Our welcome back to cruising in August 2022.

 Pacific Explorer. 

August 2022

Is there a better way to celebrate turning 18 than with a cruise. I know for sure that I wish my parents were into cruising back when I was that age. 

We were supposed to be on Dora, Pacific Explorers alias, back in Feb 2020 but Rona has other ideas. 

Not one to let that stop me, we waited patiently... Ok so I booked at least 20 cruises in that time, only to have most of them cancelled. 

August 4th, 2022 was the day I walked the gangway for the first time in over 2 years. 

To say I was a little excited is a complete understatement, and I did warn my daughter that I would cry when I saw the ship. 

I did.

Check in was super smooth, we uploaded Verify which had our vax certs and health check already there. Had the P and O ap ready to go with our boarding passes, and were onboard within 20 minutes of walking in the terminal at White Bay. I can recommend that if someone has a mobility issue, do not hesitate to speak to the staff before entering about a wheelchair. The process is made even fasted and they are great at assisting you right to your cabin if it is ready to go. 

When we boarded, because we had got on so early and had to wait a little while for our cabin to be ready,

We headed to the pool deck for our first cocktail.

Mudslide for me, Fruit Tingle for Caitlin, and face time with those who were left behind from our girls weekend.

The obligatory picture of the Opera House. 

did you really cruise from Sydney if you dont get at least one?

Life is always a bit spesh when you have a bottle of

Moet waiting in your cabin. 

Sail away was awesome as usual. 

Being our first cruise in a while, we decided to just head to the back of the ship, which was pretty close to our cabin and take pics. It was raining, but not hard and that added to the glisten of the city lights. 

It was surreal and so much fun. 

That night we got our cabin in order, and put our breakfast order on the door for the first of 2 breakfasts in bed. 

This was part of a package I purchased called the Ultimate Romance Package. For $250 you get a Bottle of Moet, canapes and choc coated strawberries on arrival, dinner for 2 in a specialty restaurant, or of they arent open the amount placed on your account as OBC, a photograph, canapes each evening, and breakfast in your cabin on 2 mornings of your choice. 

Day 1, we ordered far too much, but every cabin has a small fridge, so we placed leftovers in there and had nibbles all day long.

SO worth it. 

 Missy wouldnt get up, so I sat on the balcony and enjoyed a peaceful, breaky with a view you only get at sea. 

That night we celebrated Miss C's 18th in style at Lukes Bar and Grill. 

The food was incredible. 

And while these restaurants are not included in  the fare, I would recommend going at least once. 

For $45 per person, you get an amazing 3 course meal, and because I made sure it was in our booking that we were celebrating a birthday, the wait staff brought her a special piece of birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday to her. 

Steak to die for

Beef Slider, I forgot to take a picture before I started eating

Bruschetta

Happy Birthday to you!!!

Canapes in our cabin every afternoon. 

Breakfast fit for a queen.

Yes, I DO think we ordered too much

Our little friend awaiting us one evening.

MMMMMM Bacon...

My favourite time of day is sunset. 

Then there is sunrise. 

I really cant decide which I love more. 

We tried our hand at trivia, and discovered that we needed a few extra team mates. 

Had a swim and hot tub in the AO section at the back of the ship while everyone else was on shore. 

Loved the feel of the ship, set out very well and easy to navigate. 

Last day onboard and I had to drink this all by myself

Life is hard when you are cruising....

4 days was one of my shortest cruises, but being the first one back after such a long hiatus, it was wonderful. 

Back home and our harbour truly needs no introductions. 

We thoroughly enjoyed our Pacific Explorer voyage, and can not wait for April 2024 when Brian and I head off to Perth to board her for 10 nights and will sail some usually unseen coast of the northern Western Australia, as well as ticking my number 1 on my bucket list, swimming with Whale Sharks. 

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave comments or contact us. 

Remember to always live your best life. 

Cruisin Roosters

Hints and tips for first time cruisers, and those who just like more hints and tips.

 

 

It can become a bit overwhelming for someone who has yet to experience the brilliance and excitement of cruising as it presents a unique holiday experience, everything from food, entertainment, accommodation and new destinations are all right there. You unpack once and then all that is left is to relax and enjoy. 

But what if you accidently forget something. You cant just pop down to the supermarket and pick up some more shampoo or head to the chemist for some headache tablets, although there is a small shop onboard that does sell these things in an emergency, let me tell you, it will be an expensive way to shop. 

One of the most important things to remember is that your ships cabin is generally smaller than your average hotel room, and space may be limited. Do you need a large suitcase? how much can I take onboard? Will I be able to bring my favourite drink with me? How do I pack my medications? 

Hopefully I can answer some of these questions here and I am working on a downloadable packing list for peace of mind which included the important items you may or may not have thought of. 

The bulk of your items will be clothing. You might have a few special outfits to wear on formal evenings, or to dinner for that special occasion, sea days require very little effort, but shore days might involve a few different layers depending on the adventure you are about to take. I can suggest packing for all weather, as the sea can be unpredictable. 

It also depends on how many days your cruise is and how many sea days will be included in that. Shorter cruises mean less items needed. 

