Celebrity Solstice in Sydney today - 21st Decemeber 2014

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Celebrity Solstice in Sydney today after her cruise around New Zealand

 

and she is trying a new way to park today :)

 

[avalon007]

Cool, we will be on her in a few months & when I booked I thought she parked nose first at the OPT but then heard she didn't.

 

I had booked a starboard cabin so for once we would look out on the opera house before we set sail rather than the dock.

 

So this new parking is hopefully here to stay!

 

Maybe the extension to the OPT wharf has allowed for the nose in parking? I'm sure Gbenjo will have that answer if he reads this thread. :)

[gaechann]

Yes Voyager if the Seas when it returned to Sydney parked nose in the second time. It was said to be the extension of the wharf that enabled the change.

 

 

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[StrayKat77]

Ahh she is heading back to NZ soon to pick us up! really wished I was going the reverse way now as the harbour is so pretty at nighttime. Excuse to get a cruise out of Sydney soon

[Ozy71]

Just got in on the Century and the Solstice is still here with tugs assisting in the middle of channel. Any idea what is going on?

 

 

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[Kiwi_cruiser]

Just got in on the Century and the Solstice is still here with tugs assisting in the middle of channel. Any idea what is going on?

 

The Solstice was heading to ATHOL BUOY 4.

 

As far as I under stand the Solstice sometimes spends overnight in Sydney (and leaves on the 2nd day), and today they had to do a switch around so the Century could do her turn around.

 

 

Hopefully Gbenjo, maybe able to give us a bit more info. :)

[gbenjo]

The Solstice was heading to ATHOL BUOY 4.

 

As far as I under stand the Solstice sometimes spends overnight in Sydney (and leaves on the 2nd day), and today they had to do a switch around so the Century could do her turn around.

 

 

Hopefully Gbenjo, maybe able to give us a bit more info. :)

 

You are spot on Kiwi_cruiser, the Solstice quite often "overnights" in Sydney and leaves the following evening (around 6pm) and this time had to move to Athol Buoy to allow the Century to turnaround today. I think the reason it overnights is due in part to the fact that there are normally a very large number of overseas guests, especially USA, that sail on her out of Sydney and many of them fly in early that morning and basically go direct to the ship without "seeing" Sydney so the overnight stay is kind of like their first port of call...if that makes sense.

[goodycruising]

So are they doing something special leaving at the same time?

[gbenjo]

So are they doing something special leaving at the same time?

 

Don't think so.............maybe a drag race down the harbour:)

[goodycruising]

power to weight ratio ... could be interesting!

[MicCanberra]

It was nice coming in this morning on the Century, thanks for moving aside Solstice.:D

[GUT2407]

Got a couple of nice picks of Solstice as Century took her place at the OPT.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Got a couple of nice picks of Solstice as Century took her place at the OPT.

 

Would love to see them :)

[GUT2407]

This was my favourite. It's actually a bit darker on CC than on screen so I'll fiddle a little. t was the first time I've used this camera in a while

Edited December 23, 2014 by GUT2407

[GUT2407]

This was the same shot lightened a bit, why am I only getting thumbnails????

Edited December 23, 2014 by GUT2407

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for posting the shots Geoff.:D

[GUT2407]

Thanks for posting the shots Geoff.:D

 

 

Already regretting not taking a "Real Camera" with me.

[Flipper133]

Ahh she is heading back to NZ soon to pick us up! really wished I was going the reverse way now as the harbour is so pretty at nighttime. Excuse to get a cruise out of Sydney soon

 

We have just got off the Solstice (21st) after cruising Auk - Sydney. We have done the one ways twice before, but although the Sydney Sailaway is great, all in all I believe the Auk -Syd is the best option.

 

My reasons.....

 

1. Well, the itinery as somewhat port intensive, but mainly crowding into one week. Thus the Auk-Syd cruise visits all the NZ ports in Week 1, then 3 sea days (incl Fjordland), then Hobart (sometimes Melb) then another sea day before Sydney. I find it better to do all (most) of the ports first then relax. Having last full day on board at sea is also nice...gives you the chance for final farewells as well as time to do your packing etc.

 

2. A major attraction of this cruise is Fjordland, with Milford sound the star. Sailing ex Sydney you arrive at Milford early morning, spend an hour or so there and then spend the rest of the day cruising Doubtful and Dusky. Sailing ex Auckland you get into Dusky early morning and then reach Milford in the afternoon, when the weather is likely to be better. To me, the build up from the "lesser" sounds to reach the days climax in Milford is the best way to do the fjords.

