Duck Duck Cruise

Always take your waiters suggestion for what is good that evening. Several times I ignored him/her and ordered what I thought sounded good to me.......it was a big mistake. They will usually give you several choices for what is good. If the ship you are on has the International Cafe, the food there is very tasty, it doesn't cost anything extra and we have seen the head chef stop by for a "bite" to eat. lol

We don't go to the main dining room very often. I agree with what everyone else is saying, but beyond that the plate portions in the dining rooms are GIGANTIC! We choose to share the main dish and it is difficult to explain to the waiters that we only want one plate to share. I have a hard time seeing half of a chicken on one plate and I just can't eat it all. So, the buffet, burgers, and areas where we can control what goes on the plate are better for us. Plus, we can take our plates and find a quiet place on a deck outside to eat and there is no one two inches away from our table for two!

We arrive Sydney 01/10/2017. Our Maasdam 39 day cruise to San Diego leaves 01/15/2017.

Great Barrier Reef is a good possibility as is Ayers Rock.We would like other ideas and suggestions.

Thanks

If you are in fair shape you could go to Bondi Beach and do all or part of the walk along the sea to Coogee. Also, take a ferry which are very inexpensive across the harbor to see Luna Park and take some good pictures of the bridge and opera house. You can also go to the bridge and go up on the observation area of one of the pylons for good views. The Botanical Gardens are another good idea. So much to do .....so little time! Have a great trip.

If you look any of these up on youtube someone is bound to have a video of it. Also, Google Maps with street view is awesome. I do this at home before we go to get ideas about the area.

We went on the Diamond 14 nights Singapore to Tokyo. If you are in Hong Kong go to Victoria Peak and make sure to see the lights at night from the ship.

We have lived in Thailand for 2 years and I can tell you that it will be HOT (hotter than you have probably ever experienced) everywhere except as you get closer to Japan then the weather will be really nice. We have a UV blocker umbrella that was a life saver to be able to get out of the sun a bit.

Always have water with you when you go out because you might not be near a place that sells it. Have a small wash cloth to get wet will help also. Have some sort of pain reliever on hand because if you start getting a headache it is from the heat and dehydration and you will be glad you have it.

Knowing how things work in third world Asian countries I would suggest you take a Princess sponsored tour everywhere except Japan. You can trust the Japanese will be safe, on time and extremely polite and accommodating.

In other Asian countries they drive FAST, pass RECKLESSLY, and the majority of drivers are on some sort of stimulant like Red Bull which is legal or Yaba (Meth) which is not. They love to drive with great speed and there are NO drivers tests, training and many don't have licenses. Our bus driver in Vietnam was passing on blind corners and speeding. We see it all the time here......and this was on a ship tour. Princess can't always check the driving of everyone.

You will see and experience things you never dreamed of and if you go into it with an open mind knowing things are very very different you will have a great time.

I bought some from ebags.com in three different sizes. I thought they would take up too much room but I was so wrong. I love them and can't do without them now on any trip we go on. I use a small one for all the cords and such for our electronics and another small one for misc stuff like note pads, pens, hand wipes and whatever. There have been times I needed to get into my carry on at the airport and didn't feel strange opening my luggage because I knew none of my under garments would fall out. The bags keep everything nice and neat and I roll my clothes inside so it is easy to see what I have. They hold a lot too. The company has great customer service. Have fun!

I've never sailed on a cruise with many kids, so it's not been an issue.

 

But most teens are terrified if Mrs Gut, so if there was a problem I'd send her.

 

Funny the kids she teaches (indeed the teachers she works with) are terrified of her, but the kids adore her at the same time. Even after they leave school, they will come running when they see her to talk to her. But they're still terrified of her (with Goid reason, I'm scared if neither man,nor beast, but Mrs Gut).

