A Question for Australian / NZ posters re: water

[Ombud]

Why can't I buy the water pkg on Australian / NZ cruises? I have the option on other cruises (FWIW: Bottled Water Package $7.08 for 12 (500ml) bottles). I asked Princess and they couldn't answer other than to assure me that the plastic IS recycled 

[sewgood]

No idea why it is not available here, but it has never been offered in my experience except for one cruise recently on the Sun where it was available to some and not others.

When mentioned on the roll call a person who didn't have it on their cruise planner phoned up to complain and I noticed it dissappeared from my beverage selection after that. Luckly I had ordered and paid for it before that happened.

Princess told them that nobody else could get it either, when there were at least wo of us on the roll call who had ordered it.

Must have been a lucky glitch in the system for me.

[Colo Cruiser]

They have not offered it on Australian cruises.

[Aus Traveller]

Just drink the tap water. It is quite OK. After all, that is what is served in the dining rooms.🙂 The other alternative is to buy single bottles as required.

[OzKiwiJJ]

If you're arriving a day or two before your cruise just head to a supermarket and buy some packs of water. Pack extra luggage labels and some clear packing tape to stick them on to the water packs. Hand them in with the rest of your luggage to be delivered to your cabin.

 

A pack of 12 x 600ml bottles of Woolworths own brand spring water is AU $4.40.

A pack of 24 x 600ml bottles of Coles own brand spring water is AU $8.40.

Edited April 26, 2019 by OzKiwiJJ

[Dobby_The_Ship_Elf]

Prolly cos we don't water in Oz..........😎

[Ombud]

I thought Woolworths went out of business decades ago but that's a great alternative.... that or any grocers (getting in 3 days early). Now to just cart that & a bottle of oz wine to the ship along with luggage

[GUT2407]

Just now, Ombud said:

I thought Woolworths went out of business decades ago but that's a great alternative.... that or any grocers (getting in 3 days early). Now to just cart that & a bottle of oz wine to the ship along with luggage

The two main grocery stores here are Woolworths and Coles, (Aldi is an up and comer and there are numerous smaller chains). You will also get a slab of water at numerous other shops, but Woolies or Coles are likely to be the best price.

[GUT2407]

2 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I thought Woolworths went out of business decades ago but that's a great alternative.... that or any grocers (getting in 3 days early). Now to just cart that & a bottle of oz wine to the ship along with luggage

You'll have no trouble picking up some wine.

[OzKiwiJJ]

23 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I thought Woolworths went out of business decades ago but that's a great alternative.... that or any grocers (getting in 3 days early). Now to just cart that & a bottle of oz wine to the ship along with luggage

Taxi or Uber from your hotel. Usually they can stop quite close to the baggage drop-off and there is often someone to help with it all (no tipping required either).

[Ombud]

I'm familiar with Coles (went there in Sydney) & love Oz wine .... I'm picky & it's good. Plan on bringing 2 bottles onboard. The corkage fee is worth it

[Reina del Mar]

I had planned to take bottled water aboard as couldn't pre purchase. Took extra labels with us.

 

At OPT Sydney, in March 2019 asked baggage handlers few days prior to embarkation, if it were possible to drop water with suitcases, as they took bags from 9 am. They asked which line...Princess for us.

 

We were told all water , soft drinks and wine needed to be carried aboard by passengers. We just carried wine in the end.

 

It wasn't what we expected or wanted to hear. I had had a CC conversation about this as I know it's possible in USA and had been told no pre orders. An American passenger had written pre cruise that he was able to pre order water, but we tried very hard, contacting both travel agent and Princess who were actually prepared to talk to us (2nd time) 

 

Suppose you hear / read what you want to happen, but that was our experience.

[Reina del Mar]

3 hours ago, Ombud said:

I'm familiar with Coles (went there in Sydney) & love Oz wine .... I'm picky & it's good. Plan on bringing 2 bottles onboard. The corkage fee is worth it

 

No corkage on first two bottles if opened in cabin.

[SinbadThePorter]

4 hours ago, Dobby_The_Ship_Elf said:

Prolly cos we don't water in Oz..........😎

 

Water? Is that like beer but without the flavour?

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Reina del Mar said:

At OPT Sydney, in March 2019 asked baggage handlers few days prior to embarkation, if it were possible to drop water with suitcases, as they took bags from 9 am. They asked which line...Princess for us.

