Cruise ships in Sydney New Years Eve 12/31/15?

[CabernetKid]

Hi,

 

Is anyone aware if there will be any cruise ships in Sydney Harbor for New Years? I am looking to take a cruise from Sydney or be on a cruise that will be in Sydney for New Years Eve.

 

Thanks,

 

John - Cabernet Kid

[gbenjo]

Hi,

 

Is anyone aware if there will be any cruise ships in Sydney Harbor for New Years? I am looking to take a cruise from Sydney or be on a cruise that will be in Sydney for New Years Eve.

 

Thanks,

 

John - Cabernet Kid

 

No. There will be no ships in Sydney Harbour for NYE ( they get in the way of the fireworks) Closest to NYE would be the Carnival Legend on the 30th Dec and the Noordam on 2nd Jan.

[CabernetKid]

Thanks for the info. I was hoping I had missed something.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Nothing is showing on the Sydney Ports website, and the Overseas Passenger Terminal is showing as unavailable.

 

Given the amount of traffic on Sydney harbour on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, I suspect cruise ships are actively discouraged from arriving and departing Sydney on those days. There would be too much risk of an accident happening.

 

Your best bet would be to book on one of the harbour cruise ships for a New Year's Eve dinner. Accommodation is very expensive in Sydney at that time, and anything with a harbour view gets booked up very early. Also hotels often require a minimum of nights stay at that time.

 

If you did decide to stay in Sydney over NYE, and it is worth doing, I'd suggest you stay somewhere away from the CBD but on a train route so that you can get into the city and back easily. Chatswood is quite close and has some nice apartment hotels, for example.

 

Ships arriving in Sydney just before NYE are:

Carnival Spirit - 27th December

Pacific Pearl - 27th December

Celebrity Solstice - 28th December

Pacific Eden - 28th December

Voyager of the Seas - 29th December

Carnival Legend - 30th December

 

Ships departing Sydney just after NYE are:

Noordam -2nd January

Diamond Princess - 3rd January

Dawn Princess - 3rd January

Carnival Spirit - 4th January

Silver Shadow - 4th January.

Edited February 25, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[CabernetKid]

Thank you so much for the info.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Here are a couple of websites for NYE harbour cruises. Be warned, they are very expensive.

 

http://www.magisticcruises.com.au/sydney-harbour-cruises/new-years-eve-cruises.php

 

https://www.captaincook.com.au/sydney-harbour-cruises/whats-on-in-sydney/new-years-eve/

 

I haven't been on the Captain Cook boat, but did a lunch cruise on a Magistic boat a while back and it was very nice.

[GUT2407]

Short answer no, some years there has be one at anchor on NYE, either embarking that afternoon or disembarking the next morning but can't remember last time there was one. Two or three years I think.

[aussielozzie18]

A couple of years ago, Radiance got to spend NYE in the harbour due to a cyclone delaying their departure by 24hrs.

 

We did a Captain Cook Cruise for the Naval 100th anniversary festivities on Sydney Harbour. We really enjoyed the cruise BUT being one of the largest vessels on the harbour we were placed at the back of the exclusion zone for the fireworks and our view of the fireworks was greatly diminished as a result.

Edited February 25, 2015 by aussielozzie18

[GUT2407]

A couple of years ago, Radiance got to spend NYE in the harbour due to a cyclone delaying their departure by 24hrs.

 

We did a Captain Cook Cruise for the Naval 100th anniversary festivites on the Harbour. It was a great night on the harbour BUT we were at the back of the exclusion zone (being one of the largest vessels on the harbour) and our view of the fireworks was greatly diminished.

