Australia and New Zealand port and shore excursion reviews

[amtatom]

Despite my previously posted concerns about the value of Viking included excursions, we just booked another Viking cruise (Ancient Mediterranean Treasures for 2025). We looked at other cruise lines, but none had an itinerary we liked better. In addition, many of the included excursions for AMT sound like walking tours which we prefer. My research made me realize how helpful a detailed post about the excursions of various cruises would be, so I am posting the following for our Australia and New Zealand cruise in February/March 2023. Obviously, that was over two months ago, so I've forgotten some details. But here's what I remember:

 

Sydney Australia

 

Port location: White Bay Terminal, which is far away from downtown Sydney in an industrial port that was undergoing extensive construction while were there. Nice terminal for embarkation but nothing to see here and no public transportation available.

 

Shuttle Bus: One stop on Lime Street in the Kings Wharf Darling Harbour area. Several restaurants along the waterfront here and probably a few shops, although I didn’t pay that much attention. Thirty-minute drive from port. Five-minute walk to the Barangaroo Wharf station for Sydney’s excellent public ferry system.

 

Public transport: None from the port, but, as mentioned above, there is easy access to the ferry system from the shuttle bus stop. You can see the routes and plan your trip online. No advance tickets for the ferry were required; just tap your credit card on and off. Covered wharves with open sides. Plenty of seating. Electronic sign boards. Ferries themselves were large with primarily enclosed seating, but there were a few outdoor seats in the rear.

 

Activities/excursions:

 

Title/Location: Sydney Harbour/Opera House/Bridge

Style: on our own

 

The included Viking airport transport takes you to a hotel about a block from the Harbour, so it was very easy to walk out to see the Opera House and Bridge on one’s own while waiting to be taken to the ship for embarkation  Also an easy walk from under the Bridge through The Rocks area of the city. However, once you are on board the Viking ship, there is no direct shuttle bus to this location. But there is a public ferry from Barangaroo Wharf that will take you here.

 

Title/Location: Cockatoo Island

Style: on our own

 

We took the shuttle bus to Lime Street and then the public ferry to Cockatoo Island. Thirty minutes shuttle ride, five-minute walk to the ferry, and about a 10-15 minute ride on the ferry. Cost about $4US each way per person. Cockatoo Island itself is free but the audio guide has a fee. However, the employee refused to give us an audio guide even though we arrived at opening because “there’s a cruise ship coming later.” We didn’t argue or point out we were from that exact cruise ship, we just took the free map. Cockatoo Island has a large hill that you must walk up and later back down, although it is paved. Also several areas of uneven pavement. The original convict area is in poor shape, ruins really. The shipworks are in better condition. We didn’t miss the audio guide as the map had descriptions and it’s mostly ruins or empty buildings. Not the best convict sight on this cruise; that would be Port Arthur in Tasmania, but we had other plans for that day. However, it was fun to use the public ferry and we enjoyed it. If your interested in this sight, I recommend going on your own instead of the optional Viking tour as it is far cheaper.

 

Title/Location: Sydney Panorama

Style: Viking included

 

Downright awful. Sydney, other than the Harbour area, is just a standard big city. The tour was just weaving drive through mostly residential sections of the city with the driver telling us what that particular cluster of pharmacies/Asian take-outs/coffee shops was called and how much the homes in the area cost. There was one photo stop at a view of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge, but it wasn’t even the best view in my opinion. Then we stopped for an hour at Bondi Beach in the middle of a rainstorm with high winds. No one was out swimming or surfing, and there was very little else to do in the area. I know Viking cannot control the weather, but there should be a Plan B in place. Everyone from the bus returned by the 30-minute mark except one couple who were trying to find the street of shops the guide claimed was there; they could only find one shop, they said, that only sold tee shirts. They were disappointed and soaking wet. I wouldn’t recommend this tour unless one has an interest in watching surfing and the weather is nice.

 

 

 

Melbourne, Australia

 

Port location: I don’t remember the name, but right on the beach. You can easily walk to the beach or the edge of the city, but it is mostly high-end residential here. There was a fish and chips restaurant near the end of the wharf, but we did not visit it. We walked along the beach for exercise and to get a lovely photo of our ship. Several groups swimming/sunbathing but not too crowded on a weekday. This was the only time I regretted not packing a swimsuit.

 

Shuttle Bus: There is one to downtown but I missed the location name. Not at a sight, just a street.