That is so true and funny! My daughter in law is a teacher and I have seen her use her "Teacher Voice" on adults. It is hilarious to see the shocked look on their faces. As far as the OP's worry about other peoples children....it is kind of her to worry. BUT...............Ultimately it is none of your business what other people do. You are wasting energy on something you have no control over. Walk away, look the other way and take care of what you DO have control over in your own life.

Thank you everyone! I am not shy and will happily see how it turns out!

Hello to all who live in Australia and New Zealand,

In my research for things to do and see in both Auckland, New Zealand (3 days pre-cruise) and Sydney, Australia (3 days post-cruise) I have seen pricing for what are called "Concessions" for various transportation and entry fees to attractions, museums etc. There is mention of a "Senior Card".

I have not been able to find out if showing my passport or ID will work for receiving the discounts. My guess is these discounts are only for residents of each country.

Thank you to all who have an answer. We are over the moon excited to visit your countries!

Lin

Thank you so much for taking the time to post and giving a link to your blog. We are taking this cruise on the Diamond in early March and will be going to some of the same ports. We have Hobbiton reserved and are really looking forward to it. I will be following your blog and look forward to seeing where we will also be. Have a great time!

We took the Diamond at the middle of March 2015. The ship is lovely. There are many options for food and it was always good. The stops were in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. We took a tour to the Imperial Palace in Chan May in Hue, Vietnam. It is a very long bus ride 2 1/2 hours each way, and the driver was like most drivers in South East Asia......horrible. The few buildings we saw were a glimpse into the past and both of us were sad to see how devastated the country still is. The people are very proud of what they do have left from the American War to show to tourists.

We enjoyed Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. Kai Tak cruise Terminal is on the Kowloon side of the harbor and you can see the lights of the city. The top of the terminal is a garden where you can walk and also enjoy the views.

We disembarked in Osaka, Japan because we have family there and were staying for a visit for a few weeks.

We loved the Diamond so much we have booked a cruise on her around New Zealand March 2016!

We are expats living in Thailand. It is hot here and we found Vietnam to be even hotter. Take an umbrella, preferably one with UV shading. Drink more water than you think you need. Bring an insulated bottle with you on tours with ice in it and a small wash cloth, that way you can get it wet with cold water to help cool you down. Remember that on the tours in Asia you will not be in an air conditioned building or bus all the time or even in the shade.

It only started to cool off when we arrived in Kagoshima, Japan and it was very pleasant weather.

No matter what you do on port days, you will have plenty of photo opportunities.

The galley and wait staff run their service like a well oiled machine. If you ask to have your meal rushed you will probably be disappointed because each course is scheduled to be prepared on the pass at a certain time. It is not a cook to order kitchen but a giant assembly line trying to feed thousands of people.

Don't stress yourself or your waiters. Enjoy your dinner and go to a show at a different time.

Thank you both for your reply. It is clear now!

Overall Diamond Princess will work out cheaper, especially if you enjoy a few drinks when cruising.

 

The onboard costs on Diamond are in AUD, and there are no additional daily gratuity charges. Drinks prices are reasonable and the full drinks package is $59 when bought onboard.

 

Onboard costs on Explorer are in USD, and you will be charged the daily gratuities, $12.95 per person per day I think, which are not included in the quoted fare but you can pay these in advance and they usually work out a bit cheaper that way. Drinks prices are quite expensive especially after converting the USD to AUD. The Ultimate drinks package, equivalent to the Princess package, is US $67 per day or AU $95.25 at todays exchange rate.

 

However if costs aren't an issue then it just depends on which ports you want to visit and what vibe you want on the ship. RCI ships have more activities (like rock climbing) onboard whereas Princess is more traditional with just pool areas. Princess has the extra cost Sanctuary if you like chilling out in peaceful surroundings.

Concerning the Diamond: The daily gratuities you mention not being charged due to the ship using AUD.....Is this only for Australian citizens or does it apply to everyone on the ship? We talked to our TA and she said that you pay a different price for the cruise than US citizens therefore the daily gratuities will be charged to our folio.

Thank you!

