Live Surprise: Radiance of the Seas to Tasmania (Feb 2016)

[Sparky74]

Hmmm... Sorry for the large picture. Looks like I haven't quite nailed it yet but I'll get there!

 

I'll try to update before we loose Internet tonight.

[MicCanberra]

No worries, at least you can load the photos, I tend to only get thumbnails.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

 

[GUT2407]

No worries, at least you can load the photos, I tend to only get thumbnails.

 

Pretty sure you have to use a hosting site, like photobucket etc to get more than thumbnails.

 

Not sure why they've set it up that way.

[MicCanberra]

Much better to see on the screen.

[MicCanberra]

Pretty sure you have to use a hosting site, like photobucket etc to get more than thumbnails.

 

Not sure why they've set it up that way.

 

Correct but I do not have an account on one of those sites.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Correct but I do not have an account on one of those sites.

 

Photobucket and Tinypic are free......I think you just have to sign up.

I use Photobucket to upload a URL when I have saved more than 1 pic that I want to post. When there is only 1, I use Tinypic as its much quicker.

[goodycruising]

I agree, great shirts! Hope the trip is going well still :)

 

My photobucket account is free so far, and I have used about 4% of my allocated space. They have a link along side the pic that you can click on to copy the code to put in your comments here. If I put a larger picture on photobucket than I intended it can be edited, resized and saved over the original uploaded picture and then it will pick it up here at the new size. (not just in answer to you Mic, but for anyone that has tried to post and gets a small thumbnail here)

[MicCanberra]

Photobucket and Tinypic are free......I think you just have to sign up.

I use Photobucket to upload a URL when I have saved more than 1 pic that I want to post. When there is only 1, I use Tinypic as its much quicker.

 

Signing up is the issue for me, I don't really want to do it and I don't really need it. Just another site with passwords to remember.

[MicCanberra]

I agree, great shirts! Hope the trip is going well still :)

 

My photobucket account is free so far, and I have used about 4% of my allocated space. They have a link along side the pic that you can click on to copy the code to put in your comments here. If I put a larger picture on photobucket than I intended it can be edited, resized and saved over the original uploaded picture and then it will pick it up here at the new size. (not just in answer to you Mic, but for anyone that has tried to post and gets a small thumbnail here)

 

Thanks, :D

As mentioned, I don't really want another set of user names and passwords.

[Hokapontas]

Hmmm... Sorry for the large picture. Looks like I haven't quite nailed it yet but I'll get there!

 

I'll try to update before we loose Internet tonight.

 

Please let me know how you did post the pics! All I can do is post a link to Dropbox, which feels like a file on my computer, and looks like a link in text.

By the way, I am thoroughly enjoying your trip. Soon you will be here, in Hobart. 😃

[MicCanberra]

My photobucket account is free so far, and I have used about 4% of my allocated space. They have a link along side the pic that you can click on to copy the code to put in your comments here. If I put a larger picture on photobucket than I intended it can be edited, resized and saved over the original uploaded picture and then it will pick it up here at the new size. (not just in answer to you Mic, but for anyone that has tried to post and gets a small thumbnail here)

 

Please let me know how you did post the pics! All I can do is post a link to Dropbox, which feels like a file on my computer, and looks like a link in text.

By the way, I am thoroughly enjoying your trip. Soon you will be here, in Hobart.

 

See the instructions above.:D

[Sparky74]

Breakfast on day 2

 

[Sparky74]

Day Two - Newcastle continued

 

Port

 

We left Sydney yesterday to head for Tasmania so today the ship docks at Newcastle. NEWCASTLE! That's the wrong direction! I think the captain must have got a bit lost because we are supposed to be going South and Newcastle is North of Sydney. It only takes 2 hours to drive there from Sydney and we've been sailing all night!

 

Seriously, though, Cathryn lived in Newcastle for 5 years and I'd had 12 months at the neighbouring town of Raymond Terrace so we decided to stay on the ship and enjoy the facilities while they were less crowded.

 

Trivia

At 10am we found ourselves in the Schooner Bar for trivia and joined three other people to form a team. One of the staff, Hannah asked the questions. She is a bright bubbly girl from Wales and asked everyone one where they were from. One lady said she was from England and when Hannah asked, "Which part?" she replied, "Oh, all of me!" Later in the trivia session Hannah started to talk about the dinner she had had in one of the specialty restaurants (extra $) on board last night and about all the different kinds of meats she had eaten and she urged us all to try it. Then she had a sudden "uh oh!" moment and said, "No one here is a vegetarian, are they?" We all answered, "No" "I love meat" etc but in the hullabaloo one lady (in the same team as the "all of me" lady said emphatically, "I am!"