 

Public transport: There is a tram that runs from the port into downtown, but we did not take it or look for it.

 

Activities/excursions:

 

Title/Location: Melbourne Highlights

Style: Viking included

 

Mediocre. About a half-hour drive into downtown. One stop of about 45-60 minutes at the botanical gardens. It was extremely hot and humid that day so Viking had rented an ice cream truck to give out free ice cream to guests; I’m not not sure if they do that 100% of the time or not. Then another stop of about 45 minutes at the Shrine of Remembrance, which is a war memorial with a nice free war museum on the lower level. Good panoramic view of downtown if you climb the step of the memorial. The stops were fine but I would have preferred more “local” sights such as the Victorian Market. By the way, it would be easy to become bored with botanical gardens on this cruise. Every city had one and they were all very similar. I like the occasional botanical garden, but if you’ve seen one . . . Excursion ended at the shuttle bus stop if you wanted to get off. We were too hot and sweaty to do so, although now I regret we didn’t have a plan. Instead of this tour, I would recommend taking the Viking shuttle or the tram downtown and then taking the free Circle City tram to the Melbourne sights you wish to see.

 

 

Hobart, Tasmania

 

Port location: I don’t remember the name but right downtown in this small city.

 

Shuttle Bus: I don’t think there was one because you could easily walk off the ship into town.

 

Public transport: I don’t think there was any.

 

Activities/excursions:

 

Title/Location: Richmond & Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Style: Viking optional

 

The highlight of our trip! The drive to Richmond was about 30 minutes. Richmond is a small town (population about 1000) with a pretty historical bridge that the bus parks very close to. You do have to walk down a dirt path to the water's edge for the best view and photos. The stop in Richmond was about an hour. There are a few historical buildings (including a goal that one could pay to see), a charming little downtown street with a few restaurants and shops including the cutest lolly and ice cream store; we bought some homemade candy here. Then a drive of about 20 minutes to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary to see Tasmanian devils, wombats, etc. No koalas were in residence when we were there, but the kangaroos roam freely. You can easily feed them, pet them, and take selfies with them. The paths were mostly dirt with some inclines but not steep. There is a small gift shop and restrooms. You have about 60-90 minutes here, which is plenty.

 

 

 

Dunedin (Port Chalmers), New Zealand

 

Port location: In Port Chalmers but I don’t remember the name. An industrial port.

 

Shuttle Bus: Because the port was industrial, you had to take a shuttle bus out of the port. I do not remember if it stopped in Port Chalmers or not, but it went into Dunedin and parked in The Octagon, a central “square” with shops, restaurants, the visitors center, a large church, some statues, and a very nice merino wool store.

 

Public transport: I don’t remember.

 

Activities/excursions:

 

Title/Location: Otago Peninsula and Taiaroa Head Wildlife Cruise

Style: Viking optional

 

Very enjoyable! The Viking bus drives less than 5 minutes (you could see it from the ship) out of the industrial port to a smaller marina where you board a smaller ship, The Monarch. About half the seating is uncovered (in the front) and half is covered (in the back). The captain gives commentary from the wheelhouse and two employees circulate to point out wildlife and otherwise assist. We saw sea lions, an albatross colony, several small blue penguins, and many other birds. The landscape was gorgeous. Good quality binoculars and heavy raincoats with fleece lining are provided. Hot tea with cookies is served as you make your way back to the marina. The day we were there was a lovely day at port, but it was extremely windy, wet, and cold on this cruise. Without a water-proof jacket one would get soaked (several did). If you are prone to motion sickness, this is not for you. Even with my bracelets and patches, I was getting a little queasy at times. However, it was extremely windy that day (18 knots/hour) with huge swells, so much so that the afternoon cruise was canceled. Perhaps on calmer days this would not an issue.

 

Title/Location: Dunedin City Tour

Style: Viking included

 

Another poor included tour. About a half-hour drive into Dunedin. One 15-20 minute stop at the famous Dunedin Railway Station. Two other brief photo stops, one of the clock tower at the university there and one at the steepest street in the world. Then about a half-hour stop at The Octagon which is where the shuttle bus is parked (see above). One could walk to the Railway Station from here, so I think it would have been better to take the shuttle bus and just walk around on one’s own. I saw signs for some self-guided walks, which I assume one can get from the visitors' center.

 

 

Dunedin Christchurch, New Zealand

 

Port location: An industrial port whose name I don’t recall. A small town was there.

