Coral Princess 5-12 August 2022

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This cruise is the replacement for our Mediterranean cruise planned for our 50th wedding anniversary this year.





Friday 5 August 2022

4pm - We are sailing !! Got away right on time and the Bay looks smooth. Will see how we go when we turn right up near Caloundra and then head South.

Boarding was very easy - took us about 10 minutes from when we arrived at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal door at 11:00am to getting on board. The cabin was ready so we moved right in and our luggage arrived by 1pm. So we are unpacked and just watching the land slide by.

Our friends Graeme and Kathy are about 6 or 7 cabins down from us and we will be meeting them for 5 O'Clock Wine O'Clock before heading to dinner at 6pm.

A day at sea tomorrow sailing down the NSW coast and arriving at Eden near the NSW / Victorian border on Sunday morning.

Dinner in the Bordeaux Dining Room. Quality of food was average but staff were very attentive and helpful.

Our Cabin attendant is Rodel - Filipino, I think.

John - 14,603 steps yesterday.

Saturday 6 August 2022

Smooth sailing overnight with only slight movement in the water. The bed and pillows are very comfortable. Good night's sleep - over 7 hours for me !! Up at 5:45am and got ready for a walk on the deck but the wind and spray made that uncomfortable so retreated to a quiet area and just did the floor exercises.

Breakfast in the a la carte Bordeaux Dining Room instead of the buffet in an attempt to get a table for two and reduce the exposure to colds, flu and Covid. No such luck !!! Everyone was trying the same trick and we could only get a shared table. The breakfast companions confirmed the reason we go go cruising - what an amusing group and a hoot !! In particular,there was an 80yo mother, Una, travelling with her 40ish daughter, Tara. First cruise for Tara and apparently she made a mess of herself on Day 1 with 5 Margaritas through the afternoon and evening. As it happened, the other couple at the table, David and Sandy, were in the same lift at the end of the evening with Tara and had to help her on her way to find her cabin. Just as we were leaving, another couple from the table beside us congratulated Tara on her performance last night too !! Obviously she enjoyed her start to the cruise.

Sea day today. Mostly overcast and strong wind blowing across the deck so there won't be much outdoor activity.

Went to the Port Lecture for Eden. It has a population of about 3,500 and, apparently, has one of the deepest harbours in Australia. With the construction of wharfage about 5 years ago, it will allow us to go alongside instead of having to tender ashore. In days gone by, it was a large whaling centre. We are in port from 10am - 8pm and I read somewhere there is a Sunday market. Not sure how many passengers are going to still be in the throbbing metropoli of Eden on a Sunday evening for fine dining or even the local Chinese !!

Everyone seems to be obeying the mask rule and is covered up unless they are at a table and eating or drinking.

Lunch in Horizon Court, the buffet, which is located on Deck 14 at the front of the ship. On most other ships the buffet restaurant is located at the back. Observed dolphins following the ship.

Quiet afternoon reading and watching TV. The wind is increasing dramatically - now at 30 knots and buffeting the side of the ship - we can feel the wind gusts.

We are currently off Newcastle (3pm).

Drinks in Explorer's Lounge before heading to dinner at Sabatini's, the Italian Specialty Restaurant. $25 per person but good food and good service. Ate too much though !!

We are currently off Woolongong (9pm) and the seas have picked up - definitely more movement and wind tonight. But it is still not "rough".

Sunday 6 August 2022

Gentle rocking overnight contributed to a long sleep - over 8 hours !!

Now docked in Eden (10am) - sun shining but cold outside. Was 3 degrees on arrival but warming up to a balmy 10 degrees at the moment with an expected high of 13 degrees.

Looks exactly what it is professed to be - a small fishing harbour and village. Going ashore after the initial rush at about 11 am.

We walked about a kilometre into the township up a longish hill. Easy walking but uphill on the way in. Free shuttle buses were provided all day but the older and disabled passengers were the main users.

Eden did live up to its reputation - but it is still a nice little town. The town folks went out of their way to open their shops on a Sunday and make us welcome. It was a gallop up one side of the street and down the other, stopping for pharmacy supplies and a coffee. The weather turned out to be quite pleasant in the morning actually - had to take the coat off after the walk up the hill from the dock to the township.

Our initial foray onto the main street lasted until about 12noon and then we deviated to places nearer the water and the harbour.

There is a very well presented War Memorial set on a grassed slope overlooking the harbour that reminded us very much of the Shell Green War Cemetery at Gallipoli where Roz's great uncle Oscar is buried.

Further down the street is the Catholic Church - Our Lady of the Star of the Seas - with a memorial to the mother of Saint Mary MacKillop who had died in a shipwreck nearby. A museum is nearby in the old Catholic Church. We had a great chat with a Catholic Nun - Sister Benedetto - who presided over the museum, one of two nuns in the convent next door. The good sister must be well into her late 70's / early 80s but still carrying on in the trade - a lovely lady.

A slow walk back to the ship and sampling free tastes of gin and vodka on the wharf - Noice!!

Got well sprinkled on by a passing shower as we took the long walk from the dock entry back to the ship.

A late lunch back onboard and met a couple - an American from Chicago with a Chinese wife - must have been in their 50s. They now live in Palmerston, NZ having moved there from California some years ago. We had a good chat for about an hour before retiring to the cabin to rest from the day's "hard labour".

