mr walker

We have always been very conscious of re-boarding times on all our cruises. always aiming to be back well ahead of deadline, even telling our driver of an earlier time at times for JIC. But on our Wellington, NZ port call in 2019 we came as close to missing the ship as we ever want to. Returning from our non-ship tour of LOTR sites & WETA workshop tour, our mini-bus became stuck in roadwork traffic that was making us later & later for all-aboard time - our driver was becoming more & more concerned. There were 4 of us from the ship on the tour and the other 6 or 8 on the tour was staying in Wellington hotels, where they were to be dropped off enroute to our ship. At one point the driver asked the other passengers if it was OK for him to drop us off at the ship first and a number of the passengers objected to that insisting they were to be dropped off first as they got on first????. The driver just shrugged his shoulders and went along with them. We reached a point close to CBD & I was now mentally planning our way to Akaroa to catch up the ship tomorrow, when Tracey suggested we aim to go to the ship shuttle bus CBD pickup location to try and get to ship that way. The driver agreed with us & took a couple of turns & there parked was a bus with SHIP SHUTTLE sign - I checked my watch and it was now 5 minutes to all aboard time. I jumped off the bus with Tracey telling our driver don't go until we tell him & raced across the road to shuttle bus. The driver confirmed he was going to ship & I raced back across the road and told the tour driver he could go & ran with Tracey back to shuttle bus. I grabbed the other couple that were on the tour from the ship & said let's go - they thought I had abandoned them 🙂 I said no, we were all in this together & I was always coming back for them. The 4 of us jumped on the bus & were the only people onboard. I said to the driver "we were lucky to get the last bus" & he replied quickly "the last bus left 15 minutes ago, this is the backup bus to catch the stragglers." We sat there for what seemed to be a long time before the bus controller spoke on his radio and then told the driver "you can go now". The bus seemed to take forever to reach the ship, and when we pulled in, all the cones/barriers etc were gone, but we could see the gangway was still in place. We jumped off the bus and hustled towards the ship, made it up the gangway & thru the card scanner & we were aboard. The four of us, even though we had never known the other couple, went into a group hug, so relieved to having made it. Several minutes later, the captain came over the speakers saying " we would like to welcome back Mr & Mrs somename who apparently have decided to join us, and we can now depart". We WEREN'T the LAST ones aboard after all that. We agreed 'NEVER AGAIN'. It's funny now, but it wasn't at the time. At Akaroa & Dundedin we made sure we were back early from our tours 🙂

So sorry to hear this. Mr Gut was a stalwart on this board & I am saddened to learn of his passing. Condolences to his family and friends.

There's a few comedians on here, many of them are funnier than some of the 'professional' comedians. Well, they give me a laugh, smile or maybe a groan, more often than the 'funny' ones on TV or ships 🙂

Recorded last years and will just watch again - seen one NYE fireworks display, seen them all 🙂 NYE fireworks - 2nd biggest waste of money in 2023.

still no luck - new window, same message "unavailable"

Please see my earlier post above (#433) which I had posted but it had to be approved by moderator for content - all good. I follow some people I know on Norfolk Is & so get to see some photos of theirs, including the ones from Pitcairn. I'm not sure how they took that photo - I guess a drone from the island? Cheers

Coral off Pitcairn Island

Photo posted on Norfolk Island News social media of the Coral's visit to Pitkern Islen Pitkern Islen Enterprises wrote: "The beautiful MV Coral Princess from Princess Cruises visits Pitcairn/Pitkern Island! Unfortunately she is unable to land and we are unable to board but she circumnavigates our beautiful home before heading to Papeete, Tahiti. Bon Voyage, safe travels and calm seas " Great to read that a Pitcairn descendant was on your cruise. A few years ago some Pitcairn descendants living on Norfolk who I know took a freighter ship to Pitcairn to visit the island.

I guess the fact that almost every cruise to Sth Pacific calls into Noumea has somehow created a negativity towards it. We have been there at least 10 times and have always enjoyed our visits there. To us it's a little taste of France (where we have never been), but in a tropical setting. Most of the local people we have had contact with (tour staff, hospitality staff etc) have been really nice - they are Polynesian living in a French country, not Parisians in France. I asked someone once who was saying they don't like Noumea & will stay onboard, just what did they not like. Turned out they got off the ship at terminal once, took a short walk around, didn't like what they saw and went back to ship. Another passenger didn't like it based on someone telling them it was not worth getting of there, and so didn't!! After quite a break from Sth Pacific for us (covid) we will visit Noumea on each of our 3 upcoming cruises (Oct, Dec, Feb) and look forward to it. HOHO bus for a quick updated look, then maybe a swim at Lemon Bay (sharks??) & a baguette & a local brew at La Barca will be great. Looking at the view & thinking "what are the poor people doing right now" will bring a smile to my face. Vive la différence

Yes, we got voucher one time. The place was fine, had Wi-Fi & took CC. We normally go to La Barca place after a swim at Lemon Bay. Good food & local beer & take $A or CC. Not sure if the sharks are gone, so not sure on the swim 😁

