Sydney questions

[cruzky]

Hello, 

 

We will be flying into Sydney on Jan 26th. Looking at staying at the Pier One Sydney Harbor Hotel for 5 nights.  Is this a nice hotel to stay in? Is this hotel walkable to the OPT? Need to find a liquor store in this area to purchase wine. Also a store selling suntan lotion, etc.

 

Thanks for your help

Roseanna

[possum52]

4 hours ago, cruzky said:

Hello, 

 

We will be flying into Sydney on Jan 26th. Looking at staying at the Pier One Sydney Harbor Hotel for 5 nights.  Is this a nice hotel to stay in? Is this hotel walkable to the OPT? Need to find a liquor store in this area to purchase wine. Also a store selling suntan lotion, etc.

 

Thanks for your help

Roseanna

I haven't stayed at the above hotel, but it does receive good reviews. It is about 700 metres from the OPT.  You will be arriving on Australia Day so it is likely to be busy in the area where the hotel is located. Accommodation close to the harbour will be booked out quickly and likely quite expensive. 

 

AUSTRALIA DAY IN SYDNEY

On 26 January, Sydney comes alive with locals celebrating the Aussie way of life right in the middle of summer. With events on the harbour, family festivities, boat races and a general vibrant, party atmosphere, there’s something for everyone.

On the water

Don’t miss the Ferrython race, one of Australia’s most iconic events, when Sydney's iconic yellow and green ferries race from Fort Denison to Shark Island and back to a glorious finish at the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Spectators can watch the extravaganza on a boat cruise or cheer on their favourite ferry from a number of free onshore vantage spots including Milsons Point off Jeffrey St Wharf, Circular Quay and Lavender Bay.

In one of the oldest parts of Sydney, The Rocks, the annual and popular Australia Day street party kicks off with a vibrant carnival atmosphere. The historic cobblestone streets are overrun with market stalls brimming with local fashion, jewellery and crafts; gourmet food stalls and roving street performers.

Concerts & festivals

In the evening, Australia Day Live kicks off at 7.30pm and showcases some of Australia’s best-loved performers. While the event is free, it’s ticketed. Held on the forecourt of Sydney Opera House with the iconic sails in the background and the harbour beyond — this is a once-in-a-lifetime concert experience. There is usually a fireworks display at the end of the concert.

 

As for a buying wine. I googled wine store for The Rocks which is the area between the Pier One and the OPT and there are a number of options. I would suggest you do a google search too. There are pharmacies in the area where you could buy sunscreen, or you would need to find a supermarket or convenience store.

[cruzky]

Thanks for the help Leigh.

 

Roseanna

[lisabucsfan1]

19 hours ago, cruzky said:

Also a store selling suntan lotion, etc.

 

I looked on the Australia do/do not website and didn't see anything about Sunscreen. Can it not be brought in via plane?

[possum52]

4 minutes ago, lisabucsfan1 said:

 

I looked on the Australia do/do not website and didn't see anything about Sunscreen. Can it not be brought in via plane?

Yes, you can bring sunscreen in as long as it doesn't exceed the volume limit for carry on. Or just put it in checked luggage.

[DesertGirl28]

On 2/28/2023 at 6:56 PM, cruzky said:

Hello, 

 

We will be flying into Sydney on Jan 26th. Looking at staying at the Pier One Sydney Harbor Hotel for 5 nights.  Is this a nice hotel to stay in? Is this hotel walkable to the OPT? Need to find a liquor store in this area to purchase wine. Also a store selling suntan lotion, etc.

 

Thanks for your help

Roseanna

We were in Sydney just before/as COVID hit. We walked along the OPT towards the Opera House. We found a wine store that was very helpful and had both cheap and expensive wines. I can't remember which Quay but my husband thinks it was the 2nd or 3rd from where the ship was. We used it for the cruise to NZ and again for the circumnavigation of AU. Unfortunately the 2nd cruise was stopped after 3 days when everything shut down. We will be going back next Jan/Feb and will try to find the store again. 

[possum52]

5 hours ago, DesertGirl28 said:

We were in Sydney just before/as COVID hit. We walked along the OPT towards the Opera House. We found a wine store that was very helpful and had both cheap and expensive wines. I can't remember which Quay but my husband thinks it was the 2nd or 3rd from where the ship was. We used it for the cruise to NZ and again for the circumnavigation of AU. Unfortunately the 2nd cruise was stopped after 3 days when everything shut down. We will be going back next Jan/Feb and will try to find the store again. 

Great information. Just to correct you - the OPT is the Overseas Passenger Terminal, so just the building and surrounds, where you board your ship from. Circular Quay is where the OPT is situated and the area just north of the OPT around to about 100-150 metres from the Opera House which is situated on Bennelong Point. I assume you mean the ferry piers when talking about the quays?

 

Hope you enjoy your trip back down under next year.

 

[DesertGirl28]

On 3/18/2023 at 3:43 PM, possum52 said:

Great information. Just to correct you - the OPT is the Overseas Passenger Terminal, so just the building and surrounds, where you board your ship from. Circular Quay is where the OPT is situated and the area just north of the OPT around to about 100-150 metres from the Opera House which is situated on Bennelong Point. I assume you mean the ferry piers when talking about the quays?

