MAJOR HELP NEEDED PLEASE

[Mylisa]

We just arrived back from a Greenland, Iceland cruise and I have to quickly prepare for a January 2023 Australia, New Zealand one.  My DH believes that all the planning happens by magic but alas, it’s just me that puts everything together.  I’ve asked him to delay this cruise but he won’t here of it since we’ve had it canceled so many times due to COVID.   So I’m in need of major help here!

 

I’ve got to book airfare ASAP so I’ve got to put this all together pretty rapidly.

 

My Roll Call is basically not active so I’ve turned here for help.  We prefer small group tours rather than the large ship tours.  So I need help in figuring out what sites to see as well as recommendations for tour companies.

 

We are flying into Sydney and I need a recommendation for where to stay, prefer breakfast included, and how many days in advance should we fly in in order to see a fair amount. And we disembark in Auckland.  How many days do we need there and any recommendations of where to stay would be appreciated.

 

Here are the cities we are stopping at on the cruise.  So if anyone can help me with any of the above I would be eternally grateful.  Thanks in advance!
 

Sydney 

Melbourne - 2 days

Burnie (Tasmania) - 8am - 5pm

Timaru, NZ - 12pm - 8pm

Christchurch - 8am - 7pm

Wellington - 8am - 5pm

Napier - 8am - 6pm

Gisborne - 6am - 2pm

Bay of Islands - 11am - 7pm

Auckland - Disembarkation 

 

 

[arxcards]

For Sydney, I would suggest 3 days ahead, but that will depend on how much you end up with on your list. Cities are cities wherever you go, but the harbour sets Sydney apart from most. Ferries are cheap, and their main hub (Circular Quay) is adjacent to the main cruise terminal (OPT), so I would suggest accommodation in that area.

 

There are lots of hotels to pick from, from almost expensive to really expensive. Rydges Sydney Harbour is closest to OPT, but there are others that offer a fantastic harbour view - for a price (Four Seasons, Pullman Quay Grand, Sebel Quay West, Shangri-La. All very nice hotels, having stayed in them all. There are other budget options too, but I don't know what yours is.

 

Most ships depart from OPT, as they are too tall to transit under the harbour bridge. What ship are you cruising on?

 

Very important, if you haven't done already - get your Australian ETA visa waiver done as soon as you are committed to coming. Recent posts are highlighting that some of these are taking up to 3 months to be approved, mostly due to staff shortages.

[Jean C]

Bay of Islands

Hi, for DIY shore visits, I just did a bit of research for another thread on the Bay of Islands and found a useful link (below).

 

Bay of Islands is a tender port and, depending on sea conditions, tenders go to Waitangi Wharf. From there a shuttle, which I THINK is free, will take you the short drive along the waterfront to Paihia, the main township (it's stroll-able for those comfortable with waking). From there you can get the ferry over to Russell, a very picturesque, historic township. Interesting to wander about, have coffee at one of the cafes, or lunch/drink at the historic Duke of Marlborough pub on the waterfront.

 

Even the local cop shop, still in operation, is picturesque and in keeping with the township (see pic attached).

 

Don't miss the historic church with musket holes in the weatherboards (one complete with bullet inside) from conflicts between Maori and early settlers. Even the gravestones are worth reading, some very tragic deaths to the sea.  It's also very worthwhile following the track up to the flagpole for more history and stunning views.

 

https://www.albomadventures.com/russell-bay-of-islands/

•  

[Elorac123]

https://www.whatsinport.com/Australia.html

 

There are fake sites for visas,this is the one you need

 

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder/visit
 

Cheers Carole

[Mylisa]

55 minutes ago, arxcards said:

For Sydney, I would suggest 3 days ahead, but that will depend on how much you end up with on your list. Cities are cities wherever you go, but the harbour sets Sydney apart from most. Ferries are cheap, and their main hub (Circular Quay) is adjacent to the main cruise terminal (OPT), so I would suggest accommodation in that area.

 

There are lots of hotels to pick from, from almost expensive to really expensive. Rydges Sydney Harbour is closest to OPT, but there are others that offer a fantastic harbour view - for a price (Four Seasons, Pullman Quay Grand, Sebel Quay West, Shangri-La. All very nice hotels, having stayed in them all. There are other budget options too, but I don't know what yours is.

 

Most ships depart from OPT, as they are too tall to transit under the harbour bridge. What ship are you cruising on?

 

Very important, if you haven't done already - get your Australian ETA visa waiver done as soon as you are committed to coming. Recent posts are highlighting that some of these are taking up to 3 months to be approved, mostly due to staff shortages.

