Cruise Advice re Wise and Phones

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#3273304 18-Aug-2024 20:28

Recently went on P&O so some tips.. I assume you maybe going on pacific explorer since it’s based in NZ at moment

Top up your account before you go.. gives you AUD dollars but only charges you NZD with no currency conversion so you make a little extra

Onboard wifi is great and used starlink.
You can access messenger for free (but you don’t get notifications)
I had paid for the social plan but found a VPN that worked to let you access anything. I won’t post it here but PM me if you want to know,

Most VPNs didn’t work

xpd

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#3273307 18-Aug-2024 21:17

We went for 2 weeks on the Explorer last year.

Lived without mobile until we were near a local supported roaming partner for $8 a day. Apart from that, never touched the phone for anything except the camera function.

Def top up your room account before you go. Can be used for almost everything on board.

XPD / Gavin

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trig42

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#3273328 19-Aug-2024 08:00

I've cruised P&O a couple of times.

Phone - don't worry about it - put it on Airplane mode and forget it. If you get the wifi package, you can check socials etc. You won't get any credit card authorisations, as you can't use it on the ship. You can use it in ports (that aren't just little islands with no infrastructure) on roaming. Do not leave mobile data on while at sea - the roaming costs will be massive.

Wise - I used my Wise card on Explorer last year no issues. You can use the same card for all the people on your booking (in this case my wife and I were linked). They charge the card every night with what you bought on your cruise card.

Just a note on the drinks package. They didn't offer any deals for us on our last cruise (though, we had booked a Mini Suite for the price of a Balcony cabin). We thought we'd just pay as we went (as the package was going to be $99/day x 2 - you can't just buy it for one person in the cabin - so $1600 for the cruise). We like a drink, and we just ordered when we felt like one and didn't worry about it. According to our statements they emailed, we spent ~$1100 on drinks, so came out $500 better off. I don't think we would have drunk any more if we'd had the package (certainly not $500 more).

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#3273331 19-Aug-2024 08:23

The drinks packages IMHO are bit of a scam. To make use of them, you'd be pretty pi**ed each day or running to the bathroom a lot.

And the "rule" I heard was that they limit you to 12 alcoholic drinks a day - which is actually quite a lot, but if like your booze they can stop you whenever they like.

The way we did it, was any 2+ sea days, we'd have a number of drinks. Then port days, we wouldn't drink - who wants to arrive at a great location with a hangover ? :)

XPD / Gavin

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johno1234

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#3273344 19-Aug-2024 08:48

Drinks package is not just booze. It adds barista coffee and bottled water. I'd grab at least two of each every day. A few cocktails around the pool over the day, pre-dinner cocktail, wine with dinner, post dinner drink. A few drinks at the dance party or theatre. I'm not a boozer but on a sea day I found it very very easy to break even. On a cruise that is mostly port days it would be harder and on one with several sea days, easy.

sen8or

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#3273348 19-Aug-2024 08:56

Not cruised P&O, but Princess twice, drinks package both times (which includes Wifi), definitely wouldn't cruise without it. Not just alcohol, but for us the proper coffee's (3ea per day) and bottled water easily help justify the costs. We probably do drink a bit more than if we were paying as we go, but it gives freedom to try a drink you might not otherwise try and if you don't like it, no big deal.

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Eva888

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#3273350 19-Aug-2024 09:01

Thanks for all the tips. Leaving from Sydney on the Adventure. Curious if any of you can log into NZ P&O I can only log into the .au site as a past member. Therefore all the prices are in Aus$.

Curious about the VPN, I’ve sometimes used vpn that’s worked via Aloha browser but not at sea and didn’t work for all sites.

For health and med reasons we no longer consume alcohol. I miss a G&T so would probably lapse sometimes. So the drinks package would be limited to soft drinks and juices. Decided to pay as we go for that reason. There’s always something to drink at the cafes with food. Rest of the time will just order.

Still on the fence about Internet. We don’t do social media so it’s mainly reading or streaming You Tube etc. More concerned about the kid wanting it to watch tic toc etc but she will be joining a kids club so maybe won’t use it as much. Have some time left to decide.

I have credit on Skype that maybe I could use to call a phone if needed. No idea if they block this. I was glad the ports have been changed from New Caledonia to Vanuatu as quite concerned with the troubles there and planned not to embark with the kid. Such a pity that a few have killed their tourist industry. I would never feel safe there again.

Head is spinning with all the arrangements needed. Travel insurance is a big worry as we can’t add the kid to our insurance and neither country can give me a clear answer and it’s all waffle speak or they don’t understand the issue. She is leaving from Sydney so has to have separate insurance there and back to Aus. I am nervous that they won't connect the dots if something should happen. Using Cover-More for both.

