Melbourne and Sydney

Melbourne dawned a much nicer day, as we pulled into port just before a Holland America ship docked alongside our own. Port logistics proved a bit challenging that day, however, and our tour was a bit late to take off. We had booked an ambitious excursion and, in retrospect, would cut one of the stops out. It began with a short harbor cruise on the Yaro River, narrated by an entertaining Aussie boat captain who pointed out the sites. Then we re-boarded our motocoah for the ride up to the Healesville Sanctuary, a much larger facility than the Bonorong Sanctuary in Tasmania, although here we were not allowed to pet or feed any of the animals. Nonetheless, we satisfied our need to see more indigenous marsupials and other animals in their native habitat and added a few more photos, too. Not too far away was the Ferguson Winery where we enjoyed a delicious lunch with local wines and the opportunity to do some wine tasting. Others in our group did variations of the above, or boarded the Puffing Billy Train for a ride through the Dandenong Ranges, or went on city tours. It seemed a very fast stop!

We spent our final day at sea re-packing and saying farewells, as some in our group were headed straight home, while others planned to stay over in Sydney. But all of us were all up early for Sydney sail-in day. We’ve always ranked Venice as the number one sail-away port past the Grand Canal (which will be history in 18 months when the new channel is dredged), but Sydney comes in pretty darn close. We sailed within yards of the beautiful Sydney Opera House (check out the history of the design) on the port side and could see the Sydney Harbor Bridge (no, we did NOT do the bridge climb!) until the ship veered left to the cruise port. Magnificent!

Ben and I had planned only two days in Sydney, so we quickly stashed our bags at our hotel in Circular Quay and boarded the Hop On, Hop Off bus to see as much of the city as possible. We got in some shopping and a German lunch in The Rocks district, where British convicts were first brought in as work crews. We returned in time to get dressed for the performance of Puccini's Turandot back at the Opera House. Admittedly, Ben and I aren’t huge opera fans, but this was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. As it turned out, we had booked excellent seats online in advance that were close enough to see the orchestra and conductor, and we could also read the English translations high above if we strained our heads upward. Even Ben found himself really getting into it! Maybe another opera is in our future.... By the way, Natalie Cole was playing in another part of the opera house, and friends attended her show with great reviews.

To top it off, during an intermission we were enjoying a glass of wine outside when the Diamond Princess, lit up from stem to stern, sailed out of the harbor en route to Singapore. It was a magical evening.

For our final day, Ben and I booked a tour up to the Blue Mountains, home to Jurassic rain forests, waterfalls, and giant Three Sisters rock formations. Our tour proved more adventurous than most, as we all walked, rather than rode, down the muddy, slippery slopes though the forests to the base of the cogwheel railway where we happily boarded for the return up! Our guide was very passionate and informative and delighted in talking about the native landscape. Lunch was a quick, but delicious Aussie-style meat pie at a small bakery recommended by our guide. The Blue Mountains tour is an all day event, so it should be booked only by those with time to spare during their Sydney stay. Other popular stops are Bondi Beach and Manley.

The next morning, Ben and I flew to Fiji for one more night before flying on to Los Angeles for a night to meet with our colleague who was covering for us. Timing was everything for this stop. After our first stopover en route to Auckland under sunny skies, the rains began causing terrible flooding in many parts of the Fiji Islands. We returned, gratefully, to more sunny skies.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip, notwithstanding the diversion away from Fjordland because of the weather. We wish we’d had time to see more of Australia, since Tasmania, Melbourne, and Sydney barely tell the whole story of this huge country. But we enjoyed the parts of New Zealand and Australia we did visit, and we loved the people there immensely. Maybe we’ll get back one day.

Next up, more about the Diamond Princess.

Akaroa (Christchurch), Dunedin, and Hobart

Weather happens. That’s what we tell our clients all the time, because it happens to us, too. Captain Sagani began his weather advisories well before our scheduled cruise into Fjordland, offering possible alternative routes if conditions worsened. As it happened, not one, but three different frontal systems converged over the Tasman Sea causing strong winds and high seas and slowing our speed considerably. At one point, the Diamond Princess was barely crawling at 2-4 knots. It made for quite a bumpy ride! Luckily, all in our group weathered the storm well--thanks to midship cabins and a dose of Meclizine here and there--but we were so pleased to finally reach Hobart, Tasmania, that we barely minded the half-day loss of port time and cancellation of many of our scheduled shore excursions.

