Finally going Downunder! (Well 2023 anyway)

[Lois R]

Hi friends😃 finally getting ready to book a cruise Downunder!  Looking at January 2023 and just wondering from any of you who have been what information you might pass on to me?🙂  Australia and New Zealand have been on my bucket list for a very, very long time. And by then, hoping everything will be in a "new normal" stage too.

 

Hoping I can get some good tips from from you good people😃

 

Thank you!

[Arlopop]

59 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi friends😃 finally getting ready to book a cruise Downunder!  Looking at January 2023 and just wondering from any of you who have been what information you might pass on to me?🙂  Australia and New Zealand have been on my bucket list for a very, very long time. And by then, hoping everything will be in a "new normal" stage too.

 

Hoping I can get some good tips from from you good people😃

 

Thank you!

Congratulations.  Sounds delightful. On our list as well 🙂

[Lois R]

Thanks so much🙂....it is a long time away but it does feel good!  I have 3 booked for later this year and 1 booked for 2022.........they all give me hope😃

[TrulyBlonde]

Spend the extra and fly Business Class. It is a long flight. Or break it up and stay in Honolulu prior.

The flight time had me anxious, but actually they kept the windows closed and everyone just slept right thru until breakfast was served. We flew out of LAX.

[Capri73]

We went 2 years ago with Taulk.Best trip ever. Ours was a land trip so we saw a lot. If you can possibly book a play in Sydney at the Opera house do it.The people in both countries are wonderful.

The zoo in Sydney and also the beaches.It is hard to recommend because not sure where the cruise will stop and what they might have. 

 

[Lois R]

5 minutes ago, TrulyBlonde said:

Spend the extra and fly Business Class. It is a long flight. Or break it up and stay in Honolulu prior.

The flight time had me anxious, but actually they kept the windows closed and everyone just slept right thru until breakfast was served. We flew out of LAX.

I am flying Business Class.🙂 No way coach will do on a flight this long!

[Lois R]

7 minutes ago, Capri73 said:

We went 2 years ago with Taulk.Best trip ever. Ours was a land trip so we saw a lot. If you can possibly book a play in Sydney at the Opera house do it.The people in both countries are wonderful.

The zoo in Sydney and also the beaches.It is hard to recommend because not sure where the cruise will stop and what they might have. 

 

Ahhh...I understand. I haven't even booked yet so cannot tell you the itinerary.  I have a couple of choices and waiting for my SS rep to get back with me on prices,

[Emtbsam]

Take a look at the 2023 World cruise which starts in Sydney.  We’re booked.  If you do not want to fly business, Air New Zealand has a fantastic Premium Economy on some of their planes from LAX.

 

[TrulyBlonde]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

I am flying Business Class.🙂 No way coach will do on a flight this long!

Smart Lady 😎

[frantic36]

I agree with Capri that seeing a show at the Opera House is lovely. We also did a behind the Scenes tour. It started early in the morning but it was very interesting seeing the inner workings and getting to go on stage in the main theatre. 

 

We also did a behind the scenes tour at Taronga Zoo so we got go into some of the enclosures and again go behind the scene to see the feeding facilities, research areas etc. Hopefully this will be available again in 2023.  They don't let you hold the koala at Taronga but you can stand right next to them. There are other zoos in Australia that let you hold them. We took the ferry across from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo and it was a lovely way to get there.

 

When you post your itinerary I can help with other ideas as we have done a couple of different itineraries around Australia, just on Seabourn. Plus land travel of course.

[Lois R]

I definitely want to see the Opera House!🙂

[sea bright]

We did Sydney to Auckland on the Shadow in 2010. Spent some time in Sydney before and after the cruise, then took the train to Adelaide for a family wedding. After the wedding spent some time in wine country and then did some touring, including Kangaroo Island. A really amazing trip. We loved Australia and want to go back. Our family are now up near Darwin. We booked a SS Sydney to Singapore cruise in February 2020, planning to see them. When it was canceled we booked a similar itinerary, also Sydney to Singapore, on the Muse in Feb 2022. Really hoping it goes, but I suspect your trip in 2023 is much more realistic.

