We booked three more cruises while on the ship with lots of extra perks…Off the ship in Tauranga…Photos!

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Our ship, the Celebrity Solstice looked huge while docked at the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand.

Booking cruises while aboard ship definitely has perks often unknown to passengers until they decide to investigate. Although this is only our 12th cruise, many passengers we’ve met have been on dozens of cruises over the years with considerably more experience than us. 

Those passengers have learned the ins and outs of saving the maximum number of dollars while gaining the maximum number of perks offered by the cruise lines. The more we cruise, the more savvy we’ve become in taking advantage of every possible benefit.

While on this cruise we booked three additional cruises, although we may not ever go on these specific cruises.  For that reason, we won’t list the details and itineraries at this time.  Should we decide to follow through on them, we’ll post the details at that time.

We stopped at a local park as we walked to the center of town in Tauranga, New Zealand located on the North Island where we’ll be living.

However, as explained by the “sales staff” in the Future Cruise Sales Office aboard the ship, if we book these cruises now, the perks we receive are fully transferable to any other Celebrity cruise, we may choose to book in the future with no time limits or constraints as to when we may use them or which routes we may choose to explore. This is a huge benefit.

Booking these same cruises through our usual Vacations to Go rep, doesn’t allow us the magnitude of these perks which are only offered while on the ship. And yet, our VTG rep will receive full commission credit for any cruises we book on the ship which, based on the good service we’ve received over the years with VTG, it’s important to us. 

Plus, our rep at VTG will continue to handle when and if we decide to transfer these perks by moving them to a new cruise and canceling the prior booked cruise(s). 

The bay in Tauranga.
The only “catch” is that the cancellation/transfer must be made 75 days prior to the sail date when the final payment is due and automatically billed to our credit card on file. Canceling after full payment results in hefty penalties, which we’d never incurred.

Yesterday, while I was busy posting Tom visited the Future Cruise Sales Office to review each of our upcoming Celebrity cruises to determine if re-booking was a benefit. The only existing booking which proved beneficial to change was the Alaskan cruise, at this time. That may change in the future when we’re aboard another cruise.  This same policy applies to Royal Caribbean cruises, all under the same corporate umbrella.

For us, this could be a “paperwork” nightmare. But, with our spreadsheet with all the information detailed and documented and further noted on our online calendar with reminders, it’s relatively easy. 

Tom spotted this street rod and suggested this photo.  Note the license plate.

For the average traveler booking one or two cruises, it’s a breeze. As of today, we have nine future cruises booked over the next 26 months all with Celebrity and Royal Caribbean except the one upcoming Mekong River cruise (Viking lines) next summer. 

Now, this sounds like a tremendous amount of cruises but considering we moved every three months, plus the fact that use cruising as a means of transportation when possible, it’s not so alarming.

Sure, we wish we’d never have to deal with airports, overweight baggage and long lines and could cruise everywhere we’d like to travel. It’s just not possible when there are only so many routes that cruise ships navigate throughout the world. 

Cruise passengers, other tourists, and locals filled the busy Tauranga, New Zealand streets.

Each of the three cruises we booked in the past several days have offered amazing perks. One of the three cruises we booked in a replacement to the Alaskan cruise on May 17, 2017 we’d already booked. By making a second booking on the same exact cruise in a different cabin number, we’re able to acquire more perks. 

Once we arrive on land and contact our rep at VTG, she’ll cancel the first Alaskan cruise and transfer the new booking to the cabin number we originally booked. The staff on the ship can’t do the cancellation from the ship, suggesting we do it directly with our usual rep. Maneuvering this seemingly complicated process got us more perks on the nine-day Alaskan cruise including:

1. Classic Beverage Packages, for two: Valued at US $59 per person, per day for the nine-day cruise, totaling US $1062
2. Unlimited Internet Package for two (no sharing required): Valued at US $488
3. Onboard credit of US $150 which can be applied to the mandatory tips required at US $12.95 per person, per day totaling US $234. (We could have chosen a perk to include full payment of the tips, but these other above packages gave us more “bang for the buck.”

On our prior booking for this particular cruise we only had one perk, not the above three perks as follows:
1. Classic Beverage Packages, for two: Valued at US $59 per person, per day for the nine-day cruise, totaling US $1062

By booking onboard, we’ve saved US $638. We’re still going on the same exact cruise with the same exact balcony cabin class. It’s certainly worth the time and effort.

After a long and delightful walk through the town of Tauranga, we sat on a park bench enjoying the beach on a sunny day.

As for the other two cruises we booked, we were able to pay a minimum deposit of only US $200 for the two of us with similar perks on each cruise, as above stated, transferable to any future Celebrity cruise. The fact that the two other cruises don’t meet our itinerary and criteria, is irrelevant. They’ll eventually be transferred long before the final payment dates.

We realize this information may be boring to many of our readers who don’t cruise or have little interest in cruising. For this, we apologize. But, as we’ve always attempted, if we can save our readers who do cruise a little money here and there, we’re more than happy to do so.

If any of our readers have questions we can answer regarding this, please comment at the end of this post and we’ll promptly reply sharing our suggestions with all of our readers.

Today is our final full day aboard ship. We’d booked a small group tour with four other passengers to go sightseeing in Bay of Islands, New Zealand but Tom is getting a sore throat. Not wanting to infect the four other passengers in the charter van we decided to pay our share of NZ $170, US $110 and not go. 

The rocks at the shore were covered in a wire mesh to prevent erosion.  The seagulls are so used to people, this one didn’t flinch when I took the photo.

The four other passengers appreciated our willingness to cover our share to avoid them paying more when last night we delivered the NZ $170 to one of their cabins. As it turned out, this morning another couple took our spot and we got our NZ $170 back! Safari luck! 

Now, let’s hope Tom’s sore throat dissipates over the next few days. As always, many passengers are coughing and sneezing with colds, common on cruises. He can handle a cold and actually feels quite fine otherwise. The fact that its pouring rain today certainly doesn’t leave us disappointed that we aren’t going on the mostly outdoor tour.

This afternoon, we’ll pack, leaving out clothing and toiletries for tonight and tomorrow since our bags will be collected this evening. We’ll keep our carry on bags with our most valuable items, in our possession as always, including the yellow Costco bag, the computer bag and the wheeling cart to hold it all.

We’ve been assigned a disembarkation time of 7:00 am tomorrow although there’s a degree of flexibility in getting off a little later if we choose. We’ll play it by ear with nary a concern. By 9:00 or 10:00 am all the passengers will have disembarked as the ship prepares for the next load of 2850 passengers embarking in Auckland, New Zealand on the reverse of this cruise.

Today, we’ll prepare tomorrow’s “final expenses” post including our cruise fare, the included perks and the final bill we received for extras not included in the fare which will automatically be uploaded a bit earlier than the posts over the term of this 14 day cruise.

Thanks to all of our readers for cruising along with us. We thoroughly enjoyed the journey with all of YOU at our sides!

Photo from one year ago today, January 18, 2015:

View from our veranda in Princeville Kauai where we lived for four months. We enjoyed every moment on the exquisite island for its beauty, the Laysan Albatross, “Birdie” and for all the wonderful people we met and the lifelong friends we made. We love and miss you all! For more details, please click here.

How do we handle tonight’s dress up night?…Old dress-up photo with Tom in a tuxedo!…

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This photo was taken in 2000 at a formal dinner we’d been invited to by Ruth and Bruce Dayton when I worked at the Marsh (5 years). We sat with them at the US $10,000 a plate charity event (they paid for our plates!) Recently, Bruce passed away. He was a kind and generous man who will be missed by many.

Tonight is a “dress-up” night. Long ago, we parted with all of our dress-up clothing, unable to continue to haul a sport coat, dress pants or suit, tie and dress shirts for Tom with dresses, jewelry and heels for me. With only one suitcase of clothing for each of us, carrying anything dressy is impossible.

As time goes on in this casual world, more and more cruise ships are getting away from dress-up nights instead of sticking to the “smart casual” concept for all the nights, during which “designer” jeans are accepted with nice shirts and tops.

However, no one is prohibited from entering the dining room, specialty restaurants in wearing “smart casual” on “dress-up nights.” We no longer dread dress-up nights, although we’re unable to do so with our limited clothing contained in each of our single suitcases with clothing.

The Michael Kors store aboard the ship.  These handbags range from US $400 on up. Since I don’t own a handbag this store is of no interest.

