MMDown Under

I hope you are still managing to enjoy life. It is always nice to see you still contributing to CC. Have you had any interest in your house? You certainly live in a beautiful town. Moruya looks an attractive town also.

Thank you. I'm looking forward to experiencing Resilient Lady in January. I'm Well outside the demographics, but I liked the one way itinerary from Auckland to Melbourne.

You could check NSW and Vic school holidays also, as many passengers travel interstate. Queensland is like Florida.

Virgin's Resilient Lady, which will be cruising out of Australia for a season, doesn't charge gratuities. It is nice to hear it takes care of its crew. Hopefully it will start a new trend.

That was a good idea. Bon Voyage. I'm destination driven and liked the one way cruise from Auckland to Melbourne. I'm overdue for another visit to both places, so can spend some time at each before and after the cruise. I've been to all the ports of call bar one, so I won't be frustrated trying to get off a big ship. Yes, I agree it will be an interesting experience. I'm afraid it might prove to be like flying business class, hard to go back. This will be my first new ship.

I hope you are still enjoying having your food delivered. Can you get books from the library, or do you have your own books and magazines?

I never had tips removed in the past. However, I now don't cruise on ships from Australia which charge extra for daily gratuities. I feel sorry for families paying extra for young children. When I travelled with children, I always cleaned up any mess they made.

I have made a second hold booking on this cruise. I'm not a lover of big ships, but there are a lot of features on this cruise which appeal to me. One way from Auckland to Melbourne means I can stay at both places. Two nights at Tauranga and Sydney. 50% off balcony cabins. You can buy insurance for the cruise direct from Virgin.

Re missing Mykonos. Unfortunately this cruise is way too late in the season to have good weather for cruising. We learnt this the hard way when our large ferry to Crete didn't leave the Piraeus wharf for 24 hours due to the bad weather. There was a near riot when they wouldn't let us off the ship. When we finally got to Crete NOTHING was open. But that was another story!!

Enjoy the lovely cool sunny day. It is a muggy 17-28 in Brisbane today 80% chance of showers

Thank you very much SinbadThePorter. i have a hold for 24 hours!!

If your quote was from a Taxi Company it will be reliable. My daughters book on line. Taxi in Sydney was cheaper than Uber when we were last there. Traffic wasn't busy but think the drivers must have wanted the day off. I have often caught a maxi taxi from the taxi queue at the airport . You have to take the taxi next on the queue. It always feels funny for a solo with one port in a big maxi taxi.

I was cruising from USA to Rotterdam.

Do you have an umbrella for protection from the sun whilst in port? If not borrow one from the ship.

I'm extra careful at airline hubs when passengers join from lots of different countries. Try daughter is flying via Doha to NY at end of this month. She had a recent Covid vaccination, but I'm not confident how effective it is. That is great news that no-one in your group has Covid. Did you do any tours in Japan?

Casually mention you are going to take photos of the food so they may take better care of the presentation. We eat with our eyes! I thought you'd have a balcony. Cruising across the Atlantic, it was recommended you choose a cabin on a certain side otherwise it was too hot for the balcony. I would have never thaught of that.

Please tell me more. Is that for the ship in Australia? I clicked on Virgin Red and it was just for uk and USA which made me mad.

Thank you. Regent should let passengers know this.

I understand, but still don't like it. Why not use their imagination on Black Friday with no gratuities?

No. It might make a difference if you want to stay longer at one, but both are beautiful places to stay.

I was just thinking why do I hate paying gratuities on cruises so much, because you just count the number of days x $US to get total amount you have to pay, I then realised it is more than the money It is the principle. Cruise lines know Aussies and Kiwis don't tip, yet they charge gratuities on top of our weak dollar and don't care. I love to take small thoughtful gifts or buy things like fridge magnets which they collect en route. But then they are gifts, that is the difference. Two local bakeries give me a scone or a small pizza bread when I shop there and it makes my day.

Are they both the same ports of call. If so, it depends which end you want the shortest flight.

I agree he is very clever and very strategic, but he has also uniquely maintained the child within.

We had two nights in St Petersburg on a ship. I organise a private guide (Govt requirement so not necessary to get a complicated visa). It was a superb visit, one of a kind. I even arranged a private visit to the ballet, with world famous ballerinas. Now I notice ships to the Baltic no longer visit there.

WOW What a wonderful surprise for the passengers. You have made my day! You have to love Richard Branson, who seems forever Peter Pan.