I just can't get excited about an Australia/NZ/South Pacific cruise...

[jarz85]

This might sound weird, but for an unknown reason I have very little interest in doing an Australia, New Zealand or South Pacific cruise. I have no idea why. For instance there is a cruise that goes from Sydney to Perth, stopping in a few capital cities on the way.. I just can't justify $6000+ just for a balcony stateroom on one of these cruises. Even the South Pacific 8-10 nights, you'd be lucky to get a balcony room for less than $4000.

 

For a couple thousand more you could fly to the USA and do a back to back Caribbean cruise... it just seems so much better? Only downer is the 13 & 15 hour flights.

 

Also, why are the transpacific (Sydney - Honolulu) cruises ridiculously expensive? Is there that much demand for it? Normally repo cruises are dirt cheap.. but this could just be a USA thing?

 

I'd really like to do an Australian/NZ/SP cruise but I'm after some advice... What attracts you to do these cruises? (This question is for Australian residents).

 

Thanks!

 

PS.. I don't mean to sound grumpy in my post I just don't know how to word it properly! It just seems so convenient to only have to fly for 1.5 hours and then hop on a cruise ship, but the itineraries seem boring? Is the South Pacific like the Caribbean just the southern version!?

[paul929207]

Its funny, we about 700 miles from Miami and Fort Lauderdale, where ships leave daily for the Caribbean. We have no interest in those cruises. In 2011 we flew to Sydney and took two cruises. The first was 28 days circumnavigaton of Australia and the second 14 days to Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

[jarz85]

Its funny, we about 700 miles from Miami and Fort Lauderdale, where ships leave daily for the Caribbean. We have no interest in those cruises. In 2011 we flew to Sydney and took two cruises. The first was 28 days circumnavigaton of Australia and the second 14 days to Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

 

I can 100% see where you are coming from! :D Obviously, a major part of the cruise industry is international guests (Don't need a science degree to figure that out!)

[t60]

Repo Sydney, NZ, South Pacific Islands, Hawaii then San Francisco was the best cruise we have done...for us the South Seas Islands and Hawaii were just sooooo different from the Carribean Islands we are used to, but it was worth every penny

 

Sandy in Spain

[4774Papa]

This might sound weird, but for an unknown reason I have very little interest in doing an Australia, New Zealand or South Pacific cruise. I have no idea why. For instance there is a cruise that goes from Sydney to Perth, stopping in a few capital cities on the way.. I just can't justify $6000+ just for a balcony stateroom on one of these cruises. Even the South Pacific 8-10 nights, you'd be lucky to get a balcony room for less than $4000.

 

For a couple thousand more you could fly to the USA and do a back to back Caribbean cruise... it just seems so much better? Only downer is the 13 & 15 hour flights.

 

Also, why are the transpacific (Sydney - Honolulu) cruises ridiculously expensive? Is there that much demand for it? Normally repo cruises are dirt cheap.. but this could just be a USA thing?

 

I'd really like to do an Australian/NZ/SP cruise but I'm after some advice... What attracts you to do these cruises? (This question is for Australian residents).

 

Thanks!

 

PS.. I don't mean to sound grumpy in my post I just don't know how to word it properly! It just seems so convenient to only have to fly for 1.5 hours and then hop on a cruise ship, but the itineraries seem boring? Is the South Pacific like the Caribbean just the southern version!?

You are from Australia, is there a sense of been there?

We live in Georgia and the Caribbean is OK, but at the bottom of our list.

[KirkNC]

I will be happy to go in your place :p

[jarz85]

You are from Australia, is there a sense of been there?

We live in Georgia and the Caribbean is OK, but at the bottom of our list.

 

I think that's exactly the problem... Why pay a lot of money to cruise somewhere I've driven to already! For some reason NZ seems like it's the same as Australia. At the moment I'm just crazy about the USA... No other country compares to it.. I wish I could move there!!

