Start of cruising from Sydney & Brisbane?

[GUT2407]

Sydney has a few times been rated the most expensive city in the world to visit,  not currently I don’t think, and never Australia as a whole to the best of my knowledge

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, GUT2407 said:

And some of those suggested tips are calculated wrong, I saw one not long ago and I can recall the exact numbers but say the bill was $60 the 15% suggestion was $12.60, or a tad over 20% and the three suggestions on that bill 

My American friends told me to calculate the tip on what you spent, not on what you spent, plus taxes. 

[MMDown Under]

36 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Sydney has a few times been rated the most expensive city in the world to visit,  not currently I don’t think, and never Australia as a whole to the best of my knowledge

If you shop at little local corner shops, Aust is expensive.  Like in Hawaii, it is inexpensive to eat where the locals eat, not from local corner shops where tourists shop.  Before the virus, I used to visit Sydney several times a year and didn't find it expensive compared to my overseas travels. 

[lissie]

44 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Sydney has a few times been rated the most expensive city in the world to visit,  not currently I don’t think, and never Australia as a whole to the best of my knowledge

We were there in Feb - I thought t it was a bit cheaper than NZ even in the Rocks and Circular Quay - we had a very reasonable priced breakfast in Manly 

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

If you shop at little local corner shops, Aust is expensive.  Like in Hawaii, it is inexpensive to eat where the locals eat, not from local corner shops where tourists shop.  Before the virus, I used to visit Sydney several times a year and didn't find it expensive compared to my overseas travels. 

This is what I did in South Beach Miami last year. Ate where the locals ate, not the expensive strip along the beach. There was as a great little cafe, Sunny's Takeout, on a corner opposite my hotel and they had great berry yogurt parfaits for breakfast - not cheap but not OTT expensive either. great atmosphere with real friendly staff.

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, lyndarra said:

This is what I did in South Beach Miami last year. Ate where the locals ate, not the expensive strip along the beach. There was as a great little cafe, Sunny's Takeout, on a corner opposite my hotel and they had great berry yogurt parfaits for breakfast - not cheap but not OTT expensive either. great atmosphere with real friendly staff.

I did the same thing when I last stayed at Miami Beach.  Takeaways in side street near my hotel were inexpensive.  My only extravagance were small crab claws from a famous shop which specialised in them!

[MMDown Under]

6 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I did the same thing when I last stayed at Miami Beach.  Takeaways in side street near my hotel were inexpensive.  My only extravagance were small crab claws from a famous shop which specialised in them!

Joe's Stone Crab Claws Take Away.  

[drsel]

19 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

If you are keen to see and experience the world's most expensive country for tourists, don't come to Australia. 🙂

 

I was very surprised to read your comment that implied Australia was the most expensive, so I did some research. My guess for the most expensive was Norway, but here is one list (from 2020) on the internet.

1. Switzerland

2. Norway

3. Iceland

4. Denmark

5. Sweden

6. Singapore

7. Japan

8. Bhutan

9. UK and USA

10. Italy and Australia.

 

Another report from 2020 lists Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Japan, Denmark, Bahamas, Luxembourg, Israel, Singapore, and South Korea. Australia is 16^th on this list.

I saw this article, where Australia is No.1

 

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/12-of-the-most-expensive-countries-to-travel-to.html

 

Australia is home to The Great Barrier Reef and the famed Sydney Opera House.

But the land down under has become not just an expensive place to live but also to visit. Aside from the exorbitant price of plane tickets to reach this seemingly isolated island South of the globe, goods and services are also around 10% more expensive than those in the US. On average a tourist in Sydney would have to shell out around $295 per day according to Hoppa’s study.

Edited December 29, 2020 by drsel

[Chiliburn]

2 hours ago, drsel said:

I saw this article, where Australia is No.1

 

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/12-of-the-most-expensive-countries-to-travel-to.html

 

Australia is home to The Great Barrier Reef and the famed Sydney Opera House.

But the land down under has become not just an expensive place to live but also to visit. Aside from the exorbitant price of plane tickets to reach this seemingly isolated island South of the globe, goods and services are also around 10% more expensive than those in the US. On average a tourist in Sydney would have to shell out around $295 per day according to Hoppa’s study.

I remember a few years ago with a interview with the chairman of the world bank.
He was visiting sydney and he commented how expensive sydney was for a visitor.