[cece50]

6 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi friends😃 finally getting ready to book a cruise Downunder!  Looking at January 2023 and just wondering from any of you who have been what information you might pass on to me?🙂  Australia and New Zealand have been on my bucket list for a very, very long time. And by then, hoping everything will be in a "new normal" stage too.

 

Hoping I can get some good tips from from you good people😃

 

Thank you!

Lois, you will love this cruise.  Our Sydney To Auckland on board the Muse December 2019 was our last cruise before Covid turned the world upside down.  Sydney is lovely, we stayed at the Four Seasons in the harbor and found it so convenient to walk to The Rocks, the Opera House, the main shopping area etc.  I suggest a performance at the Opera House if it has finished renovations.   Looking back, there were so many highlights......we found the small ports in New Zealand so charming.  The excursion from Picton into the Marlborough wine country is a must.  We discovered just how wonderful that NZ Sauvignon Blanc really is.  We also enjoyed the hike up Mt Cargill while in Dunedin with a great naturalist guide.  NZ has such natural beauty, so take the excursions that take you into the back country.  We were blessed with a smooth crossing from Australia to NZ and great weather to get into the fiords, so I wish you the same.  There was a bit of rocking & rolling here and there, but we never felt uneasy. I actually slept better with a bit more motion. 
We opted to fly from Florida to Los Angeles, spent a few days with family in So Cal & then on to Sydney with Delta who fly a gorgeous plane with “suites”  in First Class.  We also opted to fly back to Sydney from Auckland for an extra night to catch the return to LAX on same plane.  It gave us another day to enjoy Sydney and to get back to So Cal for Christmas. 

Edited May 27, 2021 by cece50

[drron29]

We will be delighted to welcome our good friends from the USA to Australia.I don't have much doubt that you will be able to come in 2023.Only real pessimists thinks we will be closed beyond 2022.

 

Australia is due to hold a Federal Election in May 2022 and until then unlikely that non Australian citizens will be allowed in as polls say 70 - 85% of us want the borders to remain closed.After the election that can be ignored but unlikely before then.Just hoping they allow us out in February 2022 so we can go cruising from Singapore all the way to Athens.

 

I am sure plenty of us can help with what to see.

[turtlemichael]

1 hour ago, drron29 said:

We will be delighted to welcome our good friends from the USA to Australia.I don't have much doubt that you will be able to come in 2023.Only real pessimists thinks we will be closed beyond 2022.

 

Australia is due to hold a Federal Election in May 2022 and until then unlikely that non Australian citizens will be allowed in as polls say 70 - 85% of us want the borders to remain closed.After the election that can be ignored but unlikely before then.Just hoping they allow us out in February 2022 so we can go cruising from Singapore all the way to Athens.

 

I am sure plenty of us can help with what to see.

I don't consider myself a pessimist and my gut-feeling is borders are likely to open by mid 2022. Almost certainly, there will be some sorts of restrictions when they do open.  Hopefully, they are well short of quarantining.  I don't feel "confident" yet.  As others have said to Lois, there will be many here to answer her questions.

[Lois R]

Good morning, thanks to all of you for the kind/informative words🙂. Going to Europe sure does seem like a quick trip now LOL😃.........compared to, what is it about 15 hours or so? 17? THAT is a long flight. I have no idea where I am flying from yet......well, home---to either LA or from what I have read, there are direct flights out of Dallas and Houston now.  So it will all be exciting to research🙂

[mofrances]

Hi Lois, we are booked for Sydney-Auckland over the holidays 2022/23 on the Muse. Looks like a perfect itinerary and a wonderful way to spend Christmas and New Years! I have never been Down Under but it has long been on my list, and this will be a family cruise to celebrate a milestone birthday for me. So hoping Australia is open by then! 

 

I am also doing my first Silversea cruise next month on the June 28 sailing from Athens. Did I read that you will be doing a Greek cruise this summer as well? So looking forward to it despite all the accompanying travel complications.

 

@cece50 how was the weather during your December cruise to Aus/NZ? I know it can vary greatly year to year, but just trying to get a feel for whether it's more of a warm weather cruise or more brisk...

