Mon 26 Jan 2026: Australia Day Concert

Mon 26 Jan 2026: Australia Day Concert

Vanita managed to win tickets to the Australia Day concert and invited me to go with her. Had nothing planned so I went along. Lucky for us the weather was good and we enjoyed a great concert with fireworks.

It featured performers: Cody Simpson, Kate Ceberano, William Barton, Jude York, and the Fabulous Caprettos

Tue 20 Jan 2026: Nathan's 41st Birthday - Concord Hospital

Tue 20 Jan 2026: Nathan's Birthday - Concord Hospital

After coming off the cruise, Lily drove Nathan to Concord Hospital Emergency Department.

He was admitted with kidney failure - acute kidney disease, the silent killer.

He had been complaining of headaches and loss of appetite. He wasn't well on the cruise. 

He now has to undergo dialysis 3 days a week.

No birthday celebrations this year. 😢

Tue 20 Jan 2026: Disney Cruise - Disembarkation - Day 5

Tue 20 Jan 2026: Disembarkation Day - Day 5

5:00am wake up. Ship cruises into Sydney Harbour.

6:30am go up to lvl 10 to take photos

Before heading back down. Try to get Fiona up.

6:45am head down to Tiana’s for final breakfast

Breakfast: fried egg, toast, sausage, hash brown. Fruit bowl. Apple juice

7:30am announcement for disembarking

Others need to go back to room to get bags.

Ship docks at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, CIrcular Quay.

Disembark on level 3 midship

Down gangway to terminal

Down lift to ground

Collect bags which are waiting for us - Daisy Gray.  No need for checking.

Nathan is not well. KC orders Uber to take him, JT, FT and KC home.

The rest of us walk to Circular Quay station and train it home. 

LC takes Nathan to Concord Hospital - Sophia drops them off.

He is in ICU with kidney disease - dialysis treatment overnight and following day.  Follow up to this - his kidneys failed - he will now require dialysis treatment at least 3 times a week.  He was discharged, but then complained of stomach pains. Admitted again, they said his gall bladder was causing the pains, so he underwent surgery to remove his gall bladder.  Discharged again, he was still having pains.  Admitted again, they discovered his pancreas was causing the pains - pancreatitis. He needed to flush out his pancreas - was in hospital for over 3 weeks. 

Mon 19 Jan 2026: Disney Cruise - Marvel Day at Sea - Day 4

Mon 19 Jan 2026: Marvel Day at Sea – Day 4

7:30 wake up

8:10 join Soph and Zachy in queue for Spiderman who appears at 8:30am

Then leave Soph and Zachy lined up for Bluey and Bingo to go get charm bracelet @9am. Too early so go down to 1, Medical services and collect some seasick pills.

Come back up to 4 to collect charm bracelet and join Soph and Zachy in Bluey’s. Kaylene joins us. Take photos and then joined by LC.

9:20am breakfast at Tritons with Sophia, Zachy, LC, KC.

Two fried eggs over easy, toast, sausage, hash brown tomato sauce. Plate of fruit: papaya, rockmelon

JT and Fee also having breakfast in Tritons

Head up to Cabanas for churros Mickey.

Back to room after breakfast.

Head down for shopping, buy pin, keychain and wet bag for KC.

Buy green T-shirt and pin.

Mickey Magnet making - Crown & Fin pub is full. Line up for sheets but so hot, take them to go. Then we go to Azure lounge, sit and cool off. Get to level 3 to see out for Emperors New Game in Azure Lounge

1:00pm Lunch in Tiana’s with JT and Fee.

Romaine Salad and farfalle pasta with coke.

2:30pm Learn to draw : Captain Minnie in Crown & Fin

3:00pm back in state room - pack Fee’s stuff, shower and wash hair, nap.

5:45pm Tiana’s Place. Experience the vibrant energy of New Orleans, complete with live jazz music and delicious Creole cuisine. Tiana plays host and makes her way around the tables for photos and greetings.

Dinner: ahi tuna tartare,

New Orleans Seafood Pepper pot

Warm water lobster salad

Celebrate Kaylene and my birthday's for dessert.

The Golden Mickeys - Academy Awards show at the theatre – a dazzling tribute to the enchanting movies of Walt Disney – complete with a red carpet at the Walt Disney Theatre.

More photos with the casts on some of the decks.

