2023 Grand World Voyage with The Inside Cabin

[The-Inside-Cabin]

A few highlights from our day - details later on the blog

 

WA Brass Band Welcome - Outstanding.

 

Fully staffed info desk in the terminal - plenty of maps and brochures

 

Shuttle Bus to Fremantle Visitor Center (Kings Square)

No Taxi Stand - Uber Available

 

Pedestrian Bridge across train tracks closed indefinitely.

 

Nearby Coles Grocery - Gone

 

Met local woman from Ravelry who drove us around to 5 yarn shops

 

We went to Coogee Common - A nice Farm to table restaurant for lunch south of Fremantle.

 

Big Mardi Gras Party on ship in the evening.

 

 

Here are the Yarn Shops

 

Bilby Yarns

 

The Teddy Tree

 

Crossways Wool and Fabrics

 

 

Calico and Ivy

 

Yarns on Collie

 

Coogee Common

 

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We are off to Swan Valley for a wine tour!

 

Swan Valley Full Day Private Tour
Wednesday 22 February

Pickup 09:00 – 09:30am (Fremantle Passenger Terminal)

Enjoy wine, cheese + olive tastings at Twin Hill Wines (10:45 – 11:15am) 
Enjoy wine tastings at Lancaster (11:30 – 12:15pm) 
Enjoy a Shared Platter Lunch with a glass of wine at Ugly Duckling Wines (12:30 – 2:00pm) 
Enjoy wine + chocolate liqueur tastings at Providore (2:15 – 3:00pm) 
Return drop off at Fremantle Passenger Terminal by 4:00pm

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Back on the ship after a great wine tour - sailaway part on deck 3???

 

 

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Surprise on the sail-away!  - Christel Mensink is back (as a passenger) with Henk - maybe for the duration.   It was great to see her again!

 

Two for One Margarita Specials on Margarita Day (I didn't know there was such a thing)

 

 

Dance band on deck 3!

 

 

Good Bye Freo!

 

 

Seven Sea Days lay ahead!!

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

REMARKABLE ROCKS ON KANGAROO ISLAND (POST #44)

FEBRUARY 17, 2023

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We visit Flinders Chase National Park 90 miles from the tender pier

Kangaroo Island

Penneshaw and the tender pier as seen from the ship

We anchored off Kangaroo Island, south of Adelaide, at 8 am with a 6 PM departure time.  The main attractions for our visit included:

• Flinders National Park, with Admirals Arch and the Remarkable Rocks being the highlights

• Seal Bay Conservation Park

• Beaches, including Emu Bay, Vivonne Bay, and Stokes Bay.

• Kangaroo Wildlife Park where you can see wildlife up close, including kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, koalas, and various birdlife.

Private excursions here are limited, and many have unfavorable cancellation policies – so understand your risk.  This is a tender port, so the possibility of getting canceled due to weather is higher than average.  HAL will offer a variety of tours where you can see the attractions mentioned above.

There isn’t much to see in Penneshaw, but you can hike around the city and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Kingscote is the largest city, about 25 miles from Penneshaw, and would be a place to visit if you are not interested in the other attractions.

Going Ashore

Our group was on one of the first tenders, and we were ashore at 8:11 am.

Penneshaw tender pier

 

We decided to rent a car and visit Flinders Chase National Park.   If you’d rather not rent a car,  HAL usually offers a tour called “Kangaroo Island in a Day” for $210.  This tour will take you to Seal Bay Conservation Park and Flinders Chase National Park.  This is probably the only way to see both of these attractions in a typical 8-10 hour port visit as with the HAL tour, they will return around the all-board time, and you won’t have to contend with returning a rental car and allowing for any buffer time.

Help from the visitors information office staff was available on the pier.

 

The car rental location, Kangaroo Island Connect/Budget, was a ten-minute walk.  We got the car and were ready to go in 15 minutes.  Our next stop was the IGA grocery store, and after picking up our lunch, we were on the road at 9 am.  We paid extra for the enhanced insurance, which allowed us to drive on dirt roads.  We did go on one dirt road, but it could have been easily avoided with little loss of time.

