Bit of a Blog : Solstice : Auckland – Fremantle – Sydney : February 14th 2016

[I'm from Oz]

What a shame you had such a bad day. Kuranda is such a lovely place - you should only have good memories of it. The humidity can really knock you around there, especially when you are standing in never ending queues in the sun as you've found! It's hard to understand why the place didn't cope with all the people - it's a popular tourist attraction so should be running like a well oiled machine.

It is a well-oiled machine, I agree.

 

I'm dumbfounded so much went wrong. It is definitely the humidity which knocks you about. But it is even worse when you are not used to high temps too. 30+ and 90% humidity is not the time to be doing lots of walking or standing in queues. Simply unavoidable when cruising the Top End at this time of year unfortunately.

[I'm from Oz]

Wow Linda! That is horrible, but unfortunately not a really big surprise unfortunately. I had a similar but different experience with tendering at Airlie Beach a couple of years back (on a RCI trip), and that was without the silly way your excursion was run. Waiting in line in that heat is just so draining.

 

I kept looking for your updates today, and I just had a feeling something was not right for you. I hope you get better real soon, and I am embarrassed that some things are done so badly in Australia. They are, it is just ridiculous to treat visitors that way. This is why our first preference is New Zealand. We always tell people that ask where we cruise that we like NZ as it is "open for business". The implication there is that sometimes (and there are good operators at some places) the laid back Aussie way makes for a very bad holiday experience. Then we wonder if we are just whingers. Then we go to NZ.

 

I would hope that Celebrity will take your feedback on board, and if an operator can't do better than that then Celebrity needs to cut that sort of excursion out of their offers. This does reflect on Celebrity or RCI. They can have sad eyes and apologize but this is not their first time visiting between Clebrity and RCI and some info sharing would be a great idea.

 

Take care and get better soon!

Oh I do so agree.

 

As a proud Aussie (albeit originally a Pome :rolleyes:) I too believe NZ has it all over Australia in many respects. However, it really does surprise me that this was not better organised.

 

I wonder whether the crew accompanying the excursion groups were less well versed in corralling passengers, particular with the gondola down. If I recall the gondola is self loading, but it does sound like there were staff on hand to fill the cabins. They should have insisted on letting people on who could do so.

 

Shades of Santorini - the queues there to get back down to the tender can be horrendous and the staff do not insist on filling the gondolas.

 

Cruise lines offer this circumnavigation and attract overseas visitors who are time poor so can get a taste of Australia by doing this cruise. It is not ideal but, hey, we have a massive country - well continent actually! And, unlike NZ, it is difficult to access a broad cross-section of what we have to offer just by cruising the coastline.

 

No answers, just bucket loads of sympathy - I do live in the best country in the world, but it's just so BIG! :o

[jannandjohn]

Oh I do so agree.

 

' date=' unlike NZ, it is difficult to access a broad cross-section of what we have to offer just by cruising the coastline.

 

No answers, just bucket loads of sympathy - I do live in the best country in the world, but it's just so BIG! :o[/quote']

 

I live in Aus, and will only ever do Aus by road from now on, this was our 4th NZ cruise and still like NZ, but first "at home" cruise afterwards,( always figured it was something to do when old) and say never again shall we cruise around Australia...and we got off in Perth!!

Boring!!

Edited March 15, 2016 by jannandjohn

[I'm from Oz]

I live in Aus, and will only ever do Aus by road from now on, this was our 4th NZ cruise and still like NZ, but first "at home" cruise afterwards,( always figured it was something to do when old) and say never again shall we cruise around Australia...and we got off in Perth!!

Boring!!

We are so fortunate to live in Sydney and have access to so many cruises, but the majority of my cruising has been done overseas. NZ was a two port visit when we did our circumnavigation and this year we decided we would like to do the Solstice Sydney-Auckland which we loved - then drove for 3 weeks around the NI (having done the SI some years ago).

 

Not sure I would want to do it cruising too much as there's always more on offer inland with all countries.

 

However, I always counsel overseas visitors to do the circumnavigation in October if at all possible because of the weather. Not just the high temps and humidity, but the possibility of cyclones - remember last year!!! They have been lucky this year.

