Advice needed: Land Tour Australia

[Worldtraveler 4727]

There are several CC posters who have taken the land tour of Australia before the cruise around NZ. They have kindly taken time to answer questions before, and I am hoping to hear from all of them again.

 

We are on the land portion in October, flying from Sydney to Uluru, Darwin, and Cairns, most likely, according to Princess, on Qantas.  

From Princess website: Land Tours/Australia:
For domestic Qantas flights within Australia, you are allowed to check one piece of luggage per person, not to exceed 50 lbs per bag. One piece of carry-on baggage is allowed, not to exceed 15 lbs.

Hand-Carry Tote/Backpack
    •    You'll want this bag with you every step of the way, so include only the essentials.
    •    Items to pack in this bag include travel documents, photo ID, important medication, toiletries, camera, insect repellent, and any extra layers of clothing such as jackets or hats.
    •    Your hand-carry tote bag should be a size that is comfortable to carry and should be able to be stowed under your seat. We recommend soft-sided tote bags or backpacks no larger than 17" x 14" x 4" with a zip enclosure.
    •    Wheeled carry on cases that are used to carry-on luggage on airlines are too large and are not suitable as hand-carried luggage on motorcoaches in Australia.

 

OUR QUESTIONS:

I understand the weight restrictions, but please note the last line above--is it really true you cannot take the usual wheeled (15#) carry on onto motorcoaches???

With one case in the belly and one carry on, can I also bring a one personal item (a purse??)

Were your cases measured and or weighed before flights--both the ones going into the belly of the plane and/or the carry ons?

 

The Bob Wood Group that heads up our land tour will not answer questions. They refer us to Princess. Princess reps know nothing specific--only what is printed, which I can already read. We are looking for people who have done this land tour to give us some advice.

Thanks for your time!

 

[skynight]

Although some time ago we carried one soft day pack on board the flights. Yes, it was weighed. Ours weighed under 10 lbs. We also had one of the small hard sided wheeled 22 inch suitcases which were checked. On the bus these were placed underneath. There is no room for them in the bus cabin. We also had a large normal airline size 30 inch suitcase which weighed around 50lbs. This was taken from us when the tour began and was on board the ship in our cabin when we boarded.  

[Worldtraveler 4727]

So your opinion is that we CAN take wheeled carry ons to the motor coaches as they will be stored below?

 

They are allowing us one 30" suitcase to take along on the land tour, but not to actually be placed in the belly of the planes. Instead the information I have read is that our larger pieces of luggage will go by motorcoach from one city to another and be available to us by evening at the hotels. 

We are also allowed to leave one 30" suitcase behind in Sydney, and that one will appear onboard the ship in our cabin. 

 

Besides your one soft day pack and the 22 inch wheeled suitcase, were you allowed to carry onto the planes a personal item like a purse?

 

Thank you for your time.

[skynight]

"They are allowing us one 30" suitcase to take along on the land tour, but not to actually be placed in the belly of the planes. Instead the information I have read is that our larger pieces of luggage will go by motorcoach from one city to another and be available to us by evening at the hotels." 

I would check again. These are very long flights, about 4 hours from Sydney to Uluru, 4 to 5 hours from Cairns back to Sydney. I remember we had a small plane with a stop in Alice Springs to get from Uluru to Darwin. The flight from Darwin to Cairns was maybe 3 hours. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't see how it is possible that luggage will be ground transported between these locations. Just to drive from Sydney to Uluru will take maybe 30/35 hours non stop. Darwin to Cairns is about a 30 hour drive.

It was a while ago but I remember that we each had one normal 30 inch suitcase. This suitcase was provided to the tour group. We did not see this on our land tour. It was in our cabin when we boarded the ship in Sydney. On our 8 day tour we each had one 22 inch wheeled suitcase and one daypack. The wheeled suitcase was checked by the airline. The day pack was weighed and we carried it on board. Our daypacks weighed under 10lbs each, if I remember correctly maybe around 7/8lbs. 