His comment was, he had to mortgage his house to buy a cup of coffee.

[NSWP]

20 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

That’s only about 5% you tipped uncle Les.

I think the average now expected is 20% .
Then comes the taxes and levies parking ,resort fees,environmental and water contributions.

Correct, the resort tax is a rip off, lucky the hotel I was at did not charge it, but probably hidden in the room rate.

 

[NSWP]

Trouble is many tourists to Sydney, including those who spend a night or two, pre or post cruise, don't get much further than The Rocks/Circular Quay/Darling Harbour, the tourist trap prices there do not reflect the pricing elsewhere, well not NSW anyway. I can still buy a Latte down here for $4, what is the price at The Rocks? probably $7.

[MicCanberra]

Much of the really expensive pricing all depends on when and where you shop. As any one who has visited any overseas destination, London, Rome, etc, same goes for here locally, shopping or eating out in the CBD is more expensive than in the suburbs in any city.

[possum52]

3 hours ago, drsel said:

I saw this article, where Australia is No.1

 

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/12-of-the-most-expensive-countries-to-travel-to.html

 

Australia is home to The Great Barrier Reef and the famed Sydney Opera House.

But the land down under has become not just an expensive place to live but also to visit. Aside from the exorbitant price of plane tickets to reach this seemingly isolated island South of the globe, goods and services are also around 10% more expensive than those in the US. On average a tourist in Sydney would have to shell out around $295 per day according to Hoppa’s study.

This is one article written by a Canadian journalist  who doesn't include any sources for her statements and counts the cost of the flight to Australia. Counting the cost of travel to Australia works both ways. If we Australians add the cost of travel to Europe and North America, we are likley to say that they are the most expensive places to visit. In Hoppa's study, Sydney is the most 23rd most expensive city in the world with five USA cities in the first 11. And in the other categories of cheapeast and most expensive, no Australian city rates a mention. So, no Australia by what you have provided, is not the most expensive country to visit. 

 

Leigh

Edited December 29, 2020 by possum52

[NSWP]

5 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Much of the really expensive pricing all depends on when and where you shop. As any one who has visited any overseas destination, London, Rome, etc, same goes for here locally, shopping or eating out in the CBD is more expensive than in the suburbs in any city.

Correct. Granted, food establishments pay huge rents in the Tourist/CBD areas, thus increased prices.

[Chiliburn]

3 minutes ago, possum52 said:

This is one article written by a Canadian journalist and counts the cost of the flight to Australia. Counting the cost of travel to Australia works both ways. If we Australians add the cost of travel to Europe and North America, we are likley to say that they are the most expensive places to visit. In Hoppa's study, Sydney is the most 23rd most expensive city in the world with five USA cities in the first 11. And in the other categories of cheapeast and most expensive, no Australian city rates a mention. So, no Australia by what you have provided, is not the most expensive country to visit. 

 

Leigh

Another thing is the quality of what you get for the money.

Say take a Manila hotel compared to a sydney hotel .Sydney is much better value.

In Manila if you want a room without wildlife you need $400 a night.
Sydney $250 and nothing is going to bight you in the middle of the night.

[MMDown Under]

On 12/30/2020 at 7:33 AM, NSWP said:

Trouble is many tourists to Sydney, including those who spend a night or two, pre or post cruise, don't get much further than The Rocks/Circular Quay/Darling Harbour, the tourist trap prices there do not reflect the pricing elsewhere, well not NSW anyway. I can still buy a Latte down here for $4, what is the price at The Rocks? probably $7.

$4 or less in two favourite places I visit in The Rocks.  You just need to know where to go.  

[NSWP]

49 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

$4 or less in two favourite places I visit in The Rocks.  You just need to know where to go.  

I thought you were going to say Woollies Cafeteria, up stairs at Town Hall, Sydney.  Cheapest feed in town, probably $3 a coffee.  Last time I was there a couple of years ago, big breakfast was $9 for the lot. Very retro for those who have not been there. Probably established about 1930.

[MicCanberra]

Not sure how much the coffee is upstairs but downstairs it is around $0.50 per cup for me.

[Chiliburn]

Voyager of the seas has a couple of bookings that maybe a repositioning to east coast Australia.

Darwin on June the 1st and possibly a booking with reef pilots the 3rd June.