Although the Kia Carnival is rated for eight adults, I wouldn’t plan on more than 6

 

NOTE:  We learned afterward that the car has a GPS tracker installed, and they will verify that you didn’t drive on prohibited roads and made your final stop at the Penneshaw Gas Station.

NOTE:  We rented an 8-passenger Kia Carnival from Kangaroo Island Connect.  The cost for the Kia was $260, which included 300 KM.  We ended up driving a little over 400 KM.  The extra miles cost $33, and $45 for gasoline.  The total cost for the vehicle was $338 (all prices are in USD).   I spoke with another couple who rented a van, and their price from Thrify was about the same.    The Kia Carnival is advertised as an 8-passenger vehicle, but I wouldn’t use it for more than six adults.

Admission to Flinders Chase is $9 and must be bought online in advance.  A Wi-Fi hotspot was available near the Park Information Center if you didn’t purchase tickets beforehand.  You can also buy the tickets at the information trailer at the park entrance if the website is not working.

There is no food in the park and only one restaurant along the way near Vivonne Bay, so we bought prepared sandwiches and soft drinks at the Penneshaw IGA for about $10 USD per person.

There isn’t any gate or anyone checking tickets, although you may be asked to produce a ticket by a Ranger – so be prepared.

Flinders Chase National Park

It took us about 90 minutes to get to the Flinders Chase National Park entrance, where we stopped for a photo by the park sign.

Welcome to Flinders Chase National Park

 

Five minutes later, we stopped at the Information Center.  We checked in here, and they marked our names off their list.  I’m not sure this was necessary as there weren’t any signs saying you had to stop, and nothing on your ticket indicated a stop here was required.  Restrooms are available here.

Our first stop in the park was at the Cape du Couedic Lighthouse 17 minutes later.  We spent about 15 minutes here before continuing to the Admirals Arch parking lot, arriving at 11:30.  If you are pressed for time, I would skip the lighthouse and go straight to Admirals Arch.

Cape du Couedic Lighthouse

 

Admirals Arch

The HAL tours arrived at the same time, and the HAL guests were allocated 30 minutes to walk to the Arch and return.  It’s downhill, going down and uphill, coming back with about 100 steps as you approach the Arch.

These are the steps as your approach the Admirals Arch Viewing Platform

Admirals Arch is a natural rock formation sculpted by the wind and waves over millions of years.  Information boards along the boardwalk provide details about the geological processes that led to the formation of the arch.  You will also see the New Zealand fur seals that call this area home.

Table 89 at Admirals Arch Admirals Arch

 

We spent about 1 hour here, although much of that time was spent waiting for the HAL people to leave so we could easily take multiple photographs without any other people in our pictures.

Seals were on the rocks. Here is a mother nursing her pup

 

Weirs Cove

We returned to our car at 12:30 pm and headed to Weirs Cove, arriving at 12:35 pm.  We spent 15 minutes here enjoying the spectacular view and taking some photos.  Although Weirs Cove has a fantastic view, you could skip this stop if pressed for time.

Weirs Cove

 

Remarkable Rocks

Our final stop in Flinders Chase was the Remarkable Rocks arriving at the parking lot around 1 pm.  Restrooms are available here.  It’s probably a 1/4 mile walk to the Rocks, and we spent about 1 hour here.  The HAL tour will budget about 30 minutes, so you will have more time to explore if you do this tour on your own.

Remarkable Rocks are a unique formation of granite boulders eroded by the wind and the sea.  The rocks are a stunning sight to behold, with their strange shapes and patterns standing out against the blue of the ocean and the sky.  Information boards along the boardwalk leading to the Rocks provide details about the formation and history of Remarkable Rocks.  Take the time to read these boards and learn about the geological processes that led to the creation of this unique natural landmark.

As you wander around the Remarkable R0cks,  the perspective is constantly changing

We left Remarkable Rocks around 2 pm and headed back to Penneshaw.  We made a brief photo stop at the Bunker Hill Lookout before continuing.

The road on the way to Remarkable Rocks

 

We had considered making an additional stop at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife park or possibly one of the beaches or maybe Clifford’s Honey Farm  but we decided to head straight back to Penneshaw, giving us more buffer time since we were so far away.  We arrived back at the Penneshaw Gas Station at 4:10 pm, and after another photo stop in town, we dropped on the car at 4:30 – one hour before the all aboard.

