mr walker

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

....... The way it reads, it is more about getting day visitors to leave the ship and head into the city than to provide a convenient link for embarkation/disembark.

Yes, that's the way I think they are proposing - just for day visitors on the ship port day.

I have been to Brisbane many times, mostly for business & a couple of times for NRL games.

Brisbane is not much of a city as a tourist destination - visitors to SE QLD go to GC or Sunny Coast. We have had a few port days there with no inclination to go into CBD. One time it was Melb Cup day & we caught a taxi to a local RSL club and enjoyed a lovely Melb Cup afternoon. Other times we just stayed onboard.

On one cruise where we were at Portside, we planned to stay onboard, but found out that everyone had to disembark for customs clearance & no-one could re-board until zero count. As we were off the ship, we decided to take a ride on the rivercat. We enjoyed a lovely cruise doing a full loop and back to ship - maybe an option under this proposal?

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

Thanks Linda and others, just arrived, 5 hr drive. I have to be at admissions @ 6am, Thursday, now that is early. 50 metres from Mecure to Hosp. Staying 2 nights here.

Good luck with it all mate. Cheers Neil & Tracey 

29 minutes ago, Hogbay said:

 

MR W , Crownies US $8:25 including grat .

 

Thanks for that. Cheers

Hey Chilli, keep calm & enjoy your cruise😁 I’m here in Penrith & the wind is blowing the dogs off their chains 😳

while you’re there cooling your heels, can you just let me know the price of a Crownie onboard. I saw a price list from Quantum & it had Crownies & VB both US$8.25  ???

stay safe from the two sisters 😁

23 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

Be aware of a report I read in today's paper (Telegraph). Taxi drivers when hailed ask where you're going then check Uber price and if it is more than a normal cab fare they are quoting it - non metered. Usually in times of high demand.

There was a report recently in the media that TV 'celebrity' Scott Cam & his wife got into a Sydney taxi & the driver gave them a 'quote' & refused to turn on the meter. Cam said they had some "words" & they got out of the taxi & then got an uber to the same place and it was significantly cheaper than the taxi driver's quote.

Also recently there were reports that ride share services such as uber would have a NSW govt surcharge added to each fare to be used as compensation for taxi plate owners for their loss of 'plate value' as taxis lost business to other options 😦 Maybe the taxi industry need to clean up their act.

So sorry to hear that Stu. Condolences to you.

39 minutes ago, Jandex said:

I use my ANZ card to take advantage of the travel insurance, but you don’t actually get a formal policy. How are we meant to prove we have insurance? 

We used our CBA cc insurance a number of times for OS travel, including cruises. We were able to download a certificate for the insurance to show as required 

19 hours ago, joejoe 59 said:

I just had a look for our cruise & it's the bargain price of $574.64 & would you believe it's only 3 hrs long. 

I had a look on Viator & their Wellington tours are a third of the price & all day. 

We will not be doing any Rcl cruise tours.

Our 11-Mar departure cruise to NZ on Ovation doesn't visit Wellington, so I can't see a price for this on that sailing, but that price is CRAZY!!! (even though it's less than the one OP posted).

23 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

There supposed to be a fairly good American BBQ just near batt street, have you tried it?
 

I’m from western Sydney, I know my place in the world .
 

 

No Chilli, haven’t been to that one - will have to check it out.

Western Sydney is the Centre of excellence of Australia, well at least in sport mate - panthers back to back NRL winners & Aussie captain in cricket, and from RL World Cup Mt Druitt is capital of Samoa 🇼🇸 as they make the final 😁🍻

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

Just been in another war, could not breathe end of last week, so went to hospital, got Pulmonary Oedema.  Ended up in Batemans Bay Hospital, then Moruya Hospital, out this morning after 3 days.  They took 6 litres of fluid out of me.  Feel a bit better now.  Does it never end?😬

Strewth mate, that's not good news. Take care and hope you get better soon. Cheers, Neil & Tracey 

6 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

You get coastal kitchen in the evening,you will find availability after the second night.Star class usually go to the specialty restaurants after then or get it delivered.

Its a lovely venue but I’m not really into fine dining , small portions spaced out. I’m just not that cultured.

Don't self yourself short mate, you have enough culture to move in the circles that matter 🙂 

I'm not so much into fine dining either as I don't consider two tiny baby spuds, 2 or 3 pieces of julienne carrots & an asparagus spear as suitable accompaniment to a steak, or a nice piece of grilled fish or chicken.

Had a real nice 1/2 rack of pork ribs with slaw and chips (not fries) last night at Penrith Lone Star right by the mighty Nepean River - would have been even better if it was on a cruise 🙂 

22 hours ago, buchhalm said:

I'd note down my mileage before the handover. Not that they use the car as an uber for 3 weeks 

😉

16 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Although tongue in cheek, actually good advice.  (Someone used our hire car for a day after we returned it at end of the Season in Alaska.  Would have helped with our claim for reimbursement.)

