Mercury: HNL-AKL Comments

[Kane]

We recently returned from the Mercury's Honolulu to Auckland voyage - via French Polynesia. It was a good voyage and I wrote a review which may or may not be accepted by CC.

 

Anyway, my review was pretty general but there were a few issues that I did not include in the review that I found interesting:

 

Cold water: The cold water tap in cabins did not yield cold water ... it was warm, but not hot. Everyone we spoke to aboard experienced the same thing ... curious.

 

Bathroom lighting: This is funny ... hearsay, reported to me by my wife. It seems one of the major topics of discussion in the public ladies room(s) is that many of them hated looking into the mirror in the cabin bathroom. It appears that the lighting is TOO GOOD ... the comment was that every facial wrinkle was exposed.

 

Sanitation: There apparently was an outbreak of noro early in our voyage. Staff continuously wiped everything down with solution, and we were served everything in the buffet ... including coffee. They relaxed the requirements the last four days of the voyage.

 

This was the first X voyage down to FP, NZ, and OZ, but everything went quite smoothly. NZ officials boarded the ship in Bora Bora, and everyone disembarking in NZ went through the agriculture and immigrations procedures while at sea. This made disembarkation really simple ... walk down the gangway, collect luggage, and go.

 

Mentioned in my review, but interesting - Americans were in the minority on this voyage ... I don't think there was any majority nationality. There were many Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians, and Germans. This made for many interesting discussions at meal and activity venues.

 

We got off in Auckland, but there was a significantly large number that did the B2B, continuing on to Sydney. Quite a few did B2B2B, starting in Ensenada, and a few even started in Vancouver.

 

If there are questions, I will attempt to reply.

[Druke I]

Well, I've not been in the Ladies' restrooms on Mercury, but I do know when I want to do a good trimming of my mustache and beard, I use our secondary bathroom, as the lighting is much brighter and better placed.

 

If I use the master bathroom, I can't do nearly as good a job, as the lighting in there is not as good - and I have been avoiding upgrading lighting!

[kehlx2]

We recently returned from the Mercury's Honolulu to Auckland voyage - via French Polynesia. It was a good voyage and I wrote a review which may or may not be accepted by CC.

 

Anyway, my review was pretty general but there were a few issues that I did not include in the review that I found interesting:

 

Cold water: The cold water tap in cabins did not yield cold water ... it was warm, but not hot. Everyone we spoke to aboard experienced the same thing ... curious.

 

Bathroom lighting: This is funny ... hearsay, reported to me by my wife. It seems one of the major topics of discussion in the public ladies room(s) is that many of them hated looking into the mirror in the cabin bathroom. It appears that the lighting is TOO GOOD ... the comment was that every facial wrinkle was exposed.

 

Sanitation: There apparently was an outbreak of noro early in our voyage. Staff continuously wiped everything down with solution, and we were served everything in the buffet ... including coffee. They relaxed the requirements the last four days of the voyage.

 

This was the first X voyage down to FP, NZ, and OZ, but everything went quite smoothly. NZ officials boarded the ship in Bora Bora, and everyone disembarking in NZ went through the agriculture and immigrations procedures while at sea. This made disembarkation really simple ... walk down the gangway, collect luggage, and go.

 

Mentioned in my review, but interesting - Americans were in the minority on this voyage ... I don't think there was any majority nationality. There were many Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians, and Germans. This made for many interesting discussions at meal and activity venues.

 

We got off in Auckland, but there was a significantly large number that did the B2B, continuing on to Sydney. Quite a few did B2B2B, starting in Ensenada, and a few even started in Vancouver.

 

If there are questions, I will attempt to reply.

 

Can't find the review is it under regular Celebrity or over under roll calls for Mercury?

Never mind found it: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=35653

[kehlx2]

We recently returned from the Mercury's Honolulu to Auckland voyage - via French Polynesia. It was a good voyage and I wrote a review which may or may not be accepted by CC.

