What line to Australia/New Zealand???

[gusjakefred]

Anyone can recommend the best itin for Australia and New Zealand? I will not take Carnival and thought about Crystal.

 

Thank you.

 

gusjakefred

[cruiserking]

Anyone can recommend the best itin for Australia and New Zealand? I will not take Carnival and thought about Crystal.

 

Thank you.

 

gusjakefred

 

Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America Line, take your pick. HAL will be the quietest of the four after 10 pm. Royal Caribbean is a great line, great energy, beautiful ships. Do some research, check out the itineraries, read some reviews and see which ships appeal to you the most.

 

Jonathan

[sail7seas]

Holland America's Oosterdam. :)

 

[dancinman66]

If you thought about crystal you have crystal

Silver sea and Oceania

 

Otherwise suggest celebrity then royal or princess or HAL

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Hlitner]

We would certainly have no problem recommending Crystal if you are willing to pay their price. They are a luxury cruise line and provide a great product. If you want to spend less money, Celebrity, HAL and Princess all have plenty of cruises in those waters. The big surprise for us, the first time we cruised that region was how quickly we fell in love with New Zealand. While Australia is a terrific country, New Zealand is just a very special place. So we would recommend an itinerary that takes you around NZ where you can see some very beautiful natural wonders. In fact, we were so smitten with NZ that we are heading back there in a couple of months to spend a few weeks driving around South Island.

 

As to Australia, there is the popular Sydney and Melbourne, but if you enjoy the water it is hard to do better then visiting the Great Barrier Reef. Since we did not think that any cruise gave us enough time in that area (Cairns or Port Douglas) we flew up to Cairns for a few days so we could make multiple trips out to the reef].

 

So bottom line is that we recommend a cruise that gives you a taste of both NZ and Australia. And consider extending your trip (both pre and post cruise) to spend some additional time in both countries. This can easily be done by doing an itinerary that starts in one country and ends in the other.

 

Hank

[Keith1010]

When it comes to the best that is in the eyes of the beholder.

 

There are many nice options. Some lines sail it regularly and others from time to time.

 

If you want a luxury line (and I have sailed Crystal many times) take a look at Crystal, Seabourn, Silversea and Regent.

 

Keith

[calliopecruiser]

Anyone can recommend the best itin for Australia and New Zealand? I will not take Carnival and thought about Crystal.

 

Thank you.

 

gusjakefred

 

What do you consider best about an itinerary? Lots of ports or few? Common ports or unique ports? And do you mean an itinerary around Australia and NZ or TO Australia and NZ? I will be on Crystal's transpacific to New Zealand this fall and it is the perfect itinerary for me -- only 1 port day and over a dozen days at sea.

[gusjakefred]

Thank you! Never been on Celebrity -- would like to try it.

[gusjakefred]

Oh, I would like a pretty comprehensive choice of ports. I would probably fly down beforehand -- maybe to Sydney, then cruise from there. Have to check out tons of itineraries. Love doing that.

[maryann ns]

Much of what we found wonderful in Australia and New Zealand last year you could not do while on a cruise.

 

Even in Milford Sound where the ships cruise into the Sound you do not get the full experience. Much of the incredible beauty in New Zealand is inland.

 

We spent four days near Cairns and five days in Sydney and would have liked more, and of course you cannot get to Uluru on a cruise.

 

If you do take a cruise check how long you have in each port. And for sure extend your trip on land before or after so you can see more.

[gusjakefred]

Yes, this is what I am coming to discover. I will get a good tour company and do land tours, then maybe at end of land touring, hope on a cruise.

 

Please let me know about your Antarctica expedition. Is it on NatGeo? I heard they are wonderful.

 

We are off next month on Princess on the British Isles/Iceland journey. Thanks for your invaluable input.

[gusjakefred]

Thank you Keith. I LOVE Regent and can't wait to sail on Crystal. I think I will do a couple of land tours first, then hook up w/Crystal or Regent while "down under". I am ADDICTED to travel and cannot see enough.

 

Enjoy your adventures.

[gusjakefred]

Thank you for your input. I am very excited to see New Zealand, but would like to do a comprehensive land tour as I believe you miss too much just cruising. Perhaps a combination of both would be delightful.

 

Enjoy your journeys!

[jmf123]

Thank you for your input. I am very excited to see New Zealand, but would like to do a comprehensive land tour as I believe you miss too much just cruising. Perhaps a combination of both would be delightful.

 

Enjoy your journeys!

 

May I suggest Tauck as a possibility- they offer small ship cruising as well as land tours. My well traveled aunt and uncle recently enjoyed Tauck's 20 day Grand Australia and New Zealand tour. The two or three week Down Under tours cover distances primarily by cruiseship or private charter flights, but also include jet boat, tramcar, helicopter, catamaran, and sky gondola rides. Fares include shore excursions.

 

Tauck's 21 day small ship cruises travel east or west bound (Sydney-Auckland). Also offered are 11 day Australia and 11 day New Zealand spotlight tours. Tauck is excellent, here is a link to their Australia and New Zealand travel: http://www.tauck.com/tours/australia-travel.aspx.

[gusjakefred]

Thank you re Tauck. Actually, we have been on 5 Tauck tours!!!! We love them. We wanted a change in tour companies, but I totally agree that Tauck is tops and very very reliable and excellent in every way.

[Keith1010]

Thank you Keith. I LOVE Regent and can't wait to sail on Crystal. I think I will do a couple of land tours first, then hook up w/Crystal or Regent while "down under". I am ADDICTED to travel and cannot see enough.

 

Enjoy your adventures.

 

You are very welcome.

 

We love travel too.

 

We also love Australia and New Zealand and thankfully are visiting both countries again next year while on the Crystal Serenity.

 

Best to you.

 

Keith

[gusjakefred]

Hello Keith

 

Enjoy your upcoming trips as well. From the time I was a mere pup (21 years old) -- about 1,000 years ago -- I have LOVED traveling. It doesn't matter where the destination is, I just love to keep moving. Now that I'm retired, I want to do so much.

 

My husband and I will be sailing on Princess Sept. 10 from Copenhagen. Haven't been there and some ports will be new so that is exciting. The part that I love is that we are sailing across the pond. Something that my husband has never experienced -- that is a great experience as well.

 

Enjoy!!!

 

gusjakefred (Carol)

[jmf123]

Thank you re Tauck. Actually, we have been on 5 Tauck tours!!!! We love them. We wanted a change in tour companies, but I totally agree that Tauck is tops and very very reliable and excellent in every way.

 

My family and I totally agree with you, gusjakefred! I actually booked them in the past on the excellent Tauck tours of South America, Spain & Portugal, the Middle East, Antarctica, Amsterdam (Tulip Time!), Costa Rica... And now the recent Australia and New Zealand that they loved. (The flights back to PA were a bit long, I'd recommend considering a stopover in sunny California or somewhere on the way home!). I'm interested to know what you decide- Tauck is tops in every way and has never disappointed. ;)

[gusjakefred]

Hi there

Will definitely let you know. We did Tauck tours to: Iceland, Ireland, Southeast Asia, Alaska and South America/Galapagos. They were fantastic!

 

They really do everything first-class.

 

Thanks again.