Suggestions for cruises in Australian waters

[MMDown Under]

Seeing the cruiselines aren't doing a great job on cruises in Australian waters, what are your suggestions?  Maybe they'll have to wait until they can cruise for a fortnight north from Brisbane.

 

Brisbane to Darwin via Cairns and Thursday Island

 

From Sydney and Melbourne to -

 

Moreton Island

Brisbane (two nights so passengers can visit  Sunshine and Gold Coasts as well as beautiful Stradbroke Island (on ship's bus tours)

Mooloolaba weather permitting (bus tour to the beautiful hinterland)

Gladstone 

Rockhampton and Great Keppel Island

Mackay (and lots of islands)

Airlie Beach

Bowen? 

Townsville 

Cairns (Mission Beach, islands, Atherton Tableland)

Port Douglas (Daintree and Cooktown)

etc.

 

Is that enough from Queensland?

 

 

 

[SinbadThePorter]

If this is a wish list and without regard to practicalities, I'd like Thursday Island, Weipa, Nhulunbuy and a close sail past of Hinchinbrook Island. 😁

 

Also some scenic cruising through the Wessel Islands.

[MMDown Under]

22 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

If this is a wish list and without regard to practicalities, I'd like Thursday Island, Weipa, Nhulunbuy and a close sail past of Hinchinbrook Island. 😁

 

Also some scenic cruising through the Wessel Islands.

Yes for any scenic cruising along the Coast.  I sat outside on the deck all the time we cruised along the Qld and NSW Coasts from Singapore.  Wow I hadn't heard of the Wessel Islands.  Tell me more.  Some of those require small/medium ships but could all be visited by ships.  Coral Expeditions is doing a great job visiting small places in small ships.  I have visited Thursday island via ferry from Horn Island, then Punsand Bay by ferry from Thursday Island.  I remember talking to a staff member on a small ship and he raved about these islands off North Queensland Coast  which I was ashamed I hadn't heard of.  

I knew all the islands off Mackay and Airlie Beach.

[Aus Traveller]

In my opinion, some of the places suggested for coastal cruises don't have the infrastructure and possibilities for tours required for a cruise ship to visit.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Hervey Bay for Fraser Island.

 

But seriously there aren't that many spots in Australia that have both a safe, reliable place to park most mass market cruise ships (wharf, anchorage, or just holding position using the thrusters) and the ability and/or inclination to handle a ship load of passengers. 😪

[GUT2407]

No great secret that we will go to Tas at the drop of a hat.

 

Next cruis includes KI and Adelaide on the way there and back.

 

Wouldnt mind another circumnavigation of Aus with some different ports, one issue is that as ships get bigger the option for ports shrinks.

[SinbadThePorter]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

I remember talking to a staff member on a small ship and he raved about these islands off North Queensland Coast  which I was ashamed I hadn't heard of.

 

Some years ago Holland America used to visit Sherrard Island up near Princess Charlotte Bay. I don't know how they did it because as far as I know it's always been part of the Marine Park.

 

Nhulunbuy is a possibility as far as infrastructure goes. It has a deep water port and a sizable town. Which at the moment is a bit depressed since the refinery shut down. From there it is good access to eastern Arnhem Land. A few cruise ship visits would do wonders for the town.

 

The Wessels are one of those places that you hear about, but are almost impossible to get to. They are a series of long narrow rocky islands stretching out nearly 200km from eastern Arnhem Land into the Arafura Sea. Never been there, will probably never get to go.

Edited October 17, 2022 by SinbadThePorter

[bretts173]

I guess everyone is different but I couldn't think of anything worse than endless stops at Queensland coastal locations followed by bus tours. 

 

I cruise to cruise.

[MMDown Under]

20 minutes ago, bretts173 said:

I guess everyone is different but I couldn't think of anything worse than endless stops at Queensland coastal locations followed by bus tours. 

 

I cruise to cruise.

