possum52

ML, we used the hotel which was a a one bedroom apartment. We found it fine for our five days there. It was very convenient to everything we wanted to do. There is a pub on the corner of Wentworth and Elizabeth Streets which served quite good meals. We had dinner there a couple of times which we enjoyed. We met an American family who were staying at the Wyndham and who loved the meals at this pub. You are also within walking distance of China Town and many other restaurants are in the area.

Leigh

Thank you all for your advice, very helpful indeed. I never know how much to say, and i always give less info than people need to be helpful. Here are the tiny details:

 

We will arrive at SYD at about 6 am on Mar 8; friends we are traveling with are arriving at about 8 am. We are all staying at the same hotel, which is a timeshare they are members of. We have already decided to just wait for them--I'm assuming customs and figuring things out, plus buying an Opal card, will take time. We will buy the Opal card at the airport since we will have time.

 

Our cruise isn't until Mar 13, so we have a few days to tour Sydney and adjust to the time difference. We will be back for 3 days between cruises, then back again for 2 days after a cruise around NZ. We have lengthy list of things to do, and a basic plan of how to do them.

 

I was leaning toward taking the train (we will be staying in CBD, at Wyndam at corner of Wentworth Ave & Goulburn St), only because we have a lot of time to kill before we can check in (3 pm) or go to sleep (maybe 9 pm if we are lucky--it will be tough!). But hubby thinks a shared shuttle would be better since it might drop us right at hotel?

 

And, there will be 4 of us, with 4 large bags and 4 smaller ones (backpack size).

 

Does that help/change any ideas?

 

Thank you

ML

NoWhiners, we have stayed at Wyndham Suites. It is about a 10-15 minutes walk from Central Station and a 5-7 minutes walk from Museum Station. We have used Museum Station but used the stairs to exit to the street and am not sure if there are lifts (elevators) or escalators. I'm sure one of our Sydneysiders can help with that information. If there are lifts/escalators, Museum may be a good choice but I;m with the other posters who suggested a maxi taxi. Much easier and quite a quick trip from the airport to Wyndham Suites.

Leigh

If you want a game that is a short distance from Central Station, I would pick the Sydney Swans AFL.

 

The buses leave from Chalmers St next to Central Station and go to the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). There are also lots of return buses to Central station after the game. (may have to use the Opal card)

 

It is the opening game of the season for the Swans as well.

 

Disclaimer....... I am a Swans member so may be a bit biased.

 

Go Swannies!!!!!!

 

Whatever you decide it will be interesting for you.

On our last visit to Sydney for our team's game against the Swans we caught the shuttle from Chalmers Street. Very easy. It was my first time at the Sydney Cricket Ground and thoroughly enjoyed the experience (except for the torrential rain). The crowd was over 40,000 and the Swans fans are very vocal.

Enjoy which ever football code you choose to watch.

Leigh

You would also need to purchase Myki cards to travel on Melbourne public transport Literacy Lady. This link will tell you more about the Myki Explorer for visitors to Melbourne - https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki/buy-a-myki/myki-explorer/#1

Leigh

Literacy Lady,

To travel to your apartment by Sky bus and public transport, you would need to catch a train from Southern Cross Station to Flinders Street Station. Then catch a tram (either of the ones LokiPoki mentioned above) up St Kilda Road to Inkerman Street. You don't say whether you are travelling from overseas or elsewhere in Australia. If you have to go through customs etc, it will be quite late by the time you arrive at your apartment. If it was me, I would be catching a taxi to your apartment from. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

Leigh

Literacy Lady,

Further to my previous post, depending on how many are in your party, it may be cheaper and easier to take a taxi from the airport to your apartment. The cost of a taxi to Inkerman Street from the airport would be about $71, If you travel to Southern Cross Station on the Skybus and then a taxi to Inkerman Street, the approximate cost would be $18 per person for Skybus (current price) and $18-$21 for the taxi.

