Deployment 2018-19 booking season begins

[CRUISEBOY305]

We just booked Ovation New Zealand. We were originally booked on the Majestic Princess, but seeing how we love the Quantum class ships and we're chipping away at getting to Pinnacle, we decided to go with Ovation. :cool: The price is MUCH better on Ovation, too, more than $1000 less for a balcony cabin with virtually the same itinerary (only difference is Napier instead of Akaroa).

 

 

I'm sorry, Majestic what?????

Lol

 

[emoji13][emoji13][emoji13][emoji13]

 

 

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[CRUISEBOY305]

We just booked Ovation New Zealand. We were originally booked on the Majestic Princess, but seeing how we love the Quantum class ships and we're chipping away at getting to Pinnacle, we decided to go with Ovation. :cool: The price is MUCH better on Ovation, too, more than $1000 less for a balcony cabin with virtually the same itinerary (only difference is Napier instead of Akaroa).

 

 

I'm sorry, Majestic what?????

Lol

 

[emoji13][emoji13][emoji13][emoji13]

 

 

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[LEtue]

The Hawaii wasn't available to us yday and still no listings for Sydney to Honolulu yet in UK. Surely everyone should have access to them all at the same time?

 

I agree about calling. I had to do that yesterday to get booked on the Radiance - Honolulu to Vancouver. So, even those of us in the US had issues yesterday :(

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

I rang and the 23 night on Explorer is cheaper than either the 17 or 12 nighters on Radiance.

 

I am just trying justify to myself that I can eat soup or baked beans on toast for the next 2 years to pay for it but I am telling myself that it isn't every day that I turn 21 (again!) and I'll be sailing on my birthday!!

[CRUISEBOY305]

I rang and the 23 night on Explorer is cheaper than either the 17 or 12 nighters on Radiance.

 

I am just trying justify to myself that I can eat soup or baked beans on toast for the next 2 years to pay for it but I am telling myself that it isn't every day that I turn 21 (again!) and I'll be sailing on my birthday!!

 

Yes, Explorer's TP usually runs cheaper than the Radiance sailings. but the Hawaii segment of the Explorer sailing is not very attractive IMO. Fiji would be the selling point for me on this.

[Pratique]

The Radiance Hawaii to Vancouver 12 nighter is out, and the prices are insane!

 

For the price of this cruise we have spent 12 nights on the islands, where there is more than enough to see and do. This cruise has too much time on the ship and not enough time on land. The five sea days might be relaxing but so are the beaches on Maui and warmer weather too. It seems like Hawaii makes for a better land vacation than cruise vacation at those prices.

[mommykim]

Fiji would be the selling point for me on this.

That is exactly my thought. I cannot get away for the time it would take to do the Radiance right so this is a nice cruise. Add to that all ports prior to Hawaii are new to me on this one. On the Radiance I have been to several of the ports.

[CRUISEBOY305]

That is exactly my thought. I cannot get away for the time it would take to do the Radiance right so this is a nice cruise. Add to that all ports prior to Hawaii are new to me on this one. On the Radiance I have been to several of the ports.

 

 

Same here. I can't even do the TP segment on Radiance. I'll just have to settle on Hawaii for the time being (which I have zero problems with [emoji6])

 

 

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[Biker19]

 

If I book through the US or German site, will this cause me problems later?

 

 

No, but, if the prices are close one should opt for the US booking due to the much better conditions.

 

 

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[PNW Traveler]

For the price of this cruise we have spent 12 nights on the islands, where there is more than enough to see and do. This cruise has too much time on the ship and not enough time on land. The five sea days might be relaxing but so are the beaches on Maui and warmer weather too. It seems like Hawaii makes for a better land vacation than cruise vacation at those prices.

 

Agreed. This past January we spent 2 1/2 weeks on Kauai in an upscale condo - total cost (airfare from Seattle, condo, car rental, food and touring) was less than the Radiance balcony cruise fare.

[NancyIL]

I see a number of late 2018, early 2019 NZ cruises but where are the Australia cruises, specifically top, bottom and/or around? Too early in the release process? Disappointed if none especially since because of scheduling issues I had to cancel Radiance cruises which sailed top and bottom of OZ and NZ

I was also looking for a top end or bottom end Australia cruise and saw none. However, the 10-night Auckland to Sydney cruises on Radiance in Jan. 2019 were very reasonable, so I booked one - even though I sailed a similar itinerary on Celebrity in reverse.

 

Princess does a 28-day Round Australia cruise that has interested me for a long time, so maybe some day I'll book it.

[NancyIL]

I'm sorry, Majestic what?????

Lol

 

[emoji13][emoji13][emoji13][emoji13]

 

 

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Majestic PRINCESS! Yes, there are other equally fine cruise lines out there!

[springaussie]

Could one of the TAs please share how many GAP points are on the Hawaii to Sydney Radiance of the Seas cruise September 2018?

 

 

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[lighthousemom]

I'm sorry, Majestic what?????