We’re on Oceania’s Regatta.  Does anyone know if the cruise companies get the Visa waiver for passengers?

[arxcards]

17 minutes ago, Mylisa said:

We’re on Oceania’s Regatta.  Does anyone know if the cruise companies get the Visa waiver for passengers?

No they don't.

 

[arxcards]

By the way, nice ship. 

Regatta departs from the other cruise terminal at White Bay, on the other side of the harbour bridge. It is a nice terminal, but located a bit out of the way. Pretty much requires a cab to get there from any hotel, so I still recommend those near Circular Quay.

[buchhalm]

Just to give you an idea what you will see in our city...

[arxcards]

Just to add about Circular Quay. Apart from ferries it is a major transport hub, where you also have rail, light rail and bus links, as well as easy access to a hop-on hop-off and taxis. The Rocks, Opera House, Botanic Gardens are all within walking distance.

 

An additional hotel with a bit of a view is the Marriot. We have stayed at every other hotel that offers a view of the bridge and Opera House from window or balcony, but not this one. I have booked there today for a pre-cruise night in October, mostly because of better pricing, but also to try it out.

[possum52]

Melbourne - assuming you are doing an overnighter in Melbourne on 18th January? If so, the Australian Tennis Open will be on - it will be the first week. If you are a tennis fan, you could attend, either obtaining a reserved seat in one of the arenas or buying a day pass. 

 

Other suggestions -  visit Phillip Island on your first day to see the world famous penguin parade - the penguins come in from being at sea at dusk. It is very interesting and very popular. 

Phillip Island Penguin Parade

 

Great Ocean Road (GOR) - from Torquay to the west of Melbourne - beautiful scenery along a road built by returned servicemen after WW1 and opened in 1932. Usually a two day trip at least would be required but you could do a one day trip arriving back in the evening. 

 

One of the Melbourne Zoos - Werribee Open Range Zoo west of the city, Melbourne Zoo just to the north west of the city and Healesville Santuary to the east of the city.

 

Puffing Billy - a steam train travelling through the Dandenong Ranges 

 

Melbourne Botanical Gardens and numerous other gardens and parks all within walking distance of the CBD (Central business District)

 

Queen Victoria Market or Vic Market which we locals callit has been operating from the same location since 1878 - on the edge of the CBD. 

 

Melbourne's unique laneways and arcades - Melbourne Laneways

 

Plenty of art galleries and museums plus the wonderful State Library

 

Good luck and enjoy your vist to Australia and NZ

 

 

[Fortunatefew]

We are on a cruise sept 23 leaving from Sydney. We are staying at the Rendevous at the Rocks. From there we can walk to Circular Quay with our luggage, only 5 minutes.

Lots of things to do in the NZ ports. Bay of Islands is a tender port, the whole area has a lot of history.  The kayaking up the Haruru river to the waterfall is amazing or you can just sit on the mother boat if kayaking isn’t your thing.  You would be able to book online through the Paihia information centre.

Napier is the Art Deco city of New Zealand.  There are tours around the city. 

[Mylisa]

On 9/6/2022 at 1:48 AM, Fortunatefew said:

We are on a cruise sept 23 leaving from Sydney. We are staying at the Rendevous at the Rocks. From there we can walk to Circular Quay with our luggage, only 5 minutes.

Lots of things to do in the NZ ports. Bay of Islands is a tender port, the whole area has a lot of history.  The kayaking up the Haruru river to the waterfall is amazing or you can just sit on the mother boat if kayaking isn’t your thing.  You would be able to book online through the Paihia information centre.

Napier is the Art Deco city of New Zealand.  There are tours around the city. 

Did you book any private tours for any of your stops that are similar to ours?  If so, would you share the info please.  
 

 

[Mylisa]

FYI.  Thanks for the heads up on the necessity of a Visa?  

We applied online for the Australian Visa and got it almost instantaneously.  The same for entry into New Zealand.

[arxcards]

6 hours ago, Mylisa said:

FYI.  Thanks for the heads up on the necessity of a Visa?  

We applied online for the Australian Visa and got it almost instantaneously.  The same for entry into New Zealand.

Excellent. The uncomplicated applications have been going through as quick as ever, but ones that need some sort of scrutiny are getting backlogged. Glad you have that all sorted.

[Mylisa]

Can anyone recommend a hotel in Auckland. We are staying one night after the cruise and need a place to stay. 

[Mylisa]

On 9/6/2022 at 1:48 AM, Fortunatefew said:

We are on a cruise sept 23 leaving from Sydney. We are staying at the Rendevous at the Rocks. From there we can walk to Circular Quay with our luggage, only 5 minutes.

