Pacific Jewel Going around New Zealand - 29/01/2011 - 11/02/2011

[Kiwi_cruiser]

The Pacific Jewel is off doing another trip around New Zealand. Her first for 2011.

 

Here's the Itinerary:

 

* Sydney, Australia - 29 January 2011

 

* Pt. Chalmers, New Zealand - 02 February 2011

 

* Christchurch, New Zealand - 03 February 2011

 

* Wellington, New Zealand - 04 February 2011

 

* Napier, New Zealand - 05 February 2011

 

* Tauranga, New Zealand - 06 February 2011

 

* Auckland, New Zealand - 07 February 2011

 

* Bay of Isles, New Zealand - 08 February 2011

 

* Sydney, Australia - 11 February 2011

 

Hope everyone who on this trip has a great time :cool:

 

 

I Just hope the Pacific Jewel Web Cam will start working again soon!!! :eek:

[rkmw]

we just came off the pacific jewel and we enjoyed ourselves, the staff are good and the Commodore was walking around the ship and mingling with the other passengers.....even the coffee from the buffet was better than Princess...we could drink it and the cabins are bigger than Princess

[stanc61]

Thanks kiwi_cruiser for starting this thread. We had a lovely sailaway yesterday and a beautiful sunny and calm day today. The food is great, the outside cabin (upgrade) is wonderful, the staff are all happy and friendly and the people are a great bunch. We had an informal get together today with 6 other couples we met through Facebook and we are all meeting tomorrow for drinks after lunch. That's about it for this post as the Pacific Cirque are about to perform here in the Atrium. Will get back on maybe tomorrow after Fjordland or the day after from Dunedin. Ciao for now.

[thied]

Thanks kiwi_cruiser for starting this thread. We had a lovely sailaway yesterday and a beautiful sunny and calm day today. The food is great, the outside cabin (upgrade) is wonderful, the staff are all happy and friendly and the people are a great bunch. We had an informal get together today with 6 other couples we met through Facebook and we are all meeting tomorrow for drinks after lunch. That's about it for this post as the Pacific Cirque are about to perform here in the Atrium. Will get back on maybe tomorrow after Fjordland or the day after from Dunedin. Ciao for now.

are you shore you are on this cruise as you have said you will be in Fjordland tomorrow( monday31/01/2011 ) but you do not get there till tuesday 01/02/2011. and Dunedin on wednsday 02/02/2011. Sydney, Australia 29 January 20112. Pt. Chalmers, New Zealand 02 February 20113. Christchurch, New Zealand 03 February 20114. Wellington, New Zealand 04 February 20115. Napier, New Zealand 05 February 20116. Tauranga, New Zealand 06 February 20117. Auckland, New Zealand 07 February 20118. Bay of Isles, New Zealand 08 February 20119. Sydney, Australia 11 February 2011

 

 

. Sydney, Australia 29 January 20112. Pt. Chalmers, New Zealand 02 February 20113. Christchurch, New Zealand 03 February 20114. Wellington, New Zealand 04 February 20115. Napier, New Zealand 05 February 20116. Tauranga, New Zealand 06 February 20117. Auckland, New Zealand 07 February 20118. Bay of Isles, New Zealand 08 February 20119. Sydney, Australia 11 February 2011

[Sandielle]

Thanks kiwi_cruiser for starting this thread. We had a lovely sailaway yesterday and a beautiful sunny and calm day today. The food is great, the outside cabin (upgrade) is wonderful, the staff are all happy and friendly and the people are a great bunch. We had an informal get together today with 6 other couples we met through Facebook and we are all meeting tomorrow for drinks after lunch. That's about it for this post as the Pacific Cirque are about to perform here in the Atrium. Will get back on maybe tomorrow after Fjordland or the day after from Dunedin. Ciao for now.

 

Glad you're enjoying yourself Stanc61. Looking forward to hearing about the ports as we are going again in a month. :)

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Thanks kiwi_cruiser for starting this thread. We had a lovely sailaway yesterday and a beautiful sunny and calm day today. The food is great, the outside cabin (upgrade) is wonderful, the staff are all happy and friendly and the people are a great bunch. We had an informal get together today with 6 other couples we met through Facebook and we are all meeting tomorrow for drinks after lunch. That's about it for this post as the Pacific Cirque are about to perform here in the Atrium. Will get back on maybe tomorrow after Fjordland or the day after from Dunedin. Ciao for now.

 

 

Great to hear from you Stan.

Thanks for taking the time to post. Looking forward to hearing all about the crusie.

Have you checked out the Club Lounge yet?:D

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Whooooo, the Pacific Jewel web cam is back :D:

 

 

PACIFIC JEWEL at ShipWatcher

 

 

 

Live View from the Pacific Jewel:

 

[Sandielle]

Whooooo, the Pacific Jewel web cam is back :D:

 

 

PACIFIC JEWEL at ShipWatcher

 

Live View from the Pacific Jewel:

 

 

Oh, I thought it would come back looking like new!!!!!! :cool:

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Just checked both the bridge and the port cam for Dunedin

and it does not look as if they have made it into Dunedin today.

 

Anyone heard anything?

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Just checked both the bridge and the port cam for Dunedin

and it does not look as if they have made it into Dunedin today.

 

Anyone heard anything?

 

Nope, but she could be running late, as I think it was quite rough Yesterday.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Pacific Jewel was in Fiordland National Park Yesterday

 

It looked like they may had only made it in to maybe one or two of the sounds:

 

 

 

PACIFIC JEWEL at ShipWatcher

[Kiwi_cruiser]

They also had the Diamond Princess with them and I looked like the Diamond Princess may have had better luck with the sounds as they went in to Milford sounds quite late (around 6 pm)

 

Here’s what I managed to capture before I went out last night:

 

 

 

 

 

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

 

DIAMOND PRINCESS at ShipWatcher

[stanc61]

Well it's been a few days since I last posted. It is now 10.43am on Wednesday morning and we are sailing on a North East heading at a leisurely 10 knots in calm seas, however there are very strong wind gusts which means the Captain (Dariusz Gozdzik) has decided it's to dangerous to enter Port Chalmers (Dunedin) this morning.

