MSC Western Mediterranean Cruise

Blue Skies and Palm Trees on our MSC Cruise

We had been looking forward to this cruise so much because it would take us to places we hadn't been, such as the Balearic Isles and Sardinia. Our ship was MSC Sinfonia and the itinerary was a round trip from Genoa (Italy) over 7 nights.
  Here are our ports of call:

• St Tropez, France
• Palma de Mallorca, Spain (overnight here)
• Mahon, Menorca, Spain
• Olbia, Sardinia, Italy
• Salerno, Italy
• Genoa, Italy

Over the next little while I'll report on the ship and each port of call with information for cruisers. The cruise was a relaxing way to see these smaller places in the Med. We really enjoyed it!

Cruising the Mediterranean with Norwegian Cruise line

On an NCL cruise

Last month we went on a wonderful cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line. We hadn't cruised with them before and the itinerary took us to some places we hadn't been. Our ship was Norwegian Spirit.
  It was called the '12-Day Grand Mediterranean Cruise', captained by Vanja Litovic, and over the course of the days we travelled  3,100 kilometres. We visited 5 countries ( Italy, Greece, Turkey, France, Spain) and 10 ports of call with 2 sea days.
  Here's where we went:

• Venice (embarkation)
• Piraeus (for Athens)
• Izmir (for Ephesus)
• Istanbul
• Mykonos
• Naples
• Civitavecchia (for Rome)
• Livorno ( for Pisa and Florence)
• Toulon
• Barcelona (disembark)

And what port did I like best? All of them! Each was special and interesting in its own way. We had a great time!

A Short Cruise on the Danube River from Passau

On board the Crystal Ship

In my last blog post I wrote about the Crystal Ship that does short cruises along the Danube leaving from the town of Passau.
We chose to go on a morning cruise, that departed from and arrived at dock 11 at Passau. The cruise took just over two hours and was a very pleasant way to see the local scenery.

The different coloured waters of the Inn and Danube Rivers

On leaving the dock, we cruised past the end of the Passau peninsular where three rivers ( Danube, Inn and Ilz), each a different colour, join up. It was very interesting to see how marked the definitions were of where the waters met. A little further on from where I took this photograph, the River Ilz with its very dark water, flowed in, adding to the mix.
  Onward we cruised, along the Bavarian/Austrian Danube River Valley until we arrived in Austria at the little village of Kasten.

Kasten, in Austria

This was the endpoint of the cruise and from there we headed back towards the Bavarian town of Obernzell.

Obernzell, Germany

After a short stop at this pretty town, (you stay on the boat) we returned to Passau.
  For us it was very enjoyable; a beautiful ship, great weather and a chance to relax and enjoy the pretty scenery. The only downside was that the commentary was not in English.
  The Crystal Ship does this cruise several times daily from March 30 to the end of October. There are two more crystal ships in this fleet, operating out of Regensburg - Crystal Queen and Crystal Princess.
  If you are in Passau or Regensburg with a couple of hours to spare, I would recommend a crystal cruise!

Cruising in the Mediterranean with MSC

Cruise for $1

Great excitement in our house. You see, we have got a wonderful deal - a 7 day cruise with MSC in the Western Mediterranean.
I nearly fell off my chair when I got an email from the travel agent. It said that if I paid the advertised price, my husband could cruise for $1, plus port charges.How good is that?
The other interesting thing about this cruise is that we haven't been to many of the ports of call - Mallorca, Menorca and Sardinia. So all in all, it should be a great week.

The Southern Cruise Season has Started

'Dawn Princess' in Auckland, New Zealand

The South Pacific cruising season has started with the arrival of Princess cruise ship 'Dawn Princess' in Auckland this weekend. From October to April ships will sail around New Zealand and across to Australia, and some itineraries will also take in the Pacific Islands - New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji.
   There are more cruise ships than ever in the South Pacific this year. The port of Auckland is expecting over 100 visits. And more cruise lines are sending ships to this part of the world. Holland America, Princess, P&O, Celebrity, Carnival, Seabourn and Royal Caribbean will all be sailing here. The biggest ship to visit Auckland will be 'Voyager of the Seas', carrying 3840 passengers.
   Now is a great time to get a good price on a cruise. More ships and a stagnant economy mean there are big price reductions, especially for last minute deals. Cruises have never been cheaper!

