Posts Tagged christmas shopping
A white Christmas on the water
Posted by Malcolm in Uncategorized on December 26, 2011
SARAH HARVEY 
PETER MEECHAM/Fairfax NZ
CHRISTMAS CRUISE: The interior of the Sea Princess cruise liner.
Snow, Santa Claus, last minute Christmas shopping and a whopping big bundle of turkey – Christmas Day on board a cruise ship needn’t mean passengers miss out.
Onboard the Sea Princess cruise liner, fake snow will float down from the atrium as carollers sing on Christmas Eve, the night time turn down will include a Santa stocking, TV sets will be turned to a crackling fire, and children will be entertained making gingerbread houses and watching special Christmas movies.
The onboard boutiques have also been experiencing a rush in sales as passengers stock up on last minute gifts, crew members say.
The Sea Princess, one of the Princess cruise liners, docked in Auckland earlier this week having departed from Sydney last week. it is a 13-day cruise around New Zealand.
about 2000 people will be aboard the Sea Princess when it docks in Dunedin for Christmas Day.
Sea Princess cruise director Peter Tredgett said for many people coming on a cruise took away the stress of the festive season as they did not have to think about how to entertain or feed their friends and family.
Tredgett said the snow in the atrium was a particularly exciting aspect for many passengers.
“Especially for passengers travelling out of Sydney, the prospect of a white Christmas is an exciting one.”
a Christmas variety show had been planned and the big man in red would make an arrival after they had docked in Dunedin.
The Christmas menu is stuffed full as well.
Food and beverage director Karen McIntosh said passengers would be served eggnog on Christmas morning.
For lunch they would be offered a buffet with the likes of cooked ham and roast duck as well as each chef creating a dish from their home country.
Offerings will include rellenong manok, a baked stuffed chicken from the Philippines, and a chocolate and cherry trifle roulade from Britain.
McIntosh said chefs onboard expect to use 45 turkeys, 30kg of sage and onion stuffing and more than 80kg of pineapple glazed ham.
“For dessert we will serve traditional plum pudding, Christmas Yule log cake, mincemeat fruit pies and gingerbread mousse all homemade onboard the Sea Princess. we have a 24 hour pastry shop and a 24 hour bakery department. The pastry shop will also be making over 300 gingerbread cookies.”
– Auckland Now
5 Ways to Celebrate the Holiday Season in Sydney
Posted by Malcolm in Uncategorized on September 27, 2011
Spending the holiday season in Sydney and not quite sure how to celebrate? here we’ve listed the best ways for getting into the action and experiencing Sydney like you never have before. From Sydney Harbour cruises to BBQs on Bondi Beach, we’ve got a great list of activities to help you celebrate the holiday season in style:
Have a BBQ on Bondi Beach
You can’t get any more Australian than having a BBQ with the backdrop of one of the world’s most iconic beaches. take some mates down and enjoy some great food before taking a dip in the surf. just remember to put on plenty of sunscreen. You don’t want to spend the rest of your trip in pain from severe sunburn!
Watch the Sydney Fireworks Display
The Sydney Fireworks display put on every year on New Years Eve is famous the world over. Thousands flock to the streets of Sydney to get the perfect vantage point to watch the display. if you’re not too keen on heading in with the masses then purchasing a ticket at a well known venue nearby is your best option. Don’t leave it to the last minute though as these events sell out fast!
Shopping in Pitt Street Mall
The Christmas shopping experience is all about Pitt Street Mall in Sydney. if you are still in need of purchasing a few gifts then head there for some hectic last minute shopping. The decorations in the shops and major department stores as well as in the Queen Victoria Building are definitely worth the effort.
Carols in the Domain
Carols in the Domain happen every December. It’s a free concert held in The Domain, which is located in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney and plays host to a number of fabulous Aussie performers who sing traditional carols and hit songs. Bring the whole family down with some food and a picnic rug and enjoy the carols!
Take a Sydney Harbour Cruise
No visit to Sydney is complete without a cruise on the iconic harbour. there are plenty of fabulous Sydney Harbour dinner cruises which offer guests an array of different packages. enjoy a buffet meal or tapas after sipping on cocktails and taking in the gentle breeze. The city really comes alive at night and the best time to be out on the water is after dark so you can take in the breathtaking sights in cooler temperatures.
Sydney really does come alive during the festive season. there are places to visit, the weather is hot and people are gearing up for their long awaited Christmas holidays. Spending the festive season in Sydney is all about embracing the local culture of relaxed Christmas drinks by the water and eating as much seafood as possible. I hope our list of ideas for ways to celebrate during your time in Sydney has given you some useful suggestions for how to spend your warm summer days and balmy nights.
P&O Cruises launch 2012-13 program including depatures from Melbourne
Posted by Malcolm in Uncategorized on August 31, 2011
Departures from Melbourne and more short breaks are features of P&O Cruises massive new 2012-13 program.
On sale from March 31, the new program is P&O Cruises’ biggest ever and features a record 126 voyages between June 2012 and April 2013, with great value fares from $749* per person for a seven-night cruise from Brisbane and $1199* per person for a 10-night cruise from Sydney.
The program offers 24 cruises of less than a week, including more of the themed cruises that have proven such a hit with passengers, such as food and wine getaways and comedy cruises.
Highlights include a three-night Australia Day long weekend cruise from Sydney in January 2013 onboard Pacific Pearl, plus a new four-night Christmas shopping cruise from Sydney to Melbourne in early December on Pacific Sun, with fares on the shopping cruise priced from $649* per person.
