I feel cheated by cruising opportunities in Australia

[MMDown Under]

Have a look at the number of ports on this cruise on ms Zaandam for 25 nights NEW ENGLAND, CANADA,AND ICELAND.  $US $3499 Ocean View.  

Yes, I'm green with envy.  This is the real reason people aren't cruising more in Australia.  Whoever is in charge of cruise itineraries from Australia needs a wake up call and they are getting it!! 

[Aus Traveller]

In my opinion, there are two major reasons for the differences in ports and cruise prices between the US and Aust - available suitable ports and competition.

[ocean-air-gal]

Completely agree! Same old itineraries and basically no choices to sail during the Australian winter.  To use up excessive cruise credits, we've just booked Princesses 14 day Brisbane to NZ for January 2025, but it has dropped a port and has a very early departure from Napier, yet pricing doesn't reflect this reduced itinerary.  There'd want to be some excellent onboard entertainment for all our sea days 🙂 

[MMDown Under]

8 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

In my opinion, there are two major reasons for the differences in ports and cruise prices between the US and Aust - available suitable ports and competition.

I agree they need more competition but also smaller ships which can visit more places.  Coral Expeditions, based in Cairns, do a great job with its small ships.  They are now venturing further afield than Australia.  There have been other small ships which have had great itineraries cruising around Australia, on small ships.  Yes, expensive, but I'd like to do one more than a world cruise, with fewer ports close to Australia.  

[MMDown Under]

14 minutes ago, ocean-air-gal said:

Completely agree! Same old itineraries and basically no choices to sail during the Australian winter.  To use up excessive cruise credits, we've just booked Princesses 14 day Brisbane to NZ for January 2025, but it has dropped a port and has a very early departure from Napier, yet pricing doesn't reflect this reduced itinerary.  There'd want to be some excellent onboard entertainment for all our sea days 🙂 

I agree poor product and it is only April 2023!  I'd love to do another cruise of NZ from Brisbane or Auckland, but feel, at this time, land travel in NZ is a better choice.  Hope you get excellent onboard entertainment.  Would be interested in your level of satisfaction after January, 2025!

 

1 minute ago, MMDown Under said:

I agree they need more competition but also smaller ships which can visit more places.  Coral Expeditions, based in Cairns, do a great job with its small ships.  They are now venturing further afield than Australia.  There have been other small ships which have had great itineraries cruising around Australia, on small ships.  Yes, expensive, but I'd like to do one more than a world cruise, with fewer ports close to Australia.  

 

[Jean C]

They also woefully neglect the NZ market, I'm envious of the Brisbanites who last year were able to hop on cruises at ridiculously cheap prices, without having to fork out for airfares as well 🙂

[GUT2407]

Unfortunately there are really limited options for itineraries here.

 

The Islands

NZ

Tasmania

Circumnavigation

Qld Coast

 

And really I’m not sure the USA fares much better, so many Caribbean cruises, a few Alaskan, Hawaii Rount trip has that same too many Sea days issues.

 

And the number of complaints about more than one or two sea days limits thing# even further.

 

And while Small ships open up more ports they aren’t as economical as the mega monsters.

 

Then we are a relatively small market so they can’t bring too many ships down under.

[Aus Traveller]

12 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Unfortunately there are really limited options for itineraries here.

The Islands

NZ

Tasmania

Circumnavigation

Qld Coast

And really I’m not sure the USA fares much better, so many Caribbean cruises, a few Alaskan, Hawaii Rount trip has that same too many Sea days issues.

 

And the number of complaints about more than one or two sea days limits thing# even further.

 

And while Small ships open up more ports they aren’t as economical as the mega monsters.

 

Then we are a relatively small market so they can’t bring too many ships down under.

Agreed. 👍

[MMDown Under]

27 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Unfortunately there are really limited options for itineraries here.

 

The Islands

NZ

Tasmania

Circumnavigation

Qld Coast

 

And really I’m not sure the USA fares much better, so many Caribbean cruises, a few Alaskan, Hawaii Rount trip has that same too many Sea days issues.

 

And the number of complaints about more than one or two sea days limits thing# even further.

 

And while Small ships open up more ports they aren’t as economical as the mega monsters.

 

Then we are a relatively small market so they can’t bring too many ships down under.

Not greedy!  I would just like one quality medium sized ship based in Australia during our winter.  I have had American friends ask why they can't cruise in Aust during their long summer school holidays!

 

Diid you notice the 25 day cruise I listed cost $US 3499 Ocean View?

[Aus Traveller]

21 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Did you notice the 25 day cruise I listed cost $US 3499 Ocean View?

Is the US$3499 (AUD$5215) plus fees and taxes and gratuities? Cruise prices in the US usually have these added. Is it any cheaper than a 25 day cruise in Australia?

[MMDown Under]

Just now, Aus Traveller said:

Is the US$3499 (AUD$5215) plus fees and taxes and gratuities? Cruise prices in the US usually have these added. Is it any cheaper than a 25 day cruise in Australia?

I don’t know. I haven’t been on any 25 day cruises from Aust. Recently. But it seemed reasonable to me for peak season.

[MMDown Under]

Just now, MMDown Under said:

I don’t know. I haven’t been on any 25 day cruises from Aust. Recently. But it seemed reasonable to me for peak season.

My friend who is going on this cruise sent me the details.

[Aus Traveller]

6 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I don’t know. I haven’t been on any 25 day cruises from Aust. Recently. But it seemed reasonable to me for peak season.