 

Anyway, my review was pretty general but there were a few issues that I did not include in the review that I found interesting:

 

Cold water: The cold water tap in cabins did not yield cold water ... it was warm, but not hot. Everyone we spoke to aboard experienced the same thing ... curious.

 

Bathroom lighting: This is funny ... hearsay, reported to me by my wife. It seems one of the major topics of discussion in the public ladies room(s) is that many of them hated looking into the mirror in the cabin bathroom. It appears that the lighting is TOO GOOD ... the comment was that every facial wrinkle was exposed.

 

Sanitation: There apparently was an outbreak of noro early in our voyage. Staff continuously wiped everything down with solution, and we were served everything in the buffet ... including coffee. They relaxed the requirements the last four days of the voyage.

 

This was the first X voyage down to FP, NZ, and OZ, but everything went quite smoothly. NZ officials boarded the ship in Bora Bora, and everyone disembarking in NZ went through the agriculture and immigrations procedures while at sea. This made disembarkation really simple ... walk down the gangway, collect luggage, and go.

 

Mentioned in my review, but interesting - Americans were in the minority on this voyage ... I don't think there was any majority nationality. There were many Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians, and Germans. This made for many interesting discussions at meal and activity venues.

 

We got off in Auckland, but there was a significantly large number that did the B2B, continuing on to Sydney. Quite a few did B2B2B, starting in Ensenada, and a few even started in Vancouver.

 

If there are questions, I will attempt to reply.

 

Wow those are great pics--but me thinks you might have been a wee bit close to those sharks..& the fish that bit..Yikkes..Great pics

[pinebro]

nice review, great pics ! can I ask what kind of camera you used ?

 

we do auckland to honolulu in march, glad to here the southbound went well.

 

if I only had enough time and $ to add a back2back !

[richsea]

Nice review!

Regarding the water temperature in the bathroom, we've had that experience on all of our Celebrity cruises. The tap water is always tepid.

[reklawr]

Kane,

Thanks for the review and the pics. :)

They were great pics for a snorkeling excursion.

[Caroldoll]

It is always nice to read something does not flame and is constructive. We leave on the Mercury on January 20 and I hope they have the Novovirus under control. Did they quarrentine you at all? I don't think so. I heard it was just like the flu anyway and passed in three days??? This is the smallest of the Celebrity ships we have been on and I have never seen the Penthouse Suite on that size ship, but I assume it is O.K. I won't look in the mirror! You did a wonderful review and I personally thank you.

[Kane]

...clip...

If there are questions, I will attempt to reply.

 

On the questions:

 

Pinebro: I have a Panasonic Lumix FX12 digital, and bought a marine case for it. I had not heard anything good about using one of those throw-aways and decided to spring for the case. This turned out to be a good decision.

 

Tip - If you have a digital camera with case, use the setting called "burst" which takes multiple photos as long as the shutter is depressed. The sea life is continuously moving (as will you also) and "burst" will give you a better chance to get that perfect photo.

 

We met a couple from California who disembarked in NZ. They will be hiking around the South island for the months until joining you for the return voyage to the West Coast.

 

kehlx2: Things look much closer underwater than they actually are. I really can't blame the ray that bit me, he was just trying to get the fish that was offered ... besides, his eyes are on top, and his mouth on the bottom of his body (which he can't see :-)

 

Caroldoll: We did not contract the noro and did not hear about anyone who did, but there must have been some. They must have got it under control because everything went back to normal at the end of the cruise ... we were able to serve ourselves at the buffet and draw our own juice and coffee.

 

We did have a chance to view a Royal Suite when invited in by the occupant. The living room area was the equivalent of two of our cabins ... then there was the bedroom, which was equivalent to another. You could easily swing a baseball bat without hitting anything. We didn't see the "large" suite which must be even more impressive.

