January or February?

[RMS Olympic]

I am planning a cruise on Princess sailing from Sydney to Auckland. I would like to know if there is any advantage or disadvantage for either month. Not sure if school closures would be in affect changing the passenger mix. I am hoping the majority of passengers will be Aussies....such fun people or do you call them mates😈 Thanks in advance. Oh, one additional question...is it possible to try bungee jumping in NZ?

Tom

[Kinkacruiser]

I would choose February, Tom. School's back in and yes, there will be mostly Australians will be on board. You'll need a jacket for the South Island especially.

[sonia2509]

The Princess cruise will be a older demographic of passengers and yes you will be able to do bungee jumping in NZ but i am not sure any of the Princess passengers will be doing this

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[GUT2407]

I agree about missing school holidays in Feb, but either month will be HOT in Sydney.

[joybook]

Yes Sydney will very likely be very hot in both January and February. We did Sydney to Auckland (via Melbourne and Hobart) on Sapphire Princess a couple of years ago in January but the morning we entered Milford Sound in New Zealand was one of the coldest times I have ever experienced. Yes it was first thing in the morning and a great experienbce but it was freezing. Just be prepared - ensure you have a warm jacket of some sort with you. I think I would pack a beanie and also gloves, even if this is likely to be the only time you will use them.:)

[Tigerlily75]

Australia-wide, January is school holidays (summer break). Most, if not all, schools are back in February.

[celle]

RMS Olympic - bungee jumping was invented in NZ! The first place for it was from a bridge over the Shotover River, near Queenstown.

You can do it here in several other places, including Auckland and Taupo, but I think you need to book it in advance. You can't just rock up there and do it.

There's plenty about it on the internet.

 

Australian and NZ school holiday dates are similar. The kids go back to school at the end of January or beginning of February.

[Brisbane41]

I have done Princess in January from Australia and found probably no more than 30 children on board. It was hard to notice many actually. Princess has never been the line to attract families as they tend to go to the Royal Caribbean ships or Carnival ships.

[Mr&MrsCookie]

It would probably be cheaper in February because it isn't school holidays.

[cassamanda]

As you are from Florida then i agree that Milford Sound will be cool for you at any time as it is on the wind swept west coast of south island NZ. Equates to being in Alaska either spring or autumn.

Another reason you need a jacket is to enjoy being out on deck cruising through the fiords.

The remainder of your cruise along the east coast of NZ will be fine and summer weather.

 

Weather is warmest in February. Sydney can be wet in either Jan or Feb with the odd summer afternoon storm.

[RMS Olympic]

All these posts added to much needed info. Having been to Australia in Feb, I found the weather fantastic. The bridge climb and then the ferry ride to Manly beach most memorable. Living in my part of Florida it gets cold in January and February....actually there are nights below freezing so I cruise the Caribbean as an escape. But traveling to cooler climates is a much needed change. I sailed Alaska in Sept and it was cool to cold and at times rainy. This August I an sailing on Hollend Americas new Koningsdam to Norway embarking in Amsterdam. So it will be cool to cold in the fiords. As I am a Princess loyal cruiser I am comfortable with the product. princess is doing some 9 day cruises, which fits my limit for being away adding on the 2 day transit and a 1 night pre cruise hotel stay. Being away from the dog for more than 2 weeks is difficult for me....yes I am a dog lover. I really wanted to do the 11 night Papua new guides cruise out of Brisbane, but it becomes too long. I want to thank you all for the responses. As for bungee jumping, I. I tend to arrange it via the Internet way in advance. I did the same thing when I sailed into Rio, arranged tandem hang gliding after seeing it on the amazing race....had to ditch the skivvies after gliding. Imagine bungee jumping.....probably followed by burial at sea. Hope the Aussies and kiwis can handle this yank onboard the ship👹

[Cabansail]

Hope the Aussies and kiwis can handle this yank onboard the ship👹

 

 

I am sure they can. Most survive the experience and often think we are quite friendly.

[mrs and mrs]

We meet 4 yanks on the last cruise,they were fun to be around.Initial communication was a problem,but once everyone had a few tucked under their belt,no-one could understand anyone so all was good.

[RMS Olympic]

Every time I have met Aussies on a ship they were friendly kind and fun people. When in Sydney and the up to Port Douglas I had no problems with communicating...maybe a few unfamiliar words or expressions but nothing I couldn't pick up quickly. It's funny that when I was on a high end German ship ( crew spoke English) but the passengers spoke German, the more I drank the more I could understand them and the more they drank the more the understood me. Odd how beverages act as a universal translator.

So now all I have to do is wait for bookings to open, supposedly tomorrow.....can't wait.

As for the weather, thanks for telling me about the cold in the South Island.....ill bring a coat and a hat. Will the temp warm up as I sail north towards Auckland? I hope so:D I want to tour Mother Nature and not the cities....maybe a sheep farm/ ranch......baaaaaah Baaaaah:rolleyes:

Tom