 

I loved the circumnavigation and we had a terrific CC group on board. However I did it on Radiance and our itinerary went anti clockwise. We also called in to Port Hedland, Geraldton on the Top End leg and Esperance on the NZ leg.

 

I already have plans in place for a self drive around the SW and we are doing the Kimberley next April. I adore this country and its wild outback, amazing beaches and tropical delights, but timing is everything. :)

[NorbertsNiece]

I'm ok.

 

Thanks all for your concern. Have spoken to others still on board this afternoon who encountered the sky rail yesterday and they circumnavigated the worst of the queue and went in through the shop...... I've had lunch and looked at the tenders (ship and port) trying to raise some enthusiasm to jump on one just to visit the port but there's none there (enthusiasm that is).

 

Got 'persuaded' by the lovely Abel from Murano who was guarding Oceanview to dine there on the last night. Could not refuse. Two for one.

 

There was a question earlier about whether I had let them know I'm Celiac. I'm not, just intolerant. I say just. Like saying you're just a housewife. I do have a tolerance level but I have no idea what it is or whether I will react to something or not. I do fall off the wagon on occasion. My friends will ask whether it was worth it. It's just not worth my while slipping on a cruise..... would be awful to spoil this through my own devising. I did let them know as soon as I'd booked and received acknowledgement. The ship has it in their guest profile for me. They don't, however, share this information with the Excursion people. And I'd been told by an unnamed 'Inquiry Team Coordinator' they didn't serve food or drink on the excursion despite what the planner said (I would so have named and shamed them had they signed the email, I will, however be sending them pics of the menu and food).

 

The food thing did NOT spoil my day even though the ANZAC biscuits looked delicious. It was just another little hiccough along the way.

 

You have no idea how much I yearn for a doughnut, a Krispy Kreme or 3..... and they serve bread & butter pudding in Oceanview..... or one of those éclairs from the cafe.....

 

I posted this later than usual because I wanted to be sure that the UK would be asleep and any family following wouldn't be concerned; this way I could prove I'm back up and running. DD2 is in San Francisco working so doubt she's got me on her mind to be fair...... lol

Edited March 15, 2016 by NorbertsNiece

[boeckli]

(sitting writing this in the Card Room….. “Hello Linda, how you doing?” Captain Yannis just walked by with his team….. beats heading ashore any day….. I heard that this is his last voyage on Solstice….. he’s headed to Infinity…. He’s going to be missed here….hope they’re laying on a party for him)

Sad to hear that - was hoping Capt Berdos might still be there for our next sailing in November (we were lucky to have him on our three previous Solstice cruises).

[NorbertsNiece]

As there are many fewer pax on board right now than normal I am trying to upload some pics..... I usually do this overnight so as to avoid taking up bandwidth. Will post a few and then head up for a coffee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

Aaaaah fond memories

 

 

 

0800 and tendering is in full swing

 

[I'm from Oz]

Never cruised into Cairns. Gosh you look like you are a long way out. How long did the tender take to go ashore? And, of course Yorkey's Knob is not exactly Cairns. :rolleyes:

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

Getting excursion tix

 

 

 

The reef tender has free wifi..... I don't have a phone but I have a friend who does! Hence the strange message previously.

 

Half an hour or so later Valerie.....

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

I don't know it yet but I am to be very grateful for that canopy later

 

 

Heading to the station

 

 

[gadabout60]

Linda

 

Really enjoying your posts from back here in the UK

 

I was on a land tour in Australia 8 years ago. We did the tour to Kuranda in reverse which worked really well - i.e up on the sky rail with minimum queues and not too hot, then down on the train.

[I'm from Oz]

 

The reef tender has free wifi..... I don't have a phone but I have a friend who does! Hence the strange message previously.

 

Half an hour or so later Valerie.....

 

So they were using the cats as well as the ship tenders to ferry passengers ashore. Was there a shuttle as well to take you in to town?

[I'm from Oz]

Linda

 

Really enjoying your posts from back here in the UK

 

I was on a land tour in Australia 8 years ago. We did the tour to Kuranda in reverse which worked really well - i.e up on the sky rail with minimum queues and not too hot, then down on the train.

