Wansbrough's Cruise Blog

The clocks going forward an hour affected our routine and we were late going for coffee and breakfast. It didn’t make much of a difference because I think everyone else did the same thing. Once again the open decks were deserted with folk either inside or confined to cabins due to illness. I’m not sure how well the measures are going with regards to containing the virus, only time will tell. We have only been to the theatre once, we only use the buffet when it’s quiet and we always take the stairs and the Lotus Spa pool is by far the quieter of the four, so without even trying, our mixing has been kept to the minimum. Even our little MDR area has at most less than 100 regular users.

Finding a sunbed on the second part of this cruise has never been easier and it will be interesting to see how things go as we head south in the last week.

The requirement to save a bed by leaving a sunbathing book is definitely not a requirement on this cruise.

I also apologise as I am conscious that certain angles on my photos are repeating but on sea days there is little else on our radar that really warrants a photo and it’s nice to bring a little sunshine into your lives. 😉

The sea was the calmest it’s been around 5:00 pm and it was just like a mill pond. It’s such an eerie thing when it’s like that. The captain came over the PA during dinner to advise people not to worry about something that was floating on top of water, some had been concerned it was pollution but it’s a local phenomenon that occurs at this time of year called blue/green algae slicks. He described it as looking like sawdust floating on top of the water.

Early dinner and an early night, tomorrow we arrive at Darwin at 7:00 and our tour departs at 8:00. We also have another time change of ½ hour forward to contend with.

Fitbit Steps 8,050

At 7:00am this morning we started our cruise along the Kimberley Coast. Stopping for an hour or so around 10:00 to do some pirouettes which was more to do with resetting the ships magnetic compass than for the passengers benefit. It worked well though because it was a great spot which provided 3 spins and great photos.

Measures are still in place for virus prevention but the ship does feel very empty. I am uncertain if it’s the Aussies staying out of the sun or there is a lot of illness about. It reminds me of our trip out to Fiji from Sydney in 2017 when the outside decks were deserted.

We had lunch but it was a light one today as in the evening we dined in Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria. Our head waiter’s wife runs this restaurant and we managed to get her to make some of the dishes vegan so Nicole could dine there. Not only a treat for Nicole but also for me as this never happens onboard a ship.

We had an amazing meal and fantastic service.

My choices below as taken from the menu.

Insalata Mista
Mixed greens, tomato, cucumber, fennel, pickled red onion, carrot, celery, radish,  taggiasca black olives, dressed in extra-virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar
Burrata Caprese
Fresh, creamy, stracciatella-filled cheese complemented by red & yellow tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, balsamic glaze and basil oil
Penne Primavera
Bright, fresh tomatoes, sliced mushrooms and seasonal vegetables sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil and tossed with fresh basil and shaved parmesan
Grilled Striploin
Tender, juicy and accompanied by asparagus, roasted rosemary potatoes and calabrian chili butter
Chef’s specialty dessert (tasters of the 4 if you can’t make your mind up)
Rocher, Sabatini’s Tiramisu, Vanilla Panna Cotta, Zabaglione Marsala

Clocks go forward an hour tonight in preparation for our next port which is Darwin the day after next.

Fitbit Steps 10,665

Just as we were departing Broome last night the captain came over the PA to inform us that the ship is going to be employing certain measures due to a gastro virus onboard. The buffet has been set up to a point at what you want system with some of the areas not open at all. Hopefully it will pass quickly and we can avoid getting it ourselves.

Today is remembrance day and we have purchased a couple of poppies that we will wear to dinner tonight. They are a lot more delicate than the ones we get in the UK and actually look more life like.

At 11:00 the horn sounded and the ensign was once again dropped to half mast. They had a service in the theatre at 10:30 and although we didn’t go, I saw some photos on FB later and it was standing room only.

At midday we started our transit of Yampi Sound which continued during the afternoon. We passed by several islands along the route and heard commentary about various things as we progressed. One of the islands has an iron ore mine that produces the finest ore anywhere else in the world. It’s so good that you can actually weld two pieces together.

