OzKiwiJJ

The Sanctuary pool is very small and is divided into two sections. One is a shallow lounging area with a ledge seat running around half of it, the other is a deeper section. Neither section is big enough to do any serious swimming in. It's a great place to cool off on a hot day though and I've had many interesting chats with other cruisers while floating around in the pool. It was in reasonable condition in 2022. On one cruise they repainted it on an embarkation day so it was closed the next day until it had refilled.

Wrong, the Sanctuary pool on Coral is for Sanctuary guests only. We saw several people asked to leave the pool when we were on Coral in 2022. The Sanctuary stewards were very aware of how people could get to the pool without coming into the Sanctuary area, they knew who the Sanctuary guests were at any point in time, and if they saw any strange faces in the pool they would come down and ask them to leave immediately. Usually they just had to mention the extra cost to use the Sanctuary facilities and those people would be out of there like a shot!

I believe she is going up to Singapore for a dry dock in September, once she returns from this year's world cruise.

That's why we always went to the Good Spirits bar for coffee but, of course, you can't get food there.

Definitely pack your raincoat. We got drenched during our Burnie tour yesterday. It decided to bucket down just as we were touring the salmon farm! And that was the only stop on our tasting tour where we needed to walk around outdoors. Typical!

You certainly broke #3 in 2022, after Coral finally got out of Melbourne!🤣 And #2 as Coral was cruising out of Sydney.

Apparently it got a bit bumpy in Bass Strait last night around midnight but we didn't feel a thing! Anyway we survived Majestic Princess trying to outrun a storm that was bringing 8 metre seas along with it in 2018, Hobart to Sydney. That did get a tad rocky!

I really loved Singapore the first few times I went there, tagging along on Rolf's business trips but these days it's not quite as interesting. Too many big malls all selling the same stuff. Even the airport is full of the same shops. Of course there are still the interesting sights if you seek them out, and it is a nice place to chill out around a pool until the daily thunderstorm arrives.

It's been very comfortable this week. Apparently the seas are moderate but we're trundling along at under 15 knots so we've hardly felt any movement.

Oh no! 🤔 How many times do you think I'll see it on the world cruise? I imagine they'll offer it at least once per sector.

On Diamond last year they had Bravo which was the precursor to Encore. I actually prefer the mix of songs in Bravo so it was great to see it again.

I just head for the nearest air-conditioning unless there is a handy swimming pool, in which case I'll be in the pool!

We had a similar problem on a tender at Geraldton. A squall came up just as we boarded the tender, we got out to the ship after a bumpy ride, a rope broke as we were tying up to the ship so we ended up wallowing around in the uncomfortable seas until they got another rope. After that we learnt to carry some Stemetil in my handbag for emergency use on tenders.

That show is Encore. Pop-op with fabulous costumes. It's one of my favourites.

I've seen it three times already and am looking forward to seeing again when we do the world cruise on Coral in a few months time.

Last week was horrible. The temps were only mid 20's but the dew point index was so high it felt hotter.

She's an older ship, Panamax class, designed for the Panama Canal original locks. She holds the same number of passengers as the old Sun class ships and combines the best of that class and the Grand class - generous public spaces, lounges, bars and a decent sized theatre. Personally I think she is the best in the Princess fleet! The minisuites are lovely although the sofas can be a bit saggy at one end. Club class dining is great. It has the same menu as the rest of the MDRs with an extra speciality or two added. The service is excellent. One show you absolutely must not miss (unless you hate New Orleans jazz) is On the Bayou which is performed in the Universe Lounge, not the theatre. There is usually a good selection of live music throughout the ship with enough variety so that if one venue doesn't suit your mood there is always somewhere else. She is well set-up for Aussie coffee drinkers with espresso-based drinks available not only at the International Cafe, which on this ship is on deck 6 mid-aft, but also in the Good Spirits Bar (deck 5) and the Wheelhouse Bar (deck 7). She has a full promenade deck but I believe they've changed the seats there. There is plenty of space for walkers/joggers, shuffleboard players, ans those just wanting to sit and relax. She has two pools midships, one is covered. The Sanctuary is aft and has it's own small pool.

Even us Aussies can't predict the weather here at the moment! Yes, pack a mix of shorts and pants, short and long sleeve tops, and layers in case of cooler days which you will most likely get in NZ and also if your cruise goes to Tasmania. It will definitely be very hot across the top end but no guarantees for Perth or Sydney. Sydney has varied from hot and very humid to close to cool (20C or less) this summer! If you're going through Milford Sound etc you definitely need a warm layer first thing in the morning (I usually pack a light fleece for NZ) and I recommend taking a warm hat, gloves and scarf as well. It is much better being out on deck during the Fiordland cruising than peering through the tinted windows of the ship. Better to pack too many choices so you are comfortable in all conditions than to be too hot or cold.

Actually it wasn't a political comment, I saw it as merely a statement that the US TV channels only had one topic for their news at present.

I agree, we did a tour with them quite a few years ago and it was amazing. I think it was in September and it was a bit of a rough ride out to the reefs. There is no guarantee it would be more or less rough in March as weather and sea conditions seem to be getting more and more unpredictable these days. Take some effective seasickness medication with you. As others have said if you are hoping to do this at a port stop on a cruise it probably won't be possible. It's a long tender to the PD marina and there is no guarantee you would be able to get on the first tender.

Yes, I certainly wouldn't want to do that walk with suitcases but it is useful for day stops.

Yes, we stopped in Singapore on a repostioning cruise some years ago and used the MRT from the cruise centre. It is a fair walk to/from the MRT but it's flat and covered. It's very easy getting around Singapore on the MRT.

Many of the big malls have great food courts so they're useful for more than shopping. Also they often link together so you can get a fair way along Orchard Rd without having to go out in the steamy heat.

I'm so glad you enjoyed the restaurant. We really enjoyed it the time our friends took us there and would happily make the trip to Waiheke next time we're in Auckland just to go there again.

We had a problem with.one of our debit cards in Japan. It worked fine first time but not the second. We had to use the other one which charges foreign transaction fees. We rang the bank but they couldn't see any reason why that card hadn't worked and it wasn't blocked. It worked OK in Thailand though. Very strange.