Now for something completely different

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

Thanks.

I have noticed that International dining room can't be pre-booked on the app though. I will likely just pre-book the same restaurant/same time via the app, then just adjust to suit when we are aboard. It has worked pretty well that way for us on Coral & Majestic so far. I don't figure there will be any difference from one to the other. In the early days of Diamond, each of the 4 midship dining rooms had a varied "signature dish" each night to encourage passengers to move around, but that feature is way long gone.

On most of the cruises we've done since the restart we haven't booked. The only exception was our recent Diamond cruise. 

 

On the Round Australia cruise we just joined the queue and took whatever table we got allocated until we found a waiter team we really liked then we asked for a regular booking at that table. We'll probably do that on the world cruise as well.

[Mareblu]

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

@Mareblu Thanks Linda, we are grateful for your offer and we accept. We are still more than a year out and we had planned a road trip before with several places to meet people. Of course there are more people now so we will be going out The Great Ocean Road as far as Warrnambool. Most of the trip was along the coast, travelling south west from Sydney. There were stops at Philip Island (we want to see the Penguins). I also want to see Ballarat, maybe overnight at Craigs Hotel. We will be in Oz about 3 weeks. With Mic & Rosie setting out on their Voyage on the 21st of February, hopefully we can meet up in Sydney on the 20th. We will arrive in Sydney on the 19th of February and leave from Melbourne on the 13th or 14th of March, the cruise boards in Auckland on the 16th.

That’s terrific, Lyle, and we look forward to it.  Sorry, lapse in concentration had you doing the road trip the other way round.  Never mind, just reverse my suggestion, which is only that.

[Blackduck59]

37 minutes ago, Mareblu said:

That’s terrific, Lyle, and we look forward to it.  Sorry, lapse in concentration had you doing the road trip the other way round.  Never mind, just reverse my suggestion, which is only that.

Thanks Linda, we will fly into Sydney because we can do a direct flight from Vancouver to Sydney. We will probably use Qantas for that flight. We had our route planned the last and it went through Batemans Bay to visit Les. We will probably use a similar plan. The last plan had us in Canberra for s couple of days, so that will continue, of course Mic & Rosie will be at sea when we are there, but we are happy that  you have offered to give us your home town insight. We have added Lake Macquarry to visit Lyndon and also @mr walkerNeil would like us to visit Penrith. The key to success for us is to meet as many people as we can and not be rushing from place to place. The plan will come together over the next 8 months or so. We will be a few days in Sydney and also Melbourne. Hopefully we can meet up with @possum52Leigh and Rob while in Melbourne. A few of my CC friends have my email and I have posted it in long form before, if you would like to get in touch lyle dot duck at shaw dot ca

[Mareblu]

2 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Thanks Linda, we will fly into Sydney because we can do a direct flight from Vancouver to Sydney. We will probably use Qantas for that flight. We had our route planned the last and it went through Batemans Bay to visit Les. We will probably use a similar plan. The last plan had us in Canberra for s couple of days, so that will continue, of course Mic & Rosie will be at sea when we are there, but we are happy that  you have offered to give us your home town insight. We have added Lake Macquarry to visit Lyndon and also @mr walkerNeil would like us to visit Penrith. The key to success for us is to meet as many people as we can and not be rushing from place to place. The plan will come together over the next 8 months or so. We will be a few days in Sydney and also Melbourne. Hopefully we can meet up with @possum52Leigh and Rob while in Melbourne. A few of my CC friends have my email and I have posted it in long form before, if you would like to get in touch lyle dot duck at shaw dot ca

Perfect.  Will be in touch Lyle.

[MicCanberra]

I am so sorry that we won't be here for your stay in Canberra, was looking forward to it. Sydney will  just have to suffice.

[possum52]

Just a heads up Lyle, there is a public holiday in Victoria on Monday 10th March so it is a long weekend. Accommodation gets filled very quickly as it will be the last long weekend before Easter which is nearly six weeks later, particularly in the tourist areas along the Great Ocean Road.

