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The staff is very quiet about the senior personnel changes. If we have the opportunity we will ask.

Nice. We have not seen these on Edge 😔

So sorry to hear this. Each of our sea days on the Edge 9 night S Aus cruise have been impacted by weather. Today we are half way to Tasmania and are rocking, rolling, and creaking worse than ever 💨🌊🌊🌊🌊. Hope things settle down on the waters around Australia 🇦🇺!

Day 7 - At Sea Good morning from the middle of the deep blue sea! Deep, yes, there is 10,000 ft of water beneath us. 🤪👍☺️. It has warmed to 59 deg and we have 25 kt window from the southwest 💨💨. The predominant influence, however, is the 4 meter swell causing us to pitch and roll. Capt Costas has reported that it will improve as we get closer to Tasmania 👍. Then he followed with, “It should calm down about midnight.” 😆😵‍💫🤣. There are peaks of blue through the clouds, but it is not shaping up to be a great outdoor day. It was an ideal day to go down to Tuscan for the CC breakfast. Lower is better. That comes with a caveat for me. I am fine looking at the waves from above, high up 🔝. I run into a bit of an issue when I look 👀 at the seas and swells 🌊🌊🌊 from the side. So this is one morning I was happy not to have a window table. As insurance, I followed breakfast with a Bonine to protect against 🤢🥴🤢. There are a lot of activities to fill the day. The pool an activities will most likely be cancelled again. Not to worry, because you can go to an art 🖼️ auction, buy some diamonds 💎, get your footprint 👣 analysis, or gamble the day away 🤣🤣🤣. Surprisingly, people probably do this or it wouldn’t be available! This was billed as a “Wine Cruise”. People have commented that there have been no wine lectures, special wine activities, or wine dinners showcasing Australian wines. 🍷🍷🍷. Everything on the agenda related to wine is the same as every other Celebrity cruise. The Australian wines included in the X beverage packages are best left in the bottles 🍾🍾🍾. They are not representative of wines that Australia 🇦🇺 is known for! It may be a good day to begin sorting clothes and gifts before real packing begins. I don’t like to pressure pack on either end of the cruise. I saw this flower 🌸 in Tuscan at breakfast. It represents that end of cruise feeling…

I don’t know what the normal sea conditions are in this part of the world 🌎. Currently watching a pen ✍️ roll back and forth on the dresser top! We are mid ship 🛳️ and definitely rolling enough to make things interesting. It must be quite challenging for the dining staff. Agree on ship size. Edge isn’t a dingy 🚣‍♀️😂🚣‍♀️!!!

Very good question. It’s a bit like would you rather have gone to Napa instead of Sonoma? 🍷🍷🍷. If you have a good guide who understands your wine preferences and wishes I think you would be happy in either Barossa or McLaren Vale. As you know, wine tasting is sometimes surprising 😲. Occasionally, you find an enjoyable wine in the least likely winery. And, sometimes the highly touted brands don’t deliver the hype to your palate. The atmosphere in the tasting rooms, scenery’s in the area, and attentiveness of the wine staff are important as well. This was a topic of conversation with the other couple we met. One day is not enough time to do more than one region. We would love to come back someday and incorporate a land portion visiting the Barossa and Margaret regions. We almost sailed on an Azamara cruise because it offered an overnight in Adelaide. That would have been ideal!

If you are going all the way to Antarctica, consider a smaller cruise line that offers expedition style excursions. Setting foot on the continent is an amazing experience!

Well, we shoved off over an hour+ late from Kangeroo Island with no announcement from the Captain. We decided to have a drink 🥃🥃 in the Retreat and shared our wine adventures in the Adelaide area with another couple. At 7ish it was time for dinner. The menu for tonight: I ordered the potato soup and the chicken. DH selected the carrot salad. As a special request last night he asked about Cioppino. And, the chef delivered! Happy hubby 😁. The amuse bouche was shrimp and tomato 🍤🍅. Following our amuse bouche there was a broadcast announcement. Our CD Giuseppe told us that due to severe weather conditions the evening production shows would be cancelled. We were told to expect deteriorating conditions throughout the night. Oh well… Dinner was very good. DH was over the moon with his seafood! My chicken was very moist and tender. We were excited about dessert 🧁🍰🍦. Chocolate soufflé and pineapple mousse 🍍. They were delicious 😋♥️😋 After dinner we went down to the casino. It was open… YEA! It was the $5 promotion night. Mine lasted a bit longer than DHs. We enjoyed playing with our funny money 💰💰💰. While we were in the casino, a second announcement 📣. Giuseppe again, the 9:30 pm show was cancelled, but the movie Mean Girls would be showing. I have to say it’s a bit disappointing we haven’t heard anything from the Captain about our late departure or the “severe deteriorating weather conditions” we were told to expect overnight. We noticed on the TV we are sailing over 21 knots which is a quick pace. We have no idea what to expect in the morning!?!? Hopefully we can sleep 💤😴💤😴 through to worst of it!

