To Balcony or Not to Balcony

[NSWP]

INVESTIGATIONS RE THOSE EXHIBITIONISTS ON THE SPEED BOAT ARE IN PROGRESS, NSW POLICE MARINE UNIT EXPECT AN ARREST SHORTLY - FOLLOWING A 'LINE UP. lol.

[rugbypopsie]

:):)

 

Referring to what - the vessel or the posteriors ???? :p:p:p

 

I thought about that too as soon as I had hit the "submit" button...I guess "whatever floats your boat".:pI was thinking vessels...honest!

[Sassy19305]

Which cruise line are you sailing with and on which date? My DH and I are booked on a NZ cruise Jan 15.

[LuckiePuris]

Which cruise line are you sailing with and on which date? My DH and I are booked on a NZ cruise Jan 15.

 

Hi Sassy, not sure if you were asking about me, but we are booked on Radiance 3 Jan 2012. Will this be your first cruise to NZ? We cruised to NZ on Rhapsody of the Seas in 2009 / 2010 and had a great cruise. There's a link to my cruise photos in my signature below, if you're interested. I'm sure you will have a fantastic cruise! :)

[villauk]

Hi Sassy, not sure if you were asking about me, but we are booked on Radiance 3 Jan 2012. Will this be your first cruise to NZ? We cruised to NZ on Rhapsody of the Seas in 2009 / 2010 and had a great cruise. There's a link to my cruise photos in my signature below, if you're interested. I'm sure you will have a fantastic cruise! :)

Great photos. I was interested as we're sailing on Solstice next Christmas to NZ. What was your weather like and how was the crossing at this time of year? As other posters have said, it's the luck of the draw, but was interested to hear what your experience was like. Did RCI provide special celebrations for the holiday period?

If you enjoyed Rhapsody, you'll love Radiance; it's our favourite class of RCI ship. It's got an intimate feel, yet still has lots of the facilities of a large ship. We did Alaska on Radiance and it's still our favourite cruise to date.

[dianned]

Great photos Dennis. I think I detect a tad of envy apparent in the last pic. :D

 

Hi Sandielle, in your list you mention a ship called the Monowai. Do you remember which year this was. I sailed from Auckland to Sydney with my Mother in 1956, on our way back to the UK and wondered would it be the same ship. I know they do pass names on, but it's just a thought !

[Sandielle]

Hi Sandielle, in your list you mention a ship called the Monowai. Do you remember which year this was. I sailed from Auckland to Sydney with my Mother in 1956, on our way back to the UK and wondered would it be the same ship. I know they do pass names on, but it's just a thought !

 

Hi Dianned. Yes it would have been the end of 1956 or beg 57 - I can't remember, now. Our family had gone to live in NZ, but came back to Aus after my grandfather died and my grandmother was ill and on her own. We kids were very excited about travelling by ship and that's all I can remember about it. :rolleyes: (I still have a monogrammed Monowai letter opener which I inherited! :D)

[Sassy19305]

LuckiePuris - thanks so much for sharing your photos. Now I wish my cruise was next week instead of next year! We are booked on Radiance as well, just the cruise after you.

[Debsta]

We are contemplating booking an Australia/New Zealand cruise during January. Q: Is it too windy to enjoy the benefits of a balcony cabin? The last cruise we took a balcony (Hawaii to Ensenada) and it was so windy that we were not able to enjoy it. Many thanks for your advice.

 

Larry

 

I had a balcony in January. I used it heaps :D It was freeeeeeeeeeezing going through the Sounds tho so it was nice to sit on the balcony which was a bit more sheltered (with a blanky) and just watch the world go by. It was also great up on deck getting the 360 degree views prior to frostbite setting in. The benefit of the balcony......you have a choice!

[Debsta]

Grab a balcony cabin on the starboard side.

 

Going out - expect views like this:

 

 

Coming home some great early morning shots on the other side of the harbour:

 

 

 

Just beware of these nutters who think this is the best way to greet an incoming cruise ship.

 

 

These are great photos Dennis (butt cheeks and all :D). What sort of camera are you using?

[Rasa Sayang]

These are great photos Dennis (butt cheeks and all :D). What sort of camera are you using?

