Wharf extension OPT

[gbenjo]

Hi

 

You can see Olga in action here:eek:

http://qrz.com/db/vk3dq

 

scroll down the page

 

 

:-)

John

 

Olga looks OK but why are there so many photos of Santa Claus:confused::confused::confused::D

[gbenjo]

Hmm, not knowing if Olga is an ex Russian women's weight lifter or another "nubile young thing", leaves me wondering if this is funny or a bit creepy! :eek:

 

Judging by most of Johns posts I think it is the bit creepy thing:eek::D

[VK3DQ]

See ya next Tuesday............. I can hardly wait........ What time are you planning to check in?..just so I don't miss you. :rolleyes:

 

hi Graham

 

 

We leave home at 4:30AM .. oh dear ...will be arriving at Sydney airport at about 9:15am so allowing time for getting off the aircraft and having a spot of breakfast perhaps a 10:30am departure so that would get us to OPT something like 11:30am ... I know too early but thats the way the flights worked out .. and it also allows a little buffer should there be delays.

 

I'll be most happy if we can be on board for Lunch , but its not a real issue

 

A couple of the ladies and to some degree myself are not as mobile as we used to be few years ago (darn this aging process) :eek: so standing for long periods is something we need to avoid when possible:rolleyes:

 

I'll look forward to saying hello , its been a bit of fun over the months waiting for this cruise to happen, the bad news is that all being well we will book on board to sail again on the Solstice in March 2016 but this time up to the islands , so you will have to put up with us way into the future :D

 

 

Best Regards

John

[gbenjo]

hi Graham

 

 

We leave home at 4:30AM .. oh dear ...will be arriving at Sydney airport at about 9:15am so allowing time for getting off the aircraft and having a spot of breakfast perhaps a 10:30am departure so that would get us to OPT something like 11:30am ... I know too early but thats the way the flights worked out .. and it also allows a little buffer should there be delays.

 

I'll be most happy if we can be on board for Lunch , but its not a real issue

 

A couple of the ladies and to some degree myself are not as mobile as we used to be few years ago (darn this aging process) :eek: so standing for long periods is something we need to avoid when possible:rolleyes:

 

I'll look forward to saying hello , its been a bit of fun over the months waiting for this cruise to happen, the bad news is that all being well we will book on board to sail again on the Solstice in March 2016 but this time up to the islands , so you will have to put up with us way into the future :D

 

 

Best Regards

John

 

11:30am is no problem We normally start, depending quickly the debarking guests are off , around 10:30 ish so 12 noon on board should be easy.Dont forget there are wheelchairs available if need be, but we will sort something out.

 

Thanks mate for letting me know you are back again in 2016..I now have something to look forward to :rolleyes::D. Although I think I am off sick that day:D

Edited January 20, 2015 by gbenjo

[debstep]

Hi

New posters here on this thread, just read the whole thing. We are going to be on our first Celebrity Cruise on 3 April, also our first from OPT, we have used only White bay in Sydney before. We can't get the Celebrity Shuttle from the airport as our flight comes in 5 minutes after the 12.30 cutoff time so looking to get ourselves to the wharf. Have been advised that the train may be our best option, we will have 3 bags plus carry on between 2 of us- can anyone please help with advice on ease of use, where does it stop in relation to the terminal, price of train and also of taxi's (being good Friday is a worry here)also will services be running as per normal or should we book a car service?

Thanks for your help :)

Deb & Step

Qld

[avalon007]

Hi Deb,

 

We always park our car at the airport & catch the train to the Quay, which is then literally a few hundred metres walk to the ships baggage drop off.

 

Cost is about $16 per adult last time I used it.

 

We actually return from our Solstice cruise on Good Friday & will be taking the train back to the airport.

 

The only difficulty may be handling 3 cases on & off the train. We have 2 suitcases & 1 hand luggage each & have no issues but it depends on your level of mobility etc if you will have issues.

