Excursions out for Arcadia World 2011

[harber78]

Just thought I would give the heads up that the excursions are available to book for the Arcadia World Cruise leaving Jan 2011.

 

Decisions, decisions, now the additional planning begins.

[Merlin7]

How exciting, and yes, many decisions.

 

Having done a worldie, do ask about any ports of call that you want advice on.

[bazzaw]

Booked 6 tours yesterday - not as many as we have booked for our cruise over to the UK on Oriana. I didn't think that they were as interesting (at least for us -on the first half of the WC) as the Oriana tours - I guess it just all depends on what is available at the different ports. But still looking forward to them anyway. A lot of the Arcadia ports in the first half of the cruise have an easily accessible town associated with them - so we have planned on taking short bus-ride type tours in the morning for these, so that we can then have a look at the town on foot in the afternoon.

 

Barry

[harber78]

I agree Barry, some of them were not interesting at all. Disapointed that only gave one choice of Great Barrier Reef at Whitsunday only. I would have preferred to do Great Barrier Reef from Cairns instead and visit the famous beach and islands at Whitsunday instead.

 

Have booked Great Barrier Reef, Hawaii, and Hong Kong only so far and will do Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney ourselves. Might book a Cairns trip with P&O but dont know which yet. We are only doing San Francisco to Hong Kong segment so that should be OK for us.

 

Merlin 7 - did you visit American Samoa and Fiji as at the moment it does not look very promising for trips. Found a tour of Fiji islands on web that looks interesting but other than than may stay on board which is a shame.

 

Your advice and tips on any of ports would be appreciated.

[bazzaw]

We have booked one of the Pago Pago (American Samoa) shore tours. It is only about 3 hours long in the morning - but at least it gets us off the ship, into the mountains area and we see a little of village culture and it is not too expensive. Otherwise, I understand that the town at Pago Pago itself offers little of interest. The town has been famous for it's "smelly" tuna factories - but I have discovered that this year they have all closed down. Do-gooders in the US have insisted that the people of American Samoa must be paid the same as US workers - with the result that the companies have closed down. I am still hoping to have lunch of fresh tuna there somewhere. (Sadie Thompsonn Inn??)

 

Barry

[bazzaw]

Harber78

 

I am assuming that your tours for the Arcadia WC for the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns (Yorkeys Knob) are the same as ours on the Oriana WC. We are going over to UK from Brisbane on Oriana and coming home on Arcadia (with you :p)

 

Living in Qld, I have done the Outer Reef tour on the fast catamaran out of Airlie Beach (Whitsundays) and have also been to the famous Whitehaven Beach (sailed a private yacht there )

 

I have mixed feelings about the tour to the Barrier Reef. Why? I enjoyed our tour there - BUT - I fell that unless you either dive or at the minimum snorkel onto the reef , it is a little pointless going there. Sure you can go down in the mini-sub - but I believe the Reef should either be seen from underwater or form a helicopter above water. The Reef is MASSIVE - and they only take you out to one small spot on it (it stretches for 1000 klms) . There is also the danger in that area (Whitsundays) of strong south easterly trade winds - which can make the trip out to the outer reef (about 50klms ) rather rough in a catamaran and spoil snorkelling upon arrival. It happens!

 

I can understand your desire to see the Reef - but we would also like to see the Egyptian pyramids but has instead opted for the Suez Transit - so you can only do so much.

 

I also have done the tours in Cairns.

 

I believe that of all the tours that they have on the cruise personaliser, I think I would recommend the tour to Whitehaven Beach for the Whitsundays port and the " Jungle Train, Army Duck and Wildlife" tour in Cairns.

 

 

Barry

[Rum Rat]

Don't forget, you get the Portunus discount on an excursion equal to what you are at the time of booking.

 

i.e. we booked excursions before we ever sailed with P&O on a Worldie or anything. we were a 'no rated, non Portunus member'. By the time we reached Mumbia were were Shaphire, but had no discount on the excursion :(

 

Unless your excursion is a 'MUST DO', cancel and book later when you are at least a 'Ruby'.

 

If an excursion is very popular, they will put more coaches on :)

 

Mike

[harber78]

Rum Rat I dont fully understand what you are saying. Are you saying that tier points are added during the world cruise per sector or are you refering this comment to Barry who is doing half world on Orianna and then other half world on Arcadia.

 

Barry thanks for your comments and advice, I really appreciate it with your first hand knowledge of the areas. I think we are going to have no choice but to do the Great Barrier Reef trip with P & O as this will be our only chance of seeing it even if it is not the best way to see it. Time will be so limited that I dare not use anyone else but P & O. Will have to hope that the weather is kind to us that day.

[Rum Rat]

Rum Rat I dont fully understand what you are saying. Are you saying that tier points are added during the world cruise per sector or are you refering this comment to Barry who is doing half world on Orianna and then other half world on Arcadia.

 

 

We booked a World Cruise without ever having sailed with P&O. We booked lots of excursions. We joined the cruise at the beginning, in Southampton as 'newbies to P&O' with lots of excursions booked. The tickets were in the cabin when we got there. When we got to San Francisco, the end of the first leg/segment, we were made Ruby members of the Portunus Club. We were then enabled to have the 5% discount applied to anything we bought/booked after that. Our excursions we had booked beforehand, were NOT. Drinks etc and any further excursions had the 5% applied. When we got to Mumbai, we were made Shaphire and thereby had 7.5% discount applied to purchases such as drinks, books etc and any excursion booked AFTER that.

 

After that, no more increase in Portunus Rate, AND, even though Saphire, the excursions in Greece which we had booked BEFORE we sailed, failed to attract ANY discount.

 

Can I clarify that you join a cruise, or segment of a Worldie and LEAVE at the same rate. We joined the first segment as a nothing, got to San Fransisco as 'nothings', but were promoted to Ruby. We started the second segment as Ruby and got the discounts on anything bought thereafter.

 

Your 'promotion' to a higher tier, only kicks in on your NEXT cruise or NEXT segment. Therefore, if you go Saphire or Gold DURING a cruise or segment, whilst you may get your gift, the extra discount will have to wait until you next cruise or segment.

 

We went Gold on our last cruise, but only had the benefits of speedy check in, Gold buffet etc etc on the cruise we came off yesterday. Aurora R010 to the States and Canada

 

I hope that helps :)

 

Mike

[janey01]

My husband and i are also doing the world cruise on Arcadia 2011. We have booked The Great Barrier Reef and Day Cream Island direct with Cruisewhitsunday.com

Exactly the same cruise that P & O are offering only alot cheaper! try them out.

Jane

[bazzaw]

Please refer to my earlier posting about Barrier Reef tours form the Whitsundays anchorage. . The ships tour on Oriana six weeks ago was a DISASTER!! due to prevailing weather conditions in that area (which are common and which I "predicted" in this thread.)

 

BTW - the ship berthed at Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays - and I am not convinced that this is a good place to organise replacement private tours. I would recommend strongly against that!!

 

Barry