Live on Edge Down Under - Mar 24 & Apr 5 - NZ and S Australia 🛳️🇦🇺🦘🇳🇿🥝🛳️

[whitbob]

We are also on this cruise and following along.  Thanks for sharing your experiences.  We are also in a Sky Suite but didn’t get gifted with the high top table.  😕
 

 

[81Zoomie]

25 minutes ago, whitbob said:

We are also on this cruise and following along.  Thanks for sharing your experiences.  We are also in a Sky Suite but didn’t get gifted with the high top table.  😕
 

 

I wonder if your butler could do some magic and find one?

[Boatharbour]

1 hour ago, whitbob said:

We are also on this cruise and following along.  Thanks for sharing your experiences.  We are also in a Sky Suite but didn’t get gifted with the high top table.  😕
 

 

I’m really enjoy reading along as we’re on the same cruise. We received  the tote bag on day 1. Fourbottles of water have been left in our cabin twice. Low table, but in case others are wondering there are two sun lounges, two chairs and a table on the balcony. Yes, the butler is back plus 3 concierges. Looking forward to following this  thread. 

[OrtonPark]

Thank you for this report! It’s very informative and fun to read! 
 

I have a question about the wines - I don’t see the wines you mentioned on the list you posted, and additionally, aren’t those wines included in your premium package? I don’t understand the fees associated with them. Sorry for my confusion! 

[81Zoomie]

Tonight is chic night 🤵‍♂️👠🎩, so I perused the menu hoping for tenderloin in Luminae.  No such luck, tonight is ribeye.  DH is happy.  Being curious, I scrolled through all the Luminae dinner menus.  There is ribeye, sirloin, NY strip, but sadly, no tenderloin.  Having skipped breakfast, DH was hungry so we went up for lunch.  To my surprise, a petite filet was on the menu 😍.  I normally eat salad at lunch, but I didn’t want to miss this opportunity!

 

 

It was a perfect size for me and perfectly cooked😋.  There was a sauce on the side.  I just have to remember to order extra vegetables in the future.  DH had a shrimp poboy.  No pic because he devoured it before I could get my phone out. He followed up with the white chocolate mousse which looked very tasty!

 

 

It is a stunning day for a sea day.  Not too hot or too cold.  The pool and solarium are busy, but there are seats to be found.  CD Giuseppe is leading Aquarobics in the pool.  It’s a lively group!

 

 

The Captain has reported that we can expect the sea state to increase as the day goes on.  There will be some swells 🌊.  We can also expect to lose about 10 deg F tomorrow, and lose another 10 when we arrive in NZ.

[81Zoomie]

20 minutes ago, Boatharbour said:

I’m really enjoy reading along as we’re on the same cruise. We received  the tote bag on day 1. Fourbottles of water have been left in our cabin twice. Low table, but in case others are wondering there are two sun lounges, two chairs and a table on the balcony. Yes, the butler is back plus 3 concierges. Looking forward to following this  thread. 

We have one lounger, but I’d like to request another.  The Hoppen chairs are not very comfortable and do not recline.  Don’t laugh 🤭, but I packed 2 large beach balls to use as ottomans not knowing what the footstool and lounger situation would be.  On a vintage thread I read about someone who half filled them with water so the were weighted down 🎱🎱.

 

Our butler delivered 2 bottles of water after DH made his water run this morning.  Hopefully be brings more tomorrow.  We will ask for our tote✅.

[81Zoomie]

19 minutes ago, OrtonPark said:

Thank you for this report! It’s very informative and fun to read! 
 

I have a question about the wines - I don’t see the wines you mentioned on the list you posted, and additionally, aren’t those wines included in your premium package? I don’t understand the fees associated with them. Sorry for my confusion! 

Wine… Wine 🍷🍷🍷🍷 is very subjective, so YMMV.  Full disclosure, Costco box wine is our everyday go to at home.  We are not wine snobs.  We love wine and are doing our best to navigate the current wine situation on Celebrity.

 

I was hoping to avoid wine politics here and was planning on posting the Edge wine situation on one of the wine threads, but since @OrtonPark asked… You are not alone in your confusion, don’t feel bad.  A short recap: The contents of the premium package have been demoted to now include most of what was formally in the classic package.  Most former premium wines are now priced above the package limits.  This has been discussed at great length on several threads.
 