When the extras are added, I don't think it is priced any lower than Aussie cruises.

[MMDown Under]

21 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

When the extras are added, I don't think it is priced any lower than Aussie cruises.

I know it sells out because that route is very popular, as well as to Europe similar route return.  I was waitlisted once, but had made other plans when it came through.  (Later I jumped on one with Hurtigruten)

[lyndarra]

Westerdam has a top end 23 night OV for AUD4599 Sydney/Perth including return flight but not grats. Available from a TA.

[MMDown Under]

1 minute ago, lyndarra said:

Westerdam has a top end 23 night OV for AUD4599 Sydney/Perth including return flight but not grats. Available from a TA.

Sounds good.  Is that for a window cabin?  How many ports?  The cruise I quoted has 17 ports.

[lyndarra]

11 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Sounds good.  Is that for a window cabin?  How many ports?  The cruise I quoted has 17 ports.

I misread the price. Sorry.

$4599 is Standard Interior.

Large OV (window) $4849

Veranda VH $7599

Signature Suite SY $9999

 

Sydney/Newcastle/Brisbane/Airlie Beach/Cairns/Ribbon Reef Region(?)/Far North Region(?)/Darwin/Komodo/Broome/Exmouth/Geraldton/Fremantle.

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by lyndarra

[cruiser3775]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

Not greedy!  I would just like one quality medium sized ship based in Australia during our winter.  I have had American friends ask why they can't cruise in Aust during their long summer school holidays!

I agree. I usually try to fly to Queensland during the winter to get away from the cold in Victoria, but this year, I thought maybe I could do a cruise instead. Found out there's almost no choice, but I did find a Pacific Islands cruise with Carnival out of Sydney in July, which I booked.

I would love to find a ship that cruises north from Melbourne in June - August, but they don't exist, apparently.

[MMDown Under]

1 minute ago, cruiser3775 said:

I agree. I usually try to fly to Queensland during the winter to get away from the cold in Victoria, but this year, I thought maybe I could do a cruise instead. Found out there's almost no choice, but I did find a Pacific Islands cruise with Carnival out of Sydney in July, which I booked.

I would love to find a ship that cruises north from Melbourne in June - August, but they don't exist, apparently.

I feel sorry for Melbourne/SA/Tas people who want a warm winter.  When I visited Hobart in January, I lit a wood fire most nights!!  Yes it was a shock to me too when I discovered cruises north in our winter just don't exist.  When I last visited Sanctuary Cove, everyone enjoying a coffee in the sun seemed to be from South Australia.  Seems the airlines understand the need to offer specials north in the winter,  It was a beautiful warm sunny Queensland winter day, which we take for granted,  

[OzKiwiJJ]

9 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

I agree. I usually try to fly to Queensland during the winter to get away from the cold in Victoria, but this year, I thought maybe I could do a cruise instead. Found out there's almost no choice, but I did find a Pacific Islands cruise with Carnival out of Sydney in July, which I booked.

I would love to find a ship that cruises north from Melbourne in June - August, but they don't exist, apparently.

The reason there is no cruising out of Melbourne in winter is due to adverse sea and wind conditions in Bass Strait. Princess did try bringing Coral down from Sydney last year on what was supposed to be a 9 night South Australia cruise. We ended up parked at Station Pier for three days. 

 

Sydney is just far enough up the east coast to avoid the worst of the southern weather most of the time.

[mr walker]

14 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

I would love to find a ship that cruises north from Melbourne in June - August, but they don't exist, apparently.

2-3 sea days to get anywhere warm, with similar on return leg, would make too many sea-days for most cruisers, and so limit the demand out of Melbourne. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I feel sorry for Melbourne/SA/Tas people who want a warm winter.  When I visited Hobart in January, I lit a wood fire most nights!!  Yes it was a shock to me too when I discovered cruises north in our winter just don't exist.  When I last visited Sanctuary Cove, everyone enjoying a coffee in the sun seemed to be from South Australia.  Seems the airlines understand the need to offer specials north in the winter,  It was a beautiful warm sunny Queensland winter day, which we take for granted,  

Princess used to regularly have a ship wintering over, doing Top End runs, and the occasional PNG and Island cruises. But they stopped doing that around 2017 (I think) when Golden transferred to P&O.

[2022cruisey]

We flew to Brisbane last year in June for a Queensland cruise to get out of Melbourne for warmer weather.  This June we are flying to Sydney for a Pacific islands cruise for warmer weather.  There is a lot of demand from southerners for cruises.  
We went to South Australia in January for a short cruise from Melbourne and next January will go to NZ from Melbourne.  
Will look for warm cruises each winter - would love PNG, Darwin, Indonesia during school holiday times from Brisbane or Sydney.  In summer I would prefer more choices from Melbourne.

[MMDown Under]

3 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Princess used to regularly have a ship wintering over, doing Top End runs, and the occasional PNG and Island cruises. But they stopped doing that around 2017 (I think) when Golden transferred to P&O.

That must have been when I was cruising overseas.  

[possum52]

27 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

I agree. I usually try to fly to Queensland during the winter to get away from the cold in Victoria, but this year, I thought maybe I could do a cruise instead. Found out there's almost no choice, but I did find a Pacific Islands cruise with Carnival out of Sydney in July, which I booked.

I would love to find a ship that cruises north from Melbourne in June - August, but they don't exist, apparently.

There is no way I would be sailing out of Melbourne during winter months. The wind and seas would make for a very unpleasant journey at least to Sydney.