 

@TrulyBlondeI am stealing your Susan Sontag quote for my family photo books that I put together after any big trip. Love it!!

[Lois R]

Hi🙂, yes, I am on the cruise after yours........July 8th. I hope you have an absolutely wonderful trip🙂

And I am so looking forward to it as well. I keep thinking after all these months I am really stepping back on a cruise ship. It is like you have to pinch yourself😃

[rkacruiser]

23 hours ago, Lois R said:

Looking at January 2023 and just wondering from any of you who have been what information you might pass on to me?🙂  Australia and New Zealand have been on my bucket list for a very, very long time. 

 

Many excellent suggestions have been posted, but there are a few that I would like to highlight and maybe a couple to add.

 

Don't know the itinerary that you are looking at, but Fjordland National Park in New Zealand is a delight.  A cruise that includes visits to Doubtful, Dusky, and Milford Sounds will be memorable, particularly if the weather cooperates.  Have not visited Queenstown, but friends on my cruise did and the tour to the interior of that South Island was a highlight for them.  

 

A visit to as many wineries as possible in the Marlborough region will provide an education in the wines produced by New Zealand.  As another poster mentioned, there is no white wine that I prefer more than a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  

 

Attending a performance of whatever is on stage at the Sydney Opera House will be worth whatever it costs.  The tour backstage helps before a performance helped this patron to appreciate what was taking place on--and back--stage.

 

Nature oriented cruises along the New Zealand coast allowing one to witness the Great Albatross was a tour I enjoyed.  There was a 4X4 tour to a remote area to see some penguins that chose to take a "day off" of their beach and do some fishing, I guess.  Yet, the scenery and the experience was worth the time and effort.  

 

Sydney:  if you enjoy maritime history, a visit to the Australian Maritime Museum can't be missed.  They have a bookstore that has maritime titles that are not available in the United States.  Sydney's Hop On/Off Bus routes allow one to cover much ground in a decent amount of time and at a reasonable cost.  Their markets that the buses reach are very interesting to wander through.  

 

Auckland:  a HH hour with a dinner following near/at Sunset at the Sky Tower, I really enjoyed.  Their Hop On/Off Bus also provided a great tour of the city.  One could spend a day and more at the Museum and not be able to comprehend and appreciate all that is on display.  

 

The significance of Australia's and New Zealand's contribution to World War I is vividly displayed in many ways in both countries.  As an American, I never understood the sacrifices that the citizens of those two countries made to the eventual success of the Allies in WW I.  It was a sobering lesson for me.  

[crusinbanjo]

Mrs Banjo and I have been down under a few times and we have friends there from our travels.  Having said that,  I agree, fly business class, the flight is too long for coach.  The other thing I would recommend is to stay in Oz for a while after the cruise.  Explore Sydney more, go see the Blue Mountains, the 3 Sisters, the 12 Apostles and Ballarat, there is so much to see, and if it is a once in a lifetime trip, stay some extra time and make the very most of it!

[jpalbny]

So much to see and do here. Just a few cruise stops here and there will definitely leave you wanting more. We spent two weeks just in Southeast Australia for my 50th a few years ago and had a great time. We even got to have drinks with drron29 and rojaan19 on the eve of my birthday, which was surely a highlight of that trip!

 

Sydney is easy to DIY and a pleasant place to spend a few days. Melbourne too. 

 

Add us to the legion of fans recommending business class flights here. In fact our very first international biz flight was LAX-SYD way back in 2008. We had always done economy to Europe but we looked at that 15+ hour flight and just said, upgrade it regardless of the cost. Unfortunately once you start doing this it is very hard to stop.

 

DL has a pretty good international biz product but I have to put in a plug for Virgin Australia's product. We flew DL from LAX-SYD in 2018 but flew VA MEL-LAX on the way home and it was IMO even better. The seats were more comfortable then on DL, and they fold down into a real bed complete with a mattress. And they have a bar at the rear of business class which was a lot of fun. You tell the FA to make your bed, then sit at the bar for a drink while they get it ready, and then you can sleep like a baby.