Bus tour suggestion to Sunshine Coast (Australia Zoo) and Gold Coast is because of demand from Southeners. I agreee I wouldn't get a bus anywhere,  Brisbane itself has a lot to offer.  I met Americans off a ship berthed at the Grain Terminal from the shuttle at Anzac Square and spent the whole day showing them around Brisbane.  

[MMDown Under]

24 minutes ago, bretts173 said:

I guess everyone is different but I couldn't think of anything worse than endless stops at Queensland coastal locations followed by bus tours. 

 

I cruise to cruise.

I have driven up the Coast to Mackay annually to see relatives.  It used to be the main centre for cruises to the islands until they shifted flights from Mackay to Proserpine for the Whitsundays.  Locals used to get great deals for the islands hence I've stayed on many.  You could cruise to the Great Barrier Reef from all the islands.  My uncle used to do an annual  Roylen Fishing cruise, with the "boys".  There are beautiful places off the main highway all the way up the Coast as far as Cooktown.  

[MMDown Under]

Australia is a big island popular for cruising.  I think there is enough room for big ships and small ships, which attract a different audience.  I fly all the way to England/Europe to cruise on small ships.  Every American I know wants to visit Australia, whilst every Canadian wants to visit NZ.  Some even keep a mobile home in NZ, which is perfect for touring in a motorhome.  

The Australian Government should be supporting an Australian cruise industry.  Then not as many of us will travel overseas!

[Mrs f.]

4 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

If this is a wish list and without regard to practicalities, I'd like Thursday Island, Weipa, Nhulunbuy and a close sail past of Hinchinbrook Island. 😁

 

Also some scenic cruising through the Wessel Islands.

We'll be on Thursday island in December.  We thought we'd  just wander about. Do you have an specific things you would do there?

[Aus Traveller]

30 minutes ago, Mrs f. said:

We'll be on Thursday island in December.  We thought we'd  just wander about. Do you have an specific things you would do there?

We went on a tour around the island offered by Peddells. They also run the ferry service to T.I. Don't miss the church in the main street of Thursday Island and if you go on the tour around the island, have a wander through the cemetery. It contains headstones of graves belonging to Japanese pearl divers who worked in the waters of the Torres Strait.

[MMDown Under]

18 minutes ago, Mrs f. said:

We'll be on Thursday island in December.  We thought we'd  just wander about. Do you have an specific things you would do there?

Yes, visit the historic church which was built  in early 1900s and was name Quetta All Souls Memorial Cathedral in remembrance of those who died on board the Quetta when she struck an unchartered rock. I recall there were beautiful shell decoration.  If you are there on a Sunday, don't miss church - locals sing like angels.  

Take a boat trip to Friday Island (you have to get permission to visit) and walk around.  There is another small island you can visit.  I think it used to be a pearl farm.  We had the island to ourselves.  Just sat on the beach with our feet in the water - glorious - learnt later crocodiles come up on beach so wouldn't recommend that.  I took a few of those small high bouncing balls and gave them to the children much to their delight.  i'm hoping to go back.  Beautiful place and lovely people. .  

[traveldayz]

Anything leaving from Perth is eye-wateringly expensive. It’s cheaper for us to fly to and stay over in Sydney and do the routine stuff from there.

[Mrs f.]

Thanks

[nermal9900]

More should be offered.This year has me belatedly on a Queensland cruise Brisbane Airlie Beach Cairns sail past willis island back to Brisbane.I was originally booked to New Zealand but then all this pandemic nonsense happened which saw everything get mucked about.I do wish off topic a little a Cruise ex Adelaide that takes in Melbourne,Hobart,Sydney and the Gold Coast could be offered for the South Australian market even as a special handful a year.the SA people can leave ex Outer Harbor but fly home either ex Brisbane or Gold Coast.I can see it working for Adelaide people who want a cruise but don't want to pay silly money for those Murray River Princess cruises ex Mannum.

[MMDown Under]

In winter, I enjoyed a coffee outside in the sun at Sanctuary Cove.  

I was surprised to learn most of the people outside at the cafe, enjoying the sun with me, were from Adelaide.