A walk-and-go (4) Australia and New Zealand cruise tour – Melbourne
Holland America Line has a "Have It All" premium cruise package that includes shore excursions, wine and beverages, specialty meals, and WiFi. After I bought it, I can drink as much as I want with my cruise card. Although the upper limit is 15 glasses of wine and drinks per day, I can only drink 2-4 glasses, and I still feel good. Especially every afternoon from 4:00 to 5:30, I relax and drink fine wine on the deck on the 10th floor. Under the bright summer sun in the South Pacific, watching the happy people and the endless sea view, I feel how life can be like this good?
The hotel called an online car-hailing car for me, and I arrived at the White Bay Cruise Terminal. After delivering the large suitcase, I first submitted a 24-hour negative COVID19 test certificate and vaccination history to Holland America Line, and then presented my Australian and New Zealand electronic visas and my own American passport, and soon boarded the ship smoothly. The cruise attendant was already waiting on my floor. As soon as I met him, he guided me to the room and opened the door for me enthusiastically. He is an Indonesian, a very nice guy.
Holland America Line is a luxury cruise company headquartered in Seattle, USA. Founded in 1873, it is one of the oldest cruise companies in the world. Holland America Line is part of a large cruise industry renowned for its elegance, tradition and luxurious service. Holland America Line's fleet of 14 ships, including large cruise ships and ocean-going expedition ships, offers itineraries around the world. Holland America Line's destinations are all over the world, including the Caribbean, Northern Europe, Mediterranean, Far East, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica. In addition, Holland America Cruises also provides themed cruise tours, such as food, music, culture and sailing themed tours, to meet the needs of different travelers.
Holland America Line's ships are characterized by tradition, elegance and luxury, with elegantly designed cabins and public areas, as well as high-quality food and service. There are a variety of entertainment facilities on the cruise, including theaters, casinos, spas, gyms and various restaurants. In addition, Holland America Line offers a variety of travel experiences, including cultural, historical and natural adventures. I like the food on board, especially steak, crispy roast pork, Nanyang style fried rice noodles and soup and Japanese sushi. The water used by this cruise ship comes from desalinated seawater, so there is plenty of water.
Just after dinner, I heard the captain say on the radio that the ship will sail soon, and I hope everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Sydney Harbor on the deck. Because the boat has to pass under the Sydney Harbor Bridge, it depends on the water level under the bridge, the tide and the time. I immediately went to the 10th floor deck, it was very windy, but fortunately the weather was fine.
Soon after, the ship was going to pass under the bridge. It seemed to me that the antenna on the ship was higher than the bridge deck, and finally passed without any danger. Cheers to the official start of our 14-day cruise!
The next day the cruise ship sailed on the TASMAN sea, the sun was shining but the sea wind was blowing so hard that it was impossible to take a walk on the deck. When watching the show in the evening, the captain raised a glass to welcome everyone to board the ship, and the atmosphere was very joyous. There are great shows every night, with programs such as the BBC Earth Concert, and the partnership brings their innovative and stunning shows to the world stage. The award-winning soundtrack will be performed live as BBC Earth's incredible wildlife footage fills the big screen. It was an unforgettable experience that gave everyone a new perspective on the planet.
After a day at sea, we arrived in Melbourne. Melbourne is one of Australia's most vibrant and cultural cities. Located in the southeastern part of Australia, in the center of Victoria, Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. According to 2019 figures, Melbourne's population is 5.17 million people. Melbourne has a temperate maritime climate with four distinct seasons, with warm and pleasant summers and relatively cool winters.
Melbourne is known for its diverse cultural and arts events, including museums, concerts, film festivals, fashion weeks, food festivals and more. In addition, Melbourne is also one of the most popular tourist destinations in Australia, with many well-known attractions, such as the Royal Exhibition Building, St. Paul's Cathedral, Flemington Gardens and so on. Melbourne is one of the education centers in Australia, with many world-renowned universities, such as the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and so on. Melbourne is one of Australia's commercial and financial centers and one of the most competitive cities in the world. Its main industries include finance, education, medical care, tourism and technology.
Image by Paul Macallan from Pixabay
I took a shore excursion to see the long-awaited "Angel" sculpture by local artist Deborah Halpern. The sculpture is 7.6 meters high and weighs about 2 tons. It is made of colorful ceramic fragments. It is one of the iconic sights in the heart of Melbourne, attracting thousands of tourists to appreciate it.
"Angel" is on the side of the Southbank Promenade, close to the Yarra River. The place is a very busy tourist area with lots of cafes, restaurants and shopping around. In Melbourne, this sculpture is also very popular and has become one of the representatives of local culture and art.
Deborah Halpern is a well-known local artist whose work is regularly exhibited in galleries and museums across Australia and internationally. She is known for her vibrant and colorful art style, and "Angel" is one of her most famous works. First exhibited at the 1988 World Expo in Melbourne, the sculpture represents peace, harmony and the connection between human beings. "Angel" is a beautiful, vibrant and meaningful sculpture that has become an iconic sight in the heart of Melbourne. It not only represents the artistic style of artist Deborah Halpern, but also represents the cultural and social values of the city.