Hannah: "Really? How long have you been one for? Why on earth did you be come a vegetarian?"

Lady: "Vegetarian? I though you said Presbyterian!"

 

Unfortunately our team didn't win so we missed out on a plastic RCI pen but I was quite proud that I was able to correctly answer "How many black keys are there on a grand piano?"

 

Lunch

As Cathryn had a 11.45am appointment we wanted an early lunch. The MDR was closed because it's a port day so we decided to go to the Park Cafe in the Solarium but discovered that they weren't opening until 2pm so back to the Foodjammer.

 

When Cathryn headed to her appointment I decided to finish with a soft serve icecream. As I mentioned previously it is not self-serve on this cruise. The staff member operating the machine was pretty clueless and produced something that looked almost pornographic!

 

 

Afternoon

 

Cathryn said that she had thought about having a massage on nearly every cruise we had been on but she'd never followed through so we'd made an appointment for her taking advantage of a "Top to Toe" special.

 

For new cruisers:

A variety of treatments are available in the ship's spa and they often have special offers on port days as there is less demand than on sea days.

 

Cathryn reports that her treatment consisted of a foot and leg massage followed by her back, all while lying on her tummy. She then rolled onto her back and they did her feet and legs again as well as her arms, hands and fingers. Next was a mini facial consisting of a cleansing, exfoliation, then some other product and something covering her eyes and a scalp massage was performed while the face product worked it's magic. Following this her face was washed and moisturiser was applied and she received a upper chest and shoulder massage. The cost of this treatment was $149US plus an 18% gratuity. As Diamond C&A members we should get a 20% discount but this has not been applied to our account so I'll need to get this sorted.

 

When Cathryn was done getting all rejuvenated we changed into our togs (swimmers, bathers) and headed to the pool. I found the water a little cool and it was salty so I presume that it is treated sea water.

 

OK, OK. I know that ALL the water on the ship is sea water but the stuff in the pool hadn't had the salt removed.

 

After a bit we showered and got into the hot tub. The water was like a very warm bath - fantastic. I could have stayed in there all afternoon but we got back into the main pool. Brrr.

 

As we sail out of Newcastle the Captain announces that a bit of "movement" is expected tonight and that we should take care moving around the ship. He suggested that we "hold onto the hand rails or your husband!" As I don't have the latter I'd better go for the former option.

 

Evening

 

We decided to skip the MDR tonight and have a later dinner in the Jammer so this meant we could go to the earlier show at 6.30pm. Tonight's headliners were The Australian Beatles and they sang songs by the lads from Liverpool and looked the part even down to the hair. The audience was encouraged to sing along.

 

We left the show before the encore as we wanted to get to The Colony Club at the other end of the ship for the welcome back party. This is an invitation only event for C&A members only. On this cruise there are Gold Members, Platinum Members, Emerald Members, Diamond Members (including us), Diamond Plus Members and Pinnacle Members. The highest ranking cruisers were recognised at the party.

 

Coming in at third place were Albie and Bernice who we have cruised with before. They'd have to be the highest ranking C&A members in Australia I reckon. Cathryn recognised them when they walked into the theatre last night and I went and spoke with them.

 

Next it was up to Deck 11 for dinner in the Foodjammer. It was after 8pm and the buffet was rather quiet. There were plenty of tables to choose from and one of the waiters had time to stop have a chat with Cathryn. Cathryn had pasta, fried rice (not as good as she makes), macaroni cheese (tasteless) and eggs while I had roast lamb. Of course we made sure to sample the desserts as we didn't want to offend the staff who had worked hard to prepare it.

 

Being the wild party animals that we are we retired to bed only to find someone already there!

 

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for the update. I am enjoying the feed.

[Sparky74]

Day Three - Cathryn's Birthday

 

Rise and Shine

Day three of the cruise and as its Cathryn's birthday she's decided that she deserves a lie in. I, on the other hand are up at a sensible of time of just before 6am and after picking up an extra Compass from Guess (Guest) Services on Deck 4 (our cabin is on Deck 8) I head up to the top of the ship. Am I going back to the gym or perhaps the running track?