[DCThunder]

Is it possible to store luggage in Sydney post-cruise to allow for land tours?  I'm booked on a trans-Pac cruise from SF to Sydney and would like to do a land tour (not necessarily with Princess) before coming back to the US.  I'm not sure I could get all my crap in suitcases/carry-ons that meet those size/weight requirements.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

4 hours ago, skynight said:

"They are allowing us one 30" suitcase to take along on the land tour, but not to actually be placed in the belly of the planes. Instead the information I have read is that our larger pieces of luggage will go by motorcoach from one city to another and be available to us by evening at the hotels." 

I would check again. These are very long flights, about 4 hours from Sydney to Uluru, 4 to 5 hours from Cairns back to Sydney. I remember we had a small plane with a stop in Alice Springs to get from Uluru to Darwin. The flight from Darwin to Cairns was maybe 3 hours. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't see how it is possible that luggage will be ground transported between these locations. Just to drive from Sydney to Uluru will take maybe 30/35 hours non stop. Darwin to Cairns is about a 30 hour drive.

It was a while ago but I remember that we each had one normal 30 inch suitcase. This suitcase was provided to the tour group. We did not see this on our land tour. It was in our cabin when we boarded the ship in Sydney. On our 8 day tour we each had one 22 inch wheeled suitcase and one daypack. The wheeled suitcase was checked by the airline. The day pack was weighed and we carried it on board. Our daypacks weighed under 10lbs each, if I remember correctly maybe around 7/8lbs. 

 

skynight, I absolutely agree with you! I checked again. It sounds ridiculous that if the flights are 3 - 5 hours, how long would it take to get luggage by motorcoach?

BUT--here's the quote from the "Luggage" section of Princess' Land Tours in Australia:

"All Princess cruisetours include our hassle-free luggage handling service every step of the way. During the land portion or your vacation, your luggage will be transported via motorcoach or by truck and delivered to your hotel room."

That is just part of our frustration with the "directions/advice" given for this land tour. It's confusing, incomplete and often nonsensical. 

 

One CC poster --Princess Cruises Fans--has posted that they took this trip in Jan 2023. Does anyone know how one might contact this fellow CC poster? I am really hoping he will check in on this post and help with some answers for us here. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

One CC poster --Princess Cruises Fans--has posted that they took this trip in Jan 2023. Does anyone know how one might contact this fellow CC poster? I am really hoping he will check in on this post and help with some answers for us here. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

This will send them an email alert

@Princess Cruises Fann

[skynight]

I interpret this as meaning that after you disembark your flights your luggage that was on board the flight will be placed in the undercarriage of your motor coach, or will be placed on a separate truck to be transported to your hotel. For example, when we disembarked the plane in Cairns we boarded a bus and went directly to the skyrail which took us to Kuranda. After spending some time in Kuranda our bus met us and took us to our hotel in Port Douglas. Our small suitcase was at the hotel when we arrived. I remember that there was normally a sightseeing stop(s) on the way from the airport to the hotels.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

This will send them an email alert

@Princess Cruises Fann

 

I clicked on it, but don't know what to do when I get to the next page.... Please pardon my lack of experience here.

[arxcards]

8 minutes ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

 

I clicked on it, but don't know what to do when I get to the next page.... Please pardon my lack of experience here.

Nothing much to do except wait and hope for a response.

 

By posting the member name in that format, they should get an email notification that they have been mentioned in this topic, along with a link to find it.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

8 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Nothing much to do except wait and hope for a response.

 

By posting the member name in that format, they should get an email notification that they have been mentioned in this topic, along with a link to find it.

 

Thank you! Most helpful!
Fingers crossed.🤞🏻 My husband and I and our traveling companions have several questions. And i know that there are tours after us later in the year, and those CC members are all tuning in as well hoping for clarifications on several fronts.

[Princess Cruises Fann]

16 hours ago, arxcards said:

This will send them an email alert

@Princess Cruises Fann

Happy to answer any questions from my experience in January. 

 

For the flights between cities in Australia, we were allowed to take one checked bag and one carry on bag. We also left a suitcase at the hotel in Sydney that was held during the entire time of the land tour. 

[KYBOB]

Was the "carry on bag" a 

 

 

Or a "backpack" that weighed 10lbs or less? 

