katie11

Hi Norris,

I too, have been waiting for this review. I have really enjoyed your Princess reviews and will be very interested in your X opinions.

Your photo's are brilliant and I can't wait for the next instalment.

Kerry

Appreciate so much your kind comments on that gannet picture. Was very please with how my camera performed in capturing those various, fast-moving images. For the record, that picture was shot using my Nikkor 50-300mm lens. It was shot at 300mm, f/9 at 1/5000 of a second with ISO of 800. Using the multi-shot capability with a better camera helps improve the odds for getting above-average results.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 188,864 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Thank you so much Terry, for your comments and helpful advice. I love your gannet picture and your explanation of the settings used helps me considerably, I am hoping to achieve similar results with my photography as I continue to learn. It can be mind boggling, trying to grasp the concepts.

The reason I bought the Lumix was for the zoom [600mm], and the high recommendations on this board. I have downloaded Graham Houghton's ebook and Utube video's to learn how to use it.

For our upcoming cruise to New Zealand in 2 weeks time, I feel undecided as to which camera I should take.

I have a Canon 650D [t4i] and a Panasonic Lumix FZ200, which I have recently bought.

The Lumix is lighter in weight and I wouldn't have to take extra lens [ zoom, wide angle, etc], but will the quality of the photo's be as good as the Canon?

I'd thought of taking both, but the weight factor, of carrying a heavy bag is putting me off.

I love being greeted with "Welcome back" when we board. It's a feeling of "coming home" again.

The friendliness of the staff, I have never experienced a rude staff member yet. They all speak to you and they smile, which is what a few of the passengers could do.

Having your bed turned down, with the chockie on the pillow.

Being supplied with ice and fresh fruit.

I could go on and on, but just suffice to say

I LOVE PRINCESS

I used the sea bands in 2011 on our Asian cruise, but found my hands swelled from the pressure on my wrists. It was pretty rough on the Indian Ocean and I didn't get sea sick, so they must have worked, although I was also taking Travacalm as well.

Now, I take Avomine, 1 every night, whether rough or not and that works for me.

A lot swear by the Gingercalm but I find they burn in my stomach.

Hope that helps you.

Hi Kerry

 

I find you tube is the go to location. I have a video converter program that converts you tube clips to MP4 files so search for "video converter you tube to iPad" and choose your method/program. Once i have copied the file to my hard drive I then open iTunes and place them in my movies area. Then it is just a matter of syncing your iPad (make sure that "all movies " is checked). Then your you tube videos are available off line.

 

I am sure there are easier ways to do it but this is how I load them onto my iPad.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Cheers

 

Kim

Hi Kim,

Thank you very much for that information. I'll give it a go and let you know the results.

Cheers,

Kerry

I have all of his tutorials loaded on my iPad so I can refer to them on those quiet sea days.

 

I also take my Mac Air with me with Photoshop and Lightroom loaded. That way I can catalog on the go to save the heartache when I get home. i have Scott Kelby's book on Lightroom 5 so if I want to do some post production and I get stuck, I have an excellent reference manual handy.

 

There is just too much to to learn and my brain is not as effective as it used to be, but this works for me anyway.

 

Cheers

 

Kim

I have just bought this camera and have started watching Graham Houghton's u tube tutorials. Are they an app I can download? If not, would you mind telling me how to load them on to my iPad. I find that I need to watch many times for it to sink in. It would be great to refer to them when needed.

I really want to get the most out of this camera.

Thanks Kerry

Is the Tranz Alpine Railway Princess excursion in Akaroa worth doing?

It is very expensive and I wonder if we would be better off to spend that money on something else.

I would appreciate thoughts on this excursion.

Also, what are the alternative points of interest which should not be missed, if we decide to do another excursion?

Its a great one to view....

Heres the link to that cam. Click on the arrow and allow the pic to load, then move the mouse across the screen for a time lapse view of the day.

http://www.queens-wharf.co.nz/queens-wharf/gallery/webcam/?redirect=1

Thanks so much for that link. We will be in Auckland in early December on the Golden Princess. Do hope we get to see both the North and South islands. I feel for the people on Diamond Princess missing out on the south.

Kerry

We are celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary on the Golden in November.

Which of the 2 speciality restaurants would be recommended for our anniversary dinner?

I understand I will need to book our table when we embark.

Appreciate any feedback, thanks.

We are supposed to board and disembark the Diamond Princess in July at Yokohama. Does anyone know what the pier is like? Is it very large and can taxis get close to the boarding gate?

 

We don't walk so well and one of us uses a cane. A couple of hundred steps will be fine, but we cannot walk a thousand steps without long rests in-between. At airports, we ask for a wheelchair: there are three levels, (1) cannot walk far, (2) cannot walk up stairs and (3) need to be carried to the seat. We choose number (1). That gives you the idea.

 

Any advice? Can Princess provide wheelchair service (as at airports)?

You will find that Osenbashi Pier is one of the modern cruise terminals. Taxis will take you to the front door and there will be some walking to check in, but not far. It would not be even a couple of hundred steps, as you say and all on one level.

There is plenty of seating, while you wait to board.

The Japanese are the most obliging, well mannered people I have met and will help you.

We were there last September and had the most enjoyable cruise.

Japan is a lovely country.

What a nice positive review. Congratulations on your anniversary.

We are sailing on the Golden next year for our 50th wedding anniversary. She is coming to Australian waters for a brief season.

I would like some advice from Aussies who have been to Japan on the best way to contact home whilst we are in Japan.

Would it be better to rent a phone or use my iPad to send emails or Viber using the wifi available on the ship or at the hotel.

