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Machu Picchu

Going to Machu Picchu, Peru was a great experience. It was a lot of hard work to get there, and returning was even harder. 

When all the flights were cancelled, we had to fly to Ecuador to meet the ship two days late. The place itself was very interesting, especially the remote location of the abandonned ruins, high in the mountains. Taking photos of some of the locals was also something interesting to take away.

Easter Island

Easter Island was a place that I've wanted to go to for a long time, probably since seeing the strange heads on Super Mario when I was 8 years old. Although it's filled with myths and history, spending a whole day there was more than enough. It's an excellent place to take interesting photos and to learn about what happened there, once you've seen ten heads, you don't really need to see the other four hundred. 

Adventures in Tahiti

I'm almost at the end of the Tahiti/French Polynesia season, here on the Tahitian Princess and we've all had a great deal of fun. I've been skydiving in Honolulu, mountain climbing and swimming with Stingrays in Bora Bora and surfing in Maui.  I've been granted a 12-month working holiday visa for Australia, so I will be moving 'Down-Under' as soon as I've got some things sorted (and sold) at home.

I'll be uploading some new photos soon. 

My New Ship

From the beginning of September, after having gone to the Princess Photo/Video conference in Seattle, I will be joining the Tahitian Princess.

It's the smallest ship I will have been on, with only 630 passengers and 300 (approx) crew. Once I've joined, we'll finish the Alaska season and head south to Hawaii and Tahiti for a few months. Then the World Cruise will commence, sailing down via Peru to Australia where I shall leave.

As usual, here is the Bridge webcam from the Tahitian so you can see where I am.

Back in Alaska

I've returned to Alaska after over a year, and saw a couple of familiar faces, which happens when you have so many ships in one port.

It's the beginning of the season, so there's still plenty of snow on the mountains and some beautiful photographs to be taken. Of course I've been out with my camera.

As I'm not American, and the state of Alaska has changed it's rules, I can no longer film shore excursions here, although I'm not too annoyed as I did them all in the 4 months of my previous contract sailing in the region. This also means I get port days off!

I've only got 3 more cruises before I fly home from Vancouver and I can't wait. Although I'll have to sort out what to do with the rest of my life. Continue cruising or settle on land?

Repositioning Cruise

The repositioning cruise from Sydney to LA seems to never end, but I'm not complaining as we're going straight into the busiest season for ships - Alaska!

We have been visiting some incredible places and I've been lucky enough to go on some shore excursions that would make Michael Palin jealous.

There seems to be an adventure in every port, including rescuing photographers from sinking canoes, white-water sledging (head first into rapids) and helicopter rides.

Fjordlands National Park

I was lucky enough to get out on the Fast Rescue Craft, lowered from the side of the cruise ship, whilst having over 1,000 passengers waving frantically.

It's a great opportunity to get some very dramatic, although shaky footage but some very nice photos of the landscape. This was our penultimate time there so I had to take full advantage and capture the memory.

Melbourne Snorkelling

Two days ago I was lucky enough to be given a place on the shore excursion 'Snorkelling with Sea Dragons'. This is a tour that is rarely given out to tour escorts, let alone giving the Videographers a chance to film it.

So here are a few photos from the tour. I was using my very handy drop-proof/water-proof and dust proof Olympus camera which is excellent for travelling as you can use it in all conditions and don't have to worry about it breaking.

On the Sapphire

I've officially taken over as the new Senior Videographer, here on the Sapphire Princess. It's been fun meeting and getting to know the whole team, and getting in to the swing of how things work.

Today, two Photographers and I were lowered in the Fast Rescue Craft (the ship's speedboat, used for Man Overboards). I was filming some of the New Zealand Fjordlands and some views of the ship.
The passengers found this all very interesting and everyone had their cameras out and were waving frantically at me whilst I filmed them. I hope it will help the sales of the Reflections video that I was videoing for.

Sun In Melbourne

After flying into Melbourne airport, getting in the taxi under a cloudy sky and heading to my hotel, I was looking forward to spending two days in the Australian city. The sun was soon to appear and leave me with a sunburnt nose.















Melbourne is a city with lots of very interesting architecture, friendly people and astonishing heat. Today it is 40.c and bright blue skies.

I've had great fun seeing one of my friends from my last ship and meeting her friends. Tonight will have to be a quiet one, as tomorrow I join the Sapphire Princess, which I'm pretty nervous about.





















Once I get settled on the ship and have time to acquaint myself with its layout, I'll add some photos and any news.

Nearly take-off time

There's only a couple of days until I fly, and great news, the airport strike has been cancelled. Thankfully, that means I can travel on the arranged dates. I'm flying on Monday night to Melbourne, via Singapore and will land after 21 hours.

If I can get some sleep during my journey it could be quite pleasant, although I'm sure I'll still have to put my knees up so the person in the seat ahead of me doesn't lean back and squash my face during the flight.

I'm grateful for all the hard work a couple of individuals in the Princess Cruises Southampton office, who have gone out of their way to sort out my arrangements.

I'll write another addition either once I arrive in Australia, or after I've joined the ship.

Home for Christmas

I'm home for Christmas and New Years, spending plenty of time with my family in Salisbury, England.
We've put up the tree, stocked up on too much food and bracing ourselves for the blankets of thick, icy fog that is bellowing over the adjacent fields. Alas, no snow yet, but our fingers remain crossed.






















The plan for the new year, is that I fly from London to Melbourne, Australia on 7th January, arriving on 9th. Then spending a couple of days in a hotel and joining the Sapphire Princess.

(Bridge cam shown here)
















On the news there has been talk of an airport strike on the 7th, so I'm very much hoping that it's called off as it will severely disrupt my plans, as well as the thousands of other people wanting to travel after the new year.

Home

Right, well I'm finally home after 7 and a half months at sea. I flew from Brisbane to Singapore and onto London, Heathrow on two very long, but straightforward flights with no delays.
Now I have a permanent and fast internet connection, I am able to upload a larger selection of my travel photos from the last couple of months in Australia.
Here they are:

Crocodile Hunting:

From Noumea

We're docked in Noumea, and I'm using the rare opportunity of a free wireless internet connection from outside the ship. The sun has just set and there are some dark clouds coming over the mountains. Some of the locals are putting on a dance show just beside the gangway and the drums can be heard throughout the town.

Tonight is a 'UK Theme' party in the crew bar, so I'm providing the music and will be filming it for the crew dvd, which is always a nice souvenir to be sent home, showing the different ports, production shows and any events with a high crew attendance.

Here is a couple of photos from the past few weeks here on the Pacific Star. The first is a photo I took whilst snorkelling in the Barrier Reef, and the second is one of me, taken by one of the Photo team, whilst walking through the ship.

Brisbane Koala Sanctury

In Brisbane, Australia, we were dry-docked yet again due to some 'Technical Difficulties', so a few of us decided to go and visit the Brisbane Koala Sanctury to see what we could find.

The next cruise stars on the 18th, and hopefully will be free of mishaps and 'technical issues' that require further dry-docks. But, it's an old ship, so who knows?