SinbadThePorter

We are on the Sept 26th version of this cruise, which I assume will go the same way. I would prefer the 12 day Qld cruise with Conflict Islands replaced by Townsville and Gladstone.

Just disembarked this morning. If you are wanting to catch a taxi from the cruise terminal, be prepared for a considerable wait. Taxis were very scarce on the ground this morning. I'm not sure many drivers know where the cruise terminal is. On the way in on Sunday I had to direct our driver who had no idea where to go, or that there was anything to go to.

What spooks me about B2Bs is being thrown off if you catch covid.

It's happened at least once before. 😏 Now I have something to extra to look forward to in a couple of cruises.

Only one minibar per cabin unfortunately. You've always been able to swap the minibar for coffee cards or cans of soda, but I've never heard of a soda package being on offer.

Yes x3. 😀

The minibar normally comes with the suite on cruises of more than 6 days. As far as I know, you've never before been able to swap it out for coffee cards and soda packages. I was wondering if this was an inaugural cruise deal.

Wow. That's a great deal. Was it a one off? We are on the next cruise in a vista suite. It would save us having to bring our own soft drink.

There are two Princess cruises out of Sydney in August and September to the Conflict Islands that have got me flummoxed. I can't see how they are going to take place. Or if they do, I can't see what would replace the Conflicts.

I'll go against the grain here and say stick with the cruises. Land trips are very good, but when you are in an unfamiliar country they can be tiring and troublesome. Especially compared with the care free travel on board a cruise ship. There is no way that everything can be seen of anything. So we are always going to get a truncated view of any place we visit. The perspective from a cruise ship is limited, but it's still worthwhile. You are on vacation. Do you really want to have to worry about connecting flights and local road rules? My advice is to maximise your time here with as many cruises as you can fit in. The way not to feel short changed is not to worry about the things you aren't seeing, but to focus on all the great things you are seeing. I was going to add a little joke about how experiencing New Zealand culture is something that New Zealanders also aspire to, but that would be rude. 😎

Would a call to Princess work?

With a strong Westerly like we have you can sometimes get away with sneaking down close along the coast to Jervis Bay.

It really holds back P&O in my opinion. If they would just spend a little more on provender and take a little more care in the galley, they would be far less like a budget cruise line.

Princess have a "Seas the Day" sale on until the 16th June. Inside fares per person: $299, Oct 8th, 3 day Sydney/Eden/Sydney Cruise $299, Jan 24th, 3 day Adelaide/KI/Melbourne $1499, Dec 8th, 13 day Sydney/Fiji/Sydney $1499, Jan 16th, 13 day Sydney/NZ/Auckland

"Public Wi-Fi will be available at the cruise terminal."

I always thought Angelo's was the best dining option on P&O. The food is the main reason I moved on from P&O. I had no real problem with anything else they did.

BYO lollies.

There is a major redevelopment project underway in Northshore and Portside. The entire riverfront from the Bretts Wharf Ferry to the Northshore Ferry is going to be rebuilt in the lead up to the Olympics. They haven't released anything about it, but I imagine that it will include the Portside dock.

One of the common types of power points used by the Chinese is the same as ours. So Majestic had them from the start. They tend to use it upside down, but it's electrically and physically the same.

For me the cruise season always starts when the first Alaska ship gets back from her TransPacific. This year that's October 22nd, 2022.

I think it was Legend of the Seas.

I went down for a look. It was cold and miserable, but there was a smell of anticipation in the air. Or else it was the next door neighbours. 😱

There was a multi-million dollar road upgrade in 2020. If you ask me where the money went I'd guess at the Cayman Islands, because you can't see it in the road. 😉 Although the problem is more likely to be road damage due to heavy vehicles, exacerbated by the roads being a built on a swamp.

The recent visit by Pacific Explorer is probably as close as we'll get. The Premier and the Lord Mayor were there. There was a band and the parking was free. 🙂

I'm in that photo. 😀