 

I just wish I could get interested and book a cruise from Australia... It would be so convenient!

[4774Papa]

I think that's exactly the problem... Why pay a lot of money to cruise somewhere I've driven to already! For some reason NZ seems like it's the same as Australia. At the moment I'm just crazy about the USA... No other country compares to it.. I wish I could move there!!

 

I just wish I could get interested and book a cruise from Australia... It would be so convenient!

We are very excited about going to Australia for the first time. The Aussies that I have knows were all great people and real down to earth. If you come to the USA, don't just go to New York and California. The USA has some very different places with a lot of history, like Charleston, SC, Savannah, GA, Annapolis, MD, Williamsburg, VA. Washington, DC is great to visit as well.

[Dmgmd50]

You are from Australia, is there a sense of been there?

We live in Georgia and the Caribbean is OK, but at the bottom of our list.

 

We winter in Florida. Today a bunch of us were talking about how foolish it would be for us to take a Caribbean vacation. If you would rather fly somewhere far, I personally would suggest Europe/Mediteranian .

[Kiwi Kruzer]

A cruise is not for everyone.

 

I remember one guy who was asked ,

what was the best part of his cruise

and his reply was ...

"Getting off !!".

 

 

[Aquarians]

Its funny, we about 700 miles from Miami and Fort Lauderdale, where ships leave daily for the Caribbean. We have no interest in those cruises. In 2011 we flew to Sydney and took two cruises. The first was 28 days circumnavigaton of Australia and the second 14 days to Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

Kia ora,

I suspect you are like us. To date we have enjoyed cruises in Europe and one trans Atlantic from Fort Lauderdale. One of the joys of being on a cruise well away from home has been meeting with passengers from diverse backgrounds. After all we meet New Zealanders/Australians all the time and have been to nearly all the places visited by cruise ships in Aus/NZ. For you I imagine it must be meeting with non Americans and gaining some understanding of their culture.

Aquarians:)

[GradUT]

I love Australia and NZ--visited both countries many times and lived in Australia for a few years. But I would never want to do a cruise of those countries. For me, some of the most appealing parts of those countries are in the interior which you'd miss by cruising. Also, for me, I can't imagine spending only a day (or, at most, two) in any of their cities. That's why I regularly recommend that folks consider a land tour as opposed to a cruise.

[Jacs]

I agree with the above post, for me the best parts of Australia can't be done in one or 2 days on a port stop. So cruising Australian ports are well down the list. We did the Holy land cruise last year and that was amazing to visit places so different from home.

 

Me and Hubby have been debating our next cruise the last few days and tonight decided on a repo from Hawaii to Sydney that stops in South Pacific over a fly to US and carribean cruise simply because I didn't want to do the nearly 60 hours traveling there and back. Plus this cruise is more about enjoying relaxing on the ship rather than the ports we visit, and this cruise is half sea days :D

[mr walker]

OP I suggest you don't know what you are missing. I have cruised Nth Qld & Pacific Islands out of Sydney - great cruises. Next week we depart for 14 nights NZ cruise.

I have only ever cruised this region. I hate plane travel as i do so much for business - the idea of flying to US to cruise doesn't interest me.

And cruising Aus/NZ/Pacific Islands keeps you away from those in USA who worry about such things such as getting bottled water onto their ship - hello, they do have water on a ship - it comes out of the tap, oh I mean faucet:D

[bccruiser2007]

We love to cruise and go to places that is warm, since work commitments only allow us to travel in January or February.

Since we have been to most areas of the Carribean and Mexico,, looking for someplace different. Thus, looking forward to our 1st visit to Australia next month.

11 day cruise and 7 days pre/post stay in sydney.

We live close to the cruise ship terminal in Vancouver, but have no interest in cruising to Alaska

[Mercruiser]

I can certainly understand the OP's feelings about cruising too close to home. I would like to take some cruises to far away places. On the other side of the coin, I had a lot of fun last summer going on a last-minute special 7-night Seattle - Alaska round trip cruise. The cruise fare was only $500 USD and we drove the 5 hours to Seattle to board the ship. It was one our the least expensive holidays.