 

Shuttle Bus: Because the port was industrial, you had to take a shuttle bus out of the port. I do not remember where it stopped.

 

Public transport: I don’t remember.

 

Activities/excursions:

 

Title/Location: Canterbury Sheep Farm

Style: Viking optional

 

Excellent! About a 45 minutes drive inland to Little River, New Zealand. This was the most beautiful drive of the entire cruise, just stunning. There was a brief stop at a community center in Little River to use the restroom and there were a few local craft sellers. Then onto Manderlay Farm where Russ explained how he trained his sheepdogs, then he had the dogs demonstrate various herding tasks. This portion was outdoors in a flat pasture-like area. Then into a large shed where Russ demonstrated how to shear a sheep. This shed was very hot and smelled strongly of animals. Not surprising or concerning to me, but I’m mentioning it for the sake of full disclosure. There was no seating and there were a few steps up into the shed. After that, Russ’s wife invited us into their home for a tour before serving homemade lamb sausage rolls, cookies, and drinks on their beautiful terrace. We had about 15 minutes to look around the yard on our own; it was beautifully landscaped with several large shade trees. After the farm, we drove about 30 minutes into Christchurch for a 45-60 minute panoramic-style tour. There weren’t any stops that I recall. To me, this part was a complete waste of time, but the actual sheep farm was good enough I'd still recommend this tour. Then another half-hour drive or so to return to the ship.

 

 

Napier, New Zealand

Sadly, this port was cancelled for us due to Cyclone Gabrielle.

 

 

 

Wellington, New Zealand

 

Port location: An industrial port in Wellington. I don’t recall if you could walk off the ship or not, but there was nothing to do at the port.

 

Shuttle Bus: The shuttle bus was supposed to make one stop at the bottom of the cable car. However, on the day of, it was changed (due to a climate change rally) to one stop at the top of the cable car and then a second stop downtown about two blocks from the Te Papa museum. It was about a 20-30 drive. Note: The provided tourist map listed two shuttle bus stops (bottom of cable car & downtown) as the norm, so I’m not sure why Viking originally told us there would only be one stop. Is that only for Viking?

 

Public transport: The cable car and bus system but I don't know the details.

 

Activities/excursions:

 

Title/Location: Cable Car Museum, Botanical Gardens, Bolton Street Cemetery, and Te Papa

Style: on our own

 

Very nice day on our own. The tourist map was excellent and Wellington was very walkable. We had planned to ride the cable car up, but when the shuttle bus stop was changed, we just watched it come up. (In retrospect, I wish we’d paid to ride it down and back up). We toured the small free cable car museum at the top. There were restrooms and a small gift shop, and outside was a shuttle bus stop to Zealandia. The downhill walk through the botanical gardens starts here. It was about a 60-90 minute walk downhill that meanders through several different gardens. The path was well marked. It is all paved, but, even though it is downhill, it was not always easy. It is very steep in places, such that even our generally healthy knees were complaining. There are several sets of stairs. I wondered if the path would be slick if wet. After the gardens, the path is marked through a historic cemetery, and ends downtown at “The Beehive.” We walked about 3 blocks from The Beehive to the waterfront, where there is a level pedestrian walking area with a few shops and restaurants along it. At the end, behind the Te Papa, is one of those large Wellington signs in which a person stands to form the letter I. After lunch (Mãori hangi at Karaka Cafe), we toured part of the Te Papa, which is a free museum. The Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War exhibit was outstanding! Probably the single best museum exhibit I’ve ever seen. We also toured the Mãori exhibit here, which included ocean canoes, at least one house, and a spiritual building along with other artifacts. Being a large museum, of course, there were restrooms, a gift shop, and a cafe here. We then walked the two blocks to the shuttle bus (the second “added” stop) to return to the ship. I highly recommend doing Wellington on your own.

 

 

 

Rotorua (Tauranga), New Zealand

 

Port location: A very nice dock in the center of the town of Tauranga. No terminal building, you just walk off and into town. There was a cart or two selling excursions. The town itself had two beaches and a small mountain one could walk to and either walk around the base or up to the top.

 

Shuttle Bus: No shuttle bus as you could walk into town.

