South Pacific Cruises

[travelingreids]

We took a Princess Cruise in Tahiti a couple of years ago and fell in love with the South Pacific. Looking for another cruise a little further west (ie Somoa, Fiji, New Caladonia, etc). If there is anyone that has already done a similar cruise in this area, would love to hear from you to find out suggestions on cruises and/or best places to visit.

 

Thanks

[Kinkacruiser]

These cruise leave from Sydney or Brisbane and encompass Princess, P&O & RCCL liners.

There is a longish cruise (28days) that leaves from Sydney and goes to those ports you mentioned plus French Polynesian. The Pacific Dawn and Dawn Princess come to mind.

Perhaps if you post this question on the P&O Australia board you will get more replies.

[jasl]

We are booked on Holland America from Sydney to Vancouver which includes many nice islands. The ship is Volendam and she leaves Sydney on April 17, 2010.

[kuldalai]

Try SUN PRINCESS sailing from Sydney on 01/10/10 12 nights to New Caledonia and Vanautu .

[travelingreids]

Have you or do you know of anyone that has taken this particular cruise? It looked like from your post that you might be scheduled to take it in Oct 2010, is this correct? Also, noticed you took the Sun Princess around New Zealand in 2009. How would you rate this cruise? Thanks for your information.

 

John

[Westaussie]

Try SUN PRINCESS sailing from Sydney on 01/10/10 12 nights to New Caledonia and Vanautu .

Looks like we're on the same cruise! Would be lovely to meet and talk about the old days on the Gemini. Enjoy your up coming cruise.

 

Vera

[Westaussie]

Have you or do you know of anyone that has taken this particular cruise? It looked like from your post that you might be scheduled to take it in Oct 2010, is this correct? Also, noticed you took the Sun Princess around New Zealand in 2009. How would you rate this cruise? Thanks for your information.

 

John

We have done this cruise on Pacific Princess. We also did the NZ cruise on Diamond Princess in December. They are both very different type of cruise! Have also cruised on Sun Princess three weeks to Asia. Ship is not as new/glitzy as the Diamond but is being refurbished shortly. Also no Anytime Dining which we prefer.

 

Vera

[kuldalai]

1. During Aus Summer Sun Princess does 14 day circumnavigations of NZ ex Sydney round trip, and Dawn Princess does the same ex Melbourne. The itineraries are identical except that the Melb ones do not go to the Bay of Islands.

 

Diamond Princess does Sydney - Melbourne - Milford Sound - Dunedin - Christchurch - Wellington - Napier - Tauranga - Auckland or vice versa over 2 weeks . (Packages available with air to get you to/from Sydney as a round trip.)

 

2. As an itinerary excellent as minimal days at sea, and every day a new port.

Ports of call all excellent and great attractions . Recommend Trieri Gorge Railway & Larnach Castle in Dunedin, Tranz Alpine Rail Trip & Canterbury Plains in Christchurch, City Sights - Wellington, Napier - just 1930's art deco magic,

white water rafting at Tauranga, Waitomo Glow Worm caves at Auckland.

Both Sun and Dawn Princess in good nick, good tucker and service . Yes go .

 

3. West Aussie if you are going on Sun Princess 01/10/10 ex Sydney then hope to catch up on board , just pull me up .

[Westaussie]

 

West Aussie if you are going on Sun Princess 01/10/10 ex Sydney then hope to catch up on board , just pull me up .

Yes, that's the one! If you haven't seen it yet, there's a roll call

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1097410&page=3

so there should be a time set to meet closer to the date - hope we can catch up then. Going on a river cruise before in June Vienna to Amsterdam similar to what you did last year I believe?

 

Re Tieri Gorge train - we did that in December through Princess, train comes up to the wharf. They certainly looked after us starting with champagne and wine tasting through the day!

Vera

[kuldalai]

Vera see you are doing Vienna to Amsterdam river cruise mid year. Weather should be excellent . Don't miss the opportunity to participate in these two Optional Tours which are usually offered :

 

(i) Evening Strauss/Mozart concert in Vienna . (Approx $ 80 Aus pp)

(ii) Out of Passau stop day trip to Cesny Krumlov in the Czech Republic. (Usually one of two optional tours and gratis.)

