New Zealand Cruise - Leaving Brisbane

Saturday 29 January 2011

Up early to get ready. Maxi taxi picked us up just before 10.00 am. Driver a helpful friendly Fijian Indian. I was in my wheel-chair, strapped in for the ride. Arrived at Brisbane Portside about 10.40 am and there was already a large crowd of passengers waiting to board the Pacific Dawn. Terry got rid of our bags and then we were corralled into the “Priority Checking” area where staff were very helpful but appeared run off their feet. We were given a number and waited to be escorted to our cabin, but we waited and we waited. Finally they gave up after most of the non-priority passengers boarded, and allowed those with an able bodied partner to go on board, unescorted. Our cabin D101 on level 8 is quite spacious compared with when we were on Pacific Sky in 2005. We then went to level 12 for buffet lunch, quite hungry by then. Ship due to leave 2.00 pm but eventually left about 5.30 pm. We tried unsuccessfully to book for dinner. We went to the main dining room only to be told we couldn't get in till 8.15 pm AND you have to book ahead every day for the next night's dinner. There were a lot of very unhappy chappies when we were told that. One fellow really lost his cool “I've been on x number of cruises and I've never seen this before” etc etc. It was quite an unusual system. So we didn't eat till late. The disabled bathroom is okay but doesn't have a vertical bar next to toilet, so hard to get up again. Didn't sleep well that night, boat swaying.

Next day went for walk up to top deck, level 14. Lovely sunny day and ocean looked fairly calm, but the pools were closed as water swishing badly back and forth. Sat in the Dome for a while reading. Two more days at sea. Saw shore excursions man, who said we can't go on excursions because we can't get on a bus – disappointing. Ship had a bomb exercise. We didn't have a “bomb” in our cabin. I set off alarm in toilet again. It's in the wrong place. Terry went to gym and I went to Dome, sat reading and talked to 84 year old lady who migrated to Australia 49 years ago. Clocks forward another hour today, last time (so three hours altogether). We went to Dome for a drink and watched older couples ballroom dancing – very nice. Had dinner at 7.00 pm. Lot of controversy about having to book every day for dinner the following night. We'd like to permanently book for 7.00 pm. Apparently people in the past had complained about getting stuck with the same people all the time, but this system has its faults too. Anyway we enjoyed our dinner with David and Ann from the Gold Coast. David has spinal cord damage, cancer had spread there from prostrate cancer. We discussed disabled issues. Went to bed early in anticipation of early morning tomorrow.