Friday 10.19.2012

Australia has eliminated the penny.  So what happens when the price of something ends in other than a 5 or 10?  We found out at the local IGA grocery store that when the last digit is a 1, 2 or 3, the amount is rounded down.  So our groceries ended at .51 and we paid .50.  John asked and found that if our purchases had ended at .54, it would have rounded up and .51, 52, and .53 round down.

We checked out of the hotel Thursday just before noon and took a cab to the pier.  We know that tipping is not usually done here, but the cabbie lifted and stowed four bags, two very heavy, and removed them from the cab for us.  The fare was $18.00 and we gave a twenty.  Partially out of habit, but it just seems wrong (cheap) not to tip, but they really do not expect it.  We have seen that the prices of onboard sodas and drinks have increased 10- 15% to compensate for the lack of tipping by Australians.  This way the wait staff still get what they earn.

At the ship, all went smoothly and quickly again.  No lines to wait through and no ‘holding room’ to sit in while the ship is readied.  So a quick lunch, a nap for John, and unpacking when the bags arrived.

Dinner on this cruise is at 5:30.  We are at a table for 10, and last night there were eight, all Australians.  We prefer a table for six, as the longer oval table makes it difficult to hear from one end to the other and as a result there are often multiple conversations.  On the way down to dinner, we had a new experience.  Elevators always have a sign giving total weight allowed and (probably an estimate) total number of passengers allowed.  This elevator sign said 1000 kilos (2,200 pounds) or 14 passengers.  As it happened, nine passengers were ok, but 10 turned on the OVERLOAD light and the cage wouldn’t move.  John was the largest passenger, so we were not close to the limit.