Other than that, it’s been a very relaxing day sat outside on deck 17, reading and taking a dip in the pool. Same again tomorrow

Fitbit Steps 12,764

Today we got off the ship for a few hours, we had pre-booked a short bus tour prior to leaving home with a local company called Broome & Around and the tour was called Broome Port Panoramic Sightseeing Adventure. Google research showed very little in the area other than some remarkable scenery and with it being a Sunday we decided to do a quick tour of the area then walk around the town. Last night we received a flyer with the Princess Patter telling us no private tours would be able to pick us up from the jetty which was not correct.

Broome & Around pay a fee to be allowed onto the jetty and we anticipated a bit of a fight to get off without a shuttle ticket but in the end it wasn’t an issue and we were soon on our way to our first stop which was a headland called Gantheaume Point. We were there for around 15 minutes and viewed some amazing looking colours and rock formations.

Our next stop was Cable Beach which again was a long stretch of white sands. We were given a quick talk about how the area evolved along with how it got it’s name which was after the telegraph cable laid between Broome and Java in 1889.

The area was developed in the 1970’s by British gentleman called Lord Robert McAlpine who recognised the potential of making it a tourist destination which is exactly what he did. There is a statue of him on the lawn in front of the beach in recognition of his services to the region.

The next was a very quick stop to view a Japanese cemetery, they have their own graveyard because there was an influx of Japanese from the 1880s to the 1960s, seeking work in its pearl shell industry for which Broome is famous.

One last stop at Town Beach before being dropped off at China Town in Broome. 2 ½ hours was just about right for this quick look at the region and after walking around Broome for a similar time we caught the shuttle back to the ship for a quick bite to eat and a dip in the pool.

It was a lot warmer than forecast today and speaking to a few Aussie passengers, northern areas of Australia are experiencing higher than average temperatures and Mount Wellington in the south had an inch of snow. It’s not a happy planet at the moment that’s for sure.

Fitbit Steps 14,826

Today was an official sea day and one where Princess decided to fill the pool next to The Sanctuary. It had been empty up until today because all the slopping water was going over the edge and flooding into the spa area but now as the sea is much calmer it was deemed safe to fill up and what a difference that made. Only a handful of people are sat around the edges and it’s like a little oasis that hopefully remains that way.

At 11:00 we tested the Medallion app and ordered a couple of drinks to be brought to us, within 6 minutes they were with us so a big thumbs up with that experiment. Having the pool nearby was a big bonus and we were in and out of it many times before lunch.

Something out of the ordinary this morning was the appearance of about 8 or so rather large birds following alongside the ship. We did some googling and determined they were Lesser Frigatebirds which the Captain later confirmed during his midday address. Some eventually settling on the mast for a rest. So after about an hour of trying to get a decent photo of them flying and then giving up, they decided to sit still.

At 1:00 pm we picked up a few bits from the buffet and retired to our cabin with them so as to combine the hot part of the day with some aircon and sustenance.

Back outside in the afternoon, we had a quick dip in the pool again before going back to the cabin at 4:00. The temperature was given as 27°C but it felt much hotter. The forecast for tomorrow is 32°C.

Our evening meal was earlier than usual as Nicole was feeling very tired. On nights like this it seems to be when you strike up more conversations than usual but as much as we enjoyed the new interactions, bedtime beckoned. Fitbit Steps 10,118

We awoke this morning to yet more strong winds and it came as no surprise when at 8:25, the captain came over the PA to inform us that our visit to Exmouth had been cancelled as it was unsafe to operate the tenders. I was disappointed but as Exmouth was a replacement that really didn’t have too much to offer and especially as a tender port, it wasn’t too much of a loss.

However, it would have been nice to get off and at least have a walk and explore. We will never know why it was changed from Geraldton, the original itinerary had us docked, and then Princess changed it to a tender port with not half as much to experience. What is done is done so there is no point in dwelling on it and grumbling.

So, today was another sea day to add to the already long list and hopefully it will be the last time it happens on this cruise. (fingers crossed)

Once again we spent our morning on Deck 17 (oddly named the sports deck) which ought to be called the “Mary Celeste” deck because apart from ourselves and 4 others, it was deserted. The irony being the wind that had prevented us tendering had disappeared and there was absolutely no breeze at all and it was very hot, this eventually drove us back to the cabin, we like a bit of sunshine but it was just too hot.