 

Hope you enjoy your trip back down under next year.

 

Yes, that is what I meant. Thanks for clarifying.

[cruzky]

Thanks for the info.

[YoPhilly]

I'm resurrecting this thread to ask: is it possible to take public transportation from the Rocks area hotels to Bondi Beach?  We'll just visit for a couple of hours for a quick swim.

[dcbiker97]

Yes. You can take a 333 bus directly from Circular Quay. One other option is to take a ferry to Manly beach instead of a bus to Bondi. 

[yarramar]

19 hours ago, dcbiker97 said:

One other option is to take a ferry to Manly beach instead of a bus to Bondi. 

Very good suggestion. Bondi is sooo overrated and you will have way more fun on a ferry and swimming at Manly than you ever will at Bondi.

BTW, I spent every holiday as a child at Bondi as my Grandparents lived there and even then it was pretty ordinary.

[YoPhilly]

On 4/6/2023 at 7:56 AM, yarramar said:

Very good suggestion. Bondi is sooo overrated and you will have way more fun on a ferry and swimming at Manly than you ever will at Bondi.

Good to know.  Thanks!

[fishtown]

On 4/7/2023 at 8:28 AM, YoPhilly said:

Good to know.  Thanks!

YoPhilly, George and I are from Philly and live in North Redington. This will be our second transpacific to Sydney.  Sailing the Majestic Oct 8, 2023.  Just found this site  and thought I say Yo!

[YoPhilly]

28 minutes ago, fishtown said:

YoPhilly, George and I are from Philly and live in North Redington. This will be our second transpacific to Sydney.  Sailing the Majestic Oct 8, 2023.  Just found this site  and thought I say Yo!

Yo Fishtown!  Nice to meet you.  We've got a place in downtown St. Pete.

Your second transpacific....clearly, you really enjoyed the first one.  I'm hoping it lives up to my expectations of long, relaxing sea days interspersed with dreamy tropical islands and soft sand beaches.

[fishtown]

14 hours ago, YoPhilly said:

Yo Fishtown!  Nice to meet you.  We've got a place in downtown St. Pete.

Your second transpacific....clearly, you really enjoyed the first one.  I'm hoping it lives up to my expectations of long, relaxing sea days interspersed with dreamy tropical islands and soft sand beaches.

Nice to meet you too. Yes, we loved that cruise.  Did the Sea Princess 29 days, Sept 2012/ Oct 18, 2012.  One hick up, Christchurch was replaced with Akaroa,. We tendered in, and it was cloudy light rain and windy, after a few hours luckily, we decided to go back due to the weather. Unknow to us we were on the last tender and left 600 passengers there. The lovely generous people of Akaroa and Christchurch housed and feed our people. We left at 5pm the following day. It was an amazing cruise, Loved Bora Bora and all the sea days. We were supposed to do this cruise in 2020 and bring the Sapphire back to the LA. We are so looking forward to this cruise.

Edited April 12, 2023 by fishtown
misspelled word

[YoPhilly]

1 hour ago, fishtown said:

One hick up, Christchurch was replaced with Akaroa,. We tendered in, and it was cloudy light rain and windy, after a few hours luckily, we decided to go back due to the weather. Unknow to us we were on the last tender and left 600 passengers there. The lovely generous people of Akaroa and Christchurch housed and feed our people. We left at 5pm the following day.

Wow!  Lucky you!

[hazmat1]

On 4/11/2023 at 10:45 PM, YoPhilly said:

Yo Fishtown!  Nice to meet you.  We've got a place in downtown St. Pete.

Your second transpacific....clearly, you really enjoyed the first one.  I'm hoping it lives up to my expectations of long, relaxing sea days interspersed with dreamy tropical islands and soft sand beaches.

Glad to see other Philly peeps on here.  We are from south Philly currently in The Villages FL and will be on the Ovation for the transpacific in October.  
 

I am trying to figure out the transportation from the cruise port to the hotel and then to the airport.  

[YoPhilly]

1 hour ago, hazmat1 said:

Glad to see other Philly peeps on here.  We are from south Philly currently in The Villages FL and will be on the Ovation for the transpacific in October.  
 

I am trying to figure out the transportation from the cruise port to the hotel and then to the airport.  

What hotel did you choose in Sydney?

[hazmat1]

23 hours ago, YoPhilly said:

What hotel did you choose in Sydney?

Marriott Circular Quay

[possum52]

On 8/17/2023 at 5:43 AM, hazmat1 said:

Glad to see other Philly peeps on here.  We are from south Philly currently in The Villages FL and will be on the Ovation for the transpacific in October.  
 

I am trying to figure out the transportation from the cruise port to the hotel and then to the airport.  

It is approximately a ten minute walk from the Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT where you will dock to the Marriott. Depending on how much luggage you have and if you can manage it, it is a fairly easy walk. It would take as long to catch a taxi there. The easiest way to the airport is either catch a train from Circular Quay Station, once again depending on luggage and if you can manage it, or use a taxi or Uber/other ride share.