A view of the Zuiderdam from Penneshaw

 

Summary

Visiting Kangaroo Island using a rental car is an excellent option if you are comfortable driving a car on the left side of the road.  The roads here are wide and smooth, so it’s pretty straightforward, but it is different and takes a little getting used to.  The per-person total cost for our rental car excursion was about $80 USD per person (5 people), including our food.

Time for a fish story!

 

Back on the ship

Comedian Jim Short was on the World Stage tonight.  Once again he was very funny and put on a great show.

Edited February 23, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[alibabacruisers]

Thank you Pete, for sharing your amazing and detailed excursion!  I love your maps where you label everything...amazing and informative!

Edited February 23, 2023 by alibabacruisers

[The-Inside-Cabin]

I discovered that the map above had The Cafe and Vivonne Bay and General Store was labeled incorrectly.    The corrected map is below and the map on my blog is correct.   This cafe is the only place to buy food en route to Flinders Chase National Park.   HAL tours may stop here - and the people I talked to who took the HAL tour said the food was good.  

 

As an aside, I talked to several people who took the Kangaroo Island in a Day HAL tour and they all liked it very much.    You will get to see the Seal Conservatory and have lunch but skip Weirs Cove and the Lighthouse. 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

The 2020 GWV on the ms Amsterdam ended in Perth, Western Australia, on 23 March 2020 due to the surging worldwide pandemic.  

 

Almost 3 years later, about 250 guests from that cruise gathered in the Crow's Nest at 4 PM on 23 Feb to remember that event and celebrate our continuing journey.  Planning for this event got started on our Roll Call last fall and spread to other social media.  

 

NOTE:  The day before we arrived in Perth, the Ship held a lovely ceremony on the World Stage for all of the 483 2020 GWV alumni onboard.  Highlights of this event have already been posted.   

 

When we started planning, we had no idea how many 2020 Alumni might be on board and at one point we thought everyone interested may fit in the Gallery Bar.  As interest grew we worked with HAL to book the largest space available, the Crow's Nest, and we quickly reached capacity.  

 

 

As people arrived, Champagne was served, as well as orange juice.  Waiters circulated and served a variety of hors d'oeuvres.  Everyone received a commemorative luggage tag, and we had a banner available for people to use in photographs.  

 

Luggage Tag

 

People enjoyed taking photos behind the banner

 

We handed out a few commemorative pens to the "winners" of various categories:  Last person to leave Australia; Last Date to get home; Longest distance traveled to get home and the date luggage was received.  NOTE - for those not aware, we left our luggage on the Amsterdam, and it was ultimately offloaded in Singapore and shipped to FLL via container ship.  Everyone received their luggage in Sept/Oct of 2020 and it was in remarkably good condition.  

 

We shared a toast to our continuing journey and enjoyed the camaraderie with our fellow cruisers for the rest of our hour.  

 

I started the toast by recalled Capt Mercer's toast back in March of 2020 when the fate of our cruise was still uncertain  “May we go where we want to and not where we have to”.

 

Here was my toast for this event:

 

"We have faced obstacles and setbacks along the way, but our passion for exploration and discovery has never waned. We have waited patiently for this moment, and now we stand on the brink of new horizons.

 

Let's raise a glass to the challenges we've overcome, the lessons we've learned, and the memories we've made. As we set out on this next leg of our journey, let's remember to savor every moment and appreciate every opportunity.

 

Let's embrace the unknown with curiosity and enthusiasm, and let's never lose sight of the wonders that await us.

 

So here's to the adventure that lies ahead, and to the resilience and determination that brought us this far. 

 

Let’s treat every cruise as if it's our first and last

 

Cheers to the journey ahead!"
 

 

 

Later on the ship

 

The Dance Band was on the World Stage this evening and performed "Jazzed up Beatles."   They performed a collection of Beatles hits with jazzy arrangements, which was outstanding.   Their performance of a jazzed-up arrangement of Dear Prudence included a nice drum solo by Band Director and Drummer, Jordan.  Their final song was "This Boy" with Jordan, Christopher, Alvaro, and Thomas sitting on the edge of the stage singing to the accompaniment of a single acoustic guitar.  

