cruise visa?

[mcscotty]

hi ive just booked a south pacific cruise for christmas and was wondering if i will need visa's for it. the cruise stops in noumea. mystery island, island of pines and vila. never been on a cruise before and not quite sure how it all works. i booked online so dont have travel agent advice.

 

cheers.

[Guest Guest5035]

Now this is my kinda thread, (seasoned cruiser), no you will not need a visa, just a passport, what ship are you going on, from Sydney or Brisbane, or one of the smaller places, Royal Carribean are our faves? We have visited Noumea, Vila and Mystery Island (favourite).

First tip, buy your shore tours yourself if you want to save big money, but the risk is if the tours are late back the ship will not wait, a fantastic website/forum to get heaps of info from is http://boards.cruisecritic.com/ or from this site, think one or two of us have done a few.

Second tip, get good insurance, as the seas going over there and back can get rough, my daughter and wife had the seasickness jabs a few years ago 2005, $88 each, last 24 hours. One amongst the islands it flat as.

Third tip take your own snorkelling kit, don't hire the ships stuff, fourth tip go on a diet, lose 5kgs before you go otherwise you'll have to lose it after the cruise.

Bit late now but tip number 5 get a midship cabin. A beer on board will cost you around $8, food is all free, if you have kids, you can say bye bye to them from 9am to 9pm woo hoo, good kids clubs...anymore info please ask

 

stevo

Edited April 3, 2012 by Guest5035

[mcscotty]

hi stevo

 

Thanks for reply. we are going on the royal carribean (rhaphsody of the sea) from sydney. i looked at travel insurance and it asks where you will be spending most of your time...how do you answer that if your cruising? our cabin is on the inside deck 3......the reasonably priced outer ones where all sold out already. we have a 14 year old, is there much to do for his age group? he wouldnt go to a kids club, im sure he will find plenty to do though. really looking forward to it ))

[Guest Guest75]

My sort of thread as well.

 

As Stevo said,ya just need your passport.

 

 

Thanks for that link Stevo.

 

We are thinking of doing an Alaskan one next year, supposed to be amazing.

[mcscotty]

cheers thats great had a look at the website

[wizzywozza]

not quite the sort of cruisin' I imagined Stevo doing

[elainew]

Been on Rhapsody twice now you will have a ball. Christmas and New Year sailing is something else really special!! Don't forget the ball gown and the dinner suit or Kilt :-)

[wizzywozza]

I'd rather strangle myself with a rugby players jockstrap than go on a cruise ship ........... same with skiing .......... I really can't see the appeal or the point to be honest.

[Diane]

I can sort of see the attraction of visiting lots of different places, but those cruises where you are days and days with nothing to see but sea.... <shuddering>.... OH would go absolutely stir crazy unless they put a cycle track round the deck for him! My parents always swear by river cruises as opposed to sea ones, as there is so much more to see.

 

 

Christmas on a cruise ship I'd have thought isn't a bad idea though - as you have someone else responsible for organising all the food, atmosphere and entertainment, and you don't have to sit at home like Billy no Mates (which a lot of us migrants dread at Christmas time!!)

 

 

Am off to Vanuatu shortly and all the stuff I've read says to steer clear of the main attractions on the days a cruise ship is in town, and watch out for shops inflating their prices specially for the 'cruisers' - also, apparently it's very common for cruise passengers to wear their cruise ship badges proudly round the towns, but in fact all that says to the shopkeepers is "rip me off", so probably best to hide them!! If you need a contact for tours in Port Vila let me know as I've been exchanging emails with a really helpful company there.

[wizzywozza]

Give me a houseboat on the Murray any day ........ peace and quiet, no dressing up, posh frocks and pretensions, and as much fishing as you could possibly want ....... no people, and no rip off tourist places ........... PERFECT

[Guest Guest5035]

hi stevo

 

Thanks for reply. we are going on the royal carribean (rhaphsody of the sea) from sydney. i looked at travel insurance and it asks where you will be spending most of your time...how do you answer that if your cruising? our cabin is on the inside deck 3......the reasonably priced outer ones where all sold out already. we have a 14 year old, is there much to do for his age group? he wouldnt go to a kids club, im sure he will find plenty to do though. really looking forward to it ))

 

Rhapsody is a beautiful ship throughout, cruised on her around Tasmania 2 years ago, shes run by Royal Carribean, who are the best, recently cruised the med on Mariner of the Seas, her sister ship the Voyager of the Seas is now in Australian waters. as its a American ship the currency on board is $US so buy some $US now while the rate is good. Then when you board you'll be alot better off than exchanging it on the ship at their rate. The wine on board can be pricey but a beer will be $7/$8 a bottle or wait for the happy hours, your kid will be fine, but if you can get him in the teen club he'll have loads to do, even seperate meal times from you. The first 2 days from Sydney will be at sea, but explore the ship and bars,cinema, show lounges etc etc and the pools, there is a indoor pool where the roof slides open which is good, that is a adult only area too. Make sure when leaving Sydney you are on the top deck for saiolaway party with the band, fantastic sailing out of Sydney. Another tip, if you can afford it stay overnight the day before sailing as you can then get dockside for check in early at around 10.30am, then when thats done have lunch on board, in the many restaurants. I could write all night, i have a DVD if you want to borrow it of the Rhapsody i made.