I would appreciate answers from those of you who have done this already.

Thanks.

Katie,

 

 

Also, can you purchase from the US Amazon and have them shipped to NSW? Is the cost about the same?

 

Steve

Yes Steve, I can and have purchased from Amazon and the postage for 3 cards was US$5.47. Amazing, as here, it is double that.:(

Did not notice that you live in Australia. The $35 price is in the U.S. but for Extreme Plus which is faster than what most of us need! The Extreme is much less.

That's ok!

I have priced SD Extreme and the cheapest I can get it here is AU$58.99 with $10.00 postage. One of our local Tech stores have it for AU$79.95.

I have purchased from Amazon and another Asian online store.

How do I know if the cards are good quality and genuine or not?

Also, I'll never use all these cards on one trip, but as the [Amazon] price was so good, decided to have some in reserve.

I don't like deleting my photo's off the cards in case of a computer crash.

Katie,

 

I also back up my pics on a daily basis to at least one of the tablets wife/I carry on vacations. So, worst case, I may lose a day's worth of pics.

 

In regards to how many pics you can take, your user manual for the camera should have the settings to show how many pics per SD card size. I tend to shoot in a 4 Mpixel setting which for a 16Gb card, gives me about 6000 pictures (not including video).

 

Steve

Hi Steve,

I have ordered 1 x 32gb and 2 x 16gb cards as an extra to the 32gb already on order.

I haven't had a problem with cards corrupting before, and "touch wood", have never had a theft and hopefully won't, but I'm sure I won't run out with these.:eek::eek:

Talk about differences in price re buying in Australia and overseas.

We really get hit big time here, if we buy at local retail stores or online.

You've received plenty of good advice so far. Here's a chart that might help further. SanDisk chart.

 

Woody

That's great, Woody. Thanks for that.:)

The space taken up by videos depends on how long the videos are (and, I imagine, the image quality; I'm not that much of a video shooter). If you do some research on the internet, I'll bet you can find some data on this.

 

BTW, I don't know why I didn't think of this when I posted earlier, but if you insert your empty memory card into your camera, with the image size and quality set for what you'll be shooting, the camera should show you the number of still images the card will hold.

Thanks for that, Turtles06. Much appreciated.

Thank you very much for your replies.

I usually shoot in jpeg, but wasn't sure how much space shooting video's took on the card, so I will purchase some new cards just in case.

On our last cruise last year to China, I backed up to my ipad, and will do that again.

I have bought a 32gb Sandisk Extreme card for our forthcoming cruise in 5 weeks.

I have a Canon 650D.

Can anyone tell me, if this size will be sufficient for the approx. 2000 or more photos and also some videos I may take, or would I be better to have another one for back up.

Also, we will be in Japan. Are these memory cards cheaper there?

Many thanks

Hello dear Anna,

I have enjoyed very much, your "lives" and ecards and I am glad that you and Keith have had a fantastic b2b cruise.

It will be great to talk to you again and catch up on all the news.

Have a safe journey home.

love,

Kerry.

Hello dear Anna,

So pleased to see your new post today. I have been following your "Live from"

each day and enjoying hearing about these fantastic places.

I really hope you enjoy your Mediterranean leg, at least the temperatures sound a bit warmer.

Certainly warmer than here, with daily averages around 17 deg C. Even sunny Qld is feeling the chill.

Take care of yourselves,

love Kerry.

I have bought a new super duper, very light weight hard sided suitcase with 4 wheels. I'm now concerned it won't be big enough, especially when bringing back more than we went with.

Now, I'm considering whether or not to buy a cabin size bag, but my question is....

Is it easy to wheel 2 suitcases at the same time?

I really did not want to buy a larger case.

Hope someone can help. Thanks.

Has anyone here been to Sihanoukville, Cambodia before??

 

If you have been to Sihanoukville before, what did you do there for the day?

 

Any ideas / suggestions are welcome :)

We were there in August, 2011. We caught the bus from the wharf to the town, where there were lots of tuk tuk drivers there waiting for business. You choose which one you want and for the day, we went to the local market, then on to a resort area for lunch, which was very nice. After which, we went to a temple area. Our driver then took us to a local supermarket, where the boys bought some super cheap beers, then back to catch the bus back to the ship.

Good thing about the tuk tuk's are , they will take 4 people and the drivers and people in general are so happy and obliging. The children will try to sell there handcrafts to you.

It was a great day, in fact one of the better days of the cruise ports.

In Oslo today.The sail up to town is so pretty. It's a very clean but expensive city. Just back from the Open Air Folk Museum (so interesting and can recommend it). The ferry is a great and ins expensive way to get there and the other museums eg Kontiki and Viking. The HoHo buses are lined up as one disembarks (captive audience) cost is 250 NOK pp. We are berthed at the Fortress.

Weather is chilly.

Yesterday saw a sucessful M&G ...great attendance and I estimate 8 staff and crew in attendance. Kelvin Joy 'broke the ice' and made introductions. Kudos to our M&G organiser Sherri and the great momento fridge or cabin wall magnets we each received.

First formal was busy. 99.9% of gents were suited - not too many ladies chose long gowns, rather cocktail length seems to be the trend.

Tomorrow we're in Copenhagen and chose an SPB tour there so will report back here after that one.

Cheers All...

Hello ARLENE and KERRY. Unfortunately I can't reply to my emails.

 

Anna

Hello dear Anna,

I am really enjoying your travels and wish I was there with you. It all sounds wonderful. Can't wait to see some photo's.

Continue to have a fantastic cruise and it will be great to read about your travels on here.

love, Kerry.