Hi Donna! So happy you're having smooth seas....quite unlike our Bass Strait experience last year!!

I don't know Dionne your Social Hostess?? What is Dana's role now since she's no longer the SH? Congratulations on the kareoke token!! So glad everything is going so well!! Hoping Debbie and Clay have settled in and are now really enjoying their trip too!

As always.......love your seamail!!! Tell my '05 friends hello for me!

Hi Donna - sorry to miss out on a cup of coffee - it would have been nice to meet you. Glad to hear the ship will be moving from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay (at least I presume that's where you'll go as I think the Diamond sails this afternoon). I went over the Mariner recently when it was berthed at the Overseas Terminal and the view from the ship was fantastic and that's coming from someone who has lived her entire life here. If you see some stupid woman waving frantically at the ship today - it'll probably be me!! Lee

Hello again from Sydney. We enjoyed our day yesterday (harbour tour and tour of Opera house). The highlight for me was meeting a group of Red Hat Ladies. I introduced myself as a Red Hat Lady from AZ. They loaned me a red hat and other paraphanelia and we took some great pictures. Talking about a fun group!

Last night at 9pm the ship moved from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay. There was champagne on deck and lots of visitors onboard to add to the festivities. It was also the end of a segment and time to say goodbye to some great friends.

Today, it was hot, hot, hot and humid. Not the best of weather for a zoo trip but we went anyway. Not much action from the animals, they were all asleep (and much smarter than us humans who were melting!). Oh, our move went well (we had to move from 807 to 826. My only complaint is that the former occupants were heavy smokers. Please, I'm not starting a "smoking debate". But, I'm allergic and getting rid of the smoking irritant is quite a challenge but I'm sure it will be better in a day or two. No other choices, ship is full.

We just finished dinnner at La Verandah. Talking about a view, the opera house was right across the way. There is supposed to be dancing on deck tonight. We'll see how long we last after such a hot day.

1pm sail-away tomorrow and another part of our adventure begins.

Oh, I forgot.

Lee, I looked for you but there a couple of crazy waving women on the sidewalk so I couldn't pick you out!

Marcie, Dana is now the Assistant Cruise Director. Dionne (social director) used to be one of the dancers but had an injuruy and switched to her current position. Hope you are having fun in SA!

Donna, How fun to run into some Red Hat Ladies in OZ. It's nice to know that you were accepted into the group. Can't wait to see the photo. I bet the view from La Veranda was spectacular for dinner. May our brains store those lovely pictures and memories for a long time. Continue to enjoy your cruise. Thanks for all your seamail.

G’day mates. We’re sailing off the coast of Australia heading for Adelaide. It’s cold outside as the ship passes through rain squalls and white-capped seas. Big disappointment among the football fans here. We don’t have a signal for the game. So, the alternative is to watch the graphic version on the computers in club.com or listen to an audio feed in the conference and card rooms.

There have been many visitors onboard during our Australian ports and lots of entertaining by Radisson. Mark Conroy was on in Sydney but we didn’t meet him. We have one lady passenger who complains about everything and constantly berates the staff. In fact, she is so bad that Alan and I have an agreement that we will not be seated with her at dinner. In Sydney, we were up in the Observation Lounge and watched as she had a private audience with Mr. Conroy. She had been complaining up the chain of command and finally made it to the top! It’s so sad because the staff on this ship works extremely hard to please the passengers.

This segment has a different feel to it. The average age went up about 10 years when the new passengers boarded. The friendly factor went down by at least 5. We miss the smiles and greetings in the halls and elevators but hopefully, the newer passengers will begin to feel at home soon and smile back at us. Also, so far, the lecturers are not very good and last night’s entertainment was poor. I’m not complaining here, just had no idea that one segment could be so different from the next one. Hopefully the energy and vitality will return soon. On a good note, Kenny Smiles is entertaining on this segment.

We’ve had our second block party. And, since we had to change cabins, it was like being new all over again so we enjoyed meeting our neighbors. Since we are still on Deck 8, there was lots of teasing about moving to the “best block” in the neighborhood.

