First cruise ..... starting to wonder if I have made a mistake.

[catr13]

 

This is some of my camera gear. I will not be taking it all but working out what I will use is difficult. Some can be carry on but most goes into a Pelican Case as luggage.

 

Wow impressive collection!!!!

[momof3cruisers]

My meager suggestion for planning purposes and expectations of what there will be to do is to do a search, here or the Internet in general for the Cruise Compasses from Radiance. Look into reviews of the same or similar itineraries. See what others filled their time with. Good luck!

 

I think the photography class sounds great!

[MOcruiserman]

I will have lots of photo's, as that is what I do, but I am behind the camera. :D

 

I have asked in the Roll Call if any fellow cruisers would be interested in Photography Lessons while on board. I imagine most will have cameras with them. Many people do not know how to use them properly or make good photographs. Is there a mechanism to form groups like this on board? Would it step on the toes of the staff photographers?

 

I wish you were on my upcoming cruise. I'd definitely take your photography class. I think you'll have a lot of fans on your cruise.

[sanger727]

Just a couple of things.

 

1. Do you really need to bring the camera gear? Keeping in mind the room it will take up in your luggage, the fact that you won't have anywhere safe to store it in the room (like I keep all valuables in the small safe), and I don't know that you really want to lug all over that around the islands. I bought a basic point and shoot waterproof camera for out trips and it's great because you can keep it on you and I"m not worried about it getting wet or broken. When we are on shore excursions we do alot of "doing"; snorkeling, hiking, tubing, etc. and I would feel like the cameras would be a big hinderance to that.

 

2. I always like to look at the full reviews with pictures people post on this forum for your ship/itinerary, because many post the dailies, and you can get a good idea from that what the shows will be and what activities they will run.

 

3. As far as alcohol, don't forget the two bottles of wine you can carry out, as a moderate drinker, those plus a couple mixed drinks and drinking on in ports gets me through most of the trip.

 

4. Be aware that many of the activities in the dailies are sales pitches, not trying to be discouraging, but if you figure out which ones they are, you won't go and be disappointed. There's usually a port talk that tells you what stores to go to, there's the spa tour and various spa talks like on accupuncture, etc, where they just try and sell you, there's the free liquor tasting where they just try and get you into the stores and the art auction of course. Look ahead at the dailies and try and figure out which activities you may enjoy: Bingo? trivia? karaoke? game shows? cooking demonstrations? backstage ship tour? comedy show? watching live musicians? etc etc. There are plenty of things to do to taste, just plan ahead.

[Hailzmick]

Are you sure you're Australian?

Calm down, chuck on a pair of thongs & enjoy it!

Cruises are THE BEST!

Radiance is THE BEST!

The shows are amazing, the food is great.

Just enjoy everything for what it is... The element of surprise is awesome sometimes!

[Cabansail]

Just a couple of things.

 

1. Do you really need to bring the camera gear? Keeping in mind the room it will take up in your luggage, the fact that you won't have anywhere safe to store it in the room (like I keep all valuables in the small safe), and I don't know that you really want to lug all over that around the islands. I bought a basic point and shoot waterproof camera for out trips and it's great because you can keep it on you and I"m not worried about it getting wet or broken. When we are on shore excursions we do alot of "doing"; snorkeling, hiking, tubing, etc. and I would feel like the cameras would be a big hinderance to that.

 

Yes. I do Photography all the time, especially when on a holiday. Will not be taking ALL my gear but have to work out what to pack. I am looking at other peoples images already to see how I would shoot the same scene and if a certain lens would make it better etc. Then working out what would likely be required on shore trips. I do not own a Point & Shoot but I do have some compacts, one with a waterproof housing (that is definitely on the list) While I have taken images with my iPhone at times, the limitations of the file I get can be frustrating. This is also why I need to pack my Macbook as the files which come out of my camera are not photo's, they are just a data set from which I then make photos.

 

2. I always like to look at the full reviews with pictures people post on this forum for your ship/itinerary, because many post the dailies, and you can get a good idea from that what the shows will be and what activities they will run.

 

3. As far as alcohol, don't forget the two bottles of wine you can carry out, as a moderate drinker, those plus a couple mixed drinks and drinking on in ports gets me through most of the trip.

 

4. Be aware that many of the activities in the dailies are sales pitches, not trying to be discouraging, but if you figure out which ones they are, you won't go and be disappointed. There's usually a port talk that tells you what stores to go to, there's the spa tour and various spa talks like on accupuncture, etc, where they just try and sell you, there's the free liquor tasting where they just try and get you into the stores and the art auction of course. Look ahead at the dailies and try and figure out which activities you may enjoy: Bingo? trivia? karaoke? game shows? cooking demonstrations? backstage ship tour? comedy show? watching live musicians? etc etc. There are plenty of things to do to taste, just plan ahead.