Mediterranean Cruise for 2013

A Mediterranean Cruise with NCL

Yippee! We've got a Mediterranean cruise sorted for next year. It's a wonderful itinerary over 12 days. We'll be visiting Barcelona, Toulon, Livorno, Rome, Naples, Istanbul, Izmir, Mykonos, Athens and Venice with 2 sea days.
  And we'll be able to cross sights off our bucket lists - Gaudi's Sagrada Familia cathedral, Pompeii, Ephesus and Hagia Sophia.
  The cruise is with Norwegian Cruise Line. We haven't sailed with them before so it will be interesting to see how different they are from others. 

Looking for a Mediterranean Cruise

We're getting ready to go to a cruise expo in a couple of hours. I've been researching Mediterranean cruises for next year so am looking forward to seeing what's on offer at the expo.
  We want to cross a few places off our bucket lists!
 Pete wants to see Gaudi's Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona. I want to go to Pompeii and Istanbul. And, having lived in Greece, I'd love to go back there, even if only for a few hours over a couple of days on a cruise.
  Let's hope we can find an itinerary that works for us and the dates we have to work around so we can turn our dreams into reality!

European Rivers - Which One to Cruise?

River Cruises in Europe

This page from the Avalon Waterways brochure gives a great view of Europe's rivers. Which one would you choose to cruise? Or would you plan for a combination of cruises for a longer holiday that spans Europe?

• The Rhine River - across Holland and Germany and down to Switzerland
• The Main River - through central Germany
• The Danube River - through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary
• The Moselle River - through Germany, Luxembourg and France
• The Seine River - through Normandy in France from Paris to the English Channel
• The Rhone River - through Burgundy and Provence in southern France
• The Elbe River - through Germany and the Czech Republic

There are so many river cruises to choose from ranging from 5 to 15 days. Some offer add-on days in major cities such as Prague, Paris and Budapest.

  And when would you go? In summertime when the weather should be pleasant but there would be lots of tourists around? Or would you go in winter on a romantic, but freezing cold, Christmas cruise to visit the traditional Christmas markets in the riverside towns and villages?

  I want to go on them all!

Back From our Sea Princess Cruise

Pacific Island Cruise Itinerary

It's always a bit of a 'back to reality' shock after finishing a cruise. Today I was at the supermarket wishing I was still on board the lovely 'Sea Princess', being treated like a princess! We have just had 14 days of calm seas and mostly blue skies on a Pacific Island cruise which we thoroughly enjoyed.
   Our itinerary began at Sydney then headed northeast across the Coral Sea to Lifou in the Loyalty Islands, part of New Caledonia. Last time we were at Lifou it was cloudy and windy. This time the weather was great so the place looked like a beautiful photo in a tourist brochure.
   Port Vila, Vanuatu was next, then four ports of call in Fiji: Port Denerau on the west coast near Nadi; Suva, the capital; Savusavu on the other big island, Vanua Levu; and the tiny island of Dravuni, south of Suva. Noumea was our last port before returning to Sydney.
   One of the reasons we liked this cruise itinerary was that it had 6 sea days. I really enjoy days at sea - the chance to chill out on a steamer deck chair on the Promenade deck and watch the waves or wander inside to a craft class, cooking demonstration or an interesting lecture. No pressure, no queues. That's when cruising is really relaxing.
   I'll write more about the ports and the 'Sea Princess' over my next few blog posts. So keep cruising along with me!

On the Rugby Legends Cruise for the Rugby World Cup

Volendam berthed at Mount Maunganui

We are just home from the 'Rugby Legends' cruise on one of my favourite ships, the 'Volendam'. The keenest rugby supporters started the cruise on October 4th in Australia, came across to New Zealand and have been in Wellington and Auckland, staying on the ship and attending the footy games for the Rugby World Cup.

   Some of the cabins hadn't sold and were released last week for a short 4 night cruise. That's the last minute deal I snapped up!

   We left Auckland on Monday evening and cruised overnight to Tauranga. Tuesday was spent in port at Mount Maunganui. Our friends from Te Puke met us and took us for a drive to Papamoa then out to lunch. We had a lot of catching up to do as we last saw them when we were on the 'Volendam' in March.