 

As an alternative there are several transport services available that may be more suitable. Last one I used was about $13 each one way & takes about 20-30 minutes from the airport depending on traffic etc.

 

Just Google for Sydney airport shuttles.

[gbenjo]

Hi

New posters here on this thread, just read the whole thing. We are going to be on our first Celebrity Cruise on 3 April, also our first from OPT, we have used only White bay in Sydney before. We can't get the Celebrity Shuttle from the airport as our flight comes in 5 minutes after the 12.30 cutoff time so looking to get ourselves to the wharf. Have been advised that the train may be our best option, we will have 3 bags plus carry on between 2 of us- can anyone please help with advice on ease of use, where does it stop in relation to the terminal, price of train and also of taxi's (being good Friday is a worry here)also will services be running as per normal or should we book a car service?

Thanks for your help :)

Deb & Step

Qld

 

Hi Deb

 

Looks like we are on the same cruise as you (aren't you lucky:D) I may even check you in.

As far as transport from the airport goes, if you have three bags and carry on (you have over packed:rolleyes:) it may be a bit awkward using the train so I think a taxi would be the best option. The train is $17.50 per person while a taxi would only be about $40( if that) so for a couple of dollars extra you get dropped right at the terminal. City traffic on a Good Friday will be relatively light and should only take twenty minutes or so. There are shuttle buses from the airport to the city but you may stop a few times dropping off others to hotels along the way so will take longer.

[debstep]

Thanks Graham for the reply

I must admit reading this I hope we do get a chance to meet you at check in and had noticed that you are on 'our' cruise. Was looking at shuttles and cars, we had been told a taxi would be about 70-80 dollars on Good Friday(??) as they charge double so thinking of a pre-pay so we don't get a surprise-

 

Yes we over-pack, probably always will, you should have seen the first cruise we did! If I get it down to 2 I will be bringing the extra one packed inside the others for coming home anyway, we are shocking at picking up souvenirs. You learn every time, last time from Brisbane we learnt that hubby should not wear his nice shirt that happened to have a certain plant pictured on it, as the customs office said, of course we were going to get full search with that- hilarious until..... they found his cigarettes that he was supposed to have given up at the time, whoops. just normal ones and customs didn't care except for apologising for getting him in trouble.

BTW- hubby takes at least 60% of the bag space you know, don't just blame me. Lucky we are flying down business class and i already paid for lots of luggage back from Hawaii.

[debshomespun]

We will be returning on Rhapsody on Feb 28 ...do they offer Express walk off? We have an 11:45 AM flight and we normally carry off our luggage...we travel somewhat light ..1 large bag each and a small carry on.

 

We board the Solstice next Tuesday so hopefully we will have the pleasure of meeting you.

[Aussie FF]

Hi Debbie.

Yes, RCI does express walk off on all of their ships in Australia.

We usually book our domestic flights home around 11am, and have never had any problems.

See you on Rhapsody.:D

[debshomespun]

Hi Debbie.

Yes, RCI does express walk off on all of their ships in Australia.

We usually book our domestic flights home around 11am, and have never had any problems.

See you on Rhapsody.:D

 

Thank you! We leave in a few hours for Sydney!!

[gbenjo]

Thanks Graham for the reply

I must admit reading this I hope we do get a chance to meet you at check in and had noticed that you are on 'our' cruise. Was looking at shuttles and cars, we had been told a taxi would be about 70-80 dollars on Good Friday(??) as they charge double so thinking of a pre-pay so we don't get a surprise-

 

 

Hi Deb, out of curiosity I asked one of the taxi drivers down at the OPT today about charges on Good Friday and he said, no, they charge the same as any other day and should be around the $40 mark from the airport to the OPT. Suppose that would not help if you happened to get a dodgey one but you could always ask them before you get in what the trip might cost.