The smoke situation is improving. Ursula, Guest Relations Manager, is doing everything she can for us. Yesterday while we were touring, they steam cleaned the carpets and washed down the walls. It helped but the smoke odor still lingers in the air. We keep our balcony door open as much as possible.

In Melbourne, we took a private tour with friends, visiting the Yarra Valley, an animal preserve and then the city. Victoria Market was overwhelming and reminded me of a Moroccan souk except the paths between the stalls were wide, clean, straight and paved! It was a nice day and the Aussie sense of humor is so much fun to experience.

I’ll leave you with a cute story:
There is a single, elderly gentleman who sits at a small table by the window each night in Compass Rose. A single, elderly woman sits at the table next to him and they talk across to each other. The waiter in that area is on a mission. Each night he moves the tables closer together. He says that he will have them married by April!

Tomorrow is Adelaide and a wine tour of the Barossa Valley. Looking forward to it.

Donna - wonderful update! Love the international Red Hat Lady meeting story. Also love the story about the waiter playing Cupid.

One of the things I like about RSSC is all of the cruises have been so different. Please keep up the great reports for this segment; we're seriously considering it in the not-too-distant future. I hope the new segment passengers get comfy soon and are friendlier. Sounds like there's good potential now that you're on the "best block" of Deck 8! Here's to getting your room aired out quickly.

FWIW: Each cruise we've been on has had a handful of folks who seem very focused on finding things to complain about on the cruise. Only one cruise had a slightly higher percentage of them (HK - Beijing) and it quickly got old being around them.

Sometimes things ARE off track & management needs to know to correct it. When the passenger and the supervisor handle those situations respectfully, everyone wins. When they don't .. Oy! Enough already. Life is too short and cruises too expensive to get caught up in those dramas. Keep smiling and enjoying the experience.

Cheers, Anne

Thanks for the update Donna. Sounds you are still having a great time and enjoying your cruise. Hope the smoke smell in the cabin improves soon.

Love the story about the elderly gentleman and lady.

Hi Donna,

I've enjoyed reading your latest installment.

Hopefully the new passengers will get into the groove and be as warm and friendly as the previous passengers. If anyone can win them over, it's you and Alan!

I also hope that they are able to correct the smoke smell in your room. I was surprised when you said you had to change rooms. I would have thought you could stay in the room you were all ready in.

As to that guest who's taken her displeasure to Mark Conroy - I guess you can't please everyone. There are many people who are entirely too demanding and nothing pleases them despite the best of attempts. Unfortunately, the crew takes the brunt of it. However, there are enough kind and appreciative people who hopefully make up for those who are not.

What a sweet story about the elderly gentleman and woman!

Looking forward to hearing more!

Me, too, Donna, I am sure the new passengers will warm to the group, especially if they do the "block parties"!

I feel sorry for Mark Conroy when he has to sit down with a b like that. She is so unrepresentative of the average cruiser, but I am sure he will find a way to keep her happy.

Like Denise said, the crew takes the brunt of people like that, and you sometimes wonder how they keep their smiles on after an encounter with someone like that.

Loooooved the story about the tables moving closer together! Maybe when I am "old" and 80 some 20 years from now and still on the ship, I will have a gentleman across from my table and my waiter will be on a similar mission? He'd better work quickly!

Donna - I too LOVED that story about the waiter's mission. Thanks for your updates!

Masaki

I am so pleased to hear that the block party idea is catching on. It makes it easy to meet a lot of people very quickly and pretty soon you know their friends and their friends . . .

What a cute story about the two singles! You must keep us posted.

Adelaide is a beautiful port. So far, my favorite in Australia.

Since I griped about the entertainment in my last post, thought I would tell you that there is a great pianist onboard who gave a terrific performance. Also a good lecturer presented today.

In two days, we will be celebrating a special 50th birthday. Can you guess who it is? Here’s a hint: He’s not a passenger. Looks like I will be having lots to report back in a day or two!

Denise, we booked our trip as two separate segments and at two different times thus the cabin changing.

The mystery birthday person wouldn't be a certain ship's officer known to share vords of visdom, would it?

