mr walker

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 😮

Photo posted by a local on the island taken this morning of P&O ship visit today - they are at Cascade Bay. Weather is good and tendering can proceed.

if you go to Christchurch, there is often tours to sheep farms offered. We did one previously from Akaroa, but the ships now normally dock at Lyttelton, so not sure if there will be one.

Great to read. We will be there in Oct & have booked a rental car as we have been there a number of times & have our plan for the day. Glad that the HOHO bus worked well. Cheers

As Auscruisefam writes, the drink package pricing is never fixed. RC uses what they term dynamic pricing, which is somehow related to a combination of current demand, expected demand, target budget, & exchange rate (current & forecast) all multiplied by a factor known as the 'first number I thought of' 🙂 If you see a price you are comfortable with, buy it. If you see it cheaper you can cancel & re-book at the better price. I'm not sure there is a 'best' tome to buy.

Tracey is well & truly over long-haul flights & I am much the same way now - guess just 1 too many business trips to US (Dallas via LAX etc). Tracey's ancestry is Scottish & mine English & she would love to visit UK, but she's not going to fly that far. Guess I need to find a way to cruise there and back with maybe 6 weeks or so in UK???

Just saw a post by Norfolk Island Tourism on social media with video of the tendering process & the water looked very calm. The new island tenders were being used. They posted that 1700 passengers visited the island today & they hoped they all had a good visit.

Miserable weather day today here - cold & rainy. No worries, a couple of 4&20 meat pies for lunch (with tomato sauce) & a nice mug of coffee 😁

Sorry to hear that Les - we can only wish you the best mate. Yes, it is great that you got to share your passion for cruising with your wife - great memories for sure. Hope to catch up soon. Cheers, Neil & Tracey

The map shows the ship off Cascade Bay where the new pier was built, so I guess that's where they are tendering to, rather than at Kingston. The semi-circular bay on the east side is Ball Bay, where the fuel ships unload. We are hoping for good weather on our 23 Oct visit on the Pacific Adventure 🤞

Love locks & cute teddies are one thing, just hope they don't start copying the Cardrona bra fence in Otago NZ 😮

We have been on 3 Cruisin' Country cruises & the 2020 one was cancelled due to COVID. We will be following on from you on Brilliance on this years cruise 1st Dec. Music charter cruises are different from 'regular' cruises as much of the cruise is focused on the multiple music events which for the Country cruises see music each day from say 10 am to 3am the next morning - I imagine the Blue Suede would be similar in that regard. With existing cruise experience plus the music, it makes for a busy and most enjoyable week!!!! As they say, you can sleep when you get home 🙂 Enjoy!!!! Cheers, Neil

We had party pies & sausage rolls as our traditional State of Origin Rugby League dinner last night. Unfortunately our team got beaten, but the food & beers were good 😊

We're doing our bit in Penrith 🙂

When we did Hobbiton tour with Zealandia (10 pax in mini-bus), the driver/guide rang ahead and a Hobbiton guide met our bus and travelled with us to the tour start

This is what we did also - we actually took out an annual policy with NRMA from Mar '23 - Mar '24 which will cover 4 cruises. I was concerned about having 'proof' of COVID cover, based on the messaging from P&O about New Caledonian requirements & reports of people being denied boarding in Sydney early in the 22-23 season. There were reports of people in the terminal trying to arrange cover to be able to board. As you say, NRMA automatically provided a letter with the policy documents stating: Confirmation of International Travel Insurance with COVID-19 benefits This letter is provided to you in the event that you are required to show evidence of the COVID-19 coverage that is included in your insurance. For example, you may be travelling to a destination where the local government requires foreign visitors to have medical coverage for COVID-19 illness. We suggest that you check the requirements for the destination you are travelling to and keep a copy of this letter along with your Certificate of Insurance and Policy Wording that outlines the benefits available whilst travelling.

Likely there is another passenger complaining "what are these charges on my account - I never did any bl%$dy washing" 🙂 Say "thankyou" Sparky!!

good advice already given by other posters. I recall reading of a case a few years ago where a NZ man who had been living in Australia, was detained by NZ authorities upon arrival in NZ on a cruise due to an outstanding matter in NZ. I remember his wife had the difficult/awkward decision of what to do - leave the ship with him or cruise on, on her own. It may have been that she didn't even know of the outstanding matter. Best to sort out ahead of time if you can - as posted above it may even have expired by now.

That's great - hope you have a good catch-up. We will expect to see a photo 🙂

Would be good if one works for you - go all in & go for the Rockstar experience 😊

My Dad (born 1930) grew up in Western Sydney & during his whole life, he and many of his contempories, always used the term port to describe the 'bag' they carried their belongings in when travelling. Of course, the port they had was maybe well less than half the size of the suitcases of today & no wheels, more like an oversized old fashioned school case. I just mentioned this discussion with Tracey and she said her grandmother always used the word port also. Dad also liked a drop of the other port 🙂

Not too sure about influencers etc, but there was a recent documentary series filmed on the Virgin Scarlet Lady cruiseship operating out of Florida, which I viewed as very pro-Virgin. Ship looked great & there was red everywhere! It was mostly focused on party, party, party, for the 'sailors' as they refer to passengers as. There was a particular emphasis on special hosts for the high paying sailors who they referred to as 'rockstars' who's every wish was granted. I'm not sure that based on that, Virgin will be a good fit for us.

When I was in school, I still recall a teacher tried to 'justify' the spelling variances with the oft-repeated phrase "it's the exception that proves the rule". 50+ years later the explanation makes no more sense today than it did then!!!

Enjoy your cruise!!!!