New Zealand and Australia?

[boatchick]

We want to go to NZ and Australia. It's one of those once in a lifetime dreams. Someone said do it on a cruise. Should we? Which line really has the best cruise there? We're a couple of active boomers - would take a 2-3 weeks and make the most of it. Thanks for any suggestions.

[Host Kat]

Howdy Boatchick!

 

Welcome to the Cruise Critic Message Board Help Forum!

 

I fully understand your need to know more information! However, you have posted your inquiry on the Help Forum where members ask questions about how to use the board's software system. This is not the place for your type of question and the answer you seek. A quick glance at the thread titles on the Help Forum will show you what I mean.

 

To help you out, I am moving your inquiry to the Ports of Call - Australia & New Zealand Forum: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=77

 

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Happy trails to you...

 

Kat

[Aussie Gal]

At the moment the best cruises around New Zealand and Australia are either on Princess or Holland America. Both have cruise ships here from November to the end of March.

 

They also both have a similar itinerary. They go to quite a few ports in New Zealand then they sail across the Tasman sea usually to one port in Tasmania and then one day in Melbourne finishing in Sydney. They also do the reverse sailing.

 

Australia is a big country like the U.S. so you would only be seeing a very small portion of it whilst on the cruise.

 

There is a lot to see here including the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Kakadu and lots of other wonderful places so you are really only touching on a very small part of the whole.

 

If I were you, I would try and come for at least a month. The cruises are usually 14 days and with a month including the flight time, you would still have another 14 days to see so much more than you would on the ship. It is such a long way to travel for only two to three weeks.

 

Jennie

[KiwiIan]

We want to go to NZ and Australia. It's one of those once in a lifetime dreams. Someone said do it on a cruise. Should we? Which line really has the best cruise there? We're a couple of active boomers - would take a 2-3 weeks and make the most of it. Thanks for any suggestions.

Hi Boatchick.

 

A cruise gives you a quick look at the country but as either shipping line mentioned about only stop at 3 or 4 ports in each country you will only be getting a quick look. The smaller ships [not Princess whichy are the largest to visit NZ] stop at more ports and often the more interesting ones, inaccesible to the big ships. Some lines also offer shore trips with overnight stops [though this means you are paying for a bed and mael on board as well as one ashore] and also pre and post cruise options. all of these can also be done independantly and through local NZ and AUS companies.

 

If you take a cruise that covers both NZ and AUS then i would suggest choosing one country to have a more extended land trip at the end of the visit, and living in NZ i think ours is the country you should try first. Its more accessible and you can get around the main destinations in 2 weeks.

 

If you need any more specific NZ info please advise. If you check out my other CC posts you will see i have already given a lot of info regarding NZ. There is a great review of a recent cruise on Diamond princess by a guy call Mike Priesman, worth a look and also on his web site which features lots of great iamges.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Regards Ian [Tauranga NZ[

[KiwiIan]

We want to go to NZ and Australia. It's one of those once in a lifetime dreams. Someone said do it on a cruise. Should we? Which line really has the best cruise there? We're a couple of active boomers - would take a 2-3 weeks and make the most of it. Thanks for any suggestions.

Hi again

 

Heres the link to the review on the Diamond Princess cruise i mentioned.

 

http://www.thepreismans.com/

 

Regards Ian.

[Acrusa]

Also the Silversea has the Silver Cloud for back to back cruises.

[Grandriver]

Coral Princess Cruises has a much smaller boat and as a result you get to see much more. We've had two tours of NZ of 15 and 17 days (no cruises other than a half day cruise on Bay of Islands) and really have to do more yet to be satisfied.

 

We'd like to take the CP cruise on the Oceanic Princess but they can't/won't accommodate 3 people. Also, not cheap.

 

http://www.coralprincess.com.au/newzealand.html

 

As to Australia we were there once on biz (one week with 2 weeks vacation) and then two more visits for 48 days and 40 days - and almost but not totally satisfied and still have to do it again. So count on going often and as long as you can because you are bound to love both countries.

 

GR

[CAPinBoynton]

Boatchick,

 

You will love a NZ - Aust. cruise with Princess. Do take a peek at our website for both a review and pictures. http://www.thepreismans.com

 

Ian,

 

Thanks for the nice words.