February 2024 – Twenty Steps at a Time

Two more check marks on the bucket list – New Zealand and Australia!

What better place to enjoy Christmas 2023 and New Year’s Day 2024 than ‘down under’! The holidays are rather quiet down under; decorations are minimal. Our cruise had caroling for Christmas while we sailed the choppy seas from New Zealand to Australia. New Year’s Eve found us outside of Sydney with only the large Jumbotron TV showing us the fireworks. Still the party was nice and on New Year’s Day there was a huge spread of food to be found around the pool deck. Shades of the old days and the midnight buffet.

Day 1 & 2 – Auckland, New Zealand

Dec 1. Aviation history December 17 – Wright Brothers took first to flight as announced by the captain.

We shared Michael’s car service to the airport and experienced the United club lounge. Boarded leg #1 to SFO. Shout out to flight attendant to SFO – Micki from TX.

Flight from SFO to SYD was full of turbulence and noisy, bratty children. Parents did not control the kids. Had to go back to the gate in SYD to drop off a passenger who was affected by the children’s noise. Delaying us for getting into Auckland, New Zealand over an hour late. Finally got on the ship at 8:30 pm just in time to eat something before they closed the World Cafe at 9 pm – last chance for food outside of room service. We were exhausted.

United damaged my wheelchair and didn’t even care. Now for the next two weeks we are hobbling around on a broken chair. Grrr!

Update: Sent United an email and got an immediate response. They are paying for my wheelchair in full. Nice response United, thank you! Now train your ground crew to be more careful of personal mobility items left at the plane door please!

Day 1 in Auckland we went for a HOHO bus ride with a driver from hell. She was so rude to some international passengers. Then back on board for lunch. A nap for me and shopping for Karen and Michael. A face-to-face with Immigration. Then sail away. Dinner in The Restaurant. Early to bed.

Day 2 New Zealand – breakfast then an included tour called Bay of Plenty. Short time in port. Then sailing away to day 3.

The included Bay of Plenty was another long bus ride for me. We stopped at a Kiwi Community Center to learn about the Kiwi fruit that grows on vines like grapes. There is golden Kiwi and the more popular green Kiwi. The local tribe put on a small song and dance performance which for me was the highlight of the tour. We had a picture taken with some of the performers who were father, wife, son – the mother took our picture. A quick drive back to Pilot Bay where we were docked and a quick snack of fish and chips was enjoyed seaside. Then back on the ship, which departed late due to delayed tour buses arriving late.

Just a note: If you book an excursion with the cruise line the ship will wait for you if you are late. If you are on a private tour or just lose track of time in port, the ship will leave on time heading for the next port.

A quick balcony drink with Karen and Michael then a little nap for me.

Dinner in the World Cafe then off to the onboard Broadway show in the theater. The music of the Broadway Stage Door show was wonderful. Great voices, harmonies and songs. Looking forward to more from the 4 onboard singers.

Napier
Busy day ahead with Cruise Critic meet and mingle. Then a private tour of the art deco area of Napier in an antique car. The gin tasting was held in an old tobacco warehouse, then back on board for sail away. I really do not like these short port stops! Learned of possibility to see Southern Light’s near and south of Hobart! Here’s hoping! Update: Nope! Guest Services on board was less than helpful as was the Program Director.

Wellington

Had a sleepy morning then a quick lunch bite before joining our included tour. It was a short cable car ride to the top; back on the bus for a stop at the rose gardens which reminded me of Rochester’s Maplewood Rose Gardens. As it was a rainy day I stayed on the bus alone for some peace and quiet. Then a drive through the Parliament area and back to the ship and the dreaded step ramp up and inside. Exhausting! It’s rest and catch up time with pictures and posts then dinner at the Chefs Table which wasn’t my favorite but Karen and Michael enjoyed it immensely. Hey it’s not all obout me all the time! Easy tour in the morning so no night time shows but an early to bed time. Dolphins were spotted ship-side, which is always exciting to see.

