NZ by Princess cruise or land tour?

[GUT2407]

14 minutes ago, NSWP said:

I have done a 10 day fly/drive to Tasweiga on 3 occasions over the past 20 years, I reckon I have seen a lot of ye olde Apple Isle in a total of about 30 road trip days, Lovely island it is.  Being a foodie and wine buff, I find it most appealing.

We love the place have nearly moved there a few times done a few road trips and even more cruises, in fact trying to work out if we can do a road trip anytime soon, but getting there means going through Victoria, so can’t see it happening any time soon. Mrs Gut has been thinking about a job at Port Arthur, but so much sick leave and LSL to surrender to do so it’s a tough decision.

[Aus Traveller]

14 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

To be honest I don't put much stock in must see lists. It comes down to what people are interested in. The OP has stated their interest in theme parks even though most posters don't get why you would come to Australia for that. It just is what the OP clearly enjoys. In some ways being a short trip makes it more crucial that you visit the sights that fascinate you than what some list tells you to be interested in after all if you are here are short time it should be doing the things you love🤗. 

When we are planning to go somewhere new, we find travel guides, or "must see" lists very helpful. Of course, our own preferences are used to make the final decisions, but if we don't read guide books or look at lists, we would not know what was there.

 

For shore excursions from a cruise ship, we look at the excursions the ship offers then tailor our own tour.

[Docker123]

I have been thinking about post lockdown travel.

 

One plan is to get a new camera and car, then head to Tassie for a few weeks travel and landscapes.

 

All I can do at the moment is stare across the bay at Station Pier, watching the Spirit coming and going.

 

[GUT2407]

10 minutes ago, Docker123 said:

I have been thinking about post lockdown travel.

 

One plan is to get a new camera and car, then head to Tassie for a few weeks travel and landscapes.

 

All I can do at the moment is stare across the bay at Station Pier, watching the Spirit coming and going.

 

I’ve got the camera and looking at cars.

[getting older slowly]

17 minutes ago, Docker123 said:

I have been thinking about post lockdown travel.

 

One plan is to get a new camera and car, then head to Tassie for a few weeks travel and landscapes.

 

All I can do at the moment is stare across the bay at Station Pier, watching the Spirit coming and going.

 

Tick   Camera  new batteries   Tick Car  with wheels       .... getting on Red and White Ship   Cross

 

Time to just wait....... and wait.... and wait............. Don

[NSWP]

48 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

We love the place have nearly moved there a few times done a few road trips and even more cruises, in fact trying to work out if we can do a road trip anytime soon, but getting there means going through Victoria, so can’t see it happening any time soon. Mrs Gut has been thinking about a job at Port Arthur, but so much sick leave and LSL to surrender to do so it’s a tough decision.

Mrs Gut would get paid out by her current employer re long service leave, mate. Sick leave you just have to write off.  When I retired in 2003, I had 2 years LSL, never took any in 36 yrs, so got paid out on that, into the cruise fund fund thank you. We also got 6 weeks sick leave a leave a year, hardly took any of that had about 3 years of sick leave in the book, never got paid out for that for that of course, government is different from private enterprise.

[NSWP]

4 minutes ago, getting older slowly said:

Tick   Camera  new batteries   Tick Car  with wheels       .... getting on Red and White Ship   Cross

 

Time to just wait....... and wait.... and wait............. Don

I am just driving around and around NSW.

[GUT2407]

6 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Mrs Gut would get paid out by her current employer re long service leave, mate. Sick leave you just have to write off.  When I retired in 2003, I had 2 years LSL, never took any in 36 yrs, so got paid out on that, into the cruise fund fund thank you. We also got 6 weeks sick leave a leave a year, hardly took any of that had about 3 years of sick leave in the book, never got paid out for that for that of course, government is different from private enterprise.

She would get paid out for LSL but we are enjoying the few extra weeks a year to get away.