   The beach clean-up at Papamoa was in full swing with army personnel and volunteers working hard to clear the oil that had leaked from the ship-wrecked 'Rena'. The main beach at Mount Maunganui was open as the sand there was clean, but people were advised to stay out of the water.

   We left Tauranga on Tuesday evening and arrived in the Bay of Islands on Wednesday morning. The 'Volendam' anchored in the bay off-shore from Russell. Another ship was there also, the 'Orion' I wrote about in several blog posts last month.

   To get ashore we had to go in tenders to the wharf at Waitangi. Buses for the shore tours met the passengers there and a free shuttle bus into Paihia was on hand for those wanting to explore independently.

We met friends for an enjoyable afternoon tea at the cafe in the Waitangi Treaty House grounds. More talking!

   The cruise was supposed to overnight in the Bay of Islands but that plan changed and we left there in the evening to cruise for 24 hours before arriving back in Auckland on Thursday at 7.30 pm.

   I love sea days so especially enjoyed Thursday. The weather was a bit better too, sunshine instead of the dark grey clouds we'd had the rest of the time. We had superb views of the coastline and the full length of Great Barrier Island as we cruised all the way down to the Coromandel Peninsula before arriving back in Auckland as the sun was setting.

   We disembarked after breakfast on Friday - I wanted to stay longer! Our dog whined and cried when he had to leave the kennels - a bit like me having to leave the 'Volendam'!!

   Seriously though, fine food, great accommodation, excellent entertainment, friendly crew and all the hype of the Rugby World Cup made the 4 nights feel like 4 weeks away. I am soooo relaxed!
  

Cruise to the Rugby World Cup!

Rugby World Cup display

What a great atmosphere there is in New Zealand at the moment! Rugby World Cup fever has well and truly taken hold of the country. Flags of all the countries participating are flying on buildings, along roadsides, on people's cars. Spectators at the matches are dressing up in colourful costumes, draping themselves in flags, painting their faces in the colours of the teams they're supporting. It's all a little crazy!

   Three cruise ships are bringing thousands of rugby fans to New Zealand over the next few days. These lucky people will use the ships as their hotels when they are docked for several days in Wellington and Auckland and as their transport to get between those cities. They'll have a choice of going to the quarter-finals, semi-finals, Bronze Final and Grand Final games.

   Also on the cruise itineraries are visits to Picton, Tauranga and the Bay of Islands to fill in the time between the rugby games.

   The cruises are rugby themed so on board it will be full-on with rugby trivia, debates, replays of classic matches, supporters bars decked out in team colours and comedy hours. Rugby celebrities such as past captains and coaches are on the cruises to share their insights and their experiences of the game.

   

On a Kimberley Expedition with Orion Cruises

On Orion's Kimberley Expedition

Lynn and Brien chose the Kimberley Expedition in Australia's northwest because they wanted to see more of the region. By going on this Orion adventure cruise, they were able to access some of the most remote and scenic places in Australia that would not be possible to visit on larger cruise ships.

   Their 10-day cruise started in the town of Broome and leapfrogged up the Kimberley coast, to Yampi Sound, Raft Point and Montgomery Reef, Talbot River and the Horizontal Waterfalls, the Hunter River, Vansittart Bay, King George River, and the town of Wyndham. Then they sailed across to East Timor, and back to Australia to end in Darwin.

   At each day's destination area, they transferred, in small groups, to Zodiac craft (inflatable rubber boats) to go ashore or stay out on the water to explore rivers, reefs or waterfalls. Some days they landed on deserted beaches and hiked to see ancient Aboriginal rock art. At other times they could go on a fishing tour, or a flight over the Bungle Bungle ranges, an area of great natural beauty, or on a helicopter flight to Mitchell Falls, or walk to see the wreck of a World War II transport plane. 
   Another aspect of the cruise was the opportunity to see an interesting array of bird life and, sometimes at very close quarters, crocodiles and snakes. Some great photo opportunities there!
   I asked Lynn if passengers needed a certain level of fitness to go on this Orion expedition cruise as some of the activities involved walking up steep hills and over uneven ground, as well as getting in and out of the Zodiacs.
   She replied that when she booked the cruise, she was told very specifically about what passengers needed to be able to do physically and what they would need to take in the way of clothing, but also that help would be available from the Expedition Team.
  Lynn thoroughly enjoyed all the shore tours, especially the treks to see Aboriginal rock drawings and the scenic flights over some really interesting rock formations. Out on the water, one of her favourite experiences was seeing the Horizontal Waterfalls - "a real adrenaline rush."
  

