This was our first visit to Melbourne this season, and we hit the ground running. When we didn’t return to the ship until a couple of minutes before the on board time of 5:30pm, I didn’t even have energy to return to the cabin, but instead went directly to dinner. While I uploaded all the photos to this post, that was as far as I got. I didn’t even try to start writing last night.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Luckily, today is a sea day, so I have time the next morning to get this done. I won’t have that luxury as soon as we arrive in New Zealand.
We went to breakfast in the DaVinci Dining Room exactly when it opened at 7am, and left when we heard the announcement about the ship being cleared, right around 8am. But we were momentarily confused; there was a mass of people lined up right outside the doors to the dining room. We couldn’t even move through them, so hugged a wall and sort of excused our way to the midship elevators. It soon dawned on us that the gangway was set up on Deck 6 midship, and this was the initial rush of passengers getting off the ship. We thought we were getting an early start, but hundreds of people beat us off the ship.
We returned to our cabin and quickly packed for day of city sightseeing. We were very lucky with weather. The high was around 70F and it was overcast but not raining. The forecasted high for Melbourne on Wednesday is 96F, and we remember too well the three days we stayed in Melbourne two years ago when it was hot like that. Today was much more pleasant.
We had Myki cards with unknown balances left on them from two years ago, and we walked off the ship and out of the terminal to the tram station outside the port. Tram 109 goes right into the Central Business District (CBD), and it was standing room only (SRO) but not a long trip, around 15-20 minutes or so. There is also a shuttle bus that runs from under the terminal to the Immigration Museum on cruise ship days (visits only, not turnaround days), and we could have taken that, too. Myki cards are available for purchase in the terminal.
We got off the tram near the Yarra River that winds its way through the CBD, and walked a short distance along the river to our first stop of the day. We were a little early (it didn’t open until 10am), so we stopped for a coffee and were at the Eureka Skydeck at 10am.
I don’t know how we missed this two years ago, or maybe G wasn’t quite as intent on going to the top of every tall building, but when he heard about the Eureka Skydeck from the ship’s Destination Expert Dave Upton, it became a must do for today. The observation deck on the 88th floor is the highest in the Southern Hemisphere, and its elevators are the fastest in the Southern Hemisphere. Of course we had to do this!
Melbourne has about 5 million residents, almost the same as Sydney
The Yarra River winding its way through the CBD, and, in the right distance, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne Park where the Australian Open takes place, and AAMI Stadiun, where the rugby teams the Melbourne Storm and the Melbourne Rebels play.
Melbourne is a huge sports town.
Flinders Railway Station, one of several train stations in town
Another example of Melbourne’s DUI (Designing Under the Influence) architecture.
Looking toward massive Philip Bay and the Ruby Princess
We bought and mailed a post card to Mom, the most height-averse person in the world, from 88 floors up. ;-)
Boat rides along the Yarra River. We did this 2 years ago.
Looking back at the Eureka Tower
Even the pedestrian bridges over the river are creatively designed.
Beautiful walkways border the river, and there are several restaurants and bars set on and along the water.
We made our way to the Flinders Street Tram Station and waited just a few minutes for #35 City Circle Tram, which gives a free, hour-long narrated tour around the CBD. Older trams are used on this route, and they are very traditional, but we learned two years ago that they are not air conditioned. Today, however, that didn’t make a difference. Melbourne is well known for its trams, and is very proud of this heritage. All trams within the CBD are free, but one must tap on and off with the Myki card on all trams except the City Circle, because the card is charged when the tram leaves the CBD.
The City Circle Tram
We hopped off the tram in front of the Parliament Building and observed a demonstration taking place against the One Belt, One Road initiative, which involves China investment in Australia.
Demonstration against the One Belt, One Road initiative
We spent next several hours wandering the streets of the CBD. Because it was Sunday, there were still a lot of people but not the packed sidewalks we might encounter on a weekday.
The Hotel Windsor lobby
The Hotel Windsor is a Melbourne icon dating from 1883
We visited the East End Entertainment District
One end of Chinatown
In Chinatown, we stopped into two different Asian grocery stores which is always an adventure, and then continued to walk down Collins Street toward Federation Square.
Melbourne has several historic churches, but they are hard to photograph because they are located right on city streets.
This one is Scots Church
St. Michaels Uniting Church
In Australia, summer floral displays take on a Christmas-y feel
A newer tram running along Collins Street
We finally started running out of time, and caught a 109 tram back to Port Melbourne. We were able to check our Myki card balance at a kiosk at the tram station and discovered the tram ride from the port to town had left us with a negative balance. Whoops! We added $10 each to our cards and were good to go.
We walked back on the ship at nearly 5:30pm. G returned to the cabin with our things but I just washed my hands and went to dinner dressed as I was. I knew that if I walked back to the cabin, we’d be eating dinner in the Horizon Court Buffet.
Day 3 dinner menu, page 1
Day 3 dinner menu, page 2
Day 3 dessert menu
I crashed right after dinner. Tonight’s Princess Theater was yo-yo guy Martin Ralph (this is adult entertainment?), and that was never in the cards. It had been a 21000 step day, and reading in bed held more appeal.
Melbourne Port Guide, page 1
Melbourne Port Guide, page 2
Melbourne Port Guide, page 3
Melbourne Port Guide, page 4
Day 3 Princess Patter, page 1
Day 3 Princess Patter, page 2
Day 3 Princess Patter, page 3
Day 3 Princess Patter, page 4