Here Comes the Sun

Only three more sleeps until we embark on our third cruise this year, two nights on board Sun Princess. Having already travelled on the Dawn, Sea and Diamond it is going to feel very familiar which means we should be able to hit the ground running and make the most of our time on board.

Packing for two nights and days at sea with no formals should be a breeze, but of course that means planning exactly what to wear and when in advance which has never been my specialty.

Not travelling with our usual cruise buddies this time, instead with a large group celebrating a milestone birthday of a mutual friend.

It will be interesting to see how our large party is accommodated on board, and also to see how our friends enjoy what for many of them is their first cruise experience.
Crossing my fingers for smooth seas and a mild breeze.

Sea Princess Positives

It’s been three weeks since we disembarked and now that post-cruise
depression is kicking in it feels timely to reflect on the positives of our
recent cruise experience.

A friendship started on board our Diamond Princess Christmas New Year cruise with the wonderful Joao Paulo, now Head Waiter in the Rigoletto Dining Room on Sea Princess, resulted in a truly special and memorable 50th Birthday Celebration for my man while we were on board.

Thanks Joao for the special service, cake and seafood pasta personally
prepared by Chef Carlos, along with the celebration serenade from
Edward, Marina and what felt like the full contingent of waiters on duty.

Adjoining balconies with our cruise buddies made for many memorable sailaways and also allowed for air-dried laundry on the odd occasion. Nothing beats the feeling of waking up each morning with a different view, as well as the opportunity to witness so many stunning seascapes, sunrises and sunsets.

The AU$59 per day drinks package is ridiculously good value considering it included bottled water and ‘specialty’ coffees as well as any other drinks less than $14. Likewise the twice daily Happy Hour – buy one drink less than AU$14 and get the other for AU$1.
Thanks to our extended journey we were able to take advantage of both during our 12 + 14 night itinerary.

Really enjoyed the entertaining and informative Art Auctions and look forward to receiving my winning prize in the mail sometime soon.
Likewise the opportunity to watch new release movies under the stars as well as be entertained by some very talented entertainers.

The Princess@Sea Intranet is a wonderful innovation; here’s hoping
Princess invest in face recognition technology for the on-board
photographers then I could truly have everything I need to know available to view on my Smartphone.

Zumba, line dancing and using the stairs every day in theory helped keep my cruise-belly-bulge under control; it’s just a pity that every single meal I enjoyed on board was so delicious and hard to refuse. Highlights for me included the delicious birthday cake, a bottomless Bircher muesli bowl and the wonderful Natalya remembering the coffee orders of our party of four.

Next on the horizon is another short Princess Cruise, two nights
celebrating a friends 50th birthday in early December.
Not exactly an opportunity to ‘Escape Completely’ and ‘Come Back New’ but I am still looking forward to the another cruise on a Princess vessel.

We Are Australian

Sea Princess has just arrived at Marina Bay Cruise Terminal and for some this marks the end of their cruise from Fremantle. Personally I will be only too happy to wave goodbye to the Aussie bogons on board who have unfortunately only reinforced the stereo typical view of us overseas.

The second half of our cruise includes day trips to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia and will also include three formal nights, and it will be interesting to see how our fellow passengers interpret the ‘smart casual’ dress code for the other nights on our journey home.

Described as ‘Dressing as for a nice restaurant at home’ was interpreted as wearing cut off jeans, singlets and thongs in the main dining room by a few of our fellow passengers on the first half of our cruise.

Attempts by the Head Waiters to discretely recommend dining in the other venues more suited to casual attire were met with contempt and even hostility and unfortunately only proved to reinforce the Aussie Bogan stereotype we also encountered on board Queen Mary 2.

As was the case on the Queen I am sorry to say I have felt ashamed of the reputation being reinforced at sea by some of our compatriots.

One of the best thing about going on a cruise is the ability to choose your own experience thanks to the wide variety of dining and entertainment venues on board.

For those who prefer a casual cruise I respect your right to choose but please show some respect for your fellow passengers and especially the wonderful wait staff and stay away from the main dining room.

Settling in @Sea

It’s our third day at sea, officially our fourth day on board, and I’m pleased to report that I’ve already settled into a nice routine.

My sea day starts with Zumba in the Vista Lounge before breakfast in the Horizon Court, back to nag hubby out of the room for a coffee then touching base with our cruise buddies to plan the rest of our day.

