Princess Cruise Tour

[margord]

Has anyone ever done the Princess cruisetour either pre or post cruise? We are thinking seriously about it. We did one with Princess through the Canadian Rockies and it was fabulous. I am seeing one that goes to the Great Barrier Reef and then back down the coast to Sydney. That one looks most interesting to me. Any information would be appreciated.

[mare s.]

we leave tomorrow for the cruisetour #3...Sydney-Ayers Rock-Alice Springs-Cairns-Sydney and then to ship. I'll post something when we return.

[margord]

Thanks I would really appreciate youposting when you return. I am so jealous. Have a wonderful and safe trip.

 

Marilee

[Bridge Buddies]

We would appreciate any comments from those having taken a Princess Australian Cruisetour. We are booked for a 6-day pre-cruisetour Jan 27, 2008. Thanks

 

Sandy

[mare s.]

Well, we just got back from our cruisetour to Australia/New Zealand. I must give kudos to Princess...the pre-cruise land tour was very well done and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperative and we were among the few who have actually seen waterfalls on Ayer's Rock! We loved snorkeling at Cairns (it rained in town but out on the Barrier Reef it was sunny). Admittedly, we covered a lot of distance and it seemed we were always on an airplane or a bus...but it was lots of fun and well worth it.

[RET_REF]

Hi mare,

 

Glad to hear you all had a great time in Auckland, and enjoyed the Glow Worms as we did the day before during our stop in Tauranga. It was so nice to have met you all! I was sorry we didn't have time to spend in Auckland like you folks did because we would have loved to had dinner in the Sky Tower as well. We rode by the tower on the bus as we made our way to Auckland Airport so that's as close as we got. This was a great cruise, and we will forever have so many good memories of this trip even though as you know it started out as a disaster for us because of the weather issues, but ended well. So as they say in racing it doesn't matter how you start, but how you finish and our trip was so well organized as you previously stated and there were so many nice people in our tour group like you folks. Until we meet again on a future cruise.

 

Take Care & Best Wishes,

 

J & N

[margord]

Well, we just got back from our cruisetour to Australia/New Zealand. I must give kudos to Princess...the pre-cruise land tour was very well done and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperative and we were among the few who have actually seen waterfalls on Ayer's Rock! We loved snorkeling at Cairns (it rained in town but out on the Barrier Reef it was sunny). Admittedly, we covered a lot of distance and it seemed we were always on an airplane or a bus...but it was lots of fun and well worth it.

 

Glad to hear it was wonderful. So sorry about the weather. Are you going to write a review. I would love to hear more.

 

Marilee

[mare s.]

Actually, I just wrote a review and it should be up...on cruise reviews...Sapphire Princess. The weather, although not what we had expected, didn't stop us in the least. In fact, as you'll read in my review, it actually was a blessing at times (fewer flies, more bearable temperatures). We knew we'd be unlikely to get back to Australia anytime soon, so we decided that, although brief, the land tour would be a good option and it certainly turned out to be. The interior of Australia is magnificent and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef was an amazing experience. In fact, we'd love to go back there and spend more time...we didn't have a chance to visit the rainforest and we'd like to snorkel a different area. If you've got a lot of time to visit these places on your own, it would certainly be better, but if, like us, you only have a few days extra, the land tour is the way to go.

[margord]

Actually, I just wrote a review and it should be up...on cruise reviews...Sapphire Princess. The weather, although not what we had expected, didn't stop us in the least. In fact, as you'll read in my review, it actually was a blessing at times (fewer flies, more bearable temperatures). We knew we'd be unlikely to get back to Australia anytime soon, so we decided that, although brief, the land tour would be a good option and it certainly turned out to be. The interior of Australia is magnificent and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef was an amazing experience. In fact, we'd love to go back there and spend more time...we didn't have a chance to visit the rainforest and we'd like to snorkel a different area. If you've got a lot of time to visit these places on your own, it would certainly be better, but if, like us, you only have a few days extra, the land tour is the way to go.

 

Did you think that Princess did a good job on the tour? We did an excorted tour through the Canadian Rockies with Princess last year and it was just awesome. The best hotels and wonderful restaurants. Do you think it was worth the trip to Ayers Rock? I was thinking of just doing the GBR tour.