[MicCanberra]

Lyle, I am thinking we meet at Circular Quay around 11am on the 20th, take the ferry and cruise to Manly, mini harbour cruise, have some lunch there, return back in the arvo. Others could come along as well if they want.

[OzKiwiJJ]

4 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Lyle, I am thinking we meet at Circular Quay around 11am on the 20th, take the ferry and cruise to Manly, mini harbour cruise, have some lunch there, return back in the arvo. Others could come along as well if they want.

That's a great idea. Sadly we'll miss it as we don't disembark from Diamond until the 21st. 

[Mareblu]

Sounds a perfect Sydney day.

[Blackduck59]

8 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Lyle, I am thinking we meet at Circular Quay around 11am on the 20th, take the ferry and cruise to Manly, mini harbour cruise, have some lunch there, return back in the arvo. Others could come along as well if they want.

Outstanding plan Mic, we will put that on the calendar. 

Julie, we may be able to sort something out when we are back in Sydney on the cruise, or maybe when you are disembarking, although I'm sure you would be tired and anxious to get home, after your cruise.

[MicCanberra]

Perhaps a brunch at City Extra,  Julie, as well as Geoff will be getting off the Diamond and we will be getting  on.

[MicCanberra]

22 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Outstanding plan Mic, we will put that on the calendar. 

Julie, we may be able to sort something out when we are back in Sydney on the cruise, or maybe when you are disembarking, although I'm sure you would be tired and anxious to get home, after your cruise.

Definitely lock it in.

 

As Julie, and Geoff will be getting debarking from the Diamond, perhaps a catch up, coffee and/ or brunch,  at City Extra circular quay, may work.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

Outstanding plan Mic, we will put that on the calendar. 

Julie, we may be able to sort something out when we are back in Sydney on the cruise, or maybe when you are disembarking, although I'm sure you would be tired and anxious to get home, after your cruise.

We'd probably want to go home and dump our bags after disembarking but would be up for a get-together later in the day or when you are back in Sydney on your cruise.

 

We live about 15 mins drive from the OPT 

Edited January 14 by OzKiwiJJ

[Blackduck59]

1 minute ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We'd probably want to go home and dump our bags after disembarking but would be up for a get-together later in the day or when you are back in Sydney on your cruise.

 

We live about 15 mins drive from the OPT 

Excellent, we can work something out. I think we need a few days in Sydney just to see things.

Like I said there is a short day (turn around) In Sydney during the cruise. Technically we are on a B2B first leg 14 days Auckland to Sydney and the second leg 29 days Sydney to Seattle (although we will get off in Victoria, if it can be arranged)

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

Excellent, we can work something out. I think we need a few days in Sydney just to see things.

Like I said there is a short day (turn around) In Sydney during the cruise. Technically we are on a B2B first leg 14 days Auckland to Sydney and the second leg 29 days Sydney to Seattle (although we will get off in Victoria, if it can be arranged)

We could easily pick you up on that turnaround day and take you to somewhere you hadn't managed to get to while staying in Sydney at the start of your trip.

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Definitely lock it in.

 

As Julie, and Geoff will be getting debarking from the Diamond, perhaps a catch up, coffee and/ or brunch,  at City Extra circular quay, may work.

That would be the extent of it for us. We would normally be happy to dart home, a bit more than 15 mins away, but something brunchish would work and City Extra also has luggage storage. All the same, just go with the flow as there are way more important things in Lyle's itinerary than building in a cruise turnaround day brunch.

[Blackduck59]

@OzKiwiJJ Excellent plan Julie, we are so grateful for our cruise critic friends who have been so helpful. It makes for a more personal experience rather than punching a been there done that card.

While the 2 cancelled trips were very frustrating, in the end it has worked out better in the long run. We have managed to forge better friendships even though we have only been able to meet Lyndon so far. This little "different" thread has grown into a place for folks to shoot the breeze and say hello. Now that we won't be constrained by time off work, the cruise portion alone is longer than the whole trip was before, and we only have one long haul flight.

Needless to say anyone who frequents this thread will be made welcome if they manage to find themselves here in the "other" Victoria.

