arxcards

If we are on a cruise at Christmas, we always wrap our door in glitzy wrapping paper and a bit of extra bling. They always seem to be appreciated.

The train never did operate a daily service, alternating between two different routes. The day we did the tour some years ago, it wasn't available on their website, and the train coasted through Dunedin station. On days of a scheduled service, you could book via their site and catch the train in Dunedin after a hasty taxi ride from the port to the station. Yes, there are extra dollars, but it is a worthwhile tour. If it is still the same, your extra money includes some wine & snacks and a volunteer guide in each car offering a wealth of local information. Our guide reminded me of John Cleese, and was one of the highlights of the day.

Hi Bob, No doubt that would be a major spoiler that would leave many up in arms. They had a Mr Whippy at the terminal yesterday for the inaugural sailing, offering free ice creams. This is what I was alluding to. I wonder if he also packed up and left at noon.

Princess when at Yorkey's Knob is $20.95 pp return into Cairns

They have little choice. Like Newcastle, the working wharves are inside a secure zone, so shuttle buses are essential. Also for Burnie, we ditched the $50 whiskey distillery & cheese factory tour in favour of a $5 public bus that went from the main street to a bus stop 50 metres from the front door.

If you are on Majestic or Grand, there might be some extra options to drink at Vines. I didn't think to check out if their menu was any different.

Did you get a free icecream before you boarded?

Those rules are enforced in the background. VeriFLY was essential to report your vaxx status well in advance of boarding, as there was a 95% vaccinated rule, and the cruise lines needed to confirm those so they could allocate spots to the 5% (mostly unvaxxed children under 12). That 95% rule has gone by the wayside, so VeriFLY serves no purpose other than to speed-up everybody's check-in experience. If nobody uses it, it will be a slow day boarding 3500 passengers.

Not as watch bands. There as some nice dress looking gold/silver necklace, bracelet, lapel clasp types. I will have to find my watch band from Ovation and see whether they are a compatible size.

This is available at Circular Quay too, but only on one platform. I can't remember which side, but I think you need to come via St James. Check with transport NSW to make sure.

The $29 pre-purchase via the app is honoured, and there is a voucher that comes to your cabin. We also booked another couple of sittings with the app once aboard, but that isn't pre-paid. Showed $29 on the app, but they confirmed the $40 price with us when we were seated.

Still much the same on Majestic Princess last week. The menus were brand new for Australia, and looked the same as for the one posted earlier in the thread. The wines by the glass options were identical.

Me thinks that ELO code is a casino generated one

It is only required when there are elevated levels of covid on the ship, and similar to all the other states when a ship is at tier 2 or above. It is handled via your cabin steward, so that speeds things up. There is an allocated time when everyone returns to cabin to do the supplied RAT. Those that are negative show the strip to their steward, and are marked as OK to leave their cabin and to go ashore. Those returning positives ring the medical centre and remain in cabin. As for after going ashore, this would only be for random testing by SA authorities.

Even more so from country NSW following over 3hrs of trains. We have even done it for late PM flights and paid for a late check-out to match. We aren't interested in anything more than the lobby bar, a local cafe or room service, and just chilling to hopefully get enough rest so that we feel semi-normal when we line up for customs at the other end of the flight. It isn't just about the $6 each, but maximum ease on flight day - roll bags to the kerb at the hotel, short ride in mini-bus, collect bags from kerb at airport.

Sounds wonderful, and much more adventurous than our usual pilgrimage to the whisky distillery.

I have used them between the airport hotels and both domestic & international terminals close to 20 times, and never an issue. It is usually in the opposite direction for a hotel stay before flying overseas, and Holiday Inn being so close to Mascot station. I have done the sneaky a couple of times of times too, as I think the gate charges at the airport are obscene. I don't know if something has changed recently, as I know shuttle companies were having trouble finding staff post-covid. Their timetable used to also be every 20 minutes back then, times have changed. I haven't used them since 2019. And yes, the $10pp was included in my numbers when combining with the train. It was even nicer back when it was $7.

So, how was Burnie? Did they throw any of the new Tassie protocols at you when you arrived?

That sounds amazing. We had our 30th in Bayou. The food was incredible, but we just got a short chorus of Happy Anniversary to you from our waiters.

Carnival Luminosa departs on her inaugural cruise tomorrow. I hope that everyone who scored the cheap seats gets value for money. Have fun, even if it isn't Fun 2.0

The OP did ask about taxi prices, so I wonder what the debate is all about. With not much luggage on hand, I would take Supershuttle from the airport to Holiday Inn, then a short walk to catch a train from Mascot to CQ minus the gate charges ($12.65pp off-peak, $13.79pp peak) - but that wasn't the question.

Mine was awesome when it fitted properly. Proof that someone did 🤣

Sydney time. I have found that during the morning you get a shorter queue. They have been mostly helpful, but more difficult questions tend to be - well - leave you hanging until the chat times out.

That fits with the tier 1 showing on NSW cruise page.

Hang a disco ball in the tenders.