Leigh

We are arriving at MEL at 21:45 and need to get to our apartment on Inkerman St. in St Kilda. The Sky Bus to St Kilda looks like it stops at 19:00. I am thinking of taking Sky Bus, or something, to CBD (which station?) and then the tram to St Kilda. There seems to be a tram stop (#34) near our apartment.

 

I'd appreciate any help or insights. We are traveling with one rollerboard each, so luggage isn't an issue.

 

Thanks!

 

Cathy

Literacy Lady,

The Skybus from Melbourne Airport travels to Southern Cross Railway Station. Inkerman Street is a rather long Street. It might be helpful to tell us where your apartment is on Inkerman Street. By the time you arrive at Southern Cross Station, it may be easier to go by taxi to your apartment at that time of day.

Regards,

Leigh

Can anyone provide me the link to obtain a visa to visit Australia? Also, for UK citizens, do we know if this is necessary?

Kokomo91165, all non Australian citizens will require a visa to enter Australia.

This link - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/australia/entry-requirements

may help British citizens.

Regards,

Leigh

Happy New Year to all who frequent the Australia and New Zealand Cruisers board! I get lots of laughs from you all and one of the first things I do each day is check this board. I learn so much from you all. Thank you!

I hope you all enjoy your cruises this year and stay safe and healthy. DH and I are looking forward to our next cruise on Voyager of the Seas at end of March, our first on RCL. We may even get to meet gbenjo when we check in.

Best wishes to all,

Leigh

There is value in it for those who are likely to use all the coffee's on their sailing and also if they do not have a drinks package (with coffees included) already.

Yes Mic, it is good value. We used one on the Diamond Princess last year which was also of great value.

Leigh

When last on Voyager this time last year speciality coffee a Tall(latte) sizings are like Starbucks which is like a medium was $4.50 USdollars

Hope this helps.

Thanks lazy day, yes it does help! Just what I wanted to know.

Leigh

Are you getting the drinks package ? If so, specialty coffees, bottled water etc would be inc in that.

No Tassie Cruiser, we're not getting a drink package. Just interested in the coffee card.

Thanks,

Leigh

Today, when checking my cruise planner for our cruise on the Voyager of the Seas in March, I saw that there is a coffee card available. The cost is 48.65 AUD for 15 specialty coffees. Has anyone used the coffee card or can anyone tell me the cost of a specialty coffee on Voyager? Just trying to work out if it is worth buying.

Thanks,

Leigh

I always thought that biscuits in the UK and maybe other parts of europe are what we here in American know as cookies. Are biscuits also crackers? I don't usually have cookies with my cheese!!!:eek::D

Biscuits in the UK are either sweet (cookies) or savoury (crackers). In Australia we are more likely to refer to cookies as sweet biscuits and crackers as dry biscuits.

Leigh

RCCL also has Legend (from Brisbane November to February) and Voyager (from Sydney which we will be on at end of March).

Leigh

We were on the Diamond Princess en route to Singapore April 2015 and called into Airlie Beach. We were tendered into Able Point Marina where the tour buses met us. DH and I went on a tour to a coffee plantation near Proserpine and a visit to the historical museum at Proserpine.

I must say I enjoyed the coffee plantation much more than the museum, although DH thoroughly enjoyed the museum. We found the coffee plantation very interesting. It was a pleasant drive through the sugar cane fields there and back to Airlie Beach. The coach driver was a local and had a wealth of information about the area. Those who wanted to look at the market in Airlie Beach were dropped off and the remaining passengers returned to Able Point Marina. We spent the afternoon on our balcony enjoying the view of Airlie Beach and surrounding area.

Leigh

I recently read 'Cold Grave' by Australian author Kathryn Fox which is set on a cruise ship

sailing from Hawaii. I really enjoyed reading the story whose main character is Dr Anya Crichton, a forensic doctor who is a passenger on board.

Leigh

Good morning David,

Could you please add Leigh and Rob for Voyager of the Seas South Pacific cruise 26.03.2016?