 

 

 

Edited February 24, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[cunnorl]

Your toast brought tears to my eyes. Just beautiful!

[dchip]

What a beautiful and thoughtful post!! We  are enjoying the journey!!

Cheers, Denise and Howie, too

[forwardho]

I am throughly enjoying your posts. I just love your toast. Your adventures are very true to your toast. Here’s is to your continued adventures! 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

FREMANTLE FAT TUESDAY AND YARN (POST #45)

FEBRUARY 21, 2023

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We visit Yarn shops during the day and celebrate Mardi Gras at night

My first visit to Fremantle was also my first visit to Australia and took place on 13 Nov 1989 when I was assigned to the USS Midway (CV 41).  Today was my fifth visit to Fremantle, each time arriving by sea – twice with the US Navy and three times with Holland America.

Back in 1989, the USS Midway was the largest ship to moor in Fremantle as they had just completed a major dredging operation of the port.  We were homeported in Japan and Judy flew down to Perth to spend 5 days with me during our port visit.

The USS Midway (CV 41) arrived in Fremantle on 13 Nov 1989. We “manned the rail” to celebrate our arrival

 

Visiting Australia is a dream of every US Navy sailor, and I was fortunate to visit several times when I was in the Navy.  Australia and especially Fremantle is always a very special port.

We moored at Victorica Quay in 1989 as we did today on the Zuiderdam. 10,000 people from the Perth area lined up for tours. The Midway hadn’t planned on offering tours back in 1989 but once we saw the crowds we came up with a plan. The crowd came up the forward elevator, walked thru the hangar bay, and departed via the aft elevator. Everyone had a chance to see the inside of a USN aircraft carrier and left happy. All the USN sailors were treated like rock stars ashore and it was impossible to spend our own money in any Fremantle bar.

 

In 2020 we arrived once again only this time we were not able to enjoy Australia’s hospitality but had to escape to the USA due to the Pandemic.  And now three years later we are back, and this time we will be able to enjoy Fremantle and Perth while we celebrate the continuation of our aborted 2020 Grand World Voyage.

As we closed on Victoria Quay we could see the Western Australian Brass Band getting ready for a musical welcome which started as soon as the first passengers left the ship.  Henk, Ian, and other senior officers lined the upper level of the cruise terminal and danced to the lively tunes from the WA Brass Band.

The WA Brass Band Manish – Assistant Hotel GM, George – Food and Beverage Director,Robert – Finance Manager, Maja – Guest Services Manager, Henk – Hotel GM and Ian – Cruise and Travel Director

 

YARN CRAWL

Our last normal visit here was in 2018 and we planned to visit the same five yarn shops, which were surprisingly all still in business and in the same locations – except for one.  We connected with local resident, Deb, thru Ravelry prior to our visit and she graciously offered to drive us around to the five shops.  Deb, who is from the USA, met and married Colin, an Australian and they now live in Spearwood, Western Australia.

The Fremantle Cruise terminal is two stories, and you cross over from Deck 3 to the upper level.  There is a large seating area on the upper level with Wi-Fi which is quite popular with many guests.  When you take the escalator down to the main level, you will find a staffed information desk with many maps and brochures available.

Outside the terminal, we were surprised to find a free shuttle bus that would take us to the Fremantle information center about one mile away.  There weren’t any taxis waiting, but Uber was available.  The nearby pedestrian bridge that used to offer a speedy path to town and the nearby Coles Grocery was closed for repairs.  The Coles grocery was gone and we learned the site was going to be developed for other purposes.

Here are a couple of maps showing where we visited today

 

Before we connected with Deb, we had planned to use Uber to visit the shops.  In 2018 we had enough interest to justify renting a large van, but not for this visit.  Taking UBER to visit the 5 shops would have cost $80 – $100 USD.