The printed dinner menu lists Opulence for $30.  Kendall Jackson Elegance is $23.  If you have a drink package you pay the difference between the elevated drink price and your package limit.  So even if you have the premium package ($20 limit in Australia) you have to pay the amount above $20 to drink better wine.  It’s a nickel and dime exercise.

 

IMHO, the Grant Bruge (A$16.66/$11.10 per bottle retail) I tasted last night was pretty marginal. The Decoy yesterday didn’t taste like it did in previous years.  The champagne that was left in our cabin at embarkation cost less than $10 per bottle, available only in bulk. 🍾🍾🍾.  At issue is low quality wines being promoted as “premium” and offered at exorbitant prices. However, on a positive note, everything we have ordered so far is available.

 

A comprehensive wine list is elusive.  There is a partial list on the app with the dinner menus.  I will ask tonight at dinner.  Some say ask the wine steward for advice, but that isn’t an ideal solution.  When I asked for Elegance Cabernet Sauvignon last night the wine steward asked me, “Do you want red or white?” 😳  

 

 All of the wines by the glass we drank in Sydney (major world city) last week were better quality and cost less than what is being offered by the glass on Celebrity.  Most Australian wines are quite good.  This was true for the complimentary wines served in the Marriott’s concierge lounge as well.  Australia and NZ are known for world class wines.  We will seek them out when ashore.  

 

Rant over.  We will make lemonade out of the lemons, drink good wine, and enjoy our adventures in Australia and NZ ❤️.

 

 

[Condogirl]

I have another question when you rolled your luggage down from the Marriott in Sydney. Did you go back to the Marriott and then walk back down to the pier? We will also be staying at the Marriott in January to board this cruise. Also, tipping. Did you tip the porter at the dock? Do they accept American dollars? Is there a money exchange onboard the ship for New Zealand Dollars? We are going on several excursions through TripAdvisor and it does not include gratuities. The first stop in Dunedin is an early excursion and I will probably not get to an ATM or Bank. Thank you. Really enjoying your updates.

[TheHawk1]

10 hours ago, 81Zoomie said:

The Captain has reported that we can expect the sea state to increase as the day goes on.  There will be some swells 🌊.  We can also expect to lose about 10 deg F tomorrow, and lose another 10 when we arrive in NZ.

Will be interested to hear how this goes.  I've read the sea crossing can be unpleasant, depending on weather and swells.

[jwlane]

2 hours ago, Condogirl said:

money exchange 

Check with your bank---Bank of America does it virtually free.

[mahdnc]

2 hours ago, Condogirl said:

I have another question when you rolled your luggage down from the Marriott in Sydney. Did you go back to the Marriott and then walk back down to the pier? We will also be staying at the Marriott in January to board this cruise. Also, tipping. Did you tip the porter at the dock? Do they accept American dollars? Is there a money exchange onboard the ship for New Zealand Dollars? We are going on several excursions through TripAdvisor and it does not include gratuities. The first stop in Dunedin is an early excursion and I will probably not get to an ATM or Bank. Thank you. Really enjoying your updates.

 

When we took our NZ cruise out of Sydney (and we also stayed at the Marriott), we did not have to tip the porters at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.  You should be able to change USD into NZD onboard the ship from Guest Relations if you want to do it there.

[Condogirl]

2 hours ago, jwlane said:

Check with your bank---Bank of America does it virtually free.

 

2 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

When we took our NZ cruise out of Sydney (and we also stayed at the Marriott), we did not have to tip the porters at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.  You should be able to change USD into NZD onboard the ship from Guest Relations if you want to do it there.

 

2 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

When we took our NZ cruise out of Sydney (and we also stayed at the Marriott), we did not have to tip the porters at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.  You should be able to change USD into NZD onboard the ship from Guest Relations if you want to do it there.

 

[Condogirl]

I can check my bank before I leave, but doing it onboard the ship in Guest Relations to exchange money would be the ideal situation. Thank you!

[clochette]

Thank for such a great and detailed report, I really appreciate your information about spending some time in Hawaii and then flying on great idea.

[peanut head]

Hoping that you have a wonderful voyage.  Your trip report is excellent--informative and colorful thus far.  We are planning on the Solstice TP in April 2026--long way off but I am gleaning as much information as possible from you now😁.

