mr walker

Good advice. Oh, how I long for the days of parity or even better!! A further option is to have a travel money card as issued by many banks. For RC, it has to have a name on the card, so not a generic one that are also available. We got one of these from CBA several years ago & a few years ago, &, when the Fx rate was more favourable (mid 70c's), we loaded several thousand USD on as our 'spending money' to cover our onboard costs. Covid came along and so we have much of that money still 🙂 We look forward to spending it, although with pre-purchases in A$, OBC & some C&A benefits that may not be so easy 😦

I do not have anything to add to the great information already posted by the good CC folk on this thread. Reading this thread just made me think how this little community works together to provide information from all of our collective experiences, without the nastiness or misinformation often found on other boards and social media. I have seen in other places where asking such a question would subject the poster to abuse or ridicule, or unhelpful suggestions. HAPPY NEW YEAR to all & hope that all the cruising and posting is all enjoyed by all. Cheers

My first thought! I have seen people 'caught' by the little doggie with fruit, sandwiches etc for eating on their excursions 😦

I thoroughly recommend Tourworks in Dunedin for a trip like this - we used them on our last visit to Dunedin - Russ was great & he’s a true local

Yes Julie, that was my first thought. Quite unusual in my experience, especially not being able to visit Rotorua

Hope everyone had a great Christmas & Boxing Day. Just relaxing now as it is just Tracey & I here now. Our sons have just left after Christmas yesterday (with Mum) & the annual leftovers lunch ( after bacon & eggs rolls for brekkie) & watching the cricket as had become our Boxing Day tradition. Cheers to all

Yes we have been to the Kempsey Centre - my Dad & I have both been 'Mates of Slim Dusty' club members for some years. Since dad passed in 2016 we have kept his membership current - he would have liked that. Thanks Marion - my Mum will be joining us. She's 87 so we need to make the most of every Christmas. We hope you also have a wonderful Christmas

Julie, your day in Lyttelton sounds like a 'it's a tough gig, but someone's gotta do it' scenario. Helpful to read your comments on Lyttelton, as we will have our first visit there in March (Ovation OTS) & likely we will just take a look around there as we've visited ChCh a number of times. Cafe, pub.... all sounds fine 🙂 Enjoy Christmas at Sea tomorrow.

No Pies for us at the moment 🙂 We are preparing for Christmas lunch tomorrow with today's tasks including cooking up the beef & pork in the convection oven. We also will have ham & chicken & enough salads to feed everyone, at least. While we are preparing this, we are listening to Christmas music, including my present to myself (I know it's not Christmas until tomorrow, but I'm as 65 year old kid 🙂 ) - the Slim Dusty "Christmas on the Station" CD, just released in time for Chrissie. The recordings were done 50 years ago (Slim passed in 2003) & the music is most appropriate for an Aussie Christmas. My favourite so far is 'Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy' which brings back memories. Lyle, for your trip down-under you will need to familarise yourself with Slim Dusty. Oh, to finish up our lunch we had a fruit mince pie each, so we are still on track with pies. Merry Christmas to all.

I recall our tour of Speights in 2013 as best brewery tour I’ve done. The samples at the end just kept flowing. At one point I suggested that we should maybe head out to get the bus back to ship. Our host said “no need to go so quickly, you’re bus isn’t even here yet & they won’t go without you”. Another couple of samples & I had to cross my legs on the way to ship 😁

She’s backed out & turned to head off

Hi Les, trust you are doing OK mate. Just a quick note wishing you & your family all the best for the Festive Season from Tracey & me. Hope to catch up with you maybe in February. Take care mate - we, along with all your friends here on the Aus/NZ board of CC, are thinking of you. Cheers

We have used the RC laundry service a number of times & never had them lose anything or any issues - they even hung my T-shirts on hangers😦. Yes, it costs but it is what it is. I don't have any item of clothing that cost $2.25 - I'm not sure you can buy a hankie for that these days?? The funniest time was when we boarded the ship in Seattle for our Alaskan cruise & handed our steward a full bag of dirty laundry - he looked at us as if we were crazy - we bring our dirty washing on to the ship?? We had done a 10 day land tour immediately prior & you can only carry so much luggage! And we were going to be onboard for the next 32 days [B2B2B] home to Sydney

It's always great when tablemates agree to take turns, either by rotating thru or just a 'no-one can seat in the same seat until they have sat in all the others' approach. On a large table (8-10) it also helps everyone to spend time with everyone else.

It's always great when tablemates agree to take turns, either by rotating thru or just a 'no-one can seat in the same seat until they have sat in all the others' approach. On a large table (8-10) it also helps everyone to spend time with everyone else.

Sounds like a definite possibility. I was once on a transpacific flight and clearance was delayed as some 'treatment' was past the specified date. The flight crew came thru the cabin spaying aerosol cans of something 😦

Great thing to do. The company I worked with & recently retired from have been donating to Buy a Bale for several years now in support of the farmers. The donation is on behalf of our staff & our customers. Even though I'm retired, the company have asked me to arrange again this year - I still do some contract work for them. It is my job for today!

Hope you and Rolf have a great cruise - enjoy!!

Cheers Chilli - Merry Christmas!

Hi Chilli, I'm interested in this also. For our March Ovation NZ cruise we have quite a nice amount of OBC that I can't see us spending too much of as we are not likely to take ship tours or pay for specialty dining etc, and, with our 8 C&A drinks between us, our drinks bill won't use up the credit. So apart from maybe the extended version of North Star we won't spend too much, and it seems a waste to just spend for the sake of using up the credit. Did you do North Star? Random question - did you notice if they had a darts board in the pub onboard? Maybe you were busy keeping you distance from the Chinese ladies or the cougars 😦 Cheers

Most people recognise that, yes, the revenue from your fare will end up at the cruise company, but what has that to do with the point? What we are discussing is the TA commission they receive from the total payment for handling the booking & how that's better to be received by a local TA than an OS one as it keeps Aussie businesses (many of which are small ones) afloat & provides employment and business for other local businesses. If most of your cruises were not sold in Australia then of course there was no opportunity to use a local TA, so your point is moot.

Give an Aussie your business & keep people in jobs. Note: I am not a TA nor affiliated in any way with one.

Whoever wrote the updated story on this that I read just now, clearly thinks this was an on-purpose rather than an accident as they listed suicide service contact details at the end of the piece.

It was terrible news to wake up to. As you know Les, our son is in the force, which always makes it even rawer for us. So young & with their whole lives to live.RIP to those gunned down & our wishes to their families & friends & their colleagues. And today just around the corner from our home, former commissioner Tony Lauer’s funeral was held, so a huge turnout of the boys & girls in blue. Hope you are doing alright mate

Comedy is, I think, the hardest of all forms of entertainment, as people have so many different tastes & senses of humour. We look forward to hearing the live music of the orchestra in March!