Tender lifting at Akaroa

Finally - thanks to those you have gently reminded me!   uploaded the video of lifting the tender out the water.

It was taken from Promenade Deck 6.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSjrBJbiSNo

Disembarkation Auckland

We had set the alarm for 5.30am as our arrival time was 7am, and our disembarkation time was 7.30am and we were allotted ‘Green 1’.

On waking we found we were in the Waitemata Harbour, just passing the container terminals, so we were only moments away from docking!

We skipped showers and just had a quite wash, and went to the Buffet for breakfast at 6am.  The MDR was actually opening but not until 6.30am and we just wanted our usual breakfast.  It was fairly quiet in the Buffet as I am sure a lot of people we sleeping in as the last group to disembark was about 9.30am.

We had done this before at Auckland and knew the sooner you got off the better, as it would become chaos.   When we got to the Rendezvous we found only a couple of people and those who were ‘walking off with luggage’ had already been given permission to go.    A few stragglers arrived, and when they had all gone I asked if we could go, so we didn’t hold people up with the wheelchair etc.   No problems, so we disembarked about 7.10am, and we had collected our luggage and were outside waiting to be picked up at 7.19am!!

OUR HOLIDAY WAS OVER…..and we were home having a coffee by 8.15am.

But it wasn’t all over yet for the Cruise Critic Roll Call.   

Amy had suggested a Post Cruise Dinner which I had booked for the “Waterfront Café” just off Princes Wharf.     We arrived to find a mistake had been made – I had booked 16 for 6pm, they had 6 for 6pm.    Fortunately with it being so early the staff quickly reorganized some tables.

Before long they all arrived, plus a couple of extras.  Amy & Larry (Breezey), Gayle & Steve (England swings), Colin & Patty (Cinogirl), Max & Sandra (Hawkeye01), Stuart, Annemarie and girls (Sturee137), Chris & John (June46) and Colin and Patty’s dinner mates Kyle & Soo.

What a fun dinner – lots of laughter, with the beer flowing, Gayle ordering the waiter around and great food! 

Amy and Larry ordered Mussels

Pete shot off to take photos at 6.30pm of the Century leaving. As the Century backed out from the Pier and the aft of the ship came into view there was a huge cheer from our table.

A fantastic way to finish off a wonderful cruise.    After dinner, and all the farewells, Colin, Patty, Pete and I went in search of a quiet café for a final coffee and chat

THE END

PS – Thanks Colin and Patty for all the chocolates (excess baggage)!

Bay of Islands (last port and day aboard)

Our last day on board in the Bay of Islands.   The ‘Celebrity Today” forecast was showers again, but even so we want to get up early for breakfast and be on deck as we sailed in.

So we work at 6.30am and pulled back the curtains to reveal a wonderful sunny sky with hardly any clouds.   We were still some way off, so we decided to have our last breakfast in the MDR.   This time we got to the restaurant, and it was still closed, so we had a little wander out on deck while we waited the few minutes until it opened at 7am.

Again we were the first into the dining room, and we were given a table for two near the entrance but so we could see out the window.   It was very quiet and all the waiters were ‘waiting’ for passengers!    

Were finished and out of deck by 7.30am.   We went straight up to Deck 12 (above the pool) and although slightly chilly it was the most spectacular morning.     There were fishing boats and yachts everywhere, just beautiful.     Pete even spotted a pod of dolphins.    We stayed up there for quite sometime as tendering was not due to start until 10am.

Being a tender port, we were not able to go ashore, so this morning we opted for massages in AquaSpa!!!   Another indulgence.   My massage was for 10.15am – a 75 minute shoulders, back and legs massage.   Pete the 55 minute hot stone massage.   I have to admit I was nearly asleep during the last part of the treatment!       By the time we finished it was nearly mid day.

The Staff advised we should stay out of the sun and drink plenty of water.  I felt a little light headed after the massage so we went back to the cabin and started packing.    That was quite easy really, one suitcase full of dirty clothes and the two bottles of water (doesn’t matter if they break!!) and everything else in the other bags.   The wine, duty free rum and the last days clothes and toilet bag in the carry-off bag.  Easy.

