bazzaw Posted September 12, 2013 #201 Share Posted September 12, 2013 The transit takes around 12 hours -- so they should get to see some of it Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzaw Posted September 13, 2013 #202 Share Posted September 13, 2013 They are anchored in Great Bitter Lake now - and the sun has riz. They are waiting for a convoy coming the other way. Fascinating to watch on AIS Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted September 13, 2013 #203 Share Posted September 13, 2013 It sure is fascinating to watch Barry. Those must be big lakes to hold all those ships. Looks like Dawn is at the front of the convoy that is forming and waiting for the second part of the canal to Suez to clear. The convoy is forming.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzaw Posted September 13, 2013 #204 Share Posted September 13, 2013 David There were 17 ships in that northbound convoy that DP is waiting for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted September 13, 2013 #205 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Another grab of the convoy forming.. Also interesting to note in Barrys pic , the red ships are all tankers.. looks like they come at the back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzaw Posted September 13, 2013 #206 Share Posted September 13, 2013 David AND THEY ARE STILL COMING!!!! I don't recall spending much time at all in the lake - and my wife informs me that we went straight through. DP has been sitting there for I don't know how many hours and a couple more to go as far as I can see. Still -- the weather looks fine and it is surprising how interesting these cargo ships are as they pass closely by. I am sure the passengers are suffering as they lounge around the upper deck - drinks in hand!! :p Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pushka Posted September 13, 2013 #207 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I could manage it myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted September 14, 2013 #208 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Been following the various blogs, but no reports on Valletta, Malta. As we visit Valletta on Arcadia next April I was seeking the intelligence to do our own thing there. Yes that Suez Canal is like the London M25 orbital motorway. Chockas all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzaw Posted September 14, 2013 #209 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Les Stay tuned!!! The next blog post to here http://venice2sydney.blogspot.com.au/ will be for Valetta :) PS Have you bought a new tux for your cruise next year?? :) You will be on Arcadia after all!!! You have to keep the standards up on P&O :) Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted September 14, 2013 #210 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Les Stay tuned!!! The next blog post to here http://venice2sydney.blogspot.com.au/ will be for Valetta :) PS Have you bought a new tux for your cruise next year?? :) You will be on Arcadia after all!!! You have to keep the standards up on P&O :) Barry Thanks Barry, never came across that blog, but have now. As for tuxedo for Arcadia mate, no more Tuxes for me since I donated mine to Oxfam shop in England last year post Arcadia WC For next year's Arcadia in the Med following Golden Princess around South America it will be dark suit mate, I have turned into a cruising bogan, LOL, well I would be a Chav on Arcadia. LOL. The P&O UK uppercrust will be muttering..'scruffy colonial.' Anyway back to the topic, don't go for fly/cruise packages, you will not be getting any air fare deals in that, generally. Book them separate, yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted September 15, 2013 #211 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Les Stay tuned!!! The next blog post to here http://venice2sydney.blogspot.com.au/ will be for Valetta :) PS Have you bought a new tux for your cruise next year?? :) You will be on Arcadia after all!!! You have to keep the standards up on P&O :) Barry Copied Barry, just saw their entry/pics re Valletta. Actually the couple doing that blog were fellow pax with us on Arcadia March/April last year, Syd-Sou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzaw Posted September 15, 2013 #212 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Copied Barry, just saw their entry/pics re Valletta. Actually the couple doing that blog were fellow pax with us on Arcadia March/April last year, Syd-Sou. les yes- there are certainly very well traveled -- we did the 28 day Tahiti cruise on Pacific Pearl with them. Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted September 15, 2013 #213 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted September 18, 2013 #214 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Slightly off topic but a couple of my friends from down here just did the 21 days sector - Rome-Rome of the current 90 days Dawn Princess cruise. Their previous cruise experiences have been with HAL. They told me they were not impressed with the ship, it was getting old and a little tardy, they had a couple of power cuts and were stuck in a lift. Also the food was very ordinary. But most of all, a lot of complainers on board, who were very negative about the cruise generally. 90% of the pax on board are Australian. Interesting comments eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MMDown Under Posted September 18, 2013 #215 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Slightly off topic but a couple of my friends from down here just did the 21 days sector - Rome-Rome of the current 90 days Dawn Princess cruise. Their previous cruise experiences have been with HAL. They told me they were not impressed with the ship, it was getting old and a little tardy, they had a couple of power cuts and were stuck in a lift. Also the food was very ordinary. But most of all, a lot of complainers on board, who were very negative about the cruise generally. 