The Intentional Travelers

Port of Call Perth Australia

Welcome to Perth, where soft-sand beaches and scenic parks meet a thriving metropolis of small bars, creative restaurants and curated street art. Nature and urban life exist in harmony in Perth, on Australia’s west coast. Here, where the locals soak up more sunny days than in any other Australian city. In addition to white-sand beaches, the city offers historic architecture, a huge public park and a number of great museums. Perth isn’t short on world-class attractions for visitors to Australia’s Wild West. There are a number of great things to see and do in Perth that you should fit into your itinerary.

Where Your Ship Docks

Fremantle in Western Australia is Perth’s harbor and where cruise ships dock. It is a full fifteen miles outside Perth making sightseeing somewhat of a challenge. Taxi Fare from the port of Fremantle into Perth is estimated at $60. It usually takes over 30 minutes to reach Perth from Fremantle Harbor by taxi but there are other options.

Getting Around

TransPerth is the Perth public transportation system, and it includes bus, train, and ferry networks throughout the region. There is an easy option for using the Perth public transit all day, called the Day Rider. A pass ticket costs about US$10.00 per day and it’s good for all zones for a 24 hour period from first use and is the best option if you plan on traveling around the city.

Transperth operates a train from Fremantle Station Platform 1 to central Perth Station Platform 8 every 20 minutes. Tickets cost $3 – $6 and the journey takes 30 min. Alternatively, Transperth operates a bus service from Adelaide Station in Perth. Tickets cost $4 – $6 and the journey takes almost an hour.

Currency

Australia has its own Dollar with an exchange rate to the American Dollar of about US$0.75. US Dollars are not usually accepted but credit cards are welcome and there are ATMs available everywhere.

Attractions

Kings Park – Introducing the largest inner-city park in the world, roughly 20% larger than New York’s Central Park. Kings Park is a verdant thousand-acre oasis in the heart of Perth, offering postcard-perfect views of the city centre and the Swan River, as well as 300-plus native West Australian plants, dozens of bird species and miles of manicured gardens and untamed bushland to hike and explore.

Perth’s Fremantle Prison Is a popular tourist attraction and is WA’s only UNESCO World Heritage-listed building. It’s history stretches way back to 1855, housing some of Britain’s worst convicts and the Western Australia’s toughest prisoners right up to its closing in 1991. Today you can take a tour of the historic site and if you’ve got the time even spend the night in a cell at the backpackers hostel situated in the former women’s wing.

Scitech An interactive museum experience exploring the modern world through playful science, technology, engineering and mathematics experiences. If you’re traveling with children or maybe just a child at heart don’t miss a visit to Perth’s SciTech. Link HERE.

Cottesloe Beach With the snow-white sand, turquoise water, lush green vegetation and Norfolk pine trees this beach is one of the best in Australia. With summer temperatures in the high 80’s and winter lows never much lower than the 50’s you’ll understand why Cottesloe is Perth’s most popular beach. The main beach is great for swimming or sunning and North Cottesloe is incredible for snorkeling with South Cottesloe famous for surfing. While there be sure and have a coffee in the iconic Indiana teahouse.

Rottnest Island Is just a half-hour ferry ride away. ‘Rotto’ only has 100-odd permanent residents but the population climbs to several thousand during summer holidays, when visitors flock to the beaches, cycling trails, untouched bushland, history and the world’s happiest anima, the incredibly photogenic marsupial called the quokka.

The Bell Tower You cannot miss this modern glass sculpture that climbs into the sky over the Elizabeth Quay area – a 250 foot tower that houses the Swan Bells, which comprise 18 bells sourced from historic churches in London. The Bell Tower is surrounded by ceramic tiles designed by school kids around WA, and contains an observation deck providing incredible views of the city of Perth and surrounds.

Perth Aquarium A state with 12,000 miles of coastline is bound to boast an incredibly diverse array of marine life, and Perth’s aquarium is up to the task. AQWA was the country’s largest aquarium when it opened in 1988 and still boasts a 750 thousand gallon tank containing an almost 300 foot tunnel to offer visitors an amazing look at the aquariums marine life including grey nurse sharks, stingrays and loggerhead turtles.

