22nd August Coral Princess Conflict Islands Cancelled

[Auscruisefam]

This morning I received an email informing us that our 22nd August on Coral out of Sydney has been cancelled. Instead there will be 3 seperate cruises a 3 day, 4 day and 5 day. My question is if we decided to take these smaller cruises do we need to get of the ship and check in 3 times. Can we just stay on the ship every time it returns to Sydney? Thanks for the help I’m new here so a little confused. 🙂

[nz1]

Just now, Auscruisefam said:

This morning I received an email informing us that our 22nd August on Coral out of Sydney has been cancelled. Instead there will be 3 seperate cruises a 3 day, 4 day and 5 day. My question is if we decided to take these smaller cruises do we need to get of the ship and check in 3 times. Can we just stay on the ship every time it returns to Sydney? Thanks for the help I’m new here so a little confused. 🙂

 

I'm booked on the same cruise (now cruises!). I think it'll be treated as a B2B2B so we should be able to stay on board on turnaround days. 🙂

[Cbtours]

3 minutes ago, Auscruisefam said:

This morning I received an email informing us that our 22nd August on Coral out of Sydney has been cancelled. Instead there will be 3 seperate cruises a 3 day, 4 day and 5 day. My question is if we decided to take these smaller cruises do we need to get of the ship and check in 3 times. Can we just stay on the ship every time it returns to Sydney? Thanks for the help I’m new here so a little confused. 🙂

We’re currently on four B2B and just completed two. No need to get off ship it’s all very smooth. If you have to change cabins it’s only the loose stuff to throw in case. They move cases and all hanging items too new wardrobe 

[OzKiwiJJ]

I'm seriously annoyed. I booked a 12 night cruise to the tropics and are going to end up with a B2B2B cruise mostly around the NSW coast. Plus three separate cruise will mean the same three MDR menus on each cruise, another one that will be the same on two of the cruises, and one that will be unique, instead of 12 different menus. Same shows as well, I suspect.

 

If we stay on the cruises we get a piddly $50pp OBC. 

 

Unfortunately the cabin type we have booked is not available on any of the other QLD cruises that would interest us.

 

So do we stay on the boring cruises or do we bail out?

[SinbadThePorter]

5 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

So do we stay on the boring cruises or do we bail out?

 

We are on the Sept 26th version of this cruise, which I assume will go the same way.

 

I would prefer the 12 day Qld cruise with Conflict Islands replaced by Townsville and Gladstone.

[Auscruisefam]

I’m going to wait a few days to decide if we cancel the cruise. I’m not very excited for the NSW coast. The only reason we would go is because we need a break and time away. We have already put in our leave at work.  But the thought of going to Newcastle or Eden is a bit depressing, it’s not really our thing. And I was beyond excited for the cruise, what do you guys think is the real reason for the cancellation? 

[SinbadThePorter]

13 minutes ago, Auscruisefam said:

what do you guys think is the real reason for the cancellation?

 

I was thinking it was maybe the covid situation in PNG. That Princess had not cleared these cruises with the PNG government and now time has run out.

 

The problem with this theory is that it would have been easier for Princess to take out the Conflict Islands and still leave a 12 day Qld cruise, than to chop up the cruise into 3 small cruises.

 

Now I'm thinking maybe Princess has been spooked by the high covid rates on US cruises and is dropping all long duration cruises. What long duration would mean I don't know, but presumably 12 days is too long. 😟

 

The problem with this theory is that the 28 day Round Australia is coming up in October.

 

We shall see.

Edited June 23, 2022 by SinbadThePorter

[bazzaw]

Just out of interest - was this cruise cancelled before final payment? Is full refund of any monies already paid now available?? 

[OzKiwiJJ]

6 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

Just out of interest - was this cruise cancelled before final payment? Is full refund of any monies already paid now available?? 

After final payment. Choice of staying on cruise with $50pp OBC, 100% FCC, or a full refund of all monies paid to Princess which probably excludes any bonus FCCs you used for the booking. 

Edited June 23, 2022 by OzKiwiJJ

[bazzaw]

3 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

After final payment. Choice of staying on cruise with $50pp OBC, 100% FCC, or a full refund of all monies paid to Princess which probably excludes any bonus FCCs you used for the booking. 

So , if you stay on the cruise, then you also get 100% FCC. ? That is certainly better than the more usual "dont go on the cruise and only get FCC "

[Auscruisefam]

1 minute ago, bazzaw said:

So , if you stay on the cruise, then you also get 100% FCC. ? That is certainly better than the more usual "dont go on the cruise and only get FCC "

No only if you decide to move cruises to a different cruise altogether. If you stay it’s $50 per person for each cruise. So in total $150 per person over 3 short cruises. Or full refund. That’s how I understood it.

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

45 minutes ago, Auscruisefam said:

I’m going to wait a few days to decide if we cancel the cruise. I’m not very excited for the NSW coast. The only reason we would go is because we need a break and time away. We have already put in our leave at work.  But the thought of going to Newcastle or Eden is a bit depressing, it’s not really our thing. And I was beyond excited for the cruise, what do you guys think is the real reason for the cancellation? 

We're doing the same. We were really looking forward to going to the Conflict Island, and having some nice warm cruising. 

 

I don't know why they've done this. I haven't heard of any restriction on the length of cruises. I don't think Princess would have scheduled the longer cruises if there was a restriction.

 

Princess may have shot themselves in the foot with this change. I suspect a lot of people will cancel and there isn't much time to get new bookings. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

7 minutes ago, Auscruisefam said:

No only if you decide to move cruises to a different cruise altogether. If you stay it’s $50 per person for each cruise. So in total $150 per person over 3 short cruises. Or full refund. That’s how I understood it.