 

 

[Princess Cruises Fann]

I remember the carry on suitcase couldn't be more than 15 pounds (yes, they actually do weigh carry-ons). I don't remember the exact dimensions, but that picture above is probably fairly accurate. 

[Worldtraveler 4727]

 

Thank you, Princess Cruises Fann, for your willingness to answer some questions for us!!

 

Some background information---From Princess website: Land Tours/Australia:
For domestic Qantas flights within Australia, you are allowed to check one piece of luggage per person, not to exceed 50 lbs per bag. One piece of carry-on baggage is allowed, not to exceed 15 lbs.

Hand-Carry Tote/Backpack
    •    You'll want this bag with you every step of the way, so include only the essentials.
    •    Items to pack in this bag include travel documents, photo ID, important medication, toiletries, camera, insect repellent, and any extra layers of clothing such as jackets or hats.
    •    Your hand-carry tote bag should be a size that is comfortable to carry and should be able to be stowed under your seat. We recommend soft-sided tote bags or backpacks no larger than 17" x 14" x 4" with a zip enclosure.
    •    Wheeled carry on cases that are used to carry-on luggage on airlines are too large and are not suitable as hand-carried luggage on motorcoaches in Australia.

 

Question #1: Is it TRUE that wheeled carry on cases CANNOT be used on the motor coaches?? Did anyone have one? Did everyone in the tour group have a soft carryon with no wheels and took the soft packs on to the motorcoach with them?

 

Also From the Princess Land Tour Itinerary:

"All Princess cruisetours include our hassle-free luggage handling service every step of the way. During the land portion or your vacation, your luggage will be transported via motorcoach or by truck and delivered to your hotel room."

 

Question #2: Does our large piece of luggage that we can take along REALLY travel by motorcoach to the various hotels?? Wouldn't that take DAYS to get from one place in Australia to another??

 

Question #3: Are you allowed to take a personal item like a purse IN ADDITION to the carry on bag, or must it be A PART OF the carry on and counted in the 15# max weight? (and I am assuming that my husband's CPAP case will be accepted separately and not counted as part of the #15 carry on requirement.....)

 

Question #4: We are arriving to Sydney two days before the land tour, and I am trying to organize tours seeing the Opera House etc. Can you tell me about the "Welcome Reception?" For example, WHEN the WELCOME RECEPTION happens at the hotel the first day when everyone arrives at the assigned hotel in Sydney? Is it during the evening and meal is provided? Or is it just a few moments in the afternoon and very informal?

 

Question #5: Can you tell me about the "Sydney City Tour"? I believe it is by motorcoach and about 4 hours long. What time of day did you have this tour? Were there stops along the way?

 

Question #6: Is it necessary to request non-smoking rooms in the hotels? Princess info said you have to call and request this and it cannot be guaranteed. Was there an issue with this at all?

 

Question #7: Did you take a ferry ride through Sydney Harbor? If so, do you have any advice or recommendations?

 

Thank you for your time, Princess Cruises Fann!

Sincerely,

Kathy

 

 

 

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by Worldtraveler 4727
spelling

[Steelers36]

20 hours ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

 

I clicked on it, but don't know what to do when I get to the next page.... Please pardon my lack of experience here.

I am going to teach you how to tag other CC Members.  The easiest way is if you are replying to one of their messages in the current thread - just use the QUOTE button.

 

For your situation, you need to use this method:

 

1. Type the "@" symbol.

2. Start typing the Member's CC Handle - like this:  @Prin

3. As you do so, a pop-up list of matching Member Handles appears.  As you type more letters, the list shrinks in size.

4. Continue to type letters until you see the Handle you want in the list.

5. IMPORTANT STEP:  CLICK on the Handle name you want - even if you have typed all of the letters.

6. After you have done so, it should look like this:  @Worldtraveler 4727.

7. The Member Handle is completed in your post with a dark blue highlight.  This means you have successfully tagged the member and they will receive an email notice that they have been mentioned in a post and a link in the email will take them right to the spot.