This reminded me about leaving your car with people.

I had a mate who worked at a smash repair place & he told me that smash repair guys never pay for petrol, they just milk it out of cars that are there for repair, and that the guy who goes for the lunches just takes whichever car is there!!

Maybe it makes sense to take a photo of the dashboard display of fuel level and km when you drop it off, and make sure the guy sees you take the photo 🙂 

G'day Les. Good luck with it all mate. We think about you & look forward to catching up again. Maybe a cruise on the Clyde up to Nelligen?? 🙂 

30 minutes ago, aussiecruiser66 said:

The cost of drinks onboard will be in US$, plus the 18% grat.  

 

Not cruised post Covid resumption, but on all of our RC cruises departing Australia, the menu price was the price ie no gratuity added, unlike OS cruises.

Nonetheless, your logic on the value of the package is sound - enjoy

21 hours ago, NSWP said:

But do they have Crownies for thee or just VB for the Bogans, lol.

I'm hoping for the crownies to be honest mate, but I have been known to have any beer they have when I need to wet my thoat 🙂 

On 10/31/2022 at 7:15 AM, Ozwoody said:

Funny, you know I kept seeing the meetings for Bill & Ted on cruises, and thought I wonder who they are, then someone enlightened me.

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Dr Bob and Bill W is it not, AA. Too many temptations.

When we first cruised I kept seeing signs & listings for events advertised as ‘Friends of Bill’ & had no idea what it was - just thought that that bloke Bill must have been someone important, with lots of friends  😁

Someone let me know what it was all about

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Are you a Cruiseling Neil, I thought you were an upmarket cruiser, lol.

No mate, not upmarket at all - still a Penrith boy 😁 Looking forward to trying another cruise-line for the itinerary! 

9 minutes ago, Ondine said:

 

Make sure that your Cruiseling codes are the same as your URN for Princess because this will give you points for the Captains Circle club.  Should be the same code across all of Carnival ships.

OK will do thanks. I already saw that they have mixed up Tracey & me via our codes & my booking confirmation for us both was sent to her email - lucky it wasn't a surprise cruise 🙂 We both have Captains Circle 'status' from previous Carnival cruises.

Well, I'm now going to have to take an interest in prices on P&O 🙂 . After cruising mostly on RC, and also Carnival & Princess, out of frustration of not cruising since Jan '19, I was searching for a cruise that did not involve OS flights, fitted our schedule, and went to some places we haven't been.

So today I booked Pacific Adventure 15N Bounty Cruise for Oct 2023 with calls to Norfolk Is, Tonga (2 ports) & Fiji (2 ports) & the compulsory Noumea (swim at Lemon Bay & lunch at La Barca coming up). Also sail past of some islands of Mutiny on the Bounty fame & apparently a guest lecturer on the subject. So, visiting places I have an interest in, and some that we haven't seen before.

Got a deal(?) with free upgrade to balcony from OV room & $49 pp deposit & have a cabin Deck 14 forward.

I know nothing about the ship (apart from it was Golden Princess & so the shopping trolley class), but we are officially cruiselings - they have given us Cruiseling Codes 🙂 

Advice most welcome.

Cheers

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I'm seriously considering ordering some cognac!

Any excuse will do 😁

49 minutes ago, chezzyr said:

 If anyone has done any good wildlife related tours (land or water) around Dunedin please feel free to chime in. Thankyou.

On our last visit to Dunedin in Jan '19 (Ovation OTS), we did a wonderful tour with Russ at Tourworks 

Dunedin Tours For Small Groups » Tourworks

We did Mainland Peninsula Tour - picked up at ship & visited some city sights & then went to see Penguins, Seals & Albatross - great trip, thoroughly recommended

Good luck with it all mate. We are thinking of you & look forward to good news & catching up again soon.

Cheers,

Neil & Tracey

13 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

The problem I have uncle Les ,is I have a 2:00PM check in but I have to be in sydney a 9:00 AM for something and that’s only going to take a half hour.

So I’ll probably be a circular quay at 10.

Maybe I’ll just drop a few names like Graham and BIG GAV ,what do you recon ??

Do you think I will get the ??

10am might be a bit early for a couple of schooners at the Ship Inn if your name dropping doesn't work 🙂 . Maybe you can try one of Les' big breakfasts at City Extra or visit Pancakes on the Rocks for a pre-cruise feed.

When we first started cruising in 2011, I read something that I have found true in our experience - "mainstream cruiselines are more similar to one another than different".

We have cruised mostly on RC, but have done 2 Carnival & 1 Princess cruise & enjoyed them all & we would have no hesitation in going on any of these again.

If the timing/itinerary/price works for you, go for it & board with an open mind!

13 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

One plus of isolation - we're having our very own room service balcony dinner. 😊

 

It's a lovely evening so we will be able to dine on our balcony.

I am reminded of the lemons and lemonade outlook on life 🙂