That's a good way to do it. We went both ways on the gondola last time we were there. Have yet to do the train. We weren't staying in Cairns so it was more convenient to do the gondola both ways. There was a cruise ship moored off shore too. We didn't have any trouble. Mind you we were advised to get off at Barron Falls on the way up which does help avoid the queues on the downward journey

[NorbertsNiece]

I think doing the trip in reverse sounds like an excellent idea. I know a cc friend had looked at the timings of doing the trip by train and skyrail independently and had struggled to make it work. The people I travelled down with had gone up by skyrail too.

 

 

 

 

I have a pic of the tour guide. Not sharing. No idea who the company were and am not recommending.

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

Was never given a badge.....

 

 

 

 

 

[edmonton2]

Here in Canada - I'm still awake and have been reading all about your excursion today! I sure do feel for you - especially with regards to the availability of gf food on excursions! Whether you are 'just' intolerant or celiac, the reaction can be the same - as well as the negative affect on your body. Sometimes I think it is too convenient for Celebrity to pass it off to the people on shore that you are doing your trip with and you end up trying to manage it on your own. On a recent trip to Chichen Itza all I could eat from the provided lunch was a banana! Hang in there - it's nice to see that you managed to keep your sense of humour dispite everything!

[NorbertsNiece]

A sense of humour is pretty much all I have!! As we can't take food ashore life is made difficult. Maybe I could've brought pre-packed food from the UK with for shore trips. Hindsight is something I have plenty of too ;)

 

Standing in the line in Kuranda I heard the best moan ever. Fellow guest complaining that the books in the library are rubbish and that the food is the same every day and she's never cruising Celebrity again. She rendered me speechless. Not a first but pretty infrequent.

[NorbertsNiece]

It's been suggested to me from up there (am on Deck 3 and am pointing to the ceiling towards Deck 10) that I utilise Twitter as well as other Social Media. I'm trying. You need to know that. I'm trying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2016 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

A close up of the snake.....

 

 

 

 

[I'm from Oz]

A sense of humour is pretty much all I have!! As we can't take food ashore life is made difficult. Maybe I could've brought pre-packed food from the UK with for shore trips. Hindsight is something I have plenty of too ;)

 

Standing in the line in Kuranda I heard the best moan ever. Fellow guest complaining that the books in the library are rubbish and that the food is the same every day and she's never cruising Celebrity again. She rendered me speechless. Not a first but pretty infrequent.

Well there's always at least one.

 

I'm gob smacked at the number of people who grumble on a cruise. Get a life is all I can say - you are on holidays for goodness sake.

 

Linda - I get the feeling that this tour to Kuranda was packaged up by an onshore company for Celebrity. Would this be correct?

 

The journey up on to the tableland is made more difficult using both routes because they are a distance apart at the start/end point. I suppose the train up and gondola back was considered the most sensible as you would be coming down to the closest point back to Yorkey's Knob.

 

I presume you got on the train at Freshwater Station, not Cairns Central.

[goodycruising]

Fellow guest complaining that the books in the library are rubbish and that the food is the same every day and she's never cruising Celebrity again. She rendered me speechless. Not a first but pretty infrequent.

 

That would be the free books? :) Maybe some people need to put their hand in their pocket and buy their own book to bring on the cruise.

 

OMG, if she can't enjoy the food on Celebrity Solstice, then I hope she gives up cruising altogether.

 

We don't like everything they offer every day, but there is so much to choose from.

[NorbertsNiece]

Yes, we boarded at Freshwater, sorry for not making that clear.

I was told yesterday that the Excursion team would contact the onshore provider and would be getting back to me. Definitely a 3rd party provider..... girls wore a pale blue neck scarf.

 

We pass through many tunnels

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Ooooh a plate.

 

 

Pastry

 

 

Blurry pic of a muffin.....

 

ANZAC biscuits

 

 

Peanuts...... sorry..... Australian Macadamias...... ;)

 

 

Edited March 15, 2016 by NorbertsNiece