 

I was looking at the 2 Marriotts in the city and was wondering if location to the port was the main reason that you picked this one?

 

Also, have you needed much cash (Australian or USD) since you have been there?

[cruzzzinma]

1 hour ago, Condogirl said:

I can check my bank before I leave, but doing it onboard the ship in Guest Relations to exchange money would be the ideal situation. Thank you!

Just so you know, your bank exchange rates will be better than onboard.

[81Zoomie]

7 hours ago, Condogirl said:

I have another question when you rolled your luggage down from the Marriott in Sydney. Did you go back to the Marriott and then walk back down to the pier? We will also be staying at the Marriott in January to board this cruise. Also, tipping. Did you tip the porter at the dock? Do they accept American dollars? Is there a money exchange onboard the ship for New Zealand Dollars? We are going on several excursions through TripAdvisor and it does not include gratuities. The first stop in Dunedin is an early excursion and I will probably not get to an ATM or Bank. Thank you. Really enjoying your updates.

Good morning!  Yes, we dropped our bags early and then returned to the hotel.  We had requested a late checkout.  The hotel was a bit of a zoo that morning with 300 cruise passenger rooms checking in and out.  We were glad we took our bags down early!

 

We didn’t tip the young porters collecting our bags.  They walked up to us and took our bags.  There was no line 😄.

 

We have not exchanged any cash for local currency or taken money out of ATMs.  There are plenty of banks around.  Every transaction has been cashless.  We did leave a tip for our room attendant in Sydney in USD.  Given the exchange rate, hopefully it’s appreciated.  We have ordered foreign funds from our bank in the past as someone else suggested.

 

 

[southerngoose]

@81Zoomie   I am taking the same cruise in 2025.   Could you tell me whether you "need" New Zealand Dollars in New Zealand?   I'm really hoping to do this by credit card.   I'm going to Sydney for 2-3 days, then New Zealand and then Fiji and Samoa.   Given the number of stops in New Zealand, I wouldn't mind exchanging money, but Samoa and Fiji will be painful because we're not there long.   In Samoa I think I need like $20, max, but I hear that I'll need cash for that.

[81Zoomie]

15 minutes ago, southerngoose said:

@81Zoomie   I am taking the same cruise in 2025.   Could you tell me whether you "need" New Zealand Dollars in New Zealand?   I'm really hoping to do this by credit card.   I'm going to Sydney for 2-3 days, then New Zealand and then Fiji and Samoa.   Given the number of stops in New Zealand, I wouldn't mind exchanging money, but Samoa and Fiji will be painful because we're not there long.   In Samoa I think I need like $20, max, but I hear that I'll need cash for that.

We arrive in NZ tomorrow.  We will report back on the need for NZ currency.  Last summer we cruised out of AMS to Norway.  It was the first time we didn’t exchange any money.  Everything was tap and go with a card.  Perhaps some of our fellow NZ cruisers can weigh in with the local preferences?

[mahdnc]

2 minutes ago, 81Zoomie said:

We arrive in NZ tomorrow.  We will report back on the need for NZ currency.  Last summer we cruised out of AMS to Norway.  It was the first time we didn’t exchange any money.  Everything was tap and go with a card.  Perhaps some of our fellow NZ cruisers can weigh in with the local preferences?

 

During our New Zealand cruise out of Sydney a few years ago, we did not need any AUD because we did everything with mobile pay--taxis, restaurants, stores, vending machines, etc.  However we stayed the entire time in Sydney.  It could be different outside of Sydney.

 

When we got to New Zealand, there were two times that we needed NZD.  We needed cash to buy ice cream in the tiny town of Havelock (we rented a car at Picton and drove around).  I am pretty sure we ended up getting the ice cream for free because we did not have cash, could not find an ATM in the very small town, and USD was totally useless to the vendor even if I offered to overpay in USD (no local banks could change it out for the vendor). 

 

The second time was in Napier.  We had prepaid for a really nice farm tour, but the skeet shooting added option required cash.  The owner of the farm took me to a bank ATM in Napier on the way back to the port.

[southerngoose]

Forgive me if I missed this...any commentary on the quality of internet service?   Do I "need" to upgrade?    I have no need to stream video (I download in advance) but web browsing, email communication and sending a few photos to friends would be nice.