Have to book the flights today, more decisions. Do I want a Qantas Boeing or ANZ Airbus twin engines.

trig42

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#3273383 19-Aug-2024 10:20

Travel Insurance you just get it quoted/priced from the time you leave home in NZ thill the time you get back - that covers flights and the cruise.

We didn't get it on our last trip (to Fiji), but we are getting it for our next cruise from Hong Kong to Sydney. I just put the dates and countries being visited into their online quote tool and it spits out a price.

Found 1Cover to be cheaper (about the same as AA I think).
I need to find out from them if the cruise add-on is compulsory (I can't find that anywhere). I'm not worried about extra cover for Formal Attire, missing a Port Stop/excursion.

Eva888

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#3273387 19-Aug-2024 10:34

trig42:

Travel Insurance you just get it quoted/priced from the time you leave home in NZ thill the time you get back - that covers flights and the cruise.

We didn't get it on our last trip (to Fiji), but we are getting it for our next cruise from Hong Kong to Sydney. I just put the dates and countries being visited into their online quote tool and it spits out a price.

Found 1Cover to be cheaper (about the same as AA I think).
I need to find out from them if the cruise add-on is compulsory (I can't find that anywhere). I'm not worried about extra cover for Formal Attire, missing a Port Stop/excursion.

Cruise add ons are generally not included and you have to stipulate as it’s an extra. They are all pretty much the same but you wouldn’t want to be on a ship having a heart attack or breaking your neck and need to be medivaced off without some. I paid almost $1000 on one trip using the ship doctors because of breathless issue. They charge per breathe :)

Juicytree

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#3273406 19-Aug-2024 11:34

larknz:

Wise will only give one card per account. So if you both want cards you will have to have 2 accounts.

You can get a physical card on Wise and you can create more than one virtual card on the same account. When we travel my partner takes the physical card and I nominate a virtual card as the default in Google Wallet on my phone. This is, of course, subject to an active data connection. If you are applying for a Wise account, ensure your card is imprinted with generic name that doesn't identify male or female such as initial and surname.

trig42

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#3273408 19-Aug-2024 11:39

Yep, but I don't think not adding the cruise means you can't claim for medical expenses on a cruise,

This image from 1Cover website explaining what the cruise pack offers:

I need to call them and get a definitive answer

EDIT - found the answer with a bit more digging (and, I'm sure I've searched for it before) - You are not covered at sea if you don't purchase the Cruise Pack.

Damn :)

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Scott3

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#3273412 19-Aug-2024 11:56

trig42:

Yep, but I don't think not adding the cruise means you can't claim for medical expenses on a cruise,

This image from 1Cover website explaining what the cruise pack offers:

I need to call them and get a definitive answer

EDIT - found the answer with a bit more digging (and, I'm sure I've searched for it before) - You are not covered at sea if you don't purchase the Cruise Pack.

Damn :)

Yeah, per your edit, It is pretty clear in the policy document:

Eva888

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#3273477 19-Aug-2024 13:05

Decision made to go with Qantas. Why? Because the Air NZ app kept throwing me out and requesting I go to my email and type in the verification code they sent to email. Then it throws me out again, rinse and repeat three times. Don’t want to be sitting in the airport unable to open the app which has just been updated.

Qantas…keep sending me emails that they will hold the UNCOMPLETED booking till 11.59pm. What? Ive already paid for and have a booking number and can see it in my banking app.

Feeling cursed today. Why are simple things made so difficult and time consuming. This brings me to the anxiety of needing access to email or a phone while overseas to manage bookings etc when apps keep requiring extra verification.

Eva888

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#3273485 19-Aug-2024 13:37

@trig42 It might make you feel better that you won’t have to pay anywhere near what our travel insurance is costing as Mr E has medical conditions.
Eye watering $750 for two people for 18 days, and that’s taking into account that most of the time will be spent in Australia. They calculate on where on land you will spend most time, so the ports were less than the time in Australia before and after the cruise. Southern Cross quoted $1200 for the same days.

trig42

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#3273491 19-Aug-2024 14:27

Eva888:

@trig42 It might make you feel better that you won’t have to pay anywhere near what our travel insurance is costing as Mr E has medical conditions.
Eye watering $750 for two people for 18 days, and that’s taking into account that most of the time will be spent in Australia. They calculate on where on land you will spend most time, so the ports were less than the time in Australia before and after the cruise. Southern Cross quoted $1200 for the same days.

Yeah, ouch.

Like all insurance you begrudge it till you need it.

My quote from 1Cover for 2 people 26 nights cruising from Hong Kong to Sydney via Vietnam (3 stops), Thailand (2 stops), Singapore, Bali and 3 stops in AU was $549 with AA (before discount applied for AA membership) and $497 with 1 cover (+ Cruise pack $150).

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