Edited January 14 by Blackduck59

[OzKiwiJJ]

You could always fly over a bit earlier and fly up to Brisbane when you arrive here then join us on Diamond on Feb 17th for a four day "seacation" to Sydney, stopping at Newcastle on the way. And maybe Mic and Rosie would like to start their Diamond voyage a few days earlier too? 

[Blackduck59]

12 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

You could always fly over a bit earlier and fly up to Brisbane when you arrive here then join us on Diamond on Feb 17th for a four day "seacation" to Sydney, stopping at Newcastle on the way. And maybe Mic and Rosie would like to start their Diamond voyage a few days earlier too? 

Thanks for the suggestion Julie but I think we will stick with the arrive in Sydney on the 19th, we have a 42 day "seacation" at the end of our Oz adventure.

[arxcards]

10 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

@OzKiwiJJ Excellent plan Julie, we are so grateful for our cruise critic friends who have been so helpful. It makes for a more personal experience rather than punching a been there done that card.

While the 2 cancelled trips were very frustrating, in the end it has worked out better in the long run. We have managed to forge better friendships even though we have only been able to meet Lyndon so far. This little "different" thread has grown into a place for folks to shoot the breeze and say hello. Now that we won't be constrained by time off work, the cruise portion alone is longer than the whole trip was before, and we only have one long haul flight.

Needless to say anyone who frequents this thread will be made welcome if they manage to find themselves here in the "other" Victoria.

We will definitely want another pilgrimage to Barb's Fish & Chips. Don't know when, but the Alaska cruise + Rockies combo has got to happen at least one more time for us.  

[Blackduck59]

28 minutes ago, arxcards said:

We will definitely want another pilgrimage to Barb's Fish & Chips. Don't know when, but the Alaska cruise + Rockies combo has got to happen at least one more time for us.  

Let us know when hopefully whatever cruise you are on has more than a 5 second stop in Victoria. Funny thing we have never had Barb's fish and chips, and "Barb" sold the shop a few years ago. We prefer a place well known to locals but rarely crowded and nowhere near the cruise port.

I think that the brunch that Mic mentioned could be nice if you are up for it. Like i have said before much of the Oz trip is about meeting friends we haven't met and have personal contacts more than touristy stops. Of course we will check out the touristy things like the opera house and the zoo. We are planning a few days in Sydney and the road trip route and timing is very fluid right now. The only thing set is we are flying out of Melbourne on the 13th of March.

[arxcards]

4 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Let us know when hopefully whatever cruise you are on has more than a 5 second stop in Victoria. Funny thing we have never had Barb's fish and chips, and "Barb" sold the shop a few years ago. We prefer a place well known to locals but rarely crowded and nowhere near the cruise port.

I think that the brunch that Mic mentioned could be nice if you are up for it. Like i have said before much of the Oz trip is about meeting friends we haven't met and have personal contacts more than touristy stops. Of course we will check out the touristy things like the opera house and the zoo. We are planning a few days in Sydney and the road trip route and timing is very fluid right now. The only thing set is we are flying out of Melbourne on the 13th of March.

LOL. I don't eat fish much anyway, but it keeps my Barb happy. For a shortish day in port, it just makes for a nice little walk. Last time, we caught a shuttle into town, walked around some shops and some totems, and watched the pickle boats practice their water ballet. We then did a pickle boat back to the fisherman's wharf for a dose of Barb's. I still have a "good for one hop" token to use up, so we have to come back for that too.

 

Sydney Opera House might be on the tourist list, but it is something locals should do more often. Much of Sydney's touristy stuff is brushed with history. Not that I see it mentioned much, a ghost tour of the Rocks is a fun evening and a great education.

 

You should be able to stitch together a great road trip by then.

[Blackduck59]

I just had a great idea, where is the Akubra factory? I want to get a new one while we are down there; it would be cool to buy it at the factory.

[MicCanberra]

5 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I just had a great idea, where is the Akubra factory? I want to get a new one while we are down there; it would be cool to buy it at the factory.

Kempsey. North of Sydney about 5 hrs, A tad too far away, pick one up in Sydney.

[MicCanberra]

https://akubra.com.au/pages/store-locator-akubra-hats