arxcards

As mentioned, the lagoon is a great hang out area at Airlie Beach. Lots of beach front at Tangalooma/Moreton Island.

That sounds like a great plan B. Are they planning to fix the issue, or is it 3/4 speed ahead?

A cruising go fund me page sounds like a plan 💭 Interesting! 🤣

lol - I have certainly lived through a lot of Saturday nights.

It goes in reverse for us. I have looked at a relocation cruise to LA, train across to NY, then a transatlantic to Southampton. It is just too long, considering we are gearing-up for a UK holiday and cruise home from Dover. We both still work, and it is just the one crap day to fly there. That drugging comment might work. A decent dose of phenergan each might just do the trick.

Between Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane, there is usually a plan B to get other flights. I wouldn't dare fly in same day from Williamtown, as I don't really have a plan B if our flight is cancelled. But, it is winter and weather has to be a factor. I have seen friends' travel days equally wrecked by fog along the East Coast. It is also school holidays (in NSW at least), so always going to be less seats available for plan B. I am not a P&O fan at present, but I would hardly call them heartless for wanting to keep to schedule. Well over 2000 passengers aboard, pilot aboard, tugs waiting, subcontracted terminal staff not wanting to go into overtime. How long do they wait, and how many still haven't been able to make it when that extra time has expired. As a domestic cruise, I can't see why they can't board passengers via the facility at Airlie Beach tomorrow. It is only small numbers, and could be handled by a shipping agent and a few of the ships crew. Sincerely, I hope anyone who missed the boat can at least score some credits for a future cruise, but I do expect the initial response will be - that is what travel insurance is for.

I looked at Queen Anne, but it departs Sydney on 28th Feb in 2025 - much too early for us. I haven't looked at all options yet, but most seem to be heading to Alaska instead of Europe.

From Maitland, have you drifted out to Wollombi yet to try out Dr Jurd's Jungle Juice? It is almost as rough as it sounds. Yes, lots of great wines in the area. For me, Tyrrell's Shiraz, or some of the "younger" efforts of Tempus Two, like their Shiraz Gin.

Fantastic not to cook it myself for sure. I don't judge P&O vs my kitchen efforts or the local café, but against cruise ships of other lines. We have had some nice meals on P&O, and Mangan's Salt Grill is up there with any other cruise specialty restaurant in the world. However, their food and ability to cope with food allergies has let us down in the past and in my eyes they continue to slide vs other lines. Lots more to cruising than food, but at times that is a kicker for us.

Great news with your son. That makes for a memorable cruise.

I agree, it is a bit of an industrial wasteland, which is low lying and prone to flooding. As much as BICT is out of the way for cruisers, a hotel/restaurant will be out of the way for everyone else. While staying in such a place, you would need a cab to go anywhere else - including the airport. Other neighbours include plane maintenance hangars, fuel depot, general light industry and mangrove crabs. Just for info but not for recommendation, for anyone that wants to stay close, try https://www.tradecoasthotel.com.au/ It is as close as anyone would dare build, has accommodation, bar & "restaurant" plus a pie shop next door. Still needs a cab to/from both airport, city & cruise terminals, so may be of some benefit to someone doing a drive & stay - close to Gateway Motorway and closer to the cruise terminal car park.

For a while, their ID changed. When their first single came out, lots of DJs here were calling them inkses as well, so they went with InXS on their posters for a while.

I hate those longhaul flights Les. I even offered Barb a world cruise to avoid flying, but she insists on spending time in England so we will have to fly there before touring and cruising home.

It need only sell coffee to be a café.

The flights certainly dampen things a bit, but it is so worth it to get to some distant ports.

Dragon Lady isn't really geared to a large share table. Could be possible for Angelos though, which is very much a dining room menu, but a bit more like it used to be. If you want to eat at 9pm, just walk-up when you are ready. If you want to eat any earlier, I would suggest reserving something for the first 2 or 3 nights as soon as you board. The buffet is open for dinner as far as I am aware. Luke Mangan's is still excellent, and we both enjoy Shell & Bones (both paid). From all reports, avoid the seafood tower at Shell & Bones if you dine there. I have yet to bother with 400 Gradi for pizzas.

Only kidding. The long awaited café has finally opened. It will open from 7am each cruise day. I notice they have a stash of ramen noodles for crew rations, but they will need to be under 50c per serve to win them over. I was more than happy with the mobile coffee van, which I gather will no longer be invited on site. Image courtesy of Port of Brisbane.

They did the same on Feb 7th. For that cruise, they pre-announced a cancelled day at Mystery Island and changed the itinerary for maintenance while anchored 12 miles off the coast at Bundaberg. They informed passengers they may see divers in the water, and it was believed to have been for hull cleaning.

I saw INXS at a similar age at the Doylo. A good up n coming pub band in 1980

They still have a variant. I think it is now called cocktail night or elegant night, which is more akin to a day at the races. Quite a few people still dress-up formal, most make some sort of effort, but the ship doesn't enforce any sort of dress code. They also have a white night, a "Gatsby" night and a back to school night. P&O Parties | P&O Cruises Australia (pocruises.com.au)

This might even be slightly more on-topic. One of the oldest choc factories is closing down, and cruising might be part of the demise. P&O & Princess often had Hillier's chocs on the pillow, but now they don't. Hillier's has now gone to the wall.

I don't doubt that, and the doc would be best positioned to know if they were fit to travel. That isn't my point. You insure against the risk of the unknown. If they say they will not medically cover you, it means they will also not medically cover you (eg) for falling down stairs or any other unforeseen accident. The doctor has no influence over the decision of an underwriter or claim assessor.

I think the doctor should stick to doctoring and not be offering travel insurance advice. It might be lower risk, and of no risk at all to the cancer diagnosis. But, if an insurance company will not medically insure you, it means they will not cover any kind of medical episode or accident.

Milford Sound is part of Fjordland National Park, which also covers Doubtful, Dusky, Thompson & other sounds/fjords. On ships itineraries they are interchangeable. Any ship listing fjordland or fiordland is intending to visit Milford Sound Any ship listing Milford Sound usually intends to visit all of the others as well. Yes, Milford Sound is the most spectacular, but the others are beautiful as well and they all make for a wonderful day of scenic cruising.

To add, Brisbane ports has further bookings for Luminosa for 6th, 10th, 13 April.