 

Public transport: None that I remember

 

Activities/excursions:

 

Title/Location: Lord of the Rings Hobbiton tour

Style: private excursion through Zealandier tours

 

Excellent! There were six guests in our minivan (four Viking passengers and two Viking crew). It was about a 45-60 minute drive to Hobbiton. Once there, there is a holding area that has a cafe and gift shop. We had about a half hour until our tour time. You then get on a separate Hobbiton bus with a Hobbiton guide. It’s about a ten-minute drive to the actual village, and then about an hour or so walk through it with the guide. The path is dirt and you walk up a moderate hill before descending back down. There are about 50 Hobbit holes and they are all unique with props like mailboxes, clothes on the line, etc, outside each. Bag End is included. You cannot enter any of the Hobbit holes. You cannot walk around on your own. But it’s very well organized and I never felt rushed. Plenty of opportunities for photographs, including the guide lining you up to take photos with your camera/phone at the one Hobbit hole with an open door. You may pose with a couple of props here if you like. After all the Hobbit holes, you proceed on a dirt path over a couple of bridges (one uneven stone) to the Green Dragon, where you are given a complimentary cold beverage of beer or cider. There are restrooms here but no gift shop. You may drink inside the inn or outdoors. This is where we reconnected with our Zealandier guide who drove us out in the minivan. On the way back to Tauranga, we stopped at McLaren Falls, a local council park. We got out and walked about 15-20 on a trail of native New Zealand bush to the waterfall and back. It was mostly level but it was a hike in the woods so it was uneven, etc. We then stopped briefly for some complimentary Hokey Pokey ice cream, which is a traditional flavor in New Zealand. One last photo stop to see the bushes/vines that kiwis grow on before returning to the ship.

 

 

Auckland, New Zealand

 

Port location: Terminal in the center of downtown. The ferry station is next door and there is a maritime museum a few buildings down.

 

Shuttle Bus: No shuttle bus as you can walk downtown.

 

Public transport: Public bus and tram system with stops close to the terminal.

 

Activities/excursions:

 

Title/Location: Auckland Explorer bus, Domain Wintergardens, and Auckland War Memorial Museum

Style: on our own

 

Our private excursion to Arataki Waitākere Ranges Regional Park and Piha Black Sand Beach was canceled due to mudslides from Cyclone Gabrielle, so we were at loose ends. We purchased tickets for the Auckland Explorer hop-on hop-off bus at the ferry station and walked about two blocks to the first stop. The bus offered about 5-6 stops when we were there, as a few had been canceled due to flooding. Note: The couple in front of us at the ferry building as for the “hop-on hop-off” bus and were told it didn’t run on that day of the week. But I had looked it up the previous night and knew that it did. So I asked for the Auckland Explorer Bus and was promptly sold tickets. I cannot explain this. It was a typical double-decker HOHO bus with canned English commentary. We got off at the Wintergardens and War Memorial Museum stop. Both were disappointing. The Wintergardens were two small greenhouses, one of which was closed for repairs. There was a separate New Zealand fern house. The museum was about $30/person and we didn’t care for it. We found a strange hodgepodge of items related to New Zealand. Dinosaur bones, taxidermied animals, WWII planes, household items, some Mãori items, an Earthquake shake house, etc. However, it did have an excellent gift shop with many local products. We then took the HOHO bus back to the stop a couple of blocks from the ship as none of the other stops interested us. My overall impression of Auckland is that is just a large city with no unique features. In retrospect, we should have looked for any last minutes excursion that would have taken us anywhere out of the city.

 

Title/Location: Weta Workshop Unleashed

Style: on our own

 

We booked this close to sailing when I learned we would have several hours to kill the morning of our flight. The included Viking airport transport took us to a hotel downtown (about a block from the ship) and we walked about ten minutes from there to the building where this experience was. The All Blacks experience is in the same building. It was a 90-minute guided tour of fictitious/recreated Weta movie-making workshops. It was cheesy and canned, but it was better than sitting in a crowded hotel conference room. I would have preferred a tour of the actual working studios, which is an option in Wellington although I do not regret what we did in Wellington instead. This was booked primarily because of its location and because of the length of time it took, and it fulfilled our needs.

Edited May 13, 2023 by amtatom

[CCWineLover]

Just remember - as we get further from COVID and more tour operators who are trained and know what they are doing are being involved, things are bound to get better!

I saw a distinct decline in the included tours quality overall from before COVID to after COVID.  I totally realized why this happened as Viking was scrambling (like other lines) to be operators and guides, as go many of them left the business in 2020-2022.  

Hope you have some patience and that things are better for you in 2025.

