Ordered Ashore From Golden Princess

[Esilef]

With collection from station pier. Do you have a disability pass? Could you get a letter from the doctor? That way the guys looking after the gate will have a harder Tim refusing you entry to collect your loved ones.

[VK3DQ]

Oh Joy!!

 

We found two small bottles of beer in the fridge .. lucky budda brand :p

 

Its going to be 40oC in Melbourne tomorrow so the aircon will not be turned off tonight

 

 

The babysitter claimed one of the beers ...

 

 

We have made fair inroads to the soft drinks stock also

 

 

I'm feeding him cocktail frankfurters tomorrow .....

 

and Mrs Babysitter is after his blood because he has been sleeping and not done as he was instructed

 

I hope this thread does not develop into a "domestic" :rolleyes:

 

Regards

John

[VK3DQ]

Hello Folks

 

I have tracked down some pictures of "The Bus"

 

It looks a heap better than it was :-)

 

http://www.ritchies.co.nz/charters/double-deckers/

 

 

More to come

 

Regards

 

John

[windsor26]

Hi Folks

 

 

 

Various e-mails and telephone calls from Princess Cruises today but nothing that I could call good news

 

My March cruise is canceled as there is no way in the world I think I will be well enough to travel by then the cancellation was subject to a 25% fee which with luck and in the fullness to time I might get back from the insurance

 

Speaking of the insurance I have started to fill the forms in but will have to make two claims .. I will have to speak with them as I still have no firm diagnoses of the problems ... each of three doctors say something different one going for renal colic / kidney stones and the two others for a spine and back related issue

 

 

The various e-mails sent to the ship and to the office of Jan Swartz ALL remain unanswered .. even when they quoted by Julie (care team Australia)

I think its the hight of bad manners and rude and callous for management not to send a "Message Received" e-mail to me

 

 

Best Regards

John

 

 

I found in the past that when e-mails were just acknowledged and then not replied to I used the Princess facebook page to make a message in public and also a private one and this got their attention quite quickly.

There is also a t=blog by Jan of 50 things you should do (google it) and there are spaces there for comment and complaints and this also gets action Good luck

[clairebearinaus]

No coffee pods?! That's dire!

 

From one caffeine addict to another, if you're on the correct (port) side of the Westgate I'm happy to bring you some pods tomorrow.

[VK3DQ]

No coffee pods?! That's dire!

 

From one caffeine addict to another, if you're on the correct (port) side of the Westgate I'm happy to bring you some pods tomorrow.

 

Hi

 

Well thats a kind thought ... but the "BabySitter" has been tasked by Mrs Babysitter and I would not think that he dare not act in the morning

 

 

We are in "Sunny" Wantirna South rather a long way from the Westgate , but with many locations where "The German Supermarket" has branches and thus relief of the drought :p

 

 

The Body clock is still firmly in New Zealand time ... so wide awake again at 3am

 

 

Regards

John

[VK3DQ]

I found in the past that when e-mails were just acknowledged and then not replied to I used the Princess facebook page to make a message in public and also a private one and this got their attention quite quickly.

There is also a t=blog by Jan of 50 things you should do (google it) and there are spaces there for comment and complaints and this also gets action Good luck

 

Hi

 

Thanks for that all my e-mails are just being totally ignored , looks like I might just telephone the ladies offices

 

regards

John

[VK3DQ]

Hello

 

 

Dear Jan Swartz

 

Its a well known saying in Australia

 

 

"NOT HAPPY JAN"

 

 

This is an open letter via this forum inviting you to contact me ?

 

I have e-mailed and Telephoned and made requests via your Australian office that someone from your office please contact me

 

Are you ignoring me Jan ?? Thats not the action of a "Consummate Host"

 

 

Regards

John

Edited December 30, 2015 by VK3DQ

[VK3DQ]

Good Morning

 

I have the webcam on Golden Princess open its looking good for her transit of the sounds this morning

 

Mrs VK3VIP ... thats the better half of of VK3DQ should be awake ,, I hope she is enjoying the deluxe balcony breakfast (Valued $49.95) that I was supposed to have for my birthday treat ..Included 1/2 a bottle of fizzy plonk

 

 

Oh dear life is so cruel I have the very last coffee and the Babysitter has gone back to sleep

 

 

Regards

John

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Good Morning

I have the webcam on Golden Princess open its looking good for her transit of the sounds this morning

Mrs VK3VIP ... thats the better half of of VK3DQ should be awake ,, I hope she is enjoying the deluxe balcony breakfast (Valued $49.95) that I was supposed to have for my birthday treat ..Included 1/2 a bottle of fizzy plonk

Oh dear life is so cruel I have the very last coffee and the Babysitter has gone back to sleepRegardsJohn

 

Looks like they have scored a perfect day...:):)

 

[jannandjohn]

this brekky is better for you...