Lots of things to do in the NZ ports. Bay of Islands is a tender port, the whole area has a lot of history.  The kayaking up the Haruru river to the waterfall is amazing or you can just sit on the mother boat if kayaking isn’t your thing.  You would be able to book online through the Paihia information centre.

Napier is the Art Deco city of New Zealand.  There are tours around the city. 

Have you booked any private tours and if so do you mind sharing their contact info?

[Aussieflyer]

15 hours ago, Mylisa said:

Can anyone recommend a hotel in Auckland. We are staying one night after the cruise and need a place to stay. 

I am not from Auckland but have visited numerous times, sometimes to board or disembark from a cruise. In those cases I stay near the terminal/waterfront so I am in walking distance and can just stroll off. Last time we stayed at the Sebel (https://www.thesebel.com/new-zealand/the-sebel-auckland-viaduct-harbour/) (older but close to lots of restaurants etc), also Sofitel (https://www.sofitel-auckland.com) or Mercure (https://mercure-queen-street.besthotelsauckland.com/en/). There is a new hotel at Britomart that I haven't stayed at before which looks like it could be good - https://thehotelbritomart.com. Best bet is to maybe look at a booking site and check out the map, then go to the websites of likely looking hotels.

[Aussieflyer]

Wellington

We have never taken a tour there - but have visited a few times - these are all non-tour type things you might like. Can walk to all except the last one.

Te Papa Museum - https://www.tepapa.govt.nz 

The cable car goes up to the Botanical Gardens - https://wellingtongardens.nz/our-gardens/wellington-botanic-garden-ki-paekaka/

https://www.wellingtoncablecar.co.nz

Have also been out to Zealandia - there is a complimentary bus but only a mini bus and far too many people to fit in - maybe a taxi?

https://www.visitzealandia.com

 

 

[CCC's]

Excellent suggestions above and I would like to add a suggestion.  I have used this website many times when visiting NZ and anywhere in Australia.  Go to www.viator.com.  Enjoy planning your upcoming cruise.

[arxcards]

14 hours ago, Aussieflyer said:

Wellington

The cable car goes up to the Botanical Gardens - https://wellingtongardens.nz/our-gardens/wellington-botanic-garden-ki-paekaka/

https://www.wellingtoncablecar.co.nz

 

We learned the hard way. The cable car goes up, and the cable car museum is interesting. To get to the Rose Gardens requires a long, sometimes steep walk back down the other side of the hill. 

 

By all means, take the cable car up, but take it back down and walk around. To walk to the Rose Gardens, you can take a flat walk around via Bowden St (Beehive is on the corner). Then you can choose how far up the hill you want to adventure into the rest of the gardens, but the rose gardens are the highlight.

[Aussieflyer]

9 hours ago, arxcards said:

We learned the hard way. The cable car goes up, and the cable car museum is interesting. To get to the Rose Gardens requires a long, sometimes steep walk back down the other side of the hill. 

 

By all means, take the cable car up, but take it back down and walk around. To walk to the Rose Gardens, you can take a flat walk around via Bowden St (Beehive is on the corner). Then you can choose how far up the hill you want to adventure into the rest of the gardens, but the rose gardens are the highlight.

I actually didn't mean to take it up only - both ways is much easier.

[Newby58]

On 9/6/2022 at 2:43 PM, arxcards said:

 

An additional hotel with a bit of a view is the Marriot. We have stayed at every other hotel that offers a view of the bridge and Opera House from window or balcony, but not this one. I have booked there today for a pre-cruise night in October, mostly because of better pricing, but also to try it out.

This is a very good place to stay. Great views and breakfast. Best of all it is an easy 5 minute walk with luggage to the OPT. Have stayed here many times

[FeebeeH]

There are many things to do in Sydney, some free, others paid.  You can visit the Royal Botanical Gardens (great views out across the harbour to the Opera House & Sydney Harbour Bridge) & walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge (via the Rocks - an historical area in Circular Quay) for free.  You have Hop on Off bus tours of Sydney sights.  You can get a train to Bondi Beach, or a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly.  There's also the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains, popular with sightseers. As well as Taronga Zoo (you can get a ferry across to the zoo from Circular Quay) - at the zoo you can see both Australian animals, koalas, platypus, wombats, kangaroos etc. as well as other animals from around the world.  The link to the NSW tourism site "visitnsw.com" will give more ideas of places to visit as well as how to get around & accommodation. https://www.visitnsw.com/