Hobart, Tasmania

6th March 2023 I rose early to witness the ship sail into Hobart. With Mount Wellington as a marker, I was able to assess our approach into Constitutional Dock, Hobart. The ship sailed past some type of fish farming pens near what I assume was Bruny Island, just south of the State's capital and then the visible landscape started to show signs of habitation with firstly farm lets then scattered housing and then suburbs. we passed Australia's first casino, Wrest Point nestled on the shoreline, just a few kilometers from Hobart.  With vision of Derwent Bridge spanning the river on our Starboard and Constitutional Dock on the Port, the Pacific Explorer docked alongside the Australian Antarctic warehouses. 

We disembarked after the initial rush of passengers disembarking to join sightseeing tours. We decided to walk around the dock famous for the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race to Salamanca where the famous markets are held every Saturday. Unfortunately it was a Monday but there were plenty a historic buildings, housing cafes, restaurants and hotels. 

On route we passed a couple of tug boats tied alongside the wharf.  There I was amazed to see cables plugged into electric charging stations and leading to the tug boats. What? they power on battery power? No, not quite, The engines are powered by diesel but the air-conditioning, lights, micro wave and power points use electricity from the charging stations. A sign of the times. 

                        Our approach to Constitutional Dock with Mount Wellington in background

Derwent Bridge

The electric charging station for the tug boat. 

Sea Lion sculptures on the dock.

Various sculptures depicting Antarctic Explorers

Paul's mobility wheelchair

Selfie of myself and Paul

 

We had hoped the weather would have been warmer, allowing potential swimming in the ship's pools, but no, it was pretty cool, though not cold for February. In past years it would have been at least in the 30's C or even 40's C. The atmosphere on the ship was pretty good. There were passengers celebrating various birthdays, anniversaries or groups just happy to be holidaying together. We saw groups of  passengers walking around in matching colourful shirts or hats. So when there was a theme for the night, a lot of people were ready and happy to participate. On the cruise the first theme was 'White Nights'. We saw families of Mum and Dad's, Grandparents and children all dressed in white tea shirts and shorts, or adults wearing their white attire, even an old wedding dress to celebrate the occasion. It was really lovely to see what dressing up had changed the atmosphere of the night. 

Map of our itinerary.

Sunset

                                                  Ship's wake from bow en-route to Tasmania.

P & O Pacific Explorer

Our first cruise in 3 years! 

We have boarded the rebadged Dawn Princess for a 7 day local cruise. Leaving Adelaide, sailing over night to Kangaroo Island where the ship runs a tender service to the local Sealink Ferry Service port on Kangaroo Island of Penneshaw, then sailing across Bass Straight to Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania, back across Base Strait to Melbourne, then west to Adelaide for disembarkation. Sounds reasonably safe. Local Australian waters, not too long, minimalizing risk of Covid infection. Mmm...time will tell if our gamble payed off.

It is interesting sailing on the ship we sailed around the world in and earlier to Hawaii return. We walked into our balcony cabin to realize the cabin size, although the same as before was "wow, small!".  It is amazing how quickly we forget. The poor ship is looking tired. Although the main public areas have been revamped and upgraded to assimilate with the P & O brand, the cabins are very much unchanged. Same carpets, prints on the wall and furniture. Our Cabin Stewards still offer the same smiling and ready to please service, though I did think they were a bit lax in their cleaning. We found a previous male passenger's pair of underwear pants under our bed. (he must have been in a hurry to get into bed!!!!). 

Tender with Penneshaw in background  

 

Sealink Ferry bound for Cape Jarvis on the 

South Australian mainland.  

A little towel bunny, compliments of our friendly Cabin Stewards. 

View from Prominade Deck of the bow 

whilst anchored off Kangaroo Island.  

   

Three years from the impact of the World Covid-19.

 Hello all. As you may deduce we have not cruised over the past 3 years.

Post Pandemic our Australian boarders opened to International Cruising on the 17th April 2022. The first cruise ship to sail into Sydney was P & O Pacific Explorer on 17th April but it did not sail on its first cruise until 31st May 2022. Celebrity Eclipse was also one of the first to start its cruising post Covid-19. 

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care required additional measures to reduce risks of passengers and crew from catching Covid-19.  

    -enhanced pre-arrival reporting and ID of Covid-19 risk. PSR (RAT) testing and proof. 

    -amendment to biosecurity.

    -Stress testing of emergency response system in relation to cruises.

    -passengers will need to be double vaccinated. 

    -Cruise Industry mandates of operating and outbreak management plans to reduce transmission aboard. 

To date Australia had 11,327,773 Cases, 19,856 (.2%) deaths. 11,264,265 (99.8%) recovered people. (Australian Government Department Health and Aged Care)

W.H.O. reports 761,402,282 confirmed Covid-19 cases, 6,887.000 deaths (not including China)

13,331,975,343 vaccines administrated. 

Long Covid ? who knows.

December 2021 saw the peak of Covid-19 infections. (to date)

Generally Australians holidayed near their homes or when interstate borders opened up, they holidayed further afield within Australia. Holiday Houses, B & B's, caravan parks and hotels all had large occupancy rates. 

It was February 2022 when we decided it could be reasonably safe to book a short cruise with-in Australian shores. P & O Pacific Explorer had a 7 day cruise departing and arriving back in Adelaide in March 2023. We booked and had 12 months to look forward to the opportunity to sail again. 

Whoo Hoo!  we had a cruise to look forward it what was still uncertain times.