Too Many Panama Canal Cruisers Get These 5 Things Wrong! (Podcast #523)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I have done a Panama Canal transit four times and on every trip I see passengers making the same mistakes that get in the way of making it their adventure of a lifetime. But some of the errors are so easy to make that even an experienced cruiser like me can get tripped up – as I did on my most recent Panama Canal trip on Regent Grandeur. So, welcome aboard, I’m Gary Bembridge and hear 5 things I have learnt the hard way that you need to know about doing a Panama Canal cruise. Links mentioned: David McCullough’s “The Path Between the Seas. The Creation of the Panama Canal” ** Buy on...
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Regent Says It's The World's Best Cruise Line! I Put That To The Test (Podcast #522)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Days before heading off on Regent's newest ship, the Grandeur, the line launched new advertising promising that “nobody does it better”. In in they also claimed to have the “world's most luxurious fleet”, and that no cruise line beats them on destination experiences, hospitality, luxury spaces, and dining. Having been on Regent before, while I found them great, I didn’t think they beat every line, so this latest trip turned into the perfect opportunity to really test out if Regent now does do cruising better than everybody else. I am Gary Bembridge, and this is what I found. And as...
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6 NEW Cruise Scams & Tricks To Watch Out For This Year! (podcast #521)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I’ve been contacted recently by way too many cruise passengers that have been caught out by new scams that have emerged since my last video about this topic, including one a good friend stumbled upon on his latest cruise – and one using me to scam cruisers like you! Here are the latest cruise scams to watch out for! Links mentioned: Get 10% any of The Cruise Maps products using USA ESTA: UK ETA : Canada ETA: CIBT Visa: Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers...
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6 Tricks To Use To Beat Today's Soaring Cruise Fares (podcast #521)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Every cruiser can see that cruise fares have been rising scarily fast, and cruise lines are telling Wall Street investors that they expect fares to keep rising well over inflation as demand for cruising is so high. But despite that, I have found ways of paying less than most people on every one of the 12 upcoming trips I've got booked. I'm going to show you how I, and other smart cruisers, cruise for less than others in this time of rising fares. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube: ...
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Cruise Lines JUST Banned These 6 Much-Loved Items!! (podcast #520)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I’m upset as one item I've taken on every cruise I've done to date has just been banned. But I'm not the only one devastated about new cruise line bans, as three people contacted me about a less-publicised ban making cruising more costly for them. While I saw another recent ban got one cruiser banned for life when she unwittingly broke it. I’m Gary Bembridge, and I’m here to tell you about six items cruise lines have recently banned that could change the way you cruise. Forever. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit...
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Changes EVERYONE Cruising In 2025 Needs To Know About (Podcast #519)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
If you've got a cruise booked in 2025, or thinking of booking one, there are startling changes being made by cruise lines, governments, and the actions of some local port residents that you need to be ready to deal with. Even if you've been cruising recently and think you know how things work, these changes could catch you by surprise and throw your cruise plans off course. Here are six changes I think you need to be ready for in 2025. Links mentioned in the episode: UK ETA: EU ETIAS: Videos Mentioned: Money saving: Banned Items: Become a Tips For Travellers...
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Antarctica Expedition Lines Don’t Tell You This, Until You’re On Board! (Podcast #518)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
On all three Antarctic trips I've been on, I’ve seen so many passengers thrown by the same things each time. All because expedition lines are not totally transparent until passengers get on board. Then the truth comes out. It often comes as a big shock to many. So, here are the six things I see most passengers are surprised about Antarctic cruising once they get on board. Links mentioned in the video: The Cruise Maps, to get 10% off any order use this link: Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For...
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I Put Silversea's Costly Expedition Cruising To The Test. WORTH IT? (Podcast #517)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Knowing that the expedition cruise I wanted to do would cost me the same as buying a new luxury car, I needed to make sure that the line I went with would deliver something special and make every dollar worth it. After much deliberating, I decided to entrust Silversea with this huge sum of money as I've been on shorter expedition cruises with them before, thought they did a good job, though I was apprehensive as the cost of getting it wrong was so enormous. On this trip, I discovered just what Silversea Expedition are doing well, and not so that well these days, as you will hear. ...
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The Smartest Way To Deal With These 6 Cruise Nightmares (Podcast #516)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I've recently been following several cruise-gone-wrong sagas that inspired me to make this. They include outraged passengers raging because the Captain decided to miss iconic ports that most had booked the cruise for, and a distraught family facing a medical bill of $150,000 after their father fell ill on European cruise. Like you I assume all my cruises will be perfect, but not all are. Here are the main things I’ve seen go wrong, and how to be ready for them and what to do if it happens to you. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and...
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Smart Cruisers Rely On These Game-Changing Cruise Resources (Podcast #515)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Over the years I've been cruising, I have made many mistakes, but thanks to other cruisers I've met along the way, they suggested various tools, sites, and apps that helped make sure I avoided making those – and other - mistakes again. So, I'd like to share those that I use on every cruise to make every trip epic. Including some rather quirky and unusual ones that you may find surprising and even rather amusing! Links mentioned in the video: Get 10% off any order of The Cruise Maps using https://www.TheCruiseMaps.com/TFT (discount applied at check out) Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: ...
info_outlineGary Bembridge of Tips for Travellers shares observations, tips and advice for visitors to Sydney in Australia.
Subscribe free to the show on iTunes, Stitcher Radio or TuneIn Radio
This show covers among other topics:
General Observations
- Harbour area around circular quay is magical and the iconic view of Australia and Sydney. Beyond the harbour bay is less compelling and different to any city. Architecture not that exciting.
- Not a big a city in world league just 4 million but is young ( ve age is 36)
- 19% Asian
- Casual outdoor lifestyle and informal
- Mix of colonial roots from UK and American feel
- Festivals important to the city to attract visitors and create excitement and energy - film / food/ mardi gras
- Expensive city - accom, food, coffees, going out etc
History
- Settlement was named after UK Home Secretary (Lord Sydney) when Penal colony was established.
- Year after most of indigenous population wiped out by lack of resistance to European diseases.
- Not the capital - Canberra is. Rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney meant it would be neither.
Getting there
- Lots of flying options.
- Cruise Ships now fast growing way to get there too.
- Need Visa, which can get online.
- Smart Gate Fast track entry for electronic passports including UK, NZ, Swiss, Singapore, US Global entry
- Customs very strict - border control tv show - disease obsessed
Best time
Southern Hemisphere so Summer peak is Dec / Jan and coldest in July.
Getting around
- Traffic quite congested - large use of public transport by locals
- Taxi - expensive , Train system - good, Bus system good and inexpensive - buy ticket or cards at newsagents / convenience stores
Where to stay
Harbour area
Top things to do
Harbour Area
Do harbour tour HOHO or tours from Circular Quay (explain options)
The Rocks
Museum of Contemporary Art - stunning building - renovated and expanded 2012
Explore the icons
Sydney Harbour Bridge - bridge walk - 4 hours long short 1,5 hour
Opera House - behind scene tours and backstage tours -
Visit the beaches
Bondi - use 333 bendy bus - train to Bondi a Junction then bus
Manley - harbour trip there scenic - surfing - snorkel - penguins
Darling Harbour
Buzzy and busy with many tourist attractions:
Sealife Aquarium
Australian National Maritime Museum
IMAX
Madame tussards
Powerhouse Museum
Sydney Tower and Skywalk
Shopping
Westfield Sydney
Queen Victoria building
Pitt street - the 5th Ave of Sydney
Oxford street
Other
Olympic Park Tour
Gardens - Hyde park, Botanical gardens, Chinese gardens
Luna Park