Coral Princess Cruises - Great Barrier Reef

[Paulmj]

After 23 cruises here and there, we decided to take a 2-week Tauck Tour of Australia, returning home yesterday.

 

Tauck is regarded by many (and now us too) as the finest conducted tour available anywhere. We still intend to do a lot of cruising, but this was a great trip for us.

 

I took some pictures which I posted on my website. We spent 4 days at the Reef on the small coastal cruiser "Coral Princess" (no relation).

 

See: http://www.beenthere-donethat.com/

 

While in Sydney, Hobart and Melbourne, we crossed paths with the Sapphire Princess, presently half-way through a 2-week cruise through the area.

 

Enjoy.

[susiesan]

Hi-

This is the only post I can find about someone who has taken a Coral Princess cruise. I am looking into taking their 4 day northbound next November. I am very interested to hear what you think of it. Could you please e-mail me direct

sueburke@kcairfilter.com

Thanks.

[susiesan]

I have the 4 day Coral Princess GBR cruise booked for November 2006. I'd be intersted in hearing about anyoe's recent trip.

Thanks, Susie

[Paulmj]

Are you writing about the Coral Princess. a large cruise ship belonging to Princess Cruise Line? Or, the Coral Princess II, a small coastal cruiser? If the latter, see:

 

http://www.pbase.com/paulmj/great_barrier_reef

[susiesan]

We are going on the small Coral Princess from Cairns for 4 days. I had already looked at your pictures earlier in the year and want to hear from someone who has done this recently.

[Paulmj]

We did this cruise in Dec. 2004 as part of a Tauck itinerary. I'm sure the ship is the same and the reef is the same.

 

If you can be more specific with your questions (like, something other than "How was it?), I'll try to give you a meaningful answer.

[traveloscopy]

If you want to get an idea about this Cairns (AU) based small ship line, I've written several stories about them.

 

Great Barrier Reef

 

Papua New Guinea

 

New Zealand

[cruisin'grandparents]

Is the same ship operated by both captain cook cruises and coral princess cruises. Their itineraries seem to be identical.

 

Looking to book for feb/march of 2014.

 

Thanks

Ann

[traveloscopy]

Is the same ship operated by both captain cook cruises and coral princess cruises. Their itineraries seem to be identical.

 

Looking to book for feb/march of 2014.

 

Thanks

Ann

 

Yes. The product is delivered by Coral Princess and sold by Captain Cook.

[Bowie MeMe]

I have been on the Coral Princess (II) and it was a wonderful experience. I would book it directly and then you are part of their loyalty program and we got 15% booking discount on our NZ fiord cruise in Feb 2014 which is 9 days and very expensive. That little 4 day cruise 10 years ago paid its way:D

 

reservations@coralprincess.com.au is the web site that all of our materials have come from and I usually google "oceania discoverer" which keeps you out of the big Princess mess.

 

This cruise was absolutely wonderful. Swim deck so can easily snorkel over the outer parts of the GBR, tender motorboat for the landing on an island for breakfast cooked by the captain, glass bottom boat to explore the reef with the marine biologist and the dive master/photographer (underwater video makes your legs look so gross!). Always 2 safety crews out when snorkeling. The dive deck goes up and down so that you don't have to crawl up stairs or drop down in boats. Easy. The others on our cruise were all Australians and their humour and stories were wickedly funny (and I was the butt of many a joke but they were funny and we still talk about that trip) We liked them well enough to promise ourselves that we would go again and we think it worth the premium pricing --really worth it.

 

Let me know if you go or come on over to our Feb. 6 tour in NZ.

[Bowie MeMe]

This company does run their own tours and they sell the sailings out to outfits like A&K and National Geographic and now you tell me Captain Cook. The boat and people on it are pretty much the same except for the one tour leader (if the group has one-- provided or hired by the group) All the rest comes with the boat including the programs, iten. etc. Also happens on Amazon River, Galapagos Islands and safari trips and it is good. The company will tell you if the week you need is out to a group.