 

No, I am not! I'm off to the Starquest Lounge. Right at the top of the ship on Deck 13, during the evening this is a drinking/socialising venue. Between 9am and 4pm it's a designated quiet zone. First thing in the morning it's absolutely deserted and I'm about to let you in on a secret. Shhhh! Don't tell anybody but...

 

The piano in the Starquest is available for the use of passengers! My piano teacher should be proud that I've brought some music from home so I have about half an hour of serious practice and half an hour of playing from the iPad h for enjoyment.

 

I have a quick look at the Diamond Lounge (this is an area off the Starquest that is only accessible to Diamond and higher C&A Members. apparently better free coffee is available there and they have an evening "happy hour"- which lasts about 3 hours I think - when there are free drinks. There's also a "Diamond Concierge" to handle special requests.) But at this hour it's deserted and the coffee machine is nonoperational because it needs the coffee grounds to be removed.

 

Back to the cabin for a shower and after Sleeping Beauty wakes and opens her presents it's time for:

 

Breakfast

 

Cathryn decides that we will breakfast in the MDR. As this cruise is a treat for her birthday I've told her that we will do whatever she wants and she can call the shots and make all the decisions.

 

For new cruisers:

At breakfast (and lunch on sea days) in the MDR you are seated by the waiters at large tables with other passengers in the order you arrive at the MDR. So it's an opportunity to meet someone new. Up in the Jammer people tend to sit with their travelling companions and only share a table if it's really busy.

 

Cathryn orders a pancake and two fried eggs, "over medium" and a slice of white toast. In my experience toast in the MDR resembles cardboard and Cathryn reports that today is no exception. I was going to order an omelette but upon learning that there is currently a 25 minute wait I decide on the "Classic" breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, hash brown, tomato... (I can't understand why people gain weight on a cruise. :confused:)

 

While we are waiting for our hot food to arrive we help ourselves to some muesli from the "granola bar" in the middle of the MDR. Here there is a variety of cereals including cornflakes, rice bubbles, frootloops etc, as well as muesli (granola) and a variety of toppings as well as fresh and tinned fruit and yoghurt. The choice of sprinkle on toppings is not as extensive as I've seen in the past but it does include dark and white chocolate chips. :eek:

 

Coffee and Chat

No sooner were we done with breakfast than it was time for "Coffee and Chat with your Cruise Director staff" at Cafe Latitudes on Deck 5. At trivia, yesterday, Hannah from Wales had said that no one turned up to chat to her so whilst I'm not a big coffe drinker I reckon I can fulfil the other requirement. :D

 

The cafe is not the most conducive venue for this sort of gathering but I guess the ship is trying to sell coffee. I meet Elise who I had met online on Cruise Critic and introduce her to Hannah and I'm also able to introduce Albie and Bernice to Hannah.

 

Soon it's time to head off to the:

 

Meet and Mingle

 

This is an event for Cruise Critic members and was held in the Starquest. Many of us had been chatting online on the "roll call" thread for our specific cruise. Elsie had prepared a gift of a customised magnet for each of us and the ship provided drinks and hord'vors. The ship also provided 5 prizes for a lucky draw: some RCI swag, a bottle of white, a bottle of rosé and two bottles of champagne. Each of the bottle prizes also came with vouchers for two in-room movies.

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for the update, sounds like a busy day chatting and meeting people.:p

BTW, I believe the diamond lounge opens for breaky (and coffee) at 7am.

[Cabansail]

Enjoying your posts.

 

Black pudding at breakfast. I am jealous. Did not see it when I was there. I did get the Kippers in the MDR one morning but after that they were not available. Pity as they were nice.

[aussielozzie18]

That ice-cream picture - I was scrolling down slowly having not read the text yet and for a sec there I was wondering what the heck you had posted. Glad I didnt do that at work.:)

[Keith1010]

Enjoying your posts.

 

Keith

[windsor26]

Need more Getting withdrawal symptoms Please

Edited February 23, 2016 by windsor26

[Tara Jane]

Same here, maybe they are having too good a time.

[Tara Jane]

Come on Sparky where's your spark????

We are all missing your updates.

Please come back to us.

[MicCanberra]

Come on Sparky where's your spark????

We are all missing your updates.

Please come back to us.

 

At sea and no internet or wifi perhaps.

[gek]

At sea and no internet or wifi perhaps.

 

Radiance arrived back in Sydney on Thursday. In case anyone is worrying I did some online stalking and according to his FB page they made it back OK. Looks like he's just being slack :)

Edited February 27, 2016 by gek