Live from OZ on to NZ for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

[Nelsj099]

Getting ready for Sail Away eating at the newly updated Cagneys Steak House. When a flash Hail Sorm hits Sydney Harbour!   

 

The Start of my day!  Ready to sail away! 

 

The new Cagneys menu minus my favorite baked potato soup.  Is attached below a long with a picture of the hail. 

[Nelsj099]

Today was an interesting beginning to a fantastic trip.  It is 12:30 am and I have just made it back to my room.  

 

A bit bit more about me. I am doing this trip as a solo cruiser. I did this same trip last year for Christmas and New Years and I loved it.  I am not a big drinker however I will order an occasional drink when I’m in the casino.  I do not have the UBP.  Even if I order drinks when I am out it will never add up to the gratuity on the UBP.  I am a gambler though you can often find me in the casino.  

 

So today for me started at my Airbnb In Tamarama near Bondi Beach. I took the 333 bus into Circular Quay and dropped my luggage off at about 11 at the port. I spent the next few hours eating and walking around taking pictures. 

 

I went to check in at 1:30 just after they announced that my deck all of the rooms were open!  I checked in through the platinum/platinum plus/casinos at sea.  This is all one line in Sydney and no one was in it.  I got through this step quickly before heading to customs who took a while don’t know why and finally into the security cue.   This did take a while someone was trying to carry on their kettle and lets just say they had to X-ray it quite a few times.  At least they will have a warm Christmas tea.  I was on the ship around 2pm. I dropped my purse and headed to topsiders for some Diet Pepsi. At this point the weather was beautiful.  

 

I had had a lovely conversation with a nice older lady who came down on the ship from Singapore. The new refurbished ship was on it’s  first sailing then. It looks shiny and new compared to last year. I am very impressed over all with the changes! 

 

After a short 3 language (read over a half an hour) life boat drill it was off to our unofficial cruise critic meet and greet.  It was lovely to match words to faces. During this time there was a beautiful rainbow directly across from us. 

 

I had thought that my Cagneys reservation was for 6.  Oops I was 30 minutes + late for that. I spent the next 2.5 hours eating dinner and talking to a couple behind me also expats.  Just after sitting down the hail storm began. It was a sail away to thunder and lightning. A different kind of send off, one I haven’t had before. 

 

After dinner I headed down to the casino for some game play. I need 3000 points to reach sapphire for next year. I need some hard grinding days to make that. I hope I can by the end of the 16 nights we will see. I started at the ultimate Texas table where the minimum bet was 10$. That doesn’t sound too bad until you realize you  will be betting about 60$ per hand. I asked the pit boss to lower the minimum. He finally called and they let him lower the minimum bet to 5$ yay!   I spent about two hours here playing, some highs and lows but I was never really up.  I left the table down 190$ and went to the slots.  I started with some money wheel game and put in 110$ up and down but earned 100 points and cashed out with 100$ then went to planet moolah returns.  I got some small hits but ended up putting in another 100. I got a small bonus then a second one for 400$ now I was up just over 150. I played that down to being up 100 and headed back to the ultimate table.  I played my 100$ in winnings down to 15$.  Oh well a win is a win. I should have about 350 points for today and I am up 15$. 

 

I have taken pictures of today’s daily’s I will upload them tomorrow with the stronger  cell service WiFi aka data in port. 

[Nelsj099]

Yesterday’s Freestyle Daily

[Muckyduckway]

Looking forward to this, have a brilliant time.

[Nelsj099]

What to do on this rainy day in Eden?  I woke up this morning and decided to have my chocolate covered strawberries for breakfast off to a healthy start. We had our meet up location set as the stardust theatre for a 9am departure. No problem board the tender boat and the sky opens up for a downpour. 

 

We we got to the pier not that far away about 500 meters boy was I happy to have brought my rain coat. I booked a Twofold bay cruise about two minutes in the rain stopped and I went out on deck to see the sights. It was a bit cloudy and misty for this tour but we got up close to a playful seal. We also learned about how Eden was a whaling town. They used to get help from an orcha named Tom. 

 

The towns folk all had stories about Tom.   And his impact on their lives.  There is also a very cute picture book about Tom the orcha. I talked to a few of them after my short boat cruise. I took the free shuttle into town and saw the sights of Eden. I walked back to the ship from the last stop and went to the whaling museum.   

 

This port is also a place for oysters and crab. I saw a few restaurants at the warf with sampler platters I chose to eat for free at O’Shehans instead.  

[Nelsj099]

Last night I finished by having dinner at Moderno and watching the production show Velvet.  Not my favorite ever NCL show but it was good.  I also proceeded to loose a few hundred dollars at the casino. Fast forward to today...

 

Today we got to have a bit of a lay in. I slept until 9:03 when the room Stuart entered my room to start cleaning. Guess it was time to wake up.  I got ready for my day and had a few more chocolate covered strawberries for breakfast from the casino. 

 

My tour today was Gunns Caves and Devils. Where we explored the Gunns Plaines and saw the opium poppy’s on the country side. We also went to Wings Wildlife center where I upgraded my ticket to get to hold a baby Tasmanian Devil!  She was super cute at just 6 months old already eating meat and still drinking milk. She can break the skin with her teeth which you could see on the handlers hands.  We also went to Gunns Caves to see some glow worms.  The ones in bay of islands last winter were better but this was a good opportunity to see them again. 

 

Attached may be the daily’s if not I will upload them when I’m in Melbourne tomorrow. We are going to have an over night there before headed across the sea to New Zealand. 

[Nelsj099]

Yesterday was our first day in Melbourne. I chose to do an excursion with another company autopia. I did a 13 hour trip to see the 12 apostles at sunset and the great ocean road. I was a bit surprised that NCL wasn’t offering this tour as they could have easily charged double or triple what I paid.  

 

I got off the boat at 10 having already had breakfast. My first breakfast of the cruise. I ate on my balcony over looking the HAL ship and all the people disembarking.  It was a lovely cool day but as always the sun is hot in Australia.  In the port building they were selling myki cards for 15$ you could get a card loaded with 9$. Which is pretty standard when buying a travel card. This was easy and quick.  I just followed the signs from here down to the tram 109 that stops at the port.  This went straight to where I was to meet my tour bus at 11. I made good time and got there early. 

 

This tour also also stopped off at a chocolate factory, and to see the koalas. I was personally a bit frustrated with people’s lack of ability to get back to the bus on time. 

[vette]

Beautiful pictures!!! Wish we were going to Bernie on our B2B starting Jan. 5th.

 

 

[herdingdogmom]

4 hours ago, vette said:

Beautiful pictures!!! Wish we were going to Bernie on our B2B starting Jan. 5th.

 

 

The beach pictures at Sunset are the 12 Apostles.  We saw this from a long day when in port in Melbourne - outstanding!

[sirenitas]

Loving your report and photos!

[Jagggg]

Thank you for taking time to post your vacation. Looks great!

[Muckyduckway]

Loving the detail - hoping there's more to come.

 

In the meantime, Happy New Year 🍸🎉

[Muckyduckway]

Hope you haven't got the post-cruise blues.  Was enjoying your report immensely.

[Candy Apple 12]

More, please!