 

cheers

Edited December 23, 2014 by Flipper133

[gbenjo]

We have just got off the Solstice (21st) after cruising Auk - Sydney. We have done the one ways twice before, but although the Sydney Sailaway is great, all in all I believe the Auk -Syd is the best option.

 

My reasons.....

 

1. Well, the itinery as somewhat port intensive, but mainly crowding into one week. Thus the Auk-Syd cruise visits all the NZ ports in Week 1, then 3 sea days (incl Fjordland), then Hobart (sometimes Melb) then another sea day before Sydney. I find it better to do all (most) of the ports first then relax. Having last full day on board at sea is also nice...gives you the chance for final farewells as well as time to do your packing etc.

 

2. A major attraction of this cruise is Fjordland, with Milford sound the star. Sailing ex Sydney you arrive at Milford early morning, spend an hour or so there and then spend the rest of the day cruising Doubtful and Dusky. Sailing ex Auckland you get into Dusky early morning and then reach Milford in the afternoon, when the weather is likely to be better. To me, the build up from the "lesser" sounds to reach the days climax in Milford is the best way to do the fjords.

 

cheers

 

John glad to see you enjoyed your cruise. How did you end up getting to the airport after the cruise....and did you make your flight ok?

[MicCanberra]

Flipper, I am glad you enjoyed your cruise. I agree with your 'sound' reasoning and also having the rest days after all the ports is great.:D

[Flipper133]

John glad to see you enjoyed your cruise. How did you end up getting to the airport after the cruise....and did you make your flight ok?

 

Thanks Graham

 

No problems disembarking..in fact we were early... I rang Cab Coy (with whom I had pre booked a wagon cab) and they arranged for cab to be dispatched earlier. Meanwhile we were directed by port staff to go to the Hickson Rd Private Pick up place....unfortunately cab went to the normal taxi pick up place. After more phone calls I told them to forget it, and I hailed a passing cab (wagon) and got to airport in plenty of time. Should of taken your advice from an earlier post.

 

I had not flown Qantas for a few years (esp. ex Sydney) so had the new experience of their DIY Bag Drop Off System. Found out you had to weigh your bags and print out tags at the "kiosk". Two bags (with duty free grog) were overweight so we had to re arrange some of our packing (they would not let us aggregate). The Bag Drop off system is far from perfect... and it was chaos given it was the Sunday prior to Christmas. Eventually got home... no red carpet... but a few wines were required:D

 

BTW: In Auckland I went to present my two Letters of Consent at the Cruise Check In. Young Lady there had no idea of what I was on about...obviously nothing on her computer required such documentation. I wouldn't offer this experience as advice as it seems things are different in Sydney. Oh well...I wanted to prepare those docs anyway for our own purposes.

 

cheers

Edited December 23, 2014 by Flipper133

[MicCanberra]

I find some of these self service type counters always seem to need a staff member to sort out an issue anyway, I suppose it saves having 20 staff to do check-in.:rolleyes:

 

In regards to your documentation, it is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.:D

Edited December 23, 2014 by MicCanberra

[gbenjo]

Thanks Graham

 

No problems disembarking..in fact we were early... I rang Cab Coy (with whom I had pre booked a wagon cab) and they arranged for cab to be dispatched earlier. Meanwhile we were directed by port staff to go to the Hickson Rd Private Pick up place....unfortunately cab went to the normal taxi pick up place. After more phone calls I told them to forget it, and I hailed a passing cab (wagon) and got to airport in plenty of time. Should of taken your advice from an earlier post.

 

So why didn't you? :D:D:D

 

BTW: In Auckland I went to present my two Letters of Consent at the Cruise Check In. Young Lady there had no idea of what I was on about...obviously nothing on her computer required such documentation. I wouldn't offer this experience as advice as it seems things are different in Sydney. Oh well...I wanted to prepare those docs anyway for our own purposes.

 

The same rules apply regardless of which port /country you embark from.

I think maybe the reason she did not know about it is that we only do a couple of turnarounds in NZ each season and the she may have been "new" Actually nothings shows on the computer to alert you, it is up to the check in agent to spot the different names, and being "green" she may have missed it. Having said that, the check in agents have a briefing prior to each turnaround, so she should have known.

 

In your case you had the correct documentation and if a "situation" arose on board you could have produced it and there would have been no problem and ninety nine times out of one hundred (probably nine hundred and ninety nine times out of a thousand) everything is "legit" with or without documentation, but the cruise line must protect itself..but more so the children traveling.. that is what the rule is designed for.

[benjoon]

 

I took this photo on the 21st. We had just arrived in our hotel room after our Solstice cruise. In the back ground is the Seaborne Odyssey. We certainly had a million dollar view.

[MicCanberra]

Terrific photo, thanks.:D