Tonight, we’ll ask a passenger to take our photo wearing the few options we have for such an occasion, which we’ll post tomorrow. Some passengers still wear evening gowns, diamond jewels, and tuxedos. 

Others wear lots of costume jewelry and fancy outfits that aren’t necessarily in the formal wear category but serve the purposes. We’ll even spot a few passengers still wearing blue jeans and casual short sleeve shirts. 

No tee shirts with words or shorts are allowed at dinner in the main dining areas, nor are flip flops, which neither of us owns. At breakfast, it’s more casual in the dining rooms and upstairs in the buffet, the Oceanview Café, anything goes except robes and swimsuits.

In our old lives, getting dressed up would have been a thrill where now, it doesn’t phase us at all, nor do we feel out of place among all of the other passengers dressed in formal attire.

The men’s Nautica store had nothing that appealed to Tom although he liked this brand name in our old lives.

As much as I enjoyed clothing in my old life with every closet in the house filled with seasonal items, my single bag suits me just fine. On the other hand, Tom has never been a “clothes horse” with no interest in shopping, although he takes special care to look good on each occasion.

As we wander along with the decks where the shops are located I keep an eye out to purchase a new watch when they’ll have the “two for one” sale close to the last day. Today, a big sale was promoted, but after checking the “bigger sale” has yet to begin. 

I definitely need a few new clothing items but have a hard time finding pants, long enough for my long legs, the equivalent of men’s 35 inches (.89 meter) inseam. 

Most women worldwide aren’t as tall as I am, and it’s problematic finding pants. Other than the two pairs of blue jeans I ordered once in the past three-plus years from the US. Also, I’d like to purchase a few warmer shirts and sweaters, disposing of other older items in their place. 

Another store with relatively high-priced merchandise.

I’ve been feeling cold arriving on this ship. With five more upcoming cruises around Australia and the South Pacific, slightly warmer clothing may be advisable. I don’t own a single warm top other than two jackets which I don’t want to wear indoors day and night.

As for today, a sea day, we’re totally content sitting here in the Café al Bacio, watching a glass auction (they blow glass on the ship) sipping coffee and tea as we wrap up today’s post. As mentioned earlier, it takes almost an hour for four or five photos to upload aboard the ship with the slow wifi resulting in keeping the number of photos at a minimum.

We found the above photo of us on Dropbox (a cloud) where Tom had scanned and stored all of our old photos before we left Minnesota. We’re thrilled to be able to reference old photos.

That’s it for today, folks. We’ll be back tomorrow with dress-up night photos of us in our smart casual and hopefully others in formal wear. It’s lobster night and we’re looking forward to it.

Be happy.  Be well!

Photo from one year ago today, January 16, 2015:

Notice Tom’s red face and forehead from too much sun on Tuesday when visiting with the new neighbors the prior day. This is the lobby of the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel where we stayed overnight before our flight to Kauai. For more details, please click here.

Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound…The story of a name…Making decisions aboard ship…

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A small wake from the ship as we sailed through Doubtful Sound.

Yesterday, our ship sailed into Doubtful Sound, one of the three “sounds” we visited in one day, a few hours apart, as we approached New Zealand. The story of this particular sound was particularly interesting as follows:

“History of Doubtful Sound

Doubtful Sound was named ‘Doubtful Harbour’ in 1770 by Captain Cook, who did not enter the inlet as he was uncertain whether it was navigable under sail. It was later renamed Doubtful Sound by whalers and sealers, although it is not technically a sound but a fiord.

A Spanish scientific expedition commanded by Alessandro Malaspina visited Doubtful Sound in February 1793 to conduct experiments measuring the force of gravity using a pendulum, a part of the effort to establish a new metric system. The officers of the expedition, which included Felipe Bauzá y Cañas, a cartographer, also made the first chart of the entrance and lower parts of the Sound, naming features of it.

Today these form a unique cluster of the only Spanish names on the map of New Zealand: Febrero Point, Bauza Island and the Nee Islets, Pendulo Reach, and Malaspina Reach.“

As we made our way through Doubtful Sound.

As our ship made its way through the relatively narrow passageway, we were in awe of the pristine beauty of the unusual location along with the other two sounds we’d visited during the day, Milford Sound, as shown in yesterday’s post with a few photos of Dusky Sound, the third in the group. 

Spread throughout the day, we spent considerable time outdoors, freezing in the cool air and wind after a long period of hot and humid weather in our travels over these past years. In a way, it felt good to finally be cool. 

Exhaust from the ship.

As we all often do, we soon forget the discomforts of the past and only observe the moment’s conditions. Our hooded jackets, needed to keep the rain off our heads, weren’t warm enough to keep us from shivering although we’d each worn multiple layers underneath.

In any case, we were enthralled with the three sounds and the reality that we’d arrived in New Zealand, our home for the next three months where we’ll have a car and be able to travel about both the north and south islands at our leisure.

The colorful shoreline in Doubtful Sound.

This is our 12th cruise in 39 months. After all these cruises we’ve come to a few conclusions that we’ll carry with us on all future cruises:

1.  We’re using cruises as a means of transportation. In order to continue to do so, we must monitor expenses to ensure we don’t receive a huge bill at the end of the cruise. Overspending could deter us from future cruises.
2.  The cost of excursions are often too high for us to schedule any on each cruise although we have booked one upcoming next Monday.
3.  Getting off the ship to go sightseeing with the high cost of venues and transportation (none are included in the cruise fare) doesn’t make sense when we’ll be living in the country for months to come with a rental car.  If we’re not staying in the country, then we may explore on our own, keeping the costs as low as possible.
4.  The cost of WiFi is an expense we choose to bear on each cruise. On this particular cruise, the cost is US $244 each (at a discount from US $299 each due to our growing priority status) in order to be able to be online at the same time. With both of us busy with research and posting each day, sharing a connection is not an option for us.

It was rainy, cold, and windy when we took this photo of Dusky Sound, the last of the three sounds we sailed yesterday.

5.  We no longer feel the necessity of dining in specialty restaurants when the food in the main dining room has been very good for both of us including my way of eating.
6.  We don’t need to eat twice a day if we aren’t hungry (we never eat three meals a day). This morning I couldn’t eat a morsel when I still felt full from last night’s good meal of rare prime rib, salad, avocado and veggies. I joined Tom in the dining room this morning while he had a light breakfast. His snacking on pastries, ice cream, and daytime treats has diminished on this cruise when he said he doesn’t feel like being “bloated” from excess consumption. 

Passengers aboard this boat waved at our ship as we passed in the sound.

7.  Unless the “beverage package” is included in our fare as a promotion, most likely we won’t purchase it in the future. At US $65 per day per person, requiring that both parties in a couple purchase the same package to avoid “sharing” it makes no sense when all I drink is coffee and tea, both of which are “free” in the cafeteria on any ship. 

Tom doesn’t drink enough cocktails in a day to pay for it.  Even with the included two beverage packages for this cruise, he hasn’t had more than three cocktails in a day which would average around US $10 each. Sure, I’ve had several specialty teas and a once-a-day coffee with full fat cream with a splash of sugar-free vanilla syrup to create my own coffee drink, it certainly hasn’t been worth US $65 per day. I could easily forgo both of these without giving it a thought.

Following is a photo of the various drink packages offered on Celebrity Cruises at this time.  On the last cruise with Royal Caribbean (the same parent company), the cost was US $59 per person per day. Regardless of how we access these packages, none make a whole lot of sense.

This photo of the Celebrity drink packages can easily be enlarged to
more clearly see the prices.

Do our above “limitations” inhibit our enjoyment?  Not at all!  We’re having the time of our lives meeting other passengers, interacting with the thoughtful crew, and thoroughly enjoying the ship and the scenery as we continue on our way to Auckland, New Zealand, our final port of call where we’ll arrive on Tuesday, January 19th in six days. 

We’re feeling well, sleeping well, frequently walking about the ship for exercise, and of course, treasuring the time we spend sharing it with all of our readers worldwide.

Have a beautiful day!

Photo from one year ago today, January 13, 2015:

One year ago, we were two days until departure to Kauai, Hawaii. Tom took this beautiful sunrise photo from our veranda at the house on Big Island. For more details, please click here.

New booking to share…Packing day is upon us…

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On our three years of travel anniversary, we visited the Namale Resort for a tour and luncheon celebration. It was a great day!

Yesterday, I told Tom that if we had to pack with short notice in 20 minutes, I could do it. That’s how uncomplicated the process has become. I’ve already refolded all my clothes in the cupboard and with nothing on hangers (no closet bar here), it’s a breeze.