Our last lunch was in the Buffet – self serve pasta again, so yummy.   I had to have a huge helping of shrimps!

It is a day of ‘lasts’.  A nice coffee was in order and I have a lot of Blogging to catch up on so we hear Cova Café calling.    I was virtually the only one there for a couple of hours.  I had a latte and then Lara gave me iced water after that (by orders of the spa treatment).  Meanwhile Pete was wandering the ship taking photos and chatting to people.

It was such a beautiful afternoon having a beer and wine on Sunset Deck was a must.   Sitting under the Sail Shades was most pleasant.     We have a busy evening ahead, so we will miss our usual Sailaway on the aft deck with everyone.

I suddenly realised I hadn’t told a couple of people of the dinner time for our Post Cruise Dinner we had arranged.  So we scooted off to the cabin to get write notes for Amy and Larry, and Stuart and family, which we then dropped off to their cabins.   On route to Stuart’s cabin we came across a flurry of activity by a number of cabin attendants, which necessitated us stopping as mattresses were being moved and a large amount of linen.   When we finally able to proceed we went past a cabin with a terrible stench!   Someone had been dreadfully ill.    The smell was right along quite a bit of the passage.   Simply awful for all the crew and passengers in the area.

As we were about to drop of Stuart’s note he arrived – Annemarie was dropping the girls at the Fun Factory after being ashore for the day.    The girls absolutely love the Fun Factory, which leaves Stuart and Annemarie to enjoy time together, including dinner.

We had arranged to have our last dinner with David and Chris in Select Dining and to meet with them in the

Rendezvous Square

at 6.45pm.    So off back to the cabin to change this time, as once we were underway we had some shopping to do for Fiona, and a photo frame to exchange as the one we had got the night before had a mark on it.

By now it was time to go for our last pre-dinner drink, so we got to the bar a little early.  Chris and John (more CCer’s) joined us as well and of course David and Chris just after 6.45pm.  

Our last dinner we were served by Raymond in the dining room – we couldn’t get Jimmy unfortunately, however Raymond was fine, as he was by now a lot more relaxed and friendly.   We had a most enjoyable dinner with David and Chris, who are from Philadelphia.    David works for the ‘Food in School’ Programme we had quite a discussion on the differences between how America and New Zealand schools, taxes etc work.   

Dinner finished at 9pm, just in time for the final Show – Danny Elliot and Ben – the pianist.  It was probably one of the better shows.   They are both very talented.

Once the show was over and of course we were now ‘back at sea’ the shops were now open.  Time for the last minute shopping, as I needed to get the product Fiona wanted.   We only managed to get one, which was a pity as the stock was slightly different, but still it was a savings for her.

We couldn’t resist one last look in the Jewellery Shop, and as luck would have it I spotted some lovely earrings – 50% off which had not been on display before as they were new stock.    Pete relented and I tried on two pairs and the second were perfect!!  Of course this meant Pete could now look at watches, and again new stock and Pete found a very nice Citizen Eco Drive Watch, which was 40% off and a very reasonable price too!

So now our final bill was somewhat more than we anticipated – but aren’t most holiday bills.

Just as we were leaving we meet Rosemary who had tracked us down, as she had received a second set of menus, and wondered if I wanted them.   I declined as I had enough paper work collected to ‘sink a ship’.    She was about to head back to the cabins and pack, and she had 3 sons to pack for as well!   Rosemary was quite thrilled to show us that her youngest son, Scott (10), who had been helping the waiters in the MDR during meals, had received an envelope with a tip!!  Scott had a lot of fun helping them.

Off to bed now at it was closing on 11pm, when we should have had our bags out for collection!   A made flurry of activity for do the final pack and check all was in order.  The bags were out by 11.15am.    I have no idea what time Rosemary would have finished, with two cabins to pack…

Tauranga

Today was a later arrival into Tauranga, docking at 10am, so we slept in until 8am, which meant we could watch sailing into Mount Maunganui from our cabin window.