     

  

Where did, or didn't, SuperStar Virgo go?

Port Klang, Malaysia

The two night cruise I was on from Singapore to Malaysia was called the 'Malacca/Kuala Lumpur Cruise'. The itinerary said that the ship would be in Malacca from 7 - 9 a.m. then would sail on to Port Klang, the nearest port to Kuala Lumpur.
   I knew that passengers would not be allowed off the ship in Malacca but I thought that at least I'd be able to see the city from the observation deck.
   Nope! We didn't go there at all. Some passengers who had booked an all-day shore tour to Malacca and K.L. were taken off the ship by tender when we were in mid-stream. They'd rejoin SuperStar Virgo at Port Klang that night.
   We kept sailing up the Straits of Malacca; Indonesia on one side of us, Malaysia on the other. I hadn't realised how narrow this waterway is. We were in sight of land the whole way.
   Port Klang is huge; miles of wharves, hundreds of ships. This photo is of the cruise ship terminal there. It's literally in the middle of nowhere. From the terminal it's about a 40 minute drive, depending on traffic, into Kuala Lumpur.
   I didn't want to spend five or six hours on shore tours to enormous shopping malls or rush around in K.L. so decided to stay onboard, seeing the cruise was so short, and enjoy the ship's facilities for the rest of the day. But I did go ashore at one point to walk around outside the terminal, just so I could say I'd been to Malaysia!
   One woman was highly excited about the chance to shop at one of the biggest malls in Asia. She left the ship, clutching her husband in one hand and waving his credit card in the other, shouting, "Bye. I'm going to make him poor!"
   From the look of her when she arrived back onboard, carrying armloads of shopping bags, I'd say she certainly did.
   

Cruise Around New Zealand

New Zealand display on the cruise ship

Seeing your own country from the sea is a whole different experience from driving through it. The slow approach to a port, the light on the water, the panoramic views, give a new perspective. That's why we loved the cruise we went on a couple of months ago - with Holland America Line around New Zealand.  It certainly gave me a renewed appreciation for the beauty of my homeland, especially when hearing the admiring comments of people from overseas who had never been to New Zealand before.
   The 14 day cruise was called  New Zealand and Australia, departing from Auckland and finishing in Sydney. The ship was the 'Volendam', one of Holland America's elegant, mid-size cruise ships.  
   The itinerary featured scenic cruising around three of New Zealand's most beautiful areas: the Bay of Plenty, the Marlborough Sounds, and the wonderful wilderness of Fiordland.

  We visited seven ports of call in New Zealand: Auckland, Tauranga, Gisborne, Wellington, Picton, Akaroa and Port Chalmers for Dunedin. From there, the cruise crossed the Tasman Sea to visit three Australian ports of call - Burnie in Tasmania, Melbourne and Sydney.

   It was a wonderful cruise, one I would recommend to anyone. The blue skies, sunshine and calm seas all the way were a definite bonus! 

   

  

Cruise to the Tropics in Winter

Sail away party leaving Auckland

Who doesn't dream of warm weather and blue skies when the temperatures are falling? A cruise to some tropical islands in the South Pacific sounds wonderful, doesn't it? And when the cruise leaves from and returns to your home port, it is even better. P&O's 'Pacific Pearl' ship is now based in Auckland to take passengers on tropical itineraries.

   With the approach of winter in the southern hemisphere, a break away from the cloudy skies of Auckland is a real tonic.       

   Last year we escaped for 10 days on a P&O cruise that was a round trip from Auckland, New Zealand. With the wharf being only an hour's drive from home, it was great not to have to fly anywhere.
   The cruise was called the 'Bounty Discovery'. From Auckland, the cruise itinerary featured Norfolk Island, then  Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia, Lifou in the Loyalty Islands, Port Vila in Vanuatu and Mystery Island. We chose this cruise as it would take us to places we hadn't been before.

  Over the coming days I'll post more in-depth features about each destination to give you practical information about arriving in each port, and things to do and see when you go ashore.