Jan 2016 World Cruise live report

[Floridiana]

Magellan - what a dangerous adventure it was to sail in small wooden ships. The Magellan Strait behaved for us, but it had a following wind strong enough to prevent docking in Punta Arenas. I remember that we zoomed by in the early morning hours.

 

I hope your weather behaves enough to allow docking in Wellington.

[Waynetor]

Welcome / Haere mai to New Zealand.

 

We have been here twice before on cruises - the 1st time we did mostly a city tour that included the museum, cable car, botanical garden and a Maori cultural experience.* The 2nd time we did a long drive around the harbour and up the other side as far as the dirt road would go - there was a sheep farm there and we had demos of various farm experiences with some stops along the way.* We could see the snowcapped Kaikoura Ranges to the south across the Cook Strait.

 

We are docked at Aotea Quay about a 8 min shuttle ride from downtown - the old Queens Wharf is no longer used for cruise ships. A shuttle bus was provided for the short ride to the city centre.* The buses were wheelchair friendly so we had no problem getting into downtown.*

 

It turned out to be a seasonably cool but wonderful day for our first port of call on this segment.*

 

After being dropped of in the downtown area - light traffic on a Sunday morning, we went a couple blocks to the waterfront trail and followed that to the museum.

 

As the last time here we were rushed through the Te Papa (Our Place) Museum, we decided to go back and explore it further.* The museum is on 6 levels. We saw a huge range of items related to the history of New Zealand from sea exploration, examples of the variety of animals and plants here including some extinct and the history of how some were introduced in the last few centuries, educational play areas for children, many aspects of social history - many wonders too numerous to mention.* Two highlights were the photography exhibit showing photos of various people, events and places going back over a 100 years and the the big one was the Gallipoli 'The scale of our war' a large exhibit on Australia effort against Turkey in the 1st World War - a superb job of showing a sad part of their history using first person accounts - the exhibit could only hold so many at a time and there was about a 15 minute wait to get in - this part of the museum will be on display until around the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1.* We spent over 3 hours in the museum and could easily have done more.* The whole museum was free and w/c accessible.

 

Wellington was 1 of the best cities for wheelchair users so far - some curb cutouts were not well done but over all very nice for a change.

 

Just beyond the museum there was a Sunday farmers market set up with a wonderful range of fruit and vegetables - all looked like excellent quality.* There were also a fair number of food vendors trucks in that area offering a world of options.

 

From there we wandered back to the downtown area.* Our goal was to take the cable car up the mountain and enjoy the great views while seeing the 65 acre botanical garden - the guide in the cruise terminal said the roses would be finished so I went into the large tourist centre downtown and asked about the garden - they said it would be nice and green but very little in bloom at this time* - since we had done the cable car and the garden before we decided to pass going there again - in talking to others on the ship tonight they said that there were still some roses and many shrubs in bloom.* The info centre had brochures on our upcoming ports so I will have a look at them.

 

We decided to take in 1 more free museum - By Queens Wharf the Museum of Wellington City and Sea is located in a nice old 4 story buildings that was formerly on the waterfront but now back some distance.* The museum had many interactive displays dedicated to the local social and maritime history from the early Maori days up to modern times including the Wahine ferry disaster a few years ago.* It was also w/c friendly.* - from there back to the shuttle and the ship around 5pm.

 

There are 3 roll-on roll-off ferry vessels operating the 50 nautical miles (93km; 58mi) crossing from here to Picton, taking 3 hours to complete the crossing.* We are taking over 8 hours - In one way it was too bad we could not be here yesterday, leaving early today and doing the scenic crossing in the day time but the weather was very windy yesterday.*

 

Tomorrow in Picton I have another small group tour.

As that area is known for its wine making I have joined some fellow passengers for a countryside wine tour.* Our itinerary with Marlborough Travel is:

Our wine tours are generally based on 6 hours (pick up 9.00am / drop off 3.00pm to cruise ship), we generally visit 3 or 4 wineries over this time, depending upon the pace of your day. We always stop at a nice winery for lunch (own cost).

With over 100 wineries in the region, a host of primary food producers, cafes and restaurants galore, Marlborough really is a gourmet province.

This private tour gives people the opportunity to experience the wines and attractions of Marlborough with their very own private guide for the day. Visit icon wineries such as Cloudy Bay, Allan Scott, Hunters and Wither Hills, or boutique wineries such as Auntsfield, Te Whare Ra or Terravin. We offer a balanced approach with a mixture of small and large wine producers as well as other attractions such as arts, crafts, Prenzel schnapps, olive oils and chocolates.

 

The lady organizing the tour had to pay about 2 weeks ago and we all paid her the $86 US each.

Freda was to do this tour but cancelled due to the steps involved.

 

While I was wondering around the shops in town today I over heard an exchange between a young clerk and a customer (he made Mick Jagger look good).* The clerk asked if he could help the customer find anything.* With a bit of a smile that hinted at regret, the customer asked “How about my mis-spent youth.”* The clerk, without missing a beat, with his customer friendly smile shot back “We keep that in the back, between world peace and the winning lottery tickets.”

 

Today’s thought for the day - “A tourist is a fellow who drives thousands of miles so he can be photographed standing in front of his car.” – Emile Ganest

[Floridiana]

You made me smile and laugh! :)

[Floridiana]

I find it so refreshing to see the two cruise reports on top of the thread line-up. Some other people are flogging a dead denim horse. I hope to find a good joke or humorous story to finally kill it. ;)

[Waynetor]

Below is some notes on some ports a fellow passenger passed on to me from a blog she did on a previous cruise - may be helpful for those coming this way.

 

Brunei:

Below is the write-up that I wrote when we were on a cruise to Brunei with a woman who had worked in Brunei for 22 years with handicapped children. The Sultan had invited her children to swim in his pool and to parties at the palace. If you are on a tour that is great because you will receive incredible commentary from your guides. If you are on your own, the ship has a shuttle to a mall in downtown where you may enjoy these sights including the Water Village. Here is my write-up on our tour for the blog that we kept. Even for me, because I am usually very enthusiastic about our travels, this write-up is over the top because what you will see is amazing!