Add the bathroom items, power cords, digital equipment, and the few toiletries in the bathroom and we’re good to go. In the early days when we had so many bags, I had to begin a week in advance. It’s easy now that we have it narrowed down to three bags and a variety of carry-on bags. 

Tima and Ratnesh when they took us on the tour of the waterfall.

Over these years, I’ve become used to having such a small amount of clothing, although it’s a bit challenging on cruises when there’s a certain expectation for attire, especially for dress-up nights. Some cruise lines are lightening up the dress code for formal nights. This works for us.

Speaking of cruises, yesterday we booked another cruise, leaving us with 8 booked upcoming cruises. Since January, 2013 we’ve sailed on 11 cruises. Yep. We like cruising as we’ve mentioned countless times in the past. 

The egg guy at the Farmers Market where we purchased 2 1/2 dozen free-range organic eggs for FJD $12.50, USD $5.82 each week.

Our budgeting revolves around our ability to cruise as a top priority resulting in living relatively frugally in affordable vacation homes and in renting cars only when necessary. We enjoy cruising enough to make some sacrifices. But, we’ve hardly diminished the quality of our lives to do so. One only needs to check out the photos of the vacation homes we’ve been fortunate to find and make work for us.

So, here’s the new cruise upcoming on May 17, 2017, after we arrive in Seattle (from Australia) by a cruise on May 15, 2017, when we’ll get to Vancouver (a three-hour drive) where we’ll stay in a hotel for two nights and then board the Celebrity Solstice.

View from one of many overlook points in Namale Resort on the day of our anniversary visit.

Once again, we’ll spend a few nights in Vancouver as we did on September 17, 2014, to September 23, 2014, when stayed in a wonderful condo complex overlooking the harbor. This next time, we’ll stay at a hotel close to the port based on it only being two days.

Then off we go to fulfill another item on our to-do-list, a cruise to Alaska, while we happen to be in North America in 2017. This cruise will transpire before heading to Minnesota to see family and friends for about a month, planning that the grandkids will be out of school for the summer, allowing us to spend more time with them.

Bana, the Dive Master, at Namale Resort.

This new cruise ends in Seattle on May 26, 2017, at which point we’ll rent a car and begin the drive through the northern states toward Minnesota, taking our time with a plan to arrive around the end of the first week in June. 

Most Alaskan cruises are for 7 nights only. This particular cruise we selected on the day it was posted is for 9 nights. The early-in-the-season sailing in these frigid waters constitutes a better price but doesn’t limit what we’ll be able to see. We’ll bundle up with sweatshirts and jackets and be able to watch the wildlife and ice floes from the deck. 

Filo, our tour guide at Namale Resort provided an amazing tour.

Here are the cruise details for those who may be interested. We selected an upgraded balcony cabin, which price isn’t listed here. The prices listed are for the lowest priced options in each category. 

The cabin and class selection we’ve made brings our total to USD $4,452, FJD $9,495. Our rep at Vacations to Go is working on adding perks. As Celebrity adds more perks over this extended period, we’ll be able to add them to our cruise package but it’s up to us to frequently research when such options are added based on a “best price guarantee.” Here are the details:

9 nights departing May 17, 2017 on
Celebrity’s Celebrity Solstice
Cheapest Inside $1,399
Cheapest Oceanview $1,649
Cheapest Balcony $2,049
Cheapest Suite $4,099
Click for additional rates: Singles Rates
No brochure rates were provided by Celebrity. The prices shown are US dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. They include port charges but do not include airfare or (where applicable) airport or government taxes or fees.
ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE   DEPART
Wed May 17 Vancouver, BC, Canada 5:00pm
Thu May 18 Inside Passage, AK (Cruising)
Fri May 19 Ketchikan, AK 7:00am 4:00pm
Sat May 20 Juneau, AK 9:00am 8:30pm
Sun May 21 Skagway, AK 7:00am 6:00pm
Mon May 22 Hubbard Glacier, AK (Cruising)
Tue May 23 Sitka, AK 7:00am 4:00pm
Wed May 24 At Sea
Thu May 25 Victoria, BC, Canada Noon 8:00pm
Fri May 26 Seattle, WA 7:00am

Perhaps in years to come, we’ll return to Alaska for a long summer stay. For now, the prices are simply too high to book a long term vacation home during the short summer. We’ve done considerable research to no avail, deciding a cruise would be a better option for now. 

We’ve heard many avid cruisers extol the virtues of an Alaskan cruise and we couldn’t be more thrilled to add this cruise to our itinerary. As for the Celebrity Solstice, we’ll be on that ship in a little over a month sailing from Sydney to New Zealand. 

The beach for guests at Namale Resort on the Koro Sea.

Over a year ago, we sailed on the Solstice from Vancouver to Hawaii. The boarding process was the longest and most frustrating of any boarding process, we’d experienced due to US immigration taking almost three hours from the time we arrived at the pier until we entered the ship. At least this time, we’ll be prepared for the waiting time.

So, there it is folks. Now, we’ll concentrate on the packing for tomorrow’s departure as soon as Vika arrives to make the bed, the only spot in this house suitable for opening and loading the suitcases. Gosh, we’ve become lazy, not wanting to make the bed ourselves. That will certainly change at our upcoming location with a cleaning person only once a week over the four weeks.

Tom at the dentist’s office located in the hospital parking lot.  He was happy with the good service and the improvement in his tooth abscess which cleared up after taking the “free” antibiotics.

We already prepared tomorrow’s post with more great photos and with our final expenses for the almost three months we’ve spent in Savusavu which will be available online a few hours earlier than usual based on our early morning departure.

The day after tomorrow, Sunday for some of you, Monday for us, we’ll be back with photos of our new home in Pacific Harbour, Fiji! See you tomorrow and again the next day. 

Have a fulfilling weekend. Go Vikings.

Photo from one year ago today, December 5, 2015:

The first of two houses we rented in Pahoa on the Big Island had fabulous ocean views.  But, its close proximity to the raging surf created moisture problems in the house, contributing to wear and tear not visible in the photos. Overall, it worked out fine with a few adjustments and help from the cooperative owners.  For more photos, please click here.

Sightseeing day!..Stop back tomorrow for photos!…Paying upcoming balances for cruises…Fares for seven upcoming cruises…

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The sign at Savusavu Hospital reads, “Harvest the Wellness Within You!,” a good motto to follow. Many Fijians suffer with diabetes with a diet rich in sugar and high amounts of starchy foods.

Cruises have become an integral aspect of our travels. It provides us with an opportunity to visit more countries and their points of interest than any other means of travel.

Also, as we’ve attempted to avoid the “big bus” experience with a preference for the six or eight-person van excursion, it’s given us a better opportunity to make new friends during a day’s outing and to see the sights with more ease and level of enjoyment.

On some cruises, we’ll continue to attend group excursions such as next year’s Mekong River cruise where all excursions are included in the cost and others, when safety in numbers may be advised.

As we look over our upcoming cruise list, we’re enthusiast over the wide range we’ve selected to ensure we’ll have seen most of the major cities in Australia, New Zealand and many islands.

Each cruise is unique in its own way, although there are a few repeated ports of call from cruise to cruise, locations we’ll have already visited, unavoidable when attempting to circumvent the huge continent of Australia and its surrounding islands. For an example, a few of these cruises, have the port city of Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji as a port of call.

The entrance to the hospital in Savusavu.

After four months in Fiji, we may not be interested in touring Suva when its a city we’ll be visiting biweekly for shopping when we move to Pacific Harbour, Fiji, located on the main island, an hour’s drive from the house we’re renting.

Nadi (pronounced “nan-dee” in the Fijian language), where the airport is located, won’t necessarily be on our radar either with its increased levels of crime and population as mentioned in yesterday’s post.

During those repeated ports of call, we may decide to stay onboard the ship to enjoy the glorious quiet while many passengers have gone ashore to board those big buses for excursions and shopping.

Following is the list of upcoming cruises, the number of days of the cruise  and dates for which we’re booked all the way into 2017:

 Sydney to Aukland            USD $4,771 14 1/5/2016 1/19/2016
 Sydney to Singapore         USD $3,869 14 4/16/2016 4/30/2016
 Sydney to Perth                 USD $4,557 16 10/31/2016 11/16/2016
 Hanoi to Ho Chi Min City  USD $6,597 15 7/8/2016 7/22/2016
 Singapore to Sydney         USD $4,144 14 10/31/2016    11/14/2016
 Sydney to Sydney              USD $4,820 12 3/1/2017 3/13/2017
 Sydney to Seattle              USD $5,995 24 4/22/2017 5/15/2017

It may seem that 2017 is a long time away, especially when we arrive in the US in May, 2017. But, its only 19 months from now until we land on US soil at the port of Seattle, Washington to make our way to Minnesota and Nevada to visit family and friends.