[SteelCity Cruiser]

We did that same cruise in early February.  We missed both Napier and Tauranga due to the cyclone. We also spent 2 weeks traveling around Australia before the cruise.  One thing we observed is that because both countries were among the last to re-open to tourism, the industry's infrastructure is still being rebuilt.  It will probably take them another year or so to get back to pre-pandemic levels.  But, this was a trip of a lifetime and we had a FANTASTIC time, all the while falling in love with Australia, New Zealand and the people that live there.

 

I think the only excursion we did that was the same was the Bonorong Reserve/Richmond tour and I'll second the comments that it is excellent.

 

In Sydney, we did the Photographic Walking tour that was super and tons of fun.  We had already been in Sydney for three days on our own and I can highly recommend the Viator tour of the Sydney Opera House as an option.

 

In Melbourne-we did the optional "Past and Present" tour and it was rather disappointing.  The guide was not good (our driver knew more about the city and its history than our guide), and the stops were largely a let down.  We did get a great guided tour of the Melbourne Museum by one of their employees, so that was a highlight.  We also enjoyed walking down the beachfront near the docks.  It's very nice and the main street has a ton of cute cafes and restaurants.

 

Dunedin:  we did the optional People of the South.  It was OK.  The Brewery tour was fun and the included lunch was excellent.  Would have liked more time at the museum, and possibly time to look around the town a bit more

 

Christchurch:  we did our "own thing" after discovering they have the coolest "hop on hop off" tram with commentary!  It was great.  We then could go back and explore on our own (yes, we did the botanical gardens - we love them).  Christchurch is VERY walk-able and very easy to navigate on your own. The shuttle is very convenient - drops you off at the art museum, 1 block from a tram stop.

 

Wellington: we did the included excursion and it was quite good.  Plenty of stops and interesting commentary from the driver/guide. Can definitely recommend this one.  The shuttle stops at two locations downtown and excursion guide will point these out on the way in (and stop at them on the way back).

 

In Auckland we did the optional North Shore and Devonport Village.  This is a "slow starter" but picks up quickly and ends up being a very good excursion to the North Shore of the city.  Our guide knew every single spot to stop for those perfect "Kodak Moments"!  It ends on the North Shore and includes your ferry ticket back to the city.

 

 

[PasadenaDave]

Do you suggest doing a pre cruise in Auckland on your own?   It seems with a compact city and language similar to North American English that paying extra for a Viking pre cruise doesn’t seem necessary.

[amtatom]

@PasadenaDave We didn’t do any extensions due to time constraints, but I think you could easily do either Sydney or Auckland on your own for much less money than Viking. Auckland is much smaller than Sydney, though, as you point out. IMO, Kiwi English is more similar to NA English than British English. There is zero language barrier. In official signage, Māori is first but English is right underneath. There are many Kiwi tour providers that will get you out of town for day trips. We had booked both with Zealandier and Bush & Beach (or Beach & Bush??) although the latter was canceled. You would have no trouble getting to the cruise terminal in Auckland as it’s right downtown. For navigating in the city, I highly recommend the app Citymapper. We've used it in many cities very successfully.

[amtatom]

@SteelCity Cruiser You’re so fortunate that you were able to see more of Australia! I knew before we went that we would be barely scratching the surface of such a large country. Viking has a new cruise that circumnavigates Australia but it is over a month long, which is just not an option for us at this point in our lives. We did have an excellent time on this cruise and found New Zealand to be just as wonderful as everyone says that it is. I would love to return sometime and see it in more detail. You are the second person after the fact that has mentioned the Vivitor Sydney Opera House tour. Oh well, you live and you learn. Although some things were canceled due to the cyclone and I would have done some things differently in retrospect, I don’t regret taking this cruise.

[new2cruise]

This is such an excellent review.  We're going on this same cruise and I'd like to invite others that have gone on this cruise to please add their own insights on the Viking excursions or other options at each port.

[2cruisecats]

On 5/13/2023 at 8:39 PM, PasadenaDave said:

Do you suggest doing a pre cruise in Auckland on your own?   It seems with a compact city and language similar to North American English that paying extra for a Viking pre cruise doesn’t seem necessary.

