NashDB Posted October 16, 2013 Author #26 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Looks like Arlen and I will be holding down the non-Pied Piper contingent, which may just be us! Looking forward to meeting everyone however. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell6t Posted October 23, 2013 #27 Share Posted October 23, 2013 HiWe are on the cruise and will be traveling with friends. There are 7 in our group so I imagine there will be enough for a guide. Just emailed Derek as I was curious, too, about the size.... Should be fun... Did you get any info from Pied Piper. We just made the final payment, so they should have a good idea of how many people will be in the group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell6t Posted October 30, 2013 #28 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Bruce from Pied Piper says there will be a host, but did not provide even a hint of how many people in the group. No matter what, it promises to be a great, and very interesting, cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_cruises Posted October 30, 2013 #29 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Hi guys. I realized that it has been a very long time since I visited here. We are Steve and John from Chicago, traveling with the Pied Piper group. We're finishing up our final planning and getting exclusions booked is weekend. I also checked with Bruce about a forum or Yahoo group for this cruise and he said they no longer set those up, but suggested I post to the PP Facebook page. We get in to Auckland late on December 29th. When does everyone else arrive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashDB Posted October 31, 2013 Author #30 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Hi guys. I realized that it has been a very long time since I visited here. We are Steve and John from Chicago, traveling with the Pied Piper group. We're finishing up our final planning and getting exclusions booked is weekend. I also checked with Bruce about a forum or Yahoo group for this cruise and he said they no longer set those up, but suggested I post to the PP Facebook page. We get in to Auckland late on December 29th. When does everyone else arrive? We get in on January 2, in the evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell6t Posted October 31, 2013 #31 Share Posted October 31, 2013 We will get to Auckland late afternoon on January 1, 2014. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell6t Posted November 13, 2013 #32 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Got our visas for Australia yesterday. So I think everything is in place. Just need to read up a little about New Zealand and starting thinking of what to pack. This trip is getting close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_cruises Posted November 14, 2013 #33 Share Posted November 14, 2013 We are getting excited too! Last bookings will be transfers from the airport into the CBD, and a pre-cruise wine tour from Auckland on New Year's Day. We booked most of our excursions through Celebrity. Our big splurge is the Queenstown overnight from Dunedin; we have friends who said it was one of the highlights of their trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell6t Posted November 14, 2013 #34 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Don't they have taxis at the Auckland Airport? Don't know what CBD is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashDB Posted November 14, 2013 Author #35 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Got our visas for Australia yesterday. So I think everything is in place. Just need to read up a little about New Zealand and starting thinking of what to pack. This trip is getting close. How did you do the visas? I know there are several online sites...some costing a good bit more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashDB Posted November 14, 2013 Author #36 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Don't they have taxis at the Auckland Airport?Don't know what CBD is. Central Business District Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_cruises Posted November 14, 2013 #37 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Sorry for the abbreviation. The Central Business District, or CBD, is Auckland's main downtown area and also where the ship docks. As for taxis, yes there are cabs at the airport but it's a long ride downtown and reports are that the cabs are quite expensive - I've heard NZ$80 or more depending on where you are going. There are shared van services that quote about NZ$45 for two, but the ride can be as long as an hour. There's also a post on the other thread about a private shuttle that I've emailed for a quote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell6t Posted November 15, 2013 #38 Share Posted November 15, 2013 How did you do the visas? I know there are several online sites...some costing a good bit more. I used what I guess is the Australian government's site for it. Quite easy and it cost $20 Australian which was less than $19 US. It was an easy site to use. https://www.eta.immi.gov.au/ETA/etas.jsp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell6t Posted December 3, 2013 #39 Share Posted December 3, 2013 One month until we are aboard. A bit less if you take the International Dateline into account. Pied Piper has sent out a bit of information. Our flight times have been changed. Still need to study up on New Zealand a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashDB Posted December 11, 2013 Author #40 Share Posted December 11, 2013 Sorry for the abbreviation. The Central Business District, or CBD, is Auckland's main downtown area and also where the ship docks. As for taxis, yes there are cabs at the airport but it's a long ride downtown and reports are that the cabs are quite expensive - I've heard NZ$80 or more depending on where you are going. There are shared van services that quote about NZ$45 for two, but the ride can be as long as an hour. There's also a post on the other thread about a private shuttle that I've emailed for a quote. Steve - who did you use for your airport transfer in Auckland? Thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_cruises Posted December 12, 2013 #41 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Nash - We are going to use Super Shuttle (https://www.supershuttle.co.nz/Default.aspx). You can book and prepay through their website, and like superShuttle here they run 24/7. The fare came out to NZ$43 for the two of us. Our hotel estimates a cab will be about NZ$100. The only downside is that it's a shared ride though so it will take a little longer than in a cab. I never heard back from the other service so I just decided to book this one based on the reviews. They also sell through tour agents like Viator so they must be reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSkiesRunning Posted December 17, 2013 #42 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Steel and Larry from the Washington DC area will be on board. We are not in the PP group but look forward to meeting all. Arrive Auckland Dec. 30th and staying in the CBD (Now know that means Central Business District, feel like a native). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashDB Posted December 17, 2013 Author #43 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Steel and Larry from the Washington DC area will be on board. We are not in the PP group but look forward to meeting all. Arrive Auckland Dec. 30th and staying in the CBD (Now know that means Central Business District, feel like a native). Glad to have someone else show up not in the PP group. Not that we don't like the PP folk :) It's just nice to know we won't be the only same-gender couple serving as missionaries to the opposite-gender couples in the main dining room. haha. We're David (53) and Arlen (40 on 1/18/14) from Nashville, TN. I'm a non-profit music association exec and he's the OR scheduler/general "do whatever it takes" guy at a local hospital. We'll be arriving in Auckland on Jan 2 evening and departing Sydney on Jan 19. You can find me on the facespace at facebook.com/davidlb Looking forward to meeting all. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_cruises Posted December 17, 2013 #44 Share Posted December 17, 2013 David, I looked you up on Facebook but want sure it was you so I didn't connect. The picture is with Santa. Is that cutie you? Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashDB Posted December 18, 2013 Author #45 Share Posted December 18, 2013 David, I looked you up on Facebook but want sure it was you so I didn't connect. The picture is with Santa. Is that cutie you? Alas, that IS me in a decidedly more innocent time :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell6t Posted December 18, 2013 #46 Share Posted December 18, 2013 We are Darrell and Erik from Dupont Circle, Washington, DC. We are part of the PP group, but don't plan to spend all our time hanging with them. We don't know how many there are or who they are or anything else about them. Meeting wonderful people from all over is part of the cruise experience and we look forward to meeting you all. Let me repeat what someone said on the regular Roll Call: the info David put together on the ports was a great help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashDB Posted December 18, 2013 Author #47 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Let me repeat what someone said on the regular Roll Call: the info David put together on the ports was a great help. {Blush} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_cruises Posted December 26, 2013 #48 Share Posted December 26, 2013 We are packed and ready to go, and definitely ready to escape winter for a few weeks! See you all on board! Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell6t Posted December 28, 2013 #49 Share Posted December 28, 2013 We are packed and on our way. See everyone in a few days. Safe travels and enjoy a Happy New Year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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