Wharf extension OPT

[MicCanberra]

Hmmm All will be revealed tomorrow Morning ,,,

 

Now Graham please make sure Solstice parks Stern First :p

 

And please be aware you will meet a REAL "VIP" tomorrow

 

 

:D

 

Regards

John

 

Bon Voyage.:D

[gbenjo]

Hmmm All will be revealed tomorrow Morning ,,,

 

Now Graham please make sure Solstice parks Stern First :p

 

And please be aware you will meet a REAL "VIP" tomorrow

 

 

:D

 

Regards

John

 

Unfortunately (for you) as far as I know she will be bow in to the Quay

 

Hopefully the carpet will be back from the cleaners:D

 

A real VIP...............WOW:eek::D looking forward to it.

Edited January 26, 2015 by gbenjo

[debstep]

Hi Graham

Can I ask why the recent change? Do you have any scuttlebut as to why please.

Solstice used to always be stern in but now seems to be coming in bow first since a couple of weeks ago?

[gbenjo]

Hi Graham

Can I ask why the recent change? Do you have any scuttlebut as to why please.

Solstice used to always be stern in but now seems to be coming in bow first since a couple of weeks ago?

 

The answer to your question partly lies within the name of this now epic thread "Wharf Extension OPT":D. ( which, by the way, was a bit off topic as the majority of the discussion was about the terminal upgrade, not the wharf extension. :) The addition of the extra sixty metres of wharf gives access to " shell doors" on the ship for loading provisions and unloading luggage which were not accessible prior to the extension unless the ship was stern in. It is also intended that the new ground floor of the OPT will be used for debark and bow in would be more convenient and be closer to the gangway than if the ship was stern in. There is still some debate as to the final configuration of the terminal and how the different companies will utilise it when it is handed over in the middle of February so we may have to wait and see. There will, I guess, be some trail and error before we work out the best way but I think the bow in for Voyager and Solstice is here to stay. ....... And hey how lucky am I..... For our cruise in April on the Solstice we booked a port side stateroom which faced the terminal and now we have a view of the Opera House from our balcony:D:D

[gbenjo]

That's a shame...

 

I was hoping to meet the "Legendary" Graham...

:(

 

WELL....you are just going to have to book a cruise with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity if you want to meet me:D:D:D...... Which would not be a bad thing........well at least the cruise thing would be a win.......not too sure about meeting me:eek:

Edited January 26, 2015 by gbenjo

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for the scuttlebut gbenjo, you are ever our man in the know.:D

[debstep]

We took a taxi from OPT to the domestic airport on Monday 15th December.

Left the OPT just before 9am I am guessing something like 8.50am, traffic was reasonable and it came to just over $70. It was the day of the martin place siege but we were at the airport before it would have affected the roads.

We shared the taxi with another couple who we had met on a day tour of Noumea so the cost was equal to the train. Hopefully Good Friday there wont be much traffic.

 

Thats my issue with the Taxi's, they say $40, even confirmed when Graham checked then charged someone $70 for a straight trip without traffic jams, how do they justify that?

[BuzzBuzzen]

The answer to your question partly lies within the name of this now epic thread "Wharf Extension OPT":D. ( which, by the way, was a bit off topic as the majority of the discussion was about the terminal upgrade, not the wharf extension. :) The addition of the extra sixty metres of wharf gives access to " shell doors" on the ship for loading provisions and unloading luggage which were not accessible prior to the extension unless the ship was stern in. It is also intended that the new ground floor of the OPT will be used for debark and bow in would be more convenient and be closer to the gangway than if the ship was stern in. There is still some debate as to the final configuration of the terminal and how the different companies will utilise it when it is handed over in the middle of February so we may have to wait and see. There will, I guess, be some trail and error before we work out the best way but I think the bow in for Voyager and Solstice is here to stay. ....... And hey how lucky am I..... For our cruise in April on the Solstice we booked a port side stateroom which faced the terminal and now we have a view of the Opera House from our balcony:D:D

My original post was a photo of the extension as viewed from Carnival Spirit , exactly as the post was titled , other people took the discussion away from that not me ! so "off topic " I certainly was not.

[vozzie]

Thats my issue with the Taxi's, they say $40, even confirmed when Graham checked then charged someone $70 for a straight trip without traffic jams, how do they justify that?

 

A bit off topic, but when I lived in Singapore, we had a term for the taxi driver's procedures. Say you arrived at the airport...the meter read $15.20....the driver would then push the "Magic Button" on the meter box and the price would suddenly jump to $40...to cover all the loadings, taxes, tolls, daughter's school fees etc :D

[MicCanberra]

A bit off topic, but when I lived in Singapore, we had a term for the taxi driver's procedures. Say you arrived at the airport...the meter read $15.20....the driver would then push the "Magic Button" on the meter box and the price would suddenly jump to $40...to cover all the loadings, taxes, tolls, daughter's school fees etc :D

 

Yes, it happens. Some Taxi drivers have tried to charge the meter rate as a per person fee.:eek:

[ratacake]

Dear Gbenjo,

 

I see you have used undue influence in your position of trust!.

 

There are those of us who have booked starboard side purely for the view! (Not me though, we board in Perth and just finish up in Sydney, :p)

 

To have this taken away from the common people just because you know who to take to lunch to bribe, corrupt (possibly even get plastered with), all for your selfish desire to have a cabin, on your cruise, which will face the Opera House!!! Is that why you built that extra bit on the wharf?

 

Shame, shame.....

