Transpacific cruise?

[scurrymd]

Looking for info on Transpacific cruises. My husband and I are retiring next year, and looking into possibility of taking a repositioning cruise from Seattle to Sydney and then spending a couple months traveling in Australia and New Zealand. On one hand, it would be a relaxing way to get to Australia and the jet leg shouldn't be an issue - but on the other, it's a long time on the ship and a lot of sea days. Any feedback/recommendations from anyone who's done this? Thanks!

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I am booked on the Explorer, doing the 23 day cruise this year (2017). My mother did it last year and is doing it again this year. She loved it and made friends that are doing it again this year as well. I say go for it! Keep in mind, there are only about 8 ports, so that's 15 sea days. If you don't enjoy relaxing, playing cards, meeting new people and reading. It probably won't be for you. I've done Transatlantics and was never bored, in fact I was happy to get back on the ship- even when we did dock. If you don't like sea days- then I'd fly. Stop in Hawaii to break up the trip. That what I'm doing on the return flight. If I had more time, I'd also book a cruise around Australia too. For me I'll be gone a month total and that's plenty for me.

[sddsddean]

We did Sydney - LA back in 2006 on a 29 night cruise. The only real problem was that the first half of the cruise we were at a port nearly every day (at least every other day) up until Papette, Tahiti. After that it was a 4 day trip to Honolulu and Hilo (2 days) then another 4 day trip to LA, so the second half of the cruise you had to amuse yourself a lot more. Obviously you would be doing this the other way round, so for the 'boring' bit, you will still be on a high having started your cruise. Going East-West you will also lose a day going over the International Date line (as we were heading east we had Friday 29th April and the next day was...Friday 29th April again!...a real groundhog day!). We must go back to Oz sometime; we only had 3 days which just whetted our appetite! If you feel like doing it, I highly recommend doing the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb. It is not arduous or scary (honest!) and the view from the top is out of this world!!

 

Simon

[jamesr3939]

Princess does a couple out of San Francisco that at least make it to the south pacific. I was following them a year ago to see if something popped up for 2019. But plans change so I haven't been tracking them recently.

[scurrymd]

We did Sydney - LA back in 2006 on a 29 night cruise. The only real problem was that the first half of the cruise we were at a port nearly every day (at least every other day) up until Papette, Tahiti. After that it was a 4 day trip to Honolulu and Hilo (2 days) then another 4 day trip to LA, so the second half of the cruise you had to amuse yourself a lot more. Obviously you would be doing this the other way round, so for the 'boring' bit, you will still be on a high having started your cruise. Going East-West you will also lose a day going over the International Date line (as we were heading east we had Friday 29th April and the next day was...Friday 29th April again!...a real groundhog day!). We must go back to Oz sometime; we only had 3 days which just whetted our appetite! If you feel like doing it, I highly recommend doing the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb. It is not arduous or scary (honest!) and the view from the top is out of this world!!

 

Simon

 

Simon, we went to Sydney a few years ago for work and loved it!! We decided then that once we retire we would go back and spend more time to enjoy the rest of the country. I tried hard to talk my husband into doing the bridge climb then, but was unsuccessful - he is a wimp with heights. That being said, I did get him to zip line this year, so he is getting braver in his old age, I may be able to talk him into it this time! Thanks for your feedback on the cruise.

[MsDolly]

Simon, we went to Sydney a few years ago for work and loved it!! We decided then that once we retire we would go back and spend more time to enjoy the rest of the country. I tried hard to talk my husband into doing the bridge climb then, but was unsuccessful - he is a wimp with heights. That being said, I did get him to zip line this year, so he is getting braver in his old age, I may be able to talk him into it this time! Thanks for your feedback on the cruise.

 

Our first visit downunder we circumnavigated AUS/NZ and loved it, would have like to do the TP back with that trip but even with the extra time we tacked on after the cruise it didn't line up, so last year we went back for a shorter visit knowing we wanted to do it, so we did the Sydney to Seattle run. We are waiting for Royal Caribbean to open up the TP sailings latter this month for 2019. Like your husband I too am a bit bad with heights so what we did was a partial walk along the bridge to the first pylon and they have stairs to climb up for a birds eye view and a bit of a museum of the history of the bridge as well, just an option to the bridge climb.

 

Belinda

[Desert Cruizers]

We did this but in reverse, flew to Sydney for a 2 day Pre cruise stay then boarded the Radiance for a 13 day NZ cruise, returning to Sydney for 9 additional days and a couple all day trips, re boarded on April 10th for the 18 day Transpacific then 12 day Hawaii to Seattle ( 54 days ) and it was our ultimate trip. The NZ cruise was fairly Port intensive except 2 sea days after leaving Sydney and 2 sea days returning. Transpacific was great with ports & sea days before the 5 days to Lahaina then Oahu for the day until 10 PM. After doing the Islands we returned to Oahu until 7 PM before leaving for Seattle. I would love to return to Australia and see more. Our daughter went back for 3 weeks and drove around with a lady she met on our NZ cruise

[kwahl1]

We too are doing the October 2017 Transpacific re-positioning Seattle to Sydney. Our longest cruise. I love sea days, never a dull moment. Friend in Honolulu too.