This morning the Buffet was madness.  We have not been to the Buffet just before docking time before, and it was a bit of a mission.     However, having said that, I must admit I did prefer breakfast there, to the MDR, as most times we were able to have a leisurely breakfast, and it was often a chance to catch up with others.

On the pier it was all sectioned off for Buses only and passengers on foot had to go to the Pilot Bay entrance, where all the rental car companies, private tour companies and others were ‘hawking’ their product or meeting passengers in the car park.   It was mayhem, and very hard to see what was available if you were a passenger looking for a car or tour.   The Tauranga Port Authority has decided it wanted to charge a ‘Licence fee’ to those companies using the wharf, which meant no one wanted to pay, so they have been moved onto the streets - crazy, especially in the height of the cruise season.

We sent a text to Fiona and Bruce to let them know where we were waiting.    We ended up sheltering under the Fishing Club entrances awning as the sun was particularly hot and it was only 10.30am.

Our first stop once on being collected was the local boating clubs repairs yard where Mike Galloway had his catamaran on ‘the hard’ while he was finishing building it.   Mike was very pleased to see us arrive and immediately press-ganged Pete, Bruce and Nic into helping!    Fiona and I drove to the other end of the car park, so we could see the ship and take photos.    The Century was sharing the wharf with the Silver Shadow and the Spirit of Adventure, so it was an interesting contrast in ship sizes!  

Celebrity Century, Silverseas Silver Shadow, Spirit of Adventure

Fiona’s plan for the day was to take is to Te Puna Quarry Park for a walk then lunch.   However when we got there we found that a lot of the paths were not accessible as there were steps, and there was no café, as Fiona had thought.     Disappointing as the Park is very nice and looked interesting.

By now it was very hot and muggy so we drove back to Bethlehem to a small complex which had a nice café, art gallery and antiques shops.    We had a lovely lunch then a walk around the gallery and shops.    There was some excellent painting in display.

On the way back to Fiona and Bruce’s home we went via a couple of Curtain Shops as they are hunting for new curtains for the family bach.

Back home, we had a coffee and copied the photos from our Netbook to their laptop so we could show them all the photos on the 46” TV.     Fiona who is a avid photographer, was very impressed with Peter’s efforts.

While we were enjoying the afternoon relaxing the hot steamy weather gave way to very low clouds and rain – so dense we could not see the other side of Tauranga across the basin.   Of course we did not have any rain coats or umbrellas, as it was beautiful when we left the ship.   Having said that, the forecast was for rain onboard, so it was actually right for a change!

We got back to the ship about 5.30pm, even though the ship was not sailing until 9.15 as we want to go to the 7pm Show and then enjoy Sailaway.   We timed our return perfectly although Pete did need to run (I just motored!) as the showers where fast approaching and a bus was pulling onto the wharf.    We made it just before then next heavy shower.

For the first time, we decided to snack in the Buffet for dinner and enjoyed Pizza.   It was early – 6pm.  Many passengers were still away on tours, some in the MDR so it was very quiet.

Tonight’s entertainment in the Celebrity Theatre was a comic doing Rod Stewart songs.    He was dreadful.   His comic act was out of the ‘ages’ and his singing of Rod Stewarts songs was an insult to Rod Stewart.   It was appalling.   Even so we did still stay for most of the show.   I was sure he was the chap who talked all the way through Danny Elliot’s show a couple of nights ago.

As Colin and Patty were at dinner for Sailaway we went out onto the Promenade for a change and watched the final stages of the gangways being dismantled then the pushing out of the ship from the wharf.   By now it was after sunset and Pete was not able to take any decent photos as the light was too low.

After we had got out of ‘The Heads’ we went via the shops to check the pricing on some duty free Estee Lauder product for Fiona.   Prices seemed alright, but I wanted to text Fiona before buying just to be certain.   The rest of the shops were having their ‘watches, jewellery etc ‘Sale’” and the women pushing and shoving was unbelievable!   Sorry but most of the stuff is cheap junk from China, nothing ‘special’ at all.   The one thing they did have that we were interested in was the Celebrity Polo Shirts, but we were very disappointed in the quality and the rather high price at 50% off they were still expensive!    We did purchase our duty free liquor – 6 bottles of rum, there was no brandy left, only cognac!

