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Raina's Blogging again - Navigator, Harmony Anthem

AussieVisi2r

By AussieVisi2r,
in Royal Caribbean International

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AussieVisi2r

AussieVisi2r

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I'll start with my caveat about the blog depending on wifi quality. About how yes there will be typos and spellos. About how I tend to focus more on the ports then the ship - but as this one is on the new bigger ships I will look more and do more. About how my trips are very eclectic - a mix of luxury and cheap etc.

I have created a new web site to save my blogs. I hate how the photo disappear on here after a period of time. So I set up my own blog site. Hopefully that will not happen. And I want to stress that blog is probably not the correct word. Blogs these days are usually money making and are supported through businesses and so on with free things. I get no sponsorship or earn by hits on the blog. It is really about Dad - now 91 - being able to follow along as aI travel. So if you are interested in this or any of the other trips they are all on RainaTravels.com. That site may end up with more photos.

 

SO HERE GOES>

 

A long time ago, (in a galaxy far far away), I was looking at the Royal Caribbean site. The Trans Atlantic voyage on the world’s newest, longest, heaviest and widest cruise ship had been announced.

A TA was one of the cruises I have always wanted to do. Don’t know why, just loved the idea of it.

I played around with prices…..a balcony overlooking the Aqua Theatre came up for a great price. So I put a deposit on. By the time my solo supplement was applied the price was too good not to do. $1776 AU with tips. 14 nights on a super ship. Yay. And the best way to experience a new super ship is on a voyage with lots of sea days.

So the planning began……

 

No point going that far without doing a bit more travel, so add a trip out of New York on another newish ship – Anthem of the Seas. May as well make it a Back to Back to do a Thanksgiving trip. I’ve always wanted to sail out of New York.

Ohhh, but look. There is a cruise out of Southampton going to the Canary Islands and Morocco on Navigator of the Sea just before the TA. But that would leave a gap of about a week. May as well do a B2B on that trip as well.

Suddenly my TA, with a price too good to pass up, has become a massive two month trip going to England, Canary Islands, Morocco, Portugal, France, Spain, Florida, New Orleans, St Thomas, St Kitts, St Martin, Puerto Rico, Bahamas. Ooopps.

28th September. Fly to England… And the 29th

1st Oct – ‘Navigator’ 14 nights Canary and Africa

14th October – ‘Navigator’ 7 night France and Spain

23rd October - ‘Harmony’ 13 nights Trans Atlantic to Florida

5th November – a trip to New Orleans

10th November – ‘Anthem’ 10 nights Caribbean

20th November – ‘Anthem’ 7 nights Bahamas

27th November – Get off my ship day – to the airport and go

29th November – arrive home.

 

Got my flights on Qantas point – Love points. Business class. But beggars ..well pointers, cannot be choosers so my flight is through Hong Kong. I have a few hours there so we shall see how I feel.

Then I had another great idea. My flight left Sydney at 7am. Too early for a morning flight. And I hate spending on a hotel overnight. Taxi drivers are pigs for short trips, you don’t sleep that night, get up early to get to airport etc. I may as well get the midnight bus – or as I like to call it the “Night bus” as in Harry potter. So off iI went. Arrived at 3am, waited until 4.30 for check in!

 

image-5-300x225.jpeg

 

Bad idea. Stupid idea.

But it was all done and some time in the lounge. At this stage I’ve been awake for 23 hours ……. So just maybe I will sleep on the plane.

 

image-3-e1475011436424-768x1024.jpeg

 

And now - London bound via Hong Kong.

The flight to Honk Kong was with Cathay Pacific. Lovely. The food was great.

 

I did notice a few design things not as good on some other planes. One I found out about the hard way. The shelf next to you - - didn't have a lip. So when the plane hit a bump my iPod jumped off and shot under the seat behind me. The guy saw it go under.

 

After a quick look, they couldn't see it, the staff decided ht it was a fire risk.The poor guy was moved and I had to wait till the end for an engineer to get it out. Nooo - No iPod for sleep music for 9 hrs.

 

thumb_IMG_4558_1024.jpg

 

So I waited till everyone was off and the engineer turned up. He couldn't find it ..

After lots of dicking around..

 

It was decided that it would take a few hours to remove the seats.....so bad luck me. No more iPod. When I mentioned that as it as lo longer a fire risk they didn't really have an answer. Lets hope who ever is in seat 14K doesn't find there seat on fire tonight when they move their seat and said iPod mashed wired and ignites them.

Yes an iPod is easy to replace...but not the library. That has to be done from the home computer. Looks like a job for Sarah - buy an iPod, load it and post it to meet me somewhere int he next 9 many weeks. Yes, music is that important!

After my delayed arrival. I hopped on the train and went into Kowloon for dinner.

 

The trains are super efficient and cost $15AU for a return trip. At the Kowloon station were 6 free buses that headed off in loops to various places. I went in search of good Hong Kong food.

 

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First stop looked amazing.

 

But sadly that menu didn't start for 90 minutes. They brought me the al la carte menu - lovely burgers and pizza etc...but not like the poster. But then I found a noodle house and ate off the 'local food' menu.

 

thumb_IMG_4578_1024.jpg

 

Great food. The chicken feet - were yum. Sticky gelatinous things. I do wonder how much poo they walked in.

Then back to the airpot, to the lounge for a shower then onto British Airways flight. 14 hours. Leaves at 11pm. Arrives at 5 am. Hope I sleep lots. There can always be a first where I sleep a lot on a plane. And let me say here....there are not a lot of things better than an airport shower and clean clothes after being out of bed for 40 hours and with another 26 to go till I get to bed again. But I did get at least 15 minutes on the bus and 3 hours sleep, in three goes, on the last flight so I will be fine.

 

See you tomorrow. - Here that is.

 

Raina

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AussieVisi2r

AussieVisi2r

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Just seen how many typos are in the first post. Oops. I was rushing to post before I went to board. So I posted it, packed up and crackle crackle..."BA32 to London delayed".

 

Oh well - it can be a bit like a Turkish rug. Did you know they all have a mistake in them - a knot in the wrong colour. It's is to stop the Gods getting angry at perfection!

 

That can be my excuse. So shall go as they must be boarding us soon!

 

Sorry the chicken feet effected dinner. We shall see how I feel in a few hours after not just looking but eating!

Raina

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Hoopster95

Hoopster95

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28th September. Fly to England… And the 29th

1st Oct – ‘Navigator’ 14 nights Canary and Africa

14th October – ‘Navigator’ 7 night France and Spain

23rd October - ‘Harmony’ 13 nights Trans Atlantic to Florida

5th November – a trip to New Orleans

10th November – ‘Anthem’ 10 nights Caribbean

20th November – ‘Anthem’ 7 nights Bahamas

27th November – Get off my ship day – to the airport and go

29th November – arrive home.

 

OMG... you're my hero! What an adventure & itinerary!!!

Will be quietly following as always.:D

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lakelorain

lakelorain

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Looking forward to your in-depth review, as always.

 

I used to work for a container shipping company and we shipped many containers of Chicken Feet to Hong Kong. I've never seen what they looked like cooked before. Interesting.

 

See you on the Harmony.

Toni

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