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Terry
I have always noticed that you Americans say "Could care less" -- when we say "couldn't care less". I have always wondered why you say that. Being pedantic - but "could care less" surely means that you do care somewhat but "could care less".. whereas our "couldn't care less" means exactly that.
So I couldn't care less what the polls are saying now - I have bought the popcorn for Saturday night next week and others in the street are bringing the beer and wine. They won't bring too much though because it is going to be an early night this time.
Barry
Kevin will only need a mini bus to drive his party around after Saturday night, that is if he holds onto his seat.
A bit like Anna Bligh she only needed a Tarago to drive her members around, and then she resigned.
I agree I think the result will be in early, and the blood bath will begin.
Speaking of changes the ALP has made, are people aware that when pensioners travel overseas now, they can only travel for 6 weeks before their pensions are cut, whereas it used to be 13 weeks. I have found this out since my parents have travelled overseas this year and Centrelink cut their pension. Centrelink stuffed up, but in making some phone calls, I discovered what the govt has done to our travelling pensioners. They are so unkind to our pensioners, but give truckloads of money to the refugees!
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If the author of this thread is so concerned about our dollar being high, why is he travelling? And more than the likely the cruise he is on will be USD, so what is the problem?
I remember travelling to US in 1994 and our dollar being only worth about US 70 cents, so he has nothing to complain about. I spent 3 months in the states, and must admit I thought twice about buying goods because of the exchange rate.
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Reading some of the stories on here, what a mess for those people who have had their cruise cancelled. Very difficult for those who have travelled a long distance, and then had their holiday plans destroyed.
Celebrity cruises need to do more for the passengers, a bit difficult for people to just head home.
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This ship also had cruises cancelled when it was sailing to New Zealand back in 2009. Not a good track record.
At least they are being very generous to the passengers.
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Sometimes the food you can buy on the plane is better than the slop that included in some tickets. You can also bring your own food onto the plane as well.
I believe with Jetstar here in Australia you are not allowed to bring on your own food.
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I personally would be really concerned flying on some of the cheap Asian airlines, one would wonder if you would make it.
I too believe in paying a bit more and having a better flight schedule. Why get out of bed so early if you don't have to :)
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SINGAPORE TO
SYDNEY VOYAGE
Voyager of the Seas®: 24 Oct 2013 - 14 nights
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
• Flight from Sydney to Singapore
• 14 night cruise starting in Singapore (fi rst 2 days/night in
port) and visiting Port Klang (Malaysia), Darwin, Brisbane
and Sydney
• All Meals and Entertainment onboard
• Superb choice of bars, lounges & restaurants • All Taxes
Added bonus: Upgrade to Outside stateroom from $500pp
and receive a FREE balcony stateroom upgrade
FREE
FLIGHTS &
SAVING
$100PP
INTERIOR FROM
$1799PP
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LUXURY SYDNEY
TO SINGAPORE
Celebrity Millennium®: 20 Nov 2013 - 17 nights
INTERIOR FROM
$1849PP
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
• 17 night Luxury cruise sailing from Sydney (fi rst 2 Days/1
night in port) visiting Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Cairns
(2 Days/1 night), Darwin, Benoa (Bali) and Singapore
(last 2 Days/1 night in port)
• All Meals and Entertainment onboard
• Superb choice of bars, lounges & restaurants
• Flight from Singapore to Sydney
• All Taxes
CHINA, JAPAN
& SOUTH KOREA
Voyager of the Seas®: 06 Sept 2013 - 15 nights
INTERIOR FROM
$1899PP
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
• Return Flights from Sydney to Beijing
• 2 night FREE stay in Beijing (1 pre and 1 post cruise)
• 12 night cruise in a sailing from Tianjin visiting Toyama
(Japan), Sapporo (Muroran – One half days and 1 night), Tokyo,
Nagasaki, Busan (South Korea) and disembark in Tianjin
• All Meals and Entertainment onboard Cruise • All Taxes
* Upgrade to an Outside Stateroom for $250pp and get a free
upgrade to a Balcony Stateroom*
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I think i found a goodie -
Return flights to Singapore. 2 nts in a hotel. 7 nights on Mariner of the Seas (RCI). Depar. Aus 13 Feb 2014.
$999 per person not including transfers & grats.