 

Brunei is one of the world's smallest and richest countries, thanks to its treasure of oil. We took a longboat through Kampong Ayer, the 600-year-old water village that is home to more than 30,000 people in 28 separate rural communities who live on houses built on stilts in the Brunei River. This is one of the greatest sights in Southeast Asia and has to be seen to be fully appreciated. These communities have their own clinics, mosques, schools, fire brigades, police stations, restaurants, gas stations and mini-marts. The dwellings were connected by a maze of wooden promenades, where children were picked up by boats to go to school. Every home had at least one boat parked in the dock underneath it. Attempts to move the inhabitants onto dry land and into housing more in keeping with a country with one of the highest per capita incomes in the world have met with resistance because of the strong sense of community.

 

Next we visited the Royal Regalia Museum, where we had to remove our shoes and lock up our cameras and purses in lockers. The four galleries in the museum are the Royal Exhibition Gallery that documents the life of His Majesty, the 27th Sultan, from childhood up to his coronation; the Royal Regalia Exhibition that displays the regalia used during the coronation of His Majesty on August 1, 1968, including the crowns placed on the heads of The Sultan and his wife, and the gold hand that held The Sultan's chin while he was being crowned (heavy is the head that wears the crown has a new meaning for us); the Silver Jubilee Exhibition Gallery that documents the ceremony of The Sultan's 25th anniversary of his ascension to the throne on October 5, 1992, with the Royal Chariot on which His Majesty road that was carried by 48 soldiers dressed in black and had an honor guard of 48 soldiers dressed in red who carried shields and swords (displayed are the outfits of all 96 and the ceremonial chariot and the gifts presented to The Sultan from other countries. We have never seen so much gold, silver, jewels and ornate cut glass that the recipients obviously did not need because The Sultan built a museum to house these objects); and the History and the Development of Constitutional of Brunei Dorsal Exhibition Gallery.

 

Our next stop was the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, commissioned by and named after the present Sultan's father and opened in 1958. Inside are opulent yet tasteful fittings of Italian marble, granite from Shanghai, carpets from Arabia and Belgium, and chandeliers and stained glass from England. It is surrounded by a tranquil lagoon in which a replica of the royal barge is docked. The door attendant gave the women long black robes. I did not tie mine and was given hand signals by several men in the mosque to cover up myself. I was glad that my exposed body did not cause the men to swoon. However, I had been warned that women are not second class citizens; they are at least 10th class citizens.

 

On our way back to the port, we viewed the Jame'asr Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque, with its sea-blue roof and 29 golden domes. Brunei's largest mosque, it was constructed to commemorate the silver jubilee of The Sultan's reign in 1992. It truly was a golden day!

 

Cairns:

The No. 1 thing to do in Cairns is to take a tour to the Great Barrier Reef. If you stay in the city of Cairns, the main attraction is the Esplanade Boardwalk with the Esplanade Swimming Lagoon for swimming and lounging. A direct quote from a review on Trip Advisor is, “The Esplanade is one of the otherwise few highlights of Cairns.” However, you can find tours on the Viatour website that include a Cairns City Tour; Cairns Wildlife Tour of Mt. Whitfield, Cairns Botanical Gardens and Cairns Wildlife Dome; Kuranda Village Day Trip by bus; Fitzroy Island Day Trip to snorkel on the closest island of the Great Barrier Reef; and a Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. Check times to make sure you can do any of these tours during the time we are in Cairns on May 4 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Below is a write-up from a blog I kept of a trip we took on the Skyrail Rainforest Cable and the Kuranda Scenic Railway.

 

Cairns: It’s the tropics, mate!

The title is courtesy of a crew member on our trip to the Great Barrier Reef. In 2006, we arrived several days after Cyclone Larry and were the first group to be allowed to go to the reef. The man helping us get on the boat was wearing a bathing suit and rain poncho but was barefoot. When I commented, “Nice outfit,” he replied, “It’s the tropics, mate!”

 

If you have already visited the Great Barrier Reef, you can go the Visitor's Center to book a trip on the Skyrail Rainforest Cable and the Kuranda Scenic Railway. Take your time between stops in the rainforest to explore the flora and the fauna.

 

The ride up the mountains above the rain forest was breathtaking. We watched as palm trees gave way to pine trees. At the first stop, the nature guide gave us a tour and pointed out native trees, plants and birds. Then we boarded a gondola to Kuranda for shopping. According to our guide, Kuranda was a hippie-type village in the rain forest where we could shop and then play with the snakes, koalas and kangaroos. Then, we walked to the train station to board the Kuranda Scenic Railway.

 

The train that took us back to Cairns goes over 40 bridges and 15 tunnels, making it one of the most dramatic train rides in the world and Australia's answer to the Orient Express. We liked the train ride even more than we enjoyed the gondola ride over the rain forests. At one point, we viewed this amazing waterfall on the left side of the train before going over a bridge. We were wondering what happened to the waterfall after we went through a tunnel on the other side of the bridge when the waterfall appeared, up close and personal, on the right side of the train.

 

 

Sydney now offers three Hop-on, Hop-off options. The first is the Sydney and Bondi Beach Hop-on Hop-off Bus with the red and the blue routes that runs between 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. The second is a Sydney Harbour Hop-on Hop-off All Day Cruise Ticket that runs between 9:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The third is the Blue Mountain Hop-on Hop-off Bus, where you need to take a train from Sydney to the Kaloomba Railway Station to take the Savoy Bus, which runs from 9:45 a.m. to 4:05 p.m. Sydney also has ferries to different sites and beaches. Below is a write-up of what we did in two days in Sydney on another cruise ship.

