Australia-New Zeland

[A.Emgee]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Princess Di:

Kia Ora, A. Emgee,

I am not a Kiwi; howver, I am sorry, for you that you will miss the Port of Wellington. My favourite Tour was in this Port on the 8 Dec. Star Princess sailing. We hired Jason to do the Lord of the Rings all-day Tour and it was just fabulous seeing all the spots where Middle Earth was photographed.

The Kiwis certainly know how to entertain us. Tauranga is also good because you can take an excursion to my Favourite Place of all, Rotorua and Taupo, where they have the Geysers and the Bubbling Mud Pots, like Yellowsone Park. I took the Zorb ride (rolling down a grassy hill in a plastic ball - Great Fun). We took a Tour there and stayed over night at the Regal Geyserland Hotel, out of Auckland and stayed in the North Island for one week to see the Bay of Isles and Coromandel Peninsula Before embarkation.

Cooler than Australia, I would go back for 2 weeks on land and rent a camper to drive around. That is very easy to do, and safe.

I stayed in Oz for 10 days post-cruise and saw Ayers Rock, Darwin & the Rainforest, Cairns, and Lots of Sydney.

You will Love this Itinerary.

 

A Smile is just a little curve that sets a lot of things Straight.

Fair Winds and Following Seas!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

I wonder if one can do an excursion to the Waitomo Glowworm Cave from Tauranga?

 

As another bummer, the 19-day Singapore to Sydney cruise for the Diamond Princess (December 20, 2005) has replaced Kuala Lumpur with an(other) At Sea day. 11 At Sea days on a 19-day cruise?!?!?!

[Jim & Louise]

Hi Johanna,

 

If you need any infomation on Sydney, let me know and I'll see what I can do for you.

 

Jim

[Johanna7]

Hi Louise & Jim:

 

Yes, I am interested in Sydney. Of course when we arrive, I assume we will be picked up and the tour portion will start. I do believe there is some free time the 2nd day. On the 3rd we leave for Uluru and the 5th for Cairns or Douglas and on the 18th of Jan. for Sydney and the cruise.

 

Any suggestions for the free time would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Johanna

[Jim & Louise]

Hi Johanna,

 

What are your interests? what is included in your tour? how long will you have and where will you be based in Sydney? There will be a few options.... Let me know and I'll give you some suggestions.

 

One recomendation would be Taronga Zoo - its a ferry ride across the harbour from the city, you get some spectacular city and harbour views and its a good oportunity to check out some of Australia's unique wildlife.

 

http://www.zoo.nsw.gov.au/content/view.asp?id=39

 

Let me know if this wouldn't suit you or you need more ideas.

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

[galelynn]

Is the price in Australian dollars or US dollars?

[Princess Di]

Those Aussies - They are Soooo Nice.

I would take the Opera House Tour. I went last New Years Eve & saw the CoatHangar Extravaganza. Quite spectacular. Alas, I had to fly home the next day, but the 30 days in Oz and NZ, I shall Never forget.

 

A Smile is just a little curve that sets a lot of things Straight.

Fair Winds and Following Seas!

[kimba_99]

If you only have a few hours in Sydney here are a few things you could do that are close to the city centre;

 

Morning/Afternoon; lunch cruise on Sydney harbour, climb the SH bridge, take a ferry to Manly and if your adventurous do a Shark Dive at Oceanworld, visit the Sydney Aquarium or Luna Park also by ferry. Take a jet boat ride on the harbour or sea plane safari, tour the Opera House, check the view from the Sydney Tower. Darling Harbour has the Chinese Garden of Friendship, IMAX theatre as well as lots of shops and cafe/restaurants. History/Arts; Powerhouse Museum, National Maritime Museum, Hyde Park Barracks, the Rocks Toy Museum, Museum of Contemporary Arts. There are also numberous walks around the city and Botanical Gardens.

 

Evening; Showboat dinner cruise on the harbour, there is also a dinner cruise on the tallship The Bounty. See a show at either the Opera House or Star City Casino (the Queen show We Will Rock You will be on Dec/Jan). Also some of the things from above can be done in the evening as well.

 

Enjoy your time here!

 

Cheers,

Kim

[Johanna7]

Hi Jim & Louise and also Kimba:

 

Thanks for the zoo link. I checked it. At what age is a senior in Australia? Is it 65 or 60 years of age. It varies here in Canada and the US from age 50 to 65, that is why I ask.

 

It all sounds very interesting.

 

It looks like we stay in the Hotel Rydges Jamison in Sydney. On Thursday Jan. 13 we have the afternoon at leisure and the morning Sydney Sightseeing. It does not appear we have much free time as the next morning we leave for Uluru.

 

There is so much to do - so little time.....

