Busy day in Sydney Harbour

[mochuck]

I catch the ferry home from Circular Quay every day. Today we had Sapphire Princess (looking suitably regal) at Circular Quay which arrived this morning. We also had Sun Princess moving out of the harbour under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Nauticus docked at Millers Point. At the same time we had a huge rusty freighter (Nava V) moving out towards the Heads.

 

Magnificent to be able to see all this on my way home from work. If you were on any if these vessels, would love to hear from you.

[BillyMetz]

mochuck, it is always great on these boards for members to hear from actual residents of the places we have or will be visiting. Great first hand opinions from the locals. I need some advice, opinions, bewares, etc from you. My wife and I along with two other couples will be on vacation in Sydney the first two weeks of April. We arrive on the 1st and leave on the 10th. As of right now we have made no plans for what we are going to do once there. I know there is so much to see and do, and the 9 days we are there will only scratch the surface. If you have the time could you reply back with as much info as you think we be good for me to know. I have so many questions and don't know where to start. What should we for sure not leave without doing? What is the best means of transportation for getting around on our own? What parts of Sydney, if any, should we avoid for safety reasons? What are the best kept secrets the locals know that tourist don't? Bests places to eat without spending a fortune? What should we pack as far as the weather? Oh so many questions and so limited time. Anything and everything you could tell me would be great.

[SheilaNC]

Billy,

you might want to start by searching for Sydney on this forum. There have been some wonderful suggestions from Sydney residents, past cruisers, and others from Oz. Mochuck has been very helpful in posting suggestions as well.

 

We spent 7 days in Sydney (also doing day trips to the Blue Mountains, Wildlife Center and along the coast south of Sydney) and are still looking forward to seeing new sights when we return next month. You'll love your time there and meeting locals who are so friendly and helpful.

[fred111]

Mochuck, how was your Christmas? Marilyn wants to visit the Rod Rock and the Great Barrier Reef before our crise next February. Any recommendations? How much time at each place? Travel? Thanks a lot.

[Globaliser]

Kiwi Kruzer has posted an image on this thread on the Princess forum, which makes me very homesick. There are also a few more on this thread on another board.

[kehlx2]

Kiwi Kruzer has posted an image on this thread on the Princess forum, which makes me very homesick. There are also a few more on this thread on another board.

 

WOW those were some great photos--can't wait--we leave in 5 days--board in 10 days!!!

[mochuck]

Hi Fred! had the best Xmas in years. We went to Melbourne to get away from my dysfunctional family and spent Xmas with people we actually like. Sounds mean I know, but unfortunately true. Besides our daughter was away on her honeymoon.

 

Now for seeing Ayers Rock and Great Barrier Reef - it depends on whether you want to go independent or book with a tour company. I would recommend 4 days in GBR. Arrive Day1, GBR all day cruise Day2, Rainforest and skyrails tour Day3, leave day 4. So only really 2 full days there. But Cairns is a long way from anywhere. Its a 4 hour flight from Sydney.

 

I've just looked at the Qantas website and its possible to fly from Washington to LA to Brisbane and then to Cairns. Its 27 hours in total and could be quite brutal. But then again its 24 hrs from Washington to Sydney. Its 13hrs from LA if you wanted to break it up.

 

You can fly from Cairns to Ayers Rock (3hr flight) and spend about 2 full days there and then fly to Sydney the next day(3hrs).

 

A lot to take in. So many variables like do you want to go directly to Cairns or come to Sydney first. Do you want to do it all independently or through a tour company etc. I think you would want at least a full week to try ansee both those places plus you have to soend some time with us in Sydney.

[mochuck]

Billy here is a link to a thread that asks the same question as you

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=672641&highlight=things+Sydney

 

Globaliser's post is most helpful and he's not even a local!

