clairebearinaus

How about a lanyard for their sea pass card?

 

We surprised our kids many years ago - they were probably 8, 6 & 4 at the time. We put them off to bed one night and then packed bags while they were asleep and put the bags in the boot of the car. We got up in the morning and told them we were having a family day out and where would they like to go? The zoo was the consensus. When we arrived in Melbourne we drove to the airport and dropped our car at an offsite car parking place. They started asking where we were going on the bus ride to the airport (they were getting excited) and we still wouldn't tell them. When we got to the airport we told them to look at the departures screen and see if there was anywhere they'd like to go. The theme parks at the Gold Coast were on their wish list - the eldest spotted the Gold Coast on the departure board ....Bingo. They were jumping around like crazy people. We had 2 weeks booked at this awesome family resort which they just loved. It is one of those great family memories for me. I loved the time when my kids were little. They're all grown up now and my wife and I enjoy travelling on our own or with friends.

 

PS I tried to surprise my wife with the 2 nighter on Golden Princess from Sydney to Melbourne a couple of weeks ago but she's way too inquisitive and worked it out.

That is a great story! As for your wife - well, she still got a surprise, just not at the exact time you hoped she would! :)

I surprised my 10yo on the same cruise. It was hilarious. We were standing at Circular Quay right in front of the Golden Princess when I told him and he didn't believe me. Queuing up in the OPT, passports and boarding passes in hand, he assured me he knew it was all a big prank, and once we got to the front of the queue we'd have to leave.

I don't think it really sank in until he wandered onboard and into the piazza, found the International Café and having been told "go for it, it's all free!", stuffed the first of a half a dozen cakes into his face :D

OP, have you had a look on eBay or the cruise line's website for ship merchandise? You might be able to grab some branded things that would help your kids get the hint :)

I have multicharger thing (sorry don't know what it's called!), it has one electricity plug and a box with 4 USB points for connecting multiple chargers.

I hoped since it's not technically a powerboard that it might get past any cruise ship restrictions. I didn't bother to take it on my first cruise because it was so short I only had my phone with me, but it would be useful in future.

Has anyone successfully brought these aboard, without having to sneak them in?

I love Lowenbrau! Been a few months since I was able to get there for a pork knuckle and a litre of beer, miss it a lot!

If your luggage will be more manageable by the time you get off the ship, the train from Circular Quay to the airport might be your most convenient option. It's about $16pp, I'm not 100% sure but assume an infant is free.

Once at the airport you have a very short trip up the escalator and through the gate before you can grab a trolley.

And if a child can't control themselves and the parents refuse to, there are other vacation choices for them as well.......camping in the middle of the woods comes to mind so that only the animals will have to listen to the screeching of a small child. :rolleyes:

I am a crotchety old thing, and sometimes have to try REALLY hard to find my inner peace in the face of other humans and all the annoying stuff they do.

But I recognise that's largely my problem, and one I have to deal with if I'm going to climb onto a boat with a few thousand others in close quarters.

So I while I understand where you're coming from, I disagree. I think it's actually the people who can't hack sharing a public space with other humans, and those unpredictable and sometimes outrageous things other humans do, who would be better off camping in the middle of nowhere.

I've decided not to ever let those things ruin a well earned holiday.

Managed to get a pic on my similar thread on the Princess board, all good :)

Thank you, very helpful! My boys will be 12 and 11, and it's only a 3 night cruise so I think it'll be nice to have everyone in together. That set up looks fine.

Thank you all. Some pics would be lovely if you have them handy. My kids will both be pretty much adult sized by the time that cruise rolls around and I'd love to be able to visualise if/how we'll all fit.

Hi,

I'm considering a mini suite on the Golden Princess, dolphin deck for two adults and two kids. The website only allows me to book a few of the mini suites for 4 people, and I found a deck plan online which says those cabins have a fourth bed, a pullman, in addition to the usual queen and sofa beds.

If you've stayed in a cabin like this I'd love some info about how all those beds are configured. I'm guessing the pullman is above the sofa?

Any advice much appreciated.

Yikes, ok, they're a bit hardcore over there, I'm scared! ;)

I checked the deck plans and there are definitely mini suites on Dolphin and Emerald decks marked as having a fourth, pull down bed. Hopefully it's in a configuration that will work for us.

