Jimbo07

We were looking forward to the prospect of flying to Singapore, then cruising back to Brisbane along the East Coast. Forget it -- the testing restrictions/requirements are so onerous and costly, as well as the paranoia about being frogmarched around on the ship's excursions instead of being allowed to do our own thing at each port. Not worth it Looking at NZ instead -- whenever Jacinda lets us in . It's getting to be easier to fly over there and tour, instead of cruising to NZ; Looks like Alan Joyce has more clout with the Governments than the cruise lines??

Sailing past Gallipoli upstream on the Bosphorus, and thinking about the Anzacs, British, Indian , French and Turkish troops who were engaged in the futile and pointless campaign there in 1915. And how many were injured and died, thanks to an idiotic idea from Winston Churchill. Then going on into the Golden Horn, and seeing the beautiful Blue Mosque and the Haga Sophia in Istanbul, and wandering through that enormous bazaar and being stunned by the goods on offer; and sampling the baklava and Turkish delight; yum!