Thursday morning and we have 2 more days left on board, all the stopovers have been done. It looks like a relaxing time ahead with plenty of time to check out the ship and explore areas previously unvisited. There is a daily bulletin listing all the activities on all the decks with entertainments for our enjoyment, this will be studied and a plan formulated but for now the only decision is will we have breakfast from the buffet or have it served in the restaurant.
After breakfast there were several options but the ones that June found most interesting were the Pacific Market where all kinds of goods were sold at "bargain prices" and the Destination's Future Cruise talk. I had given thought to see the golf putting tournament but there wasn't the time for trivialities. Bargains were bought and dreams of future cruises floated through our minds.
There are many things to do and watch but by lunch time I had decided on my afternoon. How long could I sit by the pool before getting in to it then how long to stay in. How long could I lounge in the sun before getting an ice cream. This is heady stuff and by 4pm I was exhausted and had to give it away and go to the cabin to have a shower. Don't know what June did 'cos this was my afternoon.
Spent a few minutes reading the forum and looking at the blog stats, checked out emails etc. and had a quick look at facebook before heading off to dinner resplendent in my new Vanuatu collared shirt. We have had several meals with Bob and Hazel over the past week and have seen them several times at different venues, they have expressed an interest in the blog and have been given a card with the URL listed.
We have decided to book another cruise and went down to the office and paid our deposit. We are going on the 18 night Polynesian Passage Tour on the new ship the Aria sailing from Brisbane mid August 2016. Visiting Santo, Vila, Port Denerau, Vava'l, Nuku'Alofa, Apia, Dravunni Island, (Fiji, PNG, Tonga and Samoa) There are many advantages to be made by booking whilst on the current cruise, prepaying, onboard credits, previous passenger discounts, VIP status, discounted tours etc. Another advantage is that should anything prevent us going we can get a full refund prior to June 2016 and if the tour is discounted more before the cruise we can get the reduced price.
So the last cruise day is here, Friday, with pretty much the same decisions as yesterday with the same good weather. I have been round various places on the ship and taken photos and will upload them to finish the tour. Today I have to fill out the disembarkation forms and we have to do our packing to be put outside the cabin prior to 8pm tonight. Bit tricky so you need to have another small bag to carry off those items needed for Saturday morning.
It all is very well organised and we have a flyer giving up detailed instructions as to our tag colour (Yellow 1) and we have to be on the Promenade Bar Deck 7 by 7am tomorrow. Breakfast is served at from 5.30am. Expecting everything to go as planned I will go online later and post Cruising part 3 to finalise the tour report. As can be seen from the photos we have had a great time and now are even more excited by the prospect of doing it all again with even more next year.
THE BEST IS YET TO COME SO ENJOY IT AS IT UNFOLDS. John
KFT said
07:43 PM Feb 13, 2015
Thanks John
what a great time you two have had.
some nice blokey eye candy in these pics too mate, thanks for that.
enjoy the rest of the trip on a ship but I bet you cannot wait to hit the road again
frank
Dougwe said
08:32 PM Feb 13, 2015
Sounds like the love bug has stuck on the love boat John. Keep enjoying, both of you.
Sheba said
09:08 PM Feb 13, 2015
Careful John. You might end up like one old guy on the last Pacific Cruise I went on. He lived on the ship permanently. True story.
Keep on enjoying,
Cheers,
Sheba.
Kaid said
09:29 PM Feb 13, 2015
Jealous much John
jules47 said
10:15 PM Feb 13, 2015
Really glad you both enjoyed yourselves. Get in touch when you are back on dry land, John.
PatRae said
09:05 AM Feb 14, 2015
Thanks for a very enjoyable report. Reminded me of my last cruise too long ago.
frangipani said
05:26 PM Feb 14, 2015
Loving your input John, makes me want to go on a cruise, don't think it would be much fun on my own though, LOL
Keep on enjoying - Fran
Clare46 said
05:57 PM Feb 14, 2015
frangipani wrote:
Loving your input John, makes me want to go on a cruise, don't think it would be much fun on my own though, LOL
Keep on enjoying - Fran
John, please forgive the intrusion
Fran
I've done three cruises on my own and have two more booked for 5/6/2015 and 6/8/2016. I always enjoy myself and you can always find someone to talk too. I'm used to traveling on my own so don't find it a problem
frangipani said
07:34 PM Feb 14, 2015
Clare46 wrote:
frangipani wrote:
Loving your input John, makes me want to go on a cruise, don't think it would be much fun on my own though, LOL
Keep on enjoying - Fran
John, please forgive the intrusion
Fran
I've done three cruises on my own and have two more booked for 5/6/2015 and 6/8/2016. I always enjoy myself and you can always find someone to talk too. I'm used to traveling on my own so don't find it a problem
Thanx Clare46, maybe one day, spur of the moment I just might book a cruise.......
