Atlantis - Oosterdam, February 20 - March 3, 2013, New-Zealand Australia

[pke-atlanta]

absolutboy20, you're so right! I was thinking in terms of the 150-day penalty window and had not realized that they changed the terms for the Asia and Australia trips. You're correct that we're in the $200 penalty window now.

 

Major28, I'd say there's still a chance. But the folks having to cancel at this point forward will probably have a reason to cancel.

 

BTW, did anybody else take advantage of that business class air sale Rich let everyone know about? We were glad to get the info and booked our air that weekend. It saved us a couple thousand dollars over the fares we had been seeing. Still a hefty price tag, though, even for jaded travelers like us.

[absolutboy20]

What is this business class airfare sale that Rich mentioned?? Was it an email? I looked at business out of LAX and everything comes in around $6,000.

Edited May 6, 2012 by absolutboy20

[pke-atlanta]

Yes, Rich sent out an e-mail about 2 weeks ago (last weekend in April). Business air LAX to SYD was down to $5539 non-stop on DL (we were just looking at LAX-SYD roundtrip, planning to buy separate air from SYD to AKL). China South (or something like that) had it for $4550 or so, but it required a layover and the total trip length was something ridiculous, so we decided to go the non-stop route.

 

Originally we were looking out flying over on Feb 15, but just by moving our date back one day to Feb 14, the price dropped significantly. We'll spend a few days in SYD before heading over to AKL to catch the ship. Even though it's Mardi Gras when the ship docks, using that weekend on the front end just made more sense to us from a vacation standpoint.

[absolutboy20]

I just saw on the HAL board that a traveler's cruise departing on 12/05/2012 has been cancelled due to the Oosterdam going into drydock. While I feel for her situation, a little late of HAL in terms of notifying passengers IMHO, I am glad that they are placing it in drydock prior to our cruise. Recent reviews have not been that great so I'm hoping they will take care of all of the wear and tear issues that are being reported on the previous reviews.

Edited May 10, 2012 by absolutboy20

[ricflyer]

Has anybody made reservations for a hotel in Auckland yet?? I arrive Monday Feb. 18!!!

[absolutboy20]

Yes we made reservations for Auckland this week as we booked our flights last week. Trying the Sofitel at the harbor. Looks like it is in close proximity to where the boat leaves. Have not made reservations for Sydney though.

 

Disappointing to see people starting to cancel the trip due to outside reasons on the other boards =(

[baq]

I'm going, see you there!

 

Now that I'm finally all booked on this cruise (and can take the stupid * from my signature), it is as good as time as any to start the roll-call.

 

Itinerary:

 

Feb 20 Auckland, NZ 4PM

Feb 21 Scenic Cruising - White Island

Feb 22 Wellington, NZ 3PM - 10PM

Feb 23 Lyttelton (Christchurch), NZ 8AM - 7PM

Feb 24 Port Chalmers (Dunedin), NZ 8AM - 5PM

Feb 25 At Sea

Feb 26 At Sea

Feb 27 Melbourne, AU 2PM - overnight

Feb 28 Melbourne, AU 3PM

Mar 1 At Sea

Mar 2 Sydney, AU 8AM - overnight

Mar 3 Sydney, AU

 

The cruise get into Sydney just in time for Mardi Gras.

 

It is a little too soon to start planning shore excursion, but I hope this thread will grow in that fashion.

 

See you all on board.

[MDDCFlyer]

We are staying couple of days before the cruise in Auckland and were thinking on seeing Hobbiton. Taking a private tour for 4 is almost the same price as the bus tours out of Auckland. If there is anyone who is interested in such a tour - get in touch.

[DreamBt]

Very much looking forward to travelling again on Holland America after about 5 years away on larger ships. Auckland to Sydney should be awesome!

 

My husband Nicholas and I are in our favourite room category: VD~

Larger balconies that overlook the promenade...get to watch the action on board and out to sea!

[pke-atlanta]

Thanks for "re-activating" the roll call. Now that the trip is just about 6 weeks away, I"m beginning to get excited finally! Just decided on the Auckland hotel this weekend and booked the Hilton. Staying a few days at the Park Hyatt in Sydney on the front end of the trip before flying to Auckland to meet the ship. Will be our first time in that part of the world!

[DreamBt]

Now looking at shore excursions...pricey! And many of the ports are away from the city sights (eg Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin). You seem to have to choose between outdoorsy rustic/adventure or city tour but cannot easily do both...especially with 90-minute trip between the ship and devastated Christchurch! What to do, what to do.

[pke-atlanta]

Yeah, agree. We looked at excursions a little over the weekend. The only one that really kind of appealed to me is the train ride through the mountains, but at $400pp, we didn't "rush in". And you're right, seems like it's your choice of very active physical outdoor activity or sit on a bus all day, neither of which is very appealing to us. So we haven't booked any excurions yet. Think this one is going to be more challenging to find appealing excursions than I had planned.

[dingoboy]

How'd boys,

 

James here from Melbourne.

 

Sadly not on this cruise but we have some mates that are.

 

Just wondering if any of you queens might be interested in a fab little drag show while you are in port on the 27th I think it is.

 

It's not me (I look like my mother in a frock - not a good look!) but rather Dolly Diamond who actually sings live and does a simply amazing show. All very camp and truly hilarious.

 

Mid week is fairly quiet in Melbourne and there won't really be any thing else G.A.Y. on.

 

To make it viable she'd need a certain number of people to commit prior which would enable her to put on a special show especially for you Atlantis boyz. It would be on Chapel St in Prahran which is one of Melbourne's best and most gay friendly suburbs. I can recommend loads of places for dinner and drinks just up the street.