 

Marilee

[bxny]

We will be doing a precruise also. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Did you have to take all your luggage with you or were you able to just pack a smaller bag and have Princess hold the larger piece?:confused:

[bxny]

Actually, I just wrote a review and it should be up...on cruise reviews...Sapphire Princess. The weather, although not what we had expected, didn't stop us in the least. In fact, as you'll read in my review, it actually was a blessing at times (fewer flies, more bearable temperatures). We knew we'd be unlikely to get back to Australia anytime soon, so we decided that, although brief, the land tour would be a good option and it certainly turned out to be. The interior of Australia is magnificent and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef was an amazing experience. In fact, we'd love to go back there and spend more time...we didn't have a chance to visit the rainforest and we'd like to snorkel a different area. If you've got a lot of time to visit these places on your own, it would certainly be better, but if, like us, you only have a few days extra, the land tour is the way to go.

Thank you for your review. I read it after I posted my luggage question and you answered it in your review. Good info.

[schoolmarm]

Hi!

I have a question about the options at the Great Barrier Reef. We do not snorkel. Are there other things to do at the pontoon boat or is that the only option? We really want to take this cruise tour but it will be a long day if we just sit on the boat! Thanks!

[margord]

Also, were you concerned about their jelly fish when snorkeling. I understand some of them can kill you.

 

Marilee

[margord]

P.S. I did read your review. Thanks, I really enjoyed it.

 

Marilee

[Globaliser]

Also, were you concerned about their jelly fish when snorkeling. I understand some of them can kill you.

You might want to read this post and the immediately following post (ie #2 and #3 in that thread) for some information about jellyfish at the GBR.

[schoolmarm]

I enjoyed your review too!!

[mare s.]

To answer a couple of questions...jellyfish were a concern of mine too, but the pontoon operator has lycra wet suits you can rent for a small amount of money (I think it was $10 Australian). I opted for one because they do protect against the sun's rays too...my husband decided to take a chance without one and neither of us was bothered by jellyfish. If you don't snorkel or dive, there are other options...a helicopter ride over the reef (the pontoon operator takes you to another smaller pontoon moored not too far away which acts as a helicopter pad), a glass bottom boat, or deep sea walking. You don't have to have any skills for the latter activity...they fit you out with a complete wet suit and a diving helmet and actually escort you underwater. You don't get wet and, if the pictures they took and broadcast on the catamaran's tv's are any indication, people were having a wonderful time and seeing lots of sea life. You can also (and we saw a lot of people who were non-swimmers doing this) sit on benches on the snorkeling/diving platform and get wet and soak up the sun. The waters were so clear and the fish so abundant you could even watch them from the pontoon, particularly when the pontoon staff fed them! Boy, just writing about our experience makes me want to go right back there!

[margord]

You might want to read this post and the immediately following post (ie #2 and #3 in that thread) for some information about jellyfish at the GBR.

 

Thanks you

[margord]

To answer a couple of questions...jellyfish were a concern of mine too, but the pontoon operator has lycra wet suits you can rent for a small amount of money (I think it was $10 Australian). I opted for one because they do protect against the sun's rays too...my husband decided to take a chance without one and neither of us was bothered by jellyfish. If you don't snorkel or dive, there are other options...a helicopter ride over the reef (the pontoon operator takes you to another smaller pontoon moored not too far away which acts as a helicopter pad), a glass bottom boat, or deep sea walking. You don't have to have any skills for the latter activity...they fit you out with a complete wet suit and a diving helmet and actually escort you underwater. You don't get wet and, if the pictures they took and broadcast on the catamaran's tv's are any indication, people were having a wonderful time and seeing lots of sea life. You can also (and we saw a lot of people who were non-swimmers doing this) sit on benches on the snorkeling/diving platform and get wet and soak up the sun. The waters were so clear and the fish so abundant you could even watch them from the pontoon, particularly when the pontoon staff fed them! Boy, just writing about our experience makes me want to go right back there!

 

Wow, it sounds so cool.

[schoolmarm]

Thank you very much! Hubby is not a beach or water lover, so the helicopter sounds like a good option. I love the sea so everything sounds good to me.