[uktog]

Kane

Thanks for your great review. We will be on the Mercury very soon and are looking forward to the trip. Who is the Captain/Hotel Director and are there any crew members we should particularly look out for?

 

A

[kehlx2]

On the questions:

 

Pinebro: I have a Panasonic Lumix FX12 digital, and bought a marine case for it. I had not heard anything good about using one of those throw-aways and decided to spring for the case. This turned out to be a good decision.

 

Tip - If you have a digital camera with case, use the setting called "burst" which takes multiple photos as long as the shutter is depressed. The sea life is continuously moving (as will you also) and "burst" will give you a better chance to get that perfect photo.

 

We met a couple from California who disembarked in NZ. They will be hiking around the South island for the months until joining you for the return voyage to the West Coast.

 

kehlx2: Things look much closer underwater than they actually are. I really can't blame the ray that bit me, he was just trying to get the fish that was offered ... besides, his eyes are on top, and his mouth on the bottom of his body (which he can't see :-)

 

Caroldoll: We did not contract the noro and did not hear about anyone who did, but there must have been some. They must have got it under control because everything went back to normal at the end of the cruise ... we were able to serve ourselves at the buffet and draw our own juice and coffee.

 

We did have a chance to view a Royal Suite when invited in by the occupant. The living room area was the equivalent of two of our cabins ... then there was the bedroom, which was equivalent to another. You could easily swing a baseball bat without hitting anything. We didn't see the "large" suite which must be even more impressive.

 

Yes having snorkled its like you can reach out & touch them--none the less it would still have been a bit too close for me--like any shark within eyesight...:eek:

[SheilaNC]

Thanks, Kane. We board in Sydney in Feb for our first B2B and are so looking forward to the leg from Auckland to HNL. Much appreciate your review and snorkeling information. Wish I had the $$ for an underwater housing for my Canon 870. Will have to depend on 'friends' with such cameras and a throwaway which usually doesn't work but I just have to have something. Maybe an underwater camera will come on sale after the holidays :)

[pinebro]

Sheila - check out dicapac dot com - they have vinyl "bags" for your camera - around $39 ! looks interesting.....

unfortunately, they do not make one for my Lumix....

Kane - can you tell me about your housing ? expensive ?

[SheilaNC]

Pinebro,

Thanks for the info. I'm going to check it out - much better price but not if it doesn't adequately protect my new camera. Appreciate the help.

[Kathie44]

Tepid tap water about the only thing I hate on a cruise, but my remedy is simple. I always use ice. Sometimes when I go to bed, I put a glass full of ice by the sink so that when I get up in the night cool water is handy. When I get up in the morning I use the melted ice water from the bucket in my glass. It's not icy, but cool enough not to gag me like the tepid water does. The ice is replenished twice a day, so there is always enough.

RCCL's tap water isn't very cold, either. There is always a solution to life's little trials, lol.

[Kane]

Sheila - check out dicapac dot com - they have vinyl "bags" for your camera - around $39 ! looks interesting.....

unfortunately, they do not make one for my Lumix....

Kane - can you tell me about your housing ? expensive ?

 

I don't know which model Lumix you have, but mine is an FX12. The marine case I bought fits a number of models and was about $225 ... which was more than the camera itself.

 

We went on a cruise to Alaska earlier this year, and my digital camera croaked on the first day. I bought one of those throw-aways, which yielded worse than expected results ... pretty much throw-away photos (and these were digital CD photos which were included with the development). My justification was that I didn't want a repeat performance and travel 4,000 miles to come back with bad photos.

 

I had investigated one of those bags. Actually, they might be serviceable for shallow snorkeling but deeper diving or scuba would cause the bag to compress under water pressure, making it difficult to operate the camera. Further, it would not be possible to operate the various camera controls (other than the shutter) after the bag is closed. The marine case permits operation of all buttons, wheels, etc.