 

The Tasman Sea crossing was very good for this time of year and only little rocking motion and most people commenting on how calm the crossing had been. Everyone had been looking forward s morning to Dunedin but the ship and passengers safety takes priority. We visited NZ 20 years ago and spent a couple of days in the Otago and so we were not that disappointed to miss here. However their will be a few people who will grumble about missing their Cadbury's tours. All tour costs will be refunded in full to our on board accounts over the next two days.

 

Yesterday we had a lovely morning in Milford Sound with reasonably clear skies, no wind and very picturesque. However on returning to the open seas the conditions quickly deteriorated and the Captain decided that we would bypass Doubtful Sound and make straight for Dusky Sound which we reached around lunch time. We then hightailed it south and around the bottom of NZ and between Stewart Island with a low pressure front chasing us from behind. It was wet and cold on deck but stil the seas are surprisingly calm.

 

I'm sitting in our cabin typing this up on my new iPad while DW is having a snooze after breakfast and we will venture out *p *hyjsoon to see what is on in the way of some lunch and some afternoon trivia and catch up with some of the new friends we have made. Its very true what they say about 6 degrees of separation. I'm saving this in notes and then will copy and paste it straight into CC and FB so I donT waste too much of my access time (110 mins = $58.50).

 

Our Cruise Director is Noortje Denteneer from the Netherlands and other passengers compare her favorably to Zoltina J for those that know her. She is very vibrant, bubbly and buxom. I took part in Family Fued and she kept calling me Bob. After I corrected her for the second time she did it again and most of the audience by then yelled out, "its Stan" . . *LOL

 

Well we have moved from our outside cabin on Deck 6 to the Atrium on 6 which is about 30 meters from our cabin and it's packed in here due to the wet windy weather outside.

 

So far apart from one cancelled dance show in the Marquee (considered to dangerous for dancers), everything else has gone ahead as planned. We have not been able to fault or complain about anything at all. I will say that the Aqua spa in the Dome is wasted and should be reverted back to a lounge (in my opinion) like the Dawn.

 

The food has been nothing but outstanding.*

Breakfasts we have not done anything but the Plantation buffet and it's always been hot and fresh. I have two fried eggs every morning and they are freshly cooked while I wait and watch and huge variety of cereals, hot food and fruit and bread.

Lunch we have had in the Waterfront Restaurant twice and though the same menu, plenty of variety and the lime and salt calamari is my favorite. The other 2 days we had an on deck BBQ and also ate in the buffet and again plenty of variety.

Dinner we have sat at 2 different tables in the Waterfront and met other people to chat with and on Monday night we paid the $20 overcharge and had the 8 course Asian feast in La Luna which is highly recommended, we will do this again. We are booked in to Luke Mangan's Salt Grill on Sunday night for my DW's birthday surprise.*

 

That's about it for now and I will try and answer your questions when next I log in, Christchurch tomorrow and the early forecast is for a warm and sunny day with completely improved conditions.

 

I remember someone asking about the Club Lounge. One of the cabin crew we spoke to where the Lounge is located said that this was not being used this cruise as the senior crew were using for some reason. I will ask one of the CD staff about it and attempt to get a more definitive answer.*

 

Bye for now *. . . *Stan

[Sandielle]

The ship web cam says 'Dunedin' but I cannot see any land. She's not showing in this webcam either, but could possibly be further around.

 

[Kiwi Kruzer]

The web cam says 'Dunedin' but I cannot see any land.

 

 

You cant always rely on the web cam titles Sandi.

If you check the port cam, there is no sign of a ship docked.

The weather actually looks OK, but the problem with Port Chalmers is negotiating the very long and narrow channel through the harbour.

In high winds it is very tricky, if not dangerous .

 

http://www.portotago.co.nz/11/1/1.html

[Sandielle]

Thanks Stan,

 

Looks as though our posts crossed (having trouble with my provider this morning - Grrrrrrr). Now we know why she's not at the port.

 

Now, I see David, has replied while I was editing and putting the port cam on.

 

Gee, it's the quick or the dead on here today, isn't it? No I know you can't rely on what the web cams say.

[Sandielle]

Thanks Stan,

 

Looks as though our posts crossed (having trouble with my provider this morning - Grrrrrrr). Now we know why she's not at the port.

 

Now, I see David, has replied while I was editing and putting the port cam on.

 

Gee, it's the quick or the dead on here today, isn't it?

[Sandielle]

Stan, glad you are enjoying the cruise! I love the calamari, as well.

 

Looks like Port Chalmers might take over the title of 'Windy' from Wellington. :D

Wonder how we'll find it in a month's time???

 

Looking forward to the next instalment!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Lyttleton today....

 

 

 

[stanc61]

Hi David,

Just back on board and it's been a lovely day but the weather has turned in the last hour and sailaway looks like being wash away. We are just having a coffee in the chocolate shop and then I will be going up to get some shots of Lyttleton before the rain starts. Ciao for now and maybe some more from windy Wellington tomorrow.

Stan

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Enjoy your day in Wellington.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

PACIFIC JEWEL at ShipWatcher

[Kiwi_cruiser]

They choose a good day to be in Wellington if your a rugby fan as the IRB Sevens are on in Wellington today!!.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

From Twitter:

 

@NZStuff A large crowd of people are standing on the deck of the nearby cruise ship and have great view of the #sevens! /GM