YARNS ON COLLIE

We took the Shuttle Bus to Kings Square and walked a few blocks to our first yarn shop – Yarns on Collie, where we met Deb.  Yarns on Collie is a nice shop with a selection of yarns from Katia, King Cole, Filatura Di Crosa, Malabrigo and Sirdar to name a few. Judy bought some 100% merino fingering weight yarn that was an interesting blue with hints of other colors and she found some blue buttons that were the right shade of blue for a cardigan that she is knitting.  After about 15 minutes we headed out with Deb, and we drove to the next shop, Bilby Yarns

Yarns on Collie is about 1 mile from the ship Yarns on Collie owner, Caroline, was very helpful today Inside Yarns on Collie

 

BILBY YARNS

Bilby Yarns was about 15 minutes away.  The shop was rearranged since our last visit to facilitate social distancing.  Judy bought some pink and some white Papyrus yarn by Fibra Natura to knit a striped scarf or small shawl.  June and Charmaine were very helpful and fun to chat with…..Bilby has the best selection of rovings, spinning supplies, and accessories.

Judy outside Bilby Yarns showing off her purchase Bilby Yarns owner, June and Charmaine Inside Bilby Yarns

 

TEDDY TREE

Teddy Tree has an extensive selection of quilting fabric and teddy bears, which takes up over half the shop.  The shop is fairly large, so there is still a large selection of yarn, especially Bernat, Katia and Patons.  Judy found a brand of knitting needles she hadn’t seen before — PRYM ERGONOMICS Knitting Needles.  They have a tear-drop shaped tip and a triangle body.  Judy has been known to snap plastic needles in two while knitting, and she is curious to see how these needles hold up to her knitting style.

Judy outside Teddy Tree with her purchase Teddy Tree owner, Jenn Inside Teddy Tree

 

CROSSWAYS WOOL AND FABRIC

Crossways Wool and Fabrics has the most extensive selection of yarn, with less space dedicated to quilting fabrics.  They have a great selection of Malabrigo, Cleckheaton, Fiddlesticks, Patons, and more.  Judy bought two hanks each of three different colorways of Fiori hand-dyed sock yarn that was very close in color.  She plans to knit a cardigan melding these three different shades of blues & greens together.

Judy outside Crossways Wool and Fabrics showing off her purchase Tegan was very helpful Inside Crossways Wool and Fabrics

 

CALICO AND IVY

Calico and Ivy moved since we were here in 2018.  They have the largest selection of Brooklyn Tweed Judy has seen, as well as Cleckheaton, Woolfolk, and more.  This shop also carries an extensive selection of quilting fabrics in addition to yarn.

Judy outside Calico and Ivy Inside Calico and Ivy

 

COOGEE COMMON

With the help of Deb driving us around, we were able to visit all five shops in record time, and we headed to Coogee, south of Fremantle, for a late lunch at Coogee Common, a unique farm-to-table style restaurant with a menu featuring various items from the local area.  The menu is designed for sharing, so we ordered a couple of vegetable dishes featuring broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, and chickpeas along with a few proteins, including fish and pork and a shrimp skewer.  The food was excellent and would be a nice place to visit if you are looking for something a little different during your visit.

Coogee Common grows some of its food on the premises

 

Afterward,  Deb invited us to her home, where we chatted briefly before heading back to the ship via a quick stop at a Farmer Jack’s grocery store for some Tim Tams.   We missed meeting her husband, Colin,  a retired Submariner and bicycle racer, and we would have enjoyed sharing sea stories.

Here is the “USA section” inside Farmer Jacks supermarket

 

Judy and Deb

 

MARDI GRAS IN FREMANTLE

The ship was in port overnight, and it was also Fat Tuesday.   Mardi Gras celebrations were scheduled in the Rolling Stone Lounge starting at 8 pm

They had a Mardi Gras Gold Coin Scavenger Hunt – they hid 200 chocolate gold coins, and 138 were turned in.  The winner had 38 coins.

Other events included a “Mardi Gras Bead Toss Game” contest which involved bouncing a ping pong ball into your partner’s paper cup and a Mardi Gras “Pass the Beads” contest.

