squeeky336

Going back to ALASKA on the Niuew Amsterdamn Aug 14, 2021

I am booked for this cruise with hubby. We are in our 60s. Our first HAL cruise. Then we asked my son, age 39 and single to join us. I was delighted he agreed. Not been on vacation with him in years and I want him to see Alaska.  I am a little concerned he might not find anything to do or entertainment for himself onboard. I can expect a 39 year old man to spend every minute with Mom. It would be nice if there were some younger ppl he could mingle with. Does anyome think I will have any luck with this? I want him to have a good time. 

5 hours ago, blue_water said:

Jost is an excellent idea with a long port time.

Private excursion or water taxi...The $200 public ferry runs on the weekend while you are there but leaves at 7:30 AM so not an option...

 

For SXM we head to Friar's Bay beach just outside Grand Case (where you want to go for excellent French cuisine). Gorgeous, less touristy beach with surprisingly great French food at the beach club and a set of lounges w/umbrella is just $10. The beach is clothing optional and VERY French! No cruisers there when we visited while staying on the island...

What is SXM?  I am on a cruise so how do I get to Friar Beach Bay. Is it in Marigot?  I hear Marigot is only 4 city blocks. That is why I want to find a place to eat there and do shopping..  But then go to the nude beach..  You seem to have good advise but I am a little confused. Please clarify???? 

Now if I cant get some advise on St Martin that would be kewl to. I want to go to Margot for some French  food and then to the nude beach. I do not want to take  a tour.. I hate being in a bus all day. any advise about transportation would be appreciated 

No YAmin 999 was just helping me out.. I have a long day in St Thomas and want to make the most of it. I have it figured out and am going to take his advise.. I will go snorkel with the turtles in the morning and then take a taxi into town. After i might go to Paradise Point at the end of the day. 

I will be coming in on the Regal Princess on April 4. The ship gets in at 10 am and leaves at 10 pm. I want to go swim with the turtles, see Paradise Point and go to the historical district for 99 steps and fort and  do shopping downtown.

My cruise ship is in ST Thomas until 10 PM. but from looking all over the net it appears they roll up the sidewalks at 5. I was goigto go Downtown in evening for stores and some dinner . But the stores all close early.. Can anyone tell me what there is to do and where in the evenings? 

Hi we are Florida ppl.. Taking  this cruise for my boyfriends BD.  We are on the Regal Princess March 29. I wanted to know if anyone can help me with shore excursions in ST Thomas or on our own.. The ship is in port for 12 hours which is good.. But the ship excursions as well as Shore trips are all morning trips..  What we want is the turtle swim that starts at 11 am ends at  2 pm and then to take a trip to Mountain Top and be dropped off for shopping in the historical district. 

 I can't seem to find a shore excursion that will do both.. I would think I could with 12 hours in port.. Can you also tell me if it is easy to get a cab or bus back to the ship from the Historical district?  I think this is where the 99 Steps and the shopping both is. DOnt mind doing that pon our own.. But I am sure I need a trip to do a turtle swim and to go to Mountain Top. 

Any suggestions here 

Can anyone tell me it is easy to get to Marigot from the cruise port on a bus? and then later get a bus or cab to Orient Beach (the nude beach) and then back to the cruise port? 

We want to shop on the French side and see the sights. I have been told it is a small area and a good place to get lunch. Want to try some French food.. But then want to stop at the nude beach and back to the ship. Can anyone tell me the expected cost of transportation in St Martin.. We want to do it on our own not a tour. 

Hi we are Florida ppl.. Taking  this cruise for my boyfriends BD.  We are on the Regal Princess March 29. I wanted to know if anyone can help me with shore excursions in ST Thomas or on our own.. The ship is in port for 12 hours which is good.. But the ship excursions as well as Shore trips are all morning trips..  What we want is the turtle swim that starts at 11 am ends at  2 pm and then to take a trip to Mountain Top and be dropped off for shopping in the historical district. 

 I can't seem to find a shore excursion that will do both.. I would think I could with 12 hours in port.. Can you also tell me if it is easy to get a cab or bus back to the ship from the Historical district?  I think this is where the 99 Steps and the shopping both is. DOnt mind doing that pon our own.. But I am sure I need a trip to do a turtle swim and to go to Mountain Top. 

Any suggestions here 

yes i think i will do that

I regularly stay at inexpensive De Vere Hotel, Potts Point, as I love the neighbourhood, which feels like Sydney. Great restaurants nearby at all price levels. Bus at door, subway short walk. Walk through Botanical Gardens to city. I get an inexpensive shuttle to and from the airport to the door.

Can you also tell me who to get the best airfare? when should I look.. I went to Qantas as I was advised.. The dates are not avaible yet.. But I put in the same dates for 2019.. I got fares for Tampa to Cairnes and then to Sydney a few days later with a rerun to Tampa From Auckalnd 3 week later for around $1500 Per person US. Is this to be expected?