 

 

Stevo

[mcscotty]

Sounds fab stevo. We probably will stay in sydney the day before, but our cruise dosent leave until 10pm and not sure how early you can check in. )

 

 

Rhapsody is a beautiful ship throughout, cruised on her around Tasmania 2 years ago, shes run by Royal Carribean, who are the best, recently cruised the med on Mariner of the Seas, her sister ship the Voyager of the Seas is now in Australian waters. as its a American ship the currency on board is $US so buy some $US now while the rate is good. Then when you board you'll be alot better off than exchanging it on the ship at their rate. The wine on board can be pricey but a beer will be $7/$8 a bottle or wait for the happy hours, your kid will be fine, but if you can get him in the teen club he'll have loads to do, even seperate meal times from you. The first 2 days from Sydney will be at sea, but explore the ship and bars,cinema, show lounges etc etc and the pools, there is a indoor pool where the roof slides open which is good, that is a adult only area too. Make sure when leaving Sydney you are on the top deck for saiolaway party with the band, fantastic sailing out of Sydney. Another tip, if you can afford it stay overnight the day before sailing as you can then get dockside for check in early at around 10.30am, then when thats done have lunch on board, in the many restaurants. I could write all night, i have a DVD if you want to borrow it of the Rhapsody i made.

 

 

Stevo

[Guest Guest5035]

Sounds fab stevo. We probably will stay in sydney the day before, but our cruise dosent leave until 10pm and not sure how early you can check in. )

 

10pm, new one on me, if its that time they'll start boarding around 3pm, think i see your cruise on there website. If you want anymore info PM me, The Dawn Princess is due into Outer Harbour 2morrow from 630am to 6pm, shes around the same size as The Rhapsody.

 

stevo

Edited April 4, 2012 by Guest5035

[mcscotty]

cheers stevo for all the info . been really helpful )))

 

10pm, new one on me, if its that time they'll start boarding around 3pm, think i see your cruise on there website. If you want anymore info PM me, The Dawn Princess is due into Outer Harbour 2morrow from 630am to 6pm, shes around the same size as The Rhapsody.

 

stevo

[elainew]

It's all about choice we can't all have the same taste in holidays :-)

[Guest Dee Laz]

Hello hello hellO!. Anybody have an idea if I need a visa to go to southpacific islands via P&O cruises? Ive got a foreign passport but I'm an australian resident. Even the P&O cruise staff are not sure if we need it or not. this is our first cruise and we purchased it directly online without any travel agent, so we dont know if we do need one. please anyone.. help?

[mcscotty]

hi dee no you dont need it. we went into travel agent and got info

[Guest Guest5035]

I can sort of see the attraction of visiting lots of different places, but those cruises where you are days and days with nothing to see but sea.... <shuddering>.... OH would go absolutely stir crazy unless they put a cycle track round the deck for him! My parents always swear by river cruises as opposed to sea ones, as there is so much more to see.

 

 

Christmas on a cruise ship I'd have thought isn't a bad idea though - as you have someone else responsible for organising all the food, atmosphere and entertainment, and you don't have to sit at home like Billy no Mates (which a lot of us migrants dread at Christmas time!!)

 

 

Am off to Vanuatu shortly and all the stuff I've read says to steer clear of the main attractions on the days a cruise ship is in town, and watch out for shops inflating their prices specially for the 'cruisers' - also, apparently it's very common for cruise passengers to wear their cruise ship badges proudly round the towns, but in fact all that says to the shopkeepers is "rip me off", so probably best to hide them!! If you need a contact for tours in Port Vila let me know as I've been exchanging emails with a really helpful company there.

 

didn't someone just enjoy a cruise, was it 19 or 21 nights on a cruise over xmas

Edited April 1, 2013 by Guest5035

[Diane]

didn't someone just enjoy a cruise, was it 19 or 21 nights on a cruise over xmas

 

23 actually Stevo and probably wouldn't do it again but it was very, very cheap as you know - and we had an all inclusive drinks package which is the only way to do it (very little else to do to fill the time but drink and eat!!)! Now as you've opened a new thread, advice for anyone going to Port Vila or Vanuatu is to take some reef shoes with you, available at all good cheapie shops here in Adelaide!

Edited April 1, 2013 by Diane