Lol

 

[emoji13][emoji13][emoji13][emoji13]

 

We tend to two-time on Royal.... ;p

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

The UK booking site is down....this is the message

 

Cruise booking facilities are currently unavailable -

Please be aware the ability to book online is currently unavailable owing to a technical problem

Our technical teams are working to resolve this as soon as possible

Apologies for any inconvenience

 

Hopefully this means that there will be new bookings available soon

[londongal796]

For those torn between the two Transpacific's and where cost is a factor, it is possible to take the Explorer TP and get off in Hawaii, for example. A couple we met on our last cruise did just that and we kind of wish we had too and just stayed a few more days in Hawaii!

 

We are happy with the Radiance itinerary and that's what we've booked for, but in future, if we have the opportunity to do another TP, we may consider Explorer again and just get off before the final leg (Hawaii to Seattle) as the weather gets worse and there's literally nothing to see that you haven't already :) Still ends up being cheaper and you get just as long of a cruise out of it, even departing early.

[Clarea]

For those torn between the two Transpacific's and where cost is a factor, it is possible to take the Explorer TP and get off in Hawaii, for example. A couple we met on our last cruise did just that and we kind of wish we had too and just stayed a few more days in Hawaii! ... .

If you are starting in Sydney, you can get off in Hawaii as long as you clear that ahead of time with the cruise line. If you are starting in Seattle, you cannot get off in Hawaii due to the PVSA law.

[Ocean Dancer]

Since most of you posting are familiar with this area, what will the weather be like in early to mid April? We'd like to snorkel and have a few beach days in OZ and NZ, but I checked the average day temps and it is between 60 and 70.:cool::*:loudcry::eek:

[londongal796]

If you are starting in Sydney, you can get off in Hawaii as long as you clear that ahead of time with the cruise line. If you are starting in Seattle, you cannot get off in Hawaii due to the PVSA law.

 

Yes this only makes sense for the TP from Sydney. Not sure why anyone would want to sail from Seattle to Hawaii only (like 7 days at sea and no other ports between!) for the cost of a 24-night cruise ;p

[Biker19]

. Not sure why anyone would want to sail from Seattle to Hawaii only (like 7 days at sea and no other ports between!) for the cost of a 24-night cruise ;p

 

 

RCI point whores who want to go to Hawaii.

 

 

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[springaussie]

The port booking for 19 September 2018 Darwin Australia made about 2 weeks is not on the webpage now.

The booking was made under the name Radiance of the Seas.

So it does not look like Darwin will see Voyager of the Seas now in that gap of 2 months of no cruises.

[MAS2017]

Since most of you posting are familiar with this area, what will the weather be like in early to mid April? We'd like to snorkel and have a few beach days in OZ and NZ, but I checked the average day temps and it is between 60 and 70.:cool::*:loudcry::eek:

 

 

Having done the TP a few times and the Radiance one last year, the weather here in Australia at that time of year is nice, there's not really anywhere in Sydney you'd go snorkelling (if you want to see reef or lots of fish you need Queensland), but plenty of beaches in Sydney.

 

The trip from Sydney to New Zealand gets colder, and New Zealand was bloody freezing when we got there (Picton and Wellington), cold and windy, and then the sea days out of there to head up again are cold most of the way... once you get up and closer to French Polynesia it gets hot and stays that way for the rest of the cruise. The snorkelling in French Polynesia is just amazing.

 

When I first did this TP a few years ago it didn't stop in NZ and instead went via Fiji and French Polynesia, and the next year went via Samoa and American Samoa. Which was great as from start to finish it was just hot. I've I idea why they added New Zealand as it's just cold on the way there, cold there and then cold getting out of there. It's what put me off booking it this time, want to do Bora Bora again but not NZ.

 

The Explorer TP should be hot most of the way as it head north straight away and should stay hot until it starts heading from Hawaii to Seattle and gets a big cooler.

 

Oh, for anyone booking the Explorer the price just dropped $500 on the Australian site.

 

 

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[geoff2802]

Since most of you posting are familiar with this area, what will the weather be like in early to mid April? We'd like to snorkel and have a few beach days in OZ and NZ, but I checked the average day temps and it is between 60 and 70.:cool::*:loudcry::eek:

 

 

 

In Sydney at that time of year you can expect low 70's. Here are the official averages (you'll need to convert Celsius to Farenheit):

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_066062.shtml

 

If you want beach weather in April, you might consider flying to Brisbane instead of Sydney, and staying on the Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast, where it should be around 80F:

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_040040.shtml

 

 

 

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[Ocean Dancer]

Mas2017, Thank you so much for your reply, No the TP does not go to NZ, but the Solstice does.....not happy with the price.

Oh the problems of retirement!:cool::cool:

 

Geoff2802

 

Thanks for the links.:D

[springaussie]

Any word on Independence of the Seas Trans Atlantic in April or May 2018?

Could she be going across with no passengers like Explorer did a few years ago.

 

 

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