Yaya_in_Oz

Out here on the Promenade Deck in these upright chairs. Think I’ll bring a pool towel next time. Fog horn blazing away! 2476 Aus on board plus a couple of hundred others and 1600 of us got on yesterday. Captain announced that there had been an increase in cases of respiratory illnesses at the Medical Centre so to wear masks if at greater risk etc. etc. The Patter, but I have an eye on the cricket. 3 full port days follow.

But wait there’s more……. Haven’t had one of these since before Covid. I think I’d rather a choccy on the pillow but still ….. a lot of happy people.

Two differences from my last cruise- the cabin door no longer has full names. Just Mary A and John B. At security they were checking the alcohol as the bottles appeared on the scanner. Checking what I had was indeed wine and I heard one guy get questioned about 2 bottles and he said ‘my wife’s over there’. Possibly random as I arrived around 3.15 pm so not busy.

I haven’t tried uploading from my phone so I‘ll see how it goes. I’m happy to add in paperwork and leave food to others. How interesting is cabin breakfast? 🙃 So we have the Patter and Ports and Elite Lounge.

Enjoy your time in Melbourne. Its a sunny day out here on the fringes and I've just been out to Coldstream to drop off the furbies. Will post if anything of excitement happens on board this next week. I hope the storms don't hit and we get stuck in the Bay this evening.

BBL for me 🎆

They’ve reduced me to “new to Princess”. I’ll leave it till next week when I get on to sort out. I do want my cheap Internet.

I wonder how many tuned in to listen to the Kings Speech at 4 am! 🤣

Santa Hat sounds delicious as a one off 😋

Correct. Your turn. After driving through Wotjobaluk Country and a town called Speed you arrive at Patchewollock, 150 km round trip from relative civilisation. Not only did I get to see the final Silo on the trail, they had the Big Mallee Fowl as a bonus. I'm a fan of our hideous Big Things along the roadside.

I think they've streamlined the app as mine now opens to a QR code, boarding window etc. for Jan 2. Haven't seen that before.

Its in the Mallee, but not Lascelles

A bit closer to home 😆

Which town am I in. It feels like the middle of nowhere.

Yes, and when they had their sovereignty referendum only three people voted against remaining British.

Falkland Islands

Thanks for posting yes!yes!yes! I, along with thousands of others it would seem, will be doing the short cruise leaving Jan 2 and your information has been very helpful. I like the Port summary they now give on the first day rather than getting it in dribs and drabs throughout the trip. Enjoy your cruise! 😎

Hopefully common sense will prevail. Surely the government would not want to enrage voters by only giving a couple of weeks notice of such a change. I'm booked Melb/Perth in Jan 2025. If it was called off now it would be no big deal. If it was called off next Dec by which time I will have booked and paid for other travel arrangements based around the cruise I'd be less than amused. Now I've read all this I'll have a plan B.

That's right possum52. Despite living in Ballarat for 2 years as a girl with quite a few return visits I never knew the flag existed let alone being hanging up for all to see for about 60 years! A few years back I read about it and jumped a train (freebee seniors) and local bus and saw it for myself in MADE at the Eureka Centre. There are some great things to explore not far from home .

Close, the Art Gallery has lent it out more or less permanently to another building.

We have just had the 169th anniversary of this event. What building am I in?

I bought a wallet there years ago and it still smells but much fainter of course.

Morocco

Thanks for the info. Its more complex that it first appears. I also read considerably but newspaper subs and feeds, rarely social media. I mainly watch ABC and SBS and cruise ships are rarely mentioned in those forums. I did recently book an extra cruise on Princess while its here, to Tassie. I was going to take the car but thought I'd get lost from where I live now Spirit leaves from Corio. I also booked on Pacific Explorer for Jan '25 but I don't really like the way P and O do business. They charged me exactly double for single which I think is outrageous. When I look at the invoice, I'm actually being charged more than double as they only list one lot of port fees so the room rate is higher than double a twin. They did tell me I could add another person to the booking for no charge. My younger close family members aren't really interested in cruising and when I travel with a friend we have our own rooms. Its not about money, I don't like being ripped off. If they charged double, less the port fees I'd think that was OK. It is what it is so we'll see how it goes. They have given me a midship balcony that is for 2 people only so thats really good but for a small ship they can pack them in with all those triple and quad berths.

Melbourne has many great attractions and events and there is always something new opening up to enjoy. The next thing on my to do list is to go out onto the Dome Promenade of the Exhibition Building, opened up in recent times. In earlier days I sat uni exams there and went to a few expos. They restored it and its wonderful place to attend the annual Garden Show that has found a home there. Yes, a UNESCO site and home of our first parliament. I live in the outer east, a lovely green area close to attractions, nice bush walks and all the essentials. My street has a WeChat group and a street Xmas party. Why would I live anywhere else? Now the downside ..........for me its the weather! I can cope with 4 seasons in one day but in winter with grey skies, drizzle and cold that goes all the way to the bone and I tend to suffer from SAD, Qld looks rather good and I try to get away for a while in winter.