 

The lounge in Melbourne was actually the Etihad lounge which was way better than any DL Skyclub I've ever visited. VA also flies the SYD-LAX route so something to consider (if they survive this pandemic). And they are in the SkyTeam alliance so all those FF miles (and medallion status) carry over.

Edited May 28, 2021 by jpalbny

[drron29]

Sorry JP but VA no longer flies any International routes having sold their long haul fleet.Not even flying to NZ at the moment.Purely domestic.

They were bankrupted early on in the pandemic and now have new owners and basically a 737 fleet.

[cece50]

11 hours ago, mofrances said:

Hi Lois, we are booked for Sydney-Auckland over the holidays 2022/23 on the Muse. Looks like a perfect itinerary and a wonderful way to spend Christmas and New Years! I have never been Down Under but it has long been on my list, and this will be a family cruise to celebrate a milestone birthday for me. So hoping Australia is open by then! 

 

I am also doing my first Silversea cruise next month on the June 28 sailing from Athens. Did I read that you will be doing a Greek cruise this summer as well? So looking forward to it despite all the accompanying travel complications.

 

@cece50 how was the weather during your December cruise to Aus/NZ? I know it can vary greatly year to year, but just trying to get a feel for whether it's more of a warm weather cruise or more brisk...

 

@TrulyBlondeI am stealing your Susan Sontag quote for my family photo books that I put together after any big trip. Love it!!

We sailed early December for two weeks.  Sydney was quite warm in the 80s,  NZ weather was perfect. I recall 70s during the day and much cooler at night.  Rain was minimal and/or intermittent.   I would pack an assortment of layers and some rain gear.  In NZ, I remember wearing my light Patagonia puffer jacket in the fiords which was the coolest weather we experienced. We did some back country excursions and long pants & vests were in order.  In a nutshell, Australia was warm & NZ a mixture of warm & cool, but we were never very cold.  Oh....don’t forget a few hats, the sun is pretty strong. 

Edited May 28, 2021 by cece50

[cece50]

3 hours ago, jpalbny said:

So much to see and do here. Just a few cruise stops here and there will definitely leave you wanting more. We spent two weeks just in Southeast Australia for my 50th a few years ago and had a great time. We even got to have drinks with drron29 and rojaan19 on the eve of my birthday, which was surely a highlight of that trip!

 

Sydney is easy to DIY and a pleasant place to spend a few days. Melbourne too. 

 

Add us to the legion of fans recommending business class flights here. In fact our very first international biz flight was LAX-SYD way back in 2008. We had always done economy to Europe but we looked at that 15+ hour flight and just said, upgrade it regardless of the cost. Unfortunately once you start doing this it is very hard to stop.

 

DL has a pretty good international biz product but I have to put in a plug for Virgin Australia's product. We flew DL from LAX-SYD in 2018 but flew VA MEL-LAX on the way home and it was IMO even better. The seats were more comfortable then on DL, and they fold down into a real bed complete with a mattress. And they have a bar at the rear of business class which was a lot of fun. You tell the FA to make your bed, then sit at the bar for a drink while they get it ready, and then you can sleep like a baby.

 

The lounge in Melbourne was actually the Etihad lounge which was way better than any DL Skyclub I've ever visited. VA also flies the SYD-LAX route so something to consider (if they survive this pandemic). And they are in the SkyTeam alliance so all those FF miles (and medallion status) carry over.

JP, when we flew to Sydney in December of 2019, Delta had just retrofitted their long haul planes (I think a Boeing 777) and installed these so called suites, which consisted of a very comfortable lie flat with a sliding “door” which afforded you a bit of privacy, especially while sleeping.  I don’t sleep well on planes, but those doors were so helpful that I actually slept.  Probably because I couldn’t see my neighbor or their screen & they could not see me. We flew round trip on Delta, so I can’t comment on the other airlines. 

Edited May 28, 2021 by cece50

[turtlemichael]

Lois, australia.com is the national tourism authority's lead in page for ideas on where to go and what to do.  It is a great starting point.  Visit Australia - Travel & Tour Information - Tourism Australia