Not all cruise companies are the same.  Likewise, not all cruise passengers are the same.

On Tuesday, we’re joining some friends for a quick four-night cruise up the Queensland coast and back, to celebrate a significant birthday (not one of ours).  We’ve cruised before, but never with the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (which has, for some unknow reason, shortened its name to P&O).  

It’s Sunday afternoon, or as the TV shows would say, 48 hours to sailing.  By more or less general consensus, the cruising gang has decided to meet for a pre-launch check in. 

Murray has the floor. 

“Who else has booked a drinks package?” No one – well, no one willing to confess they have “a problem”.

“What about the internet package?” I admit to this, to the general disapproval of the purists – but I know they’ll all roll up to our cabin at some time or other with requests to “just check my socials” or “get a score update on the Botswana vs Western Samoa cricket match”.

As usual, the conversation heads off on a tangent.  This time, it’s all the unexpected extra costs the two or three people keen enough to read the fine print have discovered.  “Did you see they charge to go the stage show?” “Yes, and you have to pay for most of the restaurants.” “Well, what about the charge for ice creams and hamburgers, and …”

As I mentioned, it’s Sunday afternoon, so I had sort of drifted off, but I snap back to full attention. “What was that about hamburgers and ice creams?”  “Oh yes, you have to pay for them, and for pizzas from the grill.”

Since the itinerary is basically two days at sea and one day anchored off Airlie Beach, I had envisioned lounging in a deck chair, sustained by a healthy diet of hamburgers and ice-creams when I was too lazy to drag myself back to the buffet.  “Oh, and there’s no buffet.  Just some sort of food court. Not sure if it’s open all the time.”

Things are looking grim.  I know we all have different expectations of this adventure, but, if someone suggests we could form a team to compete in the on-board trivia competition instead, I think I’ll …

… to be continued