Before the storm approached, however, we had continued to enjoy the sunny, cool New Zealand weather greeting us in both Akaroa and Dunedin.

Interestingly, though founded by the Maori 700-800 years ago and already claimed by Britain, Akaroa was New Zealand’s only French settlement, and some of that country‘s influence remains today through both its architecture and cuisine. It was also the closest our ship would get to Christchurch, that beautiful city so terribly ravaged by the 2011 earthquake. A few excursions gave passengers the opportunity to venture into the city, either on your own or to the Antarctic Centre or Botanic Gardens. (One couple in our group returned from Christchurch happy they had gone, but very sad at the destruction they saw.)

It was from Akaroa that passengers could also board the Tranz Alpine Express in Arthur’s Pass for a delightful train ride through the country’s Southern Alps. One lucky couple in our group did just that--the ones whose arrival had been delayed by weather, no less--and gave the excursion high marks. Some of us chose a wildlife cruise to the outer edges of this natural caldera harbor formed eons ago by a volcano. We went in search of Hector’s Dolphins and were not disappointed! These smallest and rarest of the dolphin family are fast and playful, and several found their way to our boat. We also sighted a tiny white-flippered blue penguin and beautiful sea birds. Akaroa itself is a delightful little resort town with interesting shops, bars and cafes. You can also journey to the remote and lovely Mt. Potts high country station, home of Mt. Sunday, and see how movie magic transformed this peaceful mountain into Edoras, the capital city of the Rohan people in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Our ship called next at Port Chalmers for a visit to Dunedin, a delightful city with strong Scottish roots and some beautiful Presbyterian churches. (Okay, other denominations and faiths are represented there, too.) From here, Princess offered excursions by train, harbor cruises, bus and foot. On the Taieri Gorge Railway, you could travel one way through the Taieri Gorge for panoramic views straight out of New Zealand’s gold rush days, or to the seaside along the Otago Coast.
Dunedin is home to some stunning homes, too, and I didn’t want to miss them. First we visited Fletcher House, where I felt as though I’d stepped back into Grandmother Martin’s home in Edwards, Mississippi. There in the parlor stood the exact same model upright Majestic radio that I inherited from her and which still resides in my dining room, as well as a mantle clock similar to my own and a beautiful piano bearing frayed-edge sheets of music that would no doubt have had Mother singing in no time. The house is the only fully restored and furnished Edwardian villa in New Zealand. It was lovingly crafted by James Fletcher, the Scottish stonemason who eventually founded Fletcher Construction Company.

Our tour next visited Larnach Castle, a huge Edwardian-era home built on an exposed bluff and containing numerous rooms priceless antiques. In contrast to both the Fletcher House and the next home we’d see, however, this lavish castle was destined to bear a very sad story of a family divided and unrequited love.

Finally came Olveston House, located in an inner suburb of Dunedin and a home that was built to be as practical as it was beautiful. This owner thought of everything that would make the kitchen efficient and servants well-equipped to care for the property and its contents. And since the last of the Olveston family left no heirs it was donated in its entirety, complete with its stunning gardens and still operational 1920-era Fiat convertible, to the City of Dunedin in 1966 along with money to maintain it. Nice folks, huh?

After making it through the storm of the summer, the Diamond Princess, which had managed quite well to keep us happy and entertained over three and half days as sea, pulled into Hobart, Tasmania. Our captain extended our hours in port, giving enough time to at least get glimpses of this southern Australian city and even visit the historic Georgian village, Richmond, and the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary where we cuddled up to kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas and saw Tasmanian devils up close and personal--but not too close! So, despite fears of not being able to see much of Tasmania at all, we were well treated by tour guides delighted to welcome us to their fair city.

Moreover, Ben and I made it back to the ship in time to celebrate our 42nd anniversary with friends at Sabatini’s Italian restaurant on the Diamond Princess. And now we’re on our way--over much calmer seas--to Melbourne!

(As usual, I’ll add photos and links when we return home.)

Flight Fiasco and Diamond Princess, Part 1

David’s first email arrived Saturday, while we were in Auckland, two days before we were to set sail. Because of the winter storm bashing Oregon, his flight had been cancelled, but he was rebooked for the next day. Then came news that he and Cathy had made it as far as San Francisco, but they would still not be able to make the overseas connection into Auckland in time--again because of the weather. By then, he had cancelled their special excursion from Auckland and their first, then subsequently, both nights in our hotel. Although he had booked his primary flights through Princess whose representatives were trying to help them, no regional air service was available through the cruise line. However, our wonderful colleague Susan, who was covering for us, managed to book flights for them from Auckland to Tauranga and also confirmed permission from Princess for their late boarding. So, even though they had built in a two-day travel cushion, they still missed all of Auckland and Tauranga (except for the airport!), and made their first appearance at our group cocktail party gathering the second night of the cruise.

