tabby50894

Not exactly a cruise, but a transatlantic sailing from New York City to Cherbourg, 1960, on the RMS Queen Elizabeth.

I vote for National Geographic/Lindblad cruises. I had a tremendous experience. The naturalists are excellent, small tour size. Compare prices. When I went with them they included airfare from Miami and overnight in Guayaquil coming and going that you could change to Quito. It was not the typical cruise ship, so cabins are basic, but the food and service was quite good. After all, you're there for the islands and the wildlife, so I was very pleased.

There is an exemption from visa requirements for cruise ship passengers staying less than 72 hours so long as you are accompanied by a licensed tour guide - either through the cruise ship or another local guide.

Be aware that you must be accompanied at all times. This wasn't a problem for us even though I am inclined to want to have time to myself to wander.

I wanted to go to the Mariinsky Ballet and I arranged with our guide, TJ Travel, to take my husband and I one evening after our all-day tour. They dropped us at the door and picked us up - the only time we were allowed to be on our own.

When you leave the ship, stern-looking immigration officers will check your passport and the paperwork your tour company will provide you.

On 4/19/2019 at 10:06 AM, iancal said:

We typically pick up last minute cruises as part of a land trip.  After spending five winters in SE Asia we have not picked up one.  

 

The primary reason is port stops.  They have either been in places we do not care to visit again (such as Phuket) or the ship docks miles from the attractions.  It is not just the distance, it is often the time to get there, plus the time to get off the ship and enough time to get back before sailing.  So we stuck to land travel.  I realize that there is a huge difference, especially if you are still working.  But you should take a hard look at each cruise, understand the time in port, and the distance and time required to get to the sites.

 

One more thing.  Costs in Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia are much less than North America and Europe.   This includes transportation, private tours, food, air..etc.    This is an added bonus for us to spent winters here instead of Florida, etc. The ship excursion prices, transfer prices, and pre/post hotel prices are outrageous compared to the normal in country prices.  I have no doubt that they prey on North Americans concern about being in a foreign land.

Have you booked your land excursion on your own, or do you travel as part of a group? Any tips for planning a land journey, or pitfalls to avoid? Thanks!

I did Snuba on the Big Island of Hawaii. I am an advid snorkler and my wife has been trying to get me to get certified in Scuba. So while we were on an excursion, they offered Snuba for an extra charge. I am so glad I did. was able to go down about 20ft deep and after I did it, I definitely want to get my Scuba certififaction.

 

Hope you enjoy. It was worth the extra charge in my opinion

Thanks, for the confirmation. The more I've thought about it, it seems like a great experience. And, who knows, it may make me want to learn to scuba too.

I'm looking at various options for GBR. I have snorkeled and am weighing doing a "snorkel safari" (ie, guided to outer reef wall), introductory dive, or snuba. Has anyone done snuba, and is it worth an extra $90?

Thanks for the clarification regarding tour guides. My goal is to follow local customs wherever I am, so the input on the boards is invaluable.

BTW, although "no" may mean no, there were plenty of exceptions noted above - rounding up the bill at a restaurant or for taxi fare, so it's not that obvious for a non-Australian.

This thread made me wonder what is appropriate for tour guides. Do you tip the guide or is the price of the tour all that's expected?

Fantastic! I laughed. I cried.

You may have missed your calling - but it's not too late!

Buy them for around $4 US on Amazon before you go. They were $15 Aus in Ayers Rock. I was just there in March. We really needed them but I don’t know about October.

 

 

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Sounds like a small investment and a better way to go. I'm still wondering about October, though.

You will be able to pick up a net for a couple of dollars almost anywhere in the outback towns - if you need them.

Thanks.

Although Celebrity is our preferred cruise line, we are doing an Australia land trip first and then cruising North and South Islands of NZ on Ovation of the Seas. I preferred their itinerary and timing to Celebrity. Also, while touring NZ by land is probably preferable, our Australia trip will be a pretty intense 3 weeks, so we're using the cruise to recover and get some exposure to NZ while we're down under. It seemed like a good compromise.

I see that the posts refer to flies being plentiful in the summer. We'll be in Uluru at the end of October. Would we need nets then, too? I'd rather be prepared for the worst, but if they aren't necessary then, it would be one thing off the list.

I think your cute little blue bird is a superb fairywren. I'm fascinated by all the different birds you've seen - I better pack binoculars!

Hi Tabby,

 

My hat is a Tilley TH9 hat, it's 50 SPF & I've worn it in heat & rain, it's so great I've got two of them :) it's machine washable... I think the one I took on this trip is at least 7 years old. Hope this helps. :)

Thanks! I definitely need sun protection and that is perfect!

cruise kitty - Thanks so much for posting your great review and photos! We are planning on cruising NZ next November, so this has been enormously helpful. I love your hat - if I may ask, where did you get it?

One thing to check is how much time you are in port. Even though the itineraries may look the same, the actual time you are docked may be different, and may help you make up your mind.

Has anyone done both Rotorua and Hobbiton in one excursion? We're in port from 7 am - 4 pm, so we probably only have about 7 hours.

I bring a small, empty spray bottle from the dollar store, fill it with water when I'm on the boat and spray whatever I want the wrinkles out of in the bathroom. Works better than steam IMHO.

Thanks for your comments about taking the ship's tour due to time constraints, but I guess I should have mentioned that the trip to the Great Barrier Reef will be prior to our cruise to New Zealand.

I'm looking at tours for the Great Barrier Reef and it looks like there are basic 2 types: boats that can take you to more than one location and ones that take you to a pontoon that is used for a base for various activities. Since my DH is neither a snorkeler or a diver, I was thinking about doing the pontoon. Would like to hear your impressions - are there too many people for a good experience? We'll be going in October. Thanks!

CruiseTT.com gives passenger load.

It is disappointing . The Mast Grill was a nice alternative. I'm not looking for a Kobe beef hamburger with slow roasted pork belly, etc. at the pool.

It is illegal in most countries to bring in fresh food. Most countries do permit factory sealed items such as granola bars, but not fruits, vegetables, meats etc. because of risk of introducing pests that could devastate local agriculture. As such box lunches are not provided and one is not allowed to take items from the buffet on shore. If you are unable to have time to eat during your tour and must bring food, bring factory sealed snacks from home to take with you as nearly all countries permit this.

Thanks, I hadn't thought about the legalities.

We are planning a shore tour that will not give us time or opportunity to find a restaurant for lunch.

Has anyone requested a box lunch to take ashore? Or do you make do with what you can grab from the breakfast buffet?