Help again please

[suexxx]

Hi all. Congrats to those who have booked more cruises. I have a few questions. When on the ship what type of bag do you ladies use to put things in and also when you go ashore. I am a smoker so will carry cigs,lighter,ashtray,sunscreen ect. In noumea what type of money do we need to have if we wish to buy (say some food or drink ect)and where do we change our money. Same for Vila. We will be stopping at Isle of Pines, Mystery Is, Lifou as well. What currency do we need? Is 2 pair of bathers enough for 10 night cruise? WE are getting soooo nervous and excited. The time has gone so fast thanks to you all here. Suexxx:)

[Skyrules]

Can't help about the handbag and the bathers, but can tell you that;

 

In Noumea you'll need Central Pacific Francs, which you can exchange on board the ship.

 

In Vila most places will take Australian dollars at a reasonable exchange rate. The local currencly is Vatu, but the don't have that available on the ship.

 

 

Kym

[mummsie]

I have a small backpack that will fit a bottle or two of water, sunscreen and 2 towels when I go ashore. This time I am also going to take a single sheet to spead out on the sand to sit on. When on the ship I don't use anything. I love the feeling of freedom not having to lug stuff around all the time. I only take my lanyard with card and thats it. We never lay in the sun - my husband has had some serious skin cancers cut out and I am very fair - I burn after about 5 minutes so we usually follow the shade.

I only have 1 pair of bathers so that's it for me. I travel light these days.

Vila apparently takes Australian dollars but they won't give you change. Apparently everything is $5 increments. My daughter and son-in-law where there a couple of months ago. Just make sure you take lots of small denomination notes there. Noumea takes Pacific Franks - you change the money on the ship. Mummsie:D

[chaz cruiser]

I use a small shoulder bag on board. Previously I used one I purchased from Crazy Clarks which was about the size of an A5 page. Now I have a lovely one purchased in Vila and brought back to me by my Mum & Sister. It is about the same size. I don't smoke but usually carry around my camera and a small pair of binoculars. I also take a small black handbag or clutch purse for night times.

 

Test how much space you think you will need by taking an A3 piece of paper and folding it up (for your daily newsletter) & your thickest credit card (for your room key) then put in everything else you think you might want to carry!! Remember that you are on holiday and it really doesn't take that long to get back to the cabin if you need anything!!

 

For the islands I take a small backpack. I find it much easier to handle than a handbag. However, as a warning, it seems that everyone else sees that my backpack is usually for them to put stuff in too so I usually end up carrying other people's junk. In that case I make us take turns to carry it.

 

I only usually take one pair of swimmers but I read a tip on here which said that two is better as you can wear one while the others are drying. Just remember to rinse them out before you hang them up and give them a good ring out and they should dry fairly quickly. We have an outside cabin so I will also be hanging them in the window!! Nothing worse than putting on wet swimmers....

 

Cheers,

Chaz:)

[kezza]

We've always used A$ in Noumea. When we were there last Oct. we had a few drinks in a pub and only had A$. We also boughts some T's and they seem happy to use their calculators to convert. The trouble is I suppose is that you don't know if they've calculated correctly. This time we might get ourselves some Noumea money and see how that goes.

 

Vila is great with $A, you don't need to change anything there.

 

On the ship I don't use a bag at all. I just carry my camera over my wrist and the video camera over shoulder and cc on lanyard around neck, but on the islands I had always taken a denium bag to carry water, camera, money and sunscreen. From memory we used a backpack on our last cruise just to see if it was any easier. (found it to be much the same).

 

I've always taken about 4-5 pairs of bathers but found that I tend to stick to the same 2 pairs so this cruise I'll only be taking 2 pairs. (you've got to watch those bather lines you know - nothing worse than having 5 different line marks on your body, especially when it's formal night!!!!)

 

Kerri

[aliflem]

I found it easier to use credit cards in Noumea when in real shops (best exchange rate and no changing money). I used Australian dollars at the little market place just outside the ship.

 

In Villa I used Australian dollars at a few different shops.

Have a great time

aliflem

:)

[suexxx]

Morning all. Thanks again for your help. Not long now. Havent any paperwork yet but should be soon I hope. How much cash do you all take? Will use the Visa for ship and big shopping in Vila. Is it safe to leave cash in your safe? What type of photo id do you all take and when do you need it? Does anyone know why THE SUN left sooo late yesterday? If I use Frabree for the clothing does it leave marks? What is a good room smell nice to buy and in what type of container? Im sure I will have some more questions before going. THANKS Suexxx:D

[karmac]

What time did the Sun leave yesterday suexxx? I wsn't able to watch it. Finished work at 6 & go out on Thursday nights before 7. A lady I work with is on her now so I'll fid out when she gets back.

The last cruise didn't leave til 7.