 

If you want something really out of the box and absolutely stunning then you do Cesny Krumlov which was just wonderful . Largely a walking only old town hundreds of years old, that is a scenic delight . Moats, castles , lovely river and more . Great shopping too .

 

The two highlights of our 2009 River Cruise were (i) Cesny Krumlov and (ii) the Optional Evening Mozart/Strauss Concert at the Hoffburg Palace in Vienna.

[moyaroo]

We took a Princess Cruise in Tahiti a couple of years ago and fell in love with the South Pacific. Looking for another cruise a little further west (ie Somoa, Fiji, New Caladonia, etc). If there is anyone that has already done a similar cruise in this area, would love to hear from you to find out suggestions on cruises and/or best places to visit.

 

Thanks

 

For something really cool, small and intimate try

http://www.coralprincess.com.au/melanesia.html

they are a small Australian outfit out of Cairns. I have sailed with them and had a great time albeit on the Great Barrier Reef not Melanesia.

[Westaussie]

Vera see you are doing Vienna to Amsterdam river cruise mid year. Weather should be excellent . Don't miss the opportunity to participate in these two Optional Tours which are usually offered :

 

(i) Evening Strauss/Mozart concert in Vienna . (Approx $ 80 Aus pp)

(ii) Out of Passau stop day trip to Cesny Krumlov in the Czech Republic. (Usually one of two optional tours and gratis.)

Sorry, missed your post (was heading to Sydney to join Queen Victoria back to Fremantle!)

We have five days in Vienna pre cruise and have already checked out what concerts are on then, looks like a good Strauss one.

Have been to Vienna many years ago but not to Schonnbrun Palace so that's high on the list. Any other tips are most appreciated. Thanks

Vera

[kuldalai]

Vera in Vienna the underground is your best option to get around. Most is just below road level. Where boats dock, just walk 1 -2 blocks towards town and you come to an underground station . No underground walkways so you catch the train into town on one side of the street, and get off on the opposite side on the way back . Underground goes right to Schonnbrun Palace (allow 1/2 day minimum, huge palace and even bigger grounds .) Other must sees in Vienna - the Golden Hall of the Musikverein where the Vienna Philharmonic's New Years day concert comes from . Guided tours, pre book on their website (Google Vienna Philharmoniker). Of course one strolls through the huge Prater Park with its old world Ferris wheel immortalized in the Third Man . Also worth visiting the Hoffburg (Winter) Palace . Schonnbrun is the Summer Palace .

If you are into Horses then of course there are the Lipanzaner horses and the Spanish riding school .

[Westaussie]

Vera in Vienna the underground is your best option to get around. Most is just below road level. Where boats dock, just walk 1 -2 blocks towards town and you come to an underground station . No underground walkways so you catch the train into town on one side of the street, and get off on the opposite side on the way back . Underground goes right to Schonnbrun Palace (allow 1/2 day minimum, huge palace and even bigger grounds .) Other must sees in Vienna - the Golden Hall of the Musikverein where the Vienna Philharmonic's New Years day concert comes from . Guided tours, pre book on their website (Google Vienna Philharmoniker). Of course one strolls through the huge Prater Park with its old world Ferris wheel immortalized in the Third Man . Also worth visiting the Hoffburg (Winter) Palace . Schonnbrun is the Summer Palace .

If you are into Horses then of course there are the Lipanzaner horses and the Spanish riding school .

Thanks for all the info most of it already on our list - we're staying in the city so alot is walkable - I hope!

[OHCruisinDad]

For something really cool, small and intimate try

http://www.coralprincess.com.au/melanesia.html

they are a small Australian outfit out of Cairns. I have sailed with them and had a great time albeit on the Great Barrier Reef not Melanesia.

 

 

I must second the Coral Princess line. We took their Great Barrrier Reef trip from Cairns to Townsville in June of 2008 with the kids (15 and 12 at the time) and it was a wonderful few days. I would very much like to try their pacific islands itinerary. Cheers