Sun 18 Jan 2026: Disney Cruise - Hobart - Day 3

Sun 18 Jan 2026: Hobart – Day 3

Sail into Hobart in the morning.

Take photos on deck with KC and LC

Before heading to Cabanas for buffet breakfast. Feeling better, so have hash browns, sausage, egg, baked beans and mushrooms.

After breakfast, decide to go into town. FT and JT also follow – FT has FOMO.  Others also disembark and explore Hobart.

At the terminal there are market stalls selling jewellery, craft stuff.

Take a walk around the wharf area. But don’t venture far.

Head back after a walk around the block. JT and FT are sitting at the wharf waiting.

Back on board we wait for the others to come back.

Then head to the French Quarters café for more Drawing with Mickey. Coffee and Beignets. Fiona scoffs them down. Lucky to have one.

Follow this with the Frozen, A Musical Spectacular show. Was supposed to be last night but was cancelled due to rough seas. The magic of the Disney classic Frozen springs to life before our eyes in this musical extravaganza at the Walt Disney Theatre. Everyone enjoyed it.

Tonight is Pirate Night. Eat, dance and be merry at a buccaneer bash fit for a pirate and be joined by some of your favourite Disney characters dresses in pirate garb.

Back in the cabin, we find out bandanas.

5:45pm Dinner at Animator’s Palate again. All dressed as pirates. Poppy has gone all out.

After dinner we join the kids at the Oceaneer’s club – open house. Surprise meeting with Mickey.

Go with KC to check out the shops, before heading up on deck to join the Pirate party. Music, song and dance by the crew.

This is followed by the Pirates of the Caribbean movie, but it’s too cold on deck – no one watching.

Head back indoors.

Sat 17 Jan 2026: Disney Cruise - Day at Sea - Day 2

Sat 17 Jan 2026: Day at Sea – Day 2

Wake at 7:30am

Feeling slightly better. Have shower.

8:00am breakfast on 9. Have seasick pill which KC has got from infirmary.

Keeping it light. Mickey waffle and buttermilk pancake with cream and strawberry compote.

9:30am Meet the Disney princesses- photos and autographs

       

See Mickey doing a walk around

Go up for Goofy, but too late. Line closed

11:45am Disney Junior Dance

12:15pm Disney food trivia

1:00pm lunch: noodles, pasta creamy sauce, duck drumstick, salad, chicken nuggets, prawns. Fruit salad, tapioca. Coke.

Broadway musical trivia in Pub

5:45pm Dinner at Animator’s Palate. Disney characters magically spring to colourful life right before your eyes over the course of the meal.

We were given instructions to draw ourselves on the placemats – which are collected by the wait staff. All out drawings are made into a short video which will air tonight.

Our long table is set smack bang in the middle of the dining room.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup – garnished with chives and drizzled with sour cream.

Grilled grain-fed Sirloin Steak with cauliflower, carrots, rice, jacket potato with butter and salt.

Cookies n Cream Sundae

8:45pm Disney tunes trivia

10:00pm Party on deck 9

10:15pm Fireworks

10:30pm Family Time game

11:10pm Family Time karaoke

Fri 16 Jan 2026: Disney Cruise Embarkation Day - Day 1

Fri 16 Jan 2026: Embarkation Day – Day 1

Embarkation Day

NC drops LC, MC, KC, JT, FT at Glebe Island terminal

JC drops SL and kids at Glebe Island terminal

I wait at home

ES comes over. JC arrives not long after. NC comes back too.

12:30pm ES drops us off.

Take group photo before boarding.

Bag drop. Bags are tagged and then left for crew to bring on board.

Then straight into queue to check in.

Security bag check for carry on items.

1:00pm Official cruise photos then up a lift to board the ship.

1:15pm Greeted by the crew when we enter. The bags are yet to arrive at the cabins, and I am getting hungry. 

1:45pm I head upstairs to buffet. Need to wash hands before entering. Lunch at Cabanas - noodles, beef, chips, salad, prawns.

Take photos on deck.

Back to the cabin, we can finally go in and check out the cabins. There is one queens size bed (Janet and Fiona to share) and a sofa which converts into a bed at night (for me). They are decorating their doors with the Disney magnets. Fish extenders have been hung. 

Go back up to check out the decks and take photos before heading back to room to get ready for emergency drill. No need to wear life jackets.

4:00pm Emergency Drill. Go to our station and wait for staff to do their thing. 