Even more so if they arrive into Nancy Bird Walton [WSI] - maybe you & I can get a van and run a shuttle to/from Pt Kembla for cruise money 🙂

I suggest the Port Authority needs a new CEO. The person in that position should be working towards the best possible location for the new SYDNEY cruise-port, not the easiest 'option' for him. The process is to choose the best location and then work out how to get it done. How could Port Kembla even be considered for the new terminal? Maybe the NSW Premier has another friend looking for a high paying job who would have a better idea of what is required for the new SYDNEY terminal? First question - is it in Sydney? Answer - No. Action #1 Red Pen. Action #2 Sack the person who came up with the idea. With this thinking the Sydney Harbour Bridge would have been built over the Murray River as that would have been easier than building it over the harbour. I despair at the world at times.

Photo posted on social media this morning from NI Tourism welcoming the visitors Hoping we can tender in on Adventure Oct 23rd

Great to read. You & your Mum will have a great time. Enjoy & stay safe, and let us know how it all goes. Cheers

I can see some serious misunderstandings about the protocols based on the Ch9 news report and the short clip of Minns last night. A casual observer would perhaps think that from yesterday the vax & test requirements for cruising have been lifted & so people will start turning up at the terminal perhaps from today to find the protocols are still in place. A date is required to be announced!

The falling $A vs USD is certainly becoming a significant factor in doing RC cruises. The extra cost from Fx rate will certainly send some elsewhere. Prediction on news tonight of 60c 😳 Oh for the times a decade ago where the A$ was above USD. We had final accounts that were less in A$ than in USD. Luckily for me & some other posters on here, D (& soon D+) make a big difference to our onboard cost & we have a USD kitty that we have put aside just for RC cruises.

Double post - the button must have got stuck???? 🙂

Enjoy your trip mate. Yes, hope you get your downunder trip arranged - there are a bunch of us waiting to finally meet you & Lynne here after all this time. Cheers

All bills and charity solicitations arrive promptly!! 🙂

We have loved all our visits to Sth Pacific Islands, both on cruises and land visits. The weather, the people, the scenery... just wonderful. We have been to New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, many of these multiple times. Can't wait to get back to them over the coming season, and on next cruise we will get to see Tonga for the first time. vive la difference

yes, hope to see you when we board 1st Dec for Cruisin Country 🙂

Pacific Explorer at Norfolk Island today - passengers were able to tender to island 🙂 Photos posted by Baunti Tours, NI

We have been on 3 previous CC cruises & had one cancelled due to COVID. They are great - as they say, you can sleep when you get home. Entertainment all over the ship from 10am until maybe 3 am. Not cheap by any means, but it's only money 🙂 The lineup for this year looks great & we booked a year out, paid a price we were comfortable with & got to select our preferred cabin. Have seen some special prices lately as they may be struggling to fill the ship. Yes, as charters there is no reservation number or access to booking anything until close to sailing on these cruises as this comes thru the charter company not RC. Also, from what we have seen previously there are no specials on purchasing ahead of time drink packages etc. 125 days to go!!!!

I have used CPAP machine for my sleep apnea for 20 years now at home/hotels/ships. For about 10 years now have also used a 'travel' version - smaller & lighter. The machines work by keeping your airways open during relaxation of the airways during sleep via the m/c producing a positive pressure, preventing apneas, events where you stop breathing momentarily - in worst case leading to stroke. Snoring is the sudden 'gasps' of attempt to breath, so use of the machine alleviates this. You can use CPAP machines on planes, as some have external batteries (mostly designed for camping etc, when there is no access to power) - I have never seen this happening on a plane, although I have been told it has happened. As most planes nowadays have power at your seat, it is possible I guess to use them in this manner, although the airlines 'discourage' this, possibly concerned about liability should the power fail in flight?? Not sure if people snore on planes - I guess the general cabin noise may act to 'silence' the snorers & anecdotally snorers can't hear snoring anyway 🙂 If you were to see someone using CPAP, it would just look like they have an oxygen mask on (with a tube to machine) - masks can be nasal or full face. I have flown long flights overnight and slept without my CPAP & had no negative effects on myself - not sure of nearby passengers 🙂 I haven't had a good sleep in these instances, but likely wouldn't have in any case - flights are not made for good sleeping!

My Mum & her partner John retired to Yamba on Nth coast of NSW in early 1990's and kept their joint CBA passbook account going with both their pensions going into it. They would go to the bank and withdraw cash. They had a credit card for emergencies but almost never used it - just like their mobile phone 🙂 . Around 20 years ago Mum had to come down to Sydney for an extended period for chemo & as she would need access to money during that time, they agreed she would take the passbook with her. She would go to a branch & take money out as needed down here. John would go to the Yamba branch and withdraw money from the account without the passbook ("the bank staff knew him and "knew" Mum was in Sydney", keeping a written ledger himself. When Mum went back home, she went to the bank and updated all the transactions in the book & it all matched John's ledger. 😮 Mum finally gave up on the passbook after John passed & she moved back down here, not when we had all tried to get her to do it, but when the lady at the bank suggested it 😮