 

Sydney—Suggestions for two days

Day 1

Buy a day ticket for the Sydney Explorer Bus with its hop-on-and-off stops, and recorded and live commentary. Get on the Red Bus at Stop 1 at Circular Quay for the city loop and marvel at all the sites on this two-hour circuit. Especially note Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair built by one of the early governors of the Sydney Colony for his wife so that she could look at the spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and long for her beloved England; Hyde Park, which is named after its namesake in London; Queen Victoria Building with its beautiful way to shop; Chinatown where thousands celebrate Chinese New Year in February; Sydney Fish Market; the Chinese Gardens; and The Rocks. You also can visit the Royal Botanical Gardens.

 

Then transfer to the Bondi Explorer or the Blue Bus for another two-hour ride around the outskirts of Sydney for the incredible coastal views. Hop off at Watson's Bay and take the cliff edge walk to the Gap Park to enjoy the great coastal views across to North Head. Get on the bus again and hop off at Bondi Beach, Sydney's most famous beach where the sport of surfing was born. Pass the pool at the Iceberg Club where people swim with the ocean as a backdrop. Follow the coastal path to the beautiful Bronte Beach and hop back on the Bondi Explorer Bus to pass Coogee Beach, Royal Randwick Racecourse, Cricket Ground and Football Stadium, Oxford Street with exotic boutiques, and shops in the Rocks.

 

Day 2

Buy a DayTripper pass that allows you to travel on all the trains, buses and ferries. Take the ferry past Luna Park and get off at Darling Harbour for a trip to the Sydney Aquarium, an aquatic paradise that more than 12,000 marine animals call home. Enjoy the penguins, seals, turtles, crocodiles, jellyfish and the dugongs (cousins of the manatees) that were considered to be mermaids by the early pirates and sailors, in the Mermaid Lagoon. Did those men have a little too much grog? Walk under water in the Sea Aquarium with sharks and stingrays swimming over you. See Australia's largest Great Barrier Reef exhibit.

 

Spend time in the Australian National Maritime Museum to view Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns and Mermaids, the life of a 19-year-old New York boy who sailed from New York to Sydney in 1905, life in the Royal Australian Army for both men and women, a replica of Captain Cook's ship Endeavor and the HMAS Onslow submarine. Then take the ferry back to Circular Quay and transfer to the Manly ferry for an experience you will never forget. After a 30-minute ferry ride, walk from the terminal along The Cosco, the shop-lined pedestrian strip, to Manly Beach with its golden sands and rolling surf. Before you take the ferry back to Circular Quay, stock up on Australian wines. On the ship, if we are lucky enough to be docked downtown, enjoy the picture postcard view from Deck 9 of Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. These views at night with the lights are breathtaking.

 

Other things to do in Sydney

* * * * The Rocks Walking Tour is billed as "the best, most entertaining and informative way to get to know the area.” More than 160,000 convicts were transported to New South Wales on the east coast of Australia between 1788 and 1840 to colonize the continent. Having the "convict stain" in a person's heritage is now a badge of honor. The convicts, who were ill prepared to colonize the territory, suffered dismal beginnings. They had no building or farming skills, and the crops that they attempted to grow were unsuitable for the soil. But they carried on making for an incredible story. This tour is top-notch!

* * * * Attend a performance at the Sydney Opera House. It should be everything you would expect in the most famous opera house in the world—incredible orchestra, fantastic choir, outstanding leads and beautiful sets.

* * * * Arrange a tour to the Blue Mountains and Featherdale Wildlife Park. (NOTE: I am not sure that the Hop-on Hop-off Blue Mountain trip provides a trip to Featherdale Wildlife Park but it is worth seeing.) You will travel through miles of structures and arenas that were built or expanded for the 2000 Summer Olympics to the Blue Mountains and Jamison Valley, a national park described as the Grand Canyon of Australia. Captain Arthur Philips, then governor of New South Wales, named the range because when the sunlight hit the oil from the eucalyptus trees, it created a blue haze. One of the most famous rock formations in the Blue Mountains is the Three Sisters from a Dreamtime story. Three warriors of one tribe fell in love with three gorgeous sisters from another tribe and developed a plan to capture the three sisters, which resulted in a tribal war. A witch doctor turned the sisters into stone to protect them but was killed in the war before he could turn them back. The sculptor of the statue about the story had a good imagination. On the way back to Sydney, stop at Featherdale Wildlife Park to interact with the wildlife. The koalas are incredibly cute. Purchase an ice cream-cone container of feed for the kangaroos that are jumping freely in the park. A wallaby taught Ken the correct technique to feed him. Don't scatter the seed but let the animal eat directly from the cone and then eat the cone. Dingoes look like dogs but are much more vicious. We have yet to see the Tasmanian devil, who refused to come out of his hiding place.

 

Picton, New Zealand

According to Liam Naden, a New Zealand travel expert, you should not be tempted to think there isn't a lot to do in Picton: "This is a fascinating little place to explore and is a base for discovering the magic of Marlborough Sounds."These are his suggestions:

Cruise the Marlborough Sounds. He recommends the Beachcomer Mail Run that delivers email to many of the residents in the remote bays. You will need to check to find out if its times correspond with the times we are in Picton.

Have coffee at a waterfront cafe and watch the Cook Strait ferries come and go while enjoying the stunning view of Marlborough Sounds.

Hike the Queen Charlotte Track. The total length is 71 kilometers but it is possible to do sections of the track because there is a pickup by boat at several points along the way.

Walk along walks and trails within walking or driving distance of Picton. You can walk along the shoreline from the Picton marina to the Picton Domain to get elevated views back to Picton itself. About a 15-minute drive out of Picton is Karaka Point with great views of Queen Charlotte Sound and surrounding hills.

Visit Eco World Aquarium with its interesting marine species, including penguins, fish, lizards, and squid. You get up close and personal with these water creatures.

Visit Edwin Fox Maritime Museum, which features the ninth-oldest wooden ship the the world that brought settlers to both New Zealand and Australia.