 

I'm glad to report that it's my opinion that the money was well spent. I came back with more than 200 UW photos from only two short dives. The marine case was also used when we went kayaking in the Bay of Islands, in case we went huli (Hawaiian for tip-over). I got to pick and choose the best of the lot. The following example is a very small clip from one of the rejects that didn't make my slide show.

 

 

P.S. - Not that we would have denied ourselves, but our wine bill for the 16 days was pretty close to the cost of the marine case.:)

[SheilaNC]

Good point, about price of case. I totally agree. My quandry is that I don't dive and while we are avid snorkelers, we haven't been on snorkel trips more than once a year for awhile. But...I'm thinking it would be a good investment in case of rain while on an excursion, small boat trips, etc. Trying to talk myself into the money. My camera is a Canon SD 870 and I think the case price is $165.

[Kane]

Sheila:

 

One other good thing about the case ... it floats!

 

I'm a scuba diver, but it didn't work out in Moorea and Bora Bora because it would have been difficult making the starting times because of tendering. I, instead, signed-up for the ship's snorkeling excursions which were quite good.

 

Underwater photography in shallow-water snorkeling yields much better results anyway. Almost all color (except blue and brown-grays) filter out after about 25 feet of depth unless one uses a flash.

 

The excursions are mostly done in about five feet of depth, so the photos will have a lot of color. I would recommend the excursions when you get to Moorea and Bora Bora ... especially the shark and ray feeding at the latter (customers don't feed sharks, just rays). My wife is still talking about the rays crawling up her chest and back.

 

Advice: if you decide to feed the rays a fish, offer it from the palm of your open hand, not held in your fingers ... from experience, they can't see their mouths and will not be able to see where the fish ends and your finger begins :-)

 

Expect to have a wonderful experience!

[SheilaNC]

Thanks, Kane. We are really looking forward to this trip and to more reports from those sailing before us (Hint! to other cruisers). Have fed rays in Caymans so know about the open palms!

[houstontx]

Nice conversation about underwater pics/cameras.

Mine is an Olympus Stylus 720 which is a waterproof camera without a holder. Olympus was the only camera I found that was actually water proof on it's own. It's only good for 10 feet deep though. Can't scuba with it.

We went snuba diving on our Celebrity Quest cruise last month and I used a waterproof that looks like the throw-away cameras but it is reloadable. Not sure if the pics are any better than the throw-aways :).

Of course, some of it may be the opreator too :D.

 

Interestingly, we were booked on the HNL to NZ cruise that Kane just finished. I actually started the thread for that cruise many many months ago. But, due to issues getting a flight back from NZ that we liked, we ended up canceling that cruise and going on the Azamara Quest in the Southern Carribean. We started and finished this cruise at just about the same time as yours. We have been on the Galaxy before, a sister ship to Mercury, and loved it but going on the Quest was a really nice experience too. A very small ship at 30,000 tons.

So, I hope I get better at taking the underwater pics. I love pictures and underwater pics are soooo nice.

 

Thanks for the review of the trip that we canceled and for those great pics Kane.

 

Alan & Regina

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Hi everyone,

 

Just catching up on this thread. We had a most wonderful cruise, boarded in Ensenada and disembarked in Sydney....had such fun, didn't want to get off, even after 42 days!!

 

Regarding the subject of underwater photography on this thread. My DH Royboy, did the Helmet Dive in Bora Bora with some of our CC group off the ship. There were 11 of them altogether. They booked it directly off the website. Royboy is usually a snorkler but not a diver, however, this was one of the best underwater ventures he's ever done. There were hundreds of fish and several stingrays which swam up so close to them.

I'll try and post some photos, the water is so clear the photos are of good quality even though our underwater camera is only a cheapy.

 

The link for the Aqua Safari Bora Bora Helmet Dive is www.aquasafaribora.com/anglaise

 

Anyone doing the return cruise in March are going to love it, we would do it all over again in a flash.

 

Jillybean:)