 |
| Credit: Saltydoginvestor.com |
|
Well, on November 8, or maybe it was the 7th? A friend called me around 10:00 pm and after I woke up, said, "what do you think about a cruise in New Zealand?" In my half asleep state, I said, "that sounds like it'd be fun." Turns out, she'd been talking with her daughter who lives in Wellington, NZ, and had been keeping her eye out for cruises. As it happened, there was a Holland America two-week cruise departing from Auckland on December 7, for the crazy price of $1,099. And that's an ocean view cabin, not one down in the bilges. And, as it happened, there was crazy cheap airfare from Walla Walla to Auckland, via Seattle and Honolulu, for $635. My partner Tom Scribner said he'd paid more than that flying to Des Moines for a deposition.
After several ticketing shuffles we ended up with one way fares to Auckland, departing on Nov. 30, leaving on the MS Noordam from Auckland on December 7. The cruise stops at various Ports along the east coast of the North and South Islands, then heads out to sea to Hobart, Tasmania, then to Melbourne, Eden, and finally arriving in Sydney on December 21.
The ship - the
MS Noorddam
As it happens, my brother Hugh and his family moved there in August. We will stay with them and also see brother James and Arie and also Hugh and James' mother Helen. We will fly home on Quantas on Christmas Eve.
Seven days to go!!!
So, let the adventure begin!
After several ticketing shuffles we ended up with one way fares to Auckland, departing on Nov. 30, leaving on the MS Noordam from Auckland on December 7. The cruise stops at various Ports along the east coast of the North and South Islands, then heads out to sea to Hobart, Tasmania, then to Melbourne, Eden, and finally arriving in Sydney on December 21.