8.  You can hit spacebar, period, and continue typing your post after the Handle is displayed as above.

 

 

As for your land tour, I am taking in all the information posted and I think you should do this strategy.  Setup a checked large bag (30" or whatever you intend to take).  Pack that with things you don't need until on the cruise.  Each of you pack a carry-on bag (say ~ 22" as specified or check Qantas current regs).  The two carry-ons are for your land trip and will be with you on buses and planes.  You don't see the big bag until on the ship - just like the others.  You can also take another personal item like a large purse/carry bag or back pack. 

 

Qantas is very watchful for over-size carry-on and personal bags and we got caught up at one airport when we did our own land tour all over Australia that included 4 flights (Sydney to Melbourne, Adelaide to Perth, Perth to Uluru, Uluru to Cairns).  I think it was Cairns.  We had to adjust a lot of stuff to get around restrictions.  They are well under what we can do in North America.

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by Steelers36

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Ohhh, one more question, please...

 

Question #8: I really want to not get any Australian Dollars. I always manage to have leftover Euros, British Pounds, Mexican Pesos, etc. 😵‍💫

Is it realistic to expect to be able to just use my VISA?
Others on CC/Australia and NZ have said yes. Your recent experience Princess Cruises Fann?

Edited September 1, 2023 by Worldtraveler 4727
addition

[Worldtraveler 4727]

@compozerDo you have any other questions for Princess Cruises Fann other than the 8 (🤪) I have asked above?

[Worldtraveler 4727]

@Princess Cruises Fann Another member of our group has asked me to ask you the following question (besides the 8 we posted above)

 

#9: Are seats on flights pre-assigned? (She has physical issues and needs an aisle seat), and is there an opportunity to upgrade to a better seat with more room/comfort once we arrive at the airport or with the tour director before flights? (Again, Bob Wood Travel will not answer any of our questions, and Princess reps know nothing beyond what we already have in hand.)

 

Again--thanks for your time!

[Steelers36]

16 minutes ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

@Princess Cruises Fann Another member of our group has asked me to ask you the following question (besides the 8 we posted above)

 

#9: Are seats on flights pre-assigned? (She has physical issues and needs an aisle seat), and is there an opportunity to upgrade to a better seat with more room/comfort once we arrive at the airport or with the tour director before flights? (Again, Bob Wood Travel will not answer any of our questions, and Princess reps know nothing beyond what we already have in hand.)

 

Again--thanks for your time!

I would think like anywhere else, that aisle seats are going to be gone if you wait until arriving at the airport.  IDK from any personal experience with Bob Wood, but passengers check-in at 24hr mark ahead of their flight.  Load up the airline app on your smartphone (hope you have one) and use that to check-in and do seat selection.  That should be the latest you leave it and the latest you could do it.  Perhaps you get an earlier opportunity. 

 

Chances are, they are using Qantas - seems hard to believe they won't tell you a thing.  They aren't  going to operate radically different ferrying around Princess guests versus folks who book directly with them.  Why don't you approach them as an interested customer for an escorted tour of Australia and find out your answers that way.  Don't mention Princess at all.

 

[Worldtraveler 4727]

3 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I would think like anywhere else, that aisle seats are going to be gone if you wait until arriving at the airport.  IDK from any personal experience with Bob Wood, but passengers check-in at 24hr mark ahead of their flight.  Load up the airline app on your smartphone (hope you have one) and use that to check-in and do seat selection.  That should be the latest you leave it and the latest you could do it.  Perhaps you get an earlier opportunity. 

 

Chances are, they are using Qantas - seems hard to believe they won't tell you a thing.  They aren't  going to operate radically different ferrying around Princess guests versus folks who book directly with them.  Why don't you approach them as an interested customer for an escorted tour of Australia and find out your answers that way.  Don't mention Princess at all.

 

 

The problem still remains: we have little to no control over the internal flights. From information we do have from the itinerary or @Princess Cruises Fann, tickets are either handed to you from the tour guide, or you stand in line at the ticket counter when we get to the airport (hours before the flight). So using a phone app to check in and do seat selection is not an option. We will not have tickets much in advance. So the question is--IS there a way to request an aisle seat or comfort upgrade at all?

