buchhalm

Good point for Singapore. ( and Bangkok even more so). In Singapore, there I just was 4 days ago, it is either diabolically humid or it buckets down. I had 3 days of near constant rain. 🙂

Unless I am very certain that I will be able to use the room, I book flexible rates that allow cancellation. - often even up to the day of arrival., Yes, these rates are nearly always more expensive, but you won't be charged a cent if you need to cancel. I tend to stick to hotels of the Accor group, which has many hotel brands for all budgets. Join their loyalty program and benefits quickly accumulate. Early check in, late check out and such.

Lisa reckons Mic is right

I stay close to my wife. Anything that stings or bites will get her, and won't touch me. It's a well-known fact that girls smell better/more.

Don't go to Finland then. 🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰🪰........

Assuming your ship arrives *as most do* by 07.00, I would be reluctant to book anything before noon. Especially if you are flying internationally, and more so still to the USA. Even though the distance from the cruise port(s) to the airport isn't particularly great, traffic out of the city can be very heavy with lots of crawling speed. If you arrive at the Overseas Cruise Terminal at Circular Quay, and are reasonably fit and can handle all your luggage, the public transport train from Circular quay is a great option. Easy, level, maximum 10-minutes walk from the ship to the station. The train drops you right below either of the airport terminals, Domestic or International. (Below, the Celebrity Edge arriving right now, at 05.47...)

Is this really a decision point, which brand of soft drinks a cruise line serves? Wow!

Why did you have to leave the cabin?

In the article..."found missing". What a strange expression. 😀

Ah, the old Entertainment book. You used to buy it from various charities. Great stuff. Usually 2-for-one deals or 50% off. We went to many places we wouldn't have tried otherwise. I haven't tried the online version.

I heard that Richard was offered an OBE, but he declined and said he didn't know how to play it....

I think this is what they call "open a can of works"....

It's called Tia Maria!🍹

On other Celebrity ships they serve anything from other bars in the speciality restaurants. It may just take a while to get it. We never had any problem taking drinks from a bar into any of the ship's venues.

Only 390 days until departure!

We booked a Celebrity Edge ex SYD for early January 2025 to the Pacific islands. "Sunset " cabin, as i wanted a BALCONY balcony cabin. Those "infinite " cabins sounded too weird. We cruised with one of the Celebrity ships to NZL this January, and it was fine. Service DROP since pre-Covid, but still a very good product. Plus one of the funniest captains (Leo) of all time!

Parked in the harbour today..

I suppose people who spend too much time in a plush and comfortable cabin don't spend extra money around the ship...

That cabin looks like a room in a Bin Chicken hotel. Aka. as Ibis hotel.

I agree. Especially if it is PRIVATE private tour and not a shared private tour (like a mini bus small group tour). OP may want to check with the tour company...

We have used this company before and they were excellent. They are VERY aware of the needs to be back by the ship on time. As long as the CUSTOMERS are back by the bus/car at every stop at agreed times (and not get lost shopping etc), everything will be OK

We went to the (for lack of a better term) open house last night. $95 or so admission fee, which apparently goes to preservation of the Great Barrier Reef (or some such). I knew that dinner was included and some drinks, but not that this was unlimited open bar (from a reduced menu) and also (more) food from the buffets, ice creams, cakes etc. Ok. From the outside the ship is rather ugly and chunky, in a US navy sort of grey. Meh. Decor inside is modern-ish with some areas having a bit of a 1979s airport lounge / MAD Men feel. Not entirely my cup of herbal tea . "Celebrity " does 'quirky' much better. Welcome committee by a few hundred (or so it felt like) retires. The constant "Ahoy" was cute for the first 150 times. Gimmicky. The food in the "Test Kitchen " restaurant was pretty good to excellent. Lovely service in that venue, but in other areas the staff seemed rather frazzled. They DO work hard, without a doubt. And God are they gorgeous creatures. Ladies and gentlemen alike. Definitely a recruitment criterium, I think. Entertainment wise, a bit lacklustre and no where near as much as we would have expected, given the hype. Unfortunately we didn't get to see any cabins. The viewing of these stopped at 8pm (or so we were told). This was not communicated well at all. Shame about that. Was it a good night? Yes, definitely. It was a bargain night out. Would we cruised on this ship? Probably not. But if there would be a well-priced short cruise that fits in our schedule, we'd give it a go.

The rich people are rehearsing for the Sydney to Hobart yacht race... (With Richard's ship in the background)

THAT is true. Otherwise, Sydney is fabulous.