 

Johanna

[Druke I]

Johanna

 

Seems no set age for seniors down under - just like here.

 

We were down under (1st time) in 96, on the old Pacific Princess (the Love Boat), and saw signs giving discounts for "pensioners". I had taken an early retirement from the Civil Service, and got "pensioners" discount all over the place, both in NZ and Oz, upon presentation of my retired ID card, although well-under Social Security age (at that time).

 

Michael

[Jim & Louise]

Hi Johanna,

 

I think Drake is right - as long as you have some ID that says you are 'retired' you should be fine....

 

Jim

[Johanna7]

Druke & Jim & Louise:

 

Although retired at 60 in 2000, the only proof I have is the stub from my monthly early Canada Pension Plan cheque. I am not eligible for Old Age Pension until 2005 when I turn 65.

 

I have no idea that says I am retired. Anyway, it isn't a big deal. I will be a few weeks short of 65 while on the cruise and cruise tour.

 

We are really looking forward to visiting Australia and New Zealand.

 

We have never been that far. We have been to Europe at least 10 times as I was born in Holland but the furthest west we have been is Hawaii, also on a cruise and 1 week in Oahu.

 

We especially like getting an extra 3 weeks of summer as we have a nasty winter here in January.

 

Johanna

[Princess Di]

Hi, Johanna,

They told me that the Senior Discounts are Only applicable to residents of Oz. When we toured the Opera House, I went back with Kathy's retired ID (she lives in Bella Vista, near Paramatta) and they refunded a portion of her ticket, not mine.

 

A Smile is just a little curve that sets a lot of things Straight.

Fair Winds and Following Seas!

[Johanna7]

Princess Di:

 

Thanks for the information. Makes sense in a way, same with our transit system in Toronto, you have to be a resident. Not that they check.

 

It is no big deal, we can pay full price for anything we wish to see/experience.

 

Johanna

[Trevoli]

For anyone planning on visiting the Taronga Zoo, I highly recommend doing the Behind the Scenes Tour. Absolutely, without question, worth every extra penny.

 

This is the only way to get up close and (almost) personal to Koala Bears. You still can't hold or pet them (we were told it stresses them out), but you get within inches of them. I certainly could have pet them, but was being respectful of our tour guides' wishes.

 

We were so lucky, 3 of the 4 koalas were awake at the same time we were there (since they sleep upwards of 18 hours a day, this really means something).

 

We got to pet a wombat, got up close to an emu, got to hold some exotic bugs/snakes/lizards and some baby animals. Also got to see the food prep staging area.

 

Unfortunately, it was pouring down rain while we there, so the views of Sydney weren't so good, but we had an awesome time anyway.

 

T

[Spicey477]

I thought I would add my 2 cents here on Sydney!

-Ambien I am sure will do the trick for the loongg flight, but I just bought a thing of Tylenol PM and got a TON of sleep! I am not much of a sleeper either... I actually bought my flight at the airport (Baltimore) when I was getting ready to board, and I went the LONG way around, from Bwi to London to Singapore to Sydney. Long story, husband was in the war (last year) and I hadn't seen him in 6 months! All of the people that I sat next to couldn't believe that I was flying all the way through. It was a 30 hour flight, I was 25 years old so I could handle it even though my butt hurt! It seems that everyone that goes that way does a one or two day stopover in Singapore which is usually free through the airline and sometimes they have hotel specials. I flew Ba/Quantas. The food and service were pretty amazing on Quantas but the seats are SMALL in economy!

-For Sydney, I totally recommend a small restaurant in the Rocks across from the Lowenbrau pub, called the Sydney Cove, amazing, FRESH pasta! Also, you have to go to the pancake place for a late night or morning snack in the Rocks, I can't remember the name.

-To climb the Sydney Harbor bridge you have to get reservations, so plan ahead if that is something you would like to do.

-I didn't get a chance to go the Taranga Zoo, but I did go to Featherdale Wildlife Park where you can pet kangaroos and pose with a koala, coolest 'zoo' I have been to! It is about a 30 minute cheap train ride away from Sydney.

-If you have the time, spend a couple of days out at Bondi Beach since it will be summer. It was great and there is tons of great food and wonderful people-watching!

 

Enjoy your cruise, I am so jealous!

[Princess Di]

You are Very Welcome, Johanna.
I probably would have received the Sr. Discount also if I had let Kathy buy the tickets, but I got there first and they were going fast for the Opera House Tour. I just wanted you to be prepared in case they turn you down on your Canadian ID. In the U.S., I don't think they care where you come from. If you look it, you can get the Sr. price here. I even buy Sr. tickets for my daughter at the movie theatres.

A Smile is just a little curve that sets a lot of things Straight.
Fair Winds and Following Seas!