yarramar

Maybe, the phone must be capable of receiving the radio frequencies that our networks use. https://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/Guides/Will-my-phone-work-in-Australia-carrier-network-frequencies Google your phone model and "radio frequencies"

I am sure that Docklands is a nice place to live, but for a visitor on holidays to Melbourne, the CBD or Southbank are much better options. We had an apartment on the corner of Lt Collins & Russell, and to go down the lift and be right in the middle of the action was fantastic. As it would be for a visitor.

Not a recommendation, but have you considered rum runners?

Sorry Possum, your advice was spot on and detailed but I felt that the OP should be given alternatives as Docklands is pretty dreary

Possum52 is correct - technically. However I would never recommend that anyone stays in Docklands as it is a very bland and boring neighbourhood of Melbourne. If I were to come to New York and tell you that I have a nice hotel on Staten Island or the Bronx, would you not suggest that I stay in Manhattan? If you need to use Marriott Points, I would suggest the Sheraton or The Westin, both Marriott products. If you are not using points, anywhere east of Swanston St between Lonsdale and Flinders Sts would be Ok.

Wheeled carryons will not fit in the overhead racks on a coach and may also be deemed as too dangerous and lethal in a collision, thus illegal. I would just use backpacks or similar that can be strapped on to your wheeled hold luggage with the handle extended. You will then be able to carry those on the bus.

Your luggage is likely sent as freight with a courier company contracted to Princess to save on airline charges. The freight industry gives huge discounts to their advertised consumer prices for corporate customers. The Bob Woods group looks to be an experienced tour company which no longer deals with the public, just selected cruiselines.

Correct, the 651 is only for British & EU passport holders. This is the place to find which visa will suit you best. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder

No Contest - Port Arthur. As nice as Richmond an Mt Wellington are Port Arthur will be a highlight of your cruise. https://tasmania.com/points-of-interest/tasman-peninsula/ You will also likely visit a wildlife park elsewhere as they are usually included in many tours from all cities in Australia

Virgin Voyages specializes in single cabins. I would think that there will be availability on most cruises without having to pay a single supplement. https://www.virginvoyages.com/ahoy/stories/cruising-solo

Each traveller must have their own card, either Opal or credit/debit card. The system will only allow one tap on and then off per journey and will also calculate the total days limit. I.e., it will stop charging you after you have reached the daily cap, even if you keep travelling and tapping. If you only have the one credit or debit card, the other person will need an Opal card.

No way would I be booking the 10.35 flight. So what if you are waiting a couple of hours, better than losing sleep the previous night. Yes, less traffic but with Melbourne's "Big Build" anything can cause delays to the airport

This one looks like the menu on NCL

I had never heard of that so I looked it up. Apparently it was called peanut paste in Qld WA & SA. Also as you said because of the dairy board, however that was 1929-1930!

It depends which gate you arrive at but there are travelators. Have not seen golf carts, only wheelchair assistance. https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/info-sheet/need-assistance

Yes, all East Coast school holidays are over. The crowds you encounter at ports will depend on the size of your cruise ship.

Shuttles aren't normally a "thing" here. At the airport you will find all kinds of shuttles but mostly to off airport car rental or hotels. At the port there won't be any generic ones. Just taxis & public transport or private drivers. We caught a shuttle in Las Vegas. The van had only about a dozen people and the driver told us that the price of drinks on the strip was ridiculous and made a stop at a bottle shop for the passengers (probably got a cut) but it was nice to know as well as the commentary we got and the price was set. Taxis can be hit or miss, we once had a maniac driver to Athens airport. We got there quickly but were also thankful that we made it.

Brilliance of the Seas has a passenger capacity of well over 2000 plus crew. How many taxi's do you think there will be available and how much do you think Uber will surge to? The light rail is the way to go and even then there will be a queue.

I used to buy peanut butter from a shop where they would ask whether you would like crunchy or smooth before they switched on the grinder. It was pretty good.

That should work. Beachwise, Manly is better and also much easier to get to from the CBD by public transport (ferry vs train & bus) Manly is the best ferry ride. This may also be of interest https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Manly-Ferry-Audio-Commentary-Audiobook/B00FOEMLVI

It's not really a train, it was originally rail cars which were sent down a shaft into the coal mines with a cable. It was an incredibly steep descent and quite thrilling to ride down into the valley. Today it has become sanitized and is more like a funicular for safety reasons. It is no longer thrilling but it still takes you down into the rainforest which is very lovely. From there you can walk along the pathways and come to the cable car which takes you up back to Scenic World. If you love trains, the Zigzag railway is worth visiting. It is 35km from Katoomba but I am not sure how you would get there without a car. https://zigzagrailway.au/ Possibly taxi but not sure how you would get back. Maybe rethink on hiring a car. You could then also visit Jenolan Caves.

They are both worlds apart and can't really be compared. Bundeena has the advantage of being within the 2nd oldest national park in the world and a truly beautiful unspoilt location. Manly is a short ferry ride from Sydney and is quite built up but a lovely day out nevertheless.

The station to Echo Point is 2.5 km, walkable but you could also get a cab or Uber. Leura has a train station but is only 2km from Katoomba. The Three Sisters best vantage is at Echo Point. Scenic World also has 2 other "rides" besides the scenic skyway and is worth spending a couple of hours as well as to get access down into the rainforest where you can walk for miles. It has become a little cheesy with it's emphasis on dinosaurs but I would still recommend visiting it as it really is quite unique.

The train to Katoomba for the Blue Mountains is a good day trip. You could also look at the train to Cronulla, which is a beach suburb with a beautiful stretch of beaches. From there you can catch a ferry to Bundeena which is a coastal village surrounded by the Royal National Park. http://bundeenainfo.com/

Sheez, I'm glad that I live in a country that respects honey and that there are severe penalties for misleading consumers on the contents of a jar.