Edited January 22, 2015 by gbenjo

[debstep]

thanks a bucket-load for that

great news

taxi it is :)- see you on the 3rd

Graham i can see why your so popular, you are awesome to have done that for us!

Edited January 22, 2015 by debstep

[aussielozzie18]

Do you think they will upgrade Circular Quay station at some point? The lifts there are tiny.

[The_Big_M]

Do you think they will upgrade Circular Quay station at some point? The lifts there are tiny.

 

They were only put in a few years back.

 

Given the work needing to be done on the rest of the network I can't see any lift changes there as likely.

[Tildi]

Hi Deb

 

Looks like we are on the same cruise as you (aren't you lucky:D) I may even check you in.

As far as transport from the airport goes, if you have three bags and carry on (you have over packed:rolleyes:) it may be a bit awkward using the train so I think a taxi would be the best option. The train is $17.50 per person while a taxi would only be about $40( if that) so for a couple of dollars extra you get dropped right at the terminal. City traffic on a Good Friday will be relatively light and should only take twenty minutes or so. There are shuttle buses from the airport to the city but you may stop a few times dropping off others to hotels along the way so will take longer.

 

Hi Graham, Am I right to "assume" you don't do "check-ins" for Carnival Legend/Spirit?

 

I am "pretty sure", that I read somwhere, that you don't.

 

We are on Carnival Spirit on Feb 18th, and I am wondering if you "might" be there to check us in?

 

P.S. Thank you for for all of your "inside" info, as to progress of OPT!

[gbenjo]

Hi Graham, Am I right to "assume" you don't do "check-ins" for Carnival Legend/Spirit?

 

I am "pretty sure", that I read somwhere, that you don't.

 

We are on Carnival Spirit on Feb 18th, and I am wondering if you "might" be there to check us in?

 

P.S. Thank you for for all of your "inside" info, as to progress of OPT!

 

No sorry, I don't work with Carnival, Their shoreside ops are done by another company. I did work with them over the last winter season because we did not go away but I prefer to work the summer here and then go cruising in the winter and relax for six months, as for me it is just a part time "retirement" job that I really enjoy.

Edited January 22, 2015 by gbenjo

[Tara Jane]

We took a taxi from OPT to the domestic airport on Monday 15th December.

Left the OPT just before 9am I am guessing something like 8.50am, traffic was reasonable and it came to just over $70. It was the day of the martin place siege but we were at the airport before it would have affected the roads.

We shared the taxi with another couple who we had met on a day tour of Noumea so the cost was equal to the train. Hopefully Good Friday there wont be much traffic.

[MicCanberra]

No sorry, I don't work with Carnival, Their shoreside ops are done by another company. I did work with them over the last winter season because we did not go away but I prefer to work the summer here and then go cruising in the winter and relax for six months, as for me it is just a part time "retirement" job that I really enjoy.

 

Such a nice life plan.:D

[gbenjo]

Such a nice life plan.:D

 

Complicated only by demanding red carpet VIPees:D:D:rolleyes:

[MicCanberra]

Complicated only by demanding red carpet VIPees:D:D:rolleyes:

 

Yes, I know what you mean, some people are just so demanding.:rolleyes:

[debstep]

Happy Australia day to all :)

[Tildi]

No sorry, I don't work with Carnival, Their shoreside ops are done by another company. I did work with them over the last winter season because we did not go away but I prefer to work the summer here and then go cruising in the winter and relax for six months, as for me it is just a part time "retirement" job that I really enjoy.

 

 

That's a shame...

 

I was hoping to meet the "Legendary" Graham...

:(

[MicCanberra]

Happy Australia day to all :)

 

Ditto.:D

[VK3DQ]

That's a shame...

 

I was hoping to meet the "Legendary" Graham...

:(

 

Hmmm All will be revealed tomorrow Morning ,,,

 

Now Graham please make sure Solstice parks Stern First :p

 

And please be aware you will meet a REAL "VIP" tomorrow

 

 

:D

 

Regards

John