 

Auckland, New Zealand

You can buy a day-pass on the Auckland Explorer Hop-on Hop-off Bus for NZ$45. The bus departs from the Ferry Building at Queens Wharf on Quay Street in downtown Auckland at 9:45 a.m. Then it departs again every 60 minutes. The bus has two routes, the Red Route and the Blue Route. The Red Route terminates at 4 p.m. with the Blue Route terminating at the Auckland Museum at 3:30 p.m. and connecting with the last bus to the city.

 

Stops on the Red Route from the Ferry Building are the Maritime Museum, Bastion Point Lookout, Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium, Parnell Rose Gardens for shopping, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland Museum (where you change to the Blue Route), Parnell Village with galleries, cafes and boutiques, Civic Center Corner, and Sky City and Sky Tower that you can sky walk around or sky jump from at 192 meters or about 575 feet. The Blue Route stops at Winter Gardens, Eden Garden, Mount Eden that is New Zealand's highest volcano with fantastic views of the city, St. Luke's Westfield, Auckland Zoo and MOTAT that is New Zealand's largest transport and technology museum. .

 

WARNING to anyone who has never visited Antarctica and does not want to add to a "bucket list": The most fascinating exhibit for me at the Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium was the Snowcat Ride. which simulates a real trip through Antarctic. Scientists who had traveled to Antarctica as part of their job at this aquarium claim that the simulated experience is quite real. On the snowcat, we ventured through whiteout conditions that were a combination of the strong winds and ice that Scott and his team faced during their final days. I liked the ride so much that I waited in line to do it again

[Waynetor]

Another day here on Insignia - another port missed.* Since arriving in Australia we have missed Cooktown, Newcastle, Hobart and now Picton. We made it just about into port this morning when the Captain came on and said that the winds were to pick up in the next couple hours and it would not be safe to stay so we did a 180 and off we went.* We are not getting any extra time in the next port so it will be a slow sail up to Napier.* At the noon announcement the Captain said the winds were now at 40 - 50 knots in Picton and expected to increase.

 

Coming into port we had peninsulas and islands on both side of the ship for quite a while but sun rise was not until near 7:30 so it was not worth getting up too early to enjoy.* Heading back out we had just over an hour of excellent scenic cruising experience - very hilly/mountainous - with only the occasional home seen.* Soon after leaving I saw a pod of dolphins jumping out of the water following our wake for a while. After we got out into the Cook Strait the seas were a bit bumpy but not a real issue.* We could see the south coast of the North Island most of the time.* The day was a sun/cloud mix with a couple brief late afternoon showers.

 

Things could be very different for the 2018 w/c but for those planning to do it, be aware there is a good chance your itinerary will change. We are well out of the normal cruise season down here - if it was not for Sydney being an embarkation port it would make sense to bypass the whole area and spend more time exploring the wonders of the small South Pacific islands.

 

As usual the CD staff scrambled to add extra activities - bingo, poker lecture etc.* With the wind being as it is, all the outdoor sports were cancelled.

 

Picton is around to 41°29′S. Since Ap 7th we have cruised from 39°08′42″N.* That is around 45% of the distance between the North and South Pole - Hobart at 42°50′S would have been our most southern port.* Wellington which is just slightly north latitude is now our most southerly port we docked at.

 

For those that do make it here, here are some of my notes:

Picton is a town in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It is close to the head of the long, narrow Queen Charlotte Sound near the north-east corner of the South Island.* Picton is surrounded by on 3 sides by hills.*

 

The population is about 3,000.* The town is also the usual starting point for holidays to the Marlborough Sounds. Highlights include wine tours, fishing, walking, the Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand Track (71km long trail), and SCUBA Diving.* Mussels are very popular here as they are raised in the coves.

The average high in May is 15C (59F).* As we are well into fall here, this is end of the cruise season here – They had about 40 cruise ships arrive this season which is mainly Nov to Feb. There were 2 ships in March and 2 in April and we were to be the last until October.* Like other smaller cruise ships we were to be at the Waitohi Wharf which is also used for the ferries going to Wellington on the North Island and other ports.

 

Info from the Marlborough New Zealand website - From Waitohi Wharf in Picton Harbour there is pedestrian access following the blue line to the Picton Visitor Centre and town. There are also transfer shuttles that can take you from the ship to the town near the Picton i-SITE Visitor Centre.

 

The Picton Ambassadors will greet you with a map of the town, and direct you to the Picton i-SITE for tours and activities available on the day. If you haven't made your bookings before arrival, the team at the i-SITE will help you get out and about in Marlborough.

 

This region produces 77% of NZ wine, particularly Sauvignon Blanc.*

 

We have a standing order in the main dinning room for french onion soup - we just let the waiter know as soon as we arrive and then there is not too long a wait.* Given the temperature outside it feels like a soup night.* Posting this before diner but based on other times we are sure the soup will be very much appreciated - very tasty, and served hot - not quite the same as in Polo but still nice.

 

As we sat out on the pool deck today the doctor and a fellow passenger were in a conversation as they walked by.* I just heard one bit as they got close.* The doctor said “diarrhea is hereditary.* It runs in the JEANS.”* The passenger replied “Some people think it is funny, but actually it’s brown and runny.”

 

For today’s thought for the day a Maori Proverb - He kai kei aku ringa – translation: There is food at the end of my hands - Said by a person who can use his basic abilities and resources to create success.

(Happy birthday to my buddy, Peter)

[Floridiana]

Bejeweled thongs have been added to the jeans.

 

Napier is another port that is often missed I was told. It is a lovely town, flat with a pedestrian mall in the CBD. We had sunny weather, a lovely day.

[SellaVee]

Bejeweled thongs have been added to the jeans.

 

That sounds most uncomfortable to those of us in the UK where a thong is an item of ladies' intimate apparel. Are they worn on the inside of the jeans or on the outside like Superman? :D

 

Sorry for going off post, Wayne.

