Questions Re: Airlines and Hotels

[seafood]

We are one of two couples who will be cruising Sydney to Auckland on the Celebrity Solstice on December 23, 2012. We are trying to plan flights and hotel stays as soon as possible. We are flying into Sydney one day before our cruise and staying in Auckland after our cruise.

 

Airlines: We are trying to decide between QANTAS, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand, and Air Pacific. We can choose any of these (and more) using Choice Air. We're leaning toward Air New Zealand because it has more nonstop flights (to/from LAX). Can anyone comment on the positives and negatives to any of these airlines?

 

Hotels: From the ones listed below, which would you recommend and why? We want something that is close to attraction areas and would like to know how far each is to/from the airport and to/from the pier. How much would transfers cost?

 

Sydney - We're holding bookings at Hilton Sydney, Holiday Inn Darling Harbour, and Four Points by Sheraton Darling Harbour.

 

Auckland - We're holding bookings at Crowne Plaza and Novotel Auckland Airport.

 

I know I've asked a lot of questions and I have tried to research some on my own, but would like fellow CC's valuable comments. Thank you in advance for all and any responses.

[armidale1]

Hi seafood, we have flown long haul with air nz (sydney,auckland,vancouver and return) in economy and whilst it was not the most enjoyable experience we were comfy enough. Unless you fly premium economy/first class any airline is going to start to feel claustrophobic/uncomfortable towards the end of a 15 hour flight. We also found the food to be not too bad on air nz

[seafood]

Armidale1, thanks for responding.

[mummyrose]

Seafood....my advice would be also look at the amount of luggage you can have....

Have heard great things about Air Nz...and if I had the $ that is whoI would go......

Way down the list is Air Pacific.....unless doing a short flight....

We are going to LA vie Jetstar to Hawaii (Have travelled with them to Asia) then Hawaiin Air across to LA ....

[Northern Aurora]

Seafood:

 

Since you aren't having a great number of responses, thought I would chime in.

 

A number of years ago, in the mid-1990s, we did a land trip to New Zealand. At that time Air New Zealand and Qantas were codeshare partners. Our flights from LA to Auckland were on Air New Zealand but our flights from Auckland to LA were on Qantas. At that time there was no comparison between those two flights, with Air New Zealand being much nicer than Qantas.

 

We were on the Celebrity Century cruise last November from Honolulu to Sydney. We had purchased RT tickets on Alaska Air from Fairbanks to Honolulu, so needed a one-way segment from Sydney back to Honolulu. After much investigation we used Celebrity's Choice Air to purchase a one-way on Qantas. Actually, Qantas and Hawaiian Airlines were essentially the same price, and after much debate about air miles we bit the bullet so to speak and selected Qantas (Qantas is a partner with Alaska Airlines, but Hawaiian is not.).

 

We weren't expecting much from Qantas given the experience so many years ago, but then again, that flight from Auckland to LA was so many years ago that we were hoping to be pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, we were not pleasantly surprised. The Qantas food was bad. Meal service trays were not removed in any timely manner, such that in business class passengers were taking their own trays back to the galley. Two wine glasses and the two small individual serving wine bottles remained at my husbands feet during the duration of the flight. Another passenger seated just to our left had ordered a special meal, which the flight attendants gave away to some other passenger, so they gave her one of the "regular" meals. I am unclear what her dietary restrictions were, but she clearly could not eat much of the "regular" meal. The list of issues could go on, but I have made my point.

 

We stayed for a week in Sydney following the cruise. The hotel we used is not on your list of possibles. We stayed at the Sir Stamford at Circular Quay. The Century had docked at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, and the Sir Stamford is very close. We loved the hotel itself and its location was very convenient.

[cassamanda]

We are one of two couples who will be cruising Sydney to Auckland on the Celebrity Solstice on December 23, 2012. We are trying to plan flights and hotel stays as soon as possible. We are flying into Sydney one day before our cruise and staying in Auckland after our cruise.

 

Airlines: We are trying to decide between QANTAS, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand, and Air Pacific. We can choose any of these (and more) using Choice Air. We're leaning toward Air New Zealand because it has more nonstop flights (to/from LAX). Can anyone comment on the positives and negatives to any of these airlines?

 

Hotels: From the ones listed below, which would you recommend and why? We want something that is close to attraction areas and would like to know how far each is to/from the airport and to/from the pier. How much would transfers cost?

 

Sydney - We're holding bookings at Hilton Sydney, Holiday Inn Darling Harbour, and Four Points by Sheraton Darling Harbour.

Seafood, can i suggest you re-post on the Australia and New Zealand Cruising Forum as this forum is more directed at tour reviews etc.

 

There are 2 main cruise terminals in Sydney - OPT (Overseas Passenger Terminal) at Circular Quay and Wharf 5 at Darling Harbour. Your ship appears to be overnighting at the OPT which is at the northern end of the city.

Of your hotels, The Hilton and Sheraton are the closest. They are about centre of the down town (CBD) area but not really within walking distance with luggage. They are close to shops with the Sheraton very close to Darling Harbour (Aquarium, Restaurants, Maritime Museum, Wildlife Enclosure, etc). The Holiday Inn is at the southern area of the city in ChinaTown and would be at least 1 star lesser in standard.

There are many fine hotels closer to the OPT.

You are only in Sydney 1 day (far too short in most people's opinion) and you didnt list the type of attractions that interests you, so hard to comment.

Of the airlines, probably Air NZ or Virgin (V Australia) with Premium Economy if you can afford it. There is plenty of discussion on airlines on both these forrums.

[kuldalai]

Go for Air New Zealand 1. and Qantas 2. Fly Premium Economy if you want more room than Cattle Class .

 

If your cruise departs from Barangaroo wharf 5 then go for the Holiday Inn at Darling Harbour, close by . Google Port of Sydney, and look up cruise ship schedule will give you the answer .

[dhmjdds]

Hello Seafood--

 

Come on over and join our Roll Call for this cruise! We have about 55 members already, and we are still about 10 months away. We'd love to have your input.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1398911

 

Diane

 

P.S. Per the SydneyPorts web site, we'll be docking at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.

[seafood]

Cassamanda, thanks for the suggestion and I will re-post on the Australia and New Zealand Cruising Forum.

 

dhmjdds, thanks and I will take a look at our roll call for this cruise.

 

Thanks to all for the very helpful responses.

[Granny DI]

Just returned from Sydney yesterday. We flew LAX to Auckland and Sydney to LAX on Qantas. The flight to Auckland was the best we've ever had. We booked business class as we can't handle economy for trips over 5 hours anymore. I slept about 8 hours and I can't usually sleep on airplanes. We rationalized the business fare by booking a cheaper cabin category than we normally do. We plan to continue the practice...cheaper cabins for business class. One of our traveling companions flew business class to Sydney and economy back. She has vowed if she can't fly business then she isn't going. I bought our tickets almost a year in advance...saved a ton of money doing that. Our aircraft from LAX was an Airbus 330 and from Sydney was a Boeing 747.