Week end cruise October

[maggies1]

Cheap weekend one way cruise on Golden Princess from Sydney to Melbourne Friday 25th to Sunday 27th October 2019. Fares from $199 pp twin share inside cabin for 2 nights. Book at Princess cruises by 25 July

 

[goldenhorn]

Cheap weekend one way cruise on Golden Princess from Sydney to Melbourne Friday 25th to Sunday 27th October 2019. Fares from $199 pp twin share inside cabin for 2 nights. Book at Princess cruises by 25 July

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Do you have a link?

I’ve only cruised with Celebrity in the past but want to try Azamara next time. I’m over the massive boats and thousands of people and would like to try smaller boats.

I’ve always thought of Princess as floating RSL clubs with more bogans.

 

[maggies1]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Do you have a link?

I’ve only cruised with Celebrity in the past but want to try Azamara next time. I’m over the massive boats and thousands of people and would like to try smaller boats.

I’ve always thought of Princess as floating RSL clubs with more bogans.

Thanks for your response. I think Princess cruises is above the RSL club level. Have always enjoyed the experience with them. Of course you will get the bogan element when large groups of Aussies are enjoying themselves with plenty of booze available. I stay away from the pool deck bars where they congregate. This sort of cruise gives the average man a chance to experience cruising and the pleasure it provides. The dining and entertainment onboard is worth more than $200 and the return airfare.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks for your response. I think Princess cruises is above the RSL club level. Have always enjoyed the experience with them. Of course you will get the bogan element when large groups of Aussies are enjoying themselves with plenty of booze available. I stay away from the pool deck bars where they congregate. This sort of cruise gives the average man a chance to experience cruising and the pleasure it provides. The dining and entertainment onboard is worth more than $200 and the return airfare.

Indeed, and another flag is a round trip from the same port for just a few days. We had a less than pleasant Princess cruise out of Singapore as the cruise had been marketed extensively in Russia and had a large contingent onboard. They do not queue which is not unlike other cultures, but unlike those, they push back hard if you dare say anything. And they are large people. Oh yeah, and do not sit on the seats they have chosen to be theirs in the buffet, even when they havent arrived yet! They have no qualms in going up to someone and say you are sitting in my seat, even though the setting was completely new and it is obvious there was no one sitting there.

 

[goldenhorn]

Indeed, and another flag is a round trip from the same port for just a few days. We had a less than pleasant Princess cruise out of Singapore as the cruise had been marketed extensively in Russia and had a large contingent onboard. They do not queue which is not unlike other cultures, but unlike those, they push back hard if you dare say anything. And they are large people. Oh yeah, and do not sit on the seats they have chosen to be theirs in the buffet, even when they havent arrived yet! They have no qualms in going up to someone and say you are sitting in my seat, even though the setting was completely new and it is obvious there was no one sitting there.

OMG. That sounds like a cruise nightmare!

I've done about 5 cruises on Celebrity in the med and Alaska and like the brand.

While it's true you're dealing with the masses, we have dealt with it by almost never going to the buffet and always choosing al a carte options.

And purchasing the speciality restaurants package so we ate in an intimate setting each night. I found that really improved the cruise experience even though it is more expensive to purchase that package.

I'd love to try a smaller cruise line but they are a lot more $. I think we would enjoy 500-1,000 guests a lot more than 3,000-4,000!

 

[sinophile888]

We have cruised with Azamara, Cunard, Celebrity, Princess, Royal Caribbean, CMV and MSC. I would rate them in that order.

Azamara is much more casual than Cunard with no formal nights and is a smaller ship (< 700 guests). The service is always outstanding. Azamara is pricier than all the others, even Cunard. One of the aspects of Azamara which we really enjoy on their cruises is less ports but more overnight stays and sometimes even two nights in a port. Also the ships are small enough to dock where the mega ships can’t. For example, right outside the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

It is always a dilemma to decide between itinerary, dates, price and cruise line.