4:20pm Head to the atrium and up a level to see the show from the balcony. Disney characters come down the stairs and perform a dance. 

5:00pm Meet the characters - Darren lines up, so we join him for pictures with Chip n Dale.

5:20pm: Sailing out of Sydney, everyone has gone their own way. Can't find anyone on the top deck. JT and Fee are in the cabin - taking the view from the balcony. 

5:45pm Dinner is at Triton’s tonight. Journey beneath the waves at this ocean-themed restaurant inspired by The Little Mermaid. Janet and Fiona are the first to be seated at the very long table in the centre of the room. I join them next. The rest slowly come in and join us.

NC is not feeling well and skips on dinner. 

Soups and Salads: Potage Parmentier - Leek and Potato soup

Appetizer: Gaston's Escargot Gratinee - Herb Marinated Snails with Finely Chopped Mushrooms, topped with Garlic Butter.

Main Course: Conchiglie Pasta - with buttered Lobster, tossed in a Tomato Shrimp Tarragon, Brandy Sauce with Lemon Basil

Fernando and Juli are our wait staff.

Signature Dessert: Classic Opera Gateau - layers of Joconde Sponge, soaked in coffee syrup, chocolate ganache and rich buttercream.

Tonight’s show is Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic at the Walt Disney Theatre. . A musical about the power of dreams and family, starring a cavalcade of Disney characters.

9:45pm Drawing Mickey with KC

Feeling queasy. We stay for Trivia to try and steady ourselves.

After trivia we head back to cabins.

Ship is rocking.  Flop into bed, but then JT asks me to get stuff for Fee and I end up feeling queasy again.

Sit in toilet for a while – but nothing. Go into bathroom to have a shower and I throw up into the wash basin. Hope it’s not clogged. Run the water and flush it down. Give up on having a shower.

Climb back into bed. Change into PJs, but that’s it. JT gives me her vertigo tablets. Manage to sleep.

Wed 14 Jan 2026: Melbourne to Sydney - Day 6

Wednesday 14 Jan 2026: Melbourne to Sydney – Day 6

7:45am up. Pack

Breakfast: char siu bau, ham

9:30am head down- driver already waiting. JT checks out.

9:40am Uber ride to airport $51. Not a chatty driver.

10:08am at airport- self check in. Tag bags.

10:20am through security and screening.

Sit on some wooden benches- NC naps. Buy Wonder Pie chicken pie for $11 - for lunch later.

11:30pm Go to gate 6

12:05pm boarding. Seats -16DEF

12:53pm still on runway waiting to take off. Listen to music and play water puzzle

Sandwich- ham cheese chive with small coke. Shrimp flakes.

2:01pm land

2:30pm LC pickup at Express pickup

Tue 13 Jan 2026: Australian Open - Day 5

Tuesday 13 Jan 2026: Australian Open – Day 5

Breakfast: vita wheat x4 ham tomato cucumber cheese

10:15 head out to Spencer Street outlets- buy PJs

11:45 back to hotel

12:45pm free tram to AO after walking around the block looking for pizza 🍕 but no supreme

1:00pm arrive at Melbourne Park. Queue to go in. Bag search. Tickets checked.

We are in. Go into Rod Laver Arena. Sinnik is practicing with someone.

Sit a watch a bit. Then head to Grand Slam Oval. Food and stage area.

NC buys pizza. Sit and eat. Watch big screens. JT deals with email regarding FT

Head back to RLA to wait and watch Djokovic.2:30 start but he doesn’t turn up till 3

Watch a bit, then head to Top Court.

Looking for Wonder Pies. Leave JT and NC in TC to go to kids area and buy 2 pies- chicken and meat. $10 each. One of the best chicken pies I’ve had.

Sit in Top Court and eat. As we leave - Carlos Alcarez shows up for an interview in the hot shots court area.

    

Make our way back to GSO to wait until we can go into RLA for night session

5:00pm head in. Door 6 Row EE 132,133,134

Watch ladies - Jasmin Paolini vs Elena Rybakina - ER wins

Watch mens - Alexander Zverev vs Lorenzo Musetti - play 1 set to tie breaker but then Musetti calls for physio. Retires. So ends our day.

9:05pm Walk out via kids area all the way back along the Yarra River.

9:30pm back at hotel. Eat Sushi prawn salad with roast pork.

11:30pm sleep