Among many interested onlookers who woke up early on Tuesday to watch Voyager of the Seas make its maiden visit to Wollongong was Alaja Nikolevski, of Berkeley.
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Mr Nikolevski chose the Port Kembla Outer Harbour to watch the giant cruise ship come in and will soon do something no one else has done. He was on Radiance of the Seas when it became the first mega-liner to visit Wollongong on October 30 and is about to set sail on the second ship to do it - Voyager of the Seas.
Mr Nikolevski was very keen to see what Voyager looked like coming in because when he was on Radiance he did not get the perspective of what the arrival of the giant ship looked like from the shore. Now he is keen to set off on his South Pacific cruise on January 5 because he knows the last stop on January 18 before Voyager returns to Sydney will be Port Kembla.
The Royal Caribbean cruise ship is his favourite ship so it will not be the first time he has sailed on her. But his next trip will have added meaning. Mr Nikolevski booked the Radiance of the Seas cruise knowing it was coming to his home town but did not know the Voyager holiday would also take him to Wollongong. Port Kembla was added to the itinerary later.
Mr Nikolevski said he enjoyed the experience of being on board a ship coming into his home town so much in late October that he was looking forward to doing it again on a larger ship with almost twice as many passengers.
“Coming in on Radiance was beautiful and I came here this morning so I can see the next ship I am coming into Port Kembla on. Seeing such a giant cruise ship from the shoreline is a really different site to what I saw before from the pool deck. I am really looking forward to January 18 now,” he said.
Meanwhile positive feedback from Voyager’s first visit on Tuesday continues. Linda Bone, Trevor Bireg and John Greve, of Melbourne, said the Wollongong visit was a highlight of their South Pacific cruise.
“We have never been to Wollongong before. People have been very friendly. It has been very good. We hopped off the shuttle bus, went up the street and had a coffee and Trev has had a hair cut and we have done a bit of shopping,” Ms Bone said.
Mr Greve said looks forward to returning to Wollongong after such a good first impression.
They also wanted to try and get in a Just Cruisin’ Harley ride but graciously made way for the Captain for a pre-arranged presentation and welcome from the city on Mount Keira.
Mr Greve said the way Wollongong turned on its welcome was “top class”. “You need to keep it up. You couldn’t make it any better. We knew it was going to be a great day from the very start. The lady on the bus who was the tour guide directed us very well. She was pleasing, she had a laugh and she was absolutely fantastic.”
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
