Cruise addict seeks advice...

[Stacey779]

Okay, I'm an admitted cruise addict, so I'm always looking for different itineraries. We're thinking of doing an Australia/New Zealand cruise next December, but we've never been to either place before so I'm wondering if we should try a land vacation instead. I'm just worried that the cruise will not give us enough time in each port to really experience these places. However, I like the convenience of having the ship take us around instead of taking multiple flights between destinations. Does anyone have any recommendations?

[mochuck]

Okay, I'm an admitted cruise addict, so I'm always looking for different itineraries. We're thinking of doing an Australia/New Zealand cruise next December, but we've never been to either place before so I'm wondering if we should try a land vacation instead. I'm just worried that the cruise will not give us enough time in each port to really experience these places. However, I like the convenience of having the ship take us around instead of taking multiple flights between destinations. Does anyone have any recommendations?

 

I don't think a cruise realy EVER gives you enough time in a port to really experience it. But as you said there is a lot to be said for the convenience. Perhaps spend a week in either your departure or arrival port (usually Sydney or Auckland) or both then you get the benefits of both.

[sayaguru]

I agree. You can't come all the way here and not see other places. If time (and money permits) fly into another destination (eg. Melbourne) fly to Sydney, look around here, do the cuise and have a few days at the end also.

That way you have the best of both worlds.

 

I was debating this exact question with regards to Europe.

[Spikesgirl]

I agree with the others. When we did our cruise, we added four days to each end of the cruise, so that we would have some time to poke around Auckland and Sydney. Best decision we could have made. In fact, for about a year afterwards, my DH was seriously thinking of immigrating to New Zealand.

 

Think of a cruise as an appetizer party. It allows you to sample many differnt things (ports) so that later you can come back to just the ones you really like.

 

Charlie

[MVPinBoynton]

Putting 2 weeks at the beginning and end of the cruise would be perfect. :D Do spend as much time as you can, since it is such a wonderful part of the world to visit.

[SheilaNC]

Another voice of agreement. I would suggest doing a bunch of research re: the ports you would visit and excursions you would take in those areas, then look to see what is in reasonable reach of your beginning and ending ports. For Instance, a week based in Sydney (which we did on our first trip there) allows for time exploring the many neighborhoods and sights in the city as well as possible day trips to the Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, etc. If you end in Auckland, a trip to the Bay of Islands (day trip or several days) or to the Glow Worm caverns, etc. would enhance the time spend in Auckland. Of course, these are just a few of the many possibilities - choose what works best for your interests.

 

FYI, we, too, thought of emigrating to NZ on our first trip (and would still love to do so) but couldn't bear to be so far away from our kids and grandkids. Thus, our soon to be B2B cruises is our 3rd (my 4th) trip to NZ! Have a wonderful trip and be sure to post questions here and on your roll call as you do your planning.

[MVPinBoynton]

It was amazing to me how many people talked about how much they would like to emigrate to NZ. The distance from relatives was normally the big drawback. But I have never been on a trip anywhere where the subject came up so often. I guess this is the reason that NZ makes it very difficult to emigrate there. There are several stringent requirements.

[Aussie Gal]

Stacey779,

 

I agree with the others. I would do a cruise as it gives you small taste of each port but try to spend time in each country. To see Australia properly you need around 6 weeks as it is a large country like the U.S. Two weeks in both after the cruise would be great but if you cannot spend that amount of time, then a week in each.

 

I would definitely try and see the Great Barrier Reef whilst here, explore Sydney and come down to Melbourne and take a drive on the Great Ocean Road which is magnificent. Also if you have time, go out into the desert and visit our huge rock - Uluru.

 

I cannot speak for New Zealand and where to go there, having so far only been to the North Island but again, if you have time, explore that country also in more depth. It is such a contrast to here with regard to vegatation, animals etc.

 

I agree that it is a long trip across the Pacific, but we did it once in 2005, twice in 2006 and again in June this year. We travel to Europe every year and that is so much longer - anywhere between 24 hours and 33 hours so a trip across the ocean from the U.S. to N.Z. is a breeze in comparison.