Now I keep getting pop ups offering fare for half that from Cheapo air fare.. But when I put in the dates they price higher. What I was planning on doing is asking the cruise line and keep checking with Quantas.. I might get the cruise line fare and then book a flight Sydney to Cairnes and back separatly.. Are th eo ther fare sites just come on with hidden fees?

Thank You MM Down Under

I found Potts Point and your hotel.. pictures look nice and I can see on the map near to attractions.

I will try and remember when I am ready to book.. I just hope I can find this thread..

thank you

Michelle

I regularly stay at inexpensive De Vere Hotel, Potts Point, as I love the neighbourhood, which feels like Sydney. Great restaurants nearby at all price levels. Bus at door, subway short walk. Walk through Botanical Gardens to city. I get an inexpensive shuttle to and from the airport to the door.

How do you find the shuttle at the airport? are they alwasy there?

GUT2047 has pretty much nailed the hotel advice. However, without any idea of budget it's difficult to provide any in-depth advice. Sure there's the Rocks - arguably the #1 tourist magnet - at a price (USD or AUD). Besides which, hotel choice are very much a personal thing - I'd take a look over on TripAdvisor for hotels. We generally stay at a serviced apartment hotel, typically one of the Meriton chain and but a boomerang's throw from Town Hall station. Sydney has great public transport and it is arguably THE way to get around - just grab yourself an Opal Card at the airport when you arrive.

 

 

No need to take an organised tour to the Blue Mountains. Just DIY by grabbing the train from Central to Katoomba and then using either local buses or the HOHO bus or trolley.

Have no need to spurge.. Just a clean bed for 2 I usually stay in a LaQuinta or Comfort Inn sort of place... My concern is getting around from airport and tourist attractions then to the cruise port terminal. I can stay in a luxery hotel here at home.. I live close to Disney World.. I am going to AU for a cruise pf NZ and to see the sites.. Just wanted to know what niegorhood to look in.. I usually go on booking.com or hotles.com or simular sites that tells me locations.. Sydney is a big place.

From a different angle you can do a Celebrity back to back that will start in Sydney to Cairns back to Sydney and one way to Auckland.

There’s one this November

I have not looked at Celebrity.. I get free laundry from Princess. That helps a lot to travel real light. I liekt o get it all in one bag. But I see many recomending Celberity.. But I am not sure why?? any commets on why Celebrity?? They seem more costy.. I can do the trip from ethier direction.. I am planning on Jan - March 2020.. But I am open..

I have decided to stay in Auckalnd for a few days and Sydney for a few days.. I aMichelm going to get a flight to Cairnes from Sydeny to for a few days to see the GBR reef and rainforrest. I liek the Sydney pass.. It seems better to pull it together on my own than use tourradar. Thier sales ppl seem to know very little.

Can any one recomend what area in Sydney AU, I should be looking for Hotel at? I want to stay 2 or 3 day pre cruise.. I dont need a particular hotel.. Just want to know what area to be looking at.. I want something resonable distacne from the airport and Curise port.

There seem to be so many areas of Sydney when I look on the hotel sites.. We want a hotel where we can buy a tour of the Blue Mountains..

Michelle

I apprichiate all the good advice..

Can you all tell me what the best month to go is? I know thier summer is our winter.. But what is the weather in March or Oct there?

Can ayone tell me is it best to get a tour through Tourradar or just get my own hotel to see the GBR and a tour locally to the rainforeest? Is it better to see the GBR from Carines or from Ft Douglas?

All advice is apprichiated

I have been looking all over the net for airfares and they vary a lot.. I was given this link on CC but it does not seem to work

(https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=128)

Can anyone tell me how to get the best airfare? I need to book on my own.. The cruiseline won't sell me what I want.

any advice is apprichiated

We have decided we want come into Sydney a week or 10 days before our cruise to NZ. Then get air from Sydney to Cairnes and back. Can anyone help me with that?

I have found tour companies that will sell me a 4 or 5 day tour to GBR and rainforrest including hotel and meals.. But they seem very costly for what I get. 2K for 3 days. Since I have to find an airfare anyway.. I would think I can just book a hotel and shouldn't I be able to find locals that will take me out to the GBR and ticket to the park and rainforrest? I would think I should be able to do that for a lot less than 2K..

any advise is apprechiated

Michelle

The two most obvious options:-

1. Book it yourself. You can get plenty of advice here and on the Cruise Air forum about how to do it. You may be able to book USA-Sydney, Sydney-Auckland, Auckland-USA all on one ticket. Alternatively, as you are stopping in both Sydney and Auckland, there's no reason why you can't buy USA-Sydney, Auckland-USA on one ticket, and then just get a separate ticket for Sydney-Auckland one-way.
   
