lissie

I'm HOPING that they are talking a story for the hope of compensation by taking their story to the media. If a lost suticase really ruined their holiday they probably need to stop travelling

That's absolutely horrifying - plus illegal I'm pretty sure in NZ. This is one reason I always use a CC to purchase cruises - you can file a claim with them for non-delivery of service

Exactly this. Plus who actually needs clothing washed every day on a cruise ship in a cool climate. Can you not buy underwear on ship? You can certainly buy t-shirts and jackets. And if they had insurance they would have been covered for those items. Plus once they got the christchurch why did they not get an uber to a mall - central Chc is desolate I agree - but its not that large a city - an hour in a mall is all I'd need to restock And next time cross pack your bags and use airtags!

They work close enough to tell you the bag is on the sip or the wharf. That;s what ours did I checked from the bar when they were loading them. I coudlnt tell you if they had gone to the right cabin but I knew the bags were on board

Haha I lived in Vancouver back in the 80s - the Candian/USA dynamic was quite a lot like the Australia/NZ thing - I've always when not sure of an accent ask if the person is from Canada - Americans just correct you and are slightly confused, and if you're right the Canadian will love you. Doing it the other way around - not so much! Haven't spent the year in BC and Vancouver I decided to get a bus across to the eat because I wanted to go right across -the bus went as far as Quebec - I figured it wouldn't be that much further to Newfoundland.... obviously I never got to Newfoundland. Plus this was in late December - I hopped off the bus in Banff - without doing up my jacket - and with my gloves andhat in my zipped pack... I literally had no clue how much colder the rest of Canada was compared to BC! We have a month in Canada post cruise excited to see Quebec without the snow and also the Rockies! And on the cruise, I'll finally get to Newfoundland LOL

Nope to VCE Venice Marco Polo is a stop on the way to Venice - we were going to Venice but I noted how close the airport was to the train.

Thanks - really interesting. Of course it was only for the very wealthy - probably the equivalent of taking a trip on SpaceX is now. Hopefully I'll live long enough for space travel to affordable for the rest of us. I've certainly seen flying go from eyewatering expensive in the 70s to affordable now.

We flew into HNL from NZ last July - they didn't check then either and it was only 2 weeks past requiring a negative test to fly as well. Which is not to say they could have checked - and the airline certainly did - and the airline passes the information onto the country that you are flying to. I'm sure cruise ships do the same.

Are you staying Trieste - its a lovely town well worth a stop over. If you haven't got time for Venice (which you don't) Trieste would be a nice alternative for a day

We were in Trieste last year (not on a cruise) - the ships park right in the middle of town - you are literally 5 min flat walk from the train station. There are very regular trains to the airport - every 30 min or so from memory). You buy tickets in the machines at the station and get on the next train.

How terribly, terribly sad. I assume you have checked his will - I have a note in mine - do not repatriate, cremate wherever I am.

Oh I'm bringing merino leggings and under layers without a doubt. I need to have something for a snorkel adventure in Iceland (dry suits) - but I also use them to convert a lightweight pair of trousers to warm ones. Funny you should mention it though - before anyone used waterproofs hiking - I was a geologist in the 80s and we routinely wore shorts only. Down to around sleet /snow then you may put on wool underwear. The theory was that your legs dry faster than any fabric. Now we have decent thermal fabrics if the weather is as described my instinct would be to wear merino leggings and lightweight shorts - but i I wasn't shore that the rest of the world was ready for this traditional NZ bush look.

Idon't own an umbrella - we live in "windy wellington" - there is no point in an umbrella when the rain is sideways. The temps sound like a bad summer at home too - so I'm familiar with it!

Or just go with the flow- how is it bad that they make your bed for you?

I saw Titanic - I thought the best parties were below decks!

Queen Charlotte Sound. I'm in Wellington - you didn't miss much - it was utterly miserable in Wellington that day - very cold and wet And still is - and its Thursday now!

On our last cruise we hung up our towels ever day - after about a week housekeeping couldn't handle it anymore and gave us new ones LOL. So long as the towels dry out when hung I dont' need new ones all the time

We have a 25 day cruise out of Boston late July / August. 5 ports in Iceland, 2 in Greenland, 2 in the US and the rest are in Canada, Obviously, we are bringing layers, hats, gloves, waterproof jackets. But I can't decide whether it's worth bringing waterproof trousers - I always find them uncomfortable to wear. I have trousers that will dry quickly.

Yes we started with Cunard with the ballroom dancing. But I've got to say post-covid it was pretty sad. No hosts (for obvious reasons) - but also no danceable music in the early evening - they put really inappropriate acts in the Queens room instead (e.g. the folk duo or a guitar soloist - nic music just cant waltz to it). Most of the lecturers are good. Never saw Shakespeare on board though - maybe more a trans-Atlantic thing? Yes we've decided to consider our upcoming Bostron return trip to be an interesting cultural experience as I expect it will be like 95% American And I'm really looking forward to not having to check a bag for the formal clothes!

Are there bathrobes in the rooms? I'm sailing Zaandam in an inside - and hoping that I can avoid packing a cover up for the swimming pool.

We are maybe moderate drinkers - 3/4 drinks on a sea day 1/2 drinks on a port day - mixture of wine and cocktails. I looked quite hard at HIA because we were booking a 25 day cruise and I need connectivity and we'll do some excursions. Couldn't come close to justifying it. We have 21 port days 5 in Iceland 2 in Greenland, 2 in USA the rest in Canada. I use an eSim to travel with my NZ phone and with the exception of Greenland that costs about $4.50 a week per a country. The shore excursion money would probably have gone unused - because I could get far cheaper options booking direct with operators rather than HAL. We don't drink soda or canned/bottled water. I assume there is something to drink non-alchoolic in the Lido for free. I'll drink 1/3 coffees/day on sea days probably only 1 on port days - my partner drinks less. The fancy dining will probably not be available as it will be all booked out with so few sea days - plus I amy well be sea sick on the bits to and from Greenland!

LOL I am a new to HAL no status. And on the Zaandam no minibar I think because I know there's not a fridge in the room? Or maybe I'm wrong. Its the lack of fridge which means I probably won't bother buying a bottle for the room -my partner may buy a whisky

I haven't cruised HAL yet. I like Cunard - but i've pretty much run out of itineraries I want to do with them - while HAL has some very interesting itineraries (which I learnt about in craft group on a Cunard ship of course LOL).

Yes I think so - if you are in a higher level cabin on Cunard you can dine "down" to Britannia class. And many do because Britannia has the spectacular dining room. We dined with a couple in Princess last year and they said the food wsa pretty similar. They get extra lobster etc.

I saw that - but as a gin drinker - why don't they inc 6 cans of tonic? I like a strong gin but do get more than 3 out of a 1 l bottle LOL