On the way back Nicole had a quick dip in the pool to cool off. While waiting and enjoying a Dirty Banana cocktail, I noted the music being belted out at high volume in the pool area and considered that with the average age probably set around 72, what better to listen to being pelted out by the DJ than Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin. The young girl seemed totally oblivious to her audience and maintained the flow of what I considered inappropriate music pounding out for all to relax by the pool to. Having said that if their hearing is anything like mine they won’t hear anything anyway which is how it appeared.

Even several announcements by the cruise director telling us there is so much going on only added to the delirium of the situation. Our balcony eventually became the answer to the situation with it being peaceful, in the sun with a very small section of shade and room service looking after our needs.

At 5:00 we went for a walk but the prom deck was closed for maintenance so we did some laps on the upper decks instead which we visited again after dinner.

Not much else to report today other than my Fitbit Steps 11,398

Today was the first sea day that the wind was almost non-existent. For the first few hours of the morning after we had eaten breakfast we sat outside on deck 17 in front of an empty Sanctuary. There was glorious sunshine and it was more like what we were expecting the weather to heading north up the west coast.

The wind was still there but much milder and now with some warmth. However by 10:00 it had clouded over and normal service had resumed. There were 600 new passengers that got on in Fremantle yesterday so there have been a lot of new faces exploring the ship

At around 2:36 pm and in conjunction with Remembrance Day, the captain diverted our course so that we could sail directly over the wreck of HMAS Sydney which was Australia’s greatest naval tragedy. On 19 November 1941 the ship got into an encounter with the German Raider HSK Kormoran and was lost without trace losing all 645 crew. It wasn’t until 2008 that the wreck was located. HSK Kormoran also sank but their loses were minimal by comparison. As we passed over the site, the ensign was lowered to half mast and the ships horn sounded.

The afternoon weather was cloudy with sunny intervals and was really quite pleasant compared to previous sea days. All the outside areas of the ship were busy apart from where we were up on deck 17. Having so many aged passengers sometimes has its benefits as you need to go up two decks externally using the stairs and the lift up there is out of order so only the more mobile have ventured into that area. It also kept us away from all the noise and shenanigans going on poolside.

Late afternoon we returned to the cabin and sat on the balcony for 1 ½ hours and as the previous sea day, did 6 laps of the prom deck for some exercise.

Fitbit Steps 13,096

After the disappointment of yesterday, we arrived at Fremantle on schedule. The pilot came aboard just before 5:00 and we continued our journey into the port itself, eventually tying up around an hour later. During breakfast the announcement was made that clearance had been given so we went back to the cabin to gather our things and made our way off. Due to timings and the length of the visit, we decided to stay in Fremantle today and give Perth a miss. The weather forecast wasn’t great so we made sure that we had waterproofs in the bag as well as umbrellas.

Even here the wind was really strong as you can see from the flag.

We were off the ship by 8:30 with no specific plans other than to walk and explore. After grabbing a map of local attractions from the information desk in the cruise terminal, we set off towards the town centre and Fremantle Prison which was just a flying visit. All the guided tours and in particular the underground tunnel tour just didn’t work with our departure time so after a quick look at the free stuff we moved on.

There are plenty of old buildings in Fremantle and it was amazing to wander around noting all the dates, many of which were pre 1900 and built during the gold boom period.

Our exploring took us up and down many of the streets and the most notable being High Street which leads to the Round House. This building is Fremantle’s oldest public building and was originally opened in 1831 as a gaol.

For some unknown reason, Fremantle Market which again dates back to the Gold Boom are only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday so all we could do is view the outside. One of our highlights was the WA Shipwrecks Museum which was a fascinating experience. It contains lots of relics from ships that were wrecked along Western Australia’s coast. There is even a section of the hull of the Batavia which was a Dutch vessel that sunk in 1629 and there are loads of artifacts on display from the wreck in its own area in the museum.

I think we probably covered just about all the streets in the CBD before heading back to the ship. En route we stopped at the WA Maritime Museum which was vaguely of interest, it wasn’t nearly as interesting as the Shipwrecks Museum. I thought it was more of a display rather than a museum as such. Fremantle must have some amazing artifacts from it’s boom years but they weren’t here.

Back onboard for 3:00 and a quick bite to eat before retiring to the cabin and sit out on the balcony which was bathed in sunshine. So much for the weather forecast!!!