 

Jennie

[Stacey779]

Thanks to everyone for all the great info! I have a lot to think about. I wish we had more time to explore, but two weeks is probably about all the time my husband and I can get off work, so a cruise would take up most of that time. Maybe we'll just spend a few extra days in Auckland before we leave. We haven't visited either country yet, but I'm sure this trip will not be our one and only. :)

[MVPinBoynton]

I appreciate your lack of time to spend. We were able to stretch to 2.5 weeks. So we will have to make a return visit when I retire one of these days and really explore. If you can only spend a couple days before or after the cruise, I would spend it in Sydney rather than Aukland. The cruise spends much more time in NZ; plus you can do more around Sydney without going out of town than you can in Aukland. There is just too many things to see and do and to much fun to be had Down Under. Whatever you do, you will thoroughly enjoy. Have a ball.

[sayaguru]

It was amazing to me how many people talked about how much they would like to emigrate to NZ. The distance from relatives was normally the big drawback. But I have never been on a trip anywhere where the subject came up so often. I guess this is the reason that NZ makes it very difficult to emigrate there. There are several stringent requirements.

 

I don't know why. Half of them are here (Australia). LOL

Just kidding- don't shoot me.

Really I have never been to New Zealand (even though it's only across he pond). Now that I'm into cruising I must admit I'm getting tempted. Just a short flight and cruise back. Sounds great. I always used to think I'd do NZ when I got older as Europe etc requires a lot more energy.

It does look beautiful. I'm sure I'll love it.

Except for the kiwis (sorry couldn't help myself). ;)

 

It's a standard thing between Aussies and Nzers. We like to knock each other.

:D

[ldog]

We are on the Statendam in Feb from Sydney to Auckland. We can only stretch time off work to 2.5 weeks so we are looking on this trip as a scouting adventure. When we are both retired in a few years we plan on going back for much longer at least a month maybe six weeks in each country to really see it.

 

The cruise was just too tempting and we have been to the Caribbean and Mexico.

[SheilaNC]

Jan,

We did a land tour about 13 years ago and spent about 2 1/2 weeks in Oz and 11 days in NZ. Fell in love with NZ and wished we had more time and really want to go back to Oz to see more that the east coast. We loved Sydney and feel it's one of our favorite cities in the world, so I would second the notion of spending your extra days there. Clearly most of us who went thinking it was probably the only time we'd go to that part of the world (due to distance and cost) have returned...for me, this next B2B cruise will be my 4th trip - this time enjoying revisiting places I love AND getting to explore some new places. Will never say never again! Who knows if we'll try for a 5th trip some day. Too many places to see, too little time!! :)

[Stacey779]

Too many places to see, too little time!! :)

 

That's how I feel too! Thanks everyone for the advice about Sydney. I'll look into that.

[joybelles9]

We have emigrated from Rotorua NZ to Gold Coast QLD Australia If doing a land trip of south Island NZ suggest best time of year is autumn when all the leaves are falling the weather is usually cool but mild and there is still snow on the southern alps . Most cruises go to Milford sounds dunedin and christchurch all beautiful places with lots to see Wellington dont miss Te Papa museum Napier is all art deco buildings and trips out to the gannet colony Tauranga is only an hour from Rotorua and home of thermal activity geysers and boiling mud buried village rainbow and fairy springs Auckland is another large city but the traffic can be chaotic early morning late afternoon suggest if you start your tour in australia you can buy an explorer pass with air nz / qantas to fly in and out of different states very reasonably we did this a few years ago with overseas friends . we flew from brisbane to cairns and spent 2 days barrier reef and Tjabulkai aboriginal theatre park then flew to Alice springs 2 nights to visit ayers rock and the olgas then a flight to perth and did an overnight trip to monkey mia and the pinnacles then flew to sydney The trip was in august and all the wildflowers were in bloom in western australia it was wonderful anyway its just another suggestion have agreat time

[boards]

We agree with all that has been said above. We took the Hal cruise last Nov/Dec. 14 days. WE began only one day pre-Auckland, if we do it again we will start even earlier and then we did a post-Sydney stay of six days. It was wonderful. It diffenently was not enough time, but the cruise does give a good idea of how beautiful the both countries are. We very much hope to go back for a land trip, haven't decided yet which country hopefully both.