The new program also features two new Australian ports of call, with Pacific Sun visiting Port Lincoln and pristine Kangaroo Island in South Australia on a coastal cruise. Fares start from $899 per person quad share for a nine-night cruise from Fremantle to Sydney departing on October 23, 2012.Meanwhile, P&O Cruises has added Melbourne to its line-up of homeports, with the cruise line returning to the Victorian capital to offer seven summer cruises from late 2012, in addition to regular voyages from Sydney, Brisbane, Fremantle and Auckland.
Jenny Lourey, Senior Vice President of Carnival Australia, which operates P&O Cruises, said the new program offered more cruise itineraries than ever before, with destinations ranging from Asia to Tasmania, as well as the Pacific islands.“Not only do we offer great places to visit, our ships are a destination in themselves. No matter where you’re cruising, the fun begins the moment you step onboard a P&O Cruises’ ship,” Ms Lourey said.
“Whatever your age, our ships offer a great range of features to make your holiday memorable – from spectacular aerial circus acts and great kids’ clubs through to delicious meals at Luke Mangan’s Salt Grill Restaurant and relaxing treatments in the spa.”
The new program also offers travellers front-row seats for the total solar eclipse in November 2012, with Pacific Jewel and Pacific Dawn sailing to the Pacific islands and northern Queensland to ensure the ships offer the best vantage points for the eclipse. Fares start from $799 per person quad share for a seven-night cruise onboard Pacific Dawn departing November 10, 2012.
Meanwhile, Brisbane will see 36 cruise holidays on offer onboard Pacific Dawn and Pacific Sun, including 25 of the popular seven-night cruises to the Pacific Islands or exploring the Queensland coastline. Cruises start from $749 per person quad share for a seven-night Queensland cruise onboard Pacific Sun departing July 8, 2012.Fremantle will welcome home Pacific Sun for a third season of cruising in 2012, offering a mix of short breaks, Western Australian cruises and longer voyages to Asia between August and October 2012.
Twelve-night cruises to Indonesia calling at Bali and Komodo Island are priced from $1099 per person quad share.
Pacific Pearl will return to Auckland for another season of cruising from new Zealand, sailing five cruises of between three and 15 nights between April and may 2013. Fares start from $1299 per person quad share for a 10-night cruise to the Pacific Islands departing may 8, 2013.
Australian travellers will also have the chance to celebrate the birth of cruise holidays, with two special voyages planned in August 2012 to mark 175 years since the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company signed its first contract to deliver mail by sea and 80 years since P&O Cruises’ first Australian cruise.
Pacific Pearl and Pacific Jewel will meet in Sydney Harbour on August 22 and set sail in tandem on special heritage cruises, featuring tailored entertainment including a 175th Anniversary Gala dinner, a heritage art display and fascinating guest speakers. Fares on the nine-night Pacific Jewel cruise start from $1199 per person quad share.
For more information, Cruiseoffers on 1800 616 434 or visit www.cruiseoffers.com.au
* Fares are quad share. Subject to availability, conditions apply.
Share and Enjoy:
P&O Cruises launch 2012-13 program including depatures from Melbourne
Travel Monitor: P&O doubles range of short cruises in huge new program. Melbourne a new home port
Posted by Malcolm in Uncategorized on March 26, 2011
16 MAR: P&O Cruises has doubled the range of short sailings on offer in a greatly-expanded 2012-13 program.
On sale from March 31, the new program is the line’s biggest-ever, featuring 126 voyages between June 2012 and April 2013.
Fares start at $749 a person for a seven-night cruise from Brisbane and $1199 for a 10-night cruise from Sydney.
The program offers 24 cruises of less than a week, including more of the themed sailings that have proven a hit with passengers, such as food and wine getaways and comedy cruises.
Highlights include a three-night Australia Day long weekend cruise from Sydney in January 2013 on Pacific Pearl, plus a new four-night Christmas shopping cruise from Sydney to Melbourne in early December on Pacific Sun, with fares on the shopping cruise priced from $649 per person.
The new program also features two new Australian ports of call, with Pacific Sun visiting Port Lincoln and Kangaroo Island in South Australia on a coastal cruise.
Fares start from $899 per person quad share for a nine-night cruise from Fremantle to Sydney departing on October 23, 2012.
Meanwhile, P&O has added Melbourne to its line-up of homeports, with the cruise line returning to the Victorian capital to offer seven summer cruises from late 2012, in addition to regular voyages from Sydney, Brisbane, Fremantle and Auckland.
Jenny Lourey, Senior Vice President of Carnival Australia, which operates P&O Cruises, said the new program offered more cruise itineraries than ever before, with destinations ranging from Asia to Tasmania, as well as the Pacific islands.
“Not only do we offer great places to visit, our ships are a destination in themselves.
“No matter where you’re cruising, the fun begins the moment you step onboard a P&O Cruises’ ship,” she said.
The new program also offers travellers front-row seats for the total solar eclipse in November 2012, with Pacific Jewel and Pacific Dawn sailing to the Pacific islands and northern Queensland to ensure the ships offer the best vantage points.
Fares start from $799 per person quad share for a seven-night cruise onboard Pacific Dawn departing November 10, 2012.
Brisbane will see 36 cruise holidays on offer on Pacific Dawn and Pacific Sun, including 25 of the popular seven-night cruises to the Pacific Islands or exploring the Queensland coastline.
Cruises start from $749 per person quad share for a seven-night Queensland cruise onboard Pacific Sun departing July 8, 2012.
Fremantle will welcome home Pacific Sun for a third season of cruising in 2012, offering a mix of short breaks, Western Australian cruises and longer voyages to Asia between August and October 2012.
Travel Monitor: P&O doubles range of short cruises in huge new program. Melbourne a new home port