Another question I get asked often is will my suitcases fit under my bed. 

short answer is it depends on the cruise line. I have sailed in P and O Australia, Carnival Australia, Princess and Royal Caribbean and have found that RCI and Carnival have large under bed areas that allow large hard cases to fit under. I even got my fold up mobility scooter under our Carnival Spirit bed. 

Clothing Checklist 

Casual Clothes

• T-shirts (at least 1 for every couple of days)

• Singlet Tops

• Shorts 

•  Long Pants 

• Collared shirts for dinning room

• Underwear

• Swimmers and sea shirt

• Light Jackets or hoodie

• Belt

• Hat/Cap

• PJs

• Boardies or sports shorts

• Socks

• Sneakers

• Thongs or Jandals depending on your home or origin. 

Formal clothes for Men

While some people do not worry about carrying formal where, if you like to get dressed up, this is the perfect opportunity. 

• Dress shirt

• Dress pants

• Dress Shoes

• Blazer

• Belt

• Tie 

Formal Clothes for Woman

• Evening gown or cocktail dress

• Dress pants

• Dress Blouse

• Shoes/ sandals

• jewellery

Personal Items

Here are some items you will need and others you may like to include some of these items to give you that stress free holiday. 

• Boarding documents including COVID certificate and travel insurance docs

• Luggage tags

• Photo ID if sailing domestic and Passport of sailing international

• Copies of relevant documents incase of lose

• Photo of Covid test results or confirmation if PC test

• Emergency contact numbers

• Packing cubes

• Backpack (a light backpack is great for taking ashore)

• Prescription medications, preferably in original packaging

• Over the counter meds (Motion sickness, headache, band aids, antiseptic cream, taking these can save a small fortune onboard)

• Earplugs

• Phone charger

• Waterproof phone case

• Sunscreen

• Ziploc bags (so many uses)

• Camera and chargers 

• travel adaptors. (most ships have at least 1 of the local power points but sometimes that is not enough)

• Reef Shoes

• Ipad and or hand held games for down time

• snorkelling gear

Board and card games can be found in the library of most ships. These are free to use and you can take them to your cabin or find a great spot on deck to play. 

Toiletries

• Toothbrush and paste

• Floss

• Mouthwash

• Deodorant

• feminine hygiene products

• Makeup

• Hair straightener/ curling iron

• Shampoo/Conditioner (The lines do supply this, but as its usually a 2in1, it may not be the typye you like for your hair)

• Hair products

• glasses / contact lenses

• Lotion

• Wet wipes (cabin toilet paper is SUPER thin) 

• Magnetic hooks or just good magnets (the walls and ceilings of a cruise ship are metal)

• Shoe organiser (hangs over the door for small items

• Alarm clock (said no one ever....Ok maybe if you need to get up for a shore excursion)

• Glen 20 or Boistos Eucalyptus spray (I always find it a great idea to give the vents, surfaces, and bathroom a quick spray, and lets face it, you are in a confided space for a number of days, smells escape) 

• Post it notes (these are great for leaving notes on mirrors in your cabin for others to know where to meet, where you might be heading or just for reminders) .

Infants and toddlers

• Umbrella stroller

• Toys

• Bottles / water bottle

• Nappies and wipes

• Bottle warmer or thermos

It has been suggested by many to take swim nappies for the pool, these are a definite NO onboard. Children who are not toilet trained can not use the swimming facilities at all. 

Also a good point to know is that cruise lines will provide a portable cot in your cabin, just let your cabin steward know ASAP and it is also a good idea to have this noted on the booking. 

Other items to bring

• Wine/Champagne (a bottle or two is allowed on certain lines)

• Champagne stopper (because if you are like me, you cant finish a whole bottle of Moet in one sitting)

• Non alcoholic drinks ( some lines allow 12 cans , not bottles, per person, loosely packed in their carry on luggage)  P and O Australia and Carnival Australia

• Lanyard (for holding your cruise card)

• Wrinkle spray (if you can find some, its rarer than hens teeth)

• refillable bottle 

These items are either not needed or not allowed

• Hair dryer (one in every cabin, although these are not the best)

• Candles, or anything similar (a fire on a ship can be catastrophic) 

• Towels (these are supplied, even if you are going ashore) 

• Irons or steamers (once again fire hazards, and will be confiscated)

• Weapons ( common sense people)

Packing for a cruise is a bit different to that of other5 vacations, mainly as you are at sea and unable to duck to the supermarket and grab what you need. For this reason, you should be prepared for many different situations.

From hanging out at the pool, to formal nights, there could be any number of items you would normally use at home that would be handy. 

Unless you are flying in, there are no weight limits, although you should be mindful of the incredible men and woman that will be handling your luggage. 

In short, you can bring as much as you want. But whatever you bring, you will have to get to the ship, and back off again.

Liquids are ok, Unlike flying, if you have a favourite shampoo or conditioner, you dont have to put a small amount into a travel bottle. Take the whole bottle. 

You also do not have to check backs for a cruise as long as they can fit into the xray machine at security. If you dont check bags in, remember you will have to take these with you until your cabin is ready. More often than not, that is pretty much straight away, but on occasion, it can be an hour or 2. 

The most important think to take is your sense of enjoyment. 

Cruising IMO is the greatest way to holiday. 

Unpack once, relax and wake up in a new destination each day. 

I hope this has helped you to decide what to and what not to pack. 

and always remember

LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE 

Cruisin Roosters Instagram