Sheba said
08:14 PM Feb 14, 2015
I've done a Half World Cruise on my own, from Brisbane to Southampton, Via Asia and Egypt. Great Shopping along that route.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't mind my own company, and you always meet people to talk to and share on-shore trips with if you want to.
Cheers,
Sheba.
frangipani said
09:28 PM Feb 14, 2015
Sheba wrote:
I've done a Half World Cruise on my own, from Brisbane to Southampton, Via Asia and Egypt. Great Shopping along that route.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't mind my own company, and you always meet people to talk to and share on-shore trips with if you want to.
Cheers,
Sheba.
Sounds wonderful Sheba, looks like a cruise may be on the cards, I don't mind my own company either thanx Fran
-- Edited by frangipani on Saturday 14th of February 2015 09:29:29 PM
Nelly said
12:30 PM Feb 15, 2015
Thank you John for a great report - all your reports are interesting. Cruises are a great holiday - you can a lot or not much at all. I have been on 2 cruises and I fully recommend them - go for it Fran.
Lesley F said
01:11 PM Feb 16, 2015
awesome, I've done 3 cruises, and could easily become a cruise junky.
Alaska is also great, we saw plenty of Orca whales. I was on the Dawn, then did same ship around the Pacific Islands, and met the same staff!!
Unpack and have fun, fun, fun. I quickly learned not to spend on the "extras", as the bill quickly adds up.
If you love your food, there's enough to sink the titanic, as previously said, walk on as luggage, roll off the plank as cargo!!
I'm pleased you're having an amazing holiday.
Chicken strangler said
05:56 PM Feb 16, 2015
Good post John,as always.
i investigated cruises late last year but was put off on solo prices. It would seem a solo pays extra, almost as much as two people. So I have a question.
am I missing something or are there special solo prices to be found? And where do I look for them?
peter
chicken strangler
Sheba said
06:04 PM Feb 16, 2015
Share Cabins are cheaper. I had a Twin-share with another lady. Two actually. One changed Cabins at Singapore, when another person who had pre-booked my cabin from Singapore to Southampton came on board.
Ask the the Travel Agent about other options.
Cheers,
Sheba.
-- Edited by Sheba on Monday 16th of February 2015 06:07:24 PM
Clare46 said
11:39 PM Feb 16, 2015
Chicken strangler wrote:
Good post John,as always.
i investigated cruises late last year but was put off on solo prices. It would seem a solo pays extra, almost as much as two people. So I have a question.
am I missing something or are there special solo prices to be found? And where do I look for them?
peter
chicken strangler
Don't know about other cruise lines but P&O used to arrange for you to share with another person of the same sex but they no longer do this. If you want to share you need to make your own arrangements.
On P&O the fare is the twin share cost plus 60%. I find that it usually costs me around $200 a night. I can't stay in a decent hotel and pay for meals for much less than that. Then there is the entertainment and different ports that you see.
Thursday morning and we have 2 more days left on board, all the stopovers have been done. It looks like a relaxing time ahead with plenty of time to check out the ship and explore areas previously unvisited. There is a daily bulletin listing all the activities on all the decks with entertainments for our enjoyment, this will be studied and a plan formulated but for now the only decision is will we have breakfast from the buffet or have it served in the restaurant.
After breakfast there were several options but the ones that June found most interesting were the Pacific Market where all kinds of goods were sold at "bargain prices" and the Destination's Future Cruise talk. I had given thought to see the golf putting tournament but there wasn't the time for trivialities. Bargains were bought and dreams of future cruises floated through our minds.
There are many things to do and watch but by lunch time I had decided on my afternoon. How long could I sit by the pool before getting in to it then how long to stay in. How long could I lounge in the sun before getting an ice cream. This is heady stuff and by 4pm I was exhausted and had to give it away and go to the cabin to have a shower. Don't know what June did 'cos this was my afternoon.
