Recommend shore excursions at various ports in New Zealand and Australia please

[fstuff1]

Solo male.

Will be going to Australia on Celebrity in the fall.

ship Shore excursions are expensive, even at their 30% off sale.

 

These are my ports:

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
BAY OF ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
AIRLIE BEACH, QLD, AUSTRALIA
CAIRNS(YORKEY'S KNOB)

DARWIN,AUSTRALIA

 

Would appreciate recommendations on 3rd party shore excursions.

Thx

 

[SinbadThePorter]

What are you interested in?

 

Airlie Beach and Yorkeys Knob are tender ports, so if you intend to see the Great Barrier Reef you will need to get a ship's excursion as 3rd party excursions leave too early.

 

In Sydney and Auckland you essentially berth in the centre of the city. In both cities public ferries from next to the cruise dock offer cheap and worthwhile self excursions.

 

The Brisbane cruise terminal is a long way from the city with no public transport options, so you would need uber or taxi to get to the CBD. I've never seen any 3rd party excursions offered from there, but as it's my home port I haven't really looked.

[cruiser3775]

If planning to do a Great Barrier Reef excursion, you will need to do a ship's excursion, because they do a shorter version than the independent companies, which fits the ship's arrival and departure times. These are expensive, as you say, but are your only choice. The barrier reef is not close to the coast at Airlie and Cairns, so you have to first go on a catamaran for 1.5 to 2.5 hours to get to the reef. Cairns is slightly closer than Airlie for this, but Yorkey's Knob is a tender port.

[2022cruisey]

At Airlie Beach the crocodile safari is excellent.  It includes pick up, drop off, lunch and afternoon tea.  We booked through Princess though, so it may only be available for your date through the cruise company.
https://crocodilesafari.com.au/whitsundays-crocodile-tour/

[dazadelaide]

Most shore excursions are expensive and in oz and nz even more so due to our standard of living so you just pay and enjoy whatever you do.

Don't let cost lessen your experience pick something you really want to do and go with it weather its a cruise line tour or an independent.

Have fun

Daz