 

thanks for the compliment.

 

Its just a high end "Point & Shoot" from Fuji.

 

It has all the features I need.

 

I've resisted the challenge of going down the DSLR road for some time.

 

I went down it before with several Pentax SLRs way back in the days of film and it costs a fortune. :D:p

[LuckiePuris]

Great photos. I was interested as we're sailing on Solstice next Christmas to NZ. What was your weather like and how was the crossing at this time of year? As other posters have said, it's the luck of the draw, but was interested to hear what your experience was like. Did RCI provide special celebrations for the holiday period?

If you enjoyed Rhapsody, you'll love Radiance; it's our favourite class of RCI ship. It's got an intimate feel, yet still has lots of the facilities of a large ship. We did Alaska on Radiance and it's still our favourite cruise to date.

 

We cruised December / January and the crossing was ok. It was a little rough at times when sailing from Melbourne to the South Island, but smooth sailing from port to port, and back to Sydney. Weatherwise the South Island was quite cool but the North Island much warmer. I would highly recommend jackets & thick jumpers / sweaters, scarves for the South Island, along with a waterproof jacket, just in case. The North Island was warm enough for jeans & a light jumper / tshirt, and I would recommend layers, as if you are doing a lot of walking around you may get warm.

 

When sailing through the Sounds, I would strongly recommend to take plastic ponchos or waterproof jackets, just incase it is a bit wet, so you can still be outdoors on deck if you wish. When we sailed through it was misty, although we personally enjoyed the misty day we had in the Sounds as it added a sense of mystery and we generally had the top deck to ourselves, as most stayed indoors. If the weather had been clear, we would have struggled to find a spot on deck with everyone outside, and would not have had as many waterfalls. Whatever weather you get, make the most of it.

 

We were onboard Rhapsody for both Christmas and New Years Eve, and RCI made it a very festive cruise. For Christmas, there was carolling in the Centrum, along with lots of decorations and a Christmas tree. Christmas morning, there were regular annoucements advising that there was someone unknown approaching the ship - setting the scene for Santa Claus to arrive onboard for the children. Each child under 18 was given a Christmas gift by Santa, and all passengers could have their photo taken with Santa by the tree in the centrum. There was also egg nog available in the centrum on Christmas morning.

From memory, there were two NYE parties - one in the Centrum and one on top deck. We were in the centrum and there was free champagne, a countdown projected onto a big screen and a balloon drop at midnight. There were also festive menus in the dining room for both Christmas & New Years Eve, as well as Happy New Year tiaras, top hats & noise makers for NYE.

 

I am definately looking forward to Radiance! With all the glass on this class of ship, it would be amazing to sail Alaska on. Do you mind if I ask if you've had any experience with the hump / bump cabins on Radiance with the larger balcony? Looking at the deck plans, they appear to have larger balconies than other balconies in the same category. Is there a particular spot you would recommend onboard for sailaway? Thanks for your help and am happy to answer any questions you may have on RCI or NZ :)

[LuckiePuris]

LuckiePuris - thanks so much for sharing your photos. Now I wish my cruise was next week instead of next year! We are booked on Radiance as well, just the cruise after you.

 

I am the same as you, hoping the cruise was much sooner! Radiance sure looks like a fantastic ship :)

[villauk]

We cruised December / January and the crossing was ok. It was a little rough at times when sailing from Melbourne to the South Island, but smooth sailing from port to port, and back to Sydney. Weatherwise the South Island was quite cool but the North Island much warmer. I would highly recommend jackets & thick jumpers / sweaters, scarves for the South Island, along with a waterproof jacket, just in case. The North Island was warm enough for jeans & a light jumper / tshirt, and I would recommend layers, as if you are doing a lot of walking around you may get warm.

 

When sailing through the Sounds, I would strongly recommend to take plastic ponchos or waterproof jackets, just incase it is a bit wet, so you can still be outdoors on deck if you wish. When we sailed through it was misty, although we personally enjoyed the misty day we had in the Sounds as it added a sense of mystery and we generally had the top deck to ourselves, as most stayed indoors. If the weather had been clear, we would have struggled to find a spot on deck with everyone outside, and would not have had as many waterfalls. Whatever weather you get, make the most of it.