An innovation on this cruise is the Princess@Sea Intranet with all the daily events and a calendar available on my phone which means that the newsletter left in our stateroom each night is effectively redundant.

At a glance I can see what’s on and where, the current weather and even the balance of my shipboard account. There’s even a messenger app which makes it easy to keep in touch with our friends on board.

Tomorrow is our first port of call, Lombok, where we’re looking forward to exploring a new horizon for the day.
The weather outside is humid but not too hot but I’m bracing myself for a blast of heat when we leave the sanctuary of Sea Princess.

Tonight we’ll be greeted by our friend and Maitre D JP who will hopefully have found a couple to join our party of four in the dining room. As nice as it is to be traveling with our cruise buddies it’d also be nice to have some fresh stories at the table.

Right now I’m off for a nanna nap before it’s time to get ready for our evening.

Cruise packing – Tips for formal nights

Now that I have packed I thought it’d be timely to share some lessons I have learnt about packing for a cruise. Guys sorry this is only for the girls because let’s face it you get it easy all you need is a good fitting suit, shirt and shiny shoes and you’re done.

In my experience formal nights always start with a Black and White Ball and can mean anything from a little black dress to a glamorous gown.

You can never go wrong with a little black dress that can be worn on its own or ‘pimped’ with accessories. I have a fantastic dress I purchased online from Sacha Drake that can be worn at least four different ways thanks to its ingenious design. Just by adding a white flower to the waist I’ll match the dress code for the first formal, and with a sequin silver or gold belt can have a repeat performance later. Look for the Catelyn Convertible online.

Likewise with a lace pencil skirt, wearing a top in a matching colour turns it into a dress which can also be worn on formal nights, or with a more casual top it works for smart casual. Mine is from Review.

Treat yourself to one full length gown that travels well, again mine is from Sasha Drake she just ‘gets it’ and anything from her range is worth the money. Look for a stretch fabric that will accommodate your expanding girth and doesn’t need ironing. Wear with the right heels you’ll turn heads and feel like a million dollars.

In both cases what helps you stand out is a killer pair of shoes, I have silver heels from Witter I picked up on sale that with my lbd and silver accessories pimp my style for another formal night.
Mizz Mooz black and beige heels also match my gown and again with my lbd and gold accessories create another look.

Another tip is to think outside the square and invest in a pair of satin pants which like the lace pencil skirt cam be dressed up or down. Mine are from Simona and they actually travel really well but there’s always an iron available in the laundry for any creases.

Finally I recommend wraps, boleros or jackets to top it all off. I recently purchased a wrap bolero from Ezibuy that can be worn open over a dress or top, or wrapped and worn as a top on its own with my lace pencil skirt or satin pants. I have another Sasha Drake favourite, a taupe ‘slinky with a slight shimmer finish that travels well and is the perfect finishing touch with matching gold jewelry.

As for jewelry it doesn’t have to be the real deal, costume can be just as good and in some cases even better. I’m lucky that hubby treated me to Swarovski sets for Christmas last year but if you’re like me and love a bargain try your local op shops for some retro bling that can pimp your style.

Formal nights are normally scheduled on Sea days and my final tip is to call into the duty free shop on board on your way to the dining room to spritz yourself with a sample scent. Cheeky I know but it’s a great way to sample something new and if you like it enough you can treat yourself to a bottle to take home.

One whiff and you’ll be back on board remembering the wonderful time you had.

So close I can feel it

I have been awake since four am doing my usual over-thinking, cursing myself for not making a start on the packing yet and pondering how to transition from a seriously cold Winter at home to the heat and humidity we are travelling to.

Thankfully the shorts and capris I purchased for our last cruise still fit (winning) and will be the basis of my cruise day outfits, and there are only five formal nights to plan outfits for out of the twenty-six we will be on board. I have a couple of gorgeous gowns as well as a wonderful ‘little black dress’ that can be worn a number of ways, the bling my hubby treated me to last Christmas, and some standout shoes to bring it all together so I am feeling well prepared in that respect.

My biggest issue is the in-between, what they refer to as ‘smart casual’ on cruises, which is something I struggle with planning for.
That fine line between wearing something I would normally wear on a night out at home vs something stylish and classic and comfortable.
It’s going to be very hard to say goodbye to the jeans and boots I have been living in every weekend at home, but I’m thinking that black pants and pencil skirts are going to be the go.

