From Noordam in Melbourne, Australia

[Mike B Landlubber]

After two nights in Melbourne, we are getting ready to leave. We have been tied up next to a P&O cruise lines ship. I think P&O decided their corporate image needed brushing up!

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by Mike B Landlubber

[erewhon]

Thanks for posting the photos.

Did you do an excursion n Melbourne?

[oakridger]

I will be reading any comments you have about this cruise!  I am eyeballing a cruise on Noordam to Australia and New Zealand in the future.  I sailed on Noordam in 2019 from Sydney to Honolulu and definitely want to explore more down under!

 

Have a great cruise!

 

~Nancy

Edited December 12, 2022 by oakridger

[cunnorl]

I am also on this cruise. Have been on since 10/8  out of San Diego. 
   We did the Penguin Parade last nite. It was amazing despite the rain. Loved it!

     The trip has had its challenges but overall we have enjoyed every minute.

     Staying on for New Zealand  until 1/2. 
      We are still in Melbourne @ 9:15pm not sure when we are leaving. Scheduled to be in Tasmania tomorrow. 

[Mike B Landlubber]

3 hours ago, erewhon said:

Thanks for posting the photos.

Did you do an excursion n Melbourne?

Today I did an excursion called “Blue Dandenongs and Mountain Village”. I was too optimistic in reading the description and hoped for a chance to see some of the area’s wild birds, which didn’t happen (and wasn’t actually promised, to be fair). We did a photo stop at an overlook in the mountains that was merely okay but short, spent 40 minutes shopping or snack stop in a small town called Sassafras, and literally a drive through of central Melbourne before returning to the ship. Of course we drove through the country outside Melbourne, which I liked, but wasn’t amazing. If I had a do-over, I would pick another.

 

We had overnighted here, and yesterday I took an excursion to Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary that was absolutely wonderful for a wildlife lover (me) and should be at least acceptable for anybody. If you go there, see the “Spirits of the Sky” bird show. I also got multiple clear views of a duck-tailed platypus feeding, which I didn’t think I would ever see in my life, even in captivity (they are shy and nocturnal). Yes, I am a nature nerd! LOL

Edited December 12, 2022 by Mike B Landlubber

[Mike B Landlubber]

2 hours ago, oakridger said:

I will be reading any comments you have about this cruise!  I am eyeballing a cruise on Noordam to Australia and New Zealand in the future.

This is my first cruise since 2018, so I am almost a newbie again! 🙂 As for the Noordam, the staff and service is fantastic. Wait staff is great, my stateroom attendant is almost supernatural in knowing when I leave, and keeps everything spotless while I am gone. I find eating in the Lido kind of a madhouse, and have been a fuddy duddy and eaten in the area with wait service or in a specialty restaurant when time isn’t of the essence. The voyage has been dogged by weather, we skipped one port entirely and for another (Kangaroo Island, big one for me) couldn’t tender till about Noon because of waves, and they cancelled half the excursions (including mine). Of course that isn’t at all the fault of HAL. As mentioned by Cunnorl, We were supposed to leave Melbourne over five hours ago, but there is a Gale Warning (and a sheep grazier’s warning, which was a new one on me) that I suspect is holding us in port. Hopefully it won’t mess with our port tomorrow! Incidentally, I thought our ship looked much better maintained than the P&O ship.

 

Despite my kvetching about the weather, I have been pleased with everything in HAL’s control, and would recommend the ship and Australia. I will come back and post a few more shots from the cruise later.

[Mike B Landlubber]

We are late, but on our way from Melbourne!

[Bruinboy]

Thanks for including us on our trip. My wife and I did a NZ-Australia 29 day cruise on the Noordam four years ago. Loved it. That cruise and our Baltic cruise of 20 years ago have been our two favorites.  We especially loved Tasmania so I hope you get to see as much as possible.  My wife and I love wine so many of our excursions were wine-related. Tasmania has some of the best wines in Australia. Who would have thunk it? 

 

I hope the weather improves. Landlocked here in Nebraska and I love to cruise vicariously with others! Thanks for bringing me along.

[SilvertoGold]

Thanks to both Mike and cunnorl for these great posts! We have enjoyed the Noordam and it is wonderful to hear about the crew (fantastic!), ports and general life on board these cruises DownUnder.

 

 

 

[Mike B Landlubber]

Photos from today in Burnie, Tasmania: 

A Tasmanian Devil at the wildlife center looks ready to eat Bugs Bunny, a beer company shot out the bus window, and two port shots. One port shot shows a GIGANTIC pile of wood chips being accumulated for export to China, and one shows a semi-truck full of wood chips being unloaded by tiling it upwards so the chips fall out the back! I tried to post a video of two Devils squabbling over a meal, but no luck.

[Mike B Landlubber]

The big news today is that weather, especially high winds, continues to dog us. We left Melbourne several hours late last night, and had a rough night voyage to Burnie. I’m in a stern verandah cabin which I’m sure made it worse, but it was worse than the famous Drake Crossing for me. We arrived in Tasmania late this morning. But were able to do most or all shore excursions. But—We were supposed to go further south to Hobart, Tasmania. That has been cancelled because of rough seas that among other things make us late getting to Sydney were many of us disembark in a few days. We will head back directly  towards the Australian mainland instead. A port call at Eden, Australia has been substituted for Hobart. They are arranging shore excursions, but we cannot schedule yet. Should find our options during our sea day tomorrow. The Saga continues! 😉 

[Bruinboy]

Sorry you had to miss Hobart which happened to me one of our favorite stops. Eden was fine as well, but we REALLY loved Hobart. 