Moral of the story? Insurance. They bought it, and as a result they will be able to file claims for the additional flights to Tauranga and other incidental expenses incurred that were all due to that massive winter storm in the northwest. Please don’t travel without it!

Meanwhile, back on the ship…the rest of us had gratefully settled into our cabins and unpacked for our 12 nights on the Diamond Princess. The largest in the Princess fleet, she’s beautifully appointed with a restful elegance atmosphere and the line‘s signature features: Movies Under the Stars, The Sanctuary, and the Piazza. We have been impressed with our captain, Dino Sagani, from the very beginning. He’s articulate and obviously very sea savvy, a fact that became more important further into our cruise.

Our first stop was Tauranga on New Zealand‘s North Island, where Ben and I booked one of our longest excursions that included the Te Puia Thermal Reserve, and Maori Arts and Cultural Center, and the Agrodome. The “Big Splash” geyser in the reserve could give Old Faithful a run for its money. Eruptions can last over 20 minutes and occur quite often. Our welcome to the Maori (pronounced Mahree) center was quite traditional with a designated “chief” from our tour group and ages-old rules and guidelines enforced, from the removal of shoes and hats to respectful silence when called for during the performance. Things got a bit rowdier, however, when we got to the tongue-sticking-out part, especially when audience members (including one of our own!) took part on stage. The buffet meal that followed was actually quite good with salads, a delicious roasted sweet potato soup, meats and vegetables, and assorted desserts--served only after our Maori hostess had blessed the food in her native language.

I must say that our visit to the sheep farm proved a pleasant surprise. I’d never seen so many different types of sheep in my life, and certainly not on one stage together. They were trained to mount podiums and remain there while the emcee described each one. Then came demonstrations of sheep shearing, sheep herding by two amazing dogs, and cow milking. Quite the show!

Others in our group did variations of the above activities or visited a local farm. It was fun to compare notes at dinner that evening.

Our next ports of call would be Akaroa, the nearest we would sail to Christchurch, and Port Chalmers for Dunedin, both of which I’ll cover in the next blog. As I write, however, we’re sailing over the bumpy Tasman Sea after the cancellation of our scheduled cruise through New Zealand’s famed Fjordland due to approaching storms. Obviously a huge disappointment, but a decision based on the captain’s best judgment for our safety. I guess we’ll just have to return!

Fiji and Auckland, Pre-Cruise Travel

We’re off again, this time to the land Down Under, a trip that has long been on our bucket list. First, however, I must say a few words about the Costa Concordia tragedy. All of us in the travel industry grieve for the lives lost and passengers affected by this terrible incident. At the same time, we must also say that despite what happened to that ship as an apparent result of one captain’s actions, cruising remains a safe and wonderful way to travel. We have received reassuring emails from virtually every cruise line, including Costa as to the extreme safety precautions that are always mandated, and we have absolute confidence in all of them. Like you, we will anxiously watch to see how the Costa case unfolds.

For our trip to the other part of the world, Ben and I wanted to break the flight up a bit, so we planned accordingly. First, we allowed time in Los Angeles for a drive up to Chatsworth and a visit at AMA Waterways headquarters. Thank you, Angie, for the tour of your wonderful river cruise company! It was a treat to meet many of the staff members who have helped make are association with AMA so enjoyable…and to stretch our legs a bit.

At LAX later that evening, we met up with five of the seven couples traveling with us to Fiji. The other two couples would join us in Auckland, although one didn’t make it on time--but that’s another story to follow in my next blog! The cool thing about this group is that we know them all, but from different walks of life: one couple from our Aviano Air Base days in the 1970s; another from two Air Force assignments in the 80s; one from my years at the Institute of Texan Cultures; and the rest from Ben’s work at Southwest Research Institute. Why do I mention this? Simply to express the joy this cruise business has brought us in renewing and continuing friendships made over the years. A gift and a blessing!

The Fiji stopover made a huge difference in our flight time and stamina. The flight from LAX ended up being just 10 hours long, not much further than flying to some European airports from San Antonio, (notwithstanding that international dateline crossing thing, of course). Ben had booked us on an Air Pacific flight that stopped there anyway, and we were only charged about $100 per person for the two-day deviation. Good move. One important thing we learned was that Air Pacific limits carry-on bags to 15 pounds and DOES weigh them. Some in our group ended up checking another bag; others needed to reorganize.