 

Our favorite cruise so far is our 15-night Panama Canal cruise from Puerto Rico to San Diego. We had perfect tropical weather the whole time (until we got close to San Diego). There was a really fun variety of international passengers on board. It has alternating sea and port days, which is perfect for us. I don't like too many port days in a row. And my wife doesn't like too many sea days in a row. A perfect compromise. I also liked seeing some countries I'd never been to before: Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Having gotten a 1-day preview, I'd like to go back to Guatemala and Costa Rica for a land trip. We also figured out that a two-week cruise is the optimum length for us.

 

We are looking forward to our Auckland to Sydney cruise in November. We been on land holidays in both places. On the flight from the USA to Auckland, we are adding a 5-night stopover in Tahiti (Moorea actually). The stopover in Tahiti doesn't add to the airfare cost and I have enough Hilton points to stay in Moorea for free.

[Desert Cruizers]

Living in So Calif, we avoid flying across country to take a 7 to 9 day cruise from FL, so choose cruises that are 2 weeks long. In 2014 we will be visiting Sydney for the first time, to take a 13 day NZ, then spend 9 days in Sydney sight seeing in and around the area before our Transpacific, then 12 day Hawaii back to Vancouver and are excited about seeing Australia for the first time. We also tend not to take cruises along our West Coast, when we have driven to most areas at one time or another. We have yet to do Alaska even.

[Molly Doble]

Hi

We have done 2 x 5 week land based holidays to the US and we loved them but we also have loved all the cruises we have done and they have all been to the South Pacific and NZ cruises so far. For us it is just not about the destination, or the friends but also the ship. Every time we visit a port we have been to we try and see something new but some ports are just about relaxing and swimming.

I have been asked a lot which cruise was your favourite and I can never give one answer because every cruise is different. We loved our cruise in 2009 that went to Samoa, so in Sept we are cruising Hawaii - Syd as it stops in Samoa :D

One cruise we did to NZ finished in Auckland so we stayed on for a week and saw more of NZ and that was an amazing holiday.

We want to cruise Alaska and the Caribbean and there is good prices for cruises but then we have to add airfares from Sydney and that adds to the costs.

But at the end of the day we love to travel and whether it is land based or cruising we will do it.

 

Tania :)

[MadMax2]

Hi, Rick,

I don't have a few $thousand to throw around, so I've thought long and hard about what cruise I'd like to do, and I have chosen NZ. I live in West Oz, and did a 7 day cruise from Fremantle to Broome on Pacific Sun and loved every minute. I think you have to decide why you want to see a place, and for you, it seems that the 'knowns' outweigh the 'unknowns', hence your interest is not kindled ...

 

After cruising in a window cabin, I really wanted the taste of a balcony cabin, Ijust love to listen & watch the waves and spray at night so want to be closer to that. Why NZ?? I have never been there before, and really want to see some of the majestic sounds in Fiordland. Perhaps it would have been more sensible to do a land tour, but I have the cruise urge atm, and MUST OBEY it! ;) Besides, I love the thought of having the same room for a week, and love deciding what on-board entertainment to enjoy! Cruising has never been so affordable, and when you think about the magnificent meals and splendid entertainment, what better way to have a holiday?

 

I am interested the history of peoples, too, and the Maori nation is so very rich in that respect.

 

If you are already used to cruising, I probably wouldn't worry about going across the bottom of Oz, either, unless you want to test how strong your stomach is - the Great Australian Bight sure has some big swells!

 

If you don't feel inspired to take the AU/NZ/PACIFIC cruises - then DON'T! If you aren't itching to try something, then don't do it just to say you HAVE done it! Wait for your soul to tell you where it wants to go to next. Maybe the lava tubes in Qld, or the dinosaur tracks at Winton?? Or, better still, why not use your money in a more charitable way, and help out at an animal welfare organisation??