[Floridiana]

In the US, they are worn inside your casual or high fashion bejeweled jeans. In the South Pacific and Australia, if I am not mistaken, they are worn on your feet. I hope they are using different materials.

Who is wearing trunks?

 

Sorry Waynetor for highjacking your thread. Off to Napier now where they grow expensive white wine in the hinterlands. We had a group of elegantly dressed gents and ladies in historic cars coming to the pier. (weekend)

[Waynetor]

Napier is located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island.* The population was 58,800 as of the June 2012 estimate.* Napier is about 320km (199mi) northeast of the capital city of Wellington.* About 18km (11mi) south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighbouring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities".

 

Napier has also become an important grape and wine production area, with the grapes grown mostly around Hastings being sent through the Port of Napier for export.* Large amounts of sheep's wool, frozen meat, wood pulp, and timber also pass through Napier annually for export.* Napier is a popular tourist city, with a unique concentration of 1930s Art Deco architecture, built after much of the city centre was razed in the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake (256 killed).* Coastal areas around Napier were lifted by around 2m (6.5ft) due to the earthquake including the uplifting of some 40sq km (15.4 sq mi) of sea-bed to become dry land.* Napier has the most comprehensive collection of inner-city art deco buildings in the world and draws Art Deco and architecture enthusiasts from around the world.

 

The average high in May is 17C (63F).

Victoria, British Colombia is a sister city.

[Waynetor]

Today is a bit on the cool side 16C (60F) but a good deal of sunshine with some breeze depending on where you were.

 

This charming port town is all the more quaint because of its Art Deco architecture. When we were here in Dec 2011 we did a lovely tour of the local area including a couple wineries, the nearby city of Hastings and then around the old town area with all the Art Deco buildings. Walking around the town was like stepping back into the 1930’s.

 

We were fortunate that while the tour company could take 7 in the van, we were the only 2 that signed up so we had a nice personalized tour for 2 at no extra cost. We mentioned we wanted to get sheep skin slippers and they took us to a factory that had a retail outlet.

 

Vintners in this area who produce primarily Pinot Blancs and Pinot Grigios have developed a new hybrid grape, which acts as an anti-diuretic and will reduce the number of trips an older person has to make to the bathroom during the night. Aimed at the elderly market they will be marketing the new wine as Pinot More.

 

At that time when we returned to the ship a ragtime-style band was there to greet us and about 8 1930’s antique cars with their owners dressed in period costumes around the gang-way area.* They were here again today as a way of saying thanks for visiting - this time there was only 5 cars they showed up 2 hours before we sailed along with a 4 piece band.* A fabulous send-off for this very nice port stop.* If you are into this type of vehicle, there are companies that offer local tours in 1 of the cars - I heard of 3 couples that did it today and all enjoyed it very much .

 

Having done a lot out of town, today we stayed in the city. The wheelchair accessible shuttle bus had 2 drop off points - either at the main tourist info centre downtown or a bit further along the waterfront at the New Zealand National Aquarium. The driver gave some helpful advice - much nicer than in many ports where the driver never said a word - if they acted like a guide they may earn some tips. We decided to start our day at the Aquarium - it was $20 each but if we were a bit older there would have been a senior discount. We got there just before the 10am big tank feeding. Besides feeding the fish, the diver but on a fair comedian act for the children watching. The aquarium is small compared to the 1 in Sydney and many in the US but still nice. There were smaller setups for many other fish from around the world plus a couple crocodile, several turtles, a full size Loggerhead Sea turtle, lizards, and Little Penguins - all the penguins there had received some kind of injury and this was a safe place for them. We took our time and were there about 2 hours.

 

After that we used the seaside walkway (Marine Parade) back to the downtown area. Along the seaside are fountains, a beautiful statue called Pania of the Reef, open areas, a mini-golf, bicycle rentals, a spa area with outdoor pools, a skateboard park, a couple parks that are about 2 acres each - some flowers still in bloom but just about the end of the season. The beach is not very good - mostly crushed lava.

 

All of the waterfront and the downtown area was easily accessible for a wheelchair.

 

One of the streets in the downtown area is set up as an outdoor mall for shopping, but traffic is allowed on part of it. At the top of the mall is another park. After checking out this area we did a bit further along the waterfront before returning to the ship via the shuttle.

 

Besides the warning not to take food off the ship, we were warned multiple times to have photo ID this us - there were 2 on our shuttle w/o the ID, the driver said 8 on another bus and I heard several people on O tours also did not have ID - they were not accepting passport photocopies which some people had brought. Those w/o ID had to get off the bus at the port gate and go through special security.

 

Today’s thought for the day - "We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds." - Aristotle Onassis, Shipping Magnate

Edited May 17, 2016 by Waynetor

[mykindaparty]

Looking at a we for hubbys 50th bday, if you book it am I right in assuming the cruise line will handle all the legal stuff to go into other countries? I have cruised a lot but never where I needed visas or passports. Any insight would be helpful. Thank you for taking time to write this for us to share your cruise.

[rallydave]

Looking at a we for hubbys 50th bday, if you book it am I right in assuming the cruise line will handle all the legal stuff to go into other countries? I have cruised a lot but never where I needed visas or passports. Any insight would be helpful. Thank you for taking time to write this for us to share your cruise.

 

The correct answer is No with an explanation. You do have to get your own passport and there are several countries (China, Brazil, India, etc to name a few) where you do have to get your own Visa. The cruise line will recommend a Visa service which are expensive compared to you doing it yourself if you live where a consulate is. Other countries the ship can and does visas which mostly cost and the cost is added to your shipboard account.

 

Each cruise is different and the requirements should be included on your invoice or from your TA or from the cruise line. You are responsible for due diligence to make sure you have the proper documents in order to board the ship. Depending on your country status, requirements vary and it is up to you to be sure you have the correct documents upon boarding or you will be left on the dock waving good by to the ship. A good TA, you are using a TA, aren't you, can help but, you are ultimately responsible and not the ship or cruise line.

