crewsgirl

Great review and lovely pictures. Thanks for sharing.

Why not HAL again? We did HAL for a 14 night round trip out of Sydney last year. The itinerary was fabulous, through the wonderful Fjordland, up the east coast of the South Island and then the various spots on the North Island. The size of the vessel - the Noordam - suited us at just under 2000 pax, and of course the service on HAL is always superb. Next year we are doing a 16 nighter from Auckland to Perth with Celebrity. I think if you're used to HAL or Celebrity then P&O Australia is definitely one to steer clear of. I wouldn't dream of booking through an Australian agent when you can book via a US agent as Australians pay way, way, way more for cruises than do Americans. We would love to be able to get our cruises for what you pay in the US. Even drink packages are more expensive. I just booked a drink package for our forthcoming cruise as it was offered at a 20% discount if booked within the last few days. The 20% discount actually brought it down to what Americans pay for the same package. Sad, but true. Whoever you decide to book with, I'm sure you will have a wonderful time.

Good points! I do enjoy HAL and the smaller ship is so nice for getting around. We have friends who loved the Noordam down under and highly recommended it as well. My only concern is that I have read that the Noordam is quite aged, and due for dry dock. There was a great itinerary however, the pricing was more. I may need to look at that one again.

The drink packages have just gotten ridiculous. And after purchasing a drink package, our friends were then told that the wine she liked was NOT included....ha! That was a burn.

And thanks for the tip, I will be booking through my TA here for sure.

WOW! Just thought I would check in after another call from my TA today. We decided to cost and compare X to Princess Majestic...and I have just spent the last 3 hours reading reviews of the Majestic. I was so excited because the price was great and its a new ship, but after all these negative reviews on CC, I am ready to skip that trip all together. I am wondering how the Aussies will respond to this ship this upcoming season. Would love to hear from any of you booked on this one. Currently leaning heavily on Celebrity.

I noticed one thing which hasn't been mentioned, is weather relating to tender ports and cruising fiordland.

the weather can get rough in December and March so ports of calls can be missed.

On our cruise round NZ we missed all of south island except Picton. and a couple of passengers told us this was there fourth NZ cruise and had never got into Fiordland.

But with this in mind it is a great cruise, so we are doing again Feb 18

 

Cheers Don

Yikes Don! Don't tell me that! :eek::eek:The biggest disappointment we have had on a cruise to date is not being able to get into Prince Edward Island after I re-read all those darn Anne of Green Gable books on our Canadian cruise. I would be sorely disappointed to miss the fabulous NZ fjords, as the pics look absolutely stunning. I wonder about January weather there as far as making the fjords....I thought it was summer there and that should be prime time...no stormy seas then, surely? Is February weather a bit more calm?

We sailed Sydney to Auckland February 2016 on Celebrity Solstice. It was a fabulous trip.

We flew Delta one way to Sydney, and New Zealand Air one way from Auckland for the shortest flight time. This also turned out to be the most cost effective.

We arrived in Sydney two days early which gave us enough time to refresh from the long flight and see some of Sydney. We also added four post nights on the south NZ island. The inter NZ flights were very reasonable and we found driving quite easy.

Celebrity has long times in the ports which is great. The trip into Milford Sound was beautiful. Their onboard service was outstanding.

I made a slide show of our trip with the two couples so you can get a feel of Celebrity.

 

 

 

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Wow! Thanks Heartfelttraveler for the great slideshow! I loved Bradonia! :'):'):') What great scenery! And good to know about the flights, I was thinking fly into Sydney and out of Auckland, but I will take a look at that other option as well. Even in Feb., it looks like you needed a jacket to be on the water, so I imagine the wind was brisk. I am making a mental list of what to pack...looks like a little bit of everything to be prepared.

So glad you enjoyed your trip and thanks again for sharing!

hire a car for the day, drive round the sounds to havelock for a mussel chowder lunch then on to the winery's, we did cloudy bay, hunters, seresin estate, and forest estate, had an awesome day.

Yes! This is my kind of planning! :D:D

All nice wines.

 

Cloudy bay has a cellar door for tastings and a lunch but is very popular with the tourists and will need to be booked for lunch. I would think a ship's tour is likely to call in for a tasting there, but do not know for certain.

https://au.cloudybay.co.nz/our-estate/our-people

 

You may want to book for a lunch at either winery to guarantee a table however we just rocked up to Wither Hills and had a couple of anti pasta platters between the 4 of us. Very nice to sit and chat over some nibbles and a wine with such a view.

https://witherhills.co.nz/nz/[/quot

 

And....the Cloudy Bay winery tasting just moved to the top of the itinerary. Thanks for that valuable piece of info, looks absolutely divine and I want to be there ASAP! Ha :')

 

Surely there are local guides there that provide transport to the wineries from the ship. That would be our preferred method of visiting. And I will be checking the roll call on CC to see if anyone is willing to share, that's usually a lot of fun. I have Picton definitely in the mix. What kind of commute time would you say it is from the port to the winery?