 

That could be the one I remember

[Bodogbodog]

If you can hold off for a year Crystal Cruises has a cruise which will be in Sydney on 31/12/2016 :D

Details here

The way I figure it is that while it's a relatively expensive cruise the experience of being in Sydney on Crystal Symphony for NYE is too good to miss and the alternative of the cost of a harbour cruise on NYE coupled with a nights accommodation in the city offsets the holiday cruise premium

They last did a similar cruise with NYE in Sydney back in 2012 (same time that the Radiance was moored in the harbour due to rough seas in the Tasman) - they chartered a catamaran to take guests out on the harbour for NYE - I'm expecting they will do the same again this time

Edited February 25, 2015 by Bodogbodog

[OzKiwiJJ]

The World is also going to be in the harbour for NYE that year. On Athol Buoy for NYE then moving to White Bay 4 for two nights.

 

Crystal Symphony is at White Bay for NYE, then moves to the OPT on New Year's Day, then back to White Bay.

 

Interesting!

Edited February 25, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[Bodogbodog]

Crystal Symphony is at White Bay for NYE, then moves to the OPT on New Year's Day, then back to White Bay.

Interesting!

Very!

Won't worry me and will enjoy sailing back and forth under the bridge - as Sydneysiders we won't be doing any sightseeing on-shore

We'll be enjoying the Symphony's facilities and "all inclusive" - plus hosting friends and family on-board for drinks and meals as that's something that Crystal still allow their guests to do

Edited February 25, 2015 by Bodogbodog

[OzKiwiJJ]

Ohhh! That Crystal Symphony cruise looks great. It would allow me to catch up with friends and family in NZ, then have NYE on Sydney Harbour. Fantastic!

 

Please lotto fairy, grant me a big win soon :D

[Bodogbodog]

Ohhh! That Crystal Symphony cruise looks great. It would allow me to catch up with friends and family in NZ, then have NYE on Sydney Harbour. Fantastic!

Let me know if you are interested - or the Lotto fairy pays a visit - I may be able to "assist"

It's one that we booked as soon as it was announced - it's a bucket list item and we too will be catching up with friends and family in NZ as well

Only downside at the moment is the state of the A$ v US$ as Crystal only sell in US$

Edited February 25, 2015 by Bodogbodog

[OzKiwiJJ]

Very!

Won't worry me and will enjoy sailing back and forth under the bridge - as Sydneysiders we won't be doing any sightseeing on-shore

We'll be enjoying the Symphony's facilities and "all inclusive" - plus hosting friends and family on-board for drinks and meals as that's something that Crystal still allow their guests to do

 

I'd feel guilty if I didn't go home to give my cat a cuddle ;)

 

It really does sound wonderful. I didn't know they allowed friends and family to join you onboard for a meal. That's very rare these days.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Let me know if you are interested - or the Lotto fairy pays a visit - I may be able to "assist"

It's one that we booked as soon as it was announced - it's a bucket list item and we too will be catching up with friends and family in NZ as well

 

If the lotto fairy pays me a visit I'll be booking immediately LOL.

[Bodogbodog]

I'd feel guilty if I didn't go home to give my cat a cuddle ;)

I wonder if I could smuggle my two Labradors on for a visit :confused: - might have to make that a shore side visit ;)

 

Yes being able to host visitors is a really nice thing on Crystal - details here - there is a charge to cover costs but the experience will generally be something your guests will remember for a long time. It got so "bad" on our last trip around NZ that the maître d kept asking us if we had any guests joining us for dinner even when it was a sea day :D

Edited February 25, 2015 by Bodogbodog

[tangogulf]

A couple of years ago, Radiance got to spend NYE in the harbour due to a cyclone delaying their departure by 24hrs.

 

We did a Captain Cook Cruise for the Naval 100th anniversary festivities on Sydney Harbour. We really enjoyed the cruise BUT being one of the largest vessels on the harbour we were placed at the back of the exclusion zone for the fireworks and our view of the fireworks was greatly diminished as a result.

 

Yes. I was on that cruise with my wife and two daughters. We didn't mind being delayed 24hrs. We had an awesome once in a lifetime view of the NYE fireworks. :)