Pacific Eden overnight stay at White Bay

[NSWP]

Goodness,

And P&O are getting another 2nd hand broken down ship from Carnival now instead of the new build that was promised.:(

Another? Which one Mic?

[The_Big_M]

IMO, Ovation of the Seas is an ugly looking ship on the exterior, block of flats at sea. Looks nice inside but.

 

Actually feels like a block of flats inside, with so many rooms in the corridors.

 

Nicely finished, but when you've got rooms and rooms off a corridor without end...

[MicCanberra]

Oh sorry Mic, I did not wish to offend you or influence your impression. I did not realise you were embarking the bemoth.

 

No worries, I am not easily influenced. :cool:

[MicCanberra]

Another? Which one Mic?

 

The new build that P&O were getting is now going to Carnival and P&O now gets the Carnival Splendor, another hand me down for Australia.:(

[NSWP]

The new build that P&O were getting is now going to Carnival and P&O now gets the Carnival Splendor, another hand me down for Australia.:(

Cheers Mic. Plenty of ageing ships in the Carnival stable to send over here.

[Docker123]

Splendour is only about 10 years old. Almost under new boat warranty.

 

We need more of the antiques here.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I guess one thing the cruise lines have to consider is what ports the bigger ships can visit. 4000-5000 people visiting most of the NZ ports is probably OK, but places like Lifou, Isle of Pines or Mare would be swamped.

 

And since it probably isn't cost-effective to build smaller ships anymore the new builds will remain large, and go to regions that can handle their passenger load. So we'll keep on getting the older, smaller ships.

[Duck Creek]

Pacific Eden is currently off the NSW coast at Taree.

Wonder how far they will go before they turn around.

Next cruise leaves on Sunday

[MicCanberra]

I guess one thing the cruise lines have to consider is what ports the bigger ships can visit. 4000-5000 people visiting most of the NZ ports is probably OK, but places like Lifou, Isle of Pines or Mare would be swamped.

 

And since it probably isn't cost-effective to build smaller ships anymore the new builds will remain large, and go to regions that can handle their passenger load. So we'll keep on getting the older, smaller ships.

 

Good points but it is all catch 22 type talk. The cruise lines invest in the larger ships for better profits (economy of scale) and the ports need to improve to handle the larger ships or lose the cruise ships business. If the ports don't make the first move then the status quo will remain.

[Dobby_The_Ship_Elf]

Pacific Eden is currently off the NSW coast at Taree.

Wonder how far they will go before they turn around.

Next cruise leaves on Sunday

 

Mechanics taking it out for a test drive :D

[OzKiwiJJ]

Good points but it is all catch 22 type talk. The cruise lines invest in the larger ships for better profits (economy of scale) and the ports need to improve to handle the larger ships or lose the cruise ships business. If the ports don't make the first move then the status quo will remain.

 

Except places like Lifou, Mare and Isle of Pines really can't handle that many people. It just swamps the place with tourists and you lose the magic of being on a quiet Pacific island. We were at the Isle of Pines recently on Carnival Legend - so roughly 2100 passengers which was OK to start with, until a very large catamaran arrived, presumably from Noumea. I'm not sure how many people were on that, a few hundred I suspect. By lunch time the beach had become so crowded it was actually unpleasant. We packed up and went back onboard the ship.

 

Yes, in many ways it is catch 22. What needs to happen is for cruise lines to build ships to suit the various markets but that will never happen. To be honest, I'd rather have an older smaller ship, under 3000 passenegers, than a new behemoth.

Edited December 16, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[The_Big_M]

Except places like Lifou, Mare and Isle of Pines really can't handle that many people. It just swamps the place with tourists and you lose the magic of being on a quiet Pacific island. We were at the Isle of Pines recently on Carnival Legend - so roughly 2100 passengers which was OK to start with, until a very large catamaran arrived, presumably from Noumea. I'm not sure how many people were on that, a few hundred I suspect. By lunch time the beach had become so crowded it was actually unpleasant. We packed up and went back onboard the ship.

 

Yes, in many ways it is catch 22. What needs to happen is for cruise lines to build ships to suit the various markets but that will never happen. To be honest, I'd rather have an older smaller ship, under 3000 passenegers, than a new behemoth.

 

Yes, that's definitely an issue.

