Melbourne Arrival - Know Before You Go

Pre-Cruise in Melbourne

As we arrived in Melbourne on Valentine's Day 2020 the sun was just rising.  We were able to watch from the comfort of our seats since our Quantas jet had an exterior camera.  It was  around 10 AM when we landed.   We were in row 87 so it took awhile to deplane.

Passport control Passport control can get busy, so make sure you allow enough time if you are arriving the same day as your cruise (which we strongly advise against).

Incoming passenger card 

On your flight, you’ll receive an incoming passenger card to fill out with your personal details and flight information. You’ll need this for your arrival into Australia. Note that you must use either black or blue pen. 

SmartGate  

Certain travelers can use the arrivals SmartGate. Simply place your passport into the scanning device for your information to be processed. You can then step into the SmartGate and look into the camera so that your face can be matched with your passport. When successfully processed, the gate will open. If you are unsuccessful or require special assistance, there will be officers to help manually process your passport. More information.  

We stopped to use the restrooms and headed to Passport Control.  We didn't get landing cards on the plane, because they ran out, but we were able to use the SmartGate so it didn't take too long to get to baggage claim.

Luggage was starting to come off the conveyor belt by the time we arrived at baggage claim.  There are free trolleys there for you to use.

It's a good thing, since you can see from the picture here that we next got into a very very long line to head to the final checkpoint to clear customs.   In fact, it wound its way through most of the baggage claim area.

Customs and biosecurity

Once you have your bags, the last step before you can exit the airport is passing through customs and biosecurity. Note that you do not need your passport at this point.

SmartGate and incoming passenger card 

Present your SmartGate ticket and incoming passenger card to one of the officers so you can pass through Customs and Border Protection and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service.

Declaring goods – Remember to declare any necessary items at this point. This includes things like animal or plant goods. More information here.

Leaving the airport  (we opted for Taxi)

Consider how you’re going to leave the airport. There are transportation options to suit all budgets.

Taxi – A taxi to Melbourne City takes approximately 35 minutes and costs around $55–65, though times and fares can vary. Taxis can be caught on the ground floor outside T1, and between T2 and T3. 

SkyBus – The SkyBus operates three services 24/7 to Melbourne City, St Kilda or Frankston. To the city, this journey takes 30–45 minutes. There is a SkyBus booth to assist with tickets and related services on the ground level of T2.

Public transport – Public buses arrive and depart from Melbourne Airport near the At Terminal T4

Car hire – There’s a great selection of rental car companies available at Melbourne Airport. You'll find them located across the forecourt from T2.

Our pre-cruise stay was at Crowne Plaza Melbourne in the Central Business District.  It was 15 minutes away from the airport and 15 minutes away from the cruise terminal.  

We'll talk more about our first day in Melbourne in another post.  For more images, see our Shutterfly Photo Page.
Hopefully, you've followed us live on our social media channels as well.  Don't worry if you didn't, as our anchor post will tie everything together for you.  Just click the image (left) to our diary post.

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Carnvial in Middle of Venice Controversy

Carnival Sunshine

Too Close to Shore?

According to reports in the Italian press, an alleged incident involving Carnival Sunshine has triggered cries from Andrea Marcucci, head of Italy's Senate committee on art and culture, to ban cruise ships from sailing in the Venice lagoon.

This is not a new controversy.  We reported news about this shortly after the Costa Concordia shipwreck in our article Concordia Disaster Rekindles Venice Restrictions.  Even before then, there had been concerns raised about the harm done by cruise ships in Venice.

Claims Unfounded

British tabloids "The Telegraph" and "The Daily Mail"  broke the news citing information contained in the Italian news agency ANSA's article from July 29th.  Carnival Cruise Lines, The Italian Coast Guard and others contend that the alleged "sail by" did not occur.   

The interesting thing is that cruise line captains are not under the control of their vessels when they enter the Venice lagoon.   A pilot boards the vessel and takes control.  So, even if the news were true, it would not be the fault of the captain, but rather that of the pilot who should know the waters.

In addition, the ship is guided by two tugs, one in front and one in the rear of the ship.   Therefore, it is highly unlikely that all these local operators would steer the vessel too close to port.

Sailing into Venice in the early morning is a magnificent event.  It would be a shame if some hidden agendas prevented ships from seeing this perspective of Venice.

View our photo album on our Facebook Fan Page:

Arriving in Venice by Cruise Ship

 

Royal Princess Arrives in Southampton

Royal Princess SeaWalk      Courtesy Princess Cruises

A Royal Welcome to 

New Princess Ship

Imagine strolling down the breathtaking, glass-bottomed SeaWalk on Royal Princess...

The wait is over,  Princess Cruises newest ship will be christened this week by Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge (Catherine Elizabeth "Kate"; née Middleton).


Tradition and Royal Majesty

The United Kingdom is rich in pomp and circumstance when it comes to their Royalty.   Launching of a new sea vessel is also deeply rooted in ceremony and tradition.  Combine the two, and this week's Christening of Royal Princess will be the event that everyone will be talking about for quite some time.

