I actually just booked it - I am taking my family on a cruise on Ovation of the Seas - a HUGE boat with fabulous things for kids, and we are going around New Zealand.
We have to fly to Sydney to leave from there, so will be in Sydney for 3 days.
Hard to get so many on a boat as they are booked out so far ahead
WOW, Finy!! This sounds simply wonderful.A good friend of mine did a very similar trip with her family and the young grandson who she has now got legal custody of, really came out of his shell on the trip! She, however, was advised to wait till much closer to the date for her bookings as there would be many unbooked suites which then go for a song! They ended up in a first class suite with all the extras, and trimmings for no more cost at all.They had EVERY extra laid on and felt like royalty.She said she shall definitely be doing a cruise once a year now, booking it in this way!By the way, when do you go?
she probably went to the South Pacific then - this does not happen on NZ cruises as they are booked out and we got the last triple available on a huge ship six months ahead.
My friends do the same when they go to the South Pacific or even up the qld coast but not so to NZ!
Hi Finy, If my husband ever gets around to booking our south pacific Sydney return cruise, it will leave from the awful White (Elephant) Bay Wharf. Even the our Govt is now saying that was a waste of $54 million!!! There's no buses from the city to there, but we can now a catch a ferry for $9 each way, which is a lot cheaper than a taxi! I hope you'll all have a wonderful cruise. I'll be thinking of you!
Hi Finy, No our NZ cruise wasn't on that lovely ship your going on, but which was I think actually a 16n Sydney return. We're now not going on that 1 now, but we are still going on the South Pacific Melbourne return cruise in February/March. We are also going on a chartered ship to Q'ld, only 4 nights from C.Quay. Why? Because it was only $99 each, but with taxes & port changes, it now comes to $178 each I think, so now my husband is saying we shouldn't have booked it! It's for 4 nights I'm not cooking!
PS Finy: We didn't end up going on the 4night Qld' cruise after all, but the 14 night South Pacific cruise we did in Feb/March was most delightful. I hope you all enjoyed your cruise, Finy.
Yes! And we leave tomorrow.
The kids are very excited about their first trip on a plane
Where was your holiday too Belinda, & did everyone enjoy it? I certainly hope so!
Only a quick trip to QLD, saw Australia Zoo and the Ginger Factory. Was a fun time, my girls loved it because it was their first trip on a plance :)
We are on holidays in Europe right now. Tomorrow we start the river cruise component of our holiday and will be travelling to Budapest for that in the morning. We have already been in Europe for a few weeks, and we are spending some time in France after the cruise. Obviously we havent booked our next holiday yet. Get this one done first. We are thinking that we will probably go to Canada and Alaska.
How was your fab European River cruise, Lluxi? I've always wanted to do that 1. I just saw an awful story on the news about 1 of those river cruises, in the very bad floods, but I'd still love to do it, when it's not flooding! I just wish it was a Melbourne/Sydney return 1!!! HaHa. I'm not scared of flying, but it would just be so much easier to go form Oz, but I know that will never happen!
wow, Lluxi - you have good internet access considering you are away! I didnt think you had gone yet, as you were still answering, though not so quickly! enjoy
Hi Finy. This is our first night on the Europe river cruise. Looking forward to it. All good hotels we have been to have free wi fi. On the ship here, each cabin has its own computer with FREE internet. Captain said that when we go through the locks the internet may not be as good.
Hi Lluxi. I did the Amsterdam, Budapest, Prague cruise and loved it. Do yourself a favour and buy yourself (great for gifts too) the glass nailfiles they also sell on the ships and everywhere you stop off as they are fantastic and so pretty. Never had a problem with the wi-fi going through the locks but be careful if you happen to sit outside as you go through some of them as I had a nasty breathing episode and coughing attack from the smell off the walls as we went through. As for my next holiday I'd like to do another river cruise but that will only eventuate if and when I have a knee replacement so some time off unfortunately.
WE've just returned from 2 weeks in Bali, after my last unmarried nephews wedding. I'm now waiting for my husband to book a south pacific island cruise for Feb 24, for 2 weeks, (our 3rd south pacific, but this 1 is to 5 islands we haven't visited before, except of the Isle of Pines, & a Melbourne return 13 night 3rd NZ cruise in Jan. With the Melbourne ones, it means we can stay with our youngest daughter for a few days before & after the cruise! (We didn't cruise last year, nor the year before.) Anyway, I'll wait & see if that happens!
Miro - that is the same date as my cruise! which port do you leave from?
No! I feel like I am almost on holiday EVERY day here in my North Queensland home surrounded by sunshine and stunning flora and fauna!!! I admit that I did used to book my holidays ahead when I was working, and they were always booked to suit my son's school holiday periods. Now though, if I was to take a cruise or similar, I would do as my friend did, and I would leave it till the last minute so as to take advantage of filling an un-booked suite for the price of a regular cabin! She was advised about these bargains by her travel agent, and she ended up with all of the extra free benefits which come with the higher priced suites! I'd heard about this sort of thing before, but until recently had never known anyone who'd taken advantage of one of these offers. Definitely food for thought!!!