Well, we are 1hour and 20 minutes past the supposed last tender and this is the view off our balcony. No announcements from the bridge, so we suspect this is the result of tours getting back late. There is a rain/fog bank rolling back and forth not too far away. It could make tendering operations interesting if they do not wrap up soon.

Day 6 - Kangaroo Island Good morning from the waters just off Kangeroo island. It’s a bit gray this morning and we are in no hurry to get off the ship 🛳️. No excursions for us today. We decided we did not wish to spend 2+ hours 🕰️🕰️ each way to get to the wildlife reserve on the other side of the island. Tuscan sounded like a good idea for breakfast. There were quite a few folks there this morning. Today is the first time I was able to pour my tea 🍵 without soaking the table! It was actually good we didn’t need to rush off the ship. The tenders were backed up due to having to give way to the ferries during rush hour and strong currents. Additionally, there was only space for one tender at a time at the small pier. We waited until 10 am and then went ashore. The town of Penneshaw is quite small. There was a small arts and crafts “cruise ship market” by the locals. We took a nature walk in hope of seeing some small penguins 🐧🐧, but they were hiding. There were lovely views of the bay and the ship. There were 2 streets with shops, restaurants, and a post office. We walked to find the Kangeroo Island sculpture trail. By this time the skies were misting and we put our rain jackets on. For the next 30 minutes or so we put on and took off layers of clothes several times. The sculpture trail provided a brief look at the local terrain, plants, wildlife, and artistic creativity. We were lucky and spotted some Wallabies! After the sculpture trail we had pretty much seen everything that was walkable in the small town. We walked back to the pier. Standing on the pier we spotted a pod of dolphins 🐬 🐬. No acrobatics, just their fins. Lunch options onboard were venue limited because it was a shore day. We opted for the OV knowing lots of passengers were still ashore. It was a Greek 🇬🇷 themed buffet. I opted for chicken, spinach, Greek salad, feta, and mini pita breads. I eagerly went to get some of the yummy looking baklava I saw earlier. It was gone 😩. OK, next choice some of the refreshing tropical fruit sorbet available most days. Skunked again! Only chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, and peach ice cream. Yes, I am pouting 😠. I was about ready to add a shot of Baileys to a latte and call it a win. However, we have a gym date later and that probably isn’t a good combination. On the bright side, fewer calories to burn off! I did notice the wait staff has continually been pushing specialty dining both inside and outside the OV. The Roof Top Grill has probably been a bust on this sailing because of the weather ☔️💨🌊. It would also be quite windy and chilly if there is a Magic Carpet dinner. The other overhanging trend is the reduction of included OBC and the price increases in the specialty venues. Passengers may be less eager to have a bill 💵 due at the end of the cruise. There have been no advertised specials. The other interesting thing on this sailing has been the extremely limited casino operations 🎰🎰🎰🎲🎲🎲♠️♥️♣️♦️. Unlike the Caribbean where most ships zip out to the 12 mile limit, Celebrity has opted to hug the coast and keep the casino closed. I suppose it’s a trade off between time, distance, and fuel costs versus casino revenue generation. The casino will reopen tonight after being closed for 2 days. The sun and blue sky have finally made a lasting appearance 😎🌞. It should be a lovely sail away 🛳️🛳️ in a couple of hours.