Thanks for checking in! I haven't yet been to Adelaide; will have to get there next time I go down under.

Cheers, Anne

Donna I'm enjoying your seamail...and let us know if that elderly gent and lady wind up sitting together soon.

Hello from Capt. Dag's birthday celebration. The ship is decorated with banners inside and out. We stopped in Albany, Australia today. The smokestack had a banner with "Dag is 50". I took a picture and will post on my blog. A group of school children came onboard to sing to him before our sailaway. Then, there was a huge lunch on the pool deck including caviar and many other extras. The captain popped the cork on a huge bottle of champagne and we all toasted him.

Alan and I have just finished dinner in Compass Rose where we sampled Capt. Dag's birthday cake. Next, is entertainment by Jamie and Kenny Smiles. Should be fun. Will report back later.

We were very happy to reach a port today. We've had 1 and 1/2 days of heavy seas. Good to put our feet on the ground.

Beth, my redhat picture is on the blog and the Queen Mum has already posted a message there. What fun!

Sounds wonderful. Turning 50 is a big deal for Norwegians, it's a major celebration time. Great that the whole ship got involved!

Hi Donna,

It sounds like the birthday party was a fun daylong event... and rightfully so! I loved the picture of you with the Sydney Sassy Sisters. Also, enjoying your blog. Thanks for sharing all the fun with us.

Finishing the report on Capt. Dag's birthday party. After dinner, Jamie and Kenny Smiles emceed the show. First, Dana read a touching letter from Capt. Dag's wife while pictures flashed on a screen. Then, they showed a video of his children wishing him a happy birthday. They invited Capt. Dag to come on stage and had him sit in this huge red chair. Kenny played some practical jokes on Dag but not too bad. Dag sang a kareoke song with Kenny Smiles' wife and then another song with Jamie. It was a funny, touching birthday celebration and triubte. The theatre was absolutely packed. A wonderful day!

Today we were in Freemantle and Radisson hosted the passengers at a "Day at the Races". Although the weather was scorching, the event was loads of fun.

We are now on our way to Bali with 3 sea days. Good. Maybe I can catch up the rest of my blog!

We absolutely love reading your reports, and are becoming sooo jealous!! Hopefully the Indian Ocean will be a little calmer than the Southern Sea (I think that is what they call the ocean on the southern part of Australia). Looks like you will be stopping at some exotic locations pretty soon, we can't wait to see the pics.

Donna,
I'm loving your reports and your blog. Big THANKS!

Betty

Donna,

Your blog looks soooo professional! You're doing a great job. Thanks!

Yesterday we were in Bali. What a terrific day! Later, I’ll post a detailed version on my blog. Radisson provided an opportunity for independent tours and we teamed up with two other couples. We had two cars, each with a driver and interpreter, allowing 3 passengers to a van which helped since the heat was stifling. After an all day tour, we returned to the ship for an outdoor Balinese barbecue on the pool deck. Balinese dancers came aboard to entertain us and then it was Jamie, the Voyager quintet and open “mic” night and a little dancing under the stars. All I can say is we had a very exotic day. Keep in mind, this is my first experience with Asia or Indonesia.

We have two sea days and then were supposed to go to Sandakar, Borneo. The captain is skipping the port. He felt that the travel there involved close up encounters with small islands that lend themselves to piracy so he is taking a wider berth to Borneo. We are now headed towards our next port in Borneo (I don’t have the name with me but I think is something like Kinta Kinabalu?). We appreciate his cautiousness.

Got to rest up now. Kareoke tonight!

Great reports Donna - it all sounds so amazing!! I hope we can do this one day. Looking forward to your next post, as always.

Donna, I get so happy when you post an update, thank you for providing such good reading!

Thanks for all the encouraging words about the blog.

Ray, not only am I the writer but the photographer too.

Yesterday was interesting. Not only did the Capt. change course but then the ship stopped in the water. Mechanical problem. Ship restarted then the electricity went out for a few minutes. Generators were running so no elevator problems. Eventually all was back to normal but an eerie feeling after the worries about priates. To say the least, Capt. Dag had a tough day at the office!

