Rhapsody-Australia & NZ

[Kellie Poodle]

I am so excited! We booked a 14 day cruise on Rhapsody of the Seas sailing from Sydney to Melbourne than all around New Zealand and back to Sydney. We decided to take RCI's per-cruise tour of a few scenic points in Australia, too.

 

We could have saved buckets of money if we had taken a lower class cabin, but this appears to be one of those must have a balcony cruises.

 

It will be the first trip for RCI on this route. It is going to cost buckets of money, but we can't take it with us when we die and the kids can go earn their own.:)

 

Sailing is October 27.

 

I'm gonna need a lot of Valium to handle the 25 hours on airplanes, but this trip is gonna be worth it.

 

Please, everyone, don't rain on my parade.

[GMoney]

Sounds like a great cruise; have a wonderful time!

[alexkrn46]

I don't believe it is RCCL first time going to Austraila, a few years ago we wanted to go this route since our daughter was in Austraila, but they discontinued the route due to low volume ( this was according to the staff captain on the AOS). We would love to do this route, as well as South America, Med, and any other cruise other than the Carribean. I have to confess with did book on the Liberty since I am dying to see what the Freedom class is like since we love the Voyager class ship.

[OHCruisinDad]

I am so excited! We booked a 14 day cruise on Rhapsody of the Seas sailing from Sydney to Melbourne than all around New Zealand and back to Sydney. We decided to take RCI's per-cruise tour of a few scenic points in Australia, too.

 

We could have saved buckets of money if we had taken a lower class cabin, but this appears to be one of those must have a balcony cruises.

 

It will be the first trip for RCI on this route. It is going to cost buckets of money, but we can't take it with us when we die and the kids can go earn their own.:)

 

Sailing is October 27.

 

I'm gonna need a lot of Valium to handle the 25 hours on airplanes, but this trip is gonna be worth it.

 

Please, everyone, don't rain on my parade.

 

Kellie Poodle - The flights from LAX to SYD are about 15 hours. It is a long flight. Add to that the flight from your home to LA. The trans-pacific flights generally leave in the late evening so there is a chance you can sleep on the flight. If there is any way to go business or first, do it. I've done the trip in coach several times and its a long ride. If you are going coach, my choice is Air New Zealand as they seem to give coach passengers a couple of more inches of leg room than Quantas or United. They also have foot rests in the coach cabins I've been in.

 

Try to arrive a few days early in Sydney as you will need at least 12 to 24 hours to acclimate yourself to the time change. Its so much of a change that you aren't jet lagged. You just start all over. It's tougher coming home but perhaps that is due to the PCD (post cruise depression - a very common malady amongst cruisers).

 

Both countries are beautiful to visit. You should have the trip of a lifetime. Enjoy!!

[brad_p]

What parts of NZ are you visiting? I live in Auckland so if you have any questions feel free to ask :-)

[MercedMike]

You are going to have a GREAT cruise! We loved that itinerary.

 

The flights are killers, no question about it. But once you put up with that, everything is so wonderful you soon forget the flight!

 

Here is our trip report and pics:

 

http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/regalprincess.html

[AJCruizer]

I don't believe it is RCCL first time going to Austraila, a few years ago we wanted to go this route since our daughter was in Austraila, but they discontinued the route due to low volume ( this was according to the staff captain on the AOS). We would love to do this route, as well as South America, Med, and any other cruise other than the Carribean. I have to confess with did book on the Liberty since I am dying to see what the Freedom class is like since we love the Voyager class ship.

 

I would like to go Austrailia, just not on the Rhapsody! There is not much to do on her. Maybe they should take the Mariner over there?

[pwandersen]

We sailed on Rhapsody through the Panama Canal and up the West Coast 10 years ago when the ship was almost brand ne, and again several years later on the Mexican Riviera. A very fine ship! Do take advantage of the exercise programs, the spa, and everything!

[mjsshipboy]

I would like to go Austrailia, just not on the Rhapsody! There is not much to do on her. Maybe they should take the Mariner over there?

 

A ship like Mariner will not be able to negotiate many of the ports that teh Rhapsody will be visiting. Princess send teh Grand Class to Australia, but again, are not able to visit a lot of the places that RCCL will be going to.

 

When Rhapsody hits Asia, she will be the largest ship in the region.

 

If you can't survive without an ice rink and Johnny Rockets, poor you!

[maxs mom]

A ship like Mariner will not be able to negotiate many of the ports that teh Rhapsody will be visiting. Princess send teh Grand Class to Australia, but again, are not able to visit a lot of the places that RCCL will be going to.

 

When Rhapsody hits Asia, she will be the largest ship in the region.

 

If you can't survive without an ice rink and Johnny Rockets, poor you!

 

 

I totally agree. The Vision Class ships are lovely, and with an itinerary like that.....who needs a floating shopping mall!

 

I am so jealous! Can't cruise at that time of year.....but maybe one day soon!

[Mark_K]

I don't believe it is RCCL first time going to Austraila, a few years ago we wanted to go this route since our daughter was in Austraila, but they discontinued the route due to low volume ( this was according to the staff captain on the AOS). We would love to do this route, as well as South America, Med, and any other cruise other than the Carribean. I have to confess with did book on the Liberty since I am dying to see what the Freedom class is like since we love the Voyager class ship.