Arrival in Southampton

Southampton University Brass Band welcomed the new Royal Princess to Southampton with a musical salute featuring a rendition of “God Save The Queen” as the vessel sailed into the harbor.

Royal Princess Arrives in Southampton (20 photos)

Music will play a part throughout the week-long inaugural festivities including performances by British pop singer Natasha Bedingfield, British actress Kerry Ellis, and the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth and The Pipe Band of 1^st Battalion Irish Guards.



Related Posts:

A Royal Godmother for New Ship
Royal Princess Float Out
A New Princess is Born
Introducing Princess Cruises Newest Ship

Sailing Into Venice by Cruise Ship

A View Worth 

Getting Up Early For

We have been cruising for about 30 years and have had many early arrivals into port.  Most of the time, we are still in bed as the ship pulls into the harbor.  If we have a balcony, we may go out on the veranda to get a glimpse as we arrive.  More often than not, we are already docked when we go out for our first look around.

The Captain or Cruise Directory usually says something about the next port the night before we arrive.  They usually describe the weather and call passengers attention to anything that stands out in their minds.  

Don't Miss Sail Into Venice ...

"We should be arriving in Venice around 7 AM and I encourage you to be up on deck to watch the sail in" said the captain.  "This is a view that you won't want to miss.  It will be one of your highlights of the entire cruise".  

7 AM, are you kidding me?  I'm on vacation and we don't get up that early.  (those were the thoughts going through our mind, however...) If the Captain is making this big a deal about it, then we should probably listen to him or we'll regret it later.  After all, we did get up on deck by 5 AM for sail into the Panama Canal and we haven't regretted that  to this day, many years later.

OK, we'll get up, but we aren't going alone.  Our traveling companions were going to be up there with us.  The four of us found a good vantage point out on deck and got ready for our arrival.

First Glimpse

The picture above was our very first image of Venice as we started sailing into the harbor.  The skies were still overcast from the evening as the sun hadn't started to rise yet.   Even the sun is still asleep, what are we doing up?  All we could see from our vantage point was a beacon.

And then it happened...   We started to see the cathedral spires and other buildings in the distance.  As we got closer, we could see bridges and canal passages that darted between buildings.   The harbor was full of life as boats of all sizes darted along side of us.   Some were carrying passengers while others had various supplies.   There was a fisherman who glanced up as we sailed past his small boat.

The captain has a pretty good view as we sailed in.  On Star Princess, the bridge has a glass enclosed platform, on each side of the ship, where the captain or other staff can get a birds-eye view of our surroundings.  We were seeing the same thing as he was, just a little later as the ship moved slowly along the lagoon.

Sailing Past Iconic Buildings

Continuing our sail in along the Venetian Lagoon, we pass The Doge's Palace, a gothic palace which was the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme authority of the Republic of Venice.

Just beyond Doge's Palace is St. Mark's Square, perhaps the most well-known attraction in Venice.

The Captain was right - what a view from this perspective of all the sights of Venice.   This was only the beginning, as we hadn't even arrived at our docking place yet.  After breakfast, we'd set out to explore the city on water from two other vantage points - from the water, in a water taxi and later a gondola,  and on foot.

Venice Cruise Terminal

Two other ships had already arrived in Venice ahead of us - Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas and Seabourn Spirit.  We would sail past both ships before finally docking in our berth.


The journey along the Venetian Lagoon had taken about an hour.  Many lasting memories had been captured on film and in our minds during that time.  We are so grateful to the Captain who encouraged us not to miss this sail in.

We've painted an image in words here, but words alone don't do justice to this experience.   Check out our  Venice photo albums on Facebook, starting with our arrival:   Arriving in Venice by Cruise Ship

Come back again to read more about our time in Venice.   Search our blog for other pictures and stories about our Mediterranean & Greek Isles Cruise or see:  Diary of Cruise with Chris to Greek Isles.

Why not plan your own Venetian memories today?  We'd be glad to offer our advice and help you plan.

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

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Concordia Disaster Rekindles Venice Restrictions

Seabourn Spirit Docked in Venice, Italy

Could Concordia Disaster Impact Cruises to Venice

UNESCO has called on the Italian government to restrict access of large cruise ships to culturally and ecologically important areas, particularly Venice and its Lagoon which are visited by some 300 large cruise ships a year.

 

Arriving in Venice on Star Princess
Docked Next to RCCL Voyager of the Seas

UNESCO World Heritage Site - Venice

In a letter sent to the Italian Environment Minister on behalf of Director-General Irina Bokova, the Assistant Director-General for Culture Francesco Bandarin writes that “the tragic accident [of the Costa Concordia on 13 January] reinforces longstanding concern over the risk that large cruise liners pose to sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, particularly the Venice Lagoon and the Basin of San Marco." 

