Just crossed the Tasman on Solistice!

[MicCanberra]

I've just been on to this website, and it's amazing!! Thanks for sharing.

 

And thanks for your post- I am travelling to Melbourne and back in Feb/March on 2 separate cruises, and I'm a little bit nervous about crossing the Tasman! (eeek!). Any tips on how best to deal with 9m waves, should I encounter them?

 

Walk slowly and hold the hand rails. Don't forget to wash your hands before eating as well.:D

[lovestx]

We just booked the Solstice for a similar cruise in March 2019 (I know...crazy planners!). Is this typical? I have heard it can be rough but just wondering what we might expect.

[Opua Kiwi]

We just booked the Solstice for a similar cruise in March 2019 (I know...crazy planners!). Is this typical? I have heard it can be rough but just wondering what we might expect.

I wouldn't say 8-9 meters is typical; but as mentioned it certainly can occur.

I would say 4-5 meters is often encountered.

 

Is your cruise NZ first, then Milford to Hobart ?

If so, your route is the most southerly course, and therefore can experience larger seas.

 

If the forecast is particularly bad the decision is sometimes made to go no further south than Akaroa. They then proceed back north and head to Aussie via Cook Strait.

 

This means Dunedin and Fiordland are missed.

Fortunately this doesn't happen very often.

 

When it comes to cruising around NZ on a ship, flexibility is the key.

Enjoy your time in Un Zud.

[MicCanberra]

The Tasman sea and Bass strait do get large seas due to weather fronts (cold hitting hot air currents and vice versa) as well as water currents from the Southern Ocean and the Pacific meeting with the shallower Tasman sea. However, like anything, we have sailed across many times and only had it rough a few times (less than half the times).

[CilliCruiser]

We just booked the Solstice for a similar cruise in March 2019 (I know...crazy planners!). Is this typical? I have heard it can be rough but just wondering what we might expect.

 

For what it's worth, during the captain's talk, someone asked what the worst seas he's ever been in. And he said it was THIS cruise! So I don't think it's super common, but as I mentioned, he had no choice. Our cruise ended today in Sydney. We had a wonderful time and id be happy to do it again.

[MicCanberra]

For what it's worth, during the captain's talk, someone asked what the worst seas he's ever been in. And he said it was THIS cruise! So I don't think it's super common, but as I mentioned, he had no choice. Our cruise ended today in Sydney. We had a wonderful time and id be happy to do it again.

 

Glad you enjoyed it, safe travels.:D

[NSWP]

Sweet Jesus, the Golden will never be the same again, talk about run amok, LOL.

But we were good, Uncle Les, really, really, really good.:cool::cool:

I believe you, otherwise a riot at sea would have been reported on CC. Hope it was all good anyway. Now be good girls and save up for another, like Uncle Les does.

[NSWP]

I've just been on to this website, and it's amazing!! Thanks for sharing.

 

And thanks for your post- I am travelling to Melbourne and back in Feb/March on 2 separate cruises, and I'm a little bit nervous about crossing the Tasman! (eeek!). Any tips on how best to deal with 9m waves, should I encounter them?

The 9M seas will be ok, just watch out for the 12 metre seas when the Force 12 gale come up from the Antarctic, as it does.

 

Above all, enjoy the adventure.

[lovestx]

I wouldn't say 8-9 meters is typical; but as mentioned it certainly can occur.

I would say 4-5 meters is often encountered.

 

Is your cruise NZ first, then Milford to Hobart ?

If so, your route is the most southerly course, and therefore can experience larger seas.

 

If the forecast is particularly bad the decision is sometimes made to go no further south than Akaroa. They then proceed back north and head to Aussie via Cook Strait.

 

This means Dunedin and Fiordland are missed.

Fortunately this doesn't happen very often.

 

When it comes to cruising around NZ on a ship, flexibility is the key.

Enjoy your time in Un Zud.

 

Yes, our cruise starts in Auckland and ends in Sydney with a stop in Hobart. We are planning to do at least a week of touring in NZ before hand (and after in Australia) so will definitely plan to do the Milford Sound area by land.

 

Good to know that if seas are rough our itinerary could change dramatically. We have been on other cruises with cancelled ports so know this can happen. But it's always good for me to be reminded that if there are places we REALLY want to see, we need to do a land based tour.

[MicCanberra]

That is our philosophy as well, if it is a must see, we do not rely on the cruise ship to get us there, we allow time either pre or post cruise to visit/tour.:D

[OzKiwiJJ]

Yes, our cruise starts in Auckland and ends in Sydney with a stop in Hobart. We are planning to do at least a week of touring in NZ before hand (and after in Australia) so will definitely plan to do the Milford Sound area by land.

 

 

You can actually do overnight "cruises" on Milford Sound. https://www.realjourneys.co.nz/en/experiences/cruises/milford-mariner-overnight-cruises/

 

We did one like this some years ago and it was wonderful. Really worth doing. The ship got much closer to the waterfalls than a large cruise ship does. We went kayaking once the ship had anchored for the night and that was awesome. Also doing the overnight cruise meant we had plenty of time during the day, before and after, to stop at various scenic spots on the drive into and out of Milford Sound. It actually rained heavily as we were driving there, which added it's own brand of magic to the scenery, then cleared overnight so we had a gorgeous sunny day on our return drive.

[vozzie]

Hate to be a party-pooper, but we have just cruised to NZ on Solstice...the cruise prior to the original poster...and the Tasman was like a mill pond. Thought we were still tied up. Also, clear blue skies through the "Sounds". The bottom line is....just like any other cruise, the sea state is in the lap of the Gods.

[MicCanberra]

Hate to be a party-pooper, but we have just cruised to NZ on Solstice...the cruise prior to the original poster...and the Tasman was like a mill pond. Thought we were still tied up. Also, clear blue skies through the "Sounds". The bottom line is....just like any other cruise, the sea state is in the lap of the Gods.

whether it is Gaia or Neptune, sometimes the seas are smooth and sometimes not, although personally I think it s down to the weather and seas currents.:D

[BINDY31]

Whew, what a ride. 8-9 meter waves which I'm told is 27-30'. Captain did great, the best he could considering the situation. Never ever want to go through 27' waves again. Waves crashing up and over the 14th floor observation room. It's been impossible to sleep for the last 48 hours. Lots of pukers in public areas, and many dishes lost in the buffet yesterday afternoon when we hit a really big swell/wave. I was showering at the time and fell, but am ok. Just a little scary. So happy we're now in Hobart and can go on land for a while, then back to the ship catch up on sleep before we head back out in route to Melbourne. What an adventure!

 

 

we had similar on the way to NZ in November... lucky for us the worst of it....10m was in the middle of the night when most we tucked up safe in bed. things were falling of tables, we were very close to the aft on deck 11 and had spray going past our balcony...so can only imagine what it was like up the front!!!!!. all said and done it was an amazing cruise and we always felt safe on this wonderful ship. looking forward to our next one.

 

 

cheers

Belinda

[MicCanberra]

we had similar on the way to NZ in November... lucky for us the worst of it....10m was in the middle of the night when most we tucked up safe in bed. things were falling of tables, we were very close to the aft on deck 11 and had spray going past our balcony...so can only imagine what it was like up the front!!!!!. all said and done it was an amazing cruise and we always felt safe on this wonderful ship. looking forward to our next one.

 

 

cheers

Belinda

 

The Solstice does handle the rough seas very well though, so just another reason why she is my fav.:D