Tag Archives: travel

Feeding my cruise addiction….

Posted on by
Reply

The latest news is that cruising will be resuming here in Australia again shortly in April 2022, after 2 years of no cruise ships in Australian waters. I’m excited!

Back in January 2022, I booked a cruise from Adelaide, South Australia to New Zealand and return. The Australian borders were still closed, the New Zealand borders are still closed and cruising hasn’t resumed but I booked the cruise.

I wanted some normality back in my life. I wanted something to look forward to. I wanted something from life as it was before we had even heard about the Covid-19 pandemic that swept the world and put everything on hold for the next 2 years. So, I booked a cruise.

I’m a member of several Princess Cruises Facebook groups and it’s been interesting to see how the Americans have returned to cruising.

I’m fully vaxxed, I have no issues wearing a face mask, I carry my own hand sanitiser and use it regularly. I wash my hands as necessary.

I’m definitely looking forward to just being on a ship again as the last ship I was on, back in 2019, I just missed the start of people beginning to be infected by the coronavirus. Happy to have dodged that bullet.

By December 2023, we will have gotten used to living our new normal because I don’t see this virus or its variants disappearing any time soon. This will be something that we are just going to be living with. This is our new normal.

Safe sailing to all who are currently on a cruise ship, are thinking of booking a cruise, have booked a cruise.

For those who have booked their first cruise, or are currently on their first cruise, welcome to your newest addiction. Cruising is very addictive! It’s an addiction I am happy to pay for though, as a cruise ship is my Happy Place.

For those who have booked cruises and have had them cancelled, I hope you are able to successfully have a cruise in the not too distant future.

Until next time

Kaye

First cruise memories…

Posted on by
Reply

On this day, 4 years ago, a friend and I boarded our first cruise ship, the Golden Princess, for a 17 night round trip cruise from Adelaide, South Australia to New Zealand. The ship definitely became my happy place.

There’s something so magical and peaceful being on a ship. It’s definitely another world. I loved the sea days where I could sit outside of the Promenade Deck and look over the ocean and just relax and forget about the world in general and I did. For 17 nights, I had no idea of what was going on in the world, just what was going on board the ship.

I definitely became a cruise addict while on board the ship. Okay, if truth be told, I think I was addicted even before I got on board. Once on board the ship, it was confirmed that I was addicted to cruising.

I mean, why wouldn’t you be? For the duration of a cruise, you don’t have to cook, wash dishes, prepare meals, do housework, or make your bed. It’s all done for you by the wonderful and friendly crew on board the ship. They just made everything happen with precision.

While on that cruise, I met some wonderful people. I also got to know some of the crew from the cabin steward, the waiters in the theatre, the Explorer’s Lounge, the Lido Deck and in the Horizon Court buffet.

I laughed at the Cruise Director’s team as they entertained the passengers, I enjoyed the shows in the theatre, the barista in the International Cafe got to know my habits and how I have my coffee, or at night before going back to my cabin and bed, how I have my hot chocolate. The waiters got to know my orders as well… chocobana mocktail or a glass of Coke anyone?

While on the ship, I actually forgot that there is a world outside of the ship as I didn’t watch any news to even know what was going on in the world at the time.

One late night sitting in the Piazza and having my hot chocolate, the singer in the Promenade Lounge was playing the piano and taking requests from all the people up on deck 7. Someone had requested YMCA and so the singer is singing the song, he gets to the “it’s fun to stay at the YMCA” part and a few of us sitting in the Piazza on deck 5 start doing the actions. That was funny.

There were many funny moments and beautiful memories from that cruise, I will treasure.

New Zealand is beautiful as well and the cooler temperature, I enjoyed. While the temperature was perfect, in Adelaide, everyone there was going through a heatwave.

One day, I will return for another cruise. I am just waiting for this covid mess to calm down. People, get vaccinated, wear a mask and wash your hands!

I didn’t want to leave the ship. I could have happily stayed on as a stowaway. I had such a fabulous time.

I miss cruising but I have photos to remind me with the memories attached to those photos. One day, I will be back on a ship again, just not now.

Until next time

Kaye