Random Play by Graham Reid

Let's remember that high wealth visitors do not want to see another McDonalds, Starbucks and, as mentioned, plastic Tiki stores. They come here to experience New Zealand: the backward country. Ok, sorry, the mostly unspoilt country in international terms. If this means their first impression is a port that is... a port, then that's what New Zealand is! If they are here only one day, then we should concentrate on fleecing them. I mean, how much "New Zealand" can you actually appreciate in one day? Take us as you find us, and please spend freely on the things we are known for: wine, thrills, and (relatively) unspoilt country/sea side. Thanks.

As the only supporter of a waterfront stadiaum in AKL, I thought that setting it up so liners could berth on 3 sides, docking to a bright, airy, open multi-level atrium fitted with all the facilites etc., surrounded a wonderful open boulevard where the public of Auckland could mingle with passengers who have passed through a discrete but sensible MAFF check, perhaps taking in the ground level galleries and cafes... oh well

Once again destroyed by petty Aucklanders who take 60 years to finish a motorway junction, 100 years to build a station in the town centre, endelssly whine about having (amongst) the lowest rates in the country, pass out at the thought of pedestrianising their (theoretical) main street, and think that expanding a mollusc of an obsolete stadium built slap in the middle of a residential area, miles from main arteries for (and you read it here first) I'll bet what comes in at $400m was a good idea...

<giant sigh>

she ... noted of Auckland's woeful passenger facilities ... "if that was the airport we'd be shocked and horrified".

Heh heh. Don't fall for this folks! I've been on cruises in both Asia and the Med and I can tell you Cruise Visitors have it good when they come to Auckland. Like being able to dock in the heart of the city for starters!
Many of the Asian ports we docked at were like docking at Onehunga wharf, but with less facilities and even further away from anywhere. When we docked in Rome (as per the itinerary) I was surprised to learn that we were actually docking in Civitavecchia*, which means a 90 minute coach ride to Rome (which is actually on a river, not the coast - damn those tiny maps in the brochures!).
But of course, if we want to be 'A.World.Class.City" I guess we'll have to spend half a billion dollars of ratepayers money (I don't think taxpayers will stand for another subsidy for Mega Wealthy Auckland) to build something grand.
At least it will be get more use than Eden Park.

[*OK, I knew it was Civitavecchia, but they implied it was Port Civitavecchia, in Rome]

When we docked in Rome (as per the itinerary) I was surprised to learn that we were actually docking in Civitavecchia*, which means a 90 minute coach ride to Rome (which is actually on a river, not the coast - damn those tiny maps in the brochures!).

I think expecting to sea dock at a city that isn't on the coast, might be expecting a bit much, even of Rome. I've heard it's got some other things going for it though.

heh heh -- you obviously paid attention in Geography class you big girlie swot Kyle! ;)

Me, I had no idea, and as I mentioned, they kinda implied we were docking in Rome ...

(Lovely place Rome. Sure, plenty of Tourists, but you gotta see it at least once if you can. I've been twice)

If we can't get the clock outside Britomart on the old Post Office to tell the correct time, what chance have we of getting the harbour redevelopment right?

Agreed - and the hands on the Ferry Building clock havn't moved for a few weeks either!

Slarty - you were not alone, I supported it as well. Having struggled getting to/from Eden Park for the last 2 international cricket matches (and trying to get food and drink at the Twenty20), the rubbishing the proposal got still annoys me.

For some reason many of the cruise passengers (not sure if they were from the Queen Vic or another ship) got disgorged into Auckland hotels. The knock-effect meant that you couldn't get a hotel room all week and I wound up having to stay in the Formule 1 - at least it wasn't a backpackers..

Anyways, if the cruise industry feels the facilities aren't up to scratch, shouldn't they be the ones paying for better ones?

For some reason many of the cruise passengers (not sure if they were from the Queen Vic or another ship) got disgorged into Auckland hotels. The knock-effect meant that you couldn't get a hotel room all week and I wound up having to stay in the Formule 1 - at least it wasn't a backpackers..

Whenever I jet up to AKL I stay at the Rainbow Hotel on the corner of Nelson & Wellesley Sts. It's about as cheap & cheerful as it gets without coming across as backpacker-ish. Even the basic rooms are reasonably spacious.

I enjoyed the Chinglish on the Rainbow's website, ta DeepRed. The beds are inside the rooms! That's a relief...

But some of it has not been fully translated from Managementspeak; eg, "The hotel has shaped up its development and management integrative infrastructure." Anyone care to have a stab at what this actually means?

Slarty - you were not alone, I supported it as well. Having struggled getting to/from Eden Park for the last 2 international cricket matches (and trying to get food and drink at the Twenty20), the rubbishing the proposal got still annoys me.

Me too. When people complained that the stadium would cut off the city from its waterfront, I thought ... have you seen the part of town you're talking about?

I love the way that major facilities in Wellington are in the CBD. It's worth remembering that when the Wellington stadium was proposed, there was a group of concerned citizens who insisted it should be safely out in Porirua. I suspect even they don't agree with themselves now.

Wow, three of us!

