buchhalm
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Everything posted by buchhalm
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Timaru in NZL?
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4-5 hours free time in Sydney
buchhalm replied to Muffinz's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
I am quite sure that airlines don't open check-in for individual flights until 3 hours before departures. Drop bags at the luggage storage at City Extra restaurant at Circular Quay (5 minute walk from the ship). If shopping is your aim, Westfield Bondi Junction is huge (for Australia) with everything from $2 shops to Ultra-high-end boutiques. Direct buses from Circular Quay or 1 change on the train. And the Boxing Day sales will be on! -
How much luggage do you take for a 2 week cruise.
buchhalm replied to MicCanberra's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
It SO depends on the cruise line. I pack different for two weeks on Cunard than two weeks on Celebrity. -
For those interested, Celebrity just put on a "Flash sale", with pretty good discounts on some 'upgrade' products. I upgraded from Classic to Premium beverage package at 35% discount
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Any experience with a Cruising Club?
buchhalm replied to ELep's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
"I won't belong to a club that accepts me as a member " (Oscar Wilde) -
I just heard on some radio station that 8 passengers were "left stranded" by NCL on the island nation of Sao Tomé, after missing the last tender following a private tour. Various version of the story with more or less in-depth reporting or sides of the story on news websites. 6 Americans and 2 Australians. I am feeling very mildly sorry for these people...
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Elvis cruise on the Pacific Encounter
buchhalm replied to rkmw's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Well, (fee paying) members of the European Broadcasting Union, actually. Anyway, Eurovision was a lot more fun when they had to sing (at least in parts) in their national language. I remember when they even had a live orchestra which EVERYONE had to use. They only used their own conductors. Then countries started to split up and Yugoslavia turned into several separate countries. Then the ...stans and Baltics came along and we had several dozens of entries. With pretty much interchangeable techno doof-doof music. And don't get me started with convoluted and incomprehensible, and ever-changing voting systems . Still. Infuriatingly addictive to watch. -
Elvis cruise on the Pacific Encounter
buchhalm replied to rkmw's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Yes. It's now the embarrassing drunk uncle you HAVE TO invite to the wedding. -
Elvis cruise on the Pacific Encounter
buchhalm replied to rkmw's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Ok, bite me. But ONE Elvis (or any other) tribute act per cruise is fine. But an entirely impersonater cruise sounds like hell to me. Something for the die-hard fans only. That said, I would have booked the Eurovision Song Contest cruises in Europe, had I known about those. -
Gosh. Costa Victoria! The. Worst. Cruise. EVER. So bad, it was hilarious. Rolling delays meant we arrived in Bali, not at 9 am, but at 7.30 pm. In pouring rain. And they still insisted to conduct sightSEEING tours of the Balinese countryside in pitch darkness.
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Can I bring this In? If not, suggestions to get some?
buchhalm replied to Yehootu's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
1. Commercial food items are generally ok. 2. Leave everything in originally sealed packaging. 3. DECLARE anything you can consume. Apart from the forms you will be given, Quarantine agents will ask if you have anything to declare, and then you tell them what you have. They will be very nice and polite about it. You can basically tell them you have half a dead cow in your bag, and they will very politely say "sorry, not allowed ". But since you have declared it and ticked the Yes box, there will be no fine. But try to sneak in a banana, and they could get agro and fine you. (And fines have at long last significantly increased). 4. If you would get upset about having to give up your food items at Quarantine, don't bring it. (Unlikely, judging by what you describe). 5. We DO sell nuts in Australia. (and bubble gum and nylon stockings) 😉 -
https://morrisons.sydney/ On George Street. Never had a bad meal there. Great selection of beers and wines. For a larger group you may have to pick up the phone to book. And as for many other places, a security deposit may be required AND you may be charged an automatic gratuities of 5 to 10% (which CAN BE REMOVED!)
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Ok, I'm going to say it: I don't care a whole lot about emissions when I go on holiday. I don't attend or support such nonsense as car races, but I do not feel any guilt for taking an occasional flight or a cruise every now and then. I get annoyed when airline reviews talk about "carbon emissions " before they mention the service or - God forbid- a price. To be asked to pay a "carbon offset fee" myst be the biggest scam in history. A "white, middle-class problem. WE should "do something about it". Meanwhile, most of Asia and Africa (with probably a handful of exceptions) don't give a damn. Don't care, or say they can't afford. Let the rich Europeans, Americans and Australians deal with it. Sorry. Rant over.
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It's not the size that matters. It's what you do with it...
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Show / theatre times on Crown Princess
buchhalm replied to Muffinz's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
With other cruise lines (and I can't see why Priness would be different), all show times are scheduled so that people with can catch a show either before or after their seating, be it "early" or "late". If you have "ant time dining", you'll have to play it by ear. -
Let's all go on Windstar then....
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Fine. But a tip must be entirely voluntary. Therefore any service charge must be included in any advertised or published price.
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Flight attendant?
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Queen Mary Auckland /Sydney Feb 2026
buchhalm replied to anjo's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
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Yes, I have that stamp too. And then some @#$$@!! border guy in Hawaii was giving me trouble for "defacing an official document". 🙈🙊🙉