We skipped cocktails 🍹🍷 this evening since our day was basically cocktails! We decided to eat about 7pm. To our surprise, Luminae was quite empty. Most people ate early. It was a pleasant change. I selected the kale salad and the duck. DH had the scallops and the cod fish. The amuse bouche was beet with some type of Tatar. DH liked his seafood selections. I enjoyed my salad and the sweet potatoes with my entree. For me, the duck 🦆 was just OK. I ate about half. We noted that the couple seated next to us were Vegan. They enjoyed their dishes as well. Ironically, we chatted about Kangeroo meat and fried gator bites in the US 🤔. The highlight of my meal was dessert! I requested the chocolate cake from main dining. It wasn’t busy, and our asst waiter told us it would take 7 minutes to pick up. It was well worth the wait 💕. DH had crème brûlée. The headliner this evening was a repeat we had seen on the previous cruise. DH was exhausted, so we decided to have a relaxed wind down in our cabin. DH was asleep 😴💤😴 almost instantly. The ship is rocking gently. I understand it is a 30 minute ferry ride to Kangeroo Island from Adelaide. I expect we will be bobbing nearly stationary all night!

I wanted to add a bit more info and options in the local Adelaide area. The distance to the Adelaide CBD is considerable, roughly 30-40 minutes by car. The trains ran approximately every 30 minutes. We heard a story of a taxi into the CBD costing A$75 for 4 people. If you are interested in a relaxing day, the smaller beach towns south of the port area may be a nice option. There is a wide paved sidewalk along the beach that stretches for miles. We saw many walkers and runners. The towns of Glenelg and Brighton had very cute main streets with cafes and shops. There were fishing piers and children’s playgrounds. These areas could make for a nice day if you want something a little more unstructured.

We booked this tour and paid over 8 months ago. I was surprised at how reasonable it was compared with the ship’s offerings. Best to check with the local vendors because prices could vary based on length, # of vineyards, and # of people, etc. Australia and New Zealand are really great and worth a visit!!!

Being wine enthusiasts, we booked a private wine tour for today. I mistakenly thought we were going to the Barossa Valley. We went to McLaren Vale. I would equate McLaren Vale to be somewhat like Paso Robles in California. Our guide met us in the port area by the taxi stand. This was so convenient! We drove along the coast for a way. It was quite scenic and I enjoyed looking at the suburban and beach neighborhoods. It reminded me of a blend of California and Florida. Our first vineyard was the oldest in McLaren Vale and has been in the family for six generations. Oliver’s Tauranga was an interesting blend of old and new. We tasted the reds including their Reserve series. We enjoyed almonds, warm bread, and their award winning olive oil with our tasting. Oliver’s had an amazing fortified wine, much like a tawny port as well. It was a wonderful experience and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. We drove by the famous cube. It was a photo opportunity, not a wine stop for us. Next stop was to Wirra Wirra for lunch. It was a very scenic venue and the food was fantastic! I had a tandoori chicken puzza 🍕with mango chutney and cilantro. DH had fish and chips. They were both incredibly great 😍😋😍. The pizza created an explosion of flavor. The fish and chips were cooked to perfection. On to our next stop at Molly Dooker. This is Australian slang for left handed. The venue was beautifully sited and the wines highly rated. We had another very relaxed and enjoyable tasting experience. We did pace ourselves, and poured a bit in the waste containers 🥸. Simply can’t drink as much as we age! I thought this sign was quite helpful as the glasses keep coming! On to our third vineyard, Samuels Gorge. This was another interesting and rustic venue. It is in and old farmhouse and shed. The wines, were lovely and the staff was so informative and friendly 💕. Nothing pretentious, just nice wine! We can’t thank our driver and guide enough for coordinating with us and arranging a wonderful day around Adelaide and the surrounding areas. We even popped by his home to get a look at the wild Kangeroos 🦘🦘🦘🦘in his yard! It was so nice to have a personalized experience. We had such a great day. Simply can’t put into words what a wonderful experience we had!

The daily and logistics for Adelaide. We had no idea the port was so far from downtown, the CBD.

Day 5 - Adelaide 🎶…Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, and I say it’s all right🎶☀️🌅🌞⛅️☀️🌤️! Yea, finally 😃😎😃. It looks like a great day, high of 63 and no rain in the forecast 😍. Today is the farthest west point of our journey. We have been looking forward to this stop to sample the wonderful Barossa Valley red wines 🍷🍷🍷🍷.