Thanks,

Leigh

The Crown is the one i mentioned earlier, very rustic. Slightly better is the Civic Hotel on the corner of Pitt St and Goulburn. Has good pub food.

Check them all out on a pub crawl:)

Sorry Cassamanda, looks as if I missed reading page 3 which I have now done.

Leigh

Read all about Maccas but will only use them if we are desperate!

 

I thought Aus$ was great until recently? Have read a lot about how expensive AUS/NZ were due to bad exchange rate. Maybe I had that wrong. Or our friends were confused :)

 

As far as tips, I don't know what to ask, so I am hoping some of you can educate a dopey American. Really, my basic questions have been answered but sometimes you stumble onto something special/different. For example, for you Sydney residents, what's your favorite pub? What do you order (besides beer and wine!)? Any particularly good pubs in CBD, near the Wyndham? I would like to find a nice pub we could call ours while we are there but this might be hard to do for a lot of reasons.

 

Thanks for the notes on those places. It is doubtful we would be out late at night but it is always nice to know the areas where we need to be more aware.

 

Thx

ML

ML, we stayed at the Wyndham a few years ago and ate at the pub (Crown?) on the corner of Goulburn and Elizabeth Streets a few times. We met an American family there who were also staying at the Wyndham who loved the pub's meals. Also walked down to China Town and had great meals in a couple of restaurants.

Hope you enjoy your visit to Australia,

Leigh

We are cruising Australia this June on the Sun Princess. The cruise returns to port in the morning, but our flight home doesn't leave until the evening. Any suggestions on what to do with all our luggage while we wait out the day? Sitting at the airport for 8 hours does not sound like a good time!

Thanks!

Cruising with 3 kids,

If the Sun Princess docks at White Bay as the Port schedule indicates, it is possible Princess will have transfers to Central station where you could use the luggage storage available. From there you can take a train to any of the city stations to explore the CBD and surrounding areas. Once ready to go to the airport, go back to Central Station, collect your luggage and take the airport train to the International terminal.

Enjoy your trip to Australia,

Leigh

Forgot to say, we had C501 extended balcony, officially a mid-aft, but on that deck mid consisted of four suits, so really a mid.

 

A great position and the extended balcony, half under cover half open about 3mx3m was nice.

 

In all honesty I'm not sure that I'd pay for the extended balcony if I didn't want the location.

 

Balcony had two nice chairs with foot stools and a small table.

 

I do miss having a sofa in the cabin, but I think that would be my only complaint on that score.

Gut, your review of your cruise on the Diamond is fantastic. We loved her when we cruised on her late March from Sydney to Singapore. We were in C512 and thought the extended balcony was fabulous. Those mid aft cabins are in a great position, convenient to the lifts and stairs.

Looking forward to reading more of your review.

Leigh

This is a very helpful thread. Thanks Kinkacruiser for starting it.

 

Have had a brief look at Insure & Go and wondering whataripper if you have ever had to make a claim and if so, what was the response?

LC1950, we used Insure & Go on our last cruise in March. We claimed a couple of visits to the Medical Centre and had our refund within a few days. We both have existing medical conditions and the premium was certainly lower than we expected after looking at other companies. We would use them again.

Leigh

. Also, there was no display of outside temperature, wind or navigation map. You could not even see the ship's bow, which would usually be displayed on Princess' own website. Why would they not show this available information to the passengers actually on board?

When on board the Diamond in March/April, we checked the weather and navigation map regularly on our cabin television on a channel which was dedicated to this. We actually found the the television system easy to use and certainly had enough variety for us.

Leigh

We've stayed there last year before o'seas flights, Leigh. Nice motel, but we couldn't find any eateries close by. Decided on the Riverview Motel up near the Hamilton Hotel and Dan Murphy's (for wine purchases). Riverview's owner offered to drive us to Portside, if we didn't want to walk the 1 km with luggage. That's service!

Both evenings we ate at the Hamilton Hotel. Great steaks! It is only about a 500m walk there from the Airport Ascot Motel.

Leigh