 

PS...I'm in a low class cabin, obstructed view.

 

Edited March 25 by southerngoose

[81Zoomie]

Day 3 - It is another beautiful day on the Tasman Sea!  It is a little cooler and dryer, but clear and sunny.  We understand that it is unusual to have such a calm crossing.

 

 

 

Now for a recap of yesterday evening!  DH took a long nap, so we passed on the officer soirée in the Retreat.  Instead, we headed down to the pool bar at 5pm.  It was blissfully empty 😄.  Sunny, sheltered, and the perfect place to just chill.  We each had a drink and enjoyed chatting with the bar tender.  I attached the pool bar menu below.  Of note, there was gluten free and zero alcohol beer.  We also spied a collection of Australian beers which were available! 🍻🍺🍻. It was so lovely and peaceful that we sat a bit longer and decided to eat later.

 

We arrived at Laminae at 7:45.  Our timing was good and it was over half empty!

 

 

 

I didn’t get a pic of the dinner menu 🤦‍♀️. Like I said, we were very relaxed 👍.  DH had the ribeye and I ordered the cauliflower steak.  First came the amuse-bouche.  The ribeye was an interesting cut, not what DH was expecting.  My cauliflower was good 😊.  
 

 

 

I had the cheese cake for dessert and DH had the chocolate palet.  Both were excellent!

 

 

 

After dinner we wandered through the shops and then played the slot machines for a bit, Unfortunately, no jackpot!  We passed on the production show.  We are still not 100% acclimated to the time zone, and now we are losing an hour each day as we sail eastward.  At the risk of sounding really boring… we opted for bed 😴😴

 

 

[81Zoomie]

13 minutes ago, southerngoose said:

Forgive me if I missed this...any commentary on the quality of internet service?   Do I "need" to upgrade?    I have no need to stream video (I download in advance) but web browsing, email communication and sending a few photos to friends would be nice.

 

PS...I'm in a low class cabin, obstructed view.

 

We have the premium internet and is pretty good.  We have been able to stream FaceTime with our children, but have not tried any other higher bandwidth.  I understand the basic package is good for email, etc, but not streaming.  Perhaps someone with basic can chime in.

 

Watch for flash sales if you want to upgrade.  The best one is black Friday.  I upgraded from basic to premium on our fall cruise (Oceanview) for a great price of $4.99 per day!

[81Zoomie]

We slept in this morning!!!!  I wanted a banana, so we popped up to the Oceanview Cafe.  The chaos up there makes me uncomfortable 😣, but they did have bananas 😉

 

I braved the crowds and the Lavazza coffee 😵‍💫.  I can report the bacon was very good and there was sugar free syrup.  The pork sausages were the smallest I have ever seen. They were the size of little smokies or hors devours hot dogs/pigs in the blanket.

 

 

After breakfast we attended the Beyond the Podium lecture about the NZ sounds.  It was very informative and we learned a lot!  I highly recommend this lecture 👍👍

 

 

We have been chilling in the solarium watching the wide open sea. It’s so tranquil.  Now it’s time to get ready for our roll call cabin crawl.  It’s a great opportunity to view the different cabins.  Unfortunately, no one is in a Royal, Penthouse, or the Iconic Suite.

[sweetp0618]

10 hours ago, Condogirl said:

I have another question when you rolled your luggage down from the Marriott in Sydney. Did you go back to the Marriott and then walk back down to the pier? We will also be staying at the Marriott in January to board this cruise. Also, tipping. Did you tip the porter at the dock? Do they accept American dollars? Is there a money exchange onboard the ship for New Zealand Dollars? We are going on several excursions through TripAdvisor and it does not include gratuities. The first stop in Dunedin is an early excursion and I will probably not get to an ATM or Bank. Thank you. Really enjoying your updates.

I overheard GS say they won't convert money because they use USD onboard. We didn't use any cash on our B2B in Feb - March except to give additional tips to the crew onboard. Tipping is not common or expected in either country and there wasn't a place we went that accepted cash - they wanted cc, even small vendors. I offered a bellman a tip and he looked at me like I had two heads and refused the $. Both countries pay all workers a living wage and people who live there would rather visitors not tip. I learned this on CC and observed it while we were there. Happy travels!