Yes, a self pre-cruise in Auckland is quite easy to do and a great way to get over that long flight.  Highly recommend it.  In November we did 3 weeks pre-cruise in NZ/AUstralia, starting with a few days in Auckland.  We stayed at the Britomart, a v short walk to where the cruise ships dock & the ferry terminal.  We wandered the city & discovered the Art Gallery -- a great place to visit on a rainy day.  Next day we "hiked" out to the War Memorial Museum.  Great exhibit on NZ history and the surrounding park is lovely.  The Museum is built on a dormant volcano.  Another day we booked a wine tour on Waiheke Island.  We took the ferry (about a 10 minute walk from our hotel) and were picked up on arrival by our guide -- 8 of us in a min-van.   We enjoyed the Island so much & plan to stay there for a few days when we head back to NZ in a few years. (Auckland seemed about a year behind us in Covid recovery. )  We then flew to Nelson on the South Island where we picked up a car for 2 weeks. We ended in Christchurch and flew to Sydney for a few days before starting our cruise. (Interesting note - everyday we were in Auckland we had rain at some point.  Coming back from a beautiful sunny day on Waiheke Island we sailed into the Auckland rain.  Crazy. Our time in NZ South Island was arranged with the help of a great NZ travel group.)

[PasadenaDave]

1 hour ago, 2cruisecats said:

Yes, a self pre-cruise in Auckland is quite easy to do and a great way to get over that long flight.  Highly recommend it.  In November we did 3 weeks pre-cruise in NZ/AUstralia, starting with a few days in Auckland.  We stayed at the Britomart, a v short walk to where the cruise ships dock & the ferry terminal.  We wandered the city & discovered the Art Gallery -- a great place to visit on a rainy day.  Next day we "hiked" out to the War Memorial Museum.  Great exhibit on NZ history and the surrounding park is lovely.  The Museum is built on a dormant volcano.  Another day we booked a wine tour on Waiheke Island.  We took the ferry (about a 10 minute walk from our hotel) and were picked up on arrival by our guide -- 8 of us in a min-van.   We enjoyed the Island so much & plan to stay there for a few days when we head back to NZ in a few years. (Auckland seemed about a year behind us in Covid recovery. )  We then flew to Nelson on the South Island where we picked up a car for 2 weeks. We ended in Christchurch and flew to Sydney for a few days before starting our cruise. (Interesting note - everyday we were in Auckland we had rain at some point.  Coming back from a beautiful sunny day on Waiheke Island we sailed into the Auckland rain.  Crazy. Our time in NZ South Island was arranged with the help of a great NZ travel group.)

Like you, we stayed at BritoMart Hotel, which we found via airline points which we also used for Marriott in Sydney at the end of the cruise.

 

We like pre-cruise extensions for certain destinations such as Istanbul, but others not so much.  Examples of silliness:

• Departed ship in Sydney and took taxi to Sydney Marriott and checked in.  We left the hotel one hour later and the long line of Viking people waiting in line to check in.
• Spent pre-cruise at Chateau Frontenac in Quebec on a HAL cruise.  We saw the pre-cruise desk and inquired about transport to the ship.  $40ppCAN and need to be in lobby at 0900, when I said that 10:45 cab will get us to the ship prior to opportunity to board we were told that there won't be many taxis available.  No wait for taxi and it was ten bucks!
• Post cruise extension in Venice was worth the money spent for fabulous hotel and free water taxi to airport and no hassle with transfers with luggage in Venice.

Having said this, I do understand that many have challenges with understanding new places and if pre-excursions allow them to see these places despite it being very expensive that is good

 

[2cruisecats]

3 hours ago, PasadenaDave said:

Like you, we stayed at BritoMart Hotel, which we found via airline points which we also used for Marriott in Sydney at the end of the cruise.

 

We like pre-cruise extensions for certain destinations such as Istanbul, but others not so much.  Examples of silliness:

• Departed ship in Sydney and took taxi to Sydney Marriott and checked in.  We left the hotel one hour later and the long line of Viking people waiting in line to check in.
• Spent pre-cruise at Chateau Frontenac in Quebec on a HAL cruise.  We saw the pre-cruise desk and inquired about transport to the ship.  $40ppCAN and need to be in lobby at 0900, when I said that 10:45 cab will get us to the ship prior to opportunity to board we were told that there won't be many taxis available.  No wait for taxi and it was ten bucks!
• Post cruise extension in Venice was worth the money spent for fabulous hotel and free water taxi to airport and no hassle with transfers with luggage in Venice.

Having said this, I do understand that many have challenges with understanding new places and if pre-excursions allow them to see these places despite it being very expensive that is good

 

BritoMart was a great location. We had several v good meals in nearby restaurants. Did you eat at Ghost Street  (off hotel alley & Asian Fusion) ?

