Melbourne ...disembark question

[SF]

Our ship Solstice will be docking at Melbourne at 9 a.m. and we are wondering what time to start our tour. We'd like to schedule it for 9:30 a.m. but would we be better off making it for 9:45 am? This will be our first port of call coming from New Zealand so we're wondering if immigration is done on the two days prior to arriving in Melbourne or is it done that morning? Depending on the answer to this could depend on how long it would take to disembark.

[Aussieflyer]

I have always found Melbourne a very slow port for disembarkation so personally I would not be looking at allowing only 30 minutes between docking and the start of a tour. YMMV.:)

[SF]

I have always found Melbourne a very slow port for disembarkation so personally I would not be looking at allowing only 30 minutes between docking and the start of a tour. YMMV.:)

 

Do you think starting the tour at

9:45 a.m. would give us enough time

[Aus Traveller]

I have found that it usually takes 30 minutes for a ship to get clearance from local authorities before anyone can disembark. The first question is whether the 9am quoted time is for the ship's arrival, or whether it arrives at 8.30 then gets clearance allowing disembarkation at 9am. I have noticed that Princess often seems to quote the time that passengers will be able to disembark (not the time of arrival) but you are not sailing with Princess. Then of course, the ship can encounter a delay in docking that will throw out the expected time.

 

The next question is immigration. I have been on a couple of cruises where Australian Immigration boards the ship at the previous port and carries out checks while on board, but I do not know if this will happen with your cruise.

 

You might be able to make a 9.45 tour, but maybe if you advise the tour operator that there could be a short unavoidable delay it could be OK. After all, they want your business.

[SF]

Think we'll keep the 9:45am time.

[sonia2509]

Our first port of call on the Sostice from NZ was Hobart and immigration was completed on the two sea days before we arrived in Hobart

 

 

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[Silver and Gold]

I arrived in Melbourne on 13th Feb, and found the immigration process simple and quick. I had items to declare and still wasn't held up.

Its worth walking to the end of the pier to get collected, as it's difficult for cars to gain access to the wharf/pier with barrier arms and security in the way.

[Aussieflyer]

I arrived in Melbourne on 13th Feb, and found the immigration process simple and quick. I had items to declare and still wasn't held up.

Its worth walking to the end of the pier to get collected, as it's difficult for cars to gain access to the wharf/pier with barrier arms and security in the way.

I think the OP is on a cruise where Melbourne is the first port of call, so there shouldn't be items to declare I am thinking. It sounded like you were disembarking at the end of a cruise.