Join Us – We understand that the last thing you may want is more emails cluttering up your inbox, but we promise we’ll work hard to make this worth your while. Give us a try and if we don’t live up to our promise all you need do is click the unsubscribe link in our emails.

Port Of Call Hong Kong

Seeing Hong Kong In A Day

On South China Sea cruises Hong Kong is a major port of call. While one day is not enough time to see much you can hit some of the major highlights.

As you sail into Hong Kong your first impression of the city is one of rolling hills and endless skyscrapers. In this city even low-income housing is mostly in skyscrapers. Much like Singapore, Hong Kong developed because of its unique geo-political status and the South China Sea location. Recently the government of mainland China is working to absorb Hong Kong politically into China, against the requirements of the treaty that transferred the city from British control, but mostly daily life seems to go on as usual. Putting politics aside Hong Kong is a remarkable city. Modern, efficient and clean with the people incredibly friendly and eager to be helpful.

Where Your Ship Docks

Most cruise ships will usually dock at the new cruise terminal that was once the site of the international airport in Kowloon. The modern Kai Tak Cruise Terminal has plenty of public facilities, shops and tour offices and information stands inside. Outside taxi service and shuttle buses are available. There is no metro station at the cruise terminal however. The nearest one is the Ngau Tau Kok Station about 2 miles away. Across Victoria Harbor from the cruise terminal is Hong Kong Island encompassing the central business district with Victoria Peak standing above the city. To get into town you can take a taxi but often there are free shuttles. Local businesses in order to deliver cruise passengers to their merchants will provide free bus service to several locations on Hong Kong Island and that opportunity is worth taking advantage of.

Getting Around

The first suggestion is to get yourself oriented as to where you are and what locations you would like to visit. Taxis are plentiful and inexpensive and the subway (MTR) is clean, modern, inexpensive and easy to use. You can find a number of official maps HERE or download our free map below.

The free bus rides from the cruise terminal will usually include a ride to Plaza Hollywood which is a large mall featuring exhibit space, a movie theatre and a couple hundred stores. While not a real destination it will get you to a central Hong Kong location with easy access to the MTR with one station under the mall.

Wheelchair Accessibility
Disembarking – This port provides a modern cruise terminal with built-in provisions for passengers using wheelchairs like ramps and elevators.

Port Area Characteristics – This port has a well developed wheelchair friendly infrastructure. The port area is flat or has few inclines. Intersection crosswalks have few issues with curbs or other wheelchair obstacles.

Currency

The local currency is still the Hong Kong Dollar and is worth somewhat less than US$0.15. Credit cards are welcome everywhere and ATM machines are plentiful. If you don’t want to use credit cards you will need to exchange some money for Hong Kong Dollars.

Things To See

This city is itself a wonder and just exploring its districts and neighborhoods is enough to begin to get its flavor. If you took the free shuttle to Plaza Hollywood you will find yourself near a couple of MTR stations (one inside the mall) and the Nan Lian Gardens (look for the elevated highway and walk under it after exiting the mall). The park is a classic style Chinese garden and is beautiful with flowers, waterfalls, Koi ponds and pagodas and completely walled in by high rise buildings (admission is free).

Taking the MTR is easy to figure out with well designed maps and ticket machines that take credit cards with English language options. The trains and stations are modern, clean and well marked. Your first objective should be to get to the Central MTR station for its location in the CBD and the Victoria Peak Tram. The area features commercial skyscrapers and upscale shopping with the alleys between buildings filled with market stalls selling everything from food to inexpensive clothing.

Going up to Victoria Peak is one of the cities highlights. There is a Peak Tram that leaves from a station near Hong Kong Park and the Government Center in the CBD but the wait in line to buy tickets and catch the tram can be several hours. Another option is to offer to share a taxi with the fare up and back costing less than 25 Hong Kong Dollars (US$3) each way. The view is spectacular and well worth the trip. If you are overnighting, do not pass up a visit to The Heights at night.

If you’re visiting Hong Kong for a few days or visiting on a cruise don’t hesitate to take advantage of the cities fantastic metro system. It’s clean, easy to understand and most signage includes English. You can depend on the people to also be friendly and eager to offer assistance.