 

ratacake

(Patricia and Roy)

 

PS Only kidding, enjoy your cruise and it was a pleasure to meet you when we were on the Century last August :D

[goodycruising]

Ah! beat me to it! I was going to have a go at Graham for his elaborate scheme to get the ship turned around also. ;)

[davwen81]

Just a quick question re taxis, Can you still get taxis just outside the departure area of the OPT on disembarkation now it's nearly finished??? Getting off there in October we had to drag bags up to Hickson Road. Do we still have to do this or will we be able to pick them up just outside the new terminal and when should this all be sorted, many thanks for your kind help, Wendy

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[gbenjo]

My original post was a photo of the extension as viewed from Carnival Spirit , exactly as the post was titled , other people took the discussion away from that not me ! so "off topic " I certainly was not.

Sorry Buzz:) You are absolutely correct , your title for the thread was 100% correct (in the beginning) What I meant was that all these other VIP people hijacked your thread and turned it into a way of getting a little bit of one up manship for their inflated egos:D:D If it wasn't for me keeping control , who knows where the thread would have ended up:eek::eek:

[gbenjo]

Just a quick question re taxis, Can you still get taxis just outside the departure area of the OPT on disembarkation now it's nearly finished??? Getting off there in October we had to drag bags up to Hickson Road. Do we still have to do this or will we be able to pick them up just outside the new terminal and when should this all be sorted, many thanks for your kind help, Wendy

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Apart from possibly the odd day here and there, the taxis have always been available outside the terminal where they normally were pre upgrade and as the terminal is about to be "handed over" on the 14th February the "extended" taxi rank will also be working.

[Wyuna1]

Apart from possibly the odd day here and there, the taxis have always been available outside the terminal where they normally were pre upgrade and as the terminal is about to be "handed over" on the 14th February the "extended" taxi rank will also be working.

 

Graham, thanks for your insiders commentary on the long overdue upgrade to the OPT. What percentage of the redevolopment does the February " handover" represent?

[gbenjo]

Dear Gbenjo,

 

I see you have used undue influence in your position of trust!.

 

There are those of us who have booked starboard side purely for the view! (Not me though, we board in Perth and just finish up in Sydney, :p)

 

To have this taken away from the common people just because you know who to take to lunch to bribe, corrupt (possibly even get plastered with), all for your selfish desire to have a cabin, on your cruise, which will face the Opera House!!! Is that why you built that extra bit on the wharf?

 

Shame, shame.....

 

ratacake

(Patricia and Roy)

 

PS Only kidding, enjoy your cruise and it was a pleasure to meet you when we were on the Century last August :D

 

Damn, I knew there would be someone smart enough to see through my devious plan..bugger;). The funny thing is that the view of the Opera House is no big deal for me as I see it every day that I work at the OPT and in fact I was hoping the Solstice would stay stern in for our cruise so I could sit on our balcony and laugh and wave to all the other people working in the terminal while I knock back a coldiel:D:D

 

PS I am a bit confused She was not in Sydney in August???????:confused: or did you mean October or November??

[GUT2407]

Sorry Buzz:) You are absolutely correct , your title for the thread was 100% correct (in the beginning) What I meant was that all these other VIP people hijacked your thread and turned it into a way of getting a little bit of one up manship for their inflated egos:D:D If it wasn't for me keeping control , who knows where the thread would have ended up:eek::eek:

 

Without your "control" probably would have dealt with boring stuff like wharf extensions etc instead of dealing with real issues like true VIPs and Red Carpets and Bubbly and stuff.:cool:

[debstep]

Damn, I knew there would be someone smart enough to see through my devious plan..bugger;). The funny thing is that the view of the Opera House is no big deal for me as I see it every day that I work at the OPT and in fact I was hoping the Solstice would stay stern in for our cruise so I could sit on our balcony and laugh and wave to all the other people working in the terminal while I knock back a coldiel:D:D

 

PS I am a bit confused She was not in Sydney in August???????:confused: or did you mean October or November??

 

Its OK Graham

Since our cabin will now be on the Wharf side, you can use our balcony to pull faces if you like ;)

Deb & Step

[gbenjo]

Graham, thanks for your insiders commentary on the long overdue upgrade to the OPT. What percentage of the redevolopment does the February " handover" represent?

 

The only part still to be done after 14th February "SHOULD" be the top level (current check in level) which I am told will be completed in the off season. There is not a lot of structural work to do and will mainly be a refurbishment which is intended to be a lounge area, customs and security screening as access to the ships will still be on the top level.

Hopefully this rainy spell ends soon as the major part still to be done by the 14th is now outside , being the extended taxi road and the area surrounding it.

[gbenjo]

Its OK Graham

Since our cabin will now be on the Wharf side, you can use our balcony to pull faces if you like ;)

Deb & Step

 

OK thanks, I will keep that in mind:cool::cool: and if you want to take a photo of the opera house you can take one from my "stateroom"...we do not call them cabins:D:D

[gbenjo]

Without your "control" probably would have dealt with boring stuff like wharf extensions etc instead of dealing with real issues like true VIPs and Red Carpets and Bubbly and stuff.:cool:

 

And we all know where that would end up don't we??:mad::mad::D

[lazy day]

At least most will be completed for our sailing on the 12 Feb.

 

There at the weekend and it looks pretty good what you could see.

 

Hope to see you at check in on the 12 Feb Graham. I don't require the red carpet treatment as I'm only a lowly vip gold member.

[GUT2407]

And we all know where that would end up don't we??:mad::mad::D

 

 

Yes with certain persons getting treated they way they should:p

[MicCanberra]

Meant to ask you Graham (gbenjo), are you going to be there on the 19th of Feb?