 

[goldenhorn]

We have cruised with Azamara, Cunard, Celebrity, Princess, Royal Caribbean, CMV and MSC. I would rate them in that order.

Azamara is much more casual than Cunard with no formal nights and is a smaller ship (< 700 guests). The service is always outstanding. Azamara is pricier than all the others, even Cunard. One of the aspects of Azamara which we really enjoy on their cruises is less ports but more overnight stays and sometimes even two nights in a port. Also the ships are small enough to dock where the mega ships can’t. For example, right outside the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

It is always a dilemma to decide between itinerary, dates, price and cruise line.

That's really helpful info and confirms that I want to try Azamara for my next cruise!

Do you keep an eye and book through their website, or through an agent?

 

[VPS]

Or you could try this one

Boutique Gin & Culinary Cruise | V009 | CMV Australia

Cruise & Maritime Voyages is Australia's leading cruise line, operating traditional cruises departing from Australia and Europe.

cmvaustralia.com

 

[Pushka]

OMG. That sounds like a cruise nightmare!

I've done about 5 cruises on Celebrity in the med and Alaska and like the brand.

While it's true you're dealing with the masses, we have dealt with it by almost never going to the buffet and always choosing al a carte options.

And purchasing the speciality restaurants package so we ate in an intimate setting each night. I found that really improved the cruise experience even though it is more expensive to purchase that package.

I'd love to try a smaller cruise line but they are a lot more $. I think we would enjoy 500-1,000 guests a lot more than 3,000-4,000!

Did I mention there was a fisticuff brawl when said Russians bagged seats by the pool in both sun and shade. After a few hours of just towels sunning themselves someone else, a Brit, sat down. Next thing they launched across from the sun side and then, boom crash.

Also some very dressed up heavily made up high hair do’s and very short ‘bum warmer’ skirts tottering on high heels. It was so funny actually. We just drank alcohol and people watched.

 

[sinophile888]

That's really helpful info and confirms that I want to try Azamara for my next cruise!

Do you keep an eye and book through their website, or through an agent?

I start by looking at vacationstogo. On that website you can easily personalise the results. If I find a cruise I like, I then look at multiple websites to find the best price. It usually results in my booking on the cruiseline website, on seascanner or mostly with my travel agent.

Our last cruise with Azamara was booked through our travel agent with a package deal. I had been watching the price as I liked the itinerary, but it was very expensive. The package included economy flights from PER to SIN on QF (we were unsuccessful with our upgrade bid and will be the last time we ever fly in Y), limo transfer to the hotel, one nights stay at a hotel with breakfast, limo transfers to the port, the cruise from Singapore to Perth in a balcony cabin and a generous cabin credit. The cabin credit could be refunded if not spent. All this for a considerable discount off the Azamara website price for the cruise alone.

As I said in my previous post, Azamara has overnight stays in many ports. One of their popular cruises is Singapore to Hong Kong or vv, with an overnight stay in Saigon, where they dock right in Saigon not down at Phu My which is 125 km away. In Bangkok, there is a 2-night stay on this cruise in Klong Toey which is very close to the city centre, not at Laem Chabang, which is at least 2 hours’ drive from Bangkok. The third overnight stay in in Halong Bay, which allows a shore excursion to Hanoi if desired.

The dress code on Azamara is casual, but not bogan. The staff are proactive in their service and seem very happy in their work. The ships are not so large that you think never twice about walking from the front to the back of the boat.

I am restricted somewhat with cruises now as my husband likes to cruise in and/or out of Fremantle. He is not a happy flyer, and I used to behave badly on flights until I was forced to start taking an O2 concentrator.

We have 6 cruises booked up to March 2021, with Fremantle as the start and/or end port. Also 2 possible themed (Opera and classical music) cruises in and out of Sydney in November 2019 and November 2020. I am hoping for a last-minute deal for the last 2.