After presenting UNESCO’s condolences for the tragic loss of life caused by Costa Concordia accident and praising the efforts of the rescue teams and local population in dealing with the disaster, the letter urges the government to act quickly to develop alternative plans for maritime traffic around the World Heritage site of Venice. 

UNESCO contends that the cruise liner traffic in Venice is particularly damaging because of the fragile structure of the city. The ships cause water tides that erode the foundations of buildings. They contribute to pollution and impact the cityscape as they dwarf monuments in the heart of the city.

Venice Canals from Star Princess Deck

 Sailing into Venice

Those that follow our blog on a regular basis know that we were on Star Princess last May/June for a 12 Night Greek Isles & Mediterranean Cruise - Rome to Venice. Our captain urged us to be up on the outside decks before 7 AM to see the ship entering into Venice harbor.   It was an amazing sight - seeing Venice from a different perspective.

View our photo album on our Facebook Fan Page:

Arriving in Venice by Cruise Ship

As you can see from these images, the pier where we were docked was far from the heart of the city. In fact, one must take a water taxi or use the people mover to get into the city proper.

What Does the Future Hold

UNESCO's plea is not a new one, but it seems to have some new life as Italy's environment minister, Corrado Clini, appeared to take up the cause Tuesday.

"The aim is to free St. Mark's basin from the big ships once new canals have been dug," Clini was quoted by the Italian news agency ANSA as saying during a public appearance in northern Italy.

But Clini added that "in the meantime, it will be up to the port authority and to the city to decide which (sea) traffic is sustainable and compatible" with Venice's particular situation."

Venice officials have said that since tug boats guide the big cruise ships through the part of the lagoon weaving through the city, the risk of accidents is virtually eliminated.

In a city where "cars" are replaced by gondolas and small water craft, it is unthinkable that there could be a ban on larger vessels.   Let us hope that the cruise industry, UNESCO, and Italian authorities can work out a plan which protects Venice for years to come and still allows future generations the pleasure of seeing this amazing city of canals from the perspective of a cruise ship.

If a Mediterranean cruise, that includes Venice, is on your bucket list, you might want to plan that trip now in case restrictions are indeed put in place in the near future.

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




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Naples/Capri, Italy

ARRIVING IN NAPLES, ITALY

Star Princess arrived in Naples at 8 AM.  We had already had breakfast because our shore excursion, Pompeii & Amalfi Coastal Cruise,  would be departing shortly after the ship was cleared by local authorities.

Looking out from the upper deck, we saw that we weren't alone.  In this picture (left to right) are the Grand Holiday,  Liberty of the Seas, and Norwegian Epic.

If you are familiar with ships, the blue funnel might strike you as odd. Shouldn't that funnel be red?   Well, once upon a time it was.  This ship was previously known as Carnival's Holiday.   In November 2009, Holiday was retired from the fleet and  transferred to the fleet of Iberocruceros, another cruise line owned by Carnival Corporation & plc as the MS Grand Holiday.

About Naples...

Italy's third-largest city, Naples is a bustling metropolis famed for it stately buildings, crowded streets, pizza and notoriously bad traffic. However, this beautiful city is rich in centuries-old culture and customs. Naples is also your gateway to the Isle of Capri, the fabled Amalfi Coast and the ruins of Pompeii, buried in ash by the cataclysmic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

12-Night Cruise, Day 3...

Our tour began in Naples where we boarded an air-conditioned motorcoach for a 45-minute drive to Salerno where a motorlaunch took us on a scenic 60-minute cruise along the gorgeous Amalfi coastline.   Arriving in the town of Amalfi  we had 60 minutes of free time to explore the town or visit the Amalfi Cathedral (entrance fee not included).

Following our visit to Amalfi, we cruised back along the Amalfi coastline to Salerno and boarded our motorcoach for a 30-minute drive to Pompeii where lunch was served at a local hotel.

After lunch we  explored the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pompeii, which uncovers excavations of a lost city buried deep beneath the ash when Mt. Vesuvius violently erupted in 79 AD.  Our guide, "Mama Nancy", explained the remarkably preserved remains that hint at daily life-their customs, buildings and cuisine.

Following Pompeii, we re-boarded the motorcoach and drove to a nearby cameo factory, where artisans apply skills handed down for generations, intricately carving seashell or coral into beautiful jewelry-true works of art, and beautiful keepsake souvenirs.   Those that wanted to purchase a keepsake had time to do that before we reboarded our motorcoach for the 30 minute return ride to Naples.

We will explore each of the parts of the tour in detail in additional posts.   Here are some photos on our Facebook Fan Page (please Like us so that you'll get updates as we continue our posts):

Naples/Capri Arrival        Drive to Salerno                        Amalfi Coastal Cruise
Exploring Amalfi               Drive to Pompeii / Lunch         Exploring Pompeii       
Cameo Factory

More information and photos of our day in Naples, Salerno, Amalfi, and Pompeii to follow in additional blog posts. 

 

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




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