We Sail the South Pacific on HAL’s Newest Ship – the Queen Mary

[CruiseWhere]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! What a joy to read & see!!! Appreciate you sharing:)

[SailorJack]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! What a joy to read & see!!! Appreciate you sharing:)

 

Glad you enjoyed it! It was great fun writing it also.:)

 

Great photo's, thanks for posting them.

 

You are welcome. I am editing the last of the photos - of Sydney and hope to post them tomorrow.

 

Jack

[SailorJack]

After 23 days at sea we have finally arrived in Sydney. What a beautiful sight to see the city skylight just as the morning sun was hitting the buildings!

 

 

The very famous Opera House. We later toured inside the facility and was even more impressed with it. Our ship docked just to the right of the Opera House.

 

 

The (famous?) ferries with two front ends.

 

 

Sydney's "coat hanger" bridge. For around $200 dollars you can take a tour that lets you climb the bridge. There is a pier on the other side of the bridge that a Princess ship was docked at. We docked just to the right of the Opera House.

 

Edited December 21, 2012 by SailorJack

[Bluwater7]

Loved Sydney ...thanks for the memories!

[Love the beach]

Loved reading your posts & seeing all those beautiful photos! Thanks

Marge

[SailorJack]

Loved Sydney ...thanks for the memories!

 

Sydney has become one of our favorite stops. This was our third time there and we are already planning a fourth. I will try to post the last of my Sydney pictures as soon as I can edit them..now that the Christmas rush is over.:)

 

Loved reading your posts & seeing all those beautiful photos! Thanks

Marge

 

Glad you enjoyed them.

 

Jack

[SailorJack]

One of the nice things about Sydney is that there are so many attractions that are within easy walking distance of the dock.

 

This may become one of our favorite watering holes. It purports to be the oldest hotel in Sydney and the inside is rustic with long rough wooden tables that seat several different parties - a great way to meet people. And they brew their own beer! It is about six blocks from where the Oosterdam docked.

 

 

This is the first garrison church in Sydney - dating from 1840. It is about four blocks from the dock. Garrison troops used to attend services here.

 

 

 

Inside the Opera House. You can see the Oosterdam in the background. The Opera House is an easy five minute walk from where we docked.

 

The famous Opera House roof up close.

 

[SailorJack]

Some final pictures of our stay in Sydney. One of the great things to do when you are in port is to visit the Royal Botanic Gardens. It is right next to the Opera House (as you can see in the first photo) and provides for a relaxing time. You can visit for an hour or a half day - there is that much to see! The Garden celebrated its 175 anniversary in 1991 so it is closing in on being nearly 200 years old.

 

 

The park has a number of interesting nature scuptures - as seen by the two below.

 

 

 

City skyline as seen from inside the park.

 

 

This is the Government House -once the home of the Governor but now open for tours. Unfortunately it was closed for a private function when we were there - so we have a good excuse to go back to Sydney to see it.

 

[yukongold]

Great photos...brings back memories. You didn't talk too much about the ship...but I assume you liked it.

[SailorJack]

Great photos...brings back memories. You didn't talk too much about the ship...but I assume you liked it.

 

I normally don't write about the ship I sail on as many things are so subjective - food, service, entertainment, etc. I am pretty easy to please. As long as the ship stays on top of the water and feeds me I am pretty much satisfied.

 

Speaking of food - sad news out of Russia! As of this Tuesday, Russia has reclassified beer! It is no longer considered a food, but an alcoholic beverage. As a result, beer can no longer be sold from 11:00 PM to 8:00 AM in Russia. As one of our favorite activities in Russia is going to outlaw Raves, we must now reconsider our upcoming trip.

[josie724]

I normally don't write about the ship I sail on as many things are so subjective - food, service, entertainment, etc. I am pretty easy to please. As long as the ship stays on top of the water and feeds me I am pretty much satisfied.

 

Speaking of food - sad news out of Russia! As of this Tuesday, Russia has reclassified beer! It is no longer considered a food, but an alcoholic beverage. As a result, beer can no longer be sold from 11:00 PM to 8:00 AM in Russia. As one of our favorite activities in Russia is going to outlaw Raves, we must now reconsider our upcoming trip.

 

 

Thank you for sharing your photos, they are beautiful.

 

WHATTTT? are they kidding me? :eek: Clearly they are not aware that beer contains hops and wheat, obviously part of a major food group. :D

[SailorJack]

Thank you for sharing your photos, they are beautiful.

 

WHATTTT? are they kidding me? :eek: Clearly they are not aware that beer contains hops and wheat, obviously part of a major food group. :D

 

Clearly you are a person of deep insight and perspective. I had completely overlooked the "wheat" connection! Clearly this should be a food!

 

PS. Glad you liked the photos - many were taken by Jill with her new camera.

 

Jack

[7leagueboots]

Thanks for the review. I understand the Oosterdam went into dry dock after your cruise..what was done?

[rajkr74]

I kept passing up your thread thinking someone got this all confused and posted a review on the "Queen Mary" in the HAL site....wrong.

