New Zealand to rejoin the world!

[Redking]

This announcement yesterday from the NZ government about quarantine free travel into NZ: https://covid19.govt.nz/

 

I am so excited. Not only is there hope of our sons visiting at Christmas, but we might be able to cruise for real instead of vicariously through you beautiful CC folks.

 

Hopefully all systems go for the arrival of the Eclipse for our 2022/23 season. All I need to do now is convince 😩 him indoors that the Covid risk come January 2023 may be acceptable, that a suite opens up on a January sailing out of Auckland and perhaps most importantly that the purse strings will stretch to a January 2023 sailing on the Eclipe and our B2B on the Edge in January 2024. Gosh that's a long sentence. Told you I was excited.

 

For now, thank you for all the live reviews and happy 🛳 👊🍹🥂❤

[Jldevlin]

We are on the Eclipse leaving from Vancouver and staying on for Hawaii , Pacific Islands and then onto New Zealand before getting off in Australia .....This is the news we have been hoping for.

 

[Redking]

3 minutes ago, Jldevlin said:

We are on the Eclipse leaving from Vancouver and staying on for Hawaii , Pacific Islands and then onto New Zealand before getting off in Australia .....This is the news we have been hoping for.

 

Oops, 10 days self isolation still required in October. That could be an issue for the Eclipse. 🤞that changes soon.

[mahdnc]

Good news, indeed.  Our last cruise--right before COVID closed things down--was to New Zealand on Solstice.

[Redking]

1 hour ago, mahdnc said:

Good news, indeed.  Our last cruise--right before COVID closed things down--was to New Zealand on Solstice.

The last time Solstice left Tauranga Harbour. Most likely you were on it 

[miched]

Great to hear.   I love those that come from the down under.  You are very fascinating and a lot of fun.  
 

One of my favorite movies is about one of your national hero’s, Burt Monroe  “The Worlds Fastest Indian”.  I am a old hot rodder that tinkered  but not like him 
 
You also now dominate  the Challenge for America’s Cup.  Great achievement.  
 

Never been there and probably never will but cruising gives me the opportunity to meet people from there and enjoy every minute of it.

 

Hope to meet you on cruise and try to out drink you.  🤗. NOT.  I  am now  too old, but would still enjoy a few.  

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅
 

 

 

[Cruise Junky]

5 hours ago, Redking said:

Oops, 10 days self isolation still required in October. That could be an issue for the Eclipse. 🤞that changes soon.

Yep. Definitely an issue for eclipse. We cancelled and booked a month in Hawaii instead. Bora Bora should be off the table too I think. 

[Redking]

1 hour ago, miched said:

Great to hear.   I love those that come from the down under.  You are very fascinating and a lot of fun.  
 

One of my favorite movies is about one of your national hero’s, Burt Monroe  “The Worlds Fastest Indian”.  I am a old hot rodder that tinkered  but not like him 
 
You also now dominate  the Challenge for America’s Cup.  Great achievement.  
 

Never been there and probably never will but cruising gives me the opportunity to meet people from there and enjoy every minute of it.

 

Hope to meet you on cruise and try to out drink you.  🤗. NOT.  I  am now  too old, but would still enjoy a few.  

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅
 

 

 

Why thank you Miched!

 

That is a fabulous film. Lost count of how many times I've watched it. Anthony Hopkins was great. Hunt for the Wilder People is another great NZ movie  https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dn8Xvsjy57X0&ved=2ahUKEwidkaCkouX1AhXowjgGHR6oD1sQsPgBegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw0IzcbBrvX0vrzTSI7iHj3W 

 

I sure hope we host the defence of the America's cup but it's looking doubtful. Very strange watching it with the cruise terminal in the background and no cruise ships 😪

 

Here's cheers to meeting up on a cruise hopefully down here 🥂🍻🍹🍸

[Redking]

1 hour ago, Cruise Junky said:

Yep. Definitely an issue for eclipse. We cancelled and booked a month in Hawaii instead. Bora Bora should be off the table too I think. 

Sad but probably prudent. It seems to be coming down to the wire.

[FeebeeH]

Had our December 2021 land trip to NZ cancelled.  Rebooked to a February 2022 Eclipse cruise, which was cancelled.  Rebooked as a land trip to NZ in February 2022 .... also ended up being cancelled.  Fingers crossed, fourth time lucky we have now booked the Edge in February 2024.  Hoping this time we'll make it across the ditch!  Still don't know what will happen with our NZ airfare credits due to expire in December 2022?

[LGW59]

11 hours ago, Redking said:

The last time Solstice left Tauranga Harbour. Most likely you were on it 

Fingers crossed that this all works out for you all in NZ!!!

[mahdnc]

12 hours ago, Redking said:

The last time Solstice left Tauranga Harbour. Most likely you were on it 

 

Nice photo! 

 

I didn't mean to imply we were on the very last Solstice sailing.  We sailed to New Zealand in late Dec 2019. 

 

This was among my last views of New Zealand on Dec 31 as Solstice began its return to Australia:

 

 

We hope to return to your wonderful country some day.

[lyndarra]

On 2/4/2022 at 4:14 PM, Redking said:

Why thank you Miched!

 

That is a fabulous film. Lost count of how many times I've watched it. Anthony Hopkins was great. Hunt for the Wilder People is another great NZ movie  https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dn8Xvsjy57X0&ved=2ahUKEwidkaCkouX1AhXowjgGHR6oD1sQsPgBegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw0IzcbBrvX0vrzTSI7iHj3W 

 

I sure hope we host the defence of the America's cup but it's looking doubtful. Very strange watching it with the cruise terminal in the background and no cruise ships 😪

 

Here's cheers to meeting up on a cruise hopefully down here 🥂🍻🍹🍸

I have enjoyed "The World's fastest Indian" but since then I haven't been able to get to Invercargill to see the actual bike on display in a hardware store I believe. I had planned a south island tour for this month which is now cancelled. Have seen 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople" a few times, love it  - it was on TV again tonight. For our northern cousins I would also recommend a movie called "Pork Pie" there are two versions. The more recent version I saw was screened on my last HAL cruise, Feb 2020.

As a windurfer, hydrofoil, sailor I loved watching the last Americas Cup series. Fantastic racing.