 

$40 for a transfer from Chateau Frontenac to the ship? Heck, if it wasn't for luggage & all  those steps you could walk it. Quebec City is a fav place.  We got stranded there a number of times during winter storms when we were driving from Ottawa home to the Maritimes for Christmas. It is so pretty in the winter.

 

We too tend to do our own pre & post cruise arrangements, book our own trains in Norway and stay in a different hotel than is being used by the cruise line. It does take a bit more effort.  We just finalized our Iceland pre-cruise -- 2 weeks in the Westfjords.  Now, when we do our Expedition trip next year, we'll let Viking do those arrangements! 

[PasadenaDave]

40 minutes ago, 2cruisecats said:

BritoMart was a great location. We had several v good meals in nearby restaurants. Did you eat at Ghost Street  (off hotel alley & Asian Fusion) ?

 

$40 for a transfer from Chateau Frontenac to the ship? Heck, if it wasn't for luggage & all  those steps you could walk it. Quebec City is a fav place.  We got stranded there a number of times during winter storms when we were driving from Ottawa home to the Maritimes for Christmas. It is so pretty in the winter.

 

We too tend to do our own pre & post cruise arrangements, book our own trains in Norway and stay in a different hotel than is being used by the cruise line. It does take a bit more effort.  We just finalized our Iceland pre-cruise -- 2 weeks in the Westfjords.  Now, when we do our Expedition trip next year, we'll let Viking do those arrangements! 

I promote Britomart Hotel.  We had a great Mediterranean lunch off an alley a few blocks inland from the hotel and there was a great coffee shop one block off the coast road a block south of the hotel.  We were there December 19 last year.  The light switches in the room were a challenge.

 

in Quebec the new large ship terminal is off by the industrial wharf’s.  I grew up in Maine and skied at St Anne two or three times including breaking my leg there in 1978...that was a long five hour drive home.  The cruise was my only summer visit.  Mum grew up in Montreal so I know the province and most of my Canadian family live in Ottawa or Gatineau.

[BrendaEDH]

6 hours ago, 2cruisecats said:

Yes, a self pre-cruise in Auckland is quite easy to do and a great way to get over that long flight.  Highly recommend it.  In November we did 3 weeks pre-cruise in NZ/AUstralia, starting with a few days in Auckland.  We stayed at the Britomart, a v short walk to where the cruise ships dock & the ferry terminal.  We wandered the city & discovered the Art Gallery -- a great place to visit on a rainy day.  Next day we "hiked" out to the War Memorial Museum.  Great exhibit on NZ history and the surrounding park is lovely.  The Museum is built on a dormant volcano.  Another day we booked a wine tour on Waiheke Island.  We took the ferry (about a 10 minute walk from our hotel) and were picked up on arrival by our guide -- 8 of us in a min-van.   We enjoyed the Island so much & plan to stay there for a few days when we head back to NZ in a few years. (Auckland seemed about a year behind us in Covid recovery. )  We then flew to Nelson on the South Island where we picked up a car for 2 weeks. We ended in Christchurch and flew to Sydney for a few days before starting our cruise. (Interesting note - everyday we were in Auckland we had rain at some point.  Coming back from a beautiful sunny day on Waiheke Island we sailed into the Auckland rain.  Crazy. Our time in NZ South Island was arranged with the help of a great NZ travel group.)

By chance do you remember the name of the NZ travel group? We are booked on the Aus/NZ cruise in Feb. 2025 and are just starting to plan our pre-cruise week in NZ and 10-12 days post cruise in Australia.  

[2cruisecats]

16 hours ago, BrendaEDH said:

By chance do you remember the name of the NZ travel group? We are booked on the Aus/NZ cruise in Feb. 2025 and are just starting to plan our pre-cruise week in NZ and 10-12 days post cruise in Australia.  

Yes, we used First Light Travel. They focus on Australia, New Zealand and nearby Islands. Our contact was Danielle.  Fantastic to deal with. We will be using this company again when we head back to Australia/NZ. We liked that they listen to what you want and not just "here's the top 10 things you must do in ..." unlike the first company we tried for our upcoming Iceland trip.  Enjoy your time down under.  If you want anymore info, let me know .... Linda 

(Check out their FB page. Lots of reviews & pix.  We submitted a review in January for the NZ portion of our trip)

Edited April 30 by 2cruisecats
add info

[2cruisecats]

On 4/28/2024 at 1:06 PM, new2cruise said:

This is such an excellent review.  We're going on this same cruise and I'd like to invite others that have gone on this cruise to please add their own insights on the Viking excursions or other options at each port.