Two More Sleeps!

So after what’s felt like a never ending countdown it’s now only two more sleeps until we get on board Sea Princess!

We’ve stocked up on prescription medication, sunscreen and insect repellant, and in my mind packing for this adventure is going to be infinitely less stressful compared to our most recent cruise on QM2.

I like to think that there’s a lesson to be learnt from every travel experience and in theory after six cruises in six years I’ve learnt a few lessons and have packing down to a fine art.

In reality I’m doing everything possible to avoid the reality of condensing what I want down to what I need, preferably in one case and a carry-on.

There’s a mountain of clothes piled up on the bed in a spare room and I’m thinking I need to make the most of my Netflix time at home before we leave.

Long Time Coming

It’s been a while between posts on here, time flies and now the final countdown is on for our next big adventure, a Southeast Asia
Grand Adventure on the Sea Princess.

Yes, ANOTHER cruise; what can I say apart from NOTHING compares to the relaxation and enjoyment I have experienced on board the six
cruises I have completed over the past six years.

This will be the second cruise we embark on from our hometown Port of Fremantle, for 26 nights, with the big difference to all of the others we have completed being that we will also sail back home.

‘We’ being me and my man who is celebrating his 50th on board, along with our cruise buddies who we have created and shared so many wonderful travel memories with over the past six years.

For those who are interested in the what, where and when of this cruise, I will do my best to make the most of the internet credit our sea days entitles us to and share my thoughts and highlights of this adventure.

Two weeks tomorrow; woohoo!

Education for All

This picture was taken on the corner of Stirling Highway and Queenslea Drive Claremont, in the heart of Perth’s exclusive ‘Golden Triangle’, a colloquial name referring to the affluent suburbs West of the Swan River. A number of private schools are located in these suburbs, including Christ Church Grammar, where this ‘motto’ is on prominent display.

Given that the official school motto translates to ‘God is our leader, learning is our light’ I have to wonder who was the brains behind this one so perfectly placed on the exterior of a school building alongside a busy intersection controlled by traffic lights.

What do they mean by ‘good’? Having the desired qualities, of a high standard? Does this mean that children who, due to circumstances beyond their own control, are enrolled into their local government school are not likely to complete their education to the desired standard in order to be considered ‘good’?

Twenty plus years since I joined a student really in my first year of University and chanted ‘Education for All, not just the Rich’ in an attempt to influence the Government of the day against the planned introduction of tertiary tuition fees, the sight of this ‘motto’ just feels a tad Elitist in my opinion, and goes against the Education for All (EFA) movement, a global commitment to provide quality basic education for all children, youth and adults.

Source: United Nations Resources for Speakers on Global Issues – Education for All (EFA)

My Unapologetic Review of #madonna #rebelhearttour

In case you missed the memo, Madonna has been on tour for the past six months, concluding with two concerts in Sydney on the weekend. When Madonna first toured Down Under in November 1993 I was pregnant with my second child and no position, financially or literally, to witness my childhood icon perform live.

Fast forward 23 years and paying a couple of grand to be within touching distance of the queen of pop is still beyond my means, given the additional costs of flights and accommodation to factor into the equation, but I was still thrilled to be able to actually be there in person to see her perform in Sydney on Saturday night.

Lucky for me and my girlie friends the queen of pop was on stage just after 10 and despite our rear view seat location we all thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle of her live performance. Personal highlights included singing and dancing along to her golden oldies including Burning Up and Like a Prayer and the overall production was spectacular, but I was disappointed that the comparatively recent chart-toppers Ray of Light, Frozen, Hung Up and Express Yourself weren’t included in the eclectic set-list. I am assuming that there simply wasn’t enough time in her tightly choreographed routine with a run time of close to three hours.

For a woman looking down the barrel of 60 her physical appearance, stamina and flexibility is truly inspirational, and our party of four all left on a happy high and with renewed enthusiasm for committing to exercise. Not so enamoured with all the swearing which seemed unnecessary in such a polished performance, but hey at least she was engaging with the audience so maybe that’s just me showing my age.

In the age of Social Media it is all too easy to share the bad news stories and jump to conclusions, but I am happy to report that my Madonna experience was overwhelmingly positive and given the means and opportunity I would see her again in a heartbeat.