Aussieflyer Posted June 2 #8351 Share Posted June 2 5 hours ago, Bubbeh said: Sometimes when I notice that someone hasn't interacted for a while with either a post or a reaction, I wonder if they're OK. Maybe others also notice when 'regulars' have gone missing. With that in mind and not because I think that my posts are eagerly awaited or anything, I'm just letting you know that you won't be hearing from me for a while after today. At stupid time tomorrow morning (2:30am) we leave for the airport to fly to Bali for a month. We usually spend June in Bali as after a day or two of winter, I've had enough. In Bali we go techno free (no phones and only very limited use of the 'net) so I won't be online much if at all until early July. BTW, this is not a fishing expedition for farewell wishes, just to bring you into the loop. And bon voyage from moi. Enjoy the warmth. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mareblu Posted June 2 #8352 Share Posted June 2 Enjoy your tropical holiday, and the peaceful break from the tech ties that often bind us too much. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackduck59 Posted June 12 Author #8353 Share Posted June 12 Well it is starting to feel real now, even if we are still months away. We booked our flights yesterday. Air Canada had a very reasonable price on a direct flight Vancouver to Sydney in business class. Although we feel that the Qantas seat configuration seems better, it was a no brainer. The Air Canada fare was almost exactly half the price, that was a savings of over $9,000.00 CDN. Oh well no Qantas pajamas for us. The Australian itinerary is set and we will be looking at things to do in those places where we are not meeting up with our CC friends. As far as the cruise goes the excursions offered seem uninspired and over priced. It's funny that for the first time in the 4 years since I started this thread it really feels like we are going to make the trip this time. So we will be looking for things to do in each port. I recall that Rotorua is a favoured thing to do, but there seems to be several different groups charging different prices etc. The question is which place to visit and should we just rent a car and drive there or find a small group tour. Of course there will be many who want to go to Hobiton but that's not us. So if anyone has good intel on where to go and what to see in Rotorua all while fitting into the confines of a port stop in Tauranga. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruiser3775 Posted June 12 #8354 Share Posted June 12 10 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said: So we will be looking for things to do in each port. Ask your questions on Trip Advisor's New Zealand forum. It's very active and helpful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mareblu Posted June 12 #8355 Share Posted June 12 47 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said: Well it is starting to feel real now, even if we are still months away. We booked our flights yesterday. Air Canada had a very reasonable price on a direct flight Vancouver to Sydney in business class. Although we feel that the Qantas seat configuration seems better, it was a no brainer. The Air Canada fare was almost exactly half the price, that was a savings of over $9,000.00 CDN. Oh well no Qantas pajamas for us. The Australian itinerary is set and we will be looking at things to do in those places where we are not meeting up with our CC friends. As far as the cruise goes the excursions offered seem uninspired and over priced. It's funny that for the first time in the 4 years since I started this thread it really feels like we are going to make the trip this time. So we will be looking for things to do in each port. I recall that Rotorua is a favoured thing to do, but there seems to be several different groups charging different prices etc. The question is which place to visit and should we just rent a car and drive there or find a small group tour. Of course there will be many who want to go to Hobiton but that's not us. So if anyone has good intel on where to go and what to see in Rotorua all while fitting into the confines of a port stop in Tauranga. More than a no-brainer, Lyle. At that price difference, you'd have to be cerebrally challenged to pay the fare Qantas demands. The pjs are good though, they last for years. We only did BC with Qantas once, but wore the pjs for many winters. We're so looking forward to meeting you and Lynn "off the page". Good luck with your NZ investigations. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare lyndarra Posted June 12 #8356 Share Posted June 12 5 hours ago, Blackduck59 said: Well it is starting to feel real now, even if we are still months away. We booked our flights yesterday. Air Canada had a very reasonable price on a direct flight Vancouver to Sydney in business class. Although we feel that the Qantas seat configuration seems better, it was a no brainer. The Air Canada fare was almost exactly half the price, that was a savings of over $9,000.00 CDN. Oh well no Qantas pajamas for us. The Australian itinerary is set and we will be looking at things to do in those places where we are not meeting up with our CC friends. As far as the cruise goes the excursions offered seem uninspired and over priced. It's funny that for the first time in the 4 years since I started this thread it really feels like we are going to make the trip this time. So we will be looking for things to do in each port. I recall that Rotorua is a favoured thing to do, but there seems to be several different groups charging different prices etc. The question is which place to visit and should we just rent a car and drive there or find a small group tour. Of course there will be many who want to go to Hobiton but that's not us. So if anyone has good intel on where to go and what to see in Rotorua all while fitting into the confines of a port stop in Tauranga. Check this one out Lyle. https://www.viator.com/en-AU/tours/Rotorua/Rotorua-including-Te-Puia-Tour-from-Auckland-in-Small-Groups/d395-56760P9 Tony and I, and the couple who went to Alaska with us, did this tour. Can highly recommend it. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare arxcards Posted June 21 #8357 Share Posted June 21 (edited) I have enjoyed watching this clip this morning. A bit nostalgic, but also funny to imagine being applied to today's cruising. Edited June 21 by arxcards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mareblu Posted June 21 #8358 Share Posted June 21 Thank you for posting this nostalgic charmer. Crepes Suzette and Cherries Jubilee are still offered on Cunard’s vessels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare arxcards Posted June 21 #8359 Share Posted June 21 (edited) 3 hours ago, Mareblu said: Thank you for posting this nostalgic charmer. Crepes Suzette and Cherries Jubilee are still offered on Cunard’s vessels. I had the cherries on QM2 some years back. I had Crepes Suzette for the first time on Princess 18 months or so back. After all those years waiting, I was rather disappointed at how boring the crepes were. Edited June 21 by arxcards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relaxing Robbies Posted June 21 #8360 Share Posted June 21 3 hours ago, Mareblu said: Thank you for posting this nostalgic charmer. Crepes Suzette and Cherries Jubilee are still offered on Cunard’s vessels. Cherries Jubilee on Coral Princess post covid. The serving was 2 cherries. My jaw hit the floor when I saw it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mareblu Posted June 21 #8361 Share Posted June 21 16 minutes ago, arxcards said: I had the cherries on QM2 some years back. I had Crepes Suzette for the first time on Princess 18 months or so back. After all those years waiting, I was rather disappointed at how boring the crepes were. They were delicate and exquisite in QG 2weeks ago on QA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mareblu Posted June 21 #8362 Share Posted June 21 5 minutes ago, Relaxing Robbies said: Cherries Jubilee on Coral Princess post covid. The serving was 2 cherries. My jaw hit the floor when I saw it. Two whole cherries! Wow! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare arxcards Posted June 21 #8363 Share Posted June 21 1 hour ago, Mareblu said: They were delicate and exquisite in QG 2weeks ago on QA. Crepes were nice enough, so I guess Suzette isn't exactly to my taste. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare arxcards Posted June 21 #8364 Share Posted June 21 1 hour ago, Relaxing Robbies said: Cherries Jubilee on Coral Princess post covid. The serving was 2 cherries. My jaw hit the floor when I saw it. You get more cherries 🍒 at Good Spirits, but I guess it is twice as good as Cherry Jubilee. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted June 22 #8365 Share Posted June 22 17 hours ago, arxcards said: I had the cherries on QM2 some years back. I had Crepes Suzette for the first time on Princess 18 months or so back. After all those years waiting, I was rather disappointed at how boring the crepes were. The Crepes Suzette we had on Cunard in January were delicious but Princess seems to think that a small reheated crepe served in a nondescript sauce is Crepes Suzette. Not! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted June 22 #8366 Share Posted June 22 16 hours ago, Relaxing Robbies said: Cherries Jubilee on Coral Princess post covid. The serving was 2 cherries. My jaw hit the floor when I saw it. They're serving more than that on Coral now. I had a big bowlful the other night - almost too many cherries. I always ask for the chocolate ice cream which I think goes better with cherries than vanilla. Mind you we have excellent waiter teams at the moment. We're very spoilt. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackduck59 Posted June 22 Author #8367 Share Posted June 22 Well we continue to plan our adventure. @Jean C I notice you are in New Zealand, are you anywhere near any of the ports we are visiting, it would be nice to meet for coffee or lunch if you are interested. Lynn and I have decided that meeting people is often way more interesting than any "excursion" we may take. We are 3 days in Auckland before the cruise and have a number of port stops on the cruise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sailingkiwi Posted June 22 #8368 Share Posted June 22 Hi, this thread popped up when I was searching for anything related to cruising with T1 diabetes and if anyone had any tips I hadn’t thought of yet. One thing to note if you are going to try and get insulin in Australia or NZ is that certain brands etc may not be available here. I travel with refillable pens, meaning they take up a lot less room. I do also have low insulin needs, which also helps. Rotorua is a great place to visit, if you are interested in geothermal activity and learning about Māori reo (language) and tikanga (customs). If you are confident to drive in NZ I would definitely look at hiring a car. Otherwise I’m sure there are locally based tours you can do. I am from Wellington, not sure if your cruising is visiting us, but let me know if you want any suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackduck59 Posted June 23 Author #8369 Share Posted June 23 31 minutes ago, sailingkiwi said: Hi, this thread popped up when I was searching for anything related to cruising with T1 diabetes and if anyone had any tips I hadn’t thought of yet. One thing to note if you are going to try and get insulin in Australia or NZ is that certain brands etc may not be available here. I travel with refillable pens, meaning they take up a lot less room. I do also have low insulin needs, which also helps. Rotorua is a great place to visit, if you are interested in geothermal activity and learning about Māori reo (language) and tikanga (customs). If you are confident to drive in NZ I would definitely look at hiring a car. Otherwise I’m sure there are locally based tours you can do. I am from Wellington, not sure if your cruising is visiting us, but let me know if you want any suggestions. Thanks for your suggestions about the insulin. We are taking enough insulin with us from here. We have travel coolers designed for traveling with insulin. We do have a stop in Wellington, so far we have Te Papa on our itinerary. Apparently there is a free shuttle from the port. What would be a good place to have some lunch while we are in town? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aus Traveller Posted June 23 #8370 Share Posted June 23 25 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said: Thanks for your suggestions about the insulin. We are taking enough insulin with us from here. We have travel coolers designed for traveling with insulin. We do have a stop in Wellington, so far we have Te Papa on our itinerary. Apparently there is a free shuttle from the port. What would be a good place to have some lunch while we are in town? Te Papa in Wellington is great. There is a free shuttle into the centre of the city, but it drops passengers a couple of kilometres from Te Papa. There used to be a drop-off point only a few hundred metres from Te Papa, but they didn't use that stop when we were there this year. There was only one stop this time. It is fairly close to Parliament House. You will need to have a map. Alternatively, walk out to the harbour from where the shuttle drops you off, and walk to the right. You will eventually get to Te Papa.🙂 Another suggestion would be to go on the free tour of Parliament House. It is surprisingly interesting, particularly the part where they show visitors how they earthquake-proofed the enormous historic building. People I have suggested this to have also enjoyed the tour. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sailingkiwi Posted June 23 #8371 Share Posted June 23 3 hours ago, Blackduck59 said: Thanks for your suggestions about the insulin. We are taking enough insulin with us from here. We have travel coolers designed for traveling with insulin. We do have a stop in Wellington, so far we have Te Papa on our itinerary. Apparently there is a free shuttle from the port. What would be a good place to have some lunch while we are in town? For lunch near Te Papa I would recommend Wharewaka (translated to boat house). It is on the lagoon near Te Papa. Some great local food. If it is nice you can sit outside. On Sunday there is a market close to Te Papa and there are a lot of food trucks. If you want to try some local craft beer Panhead is close to Te Papa. For more formal lunch along the waterfront Dockside is good. More casual is Rosie’s Cantina. Not far from the waterfront and more upmarket is Charlie Noble. These are all a 10-15 minute walk from Te Papa. While Wellington is very hilly, Wellington CBD is flat and very walkable (and small). Most of it is reclaimed land. If you walk along Lambton Quay you will see some signs on the footpath that identify where the shoreline used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Jean C Posted June 23 #8372 Share Posted June 23 4 hours ago, Blackduck59 said: Well we continue to plan our adventure. @Jean C I notice you are in New Zealand, are you anywhere near any of the ports we are visiting, it would be nice to meet for coffee or lunch if you are interested. Lynn and I have decided that meeting people is often way more interesting than any "excursion" we may take. We are 3 days in Auckland before the cruise and have a number of port stops on the cruise. Hi, I would love to have met up but unfortunately I live in Northland, and not handy to your port stops. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time here and on your cruise, it sounds a fabulous trip. As regards Te Papa, we walked there from the port, back when there was no free shuttle. We didn't take too much notice of how far it was as it was a pleasant walk along the harbour front. I can highly recommend Te Papa, it was far more interesting than I expected it to be, so worth a visit, and entry is free. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted June 25 #8373 Share Posted June 25 On 6/23/2024 at 2:13 PM, Jean C said: Hi, I would love to have met up but unfortunately I live in Northland, and not handy to your port stops. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time here and on your cruise, it sounds a fabulous trip. As regards Te Papa, we walked there from the port, back when there was no free shuttle. We didn't take too much notice of how far it was as it was a pleasant walk along the harbour front. I can highly recommend Te Papa, it was far more interesting than I expected it to be, so worth a visit, and entry is free. Since they moved the cruise dock after an earthquake (it's now at the Hutt Rd end of the wharf) you aren't allowed to walk off. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare lyndarra Posted July 1 #8374 Share Posted July 1 @Blackduck59 and OS visitors. Something to keep in mind when driving in Oz. Penalties for mobile (cell) phone use and not wearing seatbelts. Many roads have cameras which can detect non compliance. Also, fixed and mobile radar speed cameras are everywhere not just in police Highway Patrol cars. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8681611/aussie-drivers-face-harsher-penalties-from-july-1-crackdowns/?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign= 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare JJK2008 Posted July 2 #8375 Share Posted July 2 3 hours ago, lyndarra said: @Blackduck59 and OS visitors. Something to keep in mind when driving in Oz. Penalties for mobile (cell) phone use and not wearing seatbelts. Many roads have cameras which can detect non compliance. Also, fixed and mobile radar speed cameras are everywhere not just in police Highway Patrol cars. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8681611/aussie-drivers-face-harsher-penalties-from-july-1-crackdowns/?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign= This is good advice. We rented cars several times in Oz in different locations and were advised by our friends about the cameras. Something else we did not know about were the toll roads. We were following friends of ours and they took a toll road. Well, the toll roads do NOT have pay booths, they are automatic by the plate number. When we stopped, we asked our friends about this since we didn't "pay" any tolls. They said they believed that tolls were included as part of our car rental agreement, but we should verify with the rental company. Sure, enough the rental company confirmed that tolls were included. We only encountered this one time, so I don't know if this is standard in Oz. Perhaps one of the Aussies can confirm if it is standard for tolls to be included with a car rental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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