Now for something completely different

[Blackduck59]

11 nights mid March, scratch Bay of Islands and Hobart add Eden. I like the 14 day better, I also know it will be hot. 

[NSWP]

24 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

11 nights mid March, scratch Bay of Islands and Hobart add Eden. I like the 14 day better, I also know it will be hot. 

I don't know how you sleep at night Lyle, worrying about all these cruises, couple of years ahead.  Perhaps, like me these days, I need two fingers of Chivas Regal at 10pm to wash down the Temaze sleeping pill, prescribed of course.😐

Edited July 11, 2020 by NSWP

[By The Bay]

16 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

11 nights mid March, scratch Bay of Islands and Hobart add Eden. I like the 14 day better, I also know it will be hot. 

I agree, the 14 day cruise is better. Eden for missing Bay of Islands and Hobart does not appeal to me.

 

Crossing the Tasman Sea is always subject to what we call here in a Australia, a Southerly Buster. I have been lucky with my 3 cruises to NZ and have not had a problem with rough seas. Others have not been so lucky.

 

"An abrupt southerly wind change in the southern regions of New South Wales and Victoria, Australia, which approaches from the southeast, mainly on a hot day, bringing in cool, usually severe weather and a dramatic temperature drop."

[Blackduck59]

No trouble sleeping Les. Eight hours in a woodwork shop makes for a pretty tired boy. I'll probably hit the rack in about 1/2 hour, then up to watch the F1 qualifying. Then we have to renew the insurance before we go for breakfast. I found a place that does an almost full English Breakfast (no black pudding thankfully and no beans) Bacon, Sausage and Ham, 2 eggs toast, hash browns and grilled tomato. Red sauce on the potatoes NOT on the eggs.

Edited July 11, 2020 by Blackduck59

[NSWP]

22 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

No trouble sleeping Les. Eight hours in a woodwork shop makes for a pretty tired boy. I'll probably hit the rack in about 1/2 hour, then up to watch the F1 qualifying. Then we have to renew the insurance before we go for breakfast. I found a place that does an almost full English Breakfast (no black pudding thankfully and no beans) Bacon, Sausage and Ham, 2 eggs toast, hash browns and grilled tomato. Red sauce on the potatoes NOT on the eggs.

You have to have baked beans Lyle, surely.  But the above is a decent brekkie.

[Blackduck59]

That looks like a share plate for three Uncle Les. I would have the beans but they aren't part of the menu. They call it a B52 Breakfast. The place is out at the airport, it's called the Spitfire Grill. I told the server they should be calling that plate the Lancaster. Imagine calling an English breakfast after a Yank aircraft.

[Blackduck59]

Well a significant but not unexpected development in the local tourist industry. The passenger ferry service between Victoria and Seattle has announced a continued suspension of service until April 2021.

[By The Bay]

On 6/8/2020 at 12:52 AM, Blackduck59 said:

Also saw a story of a fatal shark attack in Australia, the third this year. Are they becoming a little more common? or is this about the normal?

Sad news just in with another fatal shark attack. A 16yo boy was killed surfing at Wooli Beach. I used to holiday at Wooli, which is located just north of Coffs Harbour.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

11 nights mid March, scratch Bay of Islands and Hobart add Eden. I like the 14 day better, I also know it will be hot. 

Yes, the 14 night itinerary is much better. Hobart is a lovely port to visit. If the weather is fine make sure you go up Mt Wellington.

[peter1956]

2 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Just checked itineraries, there is a 14 night Auckland to Sydney with pretty much the same itinerary as the original but adds Bay of Islands and Hobart and misses Melbourne so that would be a fly to after Sydney. This may be the solution depending on what I can do with pricing and perks. It starts January 14th 2022

Liked the sound of this one so had a look. Can not believe how prices have gone up. We paid AUS$6000 for a 11 day cruise this February. Same cruise in 2022 is AUS$9000.

Edited July 11, 2020 by peter1956
missed a 0

[By The Bay]

1 minute ago, peter1956 said:

Liked the sound of this one so had a look. Can not believe how prices have gone up. We paid AUS$6000 for a 11 day cruise this February. Same cruise in 2022 is AUS$900.

A zero missing? Did you mean $9000?

[peter1956]

6 minutes ago, By The Bay said:

A zero missing? Did you mean $9000?

Yes 🤔 fixed.