 

Karen

[qld cruiser]

Morning all. Thanks again for your help. Not long now. Havent any paperwork yet but should be soon I hope. How much cash do you all take? Will use the Visa for ship and big shopping in Vila. Is it safe to leave cash in your safe? What type of photo id do you all take and when do you need it? Does anyone know why THE SUN left sooo late yesterday? If I use Frabree for the clothing does it leave marks? What is a good room smell nice to buy and in what type of container? Im sure I will have some more questions before going. THANKS Suexxx:D

 

Hi Suexxx, friends on board told me by phone, the reason the ship left late was, 350 people were still not on board by late afternoon.

kindest regards, Lorraine:) :)

[suexxx]

Hi qld cruiser. Thanks for your reply. DH said what you told me. He was right AGAIN, Can you answer any for my other questions? Finally found a pr of sandles that are comfortable this morning(I HOPE). I now have all I need. A few more things for DH. Soooo hard to get him to go shopping (UNLESS IT IS FOR a TV or sound system). Suexxx:)

[qld cruiser]

Morning all. Thanks again for your help. Not long now. Havent any paperwork yet but should be soon I hope. How much cash do you all take? Will use the Visa for ship and big shopping in Vila. Is it safe to leave cash in your safe? What type of photo id do you all take and when do you need it? Does anyone know why THE SUN left sooo late yesterday? If I use Frabree for the clothing does it leave marks? What is a good room smell nice to buy and in what type of container? Im sure I will have some more questions before going. THANKS Suexxx:D

 

Hi again Suexxx. to answer some other questions..

we usually take $1000.00 in cash... husband likes to go to casino sometimes.. if you draw cash out of your card at casino there is a fee. (not sure what it is, but it adds on to your bill, so we use cash for there)

you will have to show your passport the first time you draw cash out at the casino. also anyone who puts cash on their card at start of cruise will need I.D at end of cruise to draw any remainder out.

get a photocopy of your passport.. that is always handy.

we leave cash, jewellery, passports etc in safe. nothing has ever happened so far...

fabreeze has left no marks on our clothes. smells nice too.

and to spray your cabin, I have used pine o cleen disinfectant spray.

but we didn't bring it on a plane, I bought it in Sydney.

hoping that can help in some way. ask anytime, if I can help I will...

kindest regards, Lorraine:) :)

[suexxx]

HI qld cruiser. Yes, you have helped a lot. So daughting doing your 1st cruise. Have you any other advise to pass on? Should I try the Frabrees at home 1st? Do I spray each piece of clothing or just spray it into the closet? Suexxx

[sweet_successes]

To withdraw money from the casino against your cruise card you need to show photo id - a passport or drivers licence is fine. They will write an R on the your cruise card near your signature - this shows that you are registered so you won't need to produce photo id next time you take money out. The fee to take money out is 3% of the amount you are withdrawing.

 

A few years ago when on holiday at a swanky resort I had money stolen from a safe so ever since then when I go away I jsut put the lot on my credit card and then use it. When we were on the Star we only took $200 cash (and that was for auckland) then when we went to any of the islands we just went to the casino and withdrew money and incurred the 3% fee.

 

We will be doing the same thing this time - except that the kids cards won't be linked to our credit card, so we will need to take cash to put on their cards.

 

It is very much a personal choice and for me its not a risk worth taking to take lots and lots of cash - funny though hubby reckons I'm mad cause I took a jewellery set worth $2000 to wear on formal nights and wasn't worried about that!!!!

 

Rach

[qld cruiser]

HI qld cruiser. Yes, you have helped a lot. So daughting doing your 1st cruise. Have you any other advise to pass on? Should I try the Frabrees at home 1st? Do I spray each piece of clothing or just spray it into the closet? Suexxx

 

Hi again, hang the clothes you want on a hanger. spray, then gently press with you hands , then fold. that's what I do, maybe others do differently.

try it at home to see if it suits you.

kindest regards, Lorraine:) :)

[chaz cruiser]

Safes - we have never had any problems with the safes onboard except when we have locked them without setting the code and then had to wait for the one person on board who has the authority to open safes to come around and crack it for us!! A hint: read the instructions and follow them before you close the safe!! It's much better now with more than one safe where you set the code. I don't know what people did before when they shared the cabin and there was only one safe.

 

Cash - I tend to take cash for the casino also plus a little for the islands and of course sea horse racing!! Last cruise my pay hadn't gone in before we set sail and I used an ATM in Vila to withdraw cash, then exchanged it at the ANZ "bank". Exchange rate wasn't too bad but the costs were a little high. Wouldn't really recommend this to people unless you really need to!!

 

Febreeze - we spray our clothes (a few squirts) after we change for bed, then drape them over the chairs etc to "dry". The Febreeze makes them a little damp depending on how much you spray on them!! Then the next morning we put them away. We wouldn't cruise without Febreeze now.

 

Cheers,

Charmain:)