Aus Traveller

I have often bought souvenirs or freshwater pearls in the cruise terminal. I used AUD to buy freshwater pearls that cost from AUD$16 to $80. The stallholders always gave a good exchange rate. If you want to buy smaller items they would be available for $10-$20. Change your money if you like into French Pacific Francs but it is difficult to know how much to change because you don't know what you will want to buy. That's why I use AUD (notes only of course). Although I have always been quoted a good exchange rate (sometimes better than good!) I don't end up with a small amount of foreign currency that isn't any use to me.

OK. So back to the way it used to be pre-COVID. Thanks for your reply.

I think its likely the extra insurance cover is for snow sports - skiing and snowboarding etc. I doubt that you will need just for landing on ice, but it a good idea to check. Enjoy.

I have a question for people who have boarded a Princess ship in Sydney. Do they charge corkage on excess wine bottles (beyond the one per person) immediately before passengers get on the ship or is it charged when you take a bottle to the dining room?

I have seen Halloween decorations on Australian-based ships. They have had the traditional pumpkins in a display in the atrium, draped nets with spiders etc on them and the waiters dressed up a bit, but not outlandishly. I have only been on Princess for Christmas. By the end of the cruise I had heard enough Christmas songs to last me for several years. Decorations were installed early in December and there was even a little decoration placed outside every cabin door. Close to Christmas, a choir sang in the evenings in the atrium and for an hour or two, a couple of times a day, a machine sent fake snow falling into the atrium. It was lovely, particularly when the choir was singing under the falling 'snow'.

Ouch. Three days in Noumea!! Be still my beating heart. That would almost be enough to make me cancel.

On our P&O cruise at the end of August, they had a night that was described as 'formal'. Nothing special happened - no drinks party or anything else. Pre-COVID, they had a 'cocktail night'.

We only found out that there weren't any doors on the helicopter when we turned up to board. Obviously we had seatbelts on but I don't think the pilot checked that we had them done up correctly.

The scariest helicopter ride I went on was over Katherine Gorge in the NT. The helicopter didn't have any doors - just open spaces. I went with a friend. I linked my arm with hers and said "One out, all out"! Needless to say, we didn't fall out but it was scary when the pilot kept banking the helicopter so we could get a better view.

Just a little alert to Aussies wanting to use the US pattern. What Americans call 'sc' (single crochet), we call 'dc' (double crochet). Mark's wife Catherine would know this.

You look gorgeous.

For a while I was always pulled aside for the explosives test. I don't know what that indicated.😁 I haven't flown for around three years, so I don't know what will happen next time.

Favourite port for arriving - Venice. Favourite port for leaving - Kotor.

I doubt that the airport would be closed all day. QANTAS would have to move me to a later flight. The ship doesn't leave until 6.45pm. Years ago a cruise we were on (weren't nearly all our cruise years ago???) delayed their departure by a few hours because a weather event had prevented a large number of people arriving in Sydney to board the ship. Maybe the weather event was in Melbourne because we flew from Brisbane that morning. In our dozens of cruises leaving from Sydney, we have always flown the morning of the cruise. I don't want to fly a day earlier and stay in Sydney for the night. I don't think it is necessary. An emergency fall-back option would be to board the ship in Brisbane two days later.

That would be disappointing. There should be shuttle buses to take people to the CBD. It is at least a 30 minute drive. However, I think the security guard was unduly pessimistic saying you could miss the ship. I can understand that taxis aren't waiting at the terminal when the Coral is coming in on a port call and the taxi companies probably weren't aware of it. However, if you went to the CBD or elsewhere, when you were ready to return to the ship there would be no difficulty in getting a taxi. I think the ship is due to leave at 4pm.

Princess has FINALLY sorted out my records on their Medallion system. It has been showing me as not having cruised with the company but I have had Elite status since at least 2008. I don't care about the status, but I want to have the benefits that go with it. The problem came to a head when I found that they wanted to charge me full price for the Medallion Net for the world cruise. I have been phoning twice a week - I know, persistent b........ aren't I! The issue has been escalated a few times. Finally this morning someone phoned from Princess in California (that's what the display on my phone showed). She told me the Medallion app had been fixed and she was right. I was able to buy the internet for the WC next year with the 50% discount.😁 I wanted to lock it in at the current price, just in case they increase it later. I also don't want to wait and buy it on board because reports are that it is more expensive that way. The difference doesn't matter much on a seven-day cruise, but on the WC the difference adds up.

I am pretty sure that MMDown Under meant the New Zealand people who are referred to as Kiwis. The birds are nocturnal so you can really only see them in a wildlife facility. One place is the hot springs park at Rotorua. They have a nocturnal house where you will see kiwis.

That is the exact one that I have in my fridge.

That's a fair suggestion. I suppose I like to do things myself and not bother the TA unnecessarily!

I'm not suggesting you base yourself in Christchurch, but use it as a starting point for a round trip. Travel on each day and usually stopping somewhere different each night, travelling on a circular route around the bottom 'half' of the South Island. That way the vehicle you hire can be returned to the hiring depot. Christchurch is a major city for flights to and from. See if you can buy a guide book of NZ. They will usually include maps. Here is a link to one https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36071501-new-zealand-discover-atlas-and-guide

If they are happy to take the extra money for Plus or Premier fares, they should be prepared to deliver on what was in the package when you paid for it. I can't see that it is reasonable to change it later.

If you feel you could drive, I strongly suggest you don't fly between the cities. You waste too much time sitting in airports and you would be missing the lovely countryside. And as you mention - too much packing. For the South Island, probably start in Christchurch and drive around the island. If you don't want to spend too long, don't do the northern quarter of the island - just cross the mountains directly west of Christchurch (via Arthurs Pass) then head south on the west coast with a side detour to Milford Sound. The scenery is much more spectacular in the South Island than in the North Island. You could fly from Christchurch to Auckland and once again hire a car to do a smaller circuit including Rotorua (south of Auckland and inland) and maybe the Coromandel Peninsula north of Auckland.

What's the bet that some passengers will head to the wrong ship to board. It has happened in the past.

From what I know of Windstar, they are quite expensive. Presumably this would be your first (and maybe only) trip to NZ. If you want to see the country, you would see more on a land tour. It is an easy country to get around by car with not too much traffic.

I have booked an early flight, but not quite that early. Now I have to work out how to book the Princess transfer from the airport. It doesn't appear under the 'excursions' page for the cruise. Can someone point me in the right direction?