Getting off the ship early in Melbourne?

[farm girl]

We board Sapphire Princess on April 2, 2008 for a 12 day NZ/Australia cruise.

The last port we visit before Sydney is Melbourne. I am thinking we should get off the ship on April 12 in Melbourne so that we will have time for one of the 12 -13 hour Great Ocean Drive tours. The ship is in Melbourne from 7am to 5pm:( . I have contacted fly/drive Great Ocean Road tour companies and I could not find one that can do a tour in this time frame. The ship has a sea day on the 13th so I would like to use that day to go on to Cairns and the GBR. After we see the GBR and that area we are returning to Sydney for 1-2 days before our flight home.

Has anyone ever gotton off the ship 2 days early? Will they let you?

Has anyone done a short fly/drive Great Ocean Road tour? Time is so short that I hate to miss a day!

 

Thank You

[Aussie Gal]

farm girl,

 

I am not sure about the fly/drive tour of the Great Ocean Road. Does that mean you drive down there and then do a helicoptor tour over the 12 apostles?

 

I believe you can leave the ship early by contacting Princess. I have heard of others in Europe and other parts of the world who have left ships a few days earlier so I am sure it can be done. You do need to notify them as soon as possible once you have made your plans.

 

Obviously, you want to drive down the GOR and return to Melbourne so that next day you will be on a flight to Cairns. I would suggest you finish the GOR trip at the Hilton Hotel at Melbourne Airport. That way you will be ready to catch an early plane up to Cairns.

 

Have you looked at any of the flight schedules for the date you have in mind.

 

If not here are the websites of the 3 domestic airlines here in Oz.

 

http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn/home/qualifier-region-au

http://www.virginblue.com.au/

http://www.jetstar.com/au/index.html

 

If you decide to use Jetstar, make sure you know which airport it is leaving from in Melbourne. If it is going from Avalon, then it would be easier to stay the night in Geelong - the Sheraton 4 Points is a good hotel - and then catch a taxi to the airport.

 

Hope this is of use to you.

 

Jennie

[farm girl]

Jeannie, you are such a help. The 12-13 hour tour takes you around to different sights plus great ocean road and sounds great. The drive / fly tour is a helicoptor tour out of Apollo and takes about 8-9 hours so we would miss the ship. I will get in touch with Princess early in 2008 and tell them our plans.

 

Thank You Again

Sharon

[ArizonaRalphie]

You know, I want to post something really stupid but I am exercising a great deal os self control so I won't