boeckli

https://cruisingwithhoney.blogspot.com/

So they couldn't tell you why your card was cancelled?

In the Opal T&C's- effective 19 Aug 2022 it says: "A Health Care Card is not accepted as proof of entitlement for a Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal card." https://transportnsw.info/document/2114/opal-terms-of-use1.pdf Also from the T&C's about Expiry (clause 80) "Card Expiration: An Opal Card will expire: a) in the case of a reloadable Opal Card – 11 years; or b) in the case of a Free Opal Card - 5 years, after the date it is initialised (which will be earlier than the date you received or first used the Opal Card) (Planned Expiry) ... You will know when an Opal Card is about to expire as a card expiration message will appear on the reader display when you tap on an Opal Card Reader during the 30 day period prior to Planned Expiry "" That expiry notice doesn't help anyone who (like me) does not use their Opal card regularly. I had no idea up to now that Opal cards expired (maybe this is something new). Wonder if it is possible to check how old a particular card is?

This original info flyer from the Dreamcruises website https://www.dreamcruises.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/190820_Global-Class-Flyer_EN_Preview.pdf Clearly 9000 is the top capacity that would not normally be utilised.

11 Days New Zealand from Brisbane, Australia Carnival Luminosa Sun 20 Nov, 2022 - Thu 1 Dec, 2022 Solo 55+ - Balcony $1321

I'm an early bird for a change ... 🐦

Yes. On our baltic cruise in 2011 we docked at the port of Nynäshamn and then had about an hour's bus ride into Stockholm.

Coming down some steps and turning onto the path, I nearly walked right into this guy. Stopped dead in my tracks, then very carefully extracted camera from jacket pocket and was glad to have a fold-out screen, so I didn't have to raise camera to view which I'm sure would have spooked him.

I have also stayed at MSocial pre-pandemic and it is definitely closer to Princes Wharf (in fact right opposite). This photo was taken from my room at MSocial

In terms of Covid I don't think they would bring anything that isn't already here ...

I mostly use marinetraffic, unless whatever I want to track is out of range. I've not had any problems with cruisemapper either, hope they can fix it 🤞

You can always try marinetraffic.com instead.

How do they know that with a standard "debit card"?? That's why they put through pre-authorisations, don't they? Not sure if I've used mine on RCI (Feb 2016) or Celebrity (Dec 2018) but definitely on NCL (Dec 2019 and Feb 2020).

Here's the link to the CBA info https://www.commbank.com.au/travel/travel-money-card.html Looking at my card, it says "Travel Money Card" on the front (looks just like on their website, obviously with my name and validity dates) and on the back in small letters it says "Prepaid". So it's not officially named a "Debit Card" but works like one, i.e. you're operating off fund in your account, in whatever currency you set up.

You can get travel money cards that fulfil those requirements. I have had a CBA one for several years. It's a Visa debit card, has my name on it and I have successfully used it on a couple of pre-Covid cruises.

Is there no longer a bus (I think it was #109) that goes from inside the terminal to the city, thus eliminating the long walk to the tram station?

A few more from the zoo

From my visit to Sydney's Taronga Zoo this week

Spent an enjoyable few hours at Taronga Zoo here in Sydney. Walked into the Tasmanian Devil enclosure just in the nick of time to watch this little guy munching away. A minute later he had disappeared to the rear and out of sight.

...

Pacific Encounter (ex star Princess) shortly after her maiden arrival into Sydney (one tug still visible at her stern). Taken from Taronga Zoo across the harbour

If you're talking about Flo - she died in 2017!

I went to Taronga Zoo this morning and captured the following @ 10.35. I had no idea she had just arrived (until I looked at the photos on computer and noticed the tug at the stern). Didn't have my Opal card with me, otherwise I might have taken the ferry over to have a closer look. Perfect day here in Sydney today. Here is another look a bit later

Coming back to it now I can't either, only the same kind of gibberish. I'm still curious as to why Dave's right click had so much more stuff than mine 😕 But it looks like download from google photos and then upload to here to reliably work. I've disliked google photos from the word go, when they ditched Picasa and its online albums which were much more user-friendly.