 

As for approaching Bob Wood Tours, phone calls to AU are extremely expensive, there is no "toll free number," they do not respond to emails sent through their own website, nor do they answer through their FB page messaging. I stand corrected: After much pestering, they did respond once to say "Please contact Princess with your questions." I refuse to waste any more time trying to contact them. Instead we are choosing to rely on the above CC member who has ACTUALLY BEEN on this tour last January and rely on his experience. 

[Steelers36]

6 minutes ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

 

The problem still remains: we have little to no control over the internal flights. From information we do have from the itinerary or @Princess Cruises Fann, tickets are either handed to you from the tour guide, or you stand in line at the ticket counter when we get to the airport (hours before the flight). So using a phone app to check in and do seat selection is not an option. We will not have tickets much in advance. So the question is--IS there a way to request an aisle seat or comfort upgrade at all?

 

As for approaching Bob Wood Tours, phone calls to AU are extremely expensive, there is no "toll free number," they do not respond to emails sent through their own website, nor do they answer through their FB page messaging. I stand corrected: After much pestering, they did respond once to say "Please contact Princess with your questions." I refuse to waste any more time trying to contact them. Instead we are choosing to rely on the above CC member who has ACTUALLY BEEN on this tour last January and rely on his experience. 

Seems to me anyone taking this tour has little control over the process and situation and must go with the flow.  We are able to and choose to travel on our own.  I don't suppose I would enjoy dealing with the restrictions that you seem to have to put up with.  I hope you get some more info to give you some peace of mind.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

The only reason why we have chosen to do this land tour and cruise with Princess is because they did a FABULOUS job with the one we took with them (land and sea) in Alaska. 

 

It's not so much "restrictions" as it is lack of information/communication. Most people, I am guessing, simply don't need as much as I seem to want/need and are better able to "go with the flow." I'd rather have a few more details....

[Worldtraveler 4727]

16 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

I am going to teach you how to tag other CC Members.  The easiest way is if you are replying to one of their messages in the current thread - just use the QUOTE button.

 

For your situation, you need to use this method:

 

1. Type the "@" symbol.

2. Start typing the Member's CC Handle - like this:  @Prin

3. As you do so, a pop-up list of matching Member Handles appears.  As you type more letters, the list shrinks in size.

4. Continue to type letters until you see the Handle you want in the list.

5. IMPORTANT STEP:  CLICK on the Handle name you want - even if you have typed all of the letters.

6. After you have done so, it should look like this:  @Worldtraveler 4727.

7. The Member Handle is completed in your post with a dark blue highlight.  This means you have successfully tagged the member and they will receive an email notice that they have been mentioned in a post and a link in the email will take them right to the spot.

8.  You can hit spacebar, period, and continue typing your post after the Handle is displayed as above.

 

 

As for your land tour, I am taking in all the information posted and I think you should do this strategy.  Setup a checked large bag (30" or whatever you intend to take).  Pack that with things you don't need until on the cruise.  Each of you pack a carry-on bag (say ~ 22" as specified or check Qantas current regs).  The two carry-ons are for your land trip and will be with you on buses and planes.  You don't see the big bag until on the ship - just like the others.  You can also take another personal item like a large purse/carry bag or back pack. 

 

Qantas is very watchful for over-size carry-on and personal bags and we got caught up at one airport when we did our own land tour all over Australia that included 4 flights (Sydney to Melbourne, Adelaide to Perth, Perth to Uluru, Uluru to Cairns).  I think it was Cairns.  We had to adjust a lot of stuff to get around restrictions.  They are well under what we can do in North America.

 

 

Thanks for the info. I gave it a try. 

16 hours later and counting, my CC friend @compozer still has still not received an email (she looked in "junk" too).🫤

[skynight]

We did not have access to our airline seat selections. They were assigned. The guide may be able to switch seats around. If a person is handicapped that should be reported in advance I guess through Princess. We had a wonderful time on our land tour. It was well planned, well guided, seamless, with no real problems.

Princess land tours used to arranged by a land tour group that was located in Seattle. I was able to contact them directly. If I remember correctly my T.A. provided me with the contact. I think she placed me on a 3 way call. I don't know if they are still there, or if you can actually get through to them, but it may be worth the investigation.