 

On my Explorer cruise with over 3000 passengers we absolutely swamped Mystery Island. The queue to get back on was an unpleasant hour long, and actually extended from one end of the island to the other - and looped back.

 

Only some of the islands have capacity for the larger ships, which is an inconvenient reality for some - who bemoan the lack of large ships, then complain about the limited range or choice of itineraries.

[Aus Traveller]

Only some of the islands have capacity for the larger ships, which is an inconvenient reality for some - who bemoan the lack of large ships, then complain about the limited range or choice of itineraries.

Absolutely right. :)

[MicCanberra]

Absolutely right. :)

 

Australian ports are not much better for the larger ships, so many are tender ports to anything larger than 2000 pax.

[OzKiwiJJ]

A lot depends on whether the port offers lots of excursions or whether it has limitations on what you can do there.

 

We've been going to Port Douglas for many years for holidays so we know what it's like during the day when a cruise ship isn't in port. We stopped there last year on the Top End cruise we did on Dawn Princess and, apart from more people moving through the marina, you'd hardly know there was a ship in port. Presumably most people were doing excursions to the reef or the Daintree or the Kuranda Skyrail, so weren't crowding the town.

 

In places like Lifou, Mare, Isle of Pines and Mystery Island there aren't many other places to go except the local beaches so you really notice the hordes of people.

 

I haven't cruised the Caribbean yet but I wonder how those ports have changed as ships got larger and more ships now visit each port.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Just checked AIS...they went up North as far as Grafton and then turned back. Currently off Coffs Harbour and head' n home..

[OzKiwiJJ]

Hopefully today will be a nice day at sea for them. The weather has finally improved in Sydney after two cool and very wet days.

[MicCanberra]

Just checked AIS...they went up North as far as Grafton and then turned back. Currently off Coffs Harbour and head' n home..

 

At least it is cruising.:rolleyes:

[SinbadThePorter]

At least it is cruising.:rolleyes:

 

I would have asked the Captain for a lap around Lord Howe Island and back.

 

At least then you would have the feeling of having been somewhere.:cool:

[cruisine21]

On our cruise on the Yoyager when we went to dinner the moon was on the port side of the ship when we came back from dinner it was on the starboard side. The ship was going round in circles.

[MicCanberra]

I would have asked the Captain for a lap around Lord Howe Island and back.

 

At least then you would have the feeling of having been somewhere.:cool:

 

Chances are they were just chasing the sun and keeping close enough to the coast in case of breakdown but far enough out to operate the casino.;)

[The_Big_M]

I haven't cruised the Caribbean yet but I wonder how those ports have changed as ships got larger and more ships now visit each port.

 

Way more developed.

 

Lots of facilities, even private beaches. They often handle multiple ships, and the larger ones too, so it's like chalk and cheese.

 

Ours already feel the strain with environmental damage, they'd just become like the gold coast or similar to handle more people.

[UPNYGuy]

I haven't cruised the Caribbean yet but I wonder how those ports have changed as ships got larger and more ships now visit each port.

 

 

Many of the larger ports (Nassau and Cozumel) are nothing but strip malls in the sun. They are fun to walk around (well, Cozumel but not Nassau IMHO), but very touristy. Think of touristy type restaurants (Margartiaville and Hard Rock Cafe), lots of shops like that (Del Sol, Cariloha, Diamonds International).

 

 

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[Russell21]

Many of the larger ports (Nassau and Cozumel) are nothing but strip malls in the sun. They are fun to walk around (well, Cozumel but not Nassau IMHO), but very touristy. Think of touristy type restaurants (Margartiaville and Hard Rock Cafe), lots of shops like that (Del Sol, Cariloha, Diamonds International).

 

 

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In other words high priced versions of the canvas shanty's we see on Mare, Lifou, Port Vila, etc.

[UPNYGuy]

In other words high priced versions of the canvas shanty's we see on Mare, Lifou, Port Vila, etc.

 

 

Basically, yes.

 

DW and I do enjoy the Caribbean cruises as a cold weather getaway, but we prefer cruising to locations that don't make you feel like the tourists are ATMs for the locals. Bermuda, Alaska, and the Canada /New England cruises are our favorites. The locals are not as obviously dependent on the tourist dollar. They are not in your face, and make you feel welcome.

 

 

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