[ilikeanswers]

25 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

When we are planning to go somewhere new, we find travel guides, or "must see" lists very helpful. Of course, our own preferences are used to make the final decisions, but if we don't read guide books or look at lists, we would not know what was there.

 

For shore excursions from a cruise ship, we look at the excursions the ship offers then tailor our own tour.

 

It is great for initial research and I do the same but there are certain things I have a particular interest in that generally don't end up being on must see lists yet I will go out of my way to visit or experience them. That was kind of my point when you were saying Byron Bay is not worth a visit. It might seem pointless to you but for whatever reason could have been an intense interest to the OP, though in the end it seems it really wasn't😂.

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, ilikeanswers said:

 

It is great for initial research and I do the same but there are certain things I have a particular interest in that generally don't end up being on must see lists yet I will go out of my way to visit or experience them. That was kind of my point when you were saying Byron Bay is not worth a visit. It might seem pointless to you but for whatever reason could have been an intense interest to the OP, though in the end it seems it really wasn't😂.

Without thinking in these terms, I suppose I was using the 'classifications' that Michelin guide books do - "Worth a visit", and "Worth a journey". In my opinion, Byron Bay is worth a visit if you are close by, but not worth a journey.

[lyndarra]

38 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Without thinking in these terms, I suppose I was using the 'classifications' that Michelin guide books do - "Worth a visit", and "Worth a journey". In my opinion, Byron Bay is worth a visit if you are close by, but not worth a journey.

There's always a chance to spot and out of work movie star or two, or even working ones in between shoots. The Hemsworths, Paul Hogan, Shawn Mendes, Margot Robbie, Natalie Basingthwaighte, Zac Efron, Matt Damon et al.

[NSWP]

56 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

She would get paid out for LSL but we are enjoying the few extra weeks a year to get away.

In the coppers we got 7 weeks annual leave a year, (in lieu of working public holidays etc) so did not need to take my LSL, could not afford to go away for that long anyway, mortgage, kids and one wage, know what I mean old son? 

 

As a traffic bloke for many years I worked every Easter, every Christmas, hard on the family, not being there.

Edited October 3, 2020 by NSWP

[GUT2407]

18 minutes ago, NSWP said:

In the coppers we got 7 weeks annual leave a year, (in lieu of working public holidays etc) so did not need to take my LSL, could not afford to go away for that long anyway, mortgage, kids and one wage, know what I mean old son? 

 

As a traffic bloke for many years I worked every Easter, every Christmas, hard on the family, not being there.

She gets tons of holidays as a teacher but all in peak times so we use LSL to get away and usually just stay home in school hols. And O know what you mean, when we got married we went 18 years with nothing more than the odd weekend away, between health, kids, mortgage and deciding to study had neither the money nor the time, over the last 15 years we had a few years of regular holidays, about five years where doctors wouldn’t let me out of their sight, another 5 years of lots of cruises, and then a few more years where the spirit is willing but the body weak.

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, GUT2407 said:

She gets tons of holidays as a teacher but all in peak times so we use LSL to get away and usually just stay home in school hols. And O know what you mean, when we got married we went 18 years with nothing more than the odd weekend away, between health, kids, mortgage and deciding to study had neither the money nor the time, over the last 15 years we had a few years of regular holidays, about five years where doctors wouldn’t let me out of their sight, another 5 years of lots of cruises, and then a few more years where the spirit is willing but the body weak.

Yes mate, good times, bad times.  Until my kids got to high school, we would always take them out of school for a week and it drive to Forster or Port McQuarie, somewhere like that, hire caravan 7 nights in a caravan park, communal showers and toilets in the olde days. No money to eat out on hols, bbq in the park and plenty of Tooheys.  They always had an annual holiday but out of school holidays, too expensive, those greedy landlords wanting the big money from struggling families.  Now I have a tear in my eye.😪

 

These days parents take their kids on these cruises overseas, no $15 a night onsite caravans for them.

Edited October 3, 2020 by NSWP