 

Globaliser in the photo you posted - that tiny little speck on the water between the two ships is my ferry I think. If you look really closely you can see me sitting on the front deck. I have a brown top on;)

[Globaliser]

Globaliser in the photo you posted - that tiny little speck on the water between the two ships is my ferry I think. If you look really closely you can see me sitting on the front deck. I have a brown top on;)

I am so jealous of you being able to commute like that. When I'm in Sydney, I stay further up the North Shore and therefore largely tied to using cars - however ecologically unsound that is. One of the family I stay with used to live in Neutral Bay and commute across by ferry, which always seemed like a wonderful way to start one's day.

[mochuck]

Yeah I know, I feel your pain:D

[Tredebo]

The harbour is such a beautiful place on a sunny day - it is one of the things I truly miss about Sydney, having "gone bush" a long time ago. I now live 2 hours away so can go up for the day when I need to.

 

We went up last year just to see QE II and QM II in the harbour together - It was just amazing to see! The funny part was was trying to point out the QM II to my teenage daughter from a vantage point at Vaucluse and delineating the ship in the dark - she thought it was the city buildings and gasped when she realised what she was looking at :D

[cloakndagger]

Hi Mochuck,

 

Are you planning on joining other cc members for the harbour cruise on 24th Feb to see the 2 queens and the Princess?? $75 for a 3 hour cruise with lunch..leaving at 11.45am.

 

Would love to have you join us and any others who might be in Sydney on the day. More info on the P&O Australia board if you are interested.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=625189

 

Cheers

Karen

[mochuck]

Thanks Karen. See my reply on the other thread

[cloakndagger]

Hope you can join us...We will have to organise a birthday cake!!:D

[mochuck]

Good idea about the birthday cake, but I'll organise it. its Karmac's hubby's birthday 27th, so we might do a combined one.

[kaseyoz]

I catch the ferry home from Circular Quay every day. Today we had Sapphire Princess (looking suitably regal) at Circular Quay which arrived this morning. We also had Sun Princess moving out of the harbour under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Nauticus docked at Millers Point. At the same time we had a huge rusty freighter (Nava V) moving out towards the Heads.

 

Magnificent to be able to see all this on my way home from work. If you were on any if these vessels, would love to hear from you.

 

we were on the sun princess and have a photo of the ferry. I think it is the manly ferry, is that the one you were on.

 

we only got back today and while the photos are on the pc we stillhave to upload them to the internet.iwill link to it if you were on it. It was a great sailaway for us

[tobes]

My son and I did a twilight climb of the bridge pre cruise. When we got to the top it was getting dark and we saw our ship (Celebrity Mercury) all lit up. We got so excited we couldn't wait to climb down and get on. It looked close enough that we could have leaped to our veranda! That was the best vantage point to really see the ship. What a great trip:)

 

 

 

 

We went up last year just to see QE II and QM II in the harbour together - It was just amazing to see! The funny part was was trying to point out the QM II to my teenage daughter from a vantage point at Vaucluse and delineating the ship in the dark - she thought it was the city buildings and gasped when she realised what she was looking at :D

[mochuck]

I was at a wedding on Saturday 19th Jan. The ceremony was held at St Aloysius at Kiribilli with drinks on the terrace followed by a harbour cruise on Sydney Glass Island. All on the wettest January day in memory.

 

St Aloysius is where the Sydney webcam is.

 

http://travel.webshots.com/album/562197698yDugba

[mochuck]

we were on the sun princess and have a photo of the ferry. I think it is the manly ferry, is that the one you were on.

 

we only got back today and while the photos are on the pc we stillhave to upload them to the internet.iwill link to it if you were on it. It was a great sailaway for us

No I was on the rivercat. But I'd still like to see the photo. Actually I was talking to a couple at the wedding I went to, who just got off the Sun Princess on Saturday morning. There names are Jenny and Matt - they'd never heard of this site.

[SheilaNC]

Mochuck,

Thanks for the great pictures. Made our upcoming trip more real. I have shared the link with our Roll Call. Much appreciated and brought back to me some of the wonderful times I had in Sydney on our last trip....I can't imagine how wonderful it will be to be docked where the Mercury docks near the Rocks!!