 

Thanks again for taking us along. It brings back fond memories for us.

[Mike B Landlubber]

Eggs Benedict in classic English Breakfast on a sea day. We really are headed north as promised. Shore excursions for tomorrow in Eden appeared in the Navigator app as promised this morning, so those who want to can book. I’m glad to see the option, though I would rather have seen Hobart!

Edited December 13, 2022 by Mike B Landlubber

[erewhon]

@Mike B Landlubber  thank you for your reports.

At Burnie, dd the mayor greet passengers as you were leaving the ship?

Sorry you missed Hobart.

[Mike B Landlubber]

38 minutes ago, erewhon said:

@Mike B Landlubber  thank you for your reports.

At Burnie, dd the mayor greet passengers as you were leaving the ship?

Sorry you missed Hobart.

There was a huge rush out of the ship when we docked, I didn’t participate since I had a later excursion. Mayor may have been there, but I didn’t hear about it (but am not that social or wired in). I left the ship about two hours later to meet at gangplank as directed, had a lengthy wait in chilly windy conditions because they were short of buses due to our late arrival. No politicians in sight! 🙂

Edited December 14, 2022 by Mike B Landlubber

[cunnorl]

@erewhon. The mayor actually came on the shuttle bus in Burnie to greet us. She was quite enthusiastic and welcoming! 

[erewhon]

4 hours ago, cunnorl said:

@erewhon. The mayor actually came on the shuttle bus in Burnie to greet us. She was quite enthusiastic and welcoming! 

 

When we visited Burnie, the Mayor was welcoming the cruise ship passengers while leaving the ship.

The Mayor we met, told us that she was brand new in the job.   

It's a nice trsdition.

 

Hope you have a smooth crossing of the Tasman Sea.

[Mike B Landlubber]

We docked in Eden, though the Captain described docking as “very challenging” because of the wind. Apparently the storm is expected to peak tonight, so instead of leaving in the evening and cruising overnight and tomorrow to get to Sydney the next day we will stay overnight in the harbor here, then head to Sydney tomorrow. This is supposed to give us a calmer night. I actually did not think the shaking was as bad last night as it has been the previous two nights, didn’t notice anything unusual. I am about to head out, will try to post some pics this evening! I’m sad because this is the last port before I disembark in Sydney!

[Mike B Landlubber]

Docking in Eden this morning. It is a windy, but beautiful day!

[Mike B Landlubber]

For a moment I thought I’d seen some unusual maintenance yesterday, but it was just was the ship’s photographer setting up. 

[Torquer]

@Mike B LandlubberIn your photo of docking at Eden, your balcony railing appears blue, instead of the usual polyurethane wood color.  Is that really the way the railings on Noordam are, or is there just something wrong with that photo?

 

We are enjoying reading your cruise updates, since we will be on a similar cruise on Noordam in a couple months.

[Mike B Landlubber]

3 hours ago, Torquer said:

@Mike B LandlubberIn your photo of docking at Eden, your balcony railing appears blue, instead of the usual polyurethane wood color.  Is that really the way the railings on Noordam are, or is there just something wrong with that photo?

 

We are enjoying reading your cruise updates, since we will be on a similar cruise on Noordam in a couple months.

I’m going to guess it was auto color correction by the IPhone, trying to match the shaded balcony to the surrounding water. As you say, the wood is natural colored. I just now stepped on my balcony for an in--Sun shot: (added later) I did this in a hurry and it is upside down, but the intelligent and sophisticated people here will figure it out! LOL

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by Mike B Landlubber

[pghflyer]

Are you guys being asked to take any COVID tests on board? Just heard on a Westerdam roll call that they had all passengers take an additional test on their first sea day.

[Mike B Landlubber]

1 hour ago, pghflyer said:

Are you guys being asked to take any COVID tests on board? Just heard on a Westerdam roll call that they had all passengers take an additional test on their first sea day.

Masks are required and compliance is fair. I had to show a negative self-test when boarding, but not a whisper about testing since. Our captain announced on the intercom that despite a supposed rumor that he had Covid, he was fine and on the bridge with the crew at that moment! 🙂 I haven’t heard of any cases among passengers, though I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few they kept quiet!

[Red Haired Lady]

1 hour ago, Mike B Landlubber said:

Masks are required and compliance is fair. I had to show a negative self-test when boarding, but not a whisper about testing since. Our captain announced on the intercom that despite a supposed rumor that he had Covid, he was fine and on the bridge with the crew at that moment! 🙂 I haven’t heard of any cases among passengers, though I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few they kept quiet!

Where did you board the ship? I boarded in Sydney on Nov 12 and they had us do another self test on day three. Cabin steward distributed the tests around 8 AM and he looked at it. Instructions were to take a picture of the test and a slip of paper which I did, but he just looked at the test and said I was good to go.