 

If we do get the numbers we would then publicise it to all the locals lads here in Melbourne so that you can all get the chance to meet some fair-dinkum Aussie blokes and we can fawn over all you gorgeous Americans. (If we're nice can we touch???) ;)

 

If you know anyone on the cruise who is organising day trips etc please get to contact me here or via sirjameshardy 'at' me.com so that I can forward more details.

 

Also check out http://www.joy.org.au

 

It's our very own local gay and lesbian radio station JOY FM.

 

We have an iphone/andriod app that you can download to listen live to prepare for your trip. make sure you listen to 'the two fat lattes' or down load their podcast for the very best (or worst) in Aussie humour.

 

ALSO: Looking to interview some Atlantis passengers on radio, before, during and while you are in Melbourne in our studio on Thursday morning. Please contact me if you are interested.

[dingoboy]

If you need any tips or advice on day trips my partner and I are trolley dollies and have been to most of the ports.

 

The cruise ones are always way over priced.

[Rinzler]

For those who went to this cruise or have been to it in previous years, what's the demographic (nationalities, age, etc) like in this cruise from AKL to SYD?

I'm expecting an older crowd but still mostly American. Were there a lot of Aussies and Kiwis? I would prefer a different crowd for a change and different from the young fit and party-type of guys who usually go to their Caribbean cruises.

[absolutboy20]

Here's my opinion on the 2013 cruise.

 

The crowd is older than on the Caribbean cruises as it's an expensive cruise with flights and hotels. You'll still see your share of fit young guys. You're right in that the majority of the people are going to be US, Canadian, and Australian.

 

There were a lot of complaints on board during our cruise that people were disappointed in the cruise ship (same ship being used in 2015) and that there wasn't the party atmosphere that the Caribbean and European cruises tend to have. I knew going in what the cruise ship offered/didn't offer so it met my expectations. The people who were disappointed were thinking it was going to be a Solstice class ship with multiple restaurants and venues, and comparable to the new ships that Atlantis tends to charter for their February Caribbean and August Med cruises.

 

The Celebrity Solstice has been cruising Australia/New Zealand but my opinion it's not the ideal ship for that area. The weather was much colder than what I was expecting. Out of the four sea days we had, only one of the days between Auckland and Wellington was the weather warm enough to lay out by the pool. The Oosterdam has a retractable roof for the mid-ship pool. This is also the area where the night time parties occurred. As it's an enclosed pool without much height, the lighting systems just didn't have the reach that they do on venues that are open to the outdoors. But, without the retractable roof, it would have been too cold to be dancing at night.

 

The weather I believe played a big role in the energy on board as people just weren't congregating in the rear outdoor pool which has a large deck space. I think that warm atmosphere invites people to socialize, drink, etc.

 

I think if you're considering this cruise, you want to be going for the destination first rather than for the ship or a party atmosphere. You can get your fix for a party once you get to Sydney at Mardigrasland.

 

One more item. The cruise is really over the day you arrive in Sydney. You'll see a large number of people disembarking that day to transfer to nearby hotels or head home.

[Rinzler]

Thanks for the info. I was planning on taking the cruise next year by myself. It would be my first gay cruise and I was trying to decide if it was worth it or if I should take one of their Med cruises instead. I'm not sure if I would like it but it's something I'd like to try and scratch off my list.

 

The destinations are not too much of a factor because I will already be traveling for a few weeks first in New Zealand and later in Australia. I don't mind the cold weather. In fact, I kind of prefer it instead of being too hot like in their Caribbean cruises.

 

If anyone has any other input I might find useful, I'd appreciate it. If you could only take or wanted to take one or two gay cruises, would it be one of those? If it's not worth it, I would rather take another one of their cruises and save my money for that Antarctic cruise I've been wanting to take as well.

[World Sailor]

I am currently booked for the 2015 cruise , im going for the destination not the parties or ship i know its not a great ship, so with all that im still looking forward to it, of course the killer is the airfare and time involved getting there, for people who did this cruise before what airline did you take and which would you recommend?

[Smcahee]

We did that cruise the last two times. Air New Zealand was the only airline that flew from the states (SFO or LAX) to Auckland. I believe they are still a star alliance carrier. If you're going to fly back to the states from Sydney you'd probably be on united.

 

You have more options if you fly from the states to and from Australia. Check aircraft. Last time delta was flying 777s and united 747s. 777 was nicer in economy. First or business might not matter.

 

Air New Zealand had something called sky couch on their 777s. Two people bought the third seat in a row for less than a third ticket and it turned into a bed of sorts.

[absolutboy20]

If you're already planning to be in Australia/New Zealand for a few weeks, and you're hitting the same areas by yourself, I would do a med cruise rather than repeating the same ports. I'm hoping for another med cruise on Seabourn in 2015.

 

I definitely would recommend trying a gay cruise at least once to see it is something that you would enjoy. There really are a wide variety of people on board contrary to what the ads show from Atlantis, and you can participate as much or as little as you want in the events.

 

As far as flights, I would steer away from United as their entertainment systems on the 747's were not updated. I also give Virgin Australia a thumbs down. The service was not great, food terrible, and seats horribly uncomfortable. Having my carry-on bags weighed at check-in and having to reshuffle bags was also a turn off. Qantas I hear is very nice on the A380's if you're in premium economy and above.

Edited May 15, 2014 by absolutboy20

[Rinzler]

If you're already planning to be in Australia/New Zealand for a few weeks, and you're hitting the same areas by yourself, I would do a med cruise rather than repeating the same ports. I'm hoping for another med cruise on Seabourn in 2015.

 

That med cruise on one of the Seabourn cruises is not from Atlantis, is it? I thought they usually charter HAL, Princess and Celebrity cruises. Atlantis usually has a med cruise on the Celebrity Equinox or Silhouette, which is a nicer and bigger ship that I might be interested in.