They are delicious wines, one of my favourites is Oyster Bay, but you cannot get to the winery easily and they do not have a cellar door to use in the area.

Wither Hills winery in Blenheim has some nice drops as well and also has a wonderful vista looking out over the valley where you can have lunch or just a bite to eat with your wine.

Okay, now you speaka my language...Oyster Bay is certainly enjoyed here too! I love Cloudy Bay and Kim Crawford is a staple in our fridge as well. I could be happy with those 3 for the entire cruise. The thought of a lovely view with a delightful lunch and a crisp glass of vino just does my heart good!

Def don't do P&O, very low end! Have you thought about Ovation of the Seas? Awesome ship!!! January is peak summer and school holidays so I hope you like kids on your cruises!

 

 

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I do like RCCL and Ovation looks very nice, so I am going to price check that one for sure. Do the kids usually do 13 night trips during summer there? I love kids, (especially my own, :'):'))....and the ships are so huge, I don't think it would be much of an issue. Are they totally running rampant? :confused:

What are those summer temps like down there in Jan? I am thinking it would be a great escape from our winter weather to be honest.

P&O Australia is the bottom-tier cruise line in the region operating old ships, bare bones service, and with just about everything you can imagine being treated as an up-sell once you're on board. The sticker price is low and this attracts a "spring break" type of demographic.

 

Princess is pretty much the same as it is elsewhere i.e. mid-tier with everyone behaving themselves.

Good to know, that is a pretty clear review and I appreciate the info. We are too dang old for the "spring breakers" :'):') and I was amazed by the low price points. Now, I know why. ;p

And I also agree, that Princess beckons to those that behave! Ha!

Interested to know, however, if all you Aussies love that Marlborough regional Sauvignon Blanc wine like we do! And if so, what is your favorite?

Hi crews girl.

Bob and Chris from the Gold Coast, Queensland,

We have completed numerous cruises all over the world and have been researching our upcoming January, 2018 New Zealand return cruise from and to Sydney for a long time. After careful consideration we decided on the celebrity solstice which appears to be the best ship that we found.

Weather should hopefully be good at that time of year.

A few days pre cruise sight seeing would be enjoyable for you guys also.

Cheers bob.

Cheers to you too Bob! I am really liking the Solstice plan also! I hope you guys have a fabulous cruise and I hope we are getting on the schedule soon too!

Just note that the TAs here with have the taxes and such included in the price advertised and if it is any of the cruise lines under the Carnival Corp they will have the Gratuities added in as well , where as the US TAs will have all those things to add onto the advertised prices. Also not that currency conversion will work in your favour. Research and compare between the two types and also going direct to the company, see what is offered (OBC, etc ) in the fares.

Interesting....and this brings up a host of issues for international pricing :eek:.....but we won't go there.:o I am reading/reading/reading and appreciate all the info. Keep it coming. :*

You guys are great! Just teasing out these itineraries out and so far, I have a Feb date on the Princess Majestic in the running. Now, I am headed to RCCL to compare apples to oranges.....but all this talk has made me know that we need to see Hobart as well.

Now, should I book with a TA there or use my general booking agent here in the US?

Melbourne is a great city to explore but Hobart has more of a quaint historic feel and is that little bit easier to see (smaller). It really would go to what you would like to see or do when in port. Check out Trip advisor and just look at the top ten things to see and do and then compare with both places and go from there.

Hobart might be a welcome stop after a few days in Sydney and yes, I love TripAdvisor and use that source as a cross reference when we plan.

Hobart and Melbourne are two very different places.

 

Melbourne could be likened to Sydney in that it’s a major Australian metropolis. It does have a love affair with its food and coffee culture, but you’ll find this in Sydney too.

 

Hobart is small, town-like and intimate. Quite cute, lots of little shops and stores and public gathering spaces, especially along their waterfront. They’re also at the foot of national park, with lots of scenic areas high up Mt Wellington and in between.

 

Lots to do in either place.

 

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Now, you have made me pay attention! Hobart sounds lovely. Maybe that would be a good option! Thanks for the info.

Good heavenly father get me ON a ship!

Yaasss, Sista...I'm with you on this one! :cool::cool::*:*

You can return cruise to NZ from either Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. But be aware in your research that some cruises are one way and terminate in NZ (handy for return flight to USA, mainly Solstice or Radiance).

January 2019 has RCI - Radiance and Ovation,

Princess - Sun, Sea, Golden and Majestic. Also Azamara Quest, Celebrity Solstice and Carnival Spirit. All have different itineraries. The Sounds are beautiful as is most of NZ.

Personal choices - Magestic Princess - new ship,

Ovation of the Seas or Celebrity Solstice. Couldn't see a HAL NZ cruise at that time on the oz site that I sometimes use.

NZ weather can be a little unpredictable - so summer clothes with some jackets, jeans or long pants. Mostly Australia will be warm to hot.

I am thinking fly into Sydney and enjoy the city for a few days while we are fresh and excited, and then, fly home from Auckland. We are usually whipped at the end of vacay.and ready to head home. I like the option to fly out of a different city and not have to back track.