The total cost for all of the above cruises (for two, in select balcony cabins only) is USD $34,753, FJD $74,037, undoubtedly a huge chunk. Based on our budget, we tend to look at this total on an annualized and monthly basis which in doing so, averages at USD $1,819, FJD $3896 per month.

On a more remote island one may worry that their aren’t readily available medical services. We’re always pleased to discover hospitals, ambulances and adequate medical care in case of an emergency.

Based on having selected this vast number of cruises, we’ve been extra careful in selecting vacation homes, car rentals and general expenses to ensure “doing what we love” (cruising) doesn’t create any undue financial stress in going over our budget.  In no case, do any of these cruises result in a deficit impacting our quality of life.

Without a doubt booking this number of cruises has a bearing on the vacation homes we select. However, we tend to stay in a general range for each location based on our needs, practicality and budget. 

We don’t require a luxury four-bedroom house with a full staff, although at times, we’ve been fortunate (and will be so in the future) to have negotiated a price befitting our budget for such types of vacation rentals. 

Here in Vanua Levu, Fiji at USD $2,000, FJD $4,260 per month, we have all we need or want while we’re able to maintain our average monthly/annual cost to offset the cost of the cruises.

Yesterday, we paid the balance of USD $3,871, FJD $8247 of the first cruise on the above list, after paying a deposit of USD $900, FJD $1,917 when we booked it some time ago.

Its that very cruise that ends in Auckland, New Zealand on January 19, 2016 where we’ll stay for 89 days, renting a car in Auckland to drive to the north island city of New Plymouth where the farmhouse awaits us, again an affordable property.

Several emergency vehicles were on the hospital property. Locals don’t hesitate to call in an emergency and feel the local care is adequate for many conditions.

Typically, final payments for cruises are due 80 days before the departure dates. Vacations to Go (still our preferred cruise booking agency) keeps a credit card on file for us, using it automatically to make the payments when due. 

When booking multiple cruises such as the above, we consider the spacing and the dates the balances are due.  Our next cruise final payment won’t be due until January 23, 2016.

In most cases, we’ve paid the required USD $900, FJD $1,917 deposit at the time of booking the cruise with our preferred cabin number. If its a ship we’ve never sailed in the past, Tom reads reviews on cabin numbers in Cruise Critic and other resources while looking at the posted “deck plan” listed in the Vacations to Go website.  Selecting the right cabin is vital to a good experience (more on that later in a future post).

On certain cruises, we’re able to purchase “deposit vouchers” for USD $200, FJD $426, that can be used in place of paying the USD $900, FJD $1,917.  Why would we want to cruise line to be holding that sum of our money for these extended periods?  If we can pay a smaller deposit, it is preferred.

Of course, there’s always the added “bill” we get at the end of each cruise for any extras: Internet access, cocktails for Tom, specialty restaurants and a rare  purchase in the shops. 

Many times tips and alcoholic beverages are included in the fare when offered as a special promotion. We’ll share the inclusions and extras as we cruise on each of the above.

Then again, we often pay huge deposits on vacation homes booked way down the road. Its the nature of the beast, a constant outflow of cash paying for services well into the future.

In reality, its not unlike the lives of many of our worldwide readers who pay monthly for rent or mortgage payment, utilities and maintenance. The only difference for us is the fact that we pay for all of this well in advance. In Fiji, until January, when we depart from Sydney for the first listed cruise, our rent and airfare is already paid in full.  We continue to pay in advance for the many upcoming months and often, years.

As “they” say, “it all comes out in the wash.” It works for us.

Shortly, we’ll be heading out for the day with Rasnesh for photos of more beautiful scenery in Vanua Levu, ending up at the end of the day for our usual shopping: Vodafone kiosk, the pharmacy that has everything (one only need ask), the Farmer’s Market, New World Market and Fiji Meats where Helen has a order we placed awaiting our pickup. 

The sun was shining when we awoke but the clouds have rolled in as I write this. If it rains, we’re still going! Over the past few days, it’s been hot, hot, hot. The mozzies and ants are on a rampage after the weeks of rain but we’re handling them. Our Internet is working well. Lots more new photos coming soon. We’re feeling great and life is good.  Hope its the same for all of you!

Photo from one year ago today, October 22, 2014:

Tom was looking for the daily visit of sea turtles at the shoreline outside our condo in Maui. The skies had begun to clear and we looked forward to walks along the shore, whale watching  and hanging out at the pool. It was on this date a year ago, that I drove a car for the first time in two years. I was still the same awful driver I’ve always been! For more details, please click here.

The advantages of early bookings…Upcoming US football season…Is Tom going to watch the Vikings games?

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This view could be a tropical island anywhere in the world.

Since booking our last three cruises over these past few months, Tom has noticed those cruise fares have increased substantially: one for US $1100, AUD $1484; the second for US $900, AUD $1213; the third for US $800, AUD $1078, for a grand total of US $2800, AUD $3774. 

Throughout our travels, we’ve often been asked why we book future travels so far in advance. This is the main reason. If booking a venue at a great price, we’ve never been contacted requesting we pay a new higher price.  In other words, when booking travels the lowest price at which we can “lock-in” the price, will hold until the booking occurs.

Deadman’s Gully is an ideal habitat for crocs.

However, booking airline tickets, car rentals, or vacation homes at a higher price will seldom allow us the benefit of a price reduction which may eventually be posted online. With penalties for canceling and re-booking these types of travel accommodations, we have to face the reality that price changes will occur from time to time. 

We could hear the birds hovering over this area which also is considered a natural habitat for birds.

In booking cruises, it’s different. On several occasions, it’s been to our benefit to request a price reduction on a previously booked cruise as long as it’s before the 90-day-before-sailing window or when the final payment is due. The cruise lines and booking agencies allow one to take advantage of fare reductions. It’s up to the customer to continually check for fare reductions. The agency or cruise line will not do this for the customer.

With seven upcoming cruises booked, Tom has gotten into the habit of checking daily for price reductions. This has served us well over these past 11 cruises and hopefully will continue to benefit us going forward. Ironically, he also notices fare increases as noted above, confirming that early bookings make sense.  

The beach in this area was desolate.

The only disadvantage of booking early for any travel-related event is the usual requirement to pay well in advance, as often as two years before the event occurs. 

Often, when booking certain hotels using the links on our site we get booking perks. Each hotel night we book accumulates points toward future hotel bookings. To date, we’ve received three free nights with more pending, keeping in mind that we seldom stay in hotels for more than one night, except for a year ago when we spent two weeks each in Paris and London.

A safe walkway into the rainforest in Clifton Beach.

Once we’re situated in Fiji next month we’ll begin to work on filling the holes in our schedule when doing so requires the expenditure of more upfront cash and a better wifi connection which we’ve been assured is the case. In the past few years, Fiji has updated their wifi country-wide with a supposed good signal for all residents.

With little heavy rain in these past few weeks, this area contained little water as compared to when we visited a few months ago.

On to another timely topic…Tom’s planning to watch the Minnesota Vikings football games, beginning with the first preseason game when it’s broadcast Sunday night at 8 pm central time. 

He won’t be able to watch the game here until Monday based on the time zone in Australia. If he waits to watch it, he can avoid the commercials but bears the risk of seeing the results online. He can actually watch it live on Monday morning at 11:00 am which most likely he’ll do. Tom is one of those that really don’t like to hear the results before watching the game. 

We’d hoped to see a kangaroo pop out of these woods but no such luck.

While we’re still in Australia he can plug in the HDMI cord into the HD TV to watch the games.  n Fiji, without a TV, he’ll have to watch the games on his laptop as will be the case for all shows we chose to watch while living in Fiji. 

These grill areas are available to any who’d like to use them at no cost. It’s pleasing to see how those who’ve used them, have left them in spotless condition. One wouldn’t find this to be the case in every country.

As many viewers chose, adapting to watching movies and other media on tablets and other small screens is easy. During most of our travels, we haven’t had access to an HD TV (or any TV for that matter) and have easily adapted to watching the small screen.