FROM jannandjohn in Sunshine Coast, OZ....

hope it brightens your day. xx

Edited December 30, 2015 by jannandjohn

[VK3DQ]

this brekky is better for you...

FROM jannandjohn in Sunshine Coast, OZ....

hope it brightens your day. xx

 

Thanks!!!

 

 

 

Actually my Birthday was on the 19th Of December , but unknown to me Mrs VIP as she is known had arranged the onboard treat for me ... I hope she eat well .... :D

 

 

Regards

John

 

Ps The Babysitter is asleep again .. God that boy can sleep !:p

[VK3DQ]

Hi Folks

 

 

Now about the bus

 

What day was it .. Boxing day I was put off the ship and after a spell in the hospital was to to go forth..

 

With the help of a charming Lady "Judy Smallbone" who was some type of volunteer at the hospital I stagged across the road to a motel , she was a sweetie and carried my bag for me ... That motel was full but the manager took pity of me and drove me to the Academy Motel where the kindly people took me in.

 

 

So here I am half wacko with woppie pills I try to call for help my mobile will not work and I cannot make international calls from the motel

 

So the Kind Lady lends me her mobile and I ring insure and go in Sydney... "Please fill in the form and send it to us" :(

 

So the kind lady lends me her laptop and after some diffuculty I manage to get a Qantas flight home the next evening at only $299 which was not bad considering

 

 

There remained the problem of getting to Auckland airport and here we find out about "The Bus"

 

Ritchies bus lines operate an Intercity service with some nice Luxury coaches .. this sounded fine .... so on the borrowed laptop again and we manage after 3 false starts to make a booking for a service leaving at 7:45am next morning

for $50 one is directed to be at the stop 15 mins prior to the time.

 

 

So I then telephone the port agent who had told me that I must see the customs agent after much humming and ahrings he teels me not to bother the customs dont want to see me

 

 

I grab a sandwich and 4 cups of tea and manage a very disturbed sleep till 6am the next morning , woke up feeling very seedy indeed

Got ready and at just before 7am I went to the Motel office just as the customs officer drove up

 

He checked my passport and then Kindly offers to drive me to the bus stop

 

so we arrive some park bench type seats outside on a fairly chilly morning people everywhere , I plonk myself down feeling very iffy and trying not to vomit

 

 

.... One hour late my Bus arrived looking nothing like the fleet of Luxury coaches that had been and gone ....

 

 

To be continued......

[clairebearinaus]

Any news on the coffee delivery? I'm getting jittery just thinking about your predicament.

[VK3DQ]

So our double decker arrives .. I had to look twice , I have not seen anything quite like this for a long time ...it was in quite poor condition with a number of rust holes in its flanks and globs of sealant over where a number of windows had been quickly replaced..... a complete contrast to all the other coaches that I had seen whilst waiting....

 

The Driver and his assistant climb out ..both very large Maori gentlemen , rough as guts but with hearts of gold, these were great fellows

 

So he asks me where I'm going , I say I have to go to Auckland and then to the airport , and he say NO you need the M&7%*0 Bus , Now I good with New Zealand accents but he totally lost me there.

 

Anyway after explaining to me (Stupid Australian) He gets into my thick head that he takes me to Manakoa or some similar name on the south side of Auckland where I change buses for the airport

 

Totally out of it by this time I slink on board a hide on a seat on the lower deck to lick my wounds and huddle in a fetal position whilst about another 40 people board the bus,,,,

 

 

To be continued

Edited December 30, 2015 by VK3DQ

[VK3DQ]

Any news on the coffee delivery? I'm getting jittery just thinking about your predicament.

 

Hello Claire

 

Bad news I am drinking the last 1/2 cold cup .. the babysitter is still asleep we will have to go out soon

 

Regards

John

[Kiwi Kruzer]

They are cruising Doubtful Sound. Doubtful is straight ahead of them. It goes a long way inland, but they will swing to the left...port?... and head back to sea and then travel up the coast to Milford Sound.