Christchurch

My day started at 3:30 am with a horrendous leg cramp that lasted about 30 minutes. Not a great way to start Christmas Eve. It ended listening to the vocalists singing duets in the Star Theater. In the middle of all that we enjoyed our excursion to the Manderly sheep farm. We were warmly welcomed into the home of Mary and Russ on Christmas Eve day and with helping neighbors there was a sheep shearing exhibition. A sheep dog training routine with some incredibly smart dogs each with their own tasks to perform was given by Russ. Then it was time for refreshments of juice and cake. All too soon it was time for our Road to Hana-like bus ride back to Lyttelton Harbor and a shuttle bus into Christchurch. Have I mentioned lately how much I dislike long bumpy bus trips on winding roads? I was so happy to exit that bus!This was the first day I was out and about in a town with stores to shop. And shop we did after a quick bite of lunch at the Craft Embassy terrace. The first store we stopped in was an only NZ, family-owned, store. Everything Kiwi and more! Of course not enough time in port before boarding the shuttle bus back to our ship. Soon we were out to sea for the next 3 days complete with a time zone difference.

Sea day 1 –
Merry Christmas! Should be stopping in Dunedin today but that port has been canceled. Internet is spotty at best. What to do on a ship for 3 whole days? To make up for missing this port that we paid for, we received an OBC – non-refundable of course! So we were basically forced to re-spend our money on either an elusive spa treatment (always booked solid but Michael scored one!) or something from the logo or jewelry store. I ended up getting a carry-on bag that I hope serves me well for future trips.

Sea day 2 –
Choppy seas are leaving many on board feeling a little uneasy. Whale spouts spotted off our balcony. Nothing planned by Viking to help occupy our day so napping it is! Along with FB posting and reading other passenger’s posts and enjoying their pictures and videos.

Sea day 3 –
Third verse same as the first 2. You take your life in your hands even trying to get from one side of the cabin to the other. Karen just told me these are at least 20 ft waves we are dealing with. Our cabin steward mentioned the captain told the crew he’s not seen the Tasmanian sea this angry in a very long time. Thanks for making our journey from NZ to AU so memorable, Mother Nature! Manfredi’s again tonight. Probably will order the same as before and fingers are crossed for a better server this time. Hard to get excited about food when you have to time your bites with the ocean’s pitch! Tomorrow we arrive in Hobart and have a face2face with immigration again before our excursion. Once again not a lot of time in port. We always have to choose between an excursion, finding an accessible restroom, or shopping the town we are in.

Hobart/ Tasmania
Finally we are on solid ground! We were delayed clearing the port with the officials, which delayed our disembarkation from the ship and our cattle call for the face2face Australian border force. Which delayed our bus while we waited for many passengers to clear all the passport stuff. We left so late that it of course it ate into our on-our-own town time before boarding the bus again to the Bonorong Sanctuary. I have to say I wish Viking was more accurate with their tour descriptions. This was an excursion that we paid out of pocket for. To not get the amount of time specified was very disappointing. The sanctuary was way too hilly for a manual wheelchair. So no, I did get to feed the kangaroos. Our guide gave us the abbreviated version of the animal presentation. We did see a Tasmanian devil, a wombat with babies and an animal that resembles a porcupine. The sanctuary is a rehabilitation area for injured or orphaned animals. It used to be a zoo. An 8-year old boy years ago said he was going to buy it one day when he was older and that he did. We got back to port for a quick race around the terminal with vendors and not much time to grab a snack to hold us over until dinner. It was Australian food night in the World Cafe but wasn’t really well presented as such. At 5 o’clock we pushed back from the dock and started another sea day on the choppy seas. Good thing we brought plenty of Bonine and lemon ginger chews! We have ginger ale in the hosted mini fridge which also helps. Gonna be another long night and day sail. Ugh.