Getting ready for one of the Mardi Gras games in the Rolling Stone Lounge

The highlight of the evening was the Mardi Gras King and Queen Costume Contest.    I wore my black and gold jacket along with a Mardi Gras hat and mask with a green and purple bow tie.   As it turned out I was the only man to enter along with 6 women and one young girl, about 10 years old or so.     Consequently I was declared the King of Mardi Gras by default and the young girl was declared the Queen of Mardi Gras.  I suspect that participation was less since we were in port and many of the party people were probably ashore enjoying some Fremantle night spots.

A few of us from Table 89 attended the Mardi Gras fesitivties Judy, with the newly crowned King of Mardi Gras

YARN SHOP REFERENCE

Bilby Yarns
Showroom: shop 2, 6 Harrison Street, Willagee, Western Australia
Postal Address:  P.O. BOX 165, Bull Creek, Western Australia 6149
Email: info@bilbyyarns.com
Phone: [61+08] 9331 8818

http://www.bilbyyarns.com.au  and  http://www.bilbyyarns.com
11:00 am – 5:00 pm Tuesday to Friday
Open on most Saturdays from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

 The Teddy Tree
226 Scarborough Beach Road
(corner Egina St)
Mount Hawthorn WA 6016
Ph: (08) 9201 1011
Tue-Sat 9:30 am-3:00 pm

http://teddytree.com.au/
sales@teddytree.com.au

Crossways Wool and Fabrics

Shop 15, Crossways Shopping Centre,
180 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco WA 6008
Phone: 08 9381 4286
Monday to Friday: 9 am – 5.00 pm
Saturday: 9 am – 4.30 pm

http://crosswayswoolandfabrics.com.au/
sales@crosswayswoolandfabrics.com.au

Calico and Ivy
10 to 5:00 pm (M- Sat)

https://www.calicoandivy.com/
4/111 Claremont Crescent
Swanbourne WA 6010
Phone :  (08) 9383 3794
Email: info@calicoandivy.com

Yarns on Collie
Shop 3
19 Collie St, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia
10:00 to 5pm (M – Sat)
http://www.woolshop.com.au
(08) 9335 4455

Edited February 25, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[mooseridge]

Pete, Continued big thank you for the great reporting, information & fun of your posts!  Question for you & anyone reading your posts - looking at Apple Luggage Tag Finders?  Anyone use them?  Thumbs up or down?  Opinions? Thanks in adance.

 

Also Pete, you may not want to answer - but cruise coming up - what's the COVID situation on board?  

If you'd rather not answer, understand, may I send you my email?  COVID checks?  Notice in your wonderful pictures no one is wearing a mask.  That's look so great!  Hope all are well & having a great time!

 

Thanks, Mooseridge

PS - yes BRR!  3 degrees last night!~

 

 

 

 

[janmcn]

Thanks for the “timing” comparisons  with HAL tours…helps for future plans.

 

Re: the yarn crawls…fun to see those from the ‘18 revisited! I’ve still got some quilting fat quarters but alas had to give away some of my yarns I hadn’t used…can no longer knit due to neuropathy in hands and feet from chemo. We’ll be on 2024 Grand AU so am keeping lots of info you’re doling out! Thanks!

[vinonme2]

On 2/21/2023 at 7:18 PM, The-Inside-Cabin said:

We are off to Swan Valley for a wine tour!

 

Swan Valley Full Day Private Tour
Wednesday 22 February

Pickup 09:00 – 09:30am (Fremantle Passenger Terminal)

Enjoy wine, cheese + olive tastings at Twin Hill Wines (10:45 – 11:15am) 
Enjoy wine tastings at Lancaster (11:30 – 12:15pm) 
Enjoy a Shared Platter Lunch with a glass of wine at Ugly Duckling Wines (12:30 – 2:00pm) 
Enjoy wine + chocolate liqueur tastings at Providore (2:15 – 3:00pm) 
Return drop off at Fremantle Passenger Terminal by 4:00pm

 

 

Pete,

Sounds like a nice wine tour. Can you share the name of the tour operator ?

[The-Inside-Cabin]

6 hours ago, mooseridge said:

Pete, Continued big thank you for the great reporting, information & fun of your posts!  Question for you & anyone reading your posts - looking at Apple Luggage Tag Finders?  Anyone use them?  Thumbs up or down?  Opinions? Thanks in adance.

