DAY 17 Wednesday, February 12th At Anchor in the Straits of Malacca Well we haven’t bid Asia a fond farewell just yet. We are still just off shore near Port Kelang. When I got out of the shower instead of...
Thursday, February 13th, 2020 At Sea Crossing the Equator We were still in the Straits of Malacca when we woke up this morning. There were ships of all shapes and sizes around us, but no cruise ships in sight. It was...
Friday, February 14th, 2020 At Sea Valentines Day without my Valentine, in the Doldrums So now we are well and truly in the southern hemisphere, but instead of brilliant sunshine and gentle breezes, it is overcast and rainy. Ruth went out for...
Saturday, February 15th, 2020 Still at Sea It has been 10 days since we last set foot on land, and it will be another 3 until we can do so again. Hopefully. Nearly every one I have spoken to is OK with this. They do discuss...
Sunday, February 16th, 2020 Yup, Still at Sea There was still no message from guest relations regarding our plane tickets. Ruth was also getting very frustrated about the lack of information about disembarkation on Tuesday. ...
Monday, February 17th, 2020 At Sea Packing Day I have to change cabins in Fremantle when Ruth leaves and Brian arrives. I had tried to see if I could remain in the same cabin until New York, but someone new is moving in...
Tuesday, February 18th, 2020 Fremantle/Perth Land at Last Fremantle may not be the prettiest port we have sailed in to, but in the early morning light it looked good to us. Ruth and I had breakfast together and then at 8:30...
Wednesday, February 19th, 2020 Fremantle/Perth I love it when you have overnight stays in a port. I do miss the motion of the seas while I sleep, but it is so nice not to feel rushed on your first port day, and obsessed by getting...
Thursday, February 20th, 2020 At Sea Yes, we are back at sea again. It was a cloudy stormy day, so no sunbathing or swimming, most of the day was spent going to talks, and reading in the Commodore Club. I have no complaints. ...
Friday, February 21st At Sea People often enquire if there is a problem with noise from the Promenade Deck above the cabins on deck 6. Well we can certainly hear the joggers thumping above, but it is not that loud, and does not...
Saturday, February 22nd, 2020 At Sea This is the bag I received last night: We decided it was time to send out the invitations for our planned stateroom soiree on Monday. The issue is always how many people can you comfortably...
Sunday, February 23rd, 2020 At Sea We put our watches forward by a half hour last night – I thought that Canada and India/Sri Lanka were the only countries with a half hour time difference, but clearly this part of Australia does...
Monday, February 24th, 2020 Darwin Day 1 It was really hot and humid when we headed ashore in Darwin. It was a very short walk to the air-conditioned cruise terminal. There was no ATM or wifi, but there were several souvenir shops...
Tuesday, February 25th, 2020 Darwin Day 2 It was still hot, but not quite so hot today. We have been very lucky with the weather in Darwin. There was a cyclone nearby a few days ago, and there is a tropical depression just off...
Wednesday, February 26th, 2020 At Sea A much needed sea day after 2 hectic port days in Darwin, so I spent most of the day in the Commodore Club. It is jolly hot out on deck, but lovely and cool inside. As we are heading towards...
Thursday, February 27th, 2020 At Sea Ruth has been home for 9 days now, and still has problems with getting back to her regular sleep routine, and recovering from her arduous journey home. Brian has settled well into our new time...
Friday, February 28th, 2020 At Sea Today was another treat. We spent most of the day passing by beautiful little islands. We were going really slowly, so we had a good look at them. Most seem to be deserted, but they had beautiful...
Saturday, February 29th, 2020 Yorkey’s Knob Yorkey’s Knob was our bonus port because we missed Bali, which was on offer because we avoided Bitung. I initially thought that it was going to be a poor substitute for Bali’s palm...
Sunday, March 1st 2020 Airlie Beach, Whitsunday Islands Today was the day I had been looking forward to for years – today we are snorkeling at the Barrier Reef, how totally cool is that! I LOVE snorkeling, and our best...
Monday, March 2nd, 2020 At Sea Still feeling very shaken by the loss of Bill, it was hard to concentrate on life on board. I spent most of the day with my friend. It was good to see how supportive the staff on the...
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020 Brisbane Carol disembarked in Brisbane, and planned to fly home as soon as she could. We were so sad to see her leave the ship, especially knowing how hard the next few days are going to be for her. ...
Wednesday, March 4th, 2020 At Sea Yay, another sea day! It was a lovely day with gentle sea breezes, perfect for walking on the deck and sitting in the shade. Days like this go by so fast. It seems like I had just got up, and there...
Thursday, March 5th, 2020 Sydney Day 1 Soggy in Sydney We have been to Sydney several times already, but it never fails to impress me. We are at anchor today because the Costa Deliziosa is at the cruise terminal, and...
Friday, March 6th, 2020 Sydney Day 2 Sandy Sydney During the night Queen Mary 2 had left her anchorage and moved to the quayside, and the Costa ship had moved out into the harbor. When we woke up the Opera House was...
