New Zealand on Majestic Princess November 24, 2018

[sdonlon13]

9 hours ago, PurpleTraveller said:

 

Thank you! There were 1 Australian, 2 US and 2 European outlets in our Deluxe Balcony cabin. I can't remember exactly what was in the bathroom but I think it was a low voltage US outlet. 

 

 

 

Congratulations on getting married and I hope you have a wonderful cruise and honeymoon! I will keep my fingers crossed that you have smooth seas, sunny skies and that you get into Milford Sound! 😊

 

This is beyond in credibly helpful thank you! and Thanks for the well wishes, fingers crossed the weather holds 🙂

[Credit 00]

On 7/31/2019 at 3:44 PM, PurpleTraveller said:

 

I'm pleased that you had a great cruise and I had wondered how different Majestic was before she was changed for the Australian market. I really liked Majestic especially the Hollywood Conservatory. Captain Dino Sagani is lovely and I loved listening to his midday and departure reports! There was no filming on our cruise (at least that I saw) so they must have been finished. I'd very happily sail on Majestic again. 

 

 

Before it was westernized? Let's just say very relaxed 🙂  Not enough seats and not enough bars. Empty services like the tea bar and the juice bar. Basically we stood waiting while the staff where relaxing and chatting, Our waiter was the most relaxed person I've ever met on princess, we names his sidekick "Relaxo" as everything was too tough for her. Until, after a few days it was like a regular princess ship. I'm not complaining, I loved it.

[DevonianCruiser]

Just reading this again, what a great review. We going on the 14th November so this is very helpful.

 

csm you tell me is the currency onboard in Australian Dollars? I’m thinking more the casino really. Also is there much of a casino at all as you mentioned they took some of it away? Thank you.

 

We might try and do the hobbit tour you did. Our daughter is 3, would it be suitable for her?

Edited September 29, 2019 by DevonianCruiser

[PurpleTraveller]

3 hours ago, DevonianCruiser said:

Just reading this again, what a great review. We going on the 14th November so this is very helpful.

 

csm you tell me is the currency onboard in Australian Dollars? I’m thinking more the casino really. Also is there much of a casino at all as you mentioned they took some of it away? Thank you.

 

We might try and do the hobbit tour you did. Our daughter is 3, would it be suitable for her?

 

Thank you! I'm really pleased the review has been of some help for you. 

 

The currency on board is Australian dollars. I assume it is the same in the casino but I do not know for certain as I didn't use the casino during our cruise. The casino is the same size as the casinos on Royal and Regal as the High Stakes room for the non Australian cruise season is where Club 6 is on those ships. When Majestic was sailing in Australia they changed the High Stakes room to the Crooners Bar but the casino stayed the same size. 

 

The Hobbiton tour was great and we had an 8 year old and a 21 month old on the tour. In regards to your daughter it depends on whether she is okay to sit on the mini bus for an hour and a quarter on the way to Hobbiton and for up to an hour on the way to the falls on the way back. Also take into consideration that the actual tour at Hobbiton was an hour and a half of walking on dirt paths. I think pushing a stroller on the dirt paths could be a bit of an effort but maybe she could walk and then get carried if she gets tired. The walk to the falls was on a fairly flat path and was only about ten minutes each way.

 

I hope you have a great cruise with calm seas and good weather!

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by PurpleTraveller

[DevonianCruiser]

2 minutes ago, PurpleTraveller said:

 

Thank you! I'm really pleased the review has been of some help for you. 

 

The currency on board is Australian dollars. I assume it is the same in the casino but I do not know for certain as I didn't use the casino during our cruise. The casino is the same size as the casinos on Royal and Regal as the high rollers room for the non Australian cruise season is where Club 6 is on those ships. When Majestic was sailing in Australia they changed the high rollers room to the Crooners Bar but the casino stayed the same size. 

 

The Hobbiton tour was great and we had an 8 year old and 21 month old on the tour. In regards to your daughter it depends on whether she is okay to sit on the mini bus for an hour and a quarter on the way to Hobbiton and for up to an hour on the way to the falls on the way back. Also take into consideration that the actual tour at Hobbiton was an hour and a half of walking on dirt paths. I think pushing a stroller on the dirt paths could be a bit of an effort but maybe she could walk and then get carried if she gets tired. The walk to the falls was on a fairly flat path.

 

I hope you have a great cruise with calm seas and good weather!

Thanks for your reply, most helpful.

 

ive just booked the tour as it’s what my wife has wanted to do for years and our daughter is very easy going so should be fine. Looking at the Princess tour it’s looks like it’s roughly half price so thanks for the heads up.

 

another question if I may, which ports of call would be okay for us to just walk around, as opposed to booking tours? We have tickets for the the skyscraper building in Auckland as part of our cruise booking so we’ll do that, but there’s a hop on, hop off bus there (we normally do that in cities - recently done Barcelona, Bordeaux and Naples and they were great), is that any good do you know? Thanks again. Stephen 

[PurpleTraveller]

3 minutes ago, DevonianCruiser said:

Thanks for your reply, most helpful.