90% of the pax on board are Australian. Interesting comments eh? Yes. I'm surprised that people continue to do long world/grand voyages on Dawn Princess, after the fiasco of missed ports, including Dublin, on the World Cruise. Having said that, the bloggers I follow all seem to be having a wonderful cruise. However, I suspect this is more to do with them being experienced cruisers, who organise their own land excursions to "different" places, rather than the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted September 18, 2013 #216 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Yes. I'm surprised that people continue to do long world/grand voyages on Dawn Princess, after the fiasco of missed ports, including Dublin, on the World Cruise. Having said that, the bloggers I follow all seem to be having a wonderful cruise. However, I suspect this is more to do with them being experienced cruisers, who organise their own land excursions to "different" places, rather than the ship. My friends said the 'Whingers' they came across at meals, bars, entertainment areas, shorex etc were those who had been on board since Sydney, maybe they were novice cruisers, a WC is not the best choice for one's first cruise, plus they missed a few ports due to Middle East issues, but such is life on the high seas. I agree the bloggers on Dawn are motivated and quite happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MMDown Under Posted September 18, 2013 #217 Share Posted September 18, 2013 My friends said the 'Whingers' they came across at meals, bars, entertainment areas, shorex etc were those who had been on board since Sydney, maybe they were novice cruisers, a WC is not the best choice for one's first cruise, plus they missed a few ports due to Middle East issues, but such is life on the high seas. I agree the bloggers on Dawn are motivated and quite happy. Missing Middle Eastern ports because of the current political situation there shouldn't be a problem, as safety is main issue. However, ships not being up to the task is another matter altogegther! Trouble is we all buy the dream! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzaw Posted September 18, 2013 #218 Share Posted September 18, 2013 A friend of mine just finished the Sea Princess Sydney to Sydney WC. He enjoyed it -- but said that 106 days was too long (for him) !!! - mainly there was not enough for him to do on sea days. I understand what he is saying -- after 42 days, I was ready to get off Oriana in 2010. I felt that I had exhausted everything that that particular ship had to offer me - and felt the same for the return trip on Arcadia. I think that 106 basically non-stop days would be too much for me too. Even following the WC's via the Internet seems almost never ending :) I guess it all depends on your personality. We do a lot of motorhoming/caravanning. I have seen motorhomer/caravanners who can sit in a place for weeks at a time -- just reading their books quietly everyday outside their van. Not for me I'm afraid -- I have never found anywhere in Australia that I wasn't ready to move on from after a few days :) Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted September 18, 2013 #219 Share Posted September 18, 2013 A friend of mine just finished the Sea Princess Sydney to Sydney WC. He enjoyed it -- but said that 106 days was too long (for him) !!! - mainly there was not enough for him to do on sea days. I understand what he is saying -- after 42 days, I was ready to get off Oriana in 2010. I felt that I had exhausted everything that that particular ship had to offer me - and felt the same for the return trip on Arcadia. I think that 106 basically non-stop days would be too much for me too. Even following the WC's via the Internet seems almost never ending :) I guess it all depends on your personality. We do a lot of motorhoming/caravanning. I have seen motorhomer/caravanners who can sit in a place for weeks at a time -- just reading their books quietly everyday outside their van. Not for me I'm afraid -- I have never found anywhere in Australia that I wasn't ready to move on from after a few days :) Barry I agree with you Barry. 49 days on Arcadia - March/April 2012, Syd-Sou was enough for me, I am quite happy with 3 weeks to 4 weeks max which is what we normally do. On Arcadia after leaving Langkawi we had 8 sea days across the Indian Ocean as we missed the Seychelles due to pirate activity, many pax went stir crazy. Not me, I just played cricket every arvo and went to choir practice and ate and drank and swam and slept and watched the sea with my binocs. But like you...no way a full 90 day or 104 day WC for me, not on Dawn/Sea/Sun Princesses anyway. The P&O UK ships seem to handle them ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MMDown Under Posted September 18, 2013 #220 Share Posted September 18, 2013 When I was young, i did two halves of a world cruise, on two different ships, and loved every minute. However, times were different, as there was longer in ports (think big events with streamers, bands, etc.) and neither ship had mechanical problems. In addition, I spent 9 months in UK/Europe in the middle. A whole of world cruise doesn't interest me, but I can see how it would appeal to others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted September 19, 2013 #221 Share Posted September 19, 2013 They will be in Salalah later on today. They are still in Pirate Alley.:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted September 20, 2013 #222 Share Posted September 20, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted September 23, 2013 #223 Share Posted September 23, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted September 26, 2013 #224 Share Posted September 26, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted September 27, 2013 #225 Share Posted September 27, 2013 Thanks again David for the pics. Reading the blokes I note a few did not go ashore in Mumbai, including Ray and Paula, bloggers. Is that because they did not want to buy the $100 Visa or felt it was unsafe? Does anybody know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.