Buckle your seatbelts; this is going to be a seriously GPS-worthy post. Thankfully, it was a sea day, and by now you probably have a pretty good idea about how we spent our day, so I won’t dwell on that, but will instead try to remember all of the things I thought, throughout the day, that I needed to tell you.
Remembering all the things I thought I needed to talk about is not my forte. Luckily, tomorrow is another sea day, so I’ll have another chance to do clean up.
First, when I synced my Fitbit this morning, look what I managed to do yesterday in Sydney! Sure, it was a Vitamin I (Ibuprofen) night, but I felt pretty good this morning. Progress!
Go me!!
This next part will only be of interest to Princess cruisers. If you’re not...well why not? Just skip down to where I change the subject.
Our on board account, for charges incurred on the ship, underwent a change yesterday. Our spending on the cruise from LA to Sydney was in US dollars. Yesterday, our on board account changed to Australian dollars. I had initially believed that we’d have to make sure our non-refundable on board credits were all spent before the end of the transpacific cruise, but that wasn’t actually the case. If we had a balance due at the end of that cruise, it was charged to our credit card on file. If we didn’t, the balance was converted to Australian dollars and carried over. The confusing part is that G had a balance, and I had a credit of $5, and they charged our credit card for his balance due, but grossed up my credit and carried it forward. They didn’t net my balance against his. Whatever.
Part of the reason for my credit balance was an internet credit I’d received a week or two ago. I didn’t know what it was for, but it was during that timeframe when the Internet was down periodically over two days, and I kind of thought it had something to do with that. But yesterday it suddenly occurred to me what that was: it was the difference in price between what I had pre-paid for the unlimited internet plan before the cruise, and what it would have cost on the first day of the cruise if purchased on board. I never even asked for it, and never discussed it with anyone on board. But I received a refund of $17.50. Nice.
On board credits on a cruise based in Australian dollars are handled differently. Promotional, FCD, Military and CCL OBCs are not grossed up to Australian dollars, meaning they are effectively worth less in US dollars. However, the Loyalty OBC is grossed up. Our $100 OBC became $145 Australian. Can’t explain it, but that’s the way they’re handled.
Below are the laundry forms In US and Australian dollars. I threw away the US based forms before I remembered to take a photo of a blank one, so I had to use an actual form I’d submitted. Noel, our cabin steward, had left a stack of the new forms on the vanity this morning. I’ve also been asked to post the coffee menu in Australian dollars, and I will, as soon as I get down to the International Cafe (which, as you know, I don’t frequent).
Laundry charges, US $
Laundry charges, Australia $
G’s coffee ”card” carried over to this cruise, both the unlimited brewed coffee and hot chocolate and the remaining specialty coffees.
I have gone back and added photos of the Log of the Cruise to the Day 28 post, and reader Diane sent me screen captures from the Sydney Harbour webcam showing the Ruby Princess arriving in Circular Quay yesterday morning. I added those to the Day 29 post. Thank you, Diane, for sharing those!
Ok, back to today.
I was up early and carrying a very large load of laundry down to the passenger laundry at 7am this morning. I wasn’t sure what time it opened, but thought 7am would be safe. There was already a washer running, so it obviously opened even earlier. Since there was no posted sign with the hours, maybe it’s open 24/7; I’m not sure. I wanted to launder all of my washable dinner clothes, the things I wore yesterday and the fleece pullover that was fused to my body during those last cold, cold days in New Zealand.
While the washer was running, I ran down to the DaVinci Dining Room to join G for breakfast, then ran back up to Deck 14 to move the clothes into the dryer, then back to the dining room. By 8:30am, it was all washed and put away, plus I’d eaten breakfast. The required multitasking did my soul good. It’s easy to get lazy living on a cruise ship.
At 9am we went to the Princess Theater for Destination Expert Hutch’s talk on Airlie Beach, Australia, our next port of call. Then it was up to Skywalkers, only because we hadn’t been up there yet, and discovered the Cruise Critic Meet and Greet was just starting. I don’t generally attend these anymore (so please don’t be upset with me if I don’t attend it when we cruise together), but it was so good to see Anne Marie, with whom we’ve cruised in the past.
At noon G and I met up for lunch in the DaVinci Dining Room. It was my favorite lunch menu of the cruise because it features an entree called The Floret Family that I love so much that I order two of them and nothing else. Steamed broccoli and cauliflower in a sun dried tomato vinaigrette topped with pine nuts. I would eat it every meal if I could.
Day 2 lunch menu, page 1
Day 2 lunch menu, page 2
My first Floret family entree
My second Floret family entree 😊
After lunch I worked out in the small round pool on Deck 17 aft. It’s usually freezing, but I felt the water today when I was out and about and it felt warm. I love that pool; it’s fairly deep, so there’s not often anyone else in it, and I can run in a circle long enough in one direction to create a whirlpool, and then run in the opposite direction against the water. It’s my homemade current channel, and it’s a great workout, and I was able to climb the ladder to get out without too much difficulty. More progress! I had just enough time for a short rest in the cabin before I needed to start getting ready for tonight’s formal night. We went to the Elite Lounge at 4:30pm and sat with a delightful couple from San Diego. He was an avid diver, and we talked diving until we were late for dinner.
Day 2 dinner menu, page 1
Day 2 dinner menu, page 2
Day 2 dessert menu
Sunset was on our side of the ship tonight, and we watched it from our dinner table. Since we’re heading north, it took place around 7pm tonight, quite a change from our late sunsets while we were on the South Island of New Zealand. G went from dinner to the Captain’s Welcome Aboard Champagne Waterfall for a glass of champagne and then joined me in the Princess Theater. Tonight’s entertainment was a performance by violinist Chris Watkins from Swansea, Wales. He was a finalist in the Princess Performer of the Year competition and I can see way. His show was extremely entertaining. We’ve had a lot of very good entertainment on the Ruby Princess, but I may be biased because it has been heavily music-oriented and that is my personal favorite.
We are grateful to have smooth seas, sunny skies and warm temps on this cruise up to Queensland, and Captain Lawes said today that it’s expected to continue for awhile. I am very much hoping to have good weather during this cruise; our cruise to Queensland two years ago was quite stormy and cold.
Day 2 Princess Patter, page 1
Day 2 Princess Patter, page 2
Day 2 Princess Patter, page 3
Day 2 Princess Patter, page 4