 

ive just booked the tour as it’s what my wife has wanted to do for years and our daughter is very easy going so should be fine. Looking at the Princess tour it’s looks like it’s roughly half price so thanks for the heads up.

 

another question if I may, which ports of call would be okay for us to just walk around, as opposed to booking tours? We have tickets for the the skyscraper building in Auckland as part of our cruise booking so we’ll do that, but there’s a hop on, hop off bus there (we normally do that in cities - recently done Barcelona, Bordeaux and Naples and they were great), is that any good do you know? Thanks again. Stephen 

 

You're very welcome! I hope you have a great time on the tour. Not only is it cheaper than the Princess tour you will see more and be in a minibus with a lot less people! 

 

I haven't used hop on hop off buses in New Zealand so don't know how good or bad they are. Auckland is easy to walk around by yourself but bear in mind that it is hilly as you move away from the harbour. Not so great on the way up but great on the way down! The Skytower is an easy walk from the dock and close to the dock is the viaduct with lots of restaurants and a marina. If you have time you could also get the ferry across the harbour to Devonport which is a lovely harbourside suburb with shops, cafes and a great view of the city. 

 

Wellington is easy to walk around as the shuttle drops you in the city centre. The cable car is great to do and your daughter would probably love it. The view is great and you can either walk back down through the Botanical Gardens (all down hill) or get the cable car back down again. It is also very pleasant to walk along the water front or you could visit the Te Papa Museum. 

 

If you go into Christchurch you can walk around by yourself but you need to get there by bus. We used French Connection/Cityline (tickets purchased at the iSite booth at the dock or you can book on line) at half the price of the Princess "Christchurch On Your Own" tour. If you don't want to go into Christchurch you can stay in Akaroa which is a really pretty town with shops, cafes, parks, a lighthouse and a lovely view of the bay. 

 

You will need to get the shuttle into Dunedin if you want to go there. The beautiful train station was walking distance from the shuttle stop. There is also a cathedral near the town centre but I am not sure what else there is to see in town as we went on a tour. Port Chalmers is lovely but there is not a huge amount to do there. 

 

Hope this is of some help. 

 

[DevonianCruiser]

1 hour ago, PurpleTraveller said:

 

You're very welcome! I hope you have a great time on the tour. Not only is it cheaper than the Princess tour you will see more and be in a minibus with a lot less people! 

 

I haven't used hop on hop off buses in New Zealand so don't know how good or bad they are. Auckland is easy to walk around by yourself but bear in mind that it is hilly as you move away from the harbour. Not so great on the way up but great on the way down! The Skytower is an easy walk from the dock and close to the dock is the viaduct with lots of restaurants and a marina. If you have time you could also get the ferry across the harbour to Devonport which is a lovely harbourside suburb with shops, cafes and a great view of the city. 

 

Wellington is easy to walk around as the shuttle drops you in the city centre. The cable car is great to do and your daughter would probably love it. The view is great and you can either walk back down through the Botanical Gardens (all down hill) or get the cable car back down again. It is also very pleasant to walk along the water front or you could visit the Te Papa Museum. 

 

If you go into Christchurch you can walk around by yourself but you need to get there by bus. We used French Connection/Cityline (tickets purchased at the iSite booth at the dock or you can book on line) at half the price of the Princess "Christchurch On Your Own" tour. If you don't want to go into Christchurch you can stay in Akaroa which is a really pretty town with shops, cafes, parks, a lighthouse and a lovely view of the bay. 

 

You will need to get the shuttle into Dunedin if you want to go there. The beautiful train station was walking distance from the shuttle stop. There is also a cathedral near the town centre but I am not sure what else there is to see in town as we went on a tour. Port Chalmers is lovely but there is not a huge amount to do there. 

 

Hope this is of some help. 

 

 

That is more than helpful, really informative and useful so thank you. Makes our decisions on what to do a lot easier. Great to know we can walk around and see some of the places quite easily.

 

Right off to look into your suggestions so once again many thanks 🙂

[PurpleTraveller]

8 hours ago, DevonianCruiser said:

 

That is more than helpful, really informative and useful so thank you. Makes our decisions on what to do a lot easier. Great to know we can walk around and see some of the places quite easily.

 

Right off to look into your suggestions so once again many thanks 🙂

 

I forgot to say that in Wellington if you walk down from the cable car through the Botanical Gardens you end up near the Parliament buildings near shuttle stop one (provided they haven't changed the shuttle stops since last year), not at the start of the cable car. There are also some stairs to walk down after the Botanical Gardens next to the Lady Norwood Rose Garden. After the gardens you walk through some streets to the Parliament buildings. 

 

Good luck with your planning and I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by PurpleTraveller