 

I am looking at images that others post already. That is a good idea. I will search out for copies of Compass to find out what other things are on offer. Sales pitch's are tend to backfire with me but the backstage tours and cooking demo's etc. sound good. We will be bringing on a couple of bottles of good WA Vino and will also source some coffee beans to our taste to use in the suite.

 

Are you sure you're Australian?

Calm down, chuck on a pair of thongs & enjoy it!

Cruises are THE BEST!

Radiance is THE BEST!

The shows are amazing, the food is great.

Just enjoy everything for what it is... The element of surprise is awesome sometimes!

 

It says Australian on one of my passports and I was born in Sydney, so I guess I am. Having said that I am probably not much like the stereotype. Some examples;

 

• I think most Australian Beers are just bubbly bilge water.
  
• I am not into sports of any description. When someone talks about the Footy I have no idea what they are on about and identify the codes from the shape of the balls and if they sniff bums.
  
• Not into getting a tan and sitting by a pool.
  
• Do not blindly think that this is the best country in the world (as it clearly isn't).
  

 

While definitely not being a control freak I do not easily follow the mob. I will normally go places which interest me and endeavour to get some background information and then when there go with the flow. Often this pays dividends, like when I was in Malta I was able to book a tour of the Hypogeum before arrival. When we arrived all places were filled. Then finding a Speedboat to hire on a super special and doing a daytrip there was completely unplanned. Both were great. That is what I am doing here and when first looking at it I felt I had made a mistake. While the jury is still out I am feeling a bit better about it as well as being resigned as the fare is paid.

[brillohead]

While definitely not being a control freak I do not easily follow the mob. I will normally go places which interest me and endeavour to get some background information and then when there go with the flow. Often this pays dividends, like when I was in Malta I was able to book a tour of the Hypogeum before arrival. When we arrived all places were filled. Then finding a Speedboat to hire on a super special and doing a daytrip there was completely unplanned. Both were great. That is what I am doing here and when first looking at it I felt I had made a mistake. While the jury is still out I am feeling a bit better about it as well as being resigned as the fare is paid.

 

I'm glad to hear that you're feeling better about all of this!

 

I recommend using your ports as the big research/planning part of the trip, rather than trying to predetermine so much of the cruise ship portion of your holiday.

 

I book all my own excursions independently, rather than taking ship-sponsored (with huge price mark-ups) trips where large groups are shuttled around like livestock to slaughter. Or in some areas I already know I want to go to X beach or see Y attraction, and I just grab a taxi and go on my own rather than paying a tour operator.

 

My time on land is all planned out, and my time on board is almost entirely decided in the moment.

 

And add me to the list of folks hoping you'll share your pics when you return! I'm hoping to get Down Under at some point, but it's unlikely to happen in the next decade... would love to see it through your eyes (lenses)!

[Cabansail]

Not too many Ports over the 16 days. Must look into a day in Bali as we have never been there. Geraldton and Port Hedland are free. Small places but there should be things of interest there. Even if it's just to see the towns.

 

Have a friend in Darwin we have not seen in many years, so time there will be spent with him and his wife.

 

Cairns is somewhere we have been to before and failed to impress, the good stuff is away from there and we probably wont have the time. Hardly worth going out to the reef on just a day trip. May look at going up to Baron Falls again.

 

Brisbane is the capital city closest to where we live and probably one of my least favourite cities in the world. I once won a competition and the prize was a night in Bribane, I think the second prize was a week in Brisbane. This will be a time to stay on board the ship.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Cabansail

[John&LaLa]

I hope you have a fabulous time, enjoy your shooting. I am still confused about what you mean by you detest American "culture". I wasn't aware we even had culture.

[Cabansail]

I am still confused about what you mean by you detest American "culture". I wasn't aware we even had culture.

 

You are immersed in it. It is also one of your biggest exports. It's probably hard to see it from inside, easier from away. Australia also has a culture and I am not a fan of a lot of it either. Living outside for four years let me look at it in a way I could not do living here.

 

Something I learned many years ago, courtesy of Margaret Thatcher, is that propaganda does not work when you recognise it as being propaganda. We are all subject to it just that we do not see a lot of it.

[John&LaLa]

You are immersed in it. It is also one of your biggest exports. It's probably hard to see it from inside, easier from away. Australia also has a culture and I am not a fan of a lot of it either. Living outside for four years let me look at it in a way I could not do living here.

 

Something I learned many years ago, courtesy of Margaret Thatcher, is that propaganda does not work when you recognise it as being propaganda. We are all subject to it just that we do not see a lot of it.

 

But what does that mean, it just sounds ambiguous? How about a couple of examples.