As for another matter, this morning, when I prepared to shower grabbing a towel off the stack of fresh towels on the floor in the bathroom (we’d filled the intended towel drawer with toilet paper and other toiletries leaving no room for the stack of towels) there sat the largest spider I’d seen since we were in Africa. 

Clifton Beach is a beautiful sandy beach with few visitors.

Sure, I could have gone to grab the camera for a photo, but I feared that it would get away before we got back.  Although I didn’t scream, squeal, or otherwise, I did ask Tom to put on his shoes and help dispose of them.  From reading online it could easily have been the relatively harmless large Huntsman Spider is known to eat household insects. 

The mailman stopped his bike to chat with us!

However, we couldn’t be certain as to the type with literally hundreds of species in Queensland. Tom grabbed the towel with the spider still on it outdoors to the wild area in the yard, shaking the towel to release it. 

We both been surprised by how few insects we’ve spotted indoors in Australia. The biggest annoyance has been  the flies that somehow find their way indoors even though the doors and windows without screens are always kept closed. 

We weren’t sure why these boulders had been placed at this spot on the beach.

This morning, we were awakened once again at 4:51 am from the screaming birds, the Curlews, living in the bush in the yard. It’s like no noise we’ve ever heard in the past.  One would think their legs are being torn off when in fact they’re happily living their lives, most active at night.

Life is unique wherever we may be. Adapting to the differences has become easy and familiar to us. Once we arrive in Fiji, we’ll experience an entirely new range of differences to which we’ll hopefully adapt in no time at all.  We’ll keep our readers apprised of these differences.

Happy weekend to all!

                                               Photo from one year ago today, August 9, 2014:

We didn’t post any other photos than the above on this date one year ago. We were out the door early to head to the Louvre. With such a busy day, we didn’t post until the next day. See the post here.

Living within our means…More new Port Douglas photos…

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A small pier for boaters at the marina in the Port Douglas harbor.

As we near the end of sharing our photos of Port Douglas, we begin to think about where we’ll visit next.  Quickly, time is marching on as we approach our final month in Trinity Beach when our departure date is September 7th (son Greg’s birthday) and arriving in Sydney. We’ll stay overnight in Sydney, departing the next day on September 8th, (daughter Tammy’s birthday) for Fiji.

We spotted this kilometer distance meter at a scenic overlook which illustrates distances to various cities throughout the world.

If we didn’t see another tourist attraction we can leave here happily knowing we experienced quite a bit and knowing we’ll be touring the entire perimeter of the continent of Australia via six upcoming cruises over the next less than two years. 

Buoys in the water off the beach in Port Douglas.

With seemingly endless ports of call on those six cruises, we’d like to leave a few of the highlights for the cruises, especially when we usually meet people with whom we’ll most likely enjoy touring the various points of interest.

Another Banyan Tree along the beach.

Another factor we must consider at this time is the fact that we’ve had to lay out enormous sums for upcoming vacation homes, cruises, and medical care resulting in the necessity of “tightening our belts.” We’re like the rest of the middle-class world, we must monitor our spending to ensure we don’t get in a tight spot.

A view of the Four Mile Beach from a steep road we drove above the town.

Since we live entirely off of our monthly income, laying out thousands of dollars in any given month makes us very mindful the next month or so. We use credit cards for all of our payments and expenses, attempting to pay them off entirely each month. 

At first glance, we assumed the red color in this tree was flowers when in fact it was the leaves changing colors.

In the past few days, we paid off all of the credit card balances except one. Next month we’ll pay off that balance. We feel more secure when we have no balances on credit cards which occurs a few days after the first of each month with a few exceptions. Then we start charging again for all of our living expenses and future travels, racking up big balances again.

View from an overlook.

Most people don’t pay a portion of their rent or mortgage payment as much as two years in advance as we do. Often vacation rental deposits are as much as 50% of the full 90 day rental with the balance paid in full before arrival. 

Most recently, we’ve had to pay in full in advance for the river cruise on the Viking Mekong at a rate of US $6598, AUD $9440 which doesn’t sail until July 8, 2016, and huge sums for future bookings. Last month, we also paid out over US $2800, AUD $3694 for a variety of upcoming airline tickets.

Low tide changing the entire scene at the beach.

We chose to pay in full for this particular cruise since it offered a 2 for 1 sale if paid in advance which was irresistible. Neither of us could imagine laying out twice that amount for a cruise when soon we’ll start saving for the pricey future adventures we’re planning to book down the road after we leave the South Pacific.

Most piers are packed with tourists and locals enjoying the views.  We were surprised that no one was walking along with us.

When we start investigating some of the tourist attractions in this area, including train rides, gondola rides, and boat tours, we see how easily we could eat up another $1000 on only a few attractions.

The pier in Port Douglas has a stairway for boaters or an area for fishing.  We were the only visitors on the pier.

It’s the nature of the beast. We recently saw a lovely story on TV about a younger Australian couple that had been traveling for a few years, occasionally stopping to work to make money in order to continue on. Also, at times, they stayed in campsites sleeping in tents, stayed in hostels, sharing a bath, or staying for free in other people’s homes. They’re young and this works for them.

Low tide created an eerie view.

We don’t want to take odd jobs along the way, sleep in tents, or share a bath in a hostel although, we commend those who do. It’s just not for us. Instead, we prefer living comfortably, living life on our terms. Choosing to do so has a price tag attached to it which we’ve chosen to bear. 

This private catamaran was anchored in the sand at low tide.

That price tag includes us making some sacrifices and often this comes in the way of the “entertainment” category in our spreadsheet which we always include in the budget, which often is used for unexpected expenses.

In Australia, we’ve used that designated entertainment budget for all of our medical exams, dental appointments, and the prescriptions we purchased to last for an additional six months. It quickly added up.

A boat anchored in the bay.

Thus, for the remainder of our 35 days in Trinity Beach, we’re reliant upon continuing to find sites to see that don’t include fees and expenses. This isn’t too hard to do in this beautiful area as we continue our search.

We realized when we began this journey that our priority to see as much of the world as we can, for as long as our health holds out, had sacrifices associated with it, not only in what we left behind but in the quality of life we live each day. Doing so requires that we live within our means. For us, doing so is a small sacrifice in the realm of things.

So, we won’t go on a train ride or take a sunset cruise on a charter boat.  We don’t mind at all.  Each day of our lives is a treasure whether it’s last night’s moonlight, today’s Kookaburra sitting on the fence, or the simple beauty of a flower blooming. Or, for Tom, it’s beating me at Gin two games in a row!

Who’s complaining? Not us!

                                             Photo from one year ago today, August 3, 2014:

A smaller Statue of Liberty stands proud in Paris. We couldn’t believe that we were seeing the familiar sites we’d only seen in print. For more details and Paris photos, please click here.

Planning ahead for the future…An ongoing process that never ends…Planning the future end of our time in the South Pacific…

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We searched online, but can’t seem to find the name of this grass or weed. This is commonly found along the highways and country roads in this and other areas of Australia.

With a plan to post and then head out sightseeing we realized we had to change our day when rain is pelting in buckets. Of course, the weather here can change on a dime so we shall see how the day rolls out. At the moment, the clouds and fog are so thick, we can’t see much further than beyond our house.

As I’ve mentioned recently and in the past, Tom is the official cruise planner in this family. He loves spending endless hours online calculating every option, pricing, and itinerary. 

Since my hands are full with other tasks, namely sitting at my laptop every morning posting and dealing with hundreds of photos, record keeping, and my share of the many tasks associated with simply living life; household tasks including laundry (which I like doing) and cooking.

Sunny day at the beach.

Tom does his share of tasks including handling the investments, heavy lifting, all the kitchen clean up, trash removal (which requires a drive down the steep road), and his endless pursuit of the next cruise or cruises.

Together, we clean the house once a week, tidying up daily and every other week Andy comes and vacuums and washes all the floors. It’s a perfect compromise of tasks and responsibilities with neither of us ever feel we are doing more than our fair share.

Plus, Tom drives me everywhere I want to go, nary with a complaint. I could never drive here, sitting on the right side of the car, shifting with my left hand (not coordinated), and maneuvering all the roundabouts. 

The boat launch at Holloways Beach leading to a river that leads to the sea. That’s not an animal hanging from the tree, just an unusual root clump.

Oh, good grief. Even when I’m the passenger I keep thinking he’s going the wrong way, when in fact he’s going the correct way. I’d end up going the wrong way on the road, risking life and limb. I keep my mouth shut to avoid startling him. 