 

We were onboard Rhapsody for both Christmas and New Years Eve, and RCI made it a very festive cruise. For Christmas, there was carolling in the Centrum, along with lots of decorations and a Christmas tree. Christmas morning, there were regular annoucements advising that there was someone unknown approaching the ship - setting the scene for Santa Claus to arrive onboard for the children. Each child under 18 was given a Christmas gift by Santa, and all passengers could have their photo taken with Santa by the tree in the centrum. There was also egg nog available in the centrum on Christmas morning.

From memory, there were two NYE parties - one in the Centrum and one on top deck. We were in the centrum and there was free champagne, a countdown projected onto a big screen and a balloon drop at midnight. There were also festive menus in the dining room for both Christmas & New Years Eve, as well as Happy New Year tiaras, top hats & noise makers for NYE.

 

I am definately looking forward to Radiance! With all the glass on this class of ship, it would be amazing to sail Alaska on. Do you mind if I ask if you've had any experience with the hump / bump cabins on Radiance with the larger balcony? Looking at the deck plans, they appear to have larger balconies than other balconies in the same category. Is there a particular spot you would recommend onboard for sailaway? Thanks for your help and am happy to answer any questions you may have on RCI or NZ :)

Thanks for the info on the Christmas celebrations; looking forward to relaxing and enjoying the festivities. Was there turkey on the menu on Christmas day; can't have Christmas without turkey:p.

Re Radiance Class: Have not stayed in a hump cabin, but have been very close. The hump balconies are angled, think they were slightly larger. We've been in D1s and E2s. D1 cabins are larger and have a bigger sofa bed (excellent for us as a family) than E1 and E2. The large amounts of glass on this ship do give you more of a relationship with the sea. The Schooner bar is our favourite place for a tipple. I think Radiance also has the Seaview Cafe, brilliant for pasta and pizza dishes.

You'll definitely notice the difference between this class of ship and Vision class. We haven't sailed on Rhapsody, but have cruised on Splendour and while the cruise was wonderful, IMHO the ship did need revamping (something I believe is happening shortly). I realise it's a personal preference, but once you have cruised on her, you will be able to see why this class of ship is a favourite of many RCI cruisers. We're cruising on Brilliance next year to Norway, same class of ship as Radiance, can't remember if it's our 3rd or 4th time on her - never tire of a classic;). It highlights the fact of the popularity of this class because when the RCI board heard abouth the new Sunshine class, many were hoping for ships similar to Radiance class and not the new mega ships. Sorry for waffling, just wanted to reassure you that you've made an excellent choice.

Now Celebrity Solstice, that will be another new experience for us - if it's anything like Constellation, I'm sure we'll love it!!!! Not looking forward to the flights, but everyone says New Zealand is definitely worth it :).

[bigdawgs]

We finally booked our cruise aboard the Celebrity Solstice - 13 nt. round-trip Sydney for December 2012 (balcony cabin). Thanks for all the great info., including packing warm clothing for the N.Z. south island and Fjordland (the sounds). Most likely will take some extra time in Sydney following the cruise. Is anything open in Sydney on Christmas Day? Not relishing the very long flights. Perhaps will overnight in L.A. in both directions.

[villauk]

We finally booked our cruise aboard the Celebrity Solstice - 13 nt. round-trip Sydney for December 2012 (balcony cabin). Thanks for all the great info., including packing warm clothing for the N.Z. south island and Fjordland (the sounds). Most likely will take some extra time in Sydney following the cruise. Is anything open in Sydney on Christmas Day? Not relishing the very long flights. Perhaps will overnight in L.A. in both directions.

Bigdawgs,

Are you sailing on 23.12.12 on Solstice? If so, come and join the roll call - we're also on that sailing. Don't think we're actually in Sydney on Christmas Day, 25th is a sailing day. We leave Sydney on Christmas Eve as we are overnight in port the previous evening. The long flights are not something we're relishing:eek:. 24 hours whichever way round we go, may visit the East on the way and LA on the way back:confused:.

[LuckiePuris]

Thanks for the info on the Christmas celebrations; looking forward to relaxing and enjoying the festivities. Was there turkey on the menu on Christmas day; can't have Christmas without turkey:p.