5 O'Clock Wine O'Clock with Kathy and Graeme in their cabin and then on to dinner in the Bordeaux Dining room. Again, passable fare but nothing exciting. After dinner entertainment in the Wheelhouse Bar (our favourite) listening to a good four person Argentinian band. the lead singer is a "mature" lady with a pleasant to good voice and the drummer, keyboard and bass guitarist made up the rest of the band.

Had enough by 9:30pm - back to the cabin and lights out by 10:30pm.

Departed Eden at 8pm on the knocker and slowly exited the harbour. There is obviously a long swell running as the ship is moving more tonight than it has so far - but it is only a gentle roll - so far. We do not have that far to go to Sydney and it is a whole day at sea so we must be travelling slowly. due to arrive at Circulr Quay at 6 am on Tuesday morning.

Monday 8 August 2022

Up at 5:30am and joined Graeme for a few laps of the Promenade Deck for exercise. 7km and an hour later headed for coffee in the buffet. Seas gentle overnight and while the day started cloudy, with no spectacular sunrise to offer, it has improved dramatically and we have a beautiful day of sunshine and clouds to help us on our way.

It is a sea day so Roz took advantage and had a good sleep in. Late breakfast.

Trivia quiz in the Universe Lounge on Deck 7 Aft - well attended and the usual good banter that accompanies the trivia sessions.

Ladies to shopping - Gents to waiting -and then coffee in the International Cafe Deck 6 Midship.

Specialty dinner in the Bayou Steakhouse - lovely meal but huge pieces of steak !!

More entertainment from the Argentinian group Blue Jade in the Wheelhouse Bar and then to bed by 10:30pm.

Tuesday 9 August 2022

Up at 5:30am as we cruised past the Opera House and docking at the International Cruise Terminal at Circular Quay at 6am.

Increased rolling at sea overnight but nothing too bad. We went north of Sydney at sea and then did a U turn to return to Sydney Harbour.

Did 6.5 km in an hour walking on deck with Graeme and then to breakfast before going ashore at 10.30am.

The morning and the day improved dramatically and it was a beautiful day in Sydney except later in the day when the wind rose again and it became pretty cold.

Ladies to the City, Gents on a ferry to Darling Harbour to visit the Australian National Maritime Museum. My cousin Bruce served on one of the ships which is part of the museum - HMAS Vampire and I wanted to have a look.

Met Paul and Judy Prince, friends from Brisbane also on holidays in Sydney, for lunch at Cafe Aurora at Circular Quay. Spent the afternoon chatting until the cold wind defeated us and we retreated to the ship for warmth.

5 O'Clock Wine O'Clock in Graeme and Kathy's cabin and then dinner in the buffet for an early night.

Sailing at 9pm for Newcastle, arriving there at 8am tomorrow.

Wednesday 10 August 2022

Up at 5:30am for a walk - bit of cloud but also clear sky. Cold, biting wind coming on the starboard side of the ship each time I turn the corner that that side of the Promenade Deck. Coffee, a scratch and a look around at 7am as we enter Newcastle Harbour.

Managed to get a shot of the Pilot boat as it was coming alongside to transfer the Pilot for the harbour entry.

Breakfast at 9am with Roz and then off the ship with Graeme and Kathy for a visit to Newcastle city. A free shuttle is provided by the Newcastle council to get us in there nd to start spending money !

Dropped on the waterfront in the middle of town and took a walk to the top of the hill behind to look for the Memorial Walk constructed by the City Fathers to honour servicemen and women who had given their lives in the various wars and to those who served.

Stopped off at the impressive Anglican Christ Church Cathedral which dominates the hill behind the CBD. How they beat the Catholics to the location is a mystery !

After the Cathedral, walked to King Edward Park and found the Memorial Walk. The steel in the construction was provide by BHP apparently and it certainly is impressive and is substantial with much stainless steel in the building of it.

Of particular interest to us were the individual memorial plaques in the shape of steel silhouettes of soldiers. The names of over 11,000 Hunter Valley men and women who enlisted to serve in World War 1. Roz's grandmother's first cousin, Joe Nubley, is named on one of the silhouettes. He was died of wounds on 15 March 1917 in WW1 . We actually visited his grave in in Steenwerk, Nord de Calais, France back in about 2015. Strange coincidences.

A walk back down the hill to the township and lunch and coffee in a cafe. By this time, the day had clouded over, rain was threatening and the wind was rising. time for caution and retreat to the ship was the better option rather than getting wet waiting for the bus in the rain.

Back on board at 3pm.

Ship departed Newcastle at 5pm.

Dinner in the Bordeaux restaurant, after dinner drinks in the Crooners Bar. Good pianist - Paul C McD - who knew how to get the crowd involved.

In bed by 10:00pm

Thursday 11 August 2022

Last sea day. Good walk for an hour on the Promenade Deck with Graeme.

Late breakfast with Roz.

Finally found a trivia session in the universe Lounge at 10:30am. We did not do well.

Afternoon spent repacking and getting organised for departure.

Last dinner in the Bordeaux Restaurant.

Early back to the cabin and luggage out in the corridor by 10pm.

Friday 12 August 2022

Arrived back in Brisbane on time at 7am

We were due off the ship at 8:40am but were actually able to get off by 8am - very well organised departures.

New Terminal is good but the distance from the ship to the front door is a country mile,

Meaghan picked us up at about 8:45am and home by 9:30am.

A good trip, with good friends and good to be back on the ocean waves !!

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Comments

[Denise Wilson]

Trappett cruising
Great stories and photos as usual Jim, thank you.