BRISBANE has a new legend - in the form of a seafaring adventure along Australia's coast and up to Asia.
For the first time, Royal Caribbean is basing a ship out of Queensland's capital for the 2015/16 summer. Our cruise aboard the Legend of the seas will take us north from Brisbane and on to Bali and Singapore.
The entry deck beckons as we escape the Port of Brisbane's dull Fisherman Island terminal, a far cry from The Legend's summer home of Hamilton.
Bags are checked and anything against the rules is confiscated. (Remember this if you want to pack an iron or are thinking of bringing your own grog.)
After the obligatory safety briefing we find our stateroom. Every few cabins are assigned one room attendant for the journey.
Ours is Jose, who mixes up our first and middle names for the whole trip, to our constant amusement. His reading of my Irish middle moniker has us for the next 12 days as Mary and Sean - which he pronounces as "scene". But like all the cabin staff we meet, Jose is friendly, eager to help and always on hand to fashion our towels into strange animals.
Safely aboard, my first priority is to explore. The best of cruise ship facilities is here - pools, bars, restaurants both bustling and intimate. There's a casino, poolside cinema and a glitzy theatre. On deck there's rock climbing and mini-golf.
The ship carries about 2000 people but never seems crowded. Legend Of The Seas has been sailing since 1995 and a recent major refit has it fresh and comfortable.
Most aboard are mature laid-back travellers. My luggage full of suits and formal wear stayed mostly packed - formal nights are a chance to dress up but taking part isn't compulsory.
Arriving off Airlie Beach becomes a lesson on tethering. We are ferried into Shute Harbour from a smaller boat while The Legend stays anchored a few kilometres out. A welcoming team of locals in loud Hawaiian shirts ushers us ashore.
A market is on and we explore the town with its recently built lagoon and beach.
The next day is Cairns. We miss the Kuranda train - my favourite trip in far north Queensland - so our day becomes a relentless search for seafood and pubs. We're not disappointed, finding oysters fresh off a trawler and beers at the Courthouse Hotel.
Back on board, there seems an endless amount to eat - and you do, often, the relentless variety testing your selection skills.
A lot of our mornings end up as, "Oh look, another 27 courses for breakfast - where's the Corn Flakes?"
The Windjammer Cafe is buffet dining while the Romeo and Juliet Restaurant offers a more formal atmosphere. Don't be afraid to take pot luck sitting at the group tables. We met some great people at dinner, and others we still laugh about.
Next into Darwin's regenerated waterfront and we're just minutes' walk to the city centre.
We hop on a bus to the Defence of Darwin Experience. It reminds us that World War Two came to Australia. We're back late afternoon for two more cruising days in the sun.
Tethered again, we're ferried into Bali's port of Benoa. Once ashore we fight our way through the touts and taxi drivers to Kuta.
We have a day of shopping and Bintang beers on the beach. It's a chance to watch the other passengers stock up on all the copyright-violating Rolexes and Louis Vuitton they can carry. (We didn't, of course.)
The ferry delivers us back through the sunset for two final, smooth days of empty blue horizon.
My only real gripes with this enjoyable journey are the US dollars, tipping and the damned coffee.
As an Aussie, the exchange rate carries a sting - make sure you factor in the conversion on purchases. As for tipping I struggle with it, like many of my compatriots. There's a daily gratuities charge added to your account, though you can ask for it to be removed. You're also reminded you can tip, by a space on every receipt, which I left for when the service was special.
As for the coffee, it's that puny blend the Americans love. The cafes' offerings are better but take a jar of instant if you need a brew of a reasonable strength.
Open seas have narrowed into crowded shipping lanes as we reach port in Singapore. We watch the cable cars deliver the first batches of tourists to Sentosa Island. We've arrived. Staff are busily preparing for the next departure, a multi-million dollar charter by a Singapore travel operator.
Cruising is a great way to snack on destinations from a single hotel room. Unpack just once and the places come to you.
The Legend Of The Seas delivered this with enough variety to please both traveller and the holidaymaker.
Your legendary tale awaits.
To book a Royal Caribbean Cruise visit royalcaribbean.com.au.
* The writer was a guest of Royal Caribbean