charliedalrymple

They just had a live shot of Sydney Harbour on the local news, with Majestic prominently on display! 🙂

If I may make a suggestion, have cocktails in the bar at the top of the Shangri-La Hotel. Magnificent views of the harbour!

It has been fascinating to follow this ongoing adventure, supplemented by the perspectives of those arriving on the Majestic. Thanks for your thorough reporting!

We also miss bar snacks to enjoy with cocktails. We sometimes purchase them at the little sundry shop on the Piazza level and bring them to the bars. (I honestly can't remember whether they sell peanuts.)

Aside from the lack of response: Perhaps I'm alone here, but I had no idea that parmesan cheese was made with animal products, and I would have considered a dish with parmesan to be vegetarian. Is this widely known in the food service industry?

Hmmm....you seem to favour reds. I think that Australia is better at whites, while the Kiwis produce better reds. I'll be interested to hear your perspective. Don't forget to try the cocktail bar at the top of the Shangri-La if you have the opportunity!

I think one upside of COVID is that most people are much more conscious of personal hygiene. I will admit that I generally didn't wash my hands before a meal prior to the pandemic, but now I always do. I've also become one of those people who uses a paper towel to open the door of public restroom when I'm leaving. Now if we could just do away with handshakes and greet everyone with the "Namaste" instead.

One thing to remember in Australia: An "entree" is an appetiser, and a "main" is....well, a main course. 🙂 And you don't have to tip. Ever.

One thing I would definitely recommend in Sydney if you haven't done it before is the Harbour Bridge Climb. It's pricey but worth it. Be warned that they will give you a breathalyser test in advance. Another tip: Go for drinks at the top of the Shangri La Hotel. It's a magnificent view of the harbour!

Yes, I completely agree with this. I was thinking about the under-10 crowd.

It was on the Majestic to New Zealand over Christmas 2023. I should note that Aussies love to go barefoot and it's not uncommon to see that in stores or coffee shops on land. But I'm sorry, not in the MDR. (This was actually on a so-called formal night!)

It definitely made us drink more than usual. However, in our case that meant 5-6 alcoholic drinks per day rather than two.

I read this thread just to see whether "butter" was a typo.

The old locks are definitely on my bucket list. My parents did a full transit through the old locks and thought it got rather tedious after the first few hours. Do you share that opinion? Would you recommend a partial transit or even a small-boat excursion instead?

I'm curious: do you mean "real" VIPs (like celebrities or politicians), or does it include passengers who have done a gazillion Princess cruises but aren't staying a suite?