What wonderful parents you are!

The pictures of fish is great idea. Some ships do a scavenger hunt on the first day to find your way around the ship. You could do a scavenger hunt around your house, inside and outside with clues for where to find small presents and the next one is another hiding place and present and so on. Each place has a picture of something related to the holiday. Once they bring you all the puzzle pictures they can guess what it is for. Then you can give them the last biggest present with a picture of THEIR ship.

I know I would love to do something like this. Come back to tell us how it went!

The crew love to dress up because it breaks the monotony of the same uniforms they wear for 10 months!

Just so you area aware.........The train wheels squeal so loud you might want to take ear plugs. If you don't use them ok, but you will be happy you have them in case. Also, it rocks side to side for the entire 3 hours and the motion might make you a bit queasy.

Alaska is an amazing place and this train trip is really a once in a lifetime.

Enjoy

http://ports.cruisett.com/

You can search by ports and ships. I tend to look at the ship we are on and go to the dates for the ports that it stops at. I really like this site.

At your first get together pick up the tab for one drink each! That way you won't have to pack things they might not use.

Seeing the curve of the Earth and Floating in the pool....as I float on the ocean.....while floating in the universe!

I also agree that seeing our ship first thing in the morning is thrilling!

Thank you again for taking the time to share all this information. Locals always have the best advice!

Originally Posted by jmps

Why would it be so high? Nothing on the site indicated it would be that expensive.

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we have the EKKA in Qld,which is smaller than the Sydney Royal Easter Show

and this yr people were telling me it cost them around $400 for the day..2 adults 2 kids..

some rides alone were 10 bucks each person..showbags as much as 50 each..

 

http://www.eastershow.com.au/explore/Show-Traditions.aspx

I read through the website and they mention "Show Bags" I don't really understand what they are and what is inside or how to go about getting one. Could you please explain it?

Thanks

This is what I found in researching the web on a Singapore forum on Trip Advisor. I wouldn't worry because this was over 40 years ago and it is a different world now. Go and have fun!

Re: another rumor - men with long hair

Mar 08, 2006, 4:17 AM

Hi Cindy

We were in Singapore for 3 nights in February & I spent a large (6 years) portion of my childhood growing up there. I heard this story nearly 30 years ago when hippies were popular. I believe that the immigration authorities back then were difficult to & in some cases prevented men entering the country whose hair was longer than collar length. At that time they associated long hair with hippies & associated hippies with drugs, but who didn't back then. That was 30 years ago though. This an old story re-surfaced.

On my recent visit I saw plenty of men with long hair, both Singaporeans & tourists. Singapore has an unfair reputation of being almost totalitarian; this is completely untrue. I love Singapore & its citizens. They are pleasant, helpful & polite. It is probably the cleanest city in the world & quite naturally it wants to stay that way. I have never been anywhere in the world that provides ashtrays on the roadside. I can only applaud their efforts. If only things were similiar here in the UK. What a contrast to arrive back in London to see the huge amount of litter laying by the roadside right outside Heathrow Airport. If I could get a work position, visa & work permit I'd move there in a heartbeat!

The botanical gardens are right next to the Opera House and that's your best bet for seeing flying foxes. There is a huge colony of them there.

 

You'll definitely see ibis but I'm not sure what else. This might help https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/welcome/royal_botanic_garden/gardens_and_domain/wildlife

Thank you so much for the link! It has fantastic information and will be easy to get to. We are staying several days post cruise in Sydney and wanted to find things to do. It looks like this will be on our list.

Hello,

We want to get some good shots of local birds and will be staying and wandering in and around both CBD" of Auckland and Sydney. Could someone tell me if I have to search them out or are they easy to spot? Do I need to be in a park or botanical garden? And with regards to Sydney, will we be able to see flying foxes?

Thanks much!

We will be on the Diamond Auckland to Sydney around New Zealand on March 2, 2015. We love the ship and hope to do a re-positioning in a couple years!