Re Radiance Class: Have not stayed in a hump cabin, but have been very close. The hump balconies are angled, think they were slightly larger. We've been in D1s and E2s. D1 cabins are larger and have a bigger sofa bed (excellent for us as a family) than E1 and E2. The large amounts of glass on this ship do give you more of a relationship with the sea. The Schooner bar is our favourite place for a tipple. I think Radiance also has the Seaview Cafe, brilliant for pasta and pizza dishes.

You'll definitely notice the difference between this class of ship and Vision class. We haven't sailed on Rhapsody, but have cruised on Splendour and while the cruise was wonderful, IMHO the ship did need revamping (something I believe is happening shortly). I realise it's a personal preference, but once you have cruised on her, you will be able to see why this class of ship is a favourite of many RCI cruisers. We're cruising on Brilliance next year to Norway, same class of ship as Radiance, can't remember if it's our 3rd or 4th time on her - never tire of a classic;). It highlights the fact of the popularity of this class because when the RCI board heard abouth the new Sunshine class, many were hoping for ships similar to Radiance class and not the new mega ships. Sorry for waffling, just wanted to reassure you that you've made an excellent choice.

Now Celebrity Solstice, that will be another new experience for us - if it's anything like Constellation, I'm sure we'll love it!!!! Not looking forward to the flights, but everyone says New Zealand is definitely worth it :).

 

I think there was turkey on the menu for Christmas. For NYE, they had a special menu which we were able to keep. If you would like a bottle of champagne for Christmas or NYE dinner, a good idea would be to order it as soon as you get onboard. On Rhapsody, they had a table setup on the first day just outside the dining room, where you could purchase a wine package, or order your bottles for Christmas / New Years, to ensure that your choice was available on the night.

 

Thank you for the information on Radiance class - Radiance really sounds like a fantastic ship, especially with all the glass areas and elevators. Looking forward to seeing photos of Radiance after drydock, and trying the new eateries!

 

We cruised to NZ in 2009 / 2010 and had a fantastic cruise. What ports are you visiting? New Zealand has amazing scenery especially when sailing through the Sounds. There is a link to my photo album in my signature if you are interested :)

[room010]

I doubt there will be much open in Sydney on Christmas Day except perhaps a few hotel restaurants and a very limited public transport system including the ferries. If you have specific activities or destinations in mind then I suggest you make Google your friend and see if there's any info on their individual websites. Things do tend to shut down in Oz on Christmas Day so it's worth checking.

[lonig]

I have had both balconies and oceanviews and have enjoyed them all. The balcony in Hawaii was wonderful, but I like to socialize and meet people so am not in the room a lot. My sister and I are cruising Australia and New Zealand in late November into December and are hoping to have the normal weather pattern in the area. We are from Michigan and Minnesota so 50's at night and upper 60's in the daytime are great. We will just dress accordingly. Thanks for all the tips on bringing waterproof jackets and some warmer clothing to go through the sounds. We have an aft balcony this time and will be protected somewhat from the wind so we will enjoy the sounds from a comfortable area where if we need additional warmth will be able to step inside and warm up or put additional clothing on. Can't wait to see the beautiful area.

[bigdawgs]

No. We will be on the 10 Dec. 2012 round-trip Sydney 13 night cruise.

Most likely, we will fly to Cairns on 23 Dec. for a couple of days, then fly back to Sydney on Christmas Day, perhaps overnighting at the airport and then flying out to L.A. the day after Christmas.

[villauk]

No. We will be on the 10 Dec. 2012 round-trip Sydney 13 night cruise.

Most likely, we will fly to Cairns on 23 Dec. for a couple of days, then fly back to Sydney on Christmas Day, perhaps overnighting at the airport and then flying out to L.A. the day after Christmas.

So you're on the sailing before us. Let's hope we both have smooth crossings;). I'm sure you'll love Cairns and the GBR, we did the Karunda railway when we were there last (great experience). We're also thinking of flying back via LA, we believe Qantas and Air New Zealand both fly directly from Auckland to LA? Enjoy your cruise and look after Solstice ready for our sailing :D.