 

Just my 2c worth! :)

[Desert Cruizers]

Max, I see your showing the Rhapsody for March 19th not the Radiance, did you switch cruises. I hope not.:)

 

Gay

[kimmyandsue7673]

We are Aussies doing our first cruise around Aus in 2014, there are many places we haven't been and are really excited. We also wanted to do a cruise in the Caribbean but at this stage we can't afford the cost and time to head over there ( i am a student). We can't wait to see Darwin and Airlie beach as those places are very expensive to travel to and i am on a mission to see every city in Aus Lol. Have fun choosing whichever one you decide to do. We are so lucky to be able to cruise and travel, i'm happy to go anywhere :)

[Tasmania cruiser]

We were new to cruising in 2011 when we did a Baltic trip from Dover (HAL) - it was a marvellous trip and we loved every minute (combined with 2 weeks car hire in Scotland and England). The cruise was all about doing and seeing as much as we could - what an experience.

 

We enjoyed HAL so much we booked a Pacific Treasures cruise later that year - we both work fulltime and have only just gotten to a point where we can afford the travel, so don't have unlimited resources.

 

The Pacific Treasures cruise was all about relaxing and enjoying the pool and the onboard activities - we did very few of the official excursions and made the most of 2 weeks in a great atmosphere, a bit of pampering in the spa and lots of reading on the balcony. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Doing it again this year in November and planning another "big" cruise next year.

 

Probably the Western Meditteranean and we would expect that to very full on with all the excursions - love the history and the experience.

 

So it all very much depends on what works for you - we have had very diffferent cruises and they were both exactly what we wanted/needed at the time.

[mochuck]

This might sound weird, but for an unknown reason I have very little interest in doing an Australia, New Zealand or South Pacific cruise. I have no idea why. For instance there is a cruise that goes from Sydney to Perth, stopping in a few capital cities on the way.. I just can't justify $6000+ just for a balcony stateroom on one of these cruises. Even the South Pacific 8-10 nights, you'd be lucky to get a balcony room for less than $4000.

 

For a couple thousand more you could fly to the USA and do a back to back Caribbean cruise... it just seems so much better? Only downer is the 13 & 15 hour flights.

 

Also, why are the transpacific (Sydney - Honolulu) cruises ridiculously expensive? Is there that much demand for it? Normally repo cruises are dirt cheap.. but this could just be a USA thing?

 

I'd really like to do an Australian/NZ/SP cruise but I'm after some advice... What attracts you to do these cruises? (This question is for Australian residents).

 

Thanks!

 

PS.. I don't mean to sound grumpy in my post I just don't know how to word it properly! It just seems so convenient to only have to fly for 1.5 hours and then hop on a cruise ship, but the itineraries seem boring? Is the South Pacific like the Caribbean just the southern version!?

We are doing a 18 day cruise from Sydney to Perth via NZ with a balcony for just under $5,000.

We decided to do this cruise because we wanted to go on a cruise where we didn't have to fly first.

[Aussie FF]

How many of you are there, and where are you gettting a price of $6000.00?

We can do flights to Sydney and Balcony cabins with all our spending money for this price.

There are 5 of us, so 2 cabins interconnecting.

We have done the same Australian cruise 4 times, and South Pacific 9 times. As well as Asia & Hawaii.

 

The South Pacific Islands are some of the most beautiful in the world. Not to mention the swimming and snorkeling.

And the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.

Could not justify doubling the cost to fly across the world.

This way we can cruise twice a year.

[mochuck]

There are just 2 of us but here is a link.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com.au/booking/setDepartureInfo/checkAvailability.do?cabinClassType=&packageCode=VY18K026&shipCode=VY&sailDate=1130219&jumpToStateroom=&totalStaterooms=2&adultCount=1&childCount=0&connectingstateRoom=true