Celebrity Solstice in Melbourne today - 26 December

[6andy6]

First time in Melbourne today and we have put on some beautiful weather. Perfect blue skies and a bit of a bite in the sun (as my chrome dome can testify).

So wandered down to Port Melbourne (Station Pier) for an ice cream, a wander, and to try out my new camera.

 

From Beaconsfield Parade, Port Melbourne board walk.

 

 

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From Beaconsfield Parade, Port Melbourne board walk.

 

 

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From the start of Station Pier (behind me is where the tram/light rail stops).

 

 

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Taken from the boardwalk in front of Beacon Cove.

 

 

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Taken from adjacent Princess Pier.

 

 

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[Aussieflyer]

Thanks for the photos - many people out to see her?

[6andy6]

These pictures are the environs of Station Pier (where the ship docks).

 

Tram/ Light rail stop at Station Pier into CBD/Downtown.

 

 

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Station Pier Entrance.

 

 

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Station Pier Convenience Store (from what I saw today totally disorganised when selling Myki tickets). Also has a cafe and small grocery/supermarket attached.

 

 

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Boardwalk along beach to Port Melbourne shopping area and (eventually) St Kilda.

 

 

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Boardwalk

 

 

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My wonderful schnauzer watching a ship leave from the boardwalk (not today..it was VOS).

 

 

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[6andy6]

Thanks for the photos - many people out to see her?

 

I was there around lunch time. Was very busy but I think at that time quite a few were passengers and some crew either going for walks, eating at some of the cafes around the base of the pier. I reckon it will be busier when she leaves tonight (going to go back down).

 

Being a warm day of course a few down on the beach and going for a Boxing Day walk mixed with cyclists using the bike path back along the bay.

 

The area is definitely to small for the number of vehicles picking up and setting down people.

 

I did notice what appeared to be older Met buses being used as shuttles. I think though they may have only run from the ship to the tram/ light rail terminal as they had a sign that said 'Tram shuttle' in their window. They were 2 of them going back and forth.

[hawkers]

Where to for her now? Is it NZ?

[Aussieflyer]

Where to for her now? Is it NZ?

 

Yep, she should have left at about 7pm today for Fjordland (Milford, Dusky and Doubtful Sounds). This is the same 12 day itinerary we are on next month.

[Aussieflyer]

My wonderful schnauzer watching a ship leave from the boardwalk (not today..it was VOS).

 

Such a cute dog! Great photos - thanks

[TLCOhio]

Super appreciate 6andy6 posting these pictures and info. We are looking forward to our first “down under” visit, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Celebrity Solstice sailing, departing Sydney, doing 14 days on this ship we loved in the Med in June 2011. We will be finishing in Auckland. Plus, doing some pre-cruise options for Cairns/Port Douglas, the Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef, then Kangaroo Island near Adelaide before departing from Sidney’s scenic harbor. Any special secrets and tips in these areas?? And, probably post-cruise in Queenstown and stopping in Hawaii on the way home to break up that long, long flight back. We have a nice and active roll call going at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1614754

Welcome to any who want to join us for this trip and/or travel along via the web as we get prepared for that "adventure".

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 113,103 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[NSWP]

Thanks for the photos 6andy6, the ship and your dog look real pretty. Just think that will be us on board Solstice there when we get to Melbourne on 7 March.

 

Still looks the same at the pier as it was when we called in on Arcadia in March this year, we used the trams to get to the city. The shop could not handle the number of pax wanting to buy tram tickets, so the tram conductor told us to ride for gratis.

 

I did not argue the point.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Great photo of the Celebrity Solstice in Melbourne6andy6 :D

 

Thank you for posting them!

[cazz0069]

Great pics!!!! The shame with going to see cruise ships here in Melbourne, you cant get anywhere near them, unlike the OPT in Sydney.... Nice to see the pics, she looks amazing! :)

[6andy6]

Great pics!!!! The shame with going to see cruise ships here in Melbourne, you cant get anywhere near them, unlike the OPT in Sydney.... Nice to see the pics, she looks amazing! :)

 

See I am old enough (just :p) to remember you could write to the shipping lines and get visitors passes to go aboard (back in the 1970's I remember as a child going on many ships for the evening). Everyone throwing streamers back and forth as the ship pulled away and us kids going down to collect them and run amongst the paper.

 

Even going onto Station Pier - I remember seeing the QE2 off and a band playing. I cannot understand this 'security issue' that they claim stops them allowing the general public onto the pier when liners are in town. it would actually add something specially when the big ships left having all the locals gawking up.

 

Its not as though you cant station security at the check in areas (which always were separate) nor can it be terrorism...lets face it anyone wanting to do such an act could just load a boat full of explosives and ram it. They would hardly walk up and try and throw something.

 

So I think its all a furphy.....just a way for the government to avoid spending money updating facilities better that can cope with spectators and tourists.

[cassamanda]

A sign of the past

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Its the same everywhere now.

We actually rang the port in Auckland and asked why ....

Should have known the response in this PC world...

 

Streamers cannot be thrown as they are not environmentally friendly.:mad:

 

 

[Sutho]

Thanks for putting them up. Its good to see the ship in Melbourne where we will dock in March. I have booked the Great Ocean Road tour as I have never seen that part before.

 

That could be a good pier for cruise ships but security is off puting. The times I have been to Melbourne on the ships the terminal makes you feel uncomfortable with the unusually high level of security. Then once you get past the terminal it is all friendly. The same thing happened to me in 2008 when I got off Sun Princess there. Got a tram into the city. Too many passengers so they just let us go for free!