 

Have a great cruise,

[Floridiana]

I think the first step is to get passports for both of you. They are valid for 10 years and good for all trips outside the country including those closed loop cruises in the Caribbean in case you get left behind somewhere and have to fly back home. Then you need a passport.

 

The visa situation is a different step that can be tackled once you know where you will go. A good travel agent will help you, but don't totally rely on them. They don't know everything, especially when a country changes its requirements on short notice.

[Waynetor]

For the world cruises Oceania is doing all the visas work and cost was handled by Oceania. For Brazil, India, and China we had to fill out the forms and send the forms and passport to the a Visa processing company - the company will visually scan the documents you have to make sure all is filled out correctly so that the country does not later reject them as it is easy to miss something on the form. You can deliver in person or send by courier but in person is best as any error can quickly be corrected.

 

Many other countries on this voyage required visas but these others were done while we were on the ship - generally Oceania fills out the form as much as they can with the info they have and then you finish it and hand back in.

 

Not only do you need a valid passport, it needs a lot of blanks pages. I seem to recall being told we needed 23 blank pages for the visa and stamps.

[Waynetor]

Tauranga located on the north-western corner of the Bay of Plenty, on the south-eastern edge of Tauranga Harbour is the most populous (about 125,000) city in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island.* The city covers 168sq km (65sq mi). It was settled by Māori late in the 13th century and by Europeans in the early 19th century.*

 

The Port of Tauranga is New Zealand's largest port in terms of gross export tonnage.* Tauranga is one of New Zealand’s main centers for business, international trade, culture, fashion, horticultural science, education and entertainment.

Tauranga is a popular summer resort destination and is also a major exporter of kiwi fruit, timber and dairy products.

 

Tauranga has many parks. One of the largest is Memorial Park, and others include, Yatton Park, Kulim Park, Fergusson Park and the large Tauranga Domain.* Due to the temperate climate, outdoor activities are very popular, including golf, tramping (hiking), mountain biking and white water rafting.

 

Tauranga is located around a large harbour and is protected by Matakana Island at the eastern entrance and the extinct volcano of Mauao (Mount Maunganui).* The cruise port is on a narrow peninsula capped by Mount Maunganui which has become a popular location for many activities including scenic walks, jogging and even hang gliding.* The population of this suburb is around 16,000.

The average high in May is 17C (63F).

 

Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty area of the North Island of New Zealand.* Rotorua has been a major destination for both domestic and international visitors since the 1800s.* Tourism is the largest industry in the district due to the geothermal activity.* Geysers (notably the Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarew), mud pools and thermal springs and the living, breathing landscape never fail to amaze.* A faint sulphur scent lingers in the air, a constant reminder of the thermal activity that is visible in pockets scattered around the region.* Clouds of steam drift from Kuirau Park, home to boiling mud pools and crater lakes. Hissing steam also escapes from roadside vents, further evidence of Rotorua’s volcanic history. Fumaroles and silica terraces displaying amazing colours can be found at the region’s various thermal parks.* This thermal activity is sourced to the Rotorua Calder, on which the city lies.

Rotorua is also home to botanical gardens and historic architecture.

 

Opportunities to come face to face with Maori culture abound in Rotorua; in performances and in expertly conceived displays, and in encounters with the descendants of the original TeArawa tribes who made Rotorua their home.

[Waynetor]

The forecast for today was cool (16c 61f) with 60% chance of rain in the afternoon.* I wanted to check things out as long as it did not rain and Freda preferred the warmth and dry of the ship so that is were she spent her day (enjoying the free internet while most others were off the ship).

 

Cruise ships dock at Salisbury Wharf* which is in the town of Mount Maunganui (a peninsula protecting the harbour with Tauangai on the mainland side of the harbour).* This suburb is popular with retirees.* It is not very big but there are a number of restaurants in the area offering a global mix of culinary delights.*

 

The entrance to the protected harbour is dominated by Mount Maunganui.* You can walk around it in about 45 minutes if you just walk but can double that if you take your time and enjoy the views.* There are benches in several places for this purpose. The path is not very wheelchair friendly - while verily smooth it is up and done a lot. There is also a path up to the summit in 1 place.

 

In the town of Mount Maunganui there are nice beaches on both the ocean side as well as the inner harbour side but it was much to cool today for anyone to be lying around or swimming except were was a large group on the inner harbour all with diving equipment on - I saw them in the water from a distance but they were getting out of the suits by the time I got to where they were. I believe they were practicing some kind of rescue work.

 

From the dock over to Taurangai there was no shuttle offered - I guess they felt there was enough shopping right around the port area.* You could take a local bus or taxi over to that side if wanting to.* There was one lady on the pier handing out maps but I did not see any other tourist info.* * *

For this port of call the real prize is Rotorua.* It is a little over an hour away and has great geothermal wonders, plus is the heart of native Maori culture.* We did see one tour that could handle folding wheelchairs to see some of the sites in Rotorua but it would not be all the sites so we passed and stayed in the port area.

 

In 2011 the area was affected by a significant environmental event.* On Oct 5 the container ship ‘Rena’ hit a reef 22km (14mi) off shore.* A large number of cargo containers spilled into the ocean as well as hundreds of tons of oil spilled over the next few days.* A salvage operation commenced and by the time the ship split in 2 on Jan 5 2012, 1,100 tonnes of oil had been removed leaving 385 more tonnes to spill and dumping about 300 more containers of the remaining 800 at that point.* We were here Dec 23/11 and sailed about a mile past it and could clearly see it listing about 20 degrees at that time as the salvage operation continued.* In a quirk of fate we heard about a family that had their home in Christchurch badly damaged in the earlier earthquake, they were able to retrieve some of their valuables which were then on a container that was lost as they sailed to a new home.