Hong Kong is an incredible city with a great metro system. Generally the people are friendly and helpful. The young people don’t just get up to give older people their seat – they insist. Fares are very reasonable and coverage is extensive.

Worried About Seasickness?

Stop Worrying – You Can Overcome Seasickness And Have A Great Cruise

Seasickness just isn’t that big a problem and at times getting seasick is just a fact of life. With this article it is certainly not my intent to scare people away from cruising but rather to offer some simple ways to overcome it. Some people seem to get it worse than others but you should not allow your fear of getting seasick keep you from experiencing one of travels most amazing options.

Afraid of Getting Seasick?

Maybe you would love to try cruising but have a big concern about getting seasick? If you are worried about taking a cruise because you are prone to seasickness, or motion sickness, you are not alone but you need not worry too much. There are thousands of people that have faced that fear and have gone on to become enthusiastic and frequent cruisers.

What Causes Seasickness?

Seasickness is caused by a conflict between the inner ear, where the human balance mechanism resides, and the brains visual perception regarding its surroundings. The inner ear where balance is controlled, has small hairs bathed in fluid that detect changes in both up-and-down and side-to-side movement. With movement at sea the body moves along with the ship causing the balance mechanism to register motion while often your eyes see your surroundings as a relatively stable scene. Confused by this perceptual incongruity, the brain responds with a cascade of stress-related hormones that often cause nausea, vomiting, and vertigo.

Working to settle the stomach is the initial approach to overcoming the symptoms of seasickness. Two old navy standbys are ginger ale and crackers along with spending time out on deck. First the fresh air helps but also staring at the horizon is a way of reconciling the brain to the movement of the ship and the unmoving horizon.

Try Ginger Root

My wife had a serious issue with small boats and getting seasick and for that reason was very concerned about cruising. We were planning to take our first cruise and had selected Alaska, something she really wanted to do. If her seasickness got the better of her, at least she had gotten to see Alaska.

She had gone to her doctor to get a prescription for the patch and while he wrote the prescription he suggested she first try ginger root. He said he had a terrible time with seasickness and recently on a trip to Australia the Aussies told him to take ginger root. After two days out on the Great Barrier Reef hebacame a convert. On his advice she started taking ginger root capsules and she hasn’t had any real problems since and we have weathered a number of storms at sea over the years. While she had the patch she has never used it.

We have a friend who cruises a lot and she was getting acupuncture treatments on the ships to help with her seasickness. On our recommendation she started taking ginger and now no longer needs those treatments. The recommended dose is 550mg taken with meals. Don’t take it alone or you’ll probably taste the ginger for hours afterwords.

Select The Right Stateroom

If you’re prone to bad episodes there are also some other things you can to reduce the risk of getting seasick. The problem is actually a severe form of motion sickness. It is particularly severe on ships because during higher seas the motion can be unusual and persistent. The good news is it rarely lasts for long. If your concerned about how well you’ll do consider booking a cabin that can reduce motion. The staterooms less prone to feeling the ships motion are located in the center of the ship half way between the stern and the bow and near the waterline. Think about a seesaw where the riders go up and down but the center stays relatively still. If you do suffer a bad episode a nap can be just what the doctor ordered.

Bon Voyage and smooth sailing!

Featured This Week • A Day Cruising Tee

Cruise All Day • Repeat Tee

Think of summer evenings by the Mediterranean, the feeling of sand beneath your feet. Elegant evenings and casual days ashore where the breeze is warm and the days are long. Shop Now The Cruise Life Shop at The Crafts Mart.

https://www.thecraftsmart.com/product-page/cruise-life-unisex-short-sleeve-t-shirt-repeat-light

Fashion For Ship N’ Shore

Imagine cruising the Caribbean, Alaska or the Mediterranean. The feel of sea breezes, amazing sunsets with elegant evenings and casual days ashore. Enjoy fashions created just for your cruise life. Shop Now The Cruise Life Shop at The Crafts Mart.

WHAT’S YOUR COLOR? EXPLORE MORE CASUAL FASHIONS FOR SHIP N’ SHORE!

SHOP NOW

Visiting Normandy & Remembering D-Day

The Beaches of Normandy, France

WWII Memorial erected in the Surf at Omaha Beach

The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations of 6 June 1944. The Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord often referred to as D-Day was the largest seaborne invasion in world history. The operation began the liberation of France along with western Europe.

