Rare Ken the cruiser Posted November 5, 2019 Author #226 Share Posted November 5, 2019 Just got back from a fun 7 hr excursion to the Yanchep NP where we saw koala bears, kangaroos and a variety of birds. After a buffet lunch there, we stopped by a large cemetery where the kangaroos roamed free and then on to a lake where black swans were quite plentiful. We were lucky enough to get some great shots of a mother and her 3 chicks. Then after a quick tour of Perth and Fremantle, it was back to the ship. To top it off the temps were in the low 70s with clear skies and a light breeze. It definitely was a nice day for an excursion, regardless of which one you were one. Hopefully the hot days like we dealt with in northern and northwestern Australia are all behind us now. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted November 5, 2019 #227 Share Posted November 5, 2019 We love those kinds of excursions. Thanks for the reports. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HokiePoq Posted November 5, 2019 #228 Share Posted November 5, 2019 We enjoyed Yanchep too. Then drove a distance up to Pinnacles Desert. Amazing place. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Ken the cruiser Posted November 5, 2019 Author #229 Share Posted November 5, 2019 1 hour ago, HokiePoq said: We enjoyed Yanchep too. Then drove a distance up to Pinnacles Desert. Amazing place. How was the Pinnacles Desert and what did you see? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HokiePoq Posted November 6, 2019 #230 Share Posted November 6, 2019 5 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said: How was the Pinnacles Desert and what did you see? After leaving Yanchep we headed north to Nambung National Park. We visited the beautiful beach area. There are huge shifting sand dunes there. Then we went to nearby Pinnacles, also part of Nambung. We hiked through the vast number of pinnacles ending up on a lookout where we had a picnic supper and waited for the sunset. The clouds were pretty but ended up blocking the sunset. Then we headed back toward Perth, stopping once to stargaze. Four of us from roll call had ridden the train to Perth to meet this excursion at a hotel. Turned out two others from the ship were on it and had been picked up in Freemantle. Great for us, too, as the guide returned us to the ship at 10:15 p.m. Long but very good day. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Ken the cruiser Posted November 6, 2019 Author #231 Share Posted November 6, 2019 2 hours ago, HokiePoq said: After leaving Yanchep we headed north to Nambung National Park. We visited the beautiful beach area. There are huge shifting sand dunes there. Then we went to nearby Pinnacles, also part of Nambung. We hiked through the vast number of pinnacles ending up on a lookout where we had a picnic supper and waited for the sunset. The clouds were pretty but ended up blocking the sunset. Then we headed back toward Perth, stopping once to stargaze. Four of us from roll call had ridden the train to Perth to meet this excursion at a hotel. Turned out two others from the ship were on it and had been picked up in Freemantle. Great for us, too, as the guide returned us to the ship at 10:15 p.m. Long but very good day. Sounds like a great excursion!! Thanks for sharing the details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted November 6, 2019 #232 Share Posted November 6, 2019 5 hours ago, HokiePoq said: After leaving Yanchep we headed north to Nambung National Park. We visited the beautiful beach area. There are huge shifting sand dunes there. Then we went to nearby Pinnacles, also part of Nambung. We hiked through the vast number of pinnacles ending up on a lookout where we had a picnic supper and waited for the sunset. The clouds were pretty but ended up blocking the sunset. Then we headed back toward Perth, stopping once to stargaze. Four of us from roll call had ridden the train to Perth to meet this excursion at a hotel. Turned out two others from the ship were on it and had been picked up in Freemantle. Great for us, too, as the guide returned us to the ship at 10:15 p.m. Long but very good day. Great report. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Ken the cruiser Posted November 7, 2019 Author #233 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Had a fun excursion in Albany today which is on the southwestern tip of Australia. We took a 4 hr excursion to the Torndirrup NP to see the land bridge and the Albany wind farm where its 17 wind turbines generate 80% of the electricity for the 40,000 people that live in the area. Didn’t see many wild animals other than a King Skink eating on something tasty along the trail and a view different species of birds. But, what we also saw was a wide variety of flowering plants growing wild all along the way. It was also a little chilly in the low 60s all day, so I guess it’s time to start wearing our jackets on our excursions as we will be sailing along southern portion of Australia for the next week or so. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted November 7, 2019 #234 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Your excursion sounds wonderful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcummin Posted November 7, 2019 #235 Share Posted November 7, 2019 (edited) On 11/5/2019 at 12:40 AM, Ken the cruiser said: Hopefully the hot days like we dealt with in northern and northwestern Australia are all behind us now. Hopefully you do not have to eat those words. Glad you brought your jackets. Nice photos. Thanks for sharing so much about this Xquisite voyage. Barbara Edited November 7, 2019 by bcummin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Ken the cruiser Posted November 8, 2019 Author #236 Share Posted November 8, 2019 Here’s an interesting tidbit. As of a few days ago starting in Perth, HAL has separated the combined function of the “new” Cruise and Travel Director position into separate roles, a cruise director and a travel director. Prior to this Kay Clark, who took over for the previous Cruise and Travel Director who fell sick and left the ship on the leg prior to us boarding in Auckland, has filled that combined role, and I might say quite nicely. However, we now have a new CD, Warren Mullins, and Kay will continue on as the Travel Director and continue to give port lectures. What their other duties are remain to be seen. So far the only thing we have noticed Warren do is give the morning announcement and introduce the guest entertainer last night while Kay gave a port lecture. Also, don’t know if this role splitting is isolated to the Maasdam cruise we’re currently on or if it’s occurring fleet wide. I guess only time will tell. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcummin Posted November 8, 2019 #237 Share Posted November 8, 2019 Thanks for the update. Again, Kay is so wonderful. I have such fond memories of her keeping an eye out for us on a hike. Barbara 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare erewhon Posted November 8, 2019 #238 Share Posted November 8, 2019 Thank you for all the information. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted November 8, 2019 #239 Share Posted November 8, 2019 Thank you Ken for the report on staff changes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Ken the cruiser Posted November 10, 2019 Author #240 Share Posted November 10, 2019 (edited) We are in Adelaide today and if you ever get to this port and you love animals, we highly recommend going to the Cleland Wild Life Park. Basically it’s pretty much open for you to walk around anywhere within reason for a couple of hours and see a variety of kangaroos, wallabies, emus, dingos, koala bears, wombats, monitors and a wide variety of birds, all in a natural setting. With regards to the various kangaroos, wallabies, emus and much of the bird life, you could walk right up to them if they would let you. Definitely a cool place to go on an excursion! Edited November 10, 2019 by Ken the cruiser 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted November 10, 2019 #241 Share Posted November 10, 2019 I like the sound of that excursion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcummin Posted November 10, 2019 #242 Share Posted November 10, 2019 We love the wombats. Australia has such unique wildlife. Ken, how were your sea days off the south of Australia? Barbara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Ken the cruiser Posted November 10, 2019 Author #243 Share Posted November 10, 2019 Sunrise at Kangaroo Island a little after 6 am. The weather was in the 60s in Albany and around 70 in Adelaide. But today it’s supposed to reach 83 which will be nice as we’re on a 9 hr excursion around the island to look at seals and stuff! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisemom42 Posted November 10, 2019 #244 Share Posted November 10, 2019 Still following you as you cruise happily onward. I do wish HAL would stop playing musical chairs with their onboard staff positions -- hard to remember who is supposed to be doing what! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Ken the cruiser Posted November 10, 2019 Author #245 Share Posted November 10, 2019 I guess we won’t being seeing Kangaroo Island on this cruise. Due to high winds and rough seas and a fast approaching storm from the west, the Captain has made the decision to cancel the port and head without haste towards Melbourne. As far as staff changes go, it seems the CD, assistant CD and travel director all work directly now for the production manager whereas before the assistant CD worked for the CD (according to the “assistant CD” we talked with yesterday said). But that was yesterday... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcummin Posted November 11, 2019 #246 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Sorry that Kangaroo Island was canceled. Hopefully you will really enjoy Melbourne. I do not remember ever hearing of a Production Manager before. Are you getting enough inspiring and informative presentations to truly appreciate the wonders of Australia? Barbara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare erewhon Posted November 11, 2019 #247 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Sorry that you missed Kangaroo Island, due to weather conditions, we also missed the Island during an Australian Circumnavigation cruise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Ken the cruiser Posted November 11, 2019 Author #248 Share Posted November 11, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, bcummin said: Sorry that Kangaroo Island was canceled. Hopefully you will really enjoy Melbourne. I do not remember ever hearing of a Production Manager before. Are you getting enough inspiring and informative presentations to truly appreciate the wonders of Australia? Barbara I believe we are. All of the lectures so far have been very informative and delivered by folks that have “walked the walk” so to speak with the presentations they have each given. You can definitely tell when someone is reading from a script or outline versus someone that really knows the subject being discussed from personal experiences, which the presenters we’ve heard from this entire cruise seem to have. However, we did talk with an Aussie couple this morning at breakfast that told us about the Great Australia Bight which we hadn’t heard about yet. Edited November 11, 2019 by Ken the cruiser 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozcruizer Posted November 11, 2019 #249 Share Posted November 11, 2019 4 hours ago, erewhon said: Sorry that you missed Kangaroo Island, due to weather conditions, we also missed the Island during an Australian Circumnavigation cruise. Shame you missed Kangaroo Island. We visited there while on a Noordam cruise in 2018 and I seem to recall that the water was quite rough when we were on the tender. Still, safety comes first. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Ken the cruiser Posted November 11, 2019 Author #250 Share Posted November 11, 2019 50 minutes ago, ozcruizer said: Shame you missed Kangaroo Island. We visited there while on a Noordam cruise in 2018 and I seem to recall that the water was quite rough when we were on the tender. Still, safety comes first. I think it was a combination of the rough port conditions today along with some forecasted 30 ft swells in the evening hours along with a storm brewing in the west we would be cruising through after we left Kangaroo Island on the way to Melbourne. We’re glad the Captain made the tough decision and we’ll just have to wait to see the seals on another cruise. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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