[OzKiwiJJ]

25 minutes ago, peter1956 said:

Liked the sound of this one so had a look. Can not believe how prices have gone up. We paid AUS$6000 for a 11 day cruise this February. Same cruise in 2022 is AUS$9000.

We paid AU $6838 for a 14 night cruise last year. The equivalent for 2022 is around AU $9200.

[Blackduck59]

The existing booking was almost $8,000.00 Canadian for Concierge Class and had the Classic drinks package, gratuities and about $500.00 (US) on board credit, I just emailed our TA so I doubt I will know what the price will be for a few days. The price per the website is $3,771.00 Canadian per person then tack on port fees etc and depending on perks? The standard Veranda is about $500.00 CAN per person cheaper we may look at that. We wanted the Concierge because of the priority boarding and we wanted to see what the Concierge boarding lunch would be like. The way we booked it in future cruises while on board it was only about $100.00 PP more so that seemed worth it.

Edited July 11, 2020 by Blackduck59

[NSWP]

16 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

That looks like a share plate for three Uncle Les. I would have the beans but they aren't part of the menu. They call it a B52 Breakfast. The place is out at the airport, it's called the Spitfire Grill. I told the server they should be calling that plate the Lancaster. Imagine calling an English breakfast after a Yank aircraft.

Sacrilege, maybe owner is a Yank.  hurricane full English sounds good, or a Wellington Special. Sad though, no beans, ilove ye olde baked beans, they keep you regular too.

[NSWP]

Big money $4600 twinshare, double for single, ferry here i come.

Edited July 11, 2020 by NSWP

[Blackduck59]

This is the B52 breakfast note the sauteed mushrooms, I still think it should be called the Lancaster a good British aircraft.

B52 should be biscuits and gravy with a sausage patty and a scrambled eggs (out if a carton)

I washed it down with some Clamato juice (for my pills) and a nice cup of Earl Grey tea

[Blackduck59]

While I was working on that artery clogging extravaganza Lynn was enjoying this.

 

She had coffee with her breakfast

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

This is the B52 breakfast note the sauteed mushrooms, I still think it should be called the Lancaster a good British aircraft.

B52 should be biscuits and gravy with a sausage patty and a scrambled eggs (out if a carton)

I washed it down with some Clamato juice (for my pills) and a nice cup of Earl Grey tea

I am addicted to Tomato Juice, but what is Clamato Juice ?  BTW The brekkie looks ok, but no butter on the toast and no sausage and no beans, that would complete the feast. Nice and healthy, better than all that Bircher Muesli and fruit rubbish. I don't like fried eggs, got to be scrambled or omelette. With HP sauce.

[Bubbeh]

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

Sad though, no beans, ilove ye olde baked beans, they keep you regular too.

Regularity being not their only gift.  Remember the old rhyme; beans beans the musical fruit the more you eat the more you toot.  😁  Referring to legumes as a fruit is a bit of a stretch but the intent is still a clear and obvious result.

[Blackduck59]

Clamato is tomato juice with clam nectar in it and a blend of spices. I usually have tomato juice but they didn't have any. Look close the sausage is under the bacon, and the toast is buttered they just have the buttered sides facing each other.

Enjoy your HP the only sauce I put on eggs is hollandaise or bearnaise.

[By The Bay]

39 minutes ago, NSWP said:

I am addicted to Tomato Juice, but what is Clamato Juice ? 

[Blackduck59]

In Canada that label would have "Motts" original Clamato on the label

[NSWP]

13 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

In Canada that label would have "Motts" original Clamato on the label

Not sure I would like Clamato juice.   What annoyed me on most of the cruise ships on several lines is that the tomato juice in the little glasses, whether in the buffet or MDR was rarely chilled, the glasses were too small anyway, I always had two, keep up the Vitamin C levels.  I normally buy the Coles 2 litre juice, big bottle, but I freeze half otherwise it goes off.

Edited July 12, 2020 by NSWP

[By The Bay]

11 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Not sure I would like Clamato juice.   What annoyed me on most of the cruise ships on several lines is that the tomato juice in the little glasses, whether in the buffet or MDR was rarely chilled, the glasses were too small anyway, I always had two, keep up the Vitamin C levels.  I normally buy the Coles 2 litre juice, big bottle, but I freeze half otherwise it goes off.

Totally agree. At $2 a bottle, it is a bargain. I have it every breakfast. I would give the Clamato Juice a go, as I like clams.