Australia/New Zealand Cruise Suggestions Please!

Bpos, your thoughts are needed on the tipping thread....should you so chose to accept this challenge, please add your flair for humanity and humour :)

Bpos, your thoughts are needed on the tipping thread....should you so chose to accept this challenge, please add your flair for humanity and humour :)

Dear 3Shelaghs

Thank you for the invitation to contribute to the "tipping thread"

I have in the past had my fingers in the tipping debate, without reward I should add.

I have come to the conclusion that the tipping saga will continue to be a topic of controversy on Cruise Critics long after mankind and religion have vanished from earth.

It's time for all our wonderful cruisers to get over their obsession with tipping,

I know I have and besides, I am currently obsessed with my long term and ongoing hémorroïdes condition to be too concerned about dropping a bob here or there!!

But, on reflection, I would be open to any "tips" on unusual treatment remedies for my condition.

Sadly (or not?) the highly amusing(or not?) tipping thread has spent a penny and been flushed....but speaking of flushing.....

My tip for your predicament....no pepper or spice, sharks liver oil application (sure you can find that just off the beach), the standard recommendations....but my all time tried and true remedy.....2minute, bite the bullet, evacuation of clot (my apologies for the sensitive viewers, but hey, you all survived the jeans in dining roomthread, so thick skin you must have). As issue arises(no pun), wait for the issue to reach clot stage, and quickly visit the GP. Freezing (or not), sharp excision....issue.....gone....

I thought I'd give an update to all who responded so kindly way back in 2014!

 

We didn't make it in 2015, or 2016, or even 2017. Life, two retirements, the joy of twin grandbabies--a boy and a girl, that we now take care of five days a week while Mom and Dad work...but we are finally going! Thank you Gunner22aa, Flipper133, flappa68, GradUT, rpcv77, Waiheekean, nursemom2, Alaskanb, jkw2765, TLCOhio, joyfulone, janinis, and 4774Papa for taking the time to respond. You were all helpful. Terry, I have spent HOURS reading and rereading your beautiful blog--a masterpiece if ever there was one! Invaluable!

 

We are flying to Sydney October 19, 2018 and spending a week before boarding Solstice for a 10 night Great Barrier Reef cruise, followed by a 12 night New Zealand cruise, beginning in Sydney and ending in Auckland on November 20.

 

Then we have 6 days to drive probably the South Island before flying out of Auckland on November 27. I am still muddling around with how to maximize those last 6 days. We are going on this trip with my twin sister and her husband, and I have to pinch myself to think that this trip of a lifetime and #1 on my personal bucket list is coming up.

 

I just wanted to thank you all for responding and helping with the basic planning four years ago! I will try to give my own input when we return and hopefully help others who are overwhelmed by the planning. :hearteyes:

If you have time during your Sydney pre cruise stay, definitely make a trip to the Blue Mountains, absolutely spectacular scenery, birdlife, & waterfalls.

If you have time during your Sydney pre cruise stay, definitely make a trip to the Blue Mountains, absolutely spectacular scenery, birdlife, & waterfalls.

Thanks, Cruise Kitty! Will definitely plan on doing so. We should definitely have time. Appreciate your input, as always!

Joanie

What an exciting trip you have planned GeorgiaPeach!!

I am not an expert as I haven't been to either Australia or New Zealand, but I have spent hours/days planning our own trip for March/April 2019. And it includes seven nights on the South Island pre-cruise out of Auckland. So I thought I'd share our itinerary (we are going with friends) which has been created after hours of Tripadvisor/Cruisecritic and other resesarch. Might get you going a bit.

Day 1: Land in Queenstown from US; staying at the Queenstown Hilton

Day 2: Queenstown; Shotover Jet boats, TSS Earnslaw dinner cruise perhaps

Days 3, 4, 5: Wanaka: hiking, wine tours, possible day trip to Mt. Cook

Day 6: Drive to Franz Josef with multiple hiking and photo stops along the way

Day 7: Hike the FJ glacier

Day 8: Drive to Christchurch through Arthur's Pass and take a late flight to Auckland

Our cruise includes South Island stops of Akaroa and Dunedin and cruises the fjords so no need to add those stops.