Spent a few minutes reading the forum and looking at the blog stats, checked out emails etc. and had a quick look at facebook before heading off to dinner resplendent in my new Vanuatu collared shirt. We have had several meals with Bob and Hazel over the past week and have seen them several times at different venues, they have expressed an interest in the blog and have been given a card with the URL listed.
We have decided to book another cruise and went down to the office and paid our deposit. We are going on the 18 night Polynesian Passage Tour on the new ship the Aria sailing from Brisbane mid August 2016. Visiting Santo, Vila, Port Denerau, Vava'l, Nuku'Alofa, Apia, Dravunni Island, (Fiji, PNG, Tonga and Samoa) There are many advantages to be made by booking whilst on the current cruise, prepaying, onboard credits, previous passenger discounts, VIP status, discounted tours etc. Another advantage is that should anything prevent us going we can get a full refund prior to June 2016 and if the tour is discounted more before the cruise we can get the reduced price.
So the last cruise day is here, Friday, with pretty much the same decisions as yesterday with the same good weather. I have been round various places on the ship and taken photos and will upload them to finish the tour. Today I have to fill out the disembarkation forms and we have to do our packing to be put outside the cabin prior to 8pm tonight. Bit tricky so you need to have another small bag to carry off those items needed for Saturday morning.
It all is very well organised and we have a flyer giving up detailed instructions as to our tag colour (Yellow 1) and we have to be on the Promenade Bar Deck 7 by 7am tomorrow. Breakfast is served at from 5.30am. Expecting everything to go as planned I will go online later and post Cruising part 3 to finalise the tour report. As can be seen from the photos we have had a great time and now are even more excited by the prospect of doing it all again with even more next year.
THE BEST IS YET TO COME SO ENJOY IT AS IT UNFOLDS. John
what a great time you two have had.
some nice blokey eye candy in these pics too mate, thanks for that.
enjoy the rest of the trip on a ship but I bet you cannot wait to hit the road again
frank
Careful John. You might end up like one old guy on the last Pacific Cruise I went on. He lived on the ship permanently. True story.
Keep on enjoying,
Cheers,
Sheba.
Loving your input John, makes me want to go on a cruise, don't think it would be much fun on my own though, LOL
Keep on enjoying - Fran
John, please forgive the intrusion
Fran
I've done three cruises on my own and have two more booked for 5/6/2015 and 6/8/2016. I always enjoy myself and you can always find someone to talk too. I'm used to traveling on my own so don't find it a problem
Thanx Clare46, maybe one day, spur of the moment I just might book a cruise.......
I've done a Half World Cruise on my own, from Brisbane to Southampton, Via Asia and Egypt. Great Shopping along that route.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't mind my own company, and you always meet people to talk to and share on-shore trips with if you want to.
Cheers,
Sheba.
Sounds wonderful Sheba, looks like a cruise may be on the cards, I don't mind my own company either thanx Fran
-- Edited by frangipani on Saturday 14th of February 2015 09:29:29 PM
awesome, I've done 3 cruises, and could easily become a cruise junky.
Alaska is also great, we saw plenty of Orca whales. I was on the Dawn, then did same ship around the Pacific Islands, and met the same staff!!
Unpack and have fun, fun, fun. I quickly learned not to spend on the "extras", as the bill quickly adds up.
If you love your food, there's enough to sink the titanic, as previously said, walk on as luggage, roll off the plank as cargo!!
I'm pleased you're having an amazing holiday.
Good post John,as always.
i investigated cruises late last year but was put off on solo prices. It would seem a solo pays extra, almost as much as two people. So I have a question.
am I missing something or are there special solo prices to be found? And where do I look for them?
peter
chicken strangler
Share Cabins are cheaper. I had a Twin-share with another lady. Two actually. One changed Cabins at Singapore, when another person who had pre-booked my cabin from Singapore to Southampton came on board.
Ask the the Travel Agent about other options.
Cheers,
Sheba.
-- Edited by Sheba on Monday 16th of February 2015 06:07:24 PM
Don't know about other cruise lines but P&O used to arrange for you to share with another person of the same sex but they no longer do this. If you want to share you need to make your own arrangements.
On P&O the fare is the twin share cost plus 60%. I find that it usually costs me around $200 a night. I can't stay in a decent hotel and pay for meals for much less than that. Then there is the entertainment and different ports that you see.