All Aboard the Love Boat!

 Friday, December 22, 2023

Melissa got us to the pier to set off for our cruise at about 12:30 p.m., only to realize boarding must have started at 11 a.m. because the ship terminal was packed with people.  

The Majestic Princess - our home away from home for the next 2 weeks

 
I had forgotten how crazy & chaotic embarkation can be.  First we went in one line to drop off our luggage to be placed on ship.  Then we snaked through several lines to show our passports and get moved on to the next station.  We were on the main floor of the port terminal for quite a while snaking back and forth in a line to go up the escalator to the actual check in desks to get our Princess medallions (they are tracking devices that open your cabin door, help staff bring you food and drink and if you touch them to touch screens throughout the ship they can guide you around the ship) and actually checked in.  This was another "snaking" line that did seem to keep moving, until suddenly, when we were most of the way to the counters, everything STOPPED.  All the ship employees started milling about but they weren't checking anyone in.  It seems, that the next (and final) stop before boarding was to go through customs (they needed to see passports and run carry-on bags through x-ray), and something was bolluxed up on their end so they couldn't check anyone else in until the jam at customs was cleared.  So we all just stood in line for probably 15 minutes or more.  Eventually the line started moving again and we got up to a counter to check in.  This is where the rubber was going to meet the road in terms of whether I'd figured everything out all right ahead of time!  Time to see if all the hard work I'd put in to make sure we had all the right documentation, all the right visas, etc. had been worth it!  YES - everything was in order!!  We got our personalized (has our name on them) medallions and ANOTHER set of medallion wearables (like watch bands) and we were off to the last checkpoint (customs) before boarding the ship.  Customs moved along in order with no issues and FINALLY, we walked up the walkway and onto the ship!

Things were a bit chaotic at first, as we entered on Deck 5 where the guest relations desk is.  I cornered the cruise director, Nikki, to ask where the Tax Rebate Center (TRC) was (to get tax refunded for the opals we purchased in Sydney),  We'd been told by our tour guide, Melissa, that there was a TRC onboard the ship and all we had to do was present our receipt for the opals and they could arrange to refund us the tax we paid on the purchase.  Nikki said she didn't know but put us in touch with another person at guest relations who indicated there was NOT a TRC onboard, but she would research whether there would be one somewhere we land in New Zealand (or whether we'll need to find the TRC at the airport on our way out of the Australia at the end of our trip).  That is still pending.  

We spent some time trying to figure out our medallion app, went and checked out our cabin - R338 on the Riviera Deck - and then wandered up to Deck 16 and the International Market to catch a late lunch at about 3:30 p.m.

Then we went down to the Lido Deck (Deck 16) to catch the Sail Away party/show and had a drink (especially since we've paid for a premium drinks package).  I also opted to pay an additional $23 Australian to activate "Order Now" which allows me to order from anywhere on the ship via the Princess App and have foods and drink delivered to me wherever I am in the ship.  Pretty cool.  We used it to order drinks at the pool for the Sail Away Party!

The Lido Deck is where the main pool is and parts of the deck have see-through glass panels.

Leaving Sydney Harbor

Tasman Ocean beneath my feet - Lido Deck

After the sail away party, we wandered the ship a bit.  It is all decorated for the holidays.  Just outside the main Piazza on Deck 5 is a lovely gingerbread house display.

Gingerbread House village on the Piazza - Deck 5

On our way to dinner in the Concerto Dining Room, we passed by this GIANT wine bottle display (decoration).  Sure hope we don't consume quite that much wine on this trip!

Carl - already "wine-ing" about the ship!

Like I said, the ship is all decked out for the holidays - including the 2-story atrium.  Everything is so very pretty!

Holiday lights in the Piazza

Holiday garlands on the railings in the atrium.

Our dinner was in the Concerto Dining Room.  A 4-course affair that was very slow (almost missed our 9:30 p.m. comedy show).  We ended up being seated at a table of 8 with three other Australian couples.  A very nice group of people and we had some lively conversation at dinner.

After dinner it was off to the comedy show with John Ryan.  Show was good but I learned that we Americans are vastly outnumbered by the number of Aussies on this ship - approximately 3100 Aussies, 112 Americans, 97 Brits and I guess Asians and "other" make up the balance.  I feel outnumbered!!