Over from NZ

Totally disagree. LOL. NZ is far better by land. The ports available in NZ are not the cream of what's available.. most of them I wouldn't even bother with if I was making an itinerary for tourists. Most of Aussie of interest is on the coast though.🤣

Yes. https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Restaurants-g189403-Piraeus_Piraeus_Region_Attica.html

Yeah nah. I wouldn't bother with P&O again. Maybe wouldn't bother with any cruise again to be honest.. but def not P&O. They're average at best. Tonga wasn't exciting at all. Very poor and dirty place. Fiji was ok.. but nothing majorly exciting. Be better to fly into say Raro for a week and stay at one of the resorts. First cruise out of Auckland was noticeably different.. felt like we were in the Islands before we even got to the Islands. Have never seen so many Tatt's Jandals and Obesity on a cruise! 🤣 Oh, and feral children haha.

However, that's the Explorer, not the Encounter. The original post was to do with the Explorer.

Monday last week. Was the first thing we asked about when we got onboard.. 🙂

They're not open for lunch. Just the Pantry which is pretty average and a bit of a trough.. 🤣

Violator!! LOL! 🤣

Getting out of the Port is another thing.. but that aside.. the Gondola is only a 5-min drive from the Port. Presumably you're going into Christchurch first? Bus, taxi, Uber? Do the Gondola on the way back from the city. Perhaps get the bus/shuttle into the city that is offered from the Port.. do your thing in the city.. then catch an uber to the Gondola. It's not a bad wee walk down the hill from the Gondola back to Lyttleton (have done it both ways - you sure get a sweat up going up!! But going down is easy haha).

If you're going to go to the CT.. another one to mention is Porto Venere. Often overlooked as the lesser substitute to the CT.. but well worth a visit and we enjoyed it just as much. We caught the Ferry there round from La Spezia. We also did an easy day-trip on the train to Pisa and of course, spent a few days in and out of the CT.

Boom! Exactly. So simple.. so effective. 🙂

That's a mess lol. You've quoted me.. then tserface twice.. then memoak.. then chucked in a post of yours.

And which one of the 4 quotes are you agreeing with.. haha

I'm just seeing a jumbled mess.. 🤣

You've quoted that many people in just one post.. that nobody can work out who you're replying to and what you're trying to say.. haha

From a country that doesn't understand the tipping culture - we find it's great that Princess simplify it and simply charge us a pre-paid amount added to our bill.. and then we don't have to think about it again. Let's not over complicate it.. 😆.

Even more reason why we're less and less likely to cruise again. They're eventually going to push everybody onto the more expensive packages. Then they'll be able to start removing some of the inclusions and charging separately for them.. and it all starts over again (but at a higher price).

We're a bit like you. We like to stay longer now at places than just the fleeting port visit. We'll probably skip cruising for a number of years so that we can travel.. and then maybe return to cruising when we're old and worn-out and that's the only way we can get to places. Cruising was a cheap and effective vacation when travelling with kids when younger (and when viewed as simply a vacation.. perhaps as an alternative to going to the GC).. but as empty-nesters now.. our focus is on the destinations. We also got a wake-up with covid.. bought e-bikes and rediscovered that NZ is the prettiest country on the globe - and regularly like to take the bikes and go explore "the backyard" as they say. Then there's that big West Island which isn't too shabby either.. and like so many, we've only really been to a handful of cities and towns on the East Coast. Gee.. reading that back I'm not exactly an ambassador on a cruise-site am I haha. We do have one more booked in for later this year just as a break from the weather to do nothing but recharge the batteries. 🙂

Yes, short/cheap taxi ride from the port to Sagrada. Pre-book your Sagrada tickets though. We booked for opening time of 9am.. were the first people in.. and able to take photos with less people etc. Was great. Then we walked to the Las Ramblas. Not too far - would be less than 3km. From Las Ramblas, you get to the Gothic Quarter which is also well worth a walk. And that takes you back towards the port.. and then a short taxi ride back to the ship when done.

From memory.. it was $1.50 on the ship for laundry powder. You've found pods at 47c. We're saving about $1 a time for what.. about 2-3 loads of laundry max on an average cruise? So we're getting excited about a saving of $2-3 dollars? I've never understood that one.. lol. 🤣

We found that a large negative too. In hindsight.. we shouldn't have cruised Asia and should have visited it by land. The cities are generally too far away from the ports and you spend a great deal of the little time you have ashore.. in buses getting to and from. We've stayed in Singapore a few times though before and after various trips.. it's a wonderful place with so much to do!

We used them for Ephesus and Mary's House last year. They were great.

We've always just got off the ship and grabbed one. They'll be lined up touting for business. Usually they will offer you a rate there and back that includes them waiting there for you while you have your swim etc. You pay them at the end of the day.. so they don't take off. Never found it dodgy.. however the vehicles sometimes wouldn't cover compliance that we would expect lol. I wouldn't send my wife alone on one again which we did once.. she felt unsafe and intimidated - but never a problem when I've been there and they're as polite as anything.

Been there a number of times. Pick up a cab at the port. Million dollar point is fun for snorkeling. Or they can take you to a Blue Hole which is also great fun. Champagne Bay nearby is a very nice beach. Hideaway Island in Port Vila was good. Google Irikiki Resort as another option for a day. For a small fee.. you get to use the resorts facilities including large pool.. kayaks, etc.

The KISS theory. works. If you can't do the maths.. it ain't worth it. If you're not much of a drinker.. the packages are irrelevant.