getting off the yacht

[CruisinMatt]

ltsally - look in your pre-docs regarding disembarkment transport. There are not too many details, but the excursions doc on the ship should have it. This is usually an option for those that have later flights or are staying overnight. It's about a 4 hour tour. They also drop back people at the ship after if they are continuing on.

[GrannyLorr]

Boatman....your trips Oz/USA are about double mine....think the next will be my 7th or 8th. We used to have to fly via Sydney but now can go direct from Brisbane....however the fares are a bit over the top as there is no competition.........next trip we are going via Japan........

 

Granny's to Airport......................... 1 hour approx.

Be at Airport 2 hours prior to flight (at least).............. 2 hours

Fly to Tokyo......................................................... 8 hours

Overnight Tokyo and fly out next afternoon. .....umm 24 hours approx

Fly Tokyo to LAX..................... 14 hours (good flight)

TOTAL 49 (GIVE OR TAKE)

 

 

Go through Customs/Immigration LAX......................10 hours? :o

[Iamboatman]

I have gone through Aukland, Tahiti, Sydney and direct to Brisbane...but there was competition at the time.

 

One thing I kept trying to do was an around the world ticket (which is about the same price). I wanted to stop in Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai on the way back to New Jersey, but business always took away that extra week or so.

 

I dont' know if Singapore Air still services Brisbane, but I would highly recommend going via Singapore as it is about the same distance and the jets and service are wonderful.

[GrannyLorr]

We flew Singapore last time, and I agree, they are a great Airline......very pricey though for Business, about the same as Qantas. JAL is CHEAP! :D

[Two4Sea]

Hi Granny, that Tokyo time tally sounds familiar, last year we left home about 9:30 on a Friday night and checked in to our Auckland hotel at Monday noon. The Asian cruise before we were flying for 18+ hours with only a 1 hour break so this time I had picked misconnecting flights to let us book 8 hours horizontal time in the Singapore transit lounge hotel. Sounds like you’ve got the right plan. Of course from Tokyo it’s an even closer flight to land at Vancouver, then you could start your tour on Amtrak right here. I don’t think the US Immigration pre-clearance officers at our station would ask toooo many questions about a couple of Aussies routing via Vancouver to get to a cruise from Florida!

 

Eric, you’re sure right about the quality of Singapore Air and you're both right about the pricing through competitive hubs such as Singapore. We paid about half for return to Singapore compared to what we would have paid for going out via Taipei where there is a more direct but non competitive route to NZ (return was to be from Singapore anyway).

 

And BB, I looked at those Air NZ seats on our flight last year. I felt they were only marginally better, just coach seats with more room, not a business style seat. I think there was just a single armrest between them. The small 2-3 row compartment didn’t feel roomy and the 3 wide seating was really a failure to notch up the quality. On our SIN-AKL leg the plane was far from full so getting an empty 3rd seat for a couple in coach was easy, we put the carry on etc under and on that seat and got the leg room that way. I read afterwards that ANZ was discontinuing doing AKL-LHR via LAX because of excessive Immigration rules so that may have reduced the passenger load on your LAX-AKL portion. It still looks like a hard choice now because their business class is a full first class style sleeper bed and priced accordingly, so that premium coach seat may still be the best haven if there is a crowd.

 

Bill

[james king]

December 17th Full day at work.... (8) hours

December 17th Transfer to Albury Airport (1 hour)

December 17th Fly to Sydney (1 hour 20 mins)

December 17th Forced overnight connection in Sydney (15 hours)

December 18th Sydney- LAX (14 hours)

December 18th LAX - 6 hour Layover (6 hours)

December 18th LAX-Miami (4 hours)

December 18th Miami Fort Lauderdale (1 hour)

 

Im going to NEED a cruise after that little trip!

 

James

[GrannyLorr]

Only 5 hours LAX to FLL!!! Its taking us 4 days! (will have had enough of planes by the time we get to LAX so taking the train across) We leave Brisbane on Boxing Day and get to FLL on New Years Day...now thats a LONG trip....and I will certainly need my 72 days on The Pride to recover!

[lord of the seas]

This is becoming a "My one is bigger than yours" story

[GrannyLorr]

Nope....I wont ask it......nope.......*sitting on my hands* (need a smiley here BB)