It’s a good mix, us two. But, when it comes to cruises, he’s on his own. I only care about the price and the itinerary. He’s perfect at the rest, including figuring out the dates that fit within our already set itinerary.

We’ve been using Vacationstogo.com since we booked our first cruise. We adored working with our former rep, Joaquin, who later left the company. Since then we’ve moved around a few times to different reps, never quite getting that same kind of relationship we so loved with Joaquin.

This sign painted on the paved road at the boat launch says, “Be croc wise in croc country.” It would be rather terrifying to encounter a croc while launching a boat into the water

Preferring not to switch companies, we wrote to Anna, a manager, requesting a few things; one, find us a new person we can work with long term and two, we need them to match cabin credits we’ve noticed offered by some other online cruise booking agencies at times. 

This is not to say that we haven’t felt that we’ve received overall great pricing. We’re not foolhardy and won’t necessarily pay higher prices for loyalty on a regular basis. 

Any suggestions on the name of these flowers?

We look at the overall picture. Did they give us a special break on the last cruise that was beyond what anyone else may have offered? It all comes “out in the wash.” We keep good records, making it easy to look back and see what we’ve paid each and every time.

But, now as Tom regularly checks cruisecompete.com who actually has numerous companies “bid” for our business, we wondered if perhaps we can do better elsewhere.

This morning, we heard back from Anna and she’s agreed to allow our new rep to match any published price we find online including cabin credits. With this information, we look forward to a relationship with our new person and the best possible price in the world.

The pile of huge rocks appeared to have been placed at the edge of the rainforest to keep people out. 

After all, in the past 33 months, we’ve sailed on 11 cruises, have four more booked, and have an additional three we hope to book in the next week. Why do we like cruising so much? It’s a chance to see more of the world in a shorter time period and we love the people we meet aboard ships. It’s too much fun.

No, we don’t like the lines, the waiting to board and disembark, and the occasional “cruise cough.” After mentioning this to the doctor the other day, she explained that it’s not that we particularly have weak immune systems. 

The cough is a by-product of being in a “crowd” day after day in air conditioning and tight quarters.We’ve had the cough a few times out of the 11 cruises but have avoided the Norovirus entirely.

A pretty house as we drove along the beach.

We’ve also become infected with colds and flu while sightseeing in a crowded venue, while not on a ship. I suppose most people around children and crowds get a cold or virus once or twice a year.

While we were on the last cruise from Honolulu to Sydney on May 24th, arriving on June 11th, Tom had visited the future cruise booking department while I sat in the bar doing the day’s post. 

When he returned to the bar, he was frustrated when he explained that he was unable to purchase any future “open bookings” using their usual USD $100, AUD $134 per cruise per person, enabling us to avoid paying a larger deposit of USD $900, AUD $1207 deposit to book any cruise for two. 

This root laden tree is unusual, reminding us of Banyan trees in Hawaii although with smaller roots.

Why should we lay out that much money often as much as two years in advance if we don’t have to? By purchasing these “open bookings” we only pay USD $200, AUD $264 per cruise, paying the balance 90 days before we sail.

Over the past several days, he’d been in touch with Royal Caribbean explaining he’d been refused an opportunity to purchase any open bookings (meaning no specific cruise is selected yet) on the last cruise. They profusely apologized and agreed to book three “open” cruises for us using our credit card on file.  We were thrilled.

The outlay of USD $600, AUD $805 instead of USD $2700, AUD $3621 was a great relief. The transaction was completed. We worked things out with Anna and now we’re ready (Tom’s ready) to book three future cruises, the last of which will take us out of the South Pacific entirely, a long-term adventure finally ending.

Trees with unusual roots growing along the beach.

Once these three cruises are booked, we’ll share where we’ll be going on the third cruise, which may be surprising. However, we prefer not to mention future booking until all of the details are firmly in place.  Hopefully, over the next week, we’ll be sharing this information.

Tomorrow and the next day, (for us, Saturday and Sunday and for others, Friday and Saturday) we’ll be posting our long-overdue wildlife photos which we can’t wait to share.

Have a terrific day!

                                                Photo from one year ago today, July 10, 2014:

It was one year ago today, July 10, 2014, that we firmed up our booking for the house in Bali where we’ll be heading next April 30th. For more details and photos, please click here.

Part 1…The gap is filled!…

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Viking Mekong Itinerary, Current Position, Ship Review | CruiseMapper
The Viking Mekong             

With the gap looming next summer for 65 days, we were anxious to find a way to fill it, especially when we noticed that a number of vacation homes were already booked during this period.  We asked ourselves, “Had we already missed the window of opportunity?”

Our location at the beginning of the gap had been of vital concern.  We’d be leaving Bali with two factors in mind; one, what flights out of Bali would be cost-effective when it’s far from many areas, and two, what flights wouldn’t require long travel days?

When reviewing a map of the South Pacific our options appeared limited based on countries and areas that we’d like to see along with being conveniently located. Hovering in my mind had been a visit to Vietnam.

When I mentioned this to Tom last year, he was adamantly opposed even cringing at the idea. His brother-in-law Ernie from his first marriage, was killed in Vietnam when he was only 19 years old. 

This had a tremendous effect on Tom and over the years he expressed considerable reverence and respect for fallen soldiers when it was “close to home.” He’s often stated that his two children had lost the opportunity to know an uncle they’d never met and cousins they never had. 

After hearing from many travelers that their own visits to Vietnam were often their favorite travel experience, I had a hard time getting it out of my head. After mentioning it a few times to Tom this past year I could tell how hard he was trying to let the negative perceptions waft away. Although I don’t nag, I gently mentioned it a few more times. 

On several occasions during this most recent cruise to Australia including at “The Shed” (guys only meetings) aboard ship, he had an opportunity to speak to veterans, both Australian and US, who emphatically stated that visiting Vietnam was a profound and memorable experience that under no circumstance should be avoided.

When I noticed his acceptance of this possibility, recently when we began searching, he mentioned we could consider the possibility of a trip to Vietnam. I was elated. The most logical way for us the see the full range of possibilities in the country was a cruise on the Mekong River.

Here are the details of the cruise:
“River Cruise Itinerary

Day 1 Hanoi, Vietnam
Fly to Hanoi, the former capital of French Indochina, then transfer to your hotel.* Check-in for a 2-night stay, then relax or take a walk to stretch your legs and get acquainted with the city.

Day 2 Hanoi, Vietnam
After breakfast, take a tour of this unique, thousand-year-old Asian capital, where old and new combine in a lush setting of parks and lakes. Visit the Museum of Ethnology, which includes a number of fascinating exhibits that bring Vietnam’s history and astonishingly diverse culture to life. Then tour the notorious “Hanoi Hilton,” the H Lò Prison, where American POWs were held captive during the Vietnam War. In the afternoon, visit Hanoi’s Temple of Literature. Founded in 1070 as Vietnam’s first university, this maze-like compound features inviting courtyards, gateways, pavilions, walkways, lakes, and a museum. Continue on to the One Pillar Pagoda, an 11th-century monument that was rebuilt after being destroyed by the French in 1954. En route, pass some colonial landmarks such as the magnificent Opera House and St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Relax this afternoon before dinner at a local restaurant. (B, D)

Day 3 Hanoi, Vietnam
In the morning, take a leisurely ride through Hanoi’s Old Quarter by “green” electric car. Enjoy some free time before your short afternoon flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Check in to your hotel for a 3-night stay; tonight’s dinner is accompanied by a traditional Apsara dance show. (B, D)

Day 4 Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Begin your day with a visit to one of Angkor’s largest Khmer temples, Angkor Wat, built for King Suryavarman II in the 12th century AD. With its beautiful proportions and extensive, intricate bas-relief, stone carvings, it is one of the most spectacular sights in Southeast Asia. Spend some time exploring the fortified city of Angkor Thom, which houses several of Angkor’s most popular sights such as the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King with their dramatic bas-reliefs. Today you also visit the mysterious Bayon Temple, known for its giant, stone-carved faces with their enigmatic smiles. Dine at a local restaurant and relax this evening. (B, D)

Day 5 Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Today, ride to the spectacular 10th-century Hindu temple Banteay Srei (“Citadel of Women”) to see magnificent carvings of Shiva and Vishnu. Then, journey to Ta Prohm, one of the most popular of the Temples of Angkor. Unlike many other buildings, it has been left as it was discovered, with trees and large shrubs growing over the ruins.
After lunch on your own, visit a local village supported by Viking River Cruises, observe school children at work, and find out how you can “adopt” a child to help support their education.
This evening, enjoy dinner in a local restaurant followed by a Cambodian Circus show, which uniquely blends together theater, music, dance, acrobatics, hugging, and aerial acts. (B, D)