It basically got done in by 9/11 fallout, I think 2003 was the last year - until now.

[Kellie Poodle]

I totally agree. The Vision Class ships are lovely' date=' and with an itinerary like that.....who needs a floating shopping mall!

 

I am so jealous! Can't cruise at that time of year.....but maybe one day soon![/quote']

 

 

I'll be certain to report back.

 

I have always enjoyed smaller ships. I like the intimacy. I like to have a hot tub and a spa for a massage, the rest of the stuff is nice for other people.

 

I am looking forward to sitting on my balcony and watching the scenery as we sail past some of the New Zealand coast line. We will probably do a few excursions, particularly in Melbourne, and I have a cyber-friend I met on a newsgroup who lives in Napier who has already invited us to go for coffee. He's offered to show us around, too.

 

As for airlines, we will get the best prices having the RCI flights. It will be over 24 hours of travel from home to Houston then Houston to LAX. One reason I want to use the cruise line's air package is insurance.

 

Friends of ours were flying to Hawaii to do an NCL cruise around the islands. The commuter plane from home could not land at Houston because of weather so they had to go to San Antonio where there were no flights to

Honolulu. By the time the airlines got them back to Houston, the only plane that would get them to their ship in time was booked full. The airline refused to refund their money or even give them a credit! They have a lawyer.

 

The cruise was insured so they got their money back.

 

Since we plan upon arriving early for the pre-cruise land package, I don't see there being a problem about sailing. At the worst, someone will have to arrange for us to catch up with the tour.

 

Sometimes one has to weigh things to make a decision.

[vickiw0318]

You will love the itinerary and will survive the flight! We were lucky to have spent two weeks there in 1990 - mainly in Sydney where former DH had to work. The kids and I got to sightsee. I fell in love with Sydney Harbor and rode ferries wherever we could. We stayed just a couple of blocks away from Circular Quay - the ferry dock area. This is next door to what was then the cruise ship dock. Our favorite trip was across the harbor to the zoo. I've never been to a more beautiful one. You dock at the base of a hill and take a tram to the top. As you wander through the zoo, you are also wandering down the hillside and gazing at beautiful views of the harbor. We also spent two days on the North Island of New Zealand flying into Aukland and then spending another night near Pahia on the Bay of Islands. I have so wanted to return.

 

By the way, I love the Rhapsody. I think she's just the right size.

[MercedMike]

 

Friends of ours were flying to Hawaii to do an NCL cruise around the islands. The commuter plane from home could not land at Houston because of weather so they had to go to San Antonio where there were no flights to

Honolulu. By the time the airlines got them back to Houston, the only plane that would get them to their ship in time was booked full. The airline refused to refund their money or even give them a credit! They have a lawyer.

 

 

HMMMM -- they actually found a lawyer to take that case? I don't know what he could possibly be thinking. The airlines have NO liability for weather.

 

Essentially the same thing happened to us on the way to Ft Lauderdale. Fortunately we were going in a day early. We wound up on a red-eye to Orlando and renting a car to drive to FLL. Our bags caught up with us four days later in Aruba!

 

But sue the airline? We never even thought of it. When you travel, things happen.

 

The fact of the matter is that your friends were the ones most responsible for their problems. First of all they should have purchased insurance that covered their flight also. Secondly they should have planned to go in a day ahead, because weather delays are always a possible problem.

 

Sorry that weather caused your friends to miss their cruise. Far too often it happens that people yell for a lawyer to blame somebody for their own problems.

[AJCruizer]

A ship like Mariner will not be able to negotiate many of the ports that teh Rhapsody will be visiting. Princess send teh Grand Class to Australia, but again, are not able to visit a lot of the places that RCCL will be going to.

 

When Rhapsody hits Asia, she will be the largest ship in the region.

 

If you can't survive without an ice rink and Johnny Rockets, poor you!

 

Also Rhapsody doesnt have Mini Golf, or Chops+Portifino:D

[Mines]

Also Rhapsody doesnt have Mini Golf, or Chops+Portifino:D

 

Interesting point made here. I thought that all Vision class ships were the same, but on checking, you are right tht Rhapsody does not have mini-golf. It has a two-story fitness centre where Splendour has the mini-golf.

 

Celebrity are sending Millenium to Australia in 2009 if you want a larger ship with more facilities. I am sure that if Rhapsody is a success, they will send a Radiance there later, just as they are doing with South America. Splendour of the Seas will be in Brazil in 2007/2008 and they are sending Radiance of the Seas to South America in 2008/2009.

[AJCruizer]

Interesting point made here. I thought that all Vision class ships were the same, but on checking, you are right tht Rhapsody does not have mini-golf. It has a two-story fitness centre where Splendour has the mini-golf.

 

Celebrity are sending Millenium to Australia in 2009 if you want a larger ship with more facilities. I am sure that if Rhapsody is a success, they will send a Radiance there later, just as they are doing with South America. Splendour of the Seas will be in Brazil in 2007/2008 and they are sending Radiance of the Seas to South America in 2008/2009.

 

I think thats the one Im waiting for:D