You would get the return flight & hotel for that price!
Is that through an Aussie TA?
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DAY 1 - EMBARK 18 APRIL 2015
Arrive Istanbul and board MSC Armonia (or similar vessel). Today's cabin allocation is followed by an elegant evening cocktail function. (Dinner)
DAY 2 - ISTANBUL - 19 APRIL 2015
Explore the evocative winding lanes of old Istanbul and its dramatic monuments, including World Heritage listed Hagia Sophia, the mesmerising Blue Mosque and lavish Topkapi Palace. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
DAY 3 - LEMNOS - 20 APRIL 2015
Cruise pristine sapphire waters en-route to Lemnos and lay a floating wreath where Australia's AE2 Submarine lies in the Sea of Marmara's hidden depths. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
DAY 4 - GALLIPOLI - 21 APRIL 2015
From midnight, a minute by minute re-enactment of the ANZAC soldiers voyage from Lemnos to Gallipoli. Visit the evocative battlefield destinations Anzac Cove, Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
DAY 5 - GALLIPOLI - 22 APRIL 2015
An immersive battlefield pilgrimage continues with the Turkish narrative and visits to British and French areas of Gallipoli. By the end of today the fabric of a complete story will have been woven. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
DAY 6 - CANAKKALE - 23 APRIL 2015
Enjoy the joyous haze of dance and music as VIP guests at the spectacular Children's Day festivities in Canakkale. An afternoon Museum visit includes an exhibit of two bullets fused mid-air. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
DAY 7 - TROY - 24 APRIL 2015
Indulge a passion for culture in the nearby ruins of Troy, and uncover secret links between history's celebrated kingdom and Gallipoli. A relaxed afternoon ahead of Anzac Day. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
DAY 8 - ANZAC DAY - 25 APRIL 2015
Pay your respects as a lone bugle sounds and the shadows of 100 years loom against the rising sun. Cruise passengers may select from three dignified Dawn Service options. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
DAY 9 - ISTANBUL - 26 APRIL 2015
A last day to be enchanted by Istanbul, from its wonderfully shaped minarets to hidden away carpet factories and luscious local cuisine. An elegant black tie ball concludes the cruise. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
DAY 10 - DISEMBARK ISTANBUL - 27 APRIL 2015
Bid friends and fellow travellers farewell. Depart for home or the promise of new horizons on an extension tour. (Breakfast)
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According to this article there is 4 cruise ships http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/anzac-day/cruise-ships-to-moor-off-anzac-cove-for-centenary-to-allow-more-visitors/story-e6frgdaf-1226628503446
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The pricing on those cruises is eye-watering. I think a lot pulled out when people had to go into a ballot and no guarantee anymore of landing on Anzac Day.
Which cruise did they have to go into a ballot for?
I have heard an ad on the radio this week and seen an ad on TV today for the 2015 cruise.
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Extract from a email received today:
As one of our loyal customers we wanted to give you the first opportunity to take advantage of an amazing last minute deal on the beautiful 'Celebrity Solstice'
We have just 4 cabins available for the unbeatable price of $2195pp for a 17 night cruise from Sydney to Honolulu visiting Vanuatu, Tahiti & Hawaii plus 1 night in Waikiki & airfare home! You save over $700pp and we'll even throw in a US$100 per cabin onboard credit.
Departs 8 April 2013
√ Luxury cruising on the 'Celebrity Solstice'
√ 17 night Sydney to Honolulu cruise
√ Onboard gratuities
√ 1 night post-cruise in Waikiki 4 Star hotel
√ One way flight from Honolulu to Sydney
√ Bonus $100 Onboard Credit!
Hurry, this is a strictly limited offer. Only 4 Inside Category 09 cabins are available.
Book Now!
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Great photos Sutho. Wonder if they are trimming a metre of the top so that she will fit under the harbour bridge.:D
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Hmm, just going flat out so the ship sits low in the water and waiting for low tide and the crossing of fingers doesn't sound a very professional approach, wonder why they would take these kind of risks?:eek:
All good and well going flat out, then they have to hit the brakes. I wonder if we will notice it easing up in a hurry.:eek:
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Received updated docs today that we arriving into Sydney 1 hour later, 7am instead of 6am, I wonder if that has something to do with the tides.