Day 6 Kampong Cham, Cambodia
After breakfast, visit a local village supported by Viking River Cruises and spend time with children at one of the village schools. Check out of your Siem Reap hotel and begin your coach tour through the Cambodian countryside, which brings you to your ship in Kampong Cham, via the provincial capital of Kampong Thom. Due to its central location, this area is rapidly becoming an important hub for fishing and agriculture. It also has a rich archeological heritage, to which the 200 temples, some of which predate the Khmer Empire, attest. This afternoon, board your ship. After you get settled in, meet the ship’s officers over a welcome cocktail. (B, L, D)

Day 7 Kampong Cham, Cambodia
This morning visit the Twin Holy Mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey with their many temples and pagodas, still used during traditional Khmer festivals. After, visit a Kampong Cham orphanage where students create beautiful paintings that are available to purchase. This afternoon the ship will set sail toward a silk-weaving village. Take a walk through the village and admire the rich silk fabrics. (B, L, D)

Day 8 Phnom Penh, Cambodia
This morning’s excursion takes you through a Cambodian village.  After, take a short ride to Udon Monastery for a tour and to receive a blessing by the monks. Then continue to the next village, famous for its silversmiths. Rejoin your ship and have lunch as we cruise into Phnom Penh.
Your afternoon is free to explore Phnom Penh’s historic riverfront area with its restaurants, art galleries and silk shops, or perhaps visit the distinctive Central Market or the “Russian Market” where you can buy jewelry, curios, clothes, and souvenirs. You might prefer to visit more of the city’s wats (monastery temples): Wat Langka, Wat Botum, Wat Koh, or Wat Ounalom, each with its own special character and purpose. Late this afternoon, there will be an onboard presentation about recent Cambodian history by a local expert. Dinner is served aboard the ship. (B, L, D)

Day 9 Phnom Penh, Cambodia
After breakfast, disembark in Cambodia’s lovely waterfront capital and explore the city in style, in a cyclo. This mode of transportation provides many Cambodians with a source of income and visitors with a speedy and enjoyable way to move around. See the magnificent Royal Palace with its spectacular Silver Pagoda, built in the 19th century by the French, but inspired by the centuries-old architecture of the Khmer. Then take a tour of the National Museum of Cambodia, which houses treasures of Khmer art and craftsmanship and also displays art that predates the mighty empire. After lunch, join an excursion to the sobering memorial in the Tuol Sleng detention center, a former high school in which thousands of victims of the Khmer Rouge died, and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, or explore the city’s maze of small alleys, markets and busy streets on your own. Tonight’s dinner is accompanied by a folkloric performance. (B, L, D)

Day 10 Mekong River
Sail down the Mekong, one of the world’s great rivers, toward the Vietnamese border. The Mekong is truly the “Mother River of Southeast Asia,” sustaining civilizations through the centuries. Pass by some of the Mekong rice fields. The Khmer Empire was founded on a rice surplus, and rice is still the main staple of Vietnamese cuisine. (B, L, D)

Day 11 Tân Châu, Vietnam
Today you will have a rare glimpse of rural life as it has been lived for ages. Begin your morning with a ride on a traditional rickshaw in Tân Châu. Afterward, visit the floating fish farm by wooden sampan, then take a boat ride to Vinh Hoa, known as “Evergreen Island.” Here you can take a short walk to see various methods of traditional Vietnamese farming, craft-making, and other daily activities of local people first-hand.
Set sail in the afternoon, observing the daily life along the way. This evening, enjoy a screening of the film l’Amant (The Lover), which will prepare you for tomorrow’s visit to Sa Ðéc. (B, L, D)

Day 12 Sa Dec, Vietnam
This morning, board a sampan to explore the backwaters and canals of the Delta. Small factories line the river channels; get a glimpse of industry in the region with a visit to a brick factory. Stop in Sa Ðéc and see the house of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, the protagonist in best-selling author Marguerite Duras’s autobiographical novel, l’Amant (The Lover). After lunch, visit the colorful floating market of Cái Bè; see local workers producing rice noodles, coconut candy, and a host of other handmade products. This evening, attend an onboard screening of the 2002 film The Quiet American, based on Graham Greene’s novel set in 1952 Saigon. (B, L, D)

Day 13 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Bid farewell to your ship this morning as you cruise through Cambodia and Vietnam comes to an end. Disembark in M? Tho, a busy river port not far from the capital of South Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. Upon arrival, take a tour of Reunification Palace (also called ? Independence Palace”), the site of South Vietnam’s defeat. See the Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral. After your tour, check in to your hotel for a 2-night stay, then spend the rest of the day at leisure, getting acquainted with this lively city at your own pace. See some of the historic French colonial architecture and soak up some of the city’s youthful energy. Tonight’s dinner is at a local restaurant. (B, D)

Day 14 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
After breakfast, check out of your Siem Reap hotel and begin your coach tour through the Cambodian countryside, which brings you to your ship in Kampong Cham, via the provincial capital of Kampong Thom. Due to its central location, this area is rapidly becoming an important hub for fishing and agriculture. It also has a rich archaeological heritage, to which the 200 temples, some of which predate the Khmer Empire, attest. This afternoon, board your ship. After you get settled in, meet the ship’s officers over a welcome cocktail. (B, L, D)

Day 15 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and proceed to the airport for your return flight.* Or, continue your Southeast Asia adventure with a 3-night stay in Bangkok, Thailand’s exciting capital. (B)

Tour Map
All This Included
Explore the stunningly scenic and culturally distinctive lands that lie along the remarkable Mekong River. On this 15-day cruise tour, from Vietnam’s bustling cities to the tranquility of Cambodia, discover two countries, two cultures, and two ways of life linked by Indochina’s most important river. Encounter ancient Khmer monuments at Angkor Wat and the elegant French colonial capital of Phnom Penh in Cambodia; in Vietnam, visit the floating markets of the Mekong Delta, experience the intimate charm of Hanoi’s old quarter, and tour dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. Here you will find gracious hosts and some of the finest cuisines in the world while enjoying the natural beauty and rich history just beyond the banks of the magnificent Mekong.
  • 8-day cruise with river-view stateroom
  • 2 nights in Hanoi’s deluxe Sofitel Metropole; 3 nights in Siem Reap’s superior first-class Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra; 2 nights in Ho Chi Minh City’s superior first-class Sofitel Saigon Plaza (or similar)
  • Fully escorted: 14 guided tours with audio headset
  • Included meals: 14 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 13 dinners, featuring regional specialties
  • Complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks with onboard dinner and lunch service
  • 1 intra-itinerary flight
  • Culture Curriculum: Attend an Apsara dance show in Siem Reap; enjoy lectures on current affairs in Vietnam and Cambodia; visit a local elementary school
  • All port charges
Accommodations on this Tour
Hanoi: Sofitel Metropole
Siem Reap: Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra
Cruising: Cabin onboard Viking Mekong
Ho Chi Minh City: Sofitel Saigon Plaza”

Tom spent days searching online for possible river cruise while, after posting for the day, I joined in searching for possible vacation homes in Southeast Asia either before or after a cruise.

It was challenging to say the least.  Although there were hundreds of vacation homes, most of them were apartments in the cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, neither of which appealed to us for an extended period. 

As we’ve mentioned many times in past posts, we just aren’t “city people.” Plus, with the almost daily ports of call on a river cruise, we’d have had an opportunity to see many of the cities, both large and small, during the river cruise and its subsequent included tours to many points of interest.

In most cases, we don’t care to join in on ship sponsored tour groups. In this case, it makes all the sense in the world when attempting to book all of these events separately would have been a time consuming and costly task. This time, we’ll “go with the flow” knowing we’ll be able to see as much as possible in this short two week period.

After many days of searching, on June 30th, we booked the Viking Mekong for 14 nights from July 8, 2016, to July 22nd with a passenger capacity of 60 with 28 cabins. The actual cruising time is only seven days with the remaining time spent on tours throughout the area, all arranged through the cruise line. 

As it turned out the Viking Cruises was offering a “two for one” sale for a limited period of time.  As a result, the cruise was almost sold out. If we wanted to book this cruise, we’d have to choose from one of the five remaining cabins. 