 

[VK3DQ]

Hello Folks

 

So you can see some more information about us go to

 

 

https://www.qrz.com/lookup

 

 

And enter VK3DQ in the callsign lookup box on the top of the page left hand side

 

Some Cruise pictures there also and for my wife enter VK3VIP see the Mutiny on the Solstice

 

 

Regards

John

Edited December 30, 2015 by VK3DQ

[Royalty X]

Sorry to hear about your horrible experience. This is where taking good insurance, rather than cheap insurance, is a better option. Covermore Insurance is who we use and we've never had any problems with them. If you were with them, you could have the hospital contact them, and their medical team would liaise direct with the hospital to make sure you're getting the right treatment. They would also take care of all costs directly so you don't have to pay anything up front like you've had to in this situation. If you needed to be flown back or have family flown in to be with you, they would arrange that as well.

Edited December 30, 2015 by Royalty X

[cruisine21]

Sorry to hear about your horrible experience. This is where taking good insurance, rather than cheap insurance, is a better option. Covermore Insurance is who we use and we've never had any problems with them. If you were with them, you could have the hospital contact them, and their medical team would liaise direct with the hospital to make sure you're getting the right treatment. They would also take care of all costs directly so you don't have to pay anything up front like you've had to in this situation. If you needed to be flown back or have family flown in to be with you, they would arrange that as well.

 

I've done quotes for travel insurance and the cost for Insure & Go was similar to Covermore.

[Royalty X]

I've done quotes for travel insurance and the cost for Insure & Go was similar to Covermore.

Then if price isn't the determining factor, how much research are people doing with regards to their insurance? Not all policies are created equal and sometimes people don't read the fine print. I was just making a recommendation on the excellent service I've received from my insurance company. :)

[Beanb41]

Then if price isn't the determining factor, how much research are people doing with regards to their insurance? Not all policies are created equal and sometimes people don't read the fine print. I was just making a recommendation on the excellent service I've received from my insurance company. :)

 

Royalty X has struck the nail on the head. Price should not be the determining factor when choosing an insurance company but the quality of the after hours service should be paramount. Sure one can walk into the local supermarket or hardware store and obtain cheap travel insurance on line or by filling out a form and taking it to the counter and paying the premium.

BUT and it is a big BUT will this policy meet your needs in case of an emergency. Travel insurance is there for the big issues particularly medical and missed connections. One wants the insurance company to step up to the mark when the brown stuff hits the fan and take away all the worry and stress. Stuck in a foreign country and ill are bad enough without other worries as well.

 

Most cruisers take many hours planning their cruises to ensure they meet their needs. Take a similar amount of time with your travel insurance. You never know when you will need it and when you do you want it to work

[Bodogbodog]

Then if price isn't the determining factor, how much research are people doing with regards to their insurance? Not all policies are created equal and sometimes people don't read the fine print. I was just making a recommendation on the excellent service I've received from my insurance company. :)

 

Your opening comment seemed to pass judgement on what the OP had in your view done and the extent of their cover. Which incidentally is the InsureandGo Silver Cruise Insurance which seems like quite reasonable cover for a NZ/Aust cruise (I wouldn't take it if I was going to the US - in that case I'd take the Gold package) - but maybe that's just me

 

This is where taking good insurance, rather than cheap insurance, is a better option

 

If you'd read the thread through you would be aware he paid over $1000 for cover on this and a future cruise - which doesn't seem cheap to me.

 

The question of costs for hospital services in NZ doesn't apply - Australia has a reciprocal agreement with them so he didn't incur any costs in the NZ Public hospital - his costs were on the ship, ground transport and the flight home - which he is no doubt pursuing now with his insurer

 

Having said that who knows what, if any, pre-existing conditions he has declared and the insurer has agreed to cover - that definitely impacts the cost of cover.

 

No one can really compare premiums and pass judgement on them without knowing all the background and relevant information of the cover and the insured

[NSWP]

this brekky is better for you...

FROM jannandjohn in Sunshine Coast, OZ....

hope it brightens your day. xx

Looks nice and healthy for our John, but I am sure he would prefer the Full English. I mean to say where art ye olde black pudding, baked beans and fried bread? Not to mention the snags, bacon, mushies hash browns and tomatoes?

Edited December 31, 2015 by NSWP

[VK3DQ]

Looks nice and healthy for our John, but I am sure he would prefer the Full English. I mean to say where art ye olde black pudding, baked beans and fried bread? Not to mention the snags, bacon, mushies hash browns and tomatoes?

 

Oh dear .. how can you mention a full english

 

Hmm Kippers ....and Deviled Kidneys

 

 

:mad::eek::o

 

 

regards

John

 

BTW We now have COFFEE!!!!!!