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Then you will LOVE Melbourne. If you are paying for your guided walk, DON'T. You can do a free tour run by the city There is a bit of a trademark dispute happening over at the Hopetoun Tearooms in the Block Arcade. It is now called "The Tea Rooms 1892" But still worth visiting. https://thetearooms1892.com.au/ Around Port Melbourne and even Bay St is not that interesting. I am there every week and would not recommend going there unless you want lunch at one of the nice cafes. I would, however, recommend going a few suburbs down to St Kilda. You could walk along the beach to get there and catch an Uber back (it is about 5km) https://stkildamelbourne.com.au/visitor-info/

The cheapest option is the 109 tram which runs down Collins St just around the corner from your hotel. The best option is taxi or Uber. It is just a 15 minute ride to Station Pier. If you don't already have a Myki card each, they can be purchased from any 7 Eleven

https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/inventions/inside-worlds-first-3-billion-underwater-superyacht/news-story/adaefc9ae4245d84e5368b8299891618 Now just need to wait for RCI to add this class to their fleet

I was being tongue-in-cheek when I said I was surprised that there were assistants in Kmart. In fact I did have need of one once. You go to the service counter at the back of the store and they will get someone for you. I still find it hard to believe that one would actually come up to you to provide help.

It's not that I don't believe you but I do find it impossible to believe that a shop assistant came up to you in Kmart. In fact I didn't know that there WERE shop assistants in Kmart.

We used Lyft when in the States and found it to be as good if not better than Uber. While in Australia, download the 13cabs app and when in need of a ride compare the two in case Uber is in surge mode. Taxi's do not have surge pricing. The other tip is NO TIPPING. Uber OR Taxis. Particularly if Uber is getting a surge price.

You can find answers over on the Aus & NZ forum. https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2986559-buying-a-bottle-of-wine-in-each-port-bringing-it-onboard

T Turn OFF data roaming while on board. Your phone can still receive texts and messages while using Cellular at sea (expensive) but not download data in the background (astronomically expensive). When in port, if you have good data allowance with your international roaming, you can turn data roaming back on. Your phone can be on at all times to take photos, etc. You can also use the ships WiFi for apps etc as well as WhatsApp, Messenger or Skype. If you are with Telstra you can use WiFi Calling to make and receive Australian calls and texts for free while at sea using the ships WiFi

One place that I found to be worthwhile visiting especially with the effort it takes to get there is Bollywood Veggies, now called Bollywood Farms. It is not on the usual tourist circuit, probably because of it's location. What fascinated me was the gardens which you can walk around and the huge number of banana species that there are. The shop sells produce in season and the bistro serves delicious organic meals. Our son was living there for 3 years so we got to visit lots and he was able to drive us places when we were there. His condo had 3 bedrooms as well as maids quarters and the BBQ pool area was amazing. Now we have to find a hotel when stopping there. 😢

Well, hopefully they have done a refurb since then 🤔

You tender into Yorkey’s Knob. There is a beach just south of the port.

Wow, that looks pretty good for the price. Decisions, decisions

Just a few places you can look out for. https://dishcult.com/articles/auckland/the-best-kumara-fries-around-town

Thanks for the tip. The V Lavender looks like very good value. We may change our booked hotel in May

Another "must try" thing to eat in NZ is their "Kumara chips". Kumara is a sweet potato but has been cultivated in New Zealand for over 1000 years, so has a unique flavour. When travelling around, we always stop to buy some as a snack. Ice cream is a nono for us these days. Also at a cafe ask for a "Latte" it was quite a shock for us the first time that we did (it was served in a large bowl), being used to a milk coffee in a small glass in Melbourne (which you also "must" try).

The quality of NZ vs Australian merino wool is very similar, so either will be fine. Sometimes at wool shows, NZ wins, other times it is Aussie. What is unique to NZ and mat be a "must" is the possum wool from NZ. In Australia possums are a pest but a protected species. In NZ they are an introduced pest and culled at every opportunity. Products are made by combining their fur with wool resulting in a soft and luxurious garment. From Australia, take home some Tim Tams and Vegemite. 2 of our favourite pantry staples. The Cadbury's chocolate from NZ is also pretty good

I started looking at around 6 months out and booked a place that is fully cancelable. I am thinking to change it and the prices elsewhere haven't really changed (it is now 3.5 months before our trip). The prices probably reflect the time of year and if there are events happening

The process in the US is different from here. When a US citizen rents a car, there own car insurance covers the hire car. Your travel insurance excess covers only any excess on top of the rental company’s insurance. You may have to explain this to them and pay whatever the insurance cost is.

This one ends in Auckland but starts in Sydney https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details/?voyageCode=3604&resType=T&tourCode=T6U03C

That would be Princess. They have a number of varying cuise/land tours that will do that.

It is both. There are forests as well as all the villages, etc. Here is a list of the walks and hikes. https://www.alltrails.com/parks/australia/victoria/dandenong-ranges-national-park" The "Kokoda track" is easily accessible from the Upper Ferntree Gully station, which is a few stops before Belgrave. https://maps.app.goo.gl/8nVd6gxphQKJUNTFA

A Dandenong Ranges shore excursion with a tour company would be an ideal use of your time while in Melbourne. E.g. https://greatprivatetours.com.au/product/dandenong-ranges-tour/ However if you wish to DIY, for your $17 Myki card, you could catch the 109 tram to Swanston St then walk to Flinders St station (about 25 minutes total) Then catch the train to Belgrave which is about an hour. At Belgrave you can go on Puffing Billy through the rainforest to Gembrook & back but you need to book this (extra cost) as it is very popular. From Belgrave to the Dandenong Ranges is only a short Uber ride (although there are PTV busses) but what will you do once you get there? It is a lovely area for a drive around the little villages looking at the craft shops and having afternoon tea as well as walking through the lovely gardens and for some breathtaking views. Going by Uber or bus wouldn't be as enjoyable.

Besides the convenience of the $17 Myki Card allowing you to catch the tram or bus into the CBD and return to port, there is a daily cap of $10.60. This means that from the city, you can catch any PTV tram, train or bus to anywhere in the state including Geelong or Ballarat for the daily fare of $10.60.

I think our Home Affairs minister is trying to show that she is in control of the borders, so stepping up immigration checks on a soft target - cruise ships

According to the literature the vaccine only helps to lessen any symptoms you may have, not prevent catching it. If you test positive, it is just common decency that you isolate until a negative test is conducted.