2. Book USA-Sydney-USA through the cruise line as usual, but ask to defer your Sydney-USA journey by several days after the end of the cruise. Then just buy your own Sydney-Auckland-Sydney ticket.
   

I agree that most travel agents are useless at air travel. There's no money in it for them, so they never bother to learn how to do it. But you can get plenty of advice around CC from people who spend a lot of their own time researching and buying air travel.

Yes i have recieved a lot of good advice here.. and I thank you for yours.. Can you tell me this.. If i get a cruise Sydney to Auckland.. The cruise line will allow me to book a weeek or 2 early goign in and a wekk or so after the cruise.. I want to find an airfare from Sydeny to Caines and back just before the cruise.

What I found is there are tour companies that will let me see the GBR and the Rainforrest.. But I still have to get airfare. I am even thinking the tours are costly. If I can get an airfare to Cairnes or Ft Douglas I shoud be able to find a hotle there easy.. and I am sure there would be tours companies already there that will get me to the reef and it would be less costly..

what do you think ?

I would suggest coming to Australia and doing your GBR cruise. Then fly home via Auckland, have a couple of nights there and hire a car.

That is an excellent idea Mr.Pants OZ

but how can I arrange the air for that? I usually get airfare from the cruiseline.. They will only fly me in and out of the port city I embark and disembark thier ship at. So if I get a crusie that starts in Sydney and ends in so other place they won't do the air to NZ and then back home. I do not know what to do to arrange it myself. Travelagets ehre shy away from doing airfare.. They only want to do it through the cruiseline

That's a bit like going on an Alaska cruise and popping over to NYC to catch a broadway musical

You are right.. I did not realize the distances in that part of the world.. So I should do a Austrailan cruise and spend a few day so Sydney and do NZ another tiime correct?

Any reccoemndatios of what the best cruise for Aussie would be? I can see if I do a NZ crusie there are more ports to see, but I think I want to see as much of Aussie as I can first. ..

In terms of your earlier query about doing both the GBR and the hobbit tour, if you want to include a cruise in there then I would suggest flying to Cairns in Australia and spending a few days there at the start of the holiday to see the GBR and rainforest area, then fly down to Sydney and get a cruise around NZ. There are some That will do 1 way and end in Auckland where you could fly home, or they do a round trip back to Australia and you depart at Sydney. The Hobbiton film set is closest to the Tauranga port stop, we hired a car from a local hire place and drove their ourselves, took about an hour. There are also usually ship tours that will do it as well. You can get to it from Auckland as well, but it’s a further drive than from Tauranga.

 

You might not be realizing the distances involved here. NZ isn’t just a quick puddle jump away, it’s more than a 3 hour flight and with a 2 hour time difference, flying there takes half the day away. It won’t be a quick side trip from Sydney.

Thank you JAC. Yes I am learning the distaces are not what I thought they were.. when I look at cruises they have so many that start in Australia and end in NZ that I thought they were a lot closer.. I guess I have to make 2 trips to see both GBR and the Hobbit..

If I skip the hobbit and just do Austraila what cruise do you recomend?

Can I get tour or snorkle trip to GBR from Sydney

How much time do you have? It worked out just great for us to include New Zealand on the way back home. I am like you- not a Lord of the Rings' fan, but I thought Hobbiton was absolutely amazing and one of my top five vacation sites in the world! My DH also loved it. We found a flight on LATAM from Sydney and stayed at a reasonable hotel in Auckland. New Zealand is absolutely wonderful and pretty magical. We also spent another day at the Auckland Museum which has to be one of the best museums we have ever seen!

 

I've traveled all around the US and extensively in Europe, and Australia and New Zealand rank pretty high and were just fantastic places...Paris ranks about #50.

If we stay in Auckand a few days can we get a ticket to The Hobbit with transportaion included? I live near Disney World and that kind of ticket os offered all over the place here right at hotels..

Michelle

We flew from Sydney to Auckland on our way back to the states. Here is a review of our Hobbiton experience. Also, check out my report/reviews of my website under Travel to Europe and Australia. It sounds like we have the same type of thinking!

 

www.DonnaGawell.com

 

 

For the Hobbiton review: (this is the shortlink)

 

https://wp.me/P7SjIX-rz

''Thanks Donna and Mark for the link.. I have been thinking I will do a Sydney to Auckland cruise.. That would be the best way to go and get a side trip post precruise in Auckland to the Hobbit.. My hubby wants more time there anyway.. I am not a Lord of the Rings person, but he is a fanatic.. I would not go all the way around the world and have him miss it..

But the cruises that start in Sydeny to Auckland go south and I will miss the GBR.. Do you or does anyone looking at this trhead know of a comnay or how I can arrange a side trip pre cruise to the GBR from Sudney or even from Melborne? A day or 2 at the GBR will be fine.. Maybe a stop at Steve Irwins zoo, but i can skip that and find a koala to hug at another port. ..

Thanks a million..

Michelle