Melbourne, Laneways & Alleys  -- Not a Viking excursion as it was sold out, so we did it on our own with a little help from CC Australian contacts. Starts about a 10 minute walk from shuttle drop off point (Melbourne Skydeck?). We had a great time following the map checking out the interesting sights (yes, do walk to the end of the Alleys. Great graffiti and mini gardens.).  Took a ton of pix, stopped for lunch and wandered some more before a final coffee stop next to a great chocolate shop.Lots of people watching that day.  Aussies love coffee & chocolate. So many interesting little shops and sights. Or if you want to visit the botanical gardens, it's about a 20 minute walk form the drop-off.    (Using our phone for direction assist did help on this tour.)

walk-arcades-lanes.pdf (melbourne.vic.gov.au)

Melbourne city street art and graffiti tour - Walking Maps

 

 

 

 

Edited April 30 by 2cruisecats
added pic

[OneSixtyToOne]

We did the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb when we were there independently. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience. 
https://www.bridgeclimb.com/climb-the-iconic-sydney-harbour-bridge?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrcKxBhBMEiwAIVF8rHZNR0i-JhyBcOju_fVEcRr564l0g3kZIswOa-BuHEyEQKkHPs3yuxoCkZwQAvD_BwE&code=usd

[BrendaEDH]

5 hours ago, 2cruisecats said:

Yes, we used First Light Travel. They focus on Australia, New Zealand and nearby Islands. Our contact was Danielle.  Fantastic to deal with. We will be using this company again when we head back to Australia/NZ. We liked that they listen to what you want and not just "here's the top 10 things you must do in ..." unlike the first company we tried for our upcoming Iceland trip.  Enjoy your time down under.  If you want anymore info, let me know .... Linda 

(Check out their FB page. Lots of reviews & pix.  We submitted a review in January for the NZ portion of our trip)

Thank you @2cruisecats!  I will definitely contact First Light Travel for help with pre-cruise week in NZ.  

[2cruisecats]

8 minutes ago, BrendaEDH said:

Thank you @2cruisecats!  I will definitely contact First Light Travel for help with pre-cruise week in NZ.  

You could probably get assistance from them on yourAustralia  post-cruise too. We met a couple from Nova Scotia (actually, my University town!) at the Clay Cliffs in NZ who were doing a 5 week Australia/New Zealand Tour arranged by our First Light advisor!  They said they really enjoyed Tasmania and recommended spending a few days there.

[coachma]

On 4/30/2024 at 11:53 AM, OneSixtyToOne said:

We did the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb when we were there independently. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience. 
https://www.bridgeclimb.com/climb-the-iconic-sydney-harbour-bridge?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrcKxBhBMEiwAIVF8rHZNR0i-JhyBcOju_fVEcRr564l0g3kZIswOa-BuHEyEQKkHPs3yuxoCkZwQAvD_BwE&code=usd

I second this suggestion! We did the Climb at dusk, and seeing the Opera House and city lit up at night was magical. Reservations a must.

[2cruisecats]

SYDNEY Tour Options

We were in Sydney 3 days on our own so covered a lot of the sites.  A tour of the Sydney Opera was one of our "must do's". Easy to book on your own but I think Viking also offers it as an excursion. There are stairs & more stairs but the Opera guide will direct you to elevator if needed.  After the Opera House tour, have a nice lunch or drink on the patio and watch the ships.  Then tour the botanical gardens "next door".  That whole area is very nice. We sat in the garden & watched the first sail in of a Virgin ship. (Helicopters were flying with it to film the sail in and then the ship got grounded in the harbour!) They got to dock at The Rocks while the Viking ship was in an industrial area.  Viking did provided a shuttle.

 

The Rocks is another great place to tour, esp on a weekend with the local artisans market. The larger cruise ships tend to dock here.

 

First full day on board I booked a massage and then added myself to the Included Panoramic Sydney tour that afternoon. It did go out of the city centre to a couple of good lookout spots and then on to Bondi Beach. Take it if you want to see Bondi Beach.  Otherwise I'm sure there are better excursions.

 

My DH did the full day optional Blue Mountain excursion which he said was great. 

Edited May 1 by 2cruisecats
Added info

[PasadenaDave]

We went to the opera and it was wonderful