We also had to check the photo’s taken the previous night to see if they were any good.  The photo shop was bedlam, but we found ours and one was good, so we purchased it, as well as a photo frame with free photo of the ship.   The frame takes three photos.

By now it was 10.30 so we headed for the cabin and some sleep.

Another calm night of sailing.

Napier

Today is a very early port call - 7am.   Although we were not getting up early, we still slept with the blinds open, as we were able to enjoy the most amazing sunrise.    Stunning to a certain extent as the day dawned cloudy.

We showered and got ready for one of the dullest days weather-wise on the cruise.  Today for a complete change we tried breakfast in the Spa Café - which is a small café for health nuts next to the Aqua Spa.  They had the most wonderful berry yoghurt granola parfaits.   There are only a few tables so it feels quite exclusive.   I think Pete missed his cooked breakfast.

We are going easy on eating as tonight we are going to Murano at 8pm, and it just happens to be a formal night too.   Good planning or what?

Once we had breakfast we decided we may as well disembark as we would have to wait for an accessible shuttle bus.     It was quite chilly on the wharf, and fortunately there was an accessible bus so we could board straight away out of the wind.    Patty and Colin we already on board with a suitcase full of presents for her family as well as washing!   The driver decided once we were on board to leave for the I-site as she could only take one wheelchair.   So we were in town before 8am, but we had arranged to meet my sister Gillian and brother-in-law Brian at 8.30am.  

Town was dead at 8am as nothing opens until 9am but the bus stop outside the I-site was chaos as there was a intercity bus loading with passengers.   We had to wait until it moved to be able to put out the wheelchair ramp.

We waited outside the Masonic Hotel to be picked up, meeting with Stuart Annemarie and the girls while we waited.  They were very grateful for our assistance with the money yesterday and Stuart located an ATM to pay us back.   Not long after Gillian and Brian arrived.

They took us back out to their house in Hastings where we had coffee and showed them through our photos, mainly of our Burnie/Devonport trip and of the ship.   The visit here was mainly about catching up with family rather than sightseeing, which would have meant we would have just encountered cruise ship buses!!   Plus the Silver Shadow was also in port.

On the way back to the ship we went to the Ahuriri, which is the ‘new waterfront area for dining’ etc.    As it was a lovely summer’s day and everyone was put and about.   Gillian had discovered a new café and was keen to try it out.   The food and coffee was good - nice to have a ‘flat white’ which we only seem to get in New Zealand and Australia.

The visit to Napier is really short 7am to 2 pm which is a real pity, as it means having to get the Shuttle no later than about 12.30pm especially as there is only 2 accessible buses.

Back at the Port, the locals have vintage and classic cars on display with the drivers dressed in 1930’s style, plus there is a Rag Time Band playing on the Pier.  And to add to the theme a cart selling “Rush Munro” Ice Creams.

After boarding we went up onto The Promenade to take photos of pier activities.   Quite a crowd of photographers where there including one chap with a very flash camera with a huge lens.   He must have been able to pick out some of the close detailing on the cars.

Sailaway was at 2pm but it was fat too cold on the aft deck, so we sat inside.  Jo and Graham sat with us and as usual there was a far amount of banter happening.  Today Graham was teasing Jo about wanting pastries and cakes!    There is always a very delicious selection in the Buffet - all small treat.   Jo gave into temptation and returned with one morsel on a rather large plate.   Before she could sit down Graham had devour the morsel in one mouthful!

At 3pm was Crew Showtime - one of the premier events onboard.   We rated the shows as the best so far as there are some very talented crew on board.  The theatre was packed to overflowing, which is pretty standard on most cruise ships.   At the end the cruise director bought on a large contingent of crew and officers to rapturous applause, and then the Captain spoke.    I am sure all Ccer’s onboard would agree than the Captain has to be one of the best in the industry.

The photo above and below is the Florist on board (a male) singing both parts of a Whitney Housten Duet!!!

