck10 and daughter and SIL on 7 and this will be their first cruise so would really like for us to board together at 11. They would have a 1:30 boarding time. Any chance they would let them board with us.

     

    They didn't enforce check in time with us at all.

     

    Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

    What do you think of Port Vila?

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    Sorry but the loop hole has been well and truly closed!

     

    50 smokes loose or sealed Per Person.

     

    The only reason you could bring in opened packets as extra was because single cigarettes are non taxable and open packets have no commercial value, this was also debatable at customs and before the new low limit, I argued more than once with over zealous officials when i smoked for having my duty free limit and just one extra open packet in my pocket.

     

    Any Cigarettes you declare to customs over the 50 will be held in bond for 3 months to be collected on your exit from Australia within that 3 months. Or you can pay the duty on all cigarettes including your 50 allowed.

     

    Dont declare the amount over 50 and you take the risk of loosing all including your 50 allowance,these will not be held in bond but destroyed.

     

    Tobacco tax is very important to a small population like Australia, Singapore is similar with high cigarette taxes and just as strict on importation.

     

    Go to a Duty free shop before you leave Australia if you smoke as you can leave with 250 from any port including cruise ports, they are cheaper duty free than buying on the ship.

     

    Thank you very much. I'll call into a duty free shop when we get to Sydney in the morning. That is 250 each isn't it?

     

    Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

    What do you think of Port Vila?

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    The loophole is you buy your duty free cigs and open every packet and smoke some of them. When returning you may have one in your pocket, one in your carry on several in you luggage and your travelling companions can have the same As well as the two unopened packets per person. My brother has done this several times and even when asked has been allowed through.:D

     

    I am so glad I came back here and found you actually answered....... we leave tomorrow!

     

    Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

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