 

Yes, that's correct. I didn't word my previous post very well. Actually I'd also missed the point that it was $50pp per voyage. That might make us lean a bit more towards not cancelling.

Edited June 23, 2022 by OzKiwiJJ

[Chiliburn]

I think they are trying to keep the cruises short because of the incubation time.

No way I would do 3 short booze cruises to replace a longer cruise.

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I'm seriously annoyed. I booked a 12 night cruise to the tropics and are going to end up with a B2B2B cruise mostly around the NSW coast. Plus three separate cruise will mean the same three MDR menus on each cruise, another one that will be the same on two of the cruises, and one that will be unique, instead of 12 different menus. Same shows as well, I suspect.

 

If we stay on the cruises we get a piddly $50pp OBC. 

 

Unfortunately the cabin type we have booked is not available on any of the other QLD cruises that would interest us.

 

So do we stay on the boring cruises or do we bail out?

Sorry to hear this Julie and commiserations. I was borderline on booking this one too, but did not. Personally if it were me I would 'Bale Out.'  It would appear Conflict Islands is a no go, like mainland PNG.

Edited June 23, 2022 by NSWP

[NSWP]

14 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, that's correct. I didn't word my previous post very well. Actually I'd also missed the point that it was $50pp per voyage. That might make us lean a bit more towards not cancelling.

$50pp is almost worthless, like it would buy one bottle of overpriced wine in the MDR.

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, Auscruisefam said:

I’m going to wait a few days to decide if we cancel the cruise. I’m not very excited for the NSW coast. The only reason we would go is because we need a break and time away. We have already put in our leave at work.  But the thought of going to Newcastle or Eden is a bit depressing, it’s not really our thing. And I was beyond excited for the cruise, what do you guys think is the real reason for the cancellation? 

COVID out of control in PNG and cruiseline may be bowing to pressure from our government not to go to that area. Advice is not to travel to PNG and Conflict Islands are part of PNG, albeit privately owned. 

[Auscruisefam]

1 minute ago, NSWP said:

COVID out of control in PNG and cruiseline may be bowing to pressure from our government not to go to that area. Advice is not to travel to PNG and Conflict Islands are part of PNG, albeit privately owned. 

That’s fair enough but why not just go up to NQLD I would be happy with that. Cairns, Port Douglas and Arlie beach etc. 

 

[Chiliburn]

3 minutes ago, Auscruisefam said:

That’s fair enough but why not just go up to NQLD I would be happy with that. Cairns, Port Douglas and Arlie beach etc. 

 

You would think they could do a overnight in Cairns and stretch it out . It can dock in Cairns.

 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2022 by Chiliburn

[Belmont Babe]

I just want to cruise again, I can take three short cruises. I don't really care where we're going. Three lots of elite benefits, three lots of shareholder OBC. Already paid for airfares, hotel, arranged leave etc.

[nz1]

13 minutes ago, Belmont Babe said:

I just want to cruise again, I can take three short cruises. I don't really care where we're going. Three lots of elite benefits, three lots of shareholder OBC. Already paid for airfares, hotel, arranged leave etc.

I’m the same - just keen to go sailing again! Hopefully Princess will apply the shareholder OBC without having to email in again…

[nz1]

Will there be any formal nights? Maybe one on the 5 night itinerary?

[bazzaw]

38 minutes ago, NSWP said:

$50pp is almost worthless, like it would buy one bottle of overpriced wine in the MDR.

A cheap bottle at that!!!

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, Auscruisefam said:

I’m going to wait a few days to decide if we cancel the cruise. I’m not very excited for the NSW coast. The only reason we would go is because we need a break and time away. We have already put in our leave at work.  But the thought of going to Newcastle or Eden is a bit depressing, it’s not really our thing. And I was beyond excited for the cruise, what do you guys think is the real reason for the cancellation? 

I think it is because of the incubation period for Covid.  Most passengers would have been excited cruising on a longer warm weather cruise to the Conflict Island, PNG.  Cruising on short cruises to Newcastle and Eden during winter would have no appeal to most passengers.  

It is time for the cruise lines to tell passengers the truth. 

I recently read of another cruise line cancelling the land portion of their Alaska cruises, keeping the cruises!!  Later I read of people testing positive and being abandoned on the land portion of their Alaska cruise having to isolate and rearrange their travel home by themselves.  They felt safe on the ship with covid safety precautions.  However, they felt exposed to covid on the crowded land portion travels, where people mixed with other people not from their cruise and not wearing masks.  Then the cruise line suddenly cancelling the land portion of a cruise made sense.

It really is a case of buyer beware now!! 

[MMDown Under]

2 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I think it is because of the incubation period for Covid.  Most passengers would have been excited cruising on a longer warm weather cruise to the Conflict Island, PNG.  Cruising on short cruises to Newcastle and Eden during winter would have no appeal to most passengers.  

It is time for the cruise lines to tell passengers the truth. 

I recently read of another cruise line cancelling the land portion of their Alaska cruises, keeping the cruises!!  Later I read of people testing positive and being abandoned on the land portion of their Alaska cruise having to isolate and rearrange their travel home by themselves.  They felt safe on the ship with covid safety precautions.  However, they felt exposed to covid on the crowded land portion travels, where people mixed with other people not from their cruise and not wearing masks.  Then the cruise line suddenly cancelling the land portion of a cruise made sense.

It really is a case of buyer beware now!! 

The above comments are from my logical brain.

However, my empathetic brain is broken hearted for all the passengers who have received this sad news.