 

Also Pete, you may not want to answer - but cruise coming up - what's the COVID situation on board?  

If you'd rather not answer, understand, may I send you my email?  COVID checks?  Notice in your wonderful pictures no one is wearing a mask.  That's look so great!  Hope all are well & having a great time!

 

Thanks, Mooseridge

PS - yes BRR!  3 degrees last night!~

 

 

 

 

I don't have any official information, and nothing is ever announced or discussed.   I know a few people in quarantine, but I would guess the overall numbers are minimal.   A handful of guests and crew are still wearing masks.    There isn't any discussion about requiring testing for any future ports.

 

I have apple air tags and have used them extensively.   I find them helpful in the event your bag goes missing but it has never happened so I can't say for sure what help they may be.   I also keep one in my day bag in case I leave it behind somewhere.    

 

You can always contact me offline at connect@theinsidecabin.com

[The-Inside-Cabin]

2 hours ago, vinonme2 said:

Pete,

Sounds like a nice wine tour. Can you share the name of the tour operator ?

Happy Go Lucky Charters  HERE   I have used them twice on separate cruises.   They are responsive to emails and totally reliable.   Highly recommended.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

3 hours ago, janmcn said:

Thanks for the “timing” comparisons  with HAL tours…helps for future plans.

 

Re: the yarn crawls…fun to see those from the ‘18 revisited! I’ve still got some quilting fat quarters but alas had to give away some of my yarns I hadn’t used…can no longer knit due to neuropathy in hands and feet from chemo. We’ll be on 2024 Grand AU so am keeping lots of info you’re doling out! Thanks!

Glad you are finding the posts useful.  Sorry to hear about the lack of knitting....Grand AU is going to be a great cruise..

[SusieKIslandGirl]

Hi Pete and Judy, I've been enjoying your posts for several years now. We just left Auckland yesterday on the Noordam and while in Auckland, another Judy and I were able to find NZ Fabrics & Yarn. The only problem is fabric is heavy! Can't buy too much 🙁. I couldn't believe it last night when the Daily Program for today arrived and saw that Hyperion Knight was performing!!! After your reviews I knew I had to attend and so glad I did. Can't wait for his Name That Tune tomorrow morning. Thanks for all your reports-they've been so helpful.  --Susie

 

[sandiego1]

Pete- very cool that you were on the Midway that is now a museum in San Diego!  I didn’t know that. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

3 hours ago, sandiego1 said:

Pete- very cool that you were on the Midway that is now a museum in San Diego!  I didn’t know that. 

I was a docent on her for three years.....

[The-Inside-Cabin]

3 hours ago, SusieKIslandGirl said:

Hi Pete and Judy, I've been enjoying your posts for several years now. We just left Auckland yesterday on the Noordam and while in Auckland, another Judy and I were able to find NZ Fabrics & Yarn. The only problem is fabric is heavy! Can't buy too much 🙁. I couldn't believe it last night when the Daily Program for today arrived and saw that Hyperion Knight was performing!!! After your reviews I knew I had to attend and so glad I did. Can't wait for his Name That Tune tomorrow morning. Thanks for all your reports-they've been so helpful.  --Susie

 

Hyperion in Incredible - Here is a clue for name that tune - "9 PM "

[The-Inside-Cabin]

PERTH – SWAN VALLEY WINE TOUR (POST #46)

FEBRUARY 22, 2023

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We visit wineries in Swan Valley and celebrate National Margaritta Day

Today 13 of us headed out to the Swan Valley for an all-day wine tour that I booked using Happy Go Lucky Charters.  They are a great company that I used in 2018 for a yarn crawl.  Here was the plan: 

Swan Valley Full-Day Private Tour

Wednesday 22 February

Pickup 09:00 – 09:30 am (Fremantle Passenger Terminal)

Enjoy wine, cheese + olive tastings at Twin Hill Wines (10:45 – 11:15 am) 

Enjoy wine tastings at Lancaster (11:30 – 12:15 pm) 

Enjoy a Shared Platter Lunch with a glass of wine at Ugly Duckling Wines (12:30 – 2:00 pm) 