I am still concerned about how we are going to fit under the harbour bridge.
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I did the ships tour on Tuesday. They can no longer schedule the bridge visit while we are underway so that is being done when we are docked at Noumea. Yes it is going qickly now.
The Hotel Director is Robert Versteeg. Captain as above - Henk Draper. The Captain is unobtrusive and makes a very short weather and position report once a day, but he did find the hole in the clouds so is to be congratulated. The hotel Director was forthcoming about the dry dock. Purpose is to clean and polish the hull for fuel economy, do necessary maintenance on the azipods and renew carpet and some soft furninshings in pubic areas and suites plus some general manicuring and tidification.
They are offering chilren's cooking classes on the Oosterdam - last one was cheesy pretzels. One grandother on board spoke very highly of Club HAL. The area itself is not extensive but apparently they spend a lot of time in activities around the ship and the staff are excellent according to my informant. Colleen
Thank you for the update on the kids activities.
Was the ships tour worth doing and did you see much of the behind the scenes areas?
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Captain is Henk Draper. I don't know the HM.
Doesn't matter who the captain is, so long as he or she doesn't take out the Harbour Bridge.:D
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We have a visit to the bridge on the Oosterdam scheduled for Noumea on Sunday. I may get the chance to ask but I suspect the response will be equivocal - depends, it's up to the port authorities etc. BTW we were refunded $4.49 pp for missing Mackay. Almost enough for a cocktail!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Enjoy that cocktail.:D
How did you get to organise a tour to the bridge? Are you doing the tour of the ship?
Your cruise is going quick.
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I have had my cruise friend staying with me for the last few days. However she didn't get an answer for the Oosterdam. :(
Maybe we have to put our lifejackets on when we arrive back in Sydney.:D
HAL might be doing some publicity stunt with having the funnel stuck on the bridge.:D
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Lets hope your friend can get some answers on the dimensions.
This topic has got me interested now as we have Oriana's dimensions above and the Oosterdam is bigger than Oriana. Photos cant tell measurements but you can see below Oosterdam is bigger. Unless Oosterdam has really short decks then I cant see it going under.
Sutho maybe you could make a trip into town and get some shots of the Oosterdam attempting to go under the harbour bridge.:D
And then you will have some before and after shots on Wednesday 2nd January.
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I have emailed a friend who works onboard the Oosterdam and told her to ask the captain! hee hee.
At least the first time it is scheduled to go under is at the end of our cruise. :D:D
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We sailed under the bridge a few years back on the Superstar Leo (Star Cruises). I remember the captain saying we had a half hr corridor to get under/through, and the clearance was approx 1m.....I swear it looked like the funnel was scraping....so exciting with everyone onboard going "Whoa" at the same time. In the middle, they blasted the horn, smoke and all, and we all had a huge laugh re the cars above. Oh, that was a great cruise, great ship!
How big a ship is the Superstar Leo.
Imagine what it would have been like if you were climbing the bridge when it went under and the smoke.
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I have just spoken to Holland America and they were very helpful and told me that the Oosterdam would only possibly get under the bridge in low tide.
The consultant actually rang me back and said that the allocation of berths is upto the Port Authority, and that it can even change on the day when the pilot boards the ship.
He informed me that the ship would probably berth at the OPT or possibly Garden Island (which clarification is still been sort about which ships will berth there).
He said there is extra ships arriving in Sydney this year. Which is obviously causing a lot of juggling by the Port Authority.
Australia $ Value, Economic Direction?
in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Posted
The whole pension is cut if somebody goes out of the country for more than 6 weeks.
Yes it is true that the refugees get more than pensioners. The refugees get so much financial help from the govt, and then from do gooder organisations. Some of these refugees come into the country with gold chains around children's waists and then are running business's back in their native country. I think it is time that people woke upto to what is going on with the boat people. Our country can not continue to support all these people, and the problem too is that they go and breed like flies and then get more from the welfare system.
I really believe this country is in for very hard times, the mining boom has burst and lots of people are losing their jobs. This is having a huge affect in North Queensland. Gillard in her wisdom brought in the mining and carbon tax, which has backfired on the ALP as lots of people have lost their jobs because of this. Now we also have Ford closing in Victoria and Holden is not far behind in closing in Adelaide. Australia does not have a very large manufacturing industry anymore.