Would you prefer to start in Sydney or NZ? Any advantages/disadvantages I should be aware of?

I wanted to see Melbourne, but between Melbourne and Hobart, which is most interesting with lots of things to do/see?

And I just added RCL to my spreadsheet! Good info, and thanks so much. :*

I second this.

 

I did a terrific private tour from Picton to the Marlborough wine region in 2014. A brilliant day out at various vineyards.

 

Also have to agree with previously noted sentiments about P&O Aus. A definite step down in onboard amenity - they’ve become quite similar to a low cost airline where you’re forced to pay additionally onboard for things like snacks and room service, and even some production shows.

 

As for time of year, January is our school holiday season, so I would suggest a more relaxing cruise environment might be enjoyed nearer the end of the month. Most schools will restart around the 28th of the month.

 

 

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Hmmm, more good info to consider....I believe I can find one around the time all the kids will be headed back to school for sure! Now, to make sure we don't have a schedule collision with the US Ski Vacay that our adult kids like to take whilst we conduct Camp Mimi & Grandpa! Decisions, Decisions! ;p;p

If you want to visit the Marlborough Region , look for a cruise that has PICTON on its itinerary.

The ship will probably have tours available and a google search will give many private wine tours .

OHHHH, thanks for this info. Celebrity Solstice is looking better! There are several choices that include Picton. It is now on my radar.

January is a fine time to visit NZ or Sydney/Melbourne, even the Gold Coast.

 

Probably not ideal for the far north of Australia as it may be quite humid then.

 

I would say any time Jan-April is good for Melbourne.

 

We have twice toured NZ (in Jan & Feb) and it was excellent both times. Be prepared for some cooler weather occasionally even in summer though, especially in the South Island and in Melbourne, where it can be changeable.

 

We have cruised twice with Princess and they were fine. Twice with P&O. Once was good, once was not so good. Both times I felt the actual P&O ship was about 2 stars down from Princess, although our cabins were a better lay out (just a little more tired looking). The beds were very comfortable on P&O though, must admit. The dining on our last cruise with them was hopeless, worst I have struck ever, anywhere-as in over an hour's wait for entrée to arrive.

P&O, unlike Princess, also don't have a buffet open all day so you can't just pop in when you feel like it. Well, you can if you want a tea or coffee but no snack to go with it.

 

I have a friend who swears by the English P&O ships but the Australian ones are a whole different ball game, so much so that when I see a cruise is with P&O, it turns me off.

There is a younger feel to the P&O crowd although ages are mixed. That never worried me in the least but the quality of the ship itself & meals just wasn't on a par. I haven't tried other cruise lines but I would personally put P&O at the bottom of my list.

Thanks so much for the response. P&O just plummeted to the bottom of my list. ;p I think I am going to be comparing Princess/Celebrity/HAL although I have read that the Noordam is tired also and headed for dry dock.

We usually prefer to do our own independent shore explorations. Do you find that is rather easy in the NZ ports? I definitely want to enjoy the fabulous NZ Sauvignon Blanc wines from the Marlborough region. Is that possible on these cruises?

Stick with either Princess or celebrity for NZ itineraries who cater more for your age group. Princess offer 13-14 night trips from both Melbourne and Sydney at that time of year. While P&O offer South Pacific itineraries from both ports but you will find that P&O generally attract a younger demographic of passengers. If you subscribe to both companies websites you will see what they are offering in the way of itineraries and deals.

Good luck with this.

 

 

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Okay, good to know! We will hang with the old folks, haha :*:*

We are interested in visiting Australia/NZ (which is a huge bucket list item for me) and I am starting to research all available options, but would love to hear recommendations from seasoned cruisers. Definitely have to hit Sydney, Melbourne, and all the great scenic places in New Zealand....we are young, active 60s, enjoy fine dining but certainly are not food snobs, prefer a verandah cabin, but we are most interested in a port intensive itinerary with nice floating accommodations for a decent price. We have sailed on HAL, RCCL, Princess, & a Viking river cruise, but I am not familiar with the best way to book this trip. I should mention that I might like to try Celebrity cruise line as well. Should we use our US TA? Or, book with one there in AUS? Any other advantages/disadvantages I should know about. We are thinking probably Jan. 2019. Is January the best month to visit? If not then, when would you suggest? I would like to avoid typhoon/earthquake season if possible. :eek: Ideas on what to pack for Jan. there welcome as well.

I appreciate all information and opinions and thank you in advance.

Thanks for the review. That is helpful as I am researching P&O. I am only finding it does short cruises. What line would you recommend for longer 12-15 day Australia/NZ itineraries? I don't usually travel with Carnival.

Can you tell us about the Noordam? I am looking at Australia on that ship and wondering about the condition. Would love to hear more please.

Looking at the Australia trip on the Noordam. Can anyone address specific issues with this ship? We love HAL and are booked on the new Koningsdam in June but wondering about Noordam in 2019. Has anyone done that Australia/NZ itinerary and if so, what are your thoughts regarding the Noordam on that trip?