 

I got off around 10:30 and wandered around the main street for a while.* In 1 direction from the ship there was a number of 2nd hand stores - great for books, albums, and CDs.* I got 2 very nice coffee table books on New Zealand for $4 and $10.* The shops in the other direction are mostly new items being mostly clothing and souvenir items.* After that, despite the very dark clouds near by, I decide to do the walk around Mount Maunganui.* I was enjoying it very much until about the half way point the rain started coming down quite good.* I had my hat, jacket and umbrella so for the most part it was just my legs and feet getting wet until I got to the sea side exit from the mountain the wind pick up big time turning the umbrella inside out.* I got back on the ship just after 1 and as we had lunch the sun made a brief appearance along with a rainbow.* By late in the afternoon there was a lot of sunshine so not a total lost day.

 

I talked to 2 people that took the public bus to Taurangai - they said it was much the same, just bigger with a few interesting buildings.*

 

Very interesting show tonight - the CD started by noting that a couple of the world cruisers had got engaged today (they were a couple to start the cruise). The show featured 3 Australian entertainers - a male and female singer plus a violinist - they had never performed together before but put on an excellent show. The violinist has the official record for the fastest playing of the Flight of the Bubble Bee - he did an unofficial attempt to beat his own record and missed by .25 second but this was not with proper timing equipment - sounded great, very fast but still very recognizable.

 

Today, before the rain came, I stopped for a brief rest on one of the benches by the beach.* There were 2 older guys sitting on the bench next to me.* They were talking about the weather and the cruise ship tourist in town when the subject turned to getting older. The first guy said "Women have all the luck when it comes to getting older." "What do you mean?" asked the second guy. "Well," replied the first. "I can barely remember the last time I got aroused in bed, but my wife is healthier than ever!" "Healthier? How is that?" his buddy wondered. "Years ago, when we were younger, almost every night before bed she'd get these terrible headaches." he answered. "Now that we're older, she hasn't had a headache in years."

 

Today’s thought for the day - Decide on what kind of dream vacation you are looking for – active, spa, beach, or cruise – and make the most of your dream.

[Waynetor]

The Auckland metropolitan area is by far the largest and most populous urban area in the country.* Auckland has an urban population of 1,397,300 and a metropolitan population of 1,507,700, which respectively constitute 32 and 34% of the country's population.* The proportion of Asians and other Non-European immigrants has increased during the last decades due to immigration.

 

Auckland straddles the Auckland volcanic field, which has produced about 50 volcanoes. These take the form of cones, lakes, lagoons, islands and depressions, and several have produced extensive lava flows. The individual volcanoes are all considered extinct.

 

One of Auckland's nicknames, the "City of Sails", is derived from the popularity of sailing in the region. 135,000 yachts and launches are registered in Auckland, and around 60,500 of the country's 149,900 registered yachtsmen are from Auckland, with about 1 in 3 Auckland households owning a boat.

 

Some of the attractions include the Sky Tower - the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere, it is 328m (1,076ft) tall and has excellent panoramic views plus Sky Jumps and Sky Walks are available for the daredevil crowd, the Harbour bridge, Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium, the Auckland War Memorial Museum and Mount Eden - a volcanic cone with a grassy crater.* As the highest natural point in Auckland City, Mt Eden offers 360-degree views of Auckland and is thus a favourite tourist lookout.

[Waynetor]

We docked at Princess Wharf, which is just a very short walk into the downtown area as the city centre sits right on the harbour's edge.* Previous times here there was a Visitor Centre right beside the wharf and tourist ambassadors could be found in the area riding around on Seqways but all I saw today was maps being handed out in the terminal.* The best thing about the port was we were able to use a ramp off deck 5 instead of stair off of deck 4 - much easier for everyone.*

 

A 2014 U.S. survey by Condé Nast Traveler ranked Auckland as the world's 'friendliest' city.* "Clean, youthful, adventurous, beautiful" is how readers described Auckland.* (Melbourne and Victoria were 2nd and 3rd.)

 

We love the beauty of Auckland including the architecture of its buildings and its harbour.* This is our 3rd time here on a cruise.* The 1st time here we did a tour that included a stop at Mt.Eden and then out to the countryside with a tour of the very interesting Waitomo Glowworm Caves followed by a visit to a farm where we saw various farming demonstrations including sheep shearing.

 

Last time we were here we toured Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World and Antarctic Encounter.* They have a wide range of free-swimming marine life and a colony of 80 sub-Antarctic penguins.* You can see it all it about an hour but we spent 3 hours there as there was a couple of presentations put on by volunteers as well as feeding times that add to the interest.* They have a bus that does pick-ups from near the wharf for the 10 minute drive.* We followed that up with a walk around the CBD.

 

From the ship we have a great view of the Sky Tower.* The tower is over 328m (1,076ft) in height.* We saw people doing a sky jump off the tower.* From the ship with the naked eye you can barely make them out but looking through my cameras zoom lens they showed up quite clear. Today our cruise director along with several others from the ship were one of those making the jump - reports are they loved it.

 

Like other cities in New Zealand, Auckland is a beautiful city and easy for many tourists to navigate and there is so much to do and to see with some of the places of interest nearby to the terminal.* We have been in some cities where there are not a lot of wheelchairs and been treated as a real nuisance as we tried to get around but here we noticed how polite everyone, especially the drivers are.* They stop for pedestrians and they do not honk their horns, which really cuts down on the noise level.

 

The weather here today was mostly sunny but we had a couple brief showers.* The temp was around 20c (68F) which was nice for walking around.* We got off the ship around 9:30 and started heading in the direction of Albert Park.* We went through part of Auckland University which is next to the park.* The park had a wonderful aray of trees and some flowers along with monuments and a large fountain.* The trip getting there and the park iteslf were a lot hillier than I expected - very tiring.* One student helped me push up the last part of 1 hill and another helped us go down a steep hill - trying to hold back a wheelchair that wants to roll downhill is not easy - both were very much appreciated.*

 

At the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki there are a range of artworks on display.* It is open 10 – 5.* The best way to experience the gallery is by joining a guided tour that run twice times daily at 11.30am and 1.30pm.* Best of all the tours are free as is entry.* It is right next to Albert Park and we went there next - they are having a special exhibit of South American art on the 2nd floor and that exhibit has a $15 charge.

