Teen program for Legend of the Seas

Yesterday on our ship inspection I picked up a copy of the teen program for the current cruise for anyone with teens interested to see what is organised. It's not school holidays so there wouldn't be too many kids on board, or a full program of activities.

Teen program download

Note: this is a large document if you have limited data allowance or a slow internet connection.

A snippet of day 2 is below as an example for those that don't want to download the document.

Also, I neglected to add in yesterdays post that there was a full rack of small child size PFD's for use at the pool. Quite handy and would save having to pack one for kids not confident at swimming. Sorry I didn't take a photo for reference.

Legend of the Seas ~ Ship inspection and lunch, Brisbane 2016

A few weeks ago an advertisement for a ship inspection popped up on my FB feed. After consulting the calendar and husband, we decided to book it. A decision that took maybe 30 seconds.
This is the first time I've ever seen a ship inspection opportunity. It looks like they quite often have them in Sydney and I have heard other ports overseas have them as well.

We arrived at Portside about 10am and snapped some shots of the ship from viewing platform.

The weather wasn't very favourable.

Supplies being loaded.

We met Warren from Cruise Express at 10:30 with the other guests on the tour. There was about 50 (I didn't count, just a rough guess) of us and we had to get visitor passes for the terminal as well as a visitor pass for the ship, presumably so we couldn't stow away.

We all had to go through security as expected and finally made it on board around 11:15. There was a day group ahead of us from Camp Quality charity with a heap of families spending the day on board, kids using the facilities and the parents having some R&R.

Once on board we went straight to level 11 to the nightclub area. This has the Chops Grill restaurant and the Japanese restaurant on the outside. It would be a spectacular view for a special meal at night.

Chops Grill

From there we seemed to cover the entire ship's public areas.

Looking down on the atrium area.

Outdoor pool area.

Mini golf. There is also a rock climbing wall.

Adults only pool area 

Adults only pool area  

Adults only pool area  

Park cafe 

Adults only pool area 

Gym

 Anchor's Aweigh

 Main theatre

 Main theatre

Art work in theatre

For anyone with teens, here is their space

At about 12:30, at the end of the tour, we ended up at Romeo and Juliet's, the MDR, for lunch. The dining room was closed to everyone else and we had a small, limited menu to choose from. Food was delicious and even a glass of complementary wine.

 Everyone at our table ordered the shrimp cocktail and I wasn't quick enough to photograph, but here are the mains and dessert.

 The salmon

 Beef Stroganoff

Apple pie

Lunch concluded the tour.

I'd really like to thank Cruise Express and Royal Caribbean International for organizing this. 

We like to cruise from Brisbane for convenience and having some alternative ships as well as the future possibility of a new cruise terminal in Brisbane makes it very exciting.

I'm really hoping that the new terminal will have the disused train line extended out to the site to aid transport, as well as make day trip visits easier for overseas passengers.

Cruise Express

Food photos on the Pacific Aria

We always seem to take a couple of shots of food when on a cruise. Not so many this time but here they are.

Firstly, Angelo's restaurant.

Desert menu

Zabaglione torte

 Crisp ricotta and semolina pastry puffs

Grana padano cheese

Italian wine

At the Salt Grill

House baked plain and zartar bread

Pan-fried gnocchi

 

Five-spiced cured duck

Luke's liquorice parfait

At the chocolate shop

As tempting to H these were, I couldn't let him have one. ($15.99 AUD)

Bars

Beers on tap at one of the bars

Champagne Beach, Vanuatu, 14th December 2015

Our arrival early morning was met with rather gloomy skies and low hanging clouds, however the weather did clear later on.

Unfortunately my son wasn't feeling the best and my darling husband decided to stay aboard with him so I could go ashore to meet up with the tour guide I had arranged prior to leaving Brisbane. I had no way to contact them and Champagne beach is a tender port.
Fortunately I made it ashore and met with Ednah, who had organised a driver for myself and two other passengers. I think we were the last or second last group to leave for the day.
The tour was to the Riri blue hole, about 40 mins drive from the beach.

This blue hole (there are others on the island) is very beautiful. The water is freezing.

I did actually attempt the rope swing out into the water. We spent about an hour at the hole before heading back to the beach area.

View of the Pacific Aria driving back down the steep road from the Riri blue hole.

View of beach from the jetty.

Tender boat jetty.

View from the jetty

Champagne beach bar.

Beach cricket

Markets

More markets.

There is no view of the ship from the beach as the anchorage is around the corner. I was lucky to make it ashore as the sea became too rough later on and the captain stopped the tender service. There were a few disappointed passengers unable to make it ashore.

I'd definetely like to return to Champagne beach and have some more time relaxing on the beach. I would also recommend a tour with Santo Irie tours.