For a change of pace we decided to go alcohol free tonight. We have been traveling for 3 weeks and it was time to recalibrate. That, and we have a day of wine tasting lined up tomorrow in Adelaide 🍷🍷🍷🍷. We had a leisurely dinner in Luminae. It’s the first time we sat in the very back against the wall. It is much quieter in that location. In keeping with our new seating trend, we had window seats! Nice, but it was dark outside. I ordered escargot and the rigatoni. DH selected the. Crab cake and the Black Bass. Out came the amuse bouche. It was a pea crème with crab. I got a soy free fruit salad. Our appetizers were very good. I love escargot! DH reported the crab cake was good and had a peanut flavor. Our entrees were also quite tasty. The arribbiata had a really nice flavor. DH liked his fish 🐠. I’m not a big fish fan, I’m glad it wasn’t my entree 😲🫢🫣. He was so eager to dig in he cut the slab before I could snap a pic! I have to say that dessert was the highlight of the meal! We both ordered the raspberry hibiscus 🌺. It was sooooo good 💕💕💕.

All the produce in Victoria’s Market was priced in A$. The A$ is worth approximately 60% of the USD. Most of the eggs appeared to be of a boutique variety, free range, organic, and from very specific locations. The meats looked very nice. We saw wagyu beef, and other high end cuts. The meat section was so large we never made it to the fish side! I was so taken with how nice everything looked, I didn’t do the pricing math ✖️➗➕➖🟰.

We hope the sunset this evening is a hint of improved weather conditions in Adelaide tomorrow 🙂. It is the first real color in the sky we have seen all day!

Thanks for following along! I have had better luck with the ceramic pots. Not sure all the restaurants have them.

Thanks @jelayne ! Appreciate that insight 😊

Well, that small peak of sunshine ☀️ this morning was a bit of a tease. We are back to the gray. It feels a little bit what I would envision a norther Atlantic Ocean crossing would be like. With the exception of yesterday afternoon/ evening, we are on day 4 of gray and windy 🌬️💧🌊. DH wore himself out watching a movie, so he is already napping 😴 💤😴 before lunch 😆, How about some fun with shapes about the ship 🔴🔻◼️🔹🛳️? OK, we worked up an appetite for lunch doing not much of anything 😆😋😉. Decisions, decisions, where to go when everyone on the ship is inside. We did not want a large meal. So it came down to Eden or OV. Since I was feeling the need for some greens and veggies we went up to the expected sea of humanity 🫣😵‍💫🫠. And, for added ambiance there was a shrill alarm sounding off and on ‼️🔔‼️📢. DH filled his plate with Indian and I got a salad with a touch of briyani rice mixed in for a pop of flavor. Live and learn, when what looks like butter, is actually a blend of butter and rapeseed oil. Another option for lunch could have been the Spa Cafe. The Solarium was quieter than we expected.

This sounds nearly identical to our current MC SS on Edge. The joiner did come a grease the sliding glass door and tightened the handle. We are rocking and rolling today, but it is better. We have connected it to rough seas in combination with a specific wind direction perpendicular to our cabin. We are on deck 10.

I wish we could teleport your Motown Diva singer to our ship 🎶🎤🎶👠

We are up in the Retreat passing time while our wonderful cabin attendant freshens up our room. She is truly awesome! The Captain just announced we can expect 65 deg, 12 ft seas and swells 🌊💨🌊. He always recommends wearing flat shoes. I started leaving my higher heels 👠 👠 home when we sailed to Antarctica and have continued with that tradition. I just had to chuckle when I saw 👀 two attendants cleaning the windows of the Retreat porch this morning 😅😅. The windows and sliding glass door in our cabin have not been cleaned in many days, if ever, since we boarded on Mar 26. Yesterday when the sun came out I couldn’t take the salt spray and droplets anymore 💧💧💦💦. I grabbed a pool towel and cleaned the sliding glass door so at least we had a clearer view in the center. I also cleaned and dried the upright chairs and the top metal piece of the railing. Everything was wet and caked in salt spray. These details appear to have been overlooked. It’s far from perfect, but at least we can see out of the center and sit down. The windows need a good scrubbing with some vinegar and a squeegee. I do not know if they hosed down the IV windows when we were in port. If you are in one of those there is no way you can clean the glass from the inside.