Thanks

Oh ok, now I'm confused too. I thought I saw on the website that if you got a mini suite for 4 it came with a queen, a sofabed and a Pullman bed on the wall. Just wondering which wall, but maybe I got the wrong end of the stick.

If you've cruised in one of these, can you please tell me is the 4th pull down bed located over the main bed, or over the sofa bed in the living room?

Thanks

Not all trams in the "City" are free, which is what the poster said.

If the free city circle tram now travels within the new extended free area, then I stand corrected.

Yes, that was the bit I was referring to, apologies if it appeared I was arguing with everything you wrote.

You might be happy to hear that the signage for the free area has improved - it's printed all over the ground at stops - and they announce over the PA when you are about to leave a free area so no need to keep a lookout.

I just booked a repeat next year :D

This time 4 of us going to appease the two who missed out last week and haven't stopped harping on about it. (And who can blame them...)

It's 3 nights this time, but I'll be watching carefully for sales because it's pretty exxy, over $2000 for four of us in a balcony cabin. I might have to chuck it if the price doesn't come down but the 4 berths were selling out fast so I snapped one up and will worry about it later.

I'm sorry 6666oz but your information is out of date.

All trams in the CBD area are now free and have been for some time. This applies north-south from Victoria St to the Arts Centre, and from Spring St and through Docklands.

The free area is clearly marked at tram stops and here's a map:

https://ptv.vic.gov.au/assets/Images/maps/Network-maps/PTV_FreeTramZone_Map.pdf

Another for me: the family members who missed out last week were terribly jealous so we're doing a repeat next year! Plus it's semi-milestone birthdays for the adults.

11/11/16 Golden Princess: Sydney - Melbourne 3nts

The Dining Options information shows children 3-12 years at half price and children 0-2 free so the Crown Grill would be $12.50 for 3-12 year olds and free for 0-2 year olds.

They're going to regret that when they see how much my 12 and 10yos can eat! They put most adults to shame.

I jumped in to share my experience on the Golden to find it's already been quoted!

The pork belly dish isn't cured pork. It's a fairly common ingredient in Australia. Twice cooked (i.e. slow braised, then under the grill for the crackling) is lovely and works well with Asian flavours.

The Curtis Stone version was more traditional, served with some apple and potato.

My son complained that his chicken and leek pie had gristly meat, but he's a fusspot so I wouldn't take his review too seriously!

During my first cruise, last week on the Golden I was surprised to see a bunch of things in the Anytime Dining room which I'd been led to believe were inappropriate.

Shorts were one of those things, along with manky old jeans and rubber flip flops.

I must admit I spent about 30 seconds being mildly annoyed, having gone to considerable effort and expense to find 2 x new pants to fit my tall skinny DS, who grows like a weed and will no longer fit them when our cool weather returns. Then I remembered I was on holiday, and forgot about it :)

The scrambled eggs on most lines--horrible. Also desserts that look beautiful but taste like cardboard.

I've only been on one cruise but that sums up my experience perfectly.

I get a very mild version of motion sickness, just a faint headache and sense of lightheadedness if I try to read. On my recent cruise I really noticed the difference when I put a Sea Band on and then again in the morning when I forgot, and the feeling came back. They either work or are a very good placebo!

My DS is more prone to carsickness etc so I went the full gamut with him but like you wanted to avoid drowsiness, he is unbearably cranky when tired! So in addition to a Sea Band he had ginger/herbal based tablets during the day and just a Kwell overnight. He reported a couple of mild waves of nausea while indoors but they didn't amount to anything.

There was a lap pool?! I really should have spent more time exploring!

Our disembarkation from the Golden went very smoothly on Friday, though it was a little late due to the welcome curtains fanfare.

We were one of the first groups off, and carried our own bags, so this probably helped a lot. It was also a domestic cruise so no immigration and customs at the end.

We were asked to wait in the Explorer's lounge which was a) hot and stuffy and b) had no mobile reception even when tied up at the pier. I've learned my lesson and will hang around in my cabin or on an outside deck a bit longer next time and only move to the lounge at the last possible minute, and after I've contacted my ride home.

A small bottle of water was $3.50 and a 1.5l was $5. I think I'll BYO a slab next time if we're not getting the all inclusive package.

I bought the Soda and More package, at the bar next to the International Cafe before sailaway. I had to purchase a second time because the online purchase I'd made a few days before sailing hadn't come through. I was refunded for the double up, eventually after some chasing.