Since most cabins on river cruises of this size have similar, if not identical cabins, we were happy with our choice. We booked it on the last day of the “two for one sale.” Even with the discount, it  is the most expensive cruise we’ve booked to date:
 
Charges
Package USD $6,998.00 Discount  – 400.00  (discount provided by Vacations to Go)  AUD $9309.19 Discount – $532.11

Total Sal: USD $ 6,598.00  AUD $8777.09

A condition of the “two for one” discount was the cruise had to be paid in full by June 30th, the same day we booked it. Ouch! We hadn’t budgeted for this early payment in full but, we made it work.

Here is the detailed information about the ship, the Viking Mekong:

Detailed Information

Viking Mekong Deck Plans
Deck Plans
Dining Info
 Ship Statistics 
Year Built 2012
Refurbished 2013
Registry Vietnam
Length 180 feet
Beam 34 feet
Passenger Capacity 60
Crew Size 28
Total Inside Cabins 0
Total Outside Cabins 28
Cabins & Suites w/ verandas 0
Suites 0
Maximum Occupancy per room 2
Age Restrictions All must be 18-20 or one must be 21 or older
Dinner Seatings 1
Seating Assignments Open
Dining Hours 7PM
Dining Room Dress Code 1 Formal Night
Tipping Recommended? No
Tipping Guidelines Europe Sailings: €12-15 per person, per day; Sailings to Russia/Ukraine, China, Egypt and Southeast Asia: $15-28 per person, per day.
Onboard Currency US Dollar
 Services & Amenities 
 Bars/Lounges  Yes
 Beauty Salon/Barber Shop  No
 Casino  No
 Chapel  No
 Disco/Dancing  No
 Elevators  No
 Hot Tub  No
 Cell Phone Service  No
 Internet Access  No
 Internet Center  No
 Wireless Internet Access  Yes
 Laundry/Dry Cleaning  Yes
 Library  Yes
 Movie Theatre  No
 Outdoor Movie Screen  No
 Onboard Weddings  No
 Self Serve Laundromats  No
 Shops  Yes
 Showroom  No
 Spa  No
 Video Arcade  No
 Fitness & Sports Facilities 
 Basketball Court  No
 Fitness Center  No
 Golf Driving Net  No
 Golf Simulator  No
 Ice Skating Rink  No
 Jogging Track  No
 Mini-Golf Course  No
 Rock Climbing Wall  No
 Swimming Pool  No
 Tennis Court  No
 Water Slide  No
 Water Sports Platform  No
 Cabin Features & Amenities 
 24-Hour Room Service  No
 Hair Dryer  No
 Safe  Yes
 Telephone  No
 Television  No
 Kids Facilities 
 Babysitting  No
 Children’s Playroom  No
 Kiddie Pool  No
 Supervised Youth Program  No
 Teen Center  No
 Special Needs & Requests 
 Adjoining Cabins
(private connecting doors)		  No
 Kosher Meals  No
 Single Occupancy Cabins  No
 Single Share Program  No
 Wheelchair-Accessible Cabins  No

At this point, we had no idea what we’d do between July 22 and September 1, 2016, still a gap in the schedule.  With sheer will and determination along with a willingness to use a substantial amount of data for our search, we went to work with a great result we’ll share tomorrow in Part 2.  

We couldn’t be more thrilled in selecting this cruise and also, a fabulous vacation home in an entirely new country located in Southeast Asia which we’ll be posting tomorrow with photos.

Today, in the US is the national holiday, the 4th of July. We wish all of our family, friends, and readers in the US a safe and enjoyable holiday as the fireworks fly!

                                                  Photo from one year ago today, July 5, 2014:

As we drove to the small village of Sao Vincente we spotted this church while I took this lopsided photo while standing on a hill, my lame justification for not straightening the camera!.  For more details, please click here.

Checking for best prices for future bookings…Do we use a travel agent?…What’s the deal with Australian egg yolks?…

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While on the ship, several Australian mentioned the light color of the ship’s egg yolks. Back on land, Aussie eggs come from free-range chickens and when not fed grains the yolks are dark and dense. Lovely.

After the fun cruise from which we just departed, we look forward to future cruises around Australia with a new found enthusiasm. Tom, the cruise person in the family, makes an effort to frequently check for new postings and price changes.

Nitrate free bacon purchased at Woolie’s in the deli section. This is some of the finest bacon we’dd had in a long time. This morning we made bacon and scrambled eggs with cheese. None of the cheeses here are dyed with orange or yellow dyes. Thus, cheddar cheese is all white, and shredded cheeses for Mexican food is also white. We like that.

The cruises we’ve already booked of which there are four at this time may have price reductions that we can take advantage of between the time of booking and up to 90 days before sailing when the final payment is due.

Variety of meats offered at a meat market in the mall.

If there’s a price drop, all we have to do is notify our booking rep at Vacationstogo.com that there’s been a price drop and we’ll be given the benefit of the reduced prices. Our entire cruise documents package is reissued at the new price.

The tricky part of this is that it’s our responsibility to check for price changes. No cruise agency is going to check for price reductions every day for thousands of upcoming cruises. As the consumer, that’s our task.

The lamb chops were considerably more at the meat market than at the Woolworth’s store, AUD $38.99, USD $30.22 vs. AUD $23.99, USD $18.59 per kilo (2.2 pounds). Yesterday, we purchased an ample dinner-sized portion for me with six chops for AUD $7.19, USD $5.57. To be able to enjoy lamb for this price per meal will keep me coming back for more. Tom doesn’t care for lamb.

Most travelers have one cruise booked at any given time, making this checking fairly quick and easy. This can be done daily. Price changes can be posted and an hour later they’re back up again. It’s important to notify the booking agent quickly, making a copy of the price change and sending it by email.

After Tom caught a reduction last night, this morning our new confirmation came through saving us over US $500, AUD $645.29. This was certainly worth taking a few minutes to check once a day. If the price returns to a higher rate, we’re locked in at the lowest price on the most recent cruise documents.

A well-stocked Asian grocery store in the mall.

For those who cruise, this is definitely worth the undertaking. Since we began cruising we’ve literally saved several thousand dollars taking advantage of these changes. 

Of course, we’ve been on 11 cruises in the past 32 months, more than most cruisers for this period. But, even if one cruise once in three years, it’s certainly worth checking prices for reductions after paying the initial deposit. Also, it’s important to have a price guaranty in writing from your chosen cruise travel agent.

Bakery in the mall near “Woolie’s” the name Australians use for their popular Woolworth’s grocery store. We won’t be buying anything from this case but it’s fun to look at.

Using a travel agent for cruising is the only travel agent/agency that we use. Many have suggested names of friends or agents they recommend we use in an attempt to make our travels easier. 

We appreciate the thoughtful suggestions but based on the nature of our travels and having complete control over every step of the way, we wouldn’t be able to use an agent, picking out vacation homes, flights, and venues for us. 

This is the indoor Farmer’s Market where we were able to buy fresh daily organic vegetables at very reasonable prices. Woolie’s is in the background, making it easy to stop for produce after buying protein and essentials.

We look at 100’s of possible vacation homes in each possible future location, a task no agent would have time or inclination to consider tackling. Also, we like the freedom of negotiating the best possible prices, terms and conditions, and of course, schedules. Leaving this in the hands of another could potentially be a fiasco.

Our goal remains the same…” wafting through our worldwide travels with ease, joy, and simplicity,” as stated as our motto at the top of our changing-daily-homepage. 

We are not a “travel log.” We are a “daily life log” of two crazy retirees who wanted to step outside the box to spread their wings to live a different kind of life in our later years, a life of change, adventure, and wonder. 

The locally grown produce was abundant in quality and selection.

On top of it all, we love the freedom we have to live each day exactly as we choose whether exploring an area, out on an adventure or simply lounging at home doing exactly what many retirees do each day; a trip to the store, a walk in the neighborhood, preparing a special meal, and maintaining a comfortable home environment.  We love it all.

And, we love all of our readers for sharing it with us. Today, we’ll venture out for a drive to check out the area and hopefully report back with good photos tomorrow.

Thanks to friend and reader Staci for her coffee-making suggestions including “cowboy coffee” and checking thrift stores for a “coffee perc.” Thanks to our many other readers who sent emails with other suggestions.

Have a wonderful day. Back at you soon with more new photos.

                                                Photo from one year ago today, June 17, 2014:

The view from our veranda in Campanario, Madeira on a clear day. For details from that date, please click here.