Sailaway was delayed by 30 minutes and we eventually set off for Exmouth before which will be after another sea day.

Fitbit Steps 23,466

Despite the Captain telling us last night that he intended to arrive 1 hour earlier than planned, the weather had other ideas. The wind was strong enough to delay our arrival rather than improve it. We arrived at our tendering position at just after 9:00 and it was just after 9:30 that the Captain announced that due to sea conditions it was unsafe to commence tendering so it would not be operating today, as the unseasonable weather was forecasted to continue all day, unfortunately Busselton would not happen.

Instead, we would continue on to our next stop which is Fremantle. With nothing other than lunch to break our day up, I got down to reading some more of my book. A revised version of Princess Patter was delivered to our cabin around lunch time so someone had been busy in the morning. On the way back from lunch we spotted some new commemorative plaques on the wall on the central staircase on deck 7. They didn’t take long to put up.

The sun graced our balcony and we enjoyed a few hours sat out there after lunch.

Late afternoon we did six laps of the prom deck which according to the notice is 2.8 laps is equal to 1 mile. Our evening drill then kicked in with dinner and an early night.

We are both still struggling with adapting to the timezones at the moment. Both waking up early and feeling very tired around 9:00pm.

Fitbit Steps 10,064

Over the last 2 days we have crossed a sea of water called the Great Australian Bight and we arrived at Albany on schedule this morning at 7:00 am. Also, there was another time change last night with the clocks going back another hour which makes it 3 in total since we left Melbourne.

Before passing through the cruise terminal we were treated to an Aboriginal smoking ceremony which is a traditional spiritual healing practice that involves burning native plants to create smoke that cleanses and refreshes the land and people. The ceremony can be used for many purposes, including healing, helping strengthen and renew the spirit, celebrate a birth and in our case today a welcome to a country.

Our privately booked excursion was for 4 hours and departed at 9:00 from outside the port gate. Our guide and also our driver was a man called Tim and there were 24 of us in his bus. We booked this about a year ago but received an email a few weeks back telling us one the places we were due to visit (The Gap) was now closed for renovation until the end of December. Given there was little else of interest thrown up when searching for things to do in Albany we decided to carry on with this tour.

Our first stop came after about a 15 minute drive and was a quick stop at a place called Goode Beach and as well as being extremely pleasing on the eyes also helped orientate us.

Back in the van and then on to Frenchman Bay which was the site of a former whaling station. Only a few terracotta bricks remain of what was quite a large operation. Today it is another picturesque spot that you would never know what its history was.

Frenchman Bay is also where George Vancouver, the first European explorer of King George Sound, landed in 1791 so quite a significant place in the area.

Back in the van again and this time to Albany’s Historic Whaling Station where we had a mid morning drink with some delicious scones with jam and cream (Cornwall style before you ask). We were there for 40 minutes and Tim provided us with a talk about the site and how it was the last whaling operation in Australia. It closed in 1978 and is now a tourist attraction to make people aware of the area’s history. We didn’t actually go in as there wasn’t enough time but were able to get a general idea about the area and operation.

Our next stop was to view Albany’s 18 windmill wind farm, not the most exciting place but it was very picturesque and it does supply 80% of Albany’s electric. All the tours were stopping here so it just shows you how little there is to see in the area.

Back in the bus for one final stop which was to Mount Clarence, home to the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial and the Padre White lookout. Again there were some fantastic views over King George Sound and Princess Royal Harbour We finished our day in port by being dropped off in Albany itself eventually walking back to the ship. We covered some distance today and saw some incredible scenery which has changed little since the first settlers arrived here in 1826 when Major Edmund Lockyer arrived on the Amity, from Sydney, and founded a British military outpost thus claiming the area for the British.

There is a replica of his ship, Amity which we passed on the way to our first stop. With more time permitting, it would have been nice to visit but as sail away was at four, we headed back to the ship.

A medical emergency delayed our departure for an hour with some poor soul being taken away in an ambulance.

Our evening followed the usual routine with dinner in the MDR but we were too fatigued to visit the theatre so retired to the cabin for the evening.

Tomorrow we have the tender port of Busselton

Fitbit Steps 12,484