Melbourne
It rained on and off throughout the day. We got a little wet in the fine but heavy mist waiting for our assigned bus. We broke out the ponchos once we arrived at the sanctuary to help keep us and the camera dry. 1-1/2 hour bus ride to the Healesville Sanctuary. When we decided to take this trip I said only if I can see a koala and kangaroo up close. Box checked! Nice gift shop-no koala sweatshirts tho guess I’ll have to shop Amazon or Etsy. Bought me a fancy bush hat though. We were provided with a box lunch. Handicap restrooms. Gates to maneuver. Terrain varied between dirt/stone and paved. Three hours there then another 1- 1/2 hour bus ride back to port. Arrived too late to take the shuttle into Melbourne which was sad. So we reboarded the ship and headed to the pool grill for an early dinner for me. I’m not a fancy eater and actually the food on board has appealed more to Karen and Michael than to me.

We had to return to the pier after leaving Melbourne for a medical emergency. I feel awful for that situation. They will not be back on board as their cabin was packed up and suitcases were off loaded. I truly hope they had travel insurance! It adds more to the cost of the trip but after our earlier Covid experience in Amsterdam it’s worth it. Plus United damaged my wheelchair on day 1 that we will fill out a claim in for. I now need a new wheelchair.

Sydney –
What can be said about Sydney, Australia? Well, lots! We were able to dock for a few hours near the Opera House and walk around the area. There was a Beatles tribute show that night so we bought our tickets and got to see the inside of the Opera House! The bridge was over our shoulder. A private tour and a trip to Bondi Beach were taken on New Year’s Day. Karen and Michael walked to the water’s edge and dipped their big toes in! You can see people on the bridge for a walk across the bridge excursion. We walked back to the ship after leaving the show a little early. Our ship was moving to another location so another ship could have the docking space. It would have meant a cab ride back to the ship if we didn’t get back early enough. Being New Year’s Day, we were prepared for a few scenarios that thankfully we didn’t have to experience. All too soon it was time to put our luggage out for pick up and get to bed early for an early alarm in the morning. It’s always interesting to figure out your clothes and toiletries for that last day without luggage! All too soon it was time to board another long flight on the journey home.

Viking Orion (our ship)
It’s pretty obvious that Viking’s design of Orion is not geared toward assistance to handicapped/ mobility impaired guests. After traversing an old warehouse pocked wooden floor to get to the ramp you are then greeted with 2 steps to get to security. Then 2 more steps up into the ship. The port boarding ramp adjusts to the tide which can make it steeper later in the day. The ramp is a series of small steps that do not accommodate wheelchairs or scooters. Boarding passengers who were behind me made derogatory comments that thankfully only one of my group heard. What is wrong with people? We are all on the same ship leaving port at the same time. Some of us are not as fast as we’d like to be or that you are. A little empathy would be appreciated. We don’t like being slow either! Interior doors have ADA buttons and there are several handicap restrooms. Explorers lounge/Planetarium not operational, telescope can only be placed out when ship is not in motion. So nothing to gaze at for 3 days but water and an occasional dolphin or two.

Food – hit or miss in World Cafe. This morning Eggs Benedict served an almost hard-boiled egg. I like my poached eggs a bit runny and where was the hollandaise sauce? Lunch – no traditional tossed salad. Always Caesar salad. I’m just too fussy of an eater I guess. Pool grill for Christmas lunch soups always seem to be seafood base of some sort. Would love a good minestrone. But nope! Plan on 4 pm tea today followed by sing along Christmas carols. and a late dinner at Manfredi’s. Finally a meal I will like! Food temps need to improve; too many dishes served cold or overcooked. Case in point the Eggs Benedict with almost hard boiled eggs. My panini was cold inside. The onion rings were from the freezer. Complimentary pina colada and strawberry slushees which we combined to make a Miami Vice slushie. Yum! A petal-shaped waffle with fresh berries from Mamsen’s was delicious and something that I had looked forward to. Love the pattern on their dishes btw!

Kudos to the following staff:
Jazz in World Cafe (Diet Coke) – I’d walk in and if Jazz was working and we were sitting in her service area, I quickly had a Diet Coke and glass of ice put in front of me. Loved it!

Feinstein and Voltah (cabin stewards) – As usual, these guys started out strong then fell off the guest service wagon as the cruise continued.

