Is Princess to Austrailia worth it?

[Luxuriate]

I've never traveled on Princess. I have been on Celebrity many times as well as a few times on others. I really want a good cruise in Australia. Seriously, is Princess a contender?

 

Thanks,

 

Cheryl

[Toto2Kansas]

Which sailing were you looking into? They have one that goes from the U.S. to AU and then they have the ones that sail from Sydney to New Zealand?

 

We have done the cruise from the US to Sydney, 25 days on the Star a few years ago and it had the greatest port schedule you could ever imagine.

 

As for Australia, we have sailed Sydney to Singapore twice with RCI and the last one to Sydney with Princess. Both were good in their own ways, but I definitely preferred the Princess sailing to the two on RCI.

[cactusrose]

We did the 2006 28 day Sydney to San Francisco in April of this year and absolutely loved it. Loved it so much we have already booked one for 2008 along with many others that were on our 2006 cruise. We also cruised Australia and New Zealand on the Star in 2004 and it was also a great cruise.

[Luxuriate]

This is very helpful. My husband likes cruising but does not "love" it as I do. I have to chose my cruises carefully. He only agrees to go about once every two years.

 

thanks again,

Cheryl

[cactusrose]

If your husband does not like sea days then the Transpacific cruise would not be for him. But if he enjoys ports I would suggest the Sydney to New Zealand 12 or 14 day cruise.

[Denisern2]

Did Auckland-Sydney with hotel days on both sides on the Star.... The trip of my life and I have had many...

[Toto2Kansas]

Definitely keep in mind though that if you choose a Sydney to Auckland Cruise, or reverse, you really don't get to see all that much of Australia. Best to do a pre or post cruise stay in Sydney where you have access to many other things. There aretours to the Blue Mountains you can book directly in Sydney that are all day and fabulous. Wild kangaroos and parrots, tea by a babbling brook..........................a fantastic day from start to finish.

 

So much to do in Sydney, even a week isn't enough. A dinner cruise through Sydney harbor, the opera house. Just too many things to mention.

 

Definitely take some time if you fly that far so that you can really enjoy Australia, especially if you plan to only do this trip once. A very long flight, but well worth it!

 

Hope you can talk the DH into it!

[Druke I]

We did a 14 night Auckland/Sydney cruise, 1-95, on the old Pacific Princess, and absolutely loved it. We are talking about doing it again in 2008.

 

We also did a 27 night San Francisco to Sydney repositioning, 9-00, on the last voyage of the Sky Princess as a Princess ship. It was fantastic, and was a WW2 Memories Cruise, with stops at many battlefields.

 

Our last trip "down under" was a 16 nighter, Papeete to Sydney, 11-03, on the new Pacific Princess. It was also very enjoyable.

 

The Australians and the New Zealanders are very friendly.

[barbarah33]

I did Auckland to Sydney on the Regal in 2002 and thought it was wonderful - I would recommend it to anyone who is considering it. (And yes, I have cruised Celebrity before so I know where you are coming from as well as doing other "longer cruises.") We did take two of the biggest category suites the Regal - AA's which are as big as they come on that ship, and we also went down to Auckland 5 days early then spent a week after in Sydney before going up to the Great Barrier Reef for 5 more days. Every part of the vacation was perfect and the people in both countries are just great.

[Jimsgirl]

It depends on how you wish to travel Australia.

 

You can go on the 31 day cruise out of LA, but then you only get to see Sydney in Australia as you disembark, therefore you would have to take a land tour of some length.

 

Other than that you would have to fly to Sydney , sight see and then get a cruise to New Zealand.

 

Either way you will have a long flight either to or from "down under". My flight cost Economy in Sept 2007 is invoiced at $1149 Fort Myers FL to LA and Sydney to Fort Myers return . I will have to get a hotel in LA prior to boarding of course. The return will mean a "redeye" over night flight from LA to Fort Myers.