buchhalm

Good idea! I keep forgetting to go there

From PLOOS... 😋

In Barangaroo (that's where the Crown hotel/casino is, adjacent to the old Darling Harbour precinct), you will find several very good places to eat. Whereas Darling Harbour used to be a major tourist trap, Barangaroo does things differently. All eateries are pretty decent. Not exactly "cheap", but the quality matches the prices (and v.v.) Standouts, where we never were disappointed are LOTUS BARANGAROO (they have a few branches around town, which are all very good), a "modern Chinese " restaurant with excellent food. Fabulous vegetarian dishes! Many Chinese customers, which is a good sign. They do have "banquet " options, which are great for small groups or the undecided. ANASON is a fabulous Turkish restaurant. Great lamb dishes and a few vegetarian options. Leave room for an ice cream at RIVARENO Gelato. Sensational Italian style icecreams. The dark chocolate sorbet and pistachio gelato are an orgy in a cone! In Clarence Street you'll find a small French bistro, BISTRO PAPILLON. Traditional French fare in a cosy spot. No "views ", but solid French food. They have been there for many, many years. In circular quay, the modern Greek "PLOOS", is a standout. By a million miles the best Greek food I have found in any restaurant in Australia. Service can be a bit dizzy, but the food is spectacular. From the outdoor tables you can JUST see the tail-end of the cruise ships and the Opera house across the quay. As always, the prices of wine and cocktails will SIGNIFICANTLY increase the cost of all meals everywhere. You will be offered 'sparkling or still' water. That means nearly everywhere bottled water, which ALSO can add up! Don't get embarrassed by just saying "tap is fine, thanks". No eyebrows will be raised and Sydney water is totally fine to drink. Oh, the choices...

Yes, same group. I find the service and atmosphere at Circular Quay better. The food is similar in quality.

I concur. Chat Tgai (as in chit-chat) is excellent. They have several branches, but the one in Circular Quay is the best. This group of restaurants has actually THAI chefs! And if it says 🌶🌶🌶 on the menu, they MEAN it. Fabulous food, as authentic Thai as you can get.

You are about to open a can of worms! To narrow the field, what type of cuisine are you interested in? Sydney has pretty much everything you could wish for. Despite continued moaning from the hospitality industry about declining business, MANY restaurants (especially the more upmarket ones) are booked out a long time in advance, especially Thursday to Saturday evenings. Restaurants will impose a surcharge of 10 to 15% on SUNDAYS and public holidays. Tipping is NOT mandatory but always appreciated. It is becoming increasingly common for restaurants to "suggest" certain tip amounts or percentages on those hand-held payment devices. Feel totally free to completely ignore those suggestions (as I always do in protest against Americanisation of our hospitality sector), tip any amount you chose or nothing at all. When I tip, I give cash. Never by card. Pretty much every restaurant will accept credit cards. They may impose a small surcharge (around 1 5%, a little more for American Express). You may be asked if you would like pay in AUD or your home currency. Always pay in local (AUD in this case) currency. Don't necessarily limit yourself to the Central Business District (CBD). There are lovely restaurants just outside that area as well. Oh, and many restaurants (especially the better ones) WILL require your credit card details to secure a reservation! This is to avoid no-shows. You MAY be charged a certain amount if you do not cancel in time. EVERYTHING will be clearly explained during the booking process. And most of the time you can opt in/out to receive a reminder of an upcoming reservation by email or SMS

Followed now by P&O

Yep, Carnival just passed my window 10 minutes ago. Nearly 6 hours late.

What happened to "Do I have to give my credit card details "???? I prefer the celo over the violin. Might as well....

Glenorchy, Scotland

A.B.C.

Reminds me of the Thsi Cooking School of the Oriental hotel in Bangkok.

Anybody bringing Creme de Menthe should be barred from boarding anyway!😉

I was under the impression that passengers who's luggage shows something illegal at the xray checks are asked/paged to go to a certain location to open their bags and show the alleged item. Opening cases without the owner being present seems rather harsh.

It is interesting by how much the prices of insurance (yes, with the same in/exclusions) fluctuate between insurance companies. By FAR the most expensive I found was a product from that NSW roadside assistance organisation. I shouldn't be surprised. Their quote for a car insurance was also twice as expensive as the nearest competitor.

I'm waiting to hear from Celebrity what their plans for the Jan 2nd Pacific Islands cruise are. There are already plenty of sea days and several stops in Fiji...

That's like saying if you move from economy to business class on a flight, you get the seat, but not the food. "Happy cruising"

You are more likely to catch something from filthy passengers who don't wash their hands after visiting the toilets and/or touch food on the buffet with bare hands.

That should be treated as ONE 55-day trip. Include cruise cover and the relevant countries you will be visiting.

#2

On a side note: Think twice about taking any food items, apart from bottles of water, off a ship in NZL. Nowhere else in the world have we actually seen quarantine officers by the ports, checking passengers getting off the ships for food items. The officers were unfailingly friendly and polite, but thorough. Especially in Bay of Islands. (There we actually witnessed more than one passenger being fined for taking fruit off the ship. All of those fined were arguing with the quarantine officers)

1. November of what year? 2. Book a one-way cruise ex Sydney if you want to stay in NZL. 3. Any half-decent travel agent will find you a suitable cruise if you aren't comfortable to book yourself. 4. Look at other options as well, rather than only P&O 🙂

Question 1: it depends on the crocodile activity. If they have just caught sight of a tourist in the water, there tends to be a lot of thrashing around. That of course causes choppy waters.

"Crew appreciation charge" 🤐 Calling a spade a manual earth moving tool. And the paper boy a print media distributor

Exactly. What IS "going the extra mile "? Refilling ice and bathroom amenities and keeping the room tidy and the bed made is expected minimum standard. Folding your pajamas and put them under your pillow, hanging up clothes that are lying around, THAT I would consider "extra" (for example). That MAY entice me to tip a little bit above the enforced gratuities.