 

After that we wandered through the CBD and back to the ship at 1:30 - we had lunch and after that I headed out for some more wandering around including the tower area and the marina for another hour and half.

 

On this voyage we did not do any Maori cultural events but thought I should mention one aspect of them is the individual greeting with the chief and other hostesses.* With each, we slowly, gently and with feeling touched noses (to exchange the breath of life) and at the same time foreheads (to exchange knowledge).

 

Several passengers did wine tours today. I was taking to one about their trip tonight and one story from the trip seemed so real - While heading to one of the wineries they passed a farm with big ‘fresh goat milk cheese’ signs.* The guide pointed to a field with a herd of goats.* The guide pointed out that these were the goats put out to pasture that were no longer able to produce.* The guide asked his group “What do you do in America with your old goats?”* The gentleman seated at the back pipes up, “They send us on long cruises.”

 

Goodbye / E noho rā to New Zealand – it has been nice seeing you again.

 

Today’s thought of the day, another Maori proverb - Ehara taku toa, he takitahi, he toa takitini -* translation, My success should not be bestowed onto me alone, as it was not individual success but success of a collective - Said humbly when acknowledged

[Floridiana]

Auckland, one of my favorite cities.

[Waynetor]

We now have 3 sea days in the beautiful South Pacific heading north-east We started the day with another muster drill.* We did not have to go out on the open deck at the end which saves a bit of time.

 

The weather today was mostly sunny, with a cool breeze - a high temp of 21c or 70f. There is a bit of movement from the sea but nothing too much. After a few port days it is nice to have a day off to relax.

 

Tonight and tomorrow night they are having the Oceania Club get together party's in the Lounge. At the last party we received our pin indicating our 15th cruise - a couple days ago we received in or cabin pins awarding us the blue level for our 2nd cruise - nice to know they are up to date on what is going on.

 

There is one couple on board that I seldom see together, but whenever they are together they seem very tense around each other. This afternoon we were sitting out at one of the tables by the pool bar and the man then sat down at the table next to us by himself and ordered a beer. After drinking the beer he took a picture out of his pocket and looked at it. He then ordered another beer. After drinking that beer he looked at the same picture. He did this 5 or 6 times and the bar waitress was confused. Stepping away from Oceania normal service level, she asked the man why he looks at the picture after every beer. The man replied: It is a picture of my wife and when she looks good I am going back to the cabin.

 

Today’s thoughts of the day - “Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.”- Brooks Atkinson

"It isn't that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better." - Sir Francis Drake

Edited May 20, 2016 by Waynetor

[Floridiana]

I wonder whether you brought a book of proverbs and sayings to your cruise, did you? I like them a lot.

[Waynetor]

Today is Armed Forces Day in US - to honour Americans serving in the 5 U.S. military branches - over 50 countries have similar days but on various dates.

 

Last night we had our last time change before hitting the international dateline.

 

The weather today was mostly sunny but with a cool breeze - deck 5 and deck 11 were closed due to the wind.* The high temp was 23c (73f).

 

Besides the 2nd of the Oceania Club parties in the lounge this evening, all those on the full voyage had our 3rd special dinner up in the specialty restaurants - free drinks before dinner and free wine with dinner. We had a wonderful table group to go along with a very nice dinner.

 

The thoughts/quotes of the day I use have come from a very wide range of sources. I got the idea to add them from another world cruise blog.* Some have come from books, magazines or other articles but for the most part, Google has been my friend.* I started looking for cruise related quotes so did searches for quotes related to cruise, ships, travel, and vacations.* I also did other searches for people or events related to particular days such as Valentines or Mothers day and other searches for some proverbs of some places on the itinerary to add some local flavour.* As we were supposed to be on last years world cruise, I have had a long time to gather them.*

 

One of our tablemates tonight said she had just been through one of the worst sea days she had experienced on her many cruises.* She told us that this morning she went to the doctor’s office and said that her body hurts wherever she touches it.

"Impossible!" said the doctor. "Show me." So she told us she took her finger, pushed on her left breast and screamed, then she pushed her elbow and screamed in even more agony.* She pushed her knee and screamed; likewise she pushed her ankle and screamed.* Everywhere she touches made her scream.

The doctor paused and then said that “he had never seen a case quite like this”, then added "Your finger is broken."

 

Today’s thought for the day - I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it. - Rosalia de Castro

[Tansy Mews]

The correct answer is No with an explanation. You do have to get your own passport and there are several countries (China, Brazil, India, etc to name a few) where you do have to get your own Visa. The cruise line will recommend a Visa service which are expensive compared to you doing it yourself if you live where a consulate is. Other countries the ship can and does visas which mostly cost and the cost is added to your shipboard account.

 

Each cruise is different and the requirements should be included on your invoice or from your TA or from the cruise line. You are responsible for due diligence to make sure you have the proper documents in order to board the ship. Depending on your country status, requirements vary and it is up to you to be sure you have the correct documents upon boarding or you will be left on the dock waving good by to the ship. A good TA, you are using a TA, aren't you, can help but, you are ultimately responsible and not the ship or cruise line.

 

Have a great cruise,

Agreed, it is essential to check for yourself and not rely on generalities. For example last year on Insignia, someone who was doing part of the world tour had significant problems - his American TA seemed to think he didn't need visas in some countries but he did because he only had a foreign passport and a US green card. Rules differ depending on what agreements there are between your country and the country you plan to visit. Easy enough to find out for yourself - if you are American, go to https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country.html

Edited May 21, 2016 by Tansy Mews

[Floridiana]

You guys are living it up on that ship! The party is on!