We snuck out of the Crew Show a few minutes as we were having a Cabin Crawl starting at 4pm in our Cabin - 5061, an Accessible Oceanview.  Naturally our cabin was the envy of all!!    We had a really good attendance - 14 (from memory)   It was quite a hoot wandering the hallways, much to the amusement of the Cabin attendants and passengers.   The crew knew exactly what was happening and the passengers were mystified, and intrigued, especially when we told them what we were doing.    The other cabins we saw were 8004 - Standard Oceanview, 8104 & 8106 - both balcony (verandah), 9007 - a Standard Inside, and 1110 - a Concierge Cabin, which is exactly the same as a balcony, but with the extra perks.   The general consensus was the actual cabin sizes were very close to being identical, with the location on the ship - aft, midship or forward being more important than the size, and of course it depended if you wanted perks or not.

On way back to cabin we bumped into Matt - The Events Coordinator with whom we had a very long chat.   He is very interested in any feedback from Cruise Critic members.   He mentioned the Hotel Manager Darren Tiller was very proactive in making sure that all the Officers and Cruise Staff were very visible and approachable, and were interacting with the passengers as much as possible.   And it was very evident his promotion was working and working well.    Even Darren Tiller has stopped and chatted to us at length.

No day is complete without spending a couple of hours in the Cova Café and today it is for pre-dinner drink and Tapas while blogging although I have to admit at times I am merely making bullet points and returning when I have more time to elaborate on the detail.

On the way back the cabin to dress for the final Formal Night I managed to sneak in the purchase necklace at the ‘Chain by the inch’ stand.   The choice is good and the prices range from $1 per inch to $5 per inch.  For once the shops were very quiet and we ended up chatting with a couple and their small boy.   She had purchased bracelet on a previous cruise which she showed me and said she had the matching necklace also.      After she had gone, the penny dropped we had been chatting to the Entertainer Danny Elliot and his wife.  Further more we realised they were the couple in the next cabin!

Once we were dressed in our formal attire for Murano, we decided it was the last opportunity to have formal portrait photos taken.   We had kept an eye on which photographers were stationed where, because we were not happy with the woman who took our photos on the previous formal night with Colin and Patty - she did not seem to understand personal requests and wanted to only the pose done her way.   Tonight she was on Deck 5 Grand Staircase, so we went to Deck 6 by the shops where there was a very obliging Chinese guy, who listened to our request.

The Murano Restaurant is very elegant and with the most superb silver service dining.   We were given a table by the window, which we appreciated as at 8pm it was still light and we could see the world go by.   The sea was very calm and pleasant to watch.     We chose the four course meal with red wine by the glass.   Of course the wine was expensive and the sky was the limit, hence our chose of wine by the glass.    I was a little disappointed is some respects as our waiter was really hard to understand, and spoke too fast, and seemed to expect us to know how the dining experience was ‘conducted’.    Perhaps I should have asked more questions.   

I had the Escargot Tortellini appetizer, Wild Mushroom Cappuccino, an entrée of Pan Seared Filet Mignon (main), and dessert the famous Balsamic Strawberries.  Pete had the Pan Seared Foie Gras appetizer, wild mushroom cappuccino, Sautéed Muscovy Duck Breast and the same dessert.   My Filet Mignon was finished by one of the chef’s tableside, however, as it was not quite tableside – actually it was done one table away, which was very disappointing, but space was a problem.    While we were waiting for dessert a miniature cake stand was presented to us, with six petite fours to ‘tempt our taste buds’.   When it came to the Strawberries to be cooked tableside, they managed to get a little closer.    We ended up taking back a ‘doggy bag’ of the petite fours as we had not dared touch them.

We were also offered cheese between the Main and Dessert, but there was no way we were going to have cheeses as we thought we would not be able to eat the dessert!

Would I do Murano again – yes but only because it was an elegant quiet restaurant, but some of the dishes offered we also available in the Main Dining Room, so not everything was a surprise.

We finished dining at 10.30pm and waked the few paces back to our cabin rather full!   There was no way we could stay awake for the second show which started at 10.45pm, which was a real pity.