 

We were told all water , soft drinks and wine needed to be carried aboard by passengers. We just carried wine in the end.

 

If so, that is something new. Was there a Princess ship at the OPT on the day you asked about the water? There are two different companies that handle the dockside embarkation things. If the person you asked wasn't from the Princess operators they may not be fully aware of what Princess allows

 

We had no problems handing our water packs in with our luggage March last year and I'm expecting the same rules to apply in August when we board our next Princess cruise.

[Reina del Mar]

3 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

If so, that is something new. Was there a Princess ship at the OPT on the day you asked about the water? There are two different companies that handle the dockside embarkation things. If the person you asked wasn't from the Princess operators they may not be fully aware of what Princess allows

 

We had no problems handing our water packs in with our luggage March last year and I'm expecting the same rules to apply in August when we board our next Princess cruise.

We stayed in Rocks area for a few days pre cruise. There was a different ship in port every day. Ours was the only Princess sailing, we asked when another line was docked, to see if it was worth lugging the water. They asked us which line and we said Princess..they replied..has to be carried on. So we didn't bother.

 

Would have been easier for us than filling glasses to re fill bottles.

 

Hope you can do this for your next cruise, but we can only write of our experience, which was NO .

[OzKiwiJJ]

15 hours ago, Reina del Mar said:

We stayed in Rocks area for a few days pre cruise. There was a different ship in port every day. Ours was the only Princess sailing, we asked when another line was docked, to see if it was worth lugging the water. They asked us which line and we said Princess..they replied..has to be carried on. So we didn't bother.

 

Would have been easier for us than filling glasses to re fill bottles.

 

Hope you can do this for your next cruise, but we can only write of our experience, which was NO .

I suspect the person you talked to didn't know that Princess does allow sealed packs of water to be handed in with luggage. Each cruise line has different rules regarding bring your own drinks. Certainly you have to take wine as a carry-on with Princess but I've never heard of them insisting that water or soft drinks be carried on, especially when they are sealed in the original packaging.

[Reina del Mar]

 

I know you can slap a luggage tag on in USA but I had asked on these boards prior to our cruise and was told you had to carry water/ soft drinks on, which is why we asked the baggage handlers before buying a crate.

 

If you have done this previously, you'll probably be able to do it again, and the handlers we spoke to were dealing with different cruiseline, although they did ask us which line we were using.

 

Good luck and Bon Voyage !

 

 

 

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Reina del Mar said:

 

I know you can slap a luggage tag on in USA but I had asked on these boards prior to our cruise and was told you had to carry water/ soft drinks on, which is why we asked the baggage handlers before buying a crate.

 

If you have done this previously, you'll probably be able to do it again, and the handlers we spoke to were dealing with different cruiseline, although they did ask us which line we were using.

 

Good luck and Bon Voyage !

 

 

 

 

My next cruise isn't until the end of August but I've made a note to let you know what happens. 

[Ombud]

Initially my question was why did I have to buy individual bottles to take ashore down under instead of the water pkg. Does NZ not permit single use water bottles bc of recycling issues? If I elect to just buy bottles onboard are they available?

 

Now it's the best way to get everything (water, 2 bottles wine - pay corkage for 1, suitcase) onboard as I don't utilize porters. Yes, 1st world problem 

 

Solo traveler

Edited April 27, 2019 by Ombud

[Aus Traveller]

Bottles of water are available on board. It would be Princess' decision not to sell the water package. I don't know why.

[Ombud]

On 4/27/2019 at 3:42 AM, Ombud said:

Yes, 1st world problem 

Saw a special on recycling and will buy a reusable water bottle instead ..... still souvenir shopping for 3 bottles of Oz wine. My favorite is a Tawny Port from down under. Do I have to declare the type of wine when I pay corkage for 1? 1 white / 1 red / 1 port should last most of 9 days

Edited April 29, 2019 by Ombud

[Thrak]

Some have reported that Port wasn't allowed due to the high alcohol content. It would be a bummer to have your Port confiscated.

[GUT2407]

19 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Some have reported that Port wasn't allowed due to the high alcohol content. It would be a bummer to have your Port confiscated.

Seems to be inconsistently enforced, but I’ve heard reports of it getting on and not.