Should your travel plans bring you to the western coast of France or if you’re visiting Paris you should consider adding a trip to the beaches of Normandy to your itinerary. There are a number of tours available from Paris to Normandy and many can be booked through hotels. Another option is to rent a car and spend a couple of days in Normandy on your own. The countryside is beautiful and the French people here are incredible welcoming.

Any visit should include the:

Caen Memorial Museum
The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer.
A tour of Pointe du Hoc.
The landing beaches of Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword.
Arromanches-les-Bains.
The Pegasus bridge.

Shell Craters dot the landscape at Pointe du Hoc

There are also a number of other cemeteries in the area honoring those that gave their lives from the British Commonwealth and other countries.

France, as a travel destination, doesn’t have the best reputation for the friendliness of its people. That is not the case in Normandy as you’ll discover most people friendly, talkative and still eager to express gratitude for the American and allied sacrifices on D-Day. Be sure and spend some time at Pointe du Hoc where you’re likely to encounter French school tours visiting as there is serious effort to keep that moment in history alive for successive French generations.

Even today, visiting the quiet beaches and the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, the enormity of that day in 1944 still has an emotional impact. It is overwhelming to walk thru the Normandy American Cemetery with the almost 10,000 head stones standing in row after row, like the fallen soldiers they mark. Walking in the cemetery it is hard to process the number of lives lost in only a couple of days. The land beneath the cemetery is actually considered U.S. soil and the cemetery is maintained and operated by Americans.

Along the coast and especially at Pointe du Hoc you can still see the craters gouged out by the Allied naval gun barrages on June 6th along with those immense concrete German defensive bunkers dotting the landscape. At Pointe du Hoc it is difficult to look down those shear ninety-foot cliffs and believe that 225 American Rangers climbed them in bad weather while under attack by German gunfire from above.

Save some time for lunch at the village of Arromanches which sits in the middle of the invasion beaches or taking a drive through the beautiful French Normandy countryside. There are farms and villages dotted with yellow canola fields, bordered by oak trees thick with clusters of mistletoe. All-in-all an unforgettable experience.

Port of Call Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City, as it is officially called, is a sprawling city located on the delta of the Dong Nai River however even locals still call it by its original name, Saigon. With the rapid industrialization recently of Vietnam a number of port facilities have been built along the channels of the Dong Nai River and usually they are referred to by the name of the nearest town, like Phu My. Currently there are a number of locations where cruise ships can dock. These are all working industrial ports where cruise terminals are generally not available, but Vietnamese government is planning expansion to meet the growing demand.

The SPCT Port facility is one of the locations where cruise ships have docked and is about fifteen to twenty miles from Saigon’s CBD. Larger cruise ships are currently using the SP-PSA Saigon International Terminal which, by road, is over thirty miles from Saigon.

In either case there is virtually little within five miles of the cruise ship docking area to accommodate visitors and getting into Saigon will require either a tour or a taxi. Most cruise ships offer tours into Saigon along with excursions to the Mekong River and more.

Transportation – Most cruise passengers take advantage of buses arranged by their ships. Usually taxis are available and a one-way trip into Ho Chi Minh City will cost about 700,000 Dong or about US$30 (be sure and confirm the price before starting out). Additionally Grab (a Vietnam service similar to Uber) is popular in Vietnam so if you are inclined refer to their app (https://www.grab.com/vn/en/). We have heard that Grab drivers are a bit scarce near the port but common in the city.

Showroom on Dong Khoi St. — Showroom on Đồng Khởi St.

Currency – Currently the US Dollar is worth about 23,000 Vietnamese Dong but the good news is the Vietnamese gladly accept American Dollars. Credit cards are welcome at many businesses but ATM’s can have major charges for transactions.

Attractions – The primary destination is Saigon where you will find notable landmarks like the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, the War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace (former Presidential Palace) and many cultural centers. Saigon is also a shopper’s paradise with bargains found everywhere. The city has a number of major markets with An Đông Market being the most popular for general merchandise. There is also Đồng Khởi Street an upscale shopping and restaurant neighborhood.