Security and ramp crew – Always there to help at the ramp and onto/off the ship. Be aware however, they do not provide oxygen at the top of the ramp!

Chef visit at Chefs Table – Even though I wasn’t very fond of his menu, I thought it was great that the chef came table-side to talk to us.

Carol -public area/rest rooms – This lady always had a smile and she has one of the unenviable jobs on board.

Chanel – solo guitarist – She was pretty great. I enjoyed hearing her play and sing.

*********************************************************************************************

The Restaurant for dinner – new server? Slow. Delivered my food while I was away from the table and there it sat getting cold. No dome cover either. I just have higher expectations from a ship that bills itself as a luxury class ship. I was often left disappointed in food quality and service.

The Restaurant for breakfast – once again soft boiled eggs on the Benedict. Sent it back. Server brought me one egg in a cup and expected me to use my old plate to recreate my Eggs Benedict myself. Just not right. I was then asked if I wanted a new meal. Yes, please! Restaurant protocols and guest services listening skills need to improve. I try not to be a demanding guest but let’s get serious. We are on a luxury ship which we paid luxury pricing for, eating luxury food in luxury specialty restaurants. We expect better and deserve better.

Better training is definitely needed. You are really not ‘all that’ Viking!

Manfredi’s -our server was a miss not a hit with us. She didn’t want to ask the chef for a dish of pasta to go with our chicken parmigiana. We are used to ordering our favorite dish and it coming with a side of pasta. Keep the nasty arugula salad please! Oh and the soup? Only cabbage or bean. When I mentioned I was hoping for minestrone she repeated the two choices making it very clear it was not one of the soups offered. Ugh for bad training and service! Said it would take 40 minutes for that side of pasta. Um, no. Please go ask the chef! She suggested we should only get the half portion because we didn’t order any appetizers and made a comment about being on a diet. We hope she is not our server on our next visit to Manfredi’s. FYI – we got a small serving of spaghetti which made the meal. Manfredi’s has a new chef that has ruined the menu as far as I’m concerned. I used to love Manfredi’s and looked forward to dinner there. Not so much any more.

Guest services needs to be retrained to listen carefully to what we are asking and not give us a hand off or answer that doesn’t address our question. Language barrier? Lost in the translation? Not good interactions with guest services staff. Grade…failed! Was addressed as Mr & Mrs in a VM from GS. Not cool. My husband has been gone for 11 years – he was not on this cruise!

Sea day
Not as rough as 3-day crossing but choppy nonetheless. Chefs table California night. Not a big fan of this restaurant. Shared a table with a well traveled couple from Las Vegas. Played some Uno after dinner. My “Lisbon knee” is acting up. To many bus steps and rest room transitions.

Viking –
When we booked the trip Dunedin was a port of call. Viking should have looked at a calendar and see that it was in port on Christmas Day. So this port was cancelled and an extra sea day was added. We received a non-refundable on board credit. Viking is determined to keep our money. This should have been a ca$h refund. So what to spend the obvious on? No available spa appointments. Expensive sweaters in the Viking store. Booze. Or a piece of jewelry that I don’t need. Thanks Viking for screwing us over once again. Viking also needs to include better excursion descriptions. I might not have opted for yesterday’s paid excursion had I known how inaccessible the paths were. Yes they had a handicap bathroom and a back door ramp to the gift shop. But some of the dirt/stone paths we too steep or there were rain gullies in the soil. I can’t recommend an excursion for handicap folks with these obstacles. And Viking could have/should have made mention of it. This is not the only time we have found the descriptions to be misleading. And we’ve heard other passengers comment on exactly these same issues. So if you think it’s just me expecting too much. It’s not.

Interesting tidbits and trivia –

I gave away about 180 red dress pins last year during our Red Dress World Tour.
We traveled almost 22,000 air miles for this itinerary.
We traveled almost 3200 nautical miles for this itinerary.
Always a place I wanted to see, been there, done that, survived the choppy seas and turbulent long flights, got the sweatshirt and ornament and made many memories.

Photo Gallery of Some Favorites – there are probably duplicate pictures here. Enjoy them again!