Happy Cruizer
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Posts posted by Happy Cruizer
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New Zealand Cruise - We would like to take this cruise next February (2016), but since my wife has become seasick on an earlier cruise, we are hesitant. Are the waters on the cruise from Sidney around the ports of New Zealand very rough?
If the seas are relatively calm, we will go. Any advice or comment will be appreciated. "dot norm"
The waters on the cruise from Sydney to various ports in NZ can be quite smooth or quite rough. We were on the 12 nites Diamond Princess cruise in 2012 in late January from Auckland to Sydney. The captain had to turn the ship around from Dunedin to go back up north via the Cook Strait for Tasmania (cruised very slowly) and bypass the fjords (Milford Sound etc) which is the highlight of the cruise as the waves were 30ft high and not safe. Everyone was disappointed. We'll have to do this cruise again one day. On this side of the pacific, the swells are subject to the weather patterns eg in the Sth Pacific hurricane/cyclone season is from Nov to Apr, so really it's pot luck for good smooth cruising. There can be pretty calm seas from time to time, it is not all that bad. On the cruise back to Sydney, the sea was smooth and calm.
NZ is very scenic and a land tour is just as good/nice. I hear Queenstown is very pretty and scenic and I'll go one day when we've done the longer distant travels as NZ is closer to home.
All the best.
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Wow the shopping looks wonderful. What can my husband do while I shop?:) Any Louis Vuitton outlets?????
Not that I'm aware of ... only knock offs at Shenzen, just 1 hr across the border from HK. A visa is required to visit Shenzen. They're not worth buying IMHO.
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I was finally able to see a map, albeit a tiny one and we will be berthed at opposite end of Kowloon from what I had thought. Hours for our stay are 7am to 4pm. Perhaps I should skip Stanley market and just stick closer to Kowloon or Hong Kong side of Ferry for my shopping. I seem to remember there being shopping right at ferry drop off site. Is that still correct? My itinerary doesn't indicate it being a tender stop. Thankfully.
I remember the haze although we did have some beautiful days when I was there.
Retail shops don't open until 10 or 11am so best thing is to go sightseeing and then go shopping. You can either hang around Kowloon side (Mongkok) or around Tsim Sha Tsui for shopping or take a ride to Tung Chung's Citigate Outlets. Another option is walk along Canton Road past the Harbour City Shopping complex (high end stuff) towards the Royal Pacific Hotel & Towers. There is an outlet complex near there.
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We enjoyed the bus ride to Stanley but were underwhelmed by the market. It would be very low down on my list. Just wandering around the waterfront and Nathan Road and taking the Star Ferry could fill a day.
Yes, I agree with Maryann, but see my other post for other shopping venues.
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Thank you both. I was in Hong Kong for a week about 25 years ago and don't really remember how I did it. Lots of walking. I didn't realize the Star ferry was near the cruise terminal. I seem to remember it being on the opposite end of Kowloon. I will bring some local money. Is there an ATM at the cruise terminal or do I need to obtain it ahead of time? Only there one day, this time. :(
Thank you again.
If you are in the vicinity of Stanley Market, you should also try the Horizon Plaza outlets at Aberdeen (27 floors I think). That area is called Ap Lei Chau. Just take a taxi there, shouldn't cost much. Also try the Citygate Outlets at Tung Chung. It is on the MTR line for Disney (Lantau Island). I really enjoyed the shopping there last yr.
Happy browsing/shopping. I am going to check out Horizon Plaza in Apr.
Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay
in Asia
Posted · Edited by Happy Cruizer
Hi Betsy!
We stayed there last yr. It's a very nice hotel but a 8-10 mins (maybe half a mile?) walk to Clarke Quay MRT station (depending on how fast you walk). After being out for the whole day, at the end of each day, I really didn't look forward to the walk back to the hotel. Our next short stay will be at the Peninsular Excelsior Hotel which is a 5 mins walk to City Hall MRT and 6 mins walk to Raffles City.