Over from NZ

Thank you for that!

We're in Messina 14/6 from noon to 8pm. Wanting to get to Taormina again. There doesn't appear to be any trains running that day? The shuttle bus mentioned above not running that day either. Any ideas?

Live dealers are long gone. Usually there's one electronic Texas holdem' table. The rake is horrible and the cruises I've been on.. they hardly ever get played unless Princess hold a set buy-in tournament.

Best post yet!!! 😁

I agree with clairbearinaus. We've been to each a number of times. Mystery Island is a beach day. The other side of the island has great snorkeling. Port Vila has lots of options when you get there. We don't let the cruise-lines scalp us anymore. We've done Hideaway Island, that was nice. Last couple of times we've booked a day-pass at Irikiki Resort. It has gone up in price though.. now AUD$32 (and you get a $12 food and drink credit back to spend at the resort). Get to use their facilities, pools.. wind-surfer, Kayaks etc. Great place. You can book a ride to the island resort for just $5 each (well it was last time) on the water taxi. The water taxi will also detour on the way home to the ship.. via the cheapest duty-free shop in the pacific! 🙂 I did the sport fishing one cruise and the wife did a waterfall. They were average. https://www.iririki.com/extras/

Providing that their boats never need replacing. Depreciation is a cost for a real reason..

Ditch all the benefits. Use the saving to sharpen the fares.

Yeah, the majestic has lower ceilings for shorter Asian people. lol. Jokes aside.. it wouldn't make much difference which ship. What's important is what you're trying to achieve. What is it you want to do or see? Australian land tour.. with just one guide?! Aussie is a mighty big place (although most of it's just a big desert). Which part of Aussie by land are you looking at?

Exactly! And from an Aucklander.. that's gracious. It's not all true what they say about you Jafa's! lol.

Don't over think it. Pre-covid they mostly sailed full. If it had been an issue people wouldn't have kept cruising. Stop sweating the small stuff for no reason 🙂

Go back before 2020 - they were an awful investment a lot longer than before 2020. They're still losing fistfuls of money every day.. they're carrying a mountain of debt in a market that's repricing interest rates higher.. they ain't going to be back in profit for a long time.. and they sure as heck ain't going to be paying dividends for a very, very, long time.

Thanks. We're going in June.. so hopefully they've sorted themselves out by then 🙂

Thanks for that. Hadn't factored the strikes. That aside.. sounds like it's a reasonable idea to get there? And when we get there.. do you think uber/taxis will be a realistic way to get from the train station to the sights?

They're better to go to NZ then! lol! 😁

We've got 4 nights in La Spezia early June before our cruise. Is there much open after 5pm do you know? The trains run till quite late I think.. we could plan to spend the evenings in Cinque Terre towns and train back to La Spezia late evening?

Carl was out driver too!! We also did the ultimate tour. Not that it's an expensive excursion.. but it's worth every penny!

We've been to Marseille before. This time, we want to go to Avignon and see the Palace of the popes and Fort Saint Andre. We've found an excursion that would be ideal.. but there's been no other takers to join us and it's too expensive on our own. So we're thinking of taking the train from Marseille to Avignon. Would then get an uber or taxi from the train station to the Place/Castle. Are the trains in France reliable? Have looked at thetrainline.com and we could have about 5.5 hours there and be back just under 2-hours before the ship is due to leave. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

If you're from Australia or NZ - the normal tip is to simply say thank you. Nothing more.. 🙂 If you're from the states.. they're going to expect you to do what you do over there and give them a handful of money based on what your normal rate is over there haha. Tipping isn't part of the culture in NZ.

Both sides of the ship get there at the same time.

Italytoursharing has all sorts of mix and match.

You spent a day with Aussies watching rugby?! That'd be a sad occasion! hahaha. 😁

It's only cash if you buy your tickets at the top (there-s no kiosk - so you pay the driver). The kiosk at the bottom sells tickets for cash, eftpost, credit-cards etc.

Exactly! You've only got to get fog or something and nek minut.. haha

The issue isn't why I've had delays. Domestic or international runways both share the same weather!! LOL! That's where your issues are. Weather-related reasons are common at Auckland airport.

Usually Christchurch to Auckland or vice-versa. Auckland is frequently delayed.