 

Outstanding review! Love your writing style. You appear to have a big following. Now I have to go and read all your previous reviews....but need to wait a day I am sore from laughing so much from this read.

 

Great pictures, especially The Big Island and the volcano. We were just there in Nov. 2012. Love that state and island!

[sammygoose]

Sailor Jack, never stop! As long as you cruise I want the news. I lost last night reading your past posts and I'm not close to finished. I was hooting and snorting reading your reviews and although DW doesn't quite get why it is just soooo funny so is amused by me reading them.

[SailorJack]

Sailor Jack, never stop! As long as you cruise I want the news. I lost last night reading your past posts and I'm not close to finished. I was hooting and snorting reading your reviews and although DW doesn't quite get why it is just soooo funny so is amused by me reading them.

 

No plans to stop just yet. Next cruise is in about three weeks - a 2 week cruise to Antarctica on Celebrity's Infinity.

 

 

I kept passing up your thread thinking someone got this all confused and posted a review on the "Queen Mary" in the HAL site....wrong.

 

Outstanding review! Love your writing style. You appear to have a big following. Now I have to go and read all your previous reviews....but need to wait a day I am sore from laughing so much from this read.

 

Great pictures, especially The Big Island and the volcano. We were just there in Nov. 2012. Love that state and island!

 

Yea, I debated using the Queen Mary as a tag line, but I had so much fun with the name "Oosterdam" that it just sort of fit - although I know it was probably confusing unless you read the review. Glad you enjoyed it.

 

Jack

[Baatman]

Thanks for the review - it was great. I need to look at your other ones. I noted that your next cruise is to Antarctica - I hope you post a review of that trip as we hope to do it next year.

[SailorJack]

Thanks for the review - it was great. I need to look at your other ones. I noted that your next cruise is to Antarctica - I hope you post a review of that trip as we hope to do it next year.

 

I normally post reviews when enough interesting things happen to write about. I generally tend to write about ports and as there will be relatively few ports on this trip, I may not be writing a review. Of our last four cruises I have only written two reviews, but there are some really good reviews out there and I think there is even a "live" report being done from the Veendam so I am sure you can get some great information.

 

 

Thanks for the review. I understand the Oosterdam went into dry dock after your cruise..what was done?

 

 

 

I am not quite sure what was done. There were some reports from the cruise prior to ours that the ship was having some engine problems - but we did not experience anything on our trip. Maybe there was just some upgrading being done. But as far as I know, nothing serious.

Edited January 9, 2013 by SailorJack

[trikeman]

I normally post reviews when enough interesting things happen to write about. I generally tend to write about ports and as there will be relatively few ports on this trip, I may not be writing a review.

 

I don't know from what I hear those pesky penguins and other critters down there just might give you something to write about. You never know when an Iceberg will go rogue and moon a cruise ship.

 

Some day I hope to go on that cruise.

[SailorJack]

I don't know from what I hear those pesky penguins and other critters down there just might give you something to write about. You never know when an Iceberg will go rogue and moon a cruise ship.

 

Some day I hope to go on that cruise.

 

LOL...if we see a rogue iceberg we will definitely name it after you!:)

[trikeman]

LOL...if we see a rogue iceberg we will definitely name it after you!:)

 

I would be honored to have you do that.:D

[WoodyWindy]

I just LOVE Sydney! For your next trip, they have an absolutely fantastic zoo (Taronga), which is readily accessible by one of those "famous" ferries that leave from the pier next to where your ship parked.

[SailorJack]

I just LOVE Sydney! For your next trip, they have an absolutely fantastic zoo (Taronga), which is readily accessible by one of those "famous" ferries that leave from the pier next to where your ship parked.

 

I have heard nothing but good things about the Taronga zoo! It was on our list of things to do on our last trip, but we ran out of time. We will put it on the top of our "to do" list next trip.

 

 

I would be honored to have you do that.:D

 

Consider it done!:D

 

Jack

[Watson's aunt]

I spent a whole day from opening till closing at the zoo. I have some wonderful photo's (Film camera) I watch the gorilla's playing, fighting for about two hours. I wished I had a video camera. It was the best show I every saw. My photo's of loins and tigers were wonderful (even thought it was thru glass. I love Australia. I spent 5 weeks there and it was not enough. I was at a convention, Then spent a week with friends. The rest on short tours grouped together.

 

Mary

[SailorJack]

I spent a whole day from opening till closing at the zoo. I have some wonderful photo's (Film camera) I watch the gorilla's playing' date=' fighting for about two hours. I wished I had a video camera. It was the best show I every saw. My photo's of loins and tigers were wonderful (even thought it was thru glass. I love Australia. I spent 5 weeks there and it was not enough. I was at a convention, Then spent a week with friends. The rest on short tours grouped together.

 

Mary[/quote']

 

Even though you didn't have a video camera you can have your prints turned into digital pictures and then put together a slide show - next best thing. Besides I would be interested in the loins pictures.:)

 

Jack