Enjoy wine + chocolate liqueur tastings at Providore (2:15 – 3:00 pm) 

Return drop off at Fremantle Passenger Terminal by 4:00 pm

Details: 

A lunch platter (with a glass of wine) is included in the price ($90 per person) 

The lunch platter is a combination of a cheese + meat platter consisting of vintage cheddar, brie, chilli jam dip, quiche, seasonal fruit, chicken and cognac paté, marinated olives, dried fruit, caramelized onion, smoked chicken, salamis, prosciutto, ham, Turkish bread, and flatbread.  Additional menu items are available at your own expense. 

We will get a 20/25-passenger bus 

Our group met in the Ocean Bar and headed down to wait outside the passenger terminal.  There is a large covered waiting area with plenty of seats available. 

The Bus arrived on time at 9 am.  I was notified earlier that the original 25-passenger bus was out of service so they substituted a larger “party bus” complete with dancing poles and open seating.  It worked out very well as the open seating made conversation easier.  No one tried out the dancing poles. 

This was our bus for the day Inside the bus

 

Swan Valley is about 30 miles from Fremantle and will take about 45 minutes with no traffic and up to 90 minutes in rush hour.  Our trip to our first stop, Twin Hill Wines, took 1 hour and 10 minutes. 

I am not much of a wine connoisseur so you won’t get any details about the various wines we sampled. 

Robyn was our hostess at Twin Hill Wines.  She explained and poured 3 whites and 3 reds.  We also enjoyed a cheese and meat platter.  There was seating outside under a covered area, but we sampled the wines standing around the bar.  We were here for about 45 minutes.  We were the only group tasting wines while we were here. 

Robyn was our hostess at Twin Hill Wines We enjoyed this cheese plate while sampling the wine Our group at Twin Hill Wines

 

Our next stop was Lancaster Wines, about 15 minutes away.  Lancaster’s was much larger than Twin Hill Wines and had another tasting group running at the same time.  Our hostess bounced back and forth between the two groups and it worked out fine.  We chuckled when we saw a sign that said “Helicopter Parking” but we learned that they occasionally have people arrive on helicopter wine tours.  Helicopter Wine Tours can be booked  HERE – only $900 AUD per person (instead of $90 if you use a bus).  We were here for about 1 hour. 

Getting ready for the tasting at Lancaster with Katie Our group after tasting the wine at Lancaster

 

Ugly Duckling Wines was our next stop where we enjoyed a lunch platter and a glass of wine.  There wasn’t any wine tasting here.  We were seated at a long table outside under a shelter and the weather was perfect.  We enjoyed our time here chatting with our friends for about 90 minutes. 

This was our lunch plate at Ugly Duckling – Our group shared 3 of these. It was plenty

 

Our final stop was Providore which sells wine and chocolate liqueur.  They are on the same property as the Margaret River Chocolate Company, which is next door.  We sampled some wine and chocolate liqueur, both very good, before heading over to the chocolate store.  The chocolate store is huge and stocks a wide variety of chocolates.  While we didn’t buy any wine today, we did pick up some chocolate. 

Inside Providore Inside the Chocolate Store

 

We were here about 1 hour and headed back to Fremantle at about 2:30 and arrived back at the Cruise Terminal at 3:30.  All aboard was 4:30. 

Today was National Margarita Day and of course, the ship had a special Margarita (two for one) sail away.  

Two for one Margaritas during the Sail Away

 

The SailAway was on Deck 3 (port side) with the Dance Band providing some live music as we headed out to sea. 

The Dance Band playing on deck 3 during the Sail Away

Christel Mensink,  Henk’s wife, joined the ship here as a passenger and she will be with us through Amsterdam and maybe further.  Christel was the Guest Services Manager on our previous world cruises. 

Christel with Henk The South Mole Lighthouse marked our departure from Fremantle

Edited February 26, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Here is the video played during the 2020 Grand World Cruise Remembrance ceremony.  Twenty One crew members discuss their experiences during the Pandemic.

 

 

[IslandThyme]

Thanks for posting that sweet video. It's so nice to see those familiar faces again.