I guess I get a bit beaten down (living on Waiheke, where it would seem 70% of the population miss the good ol days when the journey to town took 3 hours and there were no toilets and you had to pack sandwiches and if the Baroona took on water you just threw a few pensioners over the side and getting sick was for POOFS because there were no Westpac helicopter and rickets were frife but we didn't care and the flogging my father gave me every morning never did me any harm... spam spam spam spam spam spam) tell that to kids these days and they won't believe you.

Heh heh. Don't fall for this folks! I've been on cruises in both Asia and the Med and I can tell you Cruise Visitors have it good when they come to Auckland. Like being able to dock in the heart of the city for starters!

I second that - I spent six years sailing for Cunard, and visited close to three hundred ports all around the world. Even before the new Hilton was built our facilities were easily in the top ten percent for both quality and location/convenience. The economics of providing a space that can process a thousand or more passengers plus baggage (important if you are an embarkation port like Akl is) is very tricky. Ocean Terminal in Hong Kong is probably the best, and that has the bonus of being a massive stop-end shopping mall too.

For some reason many of the cruise passengers (not sure if they were from the Queen Vic or another ship) got disgorged into Auckland hotels.

Auckland is a staging post - those passengers not doing the full Pacific cruise or whatever the ship is on will leave here, and a fresh lot will arrive for the next leg. Hopefully they spend a day or two, and a grand or three, before flying home.

Slarty - you were not alone, I supported it as well. Having struggled getting to/from Eden Park for the last 2 international cricket matches, the rubbishing the proposal got still annoys me.

There's a fricken train station right across the road from Eden Park. If you think Eden Park was hard, how do you think it will be easier getting to a waterfront stadium in the city?

Me too. When people complained that the stadium would cut off the city from its waterfront, I thought ... have you seen the part of town you're talking about?

Wow! Et Tu RB? Do you think that part of town will stay that way forever? Probably, if you stick a blardy great stadium in front of it. A stadium that would only be used 12 times a year.

Anyways, if the cruise industry feels the facilities aren't up to scratch, shouldn't they be the ones paying for better ones?

Heh heh - you misunderstand capitalism Rich! How can we make a profit if we have to pay for things? If you pay for it we shall bring you enormous boatloads of wealthy cruise patrons who will shower your fine city with enormous amounts of money and that money will trickle down to everyone enabling you all to send your children to private schools and/or cut your rates bills in half within ten years.

I second that - I spent six years sailing for Cunard, and visited close to three hundred ports all around the world. Even before the new Hilton was built our facilities were easily in the top ten percent for both quality and location/convenience.

Thankyou Leigh!

there was a group of concerned citizens who insisted it should be safely out in Porirua. I suspect even they don't agree with themselves now.

Um. Yeah. I was hardly insistent about it but I felt that the stadium should have been a lot bigger & the ral yard site wasn't big enough.

And OK, I was wrong.

There's a fricken train station right across the road from Eden Park. If you think Eden Park was hard, how do you think it will be easier getting to a waterfront stadium in the city?

Let's say it's a Friday. People in the city down tools at 5pm, have a drink and a bite to eat at any number of places in the Auckland CBD, including those clustered around the new stadium. They walk to the stadum.

Afterwards, those who wish to continue their evening's entertainment walk across Quay Street to any number of clubs and bars. The others have easy access to motorways north, south and west, or take trains home from Britomart station.

Even on weekends, nobody has to pick a route through narrow suburban streets to reach the venue, and there are thousands of carparks. North Shore buses stop outside the stadium, and festive ferries carry people to and from Devonport. There's even a ferry from Half Moon Bay.

The various parties responsible are trying hard to make the Eden Park rail line work -- after Saturday night's game, there were actually trains running both ways but there was a hell of a crush. When there are three times as many people exiting a test match or a World Cup game, the crush will be a lot worse.

They walk ...

Interesting concept, human - tell me more of this thing you call walking?

Eden Park. When there are three times as many people exiting a test match or a World Cup game, the crush will be a lot worse.

I was against the Council giving them that $9m back in the 90s because I could see back then there was no point in continuing to throw money into a stadium slap bang in a residential neighbourhood. But no, the politicians throw good money after bad because the NZRFU sold them a pup named 'Legacy'.

I still think the $$$ would have been better spent on Mt Smart (and the Carlaw Park site could have had a dedicated train station built in) but blimey let's not relitigate those arguments further on PAS - the horse has been flogged, died, and buried! (he says, after getting his own last thoughts in)

A man at the Britomart Transport Centre told me this morning that they are having difficulty sourcing parts for the clock, and they have no idea when it will be working again. The clock on the Ferry Building seems to be working again though.

Thanks Russell for a good response to IO's response to my Eden Park transport comment. The CBD is also where most of the visiting team's supporters will be staying, so they can walk as well.

the horse has been flogged, died, and buried!"

unfortunately, yes it has (but now I've had the last word!)

True and often repeated question (normally from Americans) back in my tourism days when booking rental cars was "What do you mean there's no bridge over the Cook Strait?"

And on the RWC lets have some of the 1st rounds in the Islands & park a criuse ship in the harbour for extra accomodation so as not to leave Apia/Nandi/Suva with a big white elephant.