Thanks Donna for another wonderful report - your reports are such fun and uplifting!!! Joanna

Donna,

We have been following your travels and
very much enjoying your blog, prose & photos.
The 'pirate' alert must have been a bit
un-nerving, especially combined w. the
electricity problems. Once on land, this, no
doubt, will make a great story!

I understand that you also are skipping
the port of Phuket....what happened w. this?

I’ve finally posted text and pictures of Capt. Dag’s birthday on the blog.

Yes, they have deleted a port. The Captain announced it last night at the Seven Seas Society Party. In these troubled times, flexibility is the name of the game when cruising. I haven’t kept up with that part of the itinerary since it is after Hong Kong so I don’t completely understand the change. Maybe a full World Cruiser will explain.

Really enjoying your prose and photos, Donna, and looking forward to the next!

Donna, I'm impressed with the professional way you have given us our Capt. Dag "fix". Lucky you to have been on the front row. Waiting for more!

We’re going to Norway too!

When, the Captain announced over the loudspeaker that Jamie, Dana and Lars will accompany him on a repeat voyage in June 2007 back to his hometown and on to the Artic Circle, I rushed to the cabin to find Alan. He wasn’t there but the information about 2007 was on the door. I grabbed it and searched him out. I was on a mission to sell a cruise. I found Alan in a lounge chair on deck 5 outside of Horizon Lounge. It didn’t take long to convince him so I hurried to Gudrun’s office to wait in line. Norway here we come! I don’t know how this will affect our other travel plans. We’ll worry about that when we get home.

Wonderful! We'll see you aboard. cheers, Anne and Gary

We are too Donna and can't wait to meet you and Alan - Joanna

Donna, we continue to enjoy your reports and photos!! Thanks!!!

Blog is updated with Capt. Dag's revenge on Kenny. It may take an hour or two to show up so if you don't see it, try again later.

Donna, Just read your latest entry - we sure are enjoying your blog and your beautiful writing. I feel just like we're onboard with you. Thank you so much for all your postings!

Donna, can't wait to hear about your dinner with Capt. Dag! I'm sure it will be lots of fun!

Donna, Your reports continue to enthrall! Thanks so much for making me a part of your fantastic journey!

This one’s for the crew.

We are sailing away from Manila and this has been an emotional day. I just had to share it with all of you. The only reason we stopped here was to reward the crew. So many are from the Philippines and this was a chance for them to see their families.

Last night, Alan and I had dinner at Capt. Dag’s table. He told us of how hard it had been to arrange this visit. Of course it has been planned for many months with the idea that each crew member could bring family and friends aboard to see where they worked. At the last minute, the authorities did not want to allow any of the crews’ families in the port area or on the ship. Late yesterday afternoon, the Captain said “if you won’t allow anyone to board my ship, then I won’t allow any Philippine officials to board either.” Capt. Dag finally won.

You should see how excited the crew (who are mostly from the Philippines) has been. Many of us told our stewardesses to forget servicing our rooms today and spend the extra time with their families.

I went on a short excursion this morning but came back specifically to watch the crew and their families enjoy the day. On the pool deck, I met a young mother with a 3-month old baby. Her husband is a dishwasher in the galley. Just think, he had not even met his little baby until today.

I spent much of the afternoon on my balcony watching the reunions. Jamie was out filming the families. And, when they were onboard, they had lunch (I think in the crew galley) and then they also could go up to the pool deck for soft drinks, chips and salsa and ice cream. The crew enjoyed introducing their families to us and there were many pictures taken. The children are so precious.

After dinner, the Bayahin (sp?) folkloria company performed and they were fantastic. Once they finished, the Captain announced that the crew and passengers could go up to Deck 12 or 5 to say goodbye. As the dance company walked down the gangplank, shouts of “Bravo” echoed across the pier.

We stood by the railing and waved to the families still standing on the dock. Crew members were waving and had cell phones to their ears for last minute calls. Lots of teary eyes tonight.

I cannot begin to describe what a special day this has been. These lovely people work so hard to answer our every wish. It was nice to see them rewarded today.