Ben had found and booked a lovely hotel for us about 30 minutes from the Nadi airport, the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa. Although beaches are better on some of the 300+ other islands comprising this country, the stretch of beach along this hotel row (Wyndham, Sheraton, and Hilton) was pretty darn nice, too; plus, it was very convenient for this quick stay. Our plan included daily breakfast, and the hotel offered several dining venues for other meals.

For our full day in Fiji, several of us booked a Captain Cook cruise to a private island where we could sun, swim, snorkel, dive, kayak, and eat a delicious beach BBQ lunch. Another couple opted for a tour of an orchid farm and traditional village. A great way to get over jetlag!

Finally, we were off on the remaining three-hour flight to Auckland and our two-night stay at the Crowne Plaza downtown. The hotel location put us within walking distance to the port, the Sky Tower (the tallest man-made structure in the Southern Hemisphere), and various restaurants and cafes, pronounced with one syllable here. One of our group found a delightful seafood restaurant called Kermadec overlooking the harbor where we all dined that first evening on local specialties. An excellent choice.

For our full day in Auckland, we purchased tickets for the Hop On-Hop Off Explorer Bus which took us to the Big 14 attractions in the city with the option to visit any of them at our leisure. (Admission fees applied.) Those spending time at the Auckland Museum attested to impressive collections. Ben and I decided to focus on Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter &Underwater World, Bastion Point & Mission Bay Lookout, Trinity Cathedral, and Parnell Village, where several of us enjoyed a delightful lunch in this quaint district.

Later in the afternoon, Ben and I rode to the Sky Tower’s main observation deck for a cocktail and magnificent city views. Another couple managed to snag last-minute dinner reservations, which proved to be very limited. All of us witnessed some of the brave souls dropping from the top of the tower to the ground. Not me! Nor did we sign up for the bungee jumping ride outside our hotel that created a slingshot-like experience for those sitting in the baskets provided. So, did you know that bungee jumping was born in New Zealand?

Following our cool and cloudy first day in New Zealand, embarkation day dawned sunny and mild. After a quick breakfast at a nearby café, Ben and I decided to walk down to the pier to check out our ship. What a beautiful a sight she presented on her last day in Auckland for the season! We boarded with six of the seven other couples in our group later that morning to begin 12 nights sailing to ports in and around both New Zealand and Australia. Stand by for the story of couple number eight!

Australia / New Zealand 2012

How does an Australia/New Zealand cruise in January 2012 sound to you? Ben and I thought it was a pretty good idea ourselves, so we are now escorting an open group on the Diamond Princess January 23-February 4, 2012. Did I really mean 2012? You bet I did! Cruises down under early sell out very quickly because there are so few of them. Our clients have learned—sometimes the hard way—that it’s critical to plan ahead for these itineraries – at least one year ahead!

Most of the ports called upon line the coast of New Zealand: Auckland, Tauranga, Christchurch, Dunedin, and of course the country’s majestic fjords, as well as Hobart, Tasmania and Melbourne and Sydney, Australia. Our plan is to fly to Auckland a few days early and stay over in Sydney, too.

We’d love for you to join us! Need more information? Just email me.

If those dates and/or cruise line don’t work for you, we also set up a group on the Celebrity Century January 18-30. This one begins in Sydney and actually includes a few more ports of call: Hobart, Tasmania; Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, and Bay of Islands New Zealand.

And did you know that Oceania will return to that area of the world in 2012 after a year’s absence? The beautiful Regatta will sail 21 days, March 8-29 from Auckland to Sydney, but she’ll add the fascinating ports of Nuk’alofa, Tonga; Suva and Lautoka, Fiji; Pine Island and Noumea, New Caledonia; and Cairns, Townsville, Whitsunday Island, and Brisbane Australia.

The Cruises Inc National Conference Cruise is just around the corner. Ben and I will fly to Ft. Lauderdale October 14 for training at our new corporate headquarters and will then board the Norwegian Epic for a week of seminars, workshops, events, parties, and—hopefully—a little rest sometime! Conferences cruises are always busy, but they afford a wonderful opportunity to meet both collectively and one-on-one with various cruise line executives and representatives, our senior corporate and management staff, and, of course, our fellow agents and friends.

With any luck, I’ll have time to post at least one blog from this amazing new ship, so please stay tuned!