[ommax2]

I hope you do enjoy your trip, and if I could be so bold, attitude is everything. If you go into the experience expecting to be miserable, you will be miserable. So, plan to enjoy! Find something each day new, and fun to experience!

Enjoy the pool tables, my dad loved those pool tables! He was unsure before his first cruise, but before he passed away, my mom and he enjoyed 20+ cruises! I hope that you will have the same experience.

Blessings!

[Cabansail]

before he passed away ........... I hope that you will have the same experience.

Blessings!

 

 

Gee Thanks! ;)

 

I hope to enjoy it, just have had some reservations, many of those are less now.

[ladyflatlander]

You will have a coffee maker in your room. Drink as much as you want. Your room attendant will keep you stocked up.[/quote

 

Very wrong. NO coffee or tea makers in your stateroom.

[jmf123]

You will have a coffee maker in your room. Drink as much as you want. Your room attendant will keep you stocked up.[/quote

 

Very wrong. NO coffee or tea makers in your stateroom.

 

Really? We had a coffeemaker (and coffee, sweetners, & creamers) in our JS on Jewel last month. :)

[Cabansail]

You will have a coffee maker in your room. Drink as much as you want. Your room attendant will keep you stocked up.

 

Very wrong. NO coffee or tea makers in your stateroom.

 

I thought I did see that there was a coffee maker in Junior Suite. I would like to know as I was planning on bringing some good ground coffee.

[frank808]

In junior suites and above there is a coffee maker in your room.

[ladyflatlander]

Are you sure you're Australian?

Calm down, chuck on a pair of thongs & enjoy it!

Cruises are THE BEST!

Radiance is THE BEST!

The shows are amazing, the food is great.

Just enjoy everything for what it is... The element of surprise is awesome sometimes!

 

Well stated with one addition--toss in a positive attitude Just a humble opinion from one of those "ugly Americans" who just arrived home from 28 days on the Radiance with 1,625 Australians and none of them shunned me!

Go and enjoy!

[ladyflatlander]

 

Really? We had a coffeemaker (and coffee, sweetners, & creamers) in our JS on Jewel last month. :)

 

Imstand corrected, forgot he will be in JS.

[reedy8]

Here are the packing cells from wish.com

 

https://www.wish.com/c/55b82f9c166a8243592a4ae1?th_s=1&rel_p=0&abs_p=0&original_q=travel%20storage

Wow, theyre a bargain aren't they? How do they compare in quality to those you get at shops like Katmandu. Never really done much online shopping.

Thanks.

[Trainman-2]

Behind the Windjammer Buffet is an open air dining area. Keep walking toward the stern of the ship from the food displays and you will find it. It is one of our favorite places on the Radiance Class ships. I is a nice area to read and relax on sea days too.

 

[pharaoh]

Not just Colour but a whole load of words which have US spellings. They come up as being errors when using computers. The list include;

 

 

 

flavour, behaviour, harbour, honour, humour, labour, neighbour, rumour, splendour, utilise programme, calibre, centre, fibre, litre, lustre, manoeuvre, meagre, metre, mitre, ochre, sombre, spectre, theatre, aeon, anaemia, anaesthesia, caecum, caesium, coeliac ,diarrhoea, encyclopaedia, faeces, foetal, gynaecology, haemoglobin, haemophilia, leukaemia, oesophagus, oestrogen, orthopaedic, palaeontology, paediatric, likeable, liveable, rateable, saleable, sizeable, unshakeable, Aeroplane

 

 

 

All these words are spelled correctly but are underlined in red as an error when typed. A minor annoyance but still irritating.

 

 

I mean, this is a really incredibly ridiculous thing to be annoyed by, but using settings, you should be able to change the language of your computer to Australian English and that will take care of that.

[sc1349]

We sailed on the Navigator (our first cruise). We we're very much looking forward to it, but once on board I started be get annoyed due to seemingly being told what to do (you must go to the muster and you must dress up if you want to go to the main dining area). This I found really annoying. But we did as most English do when p****d off, we went to the pub. After a while looking around we realised how nice the ship was, calmed down and just enjoyed the holiday. We paid £550 for our drinks package 2 years ago, now it's nearly £700. We won't be paying this price. I may drink 5-6 pints a day on holiday but that's pushing it.

 

If you don't enjoy it don't book another one and notch it down as life experience. We didn't enjoy our last cruise, but this was with NCL. If we feel the same this time (booked on Harmony next June), we won't be cruising again.

Edited October 22, 2015 by sc1349

[big al]

I'm married.

 

Lol, Clarea! Me too, BUT to a LATIN woman..watchout!!

 

Big Al

[Clarea]

In junior suites and above there is a coffee maker in your room.

And usually a tea kettle too.