Using FF Miles to get to Auckland

[TenerifeSharon]

Not to scare you :eek:, but there were ca. 120 people on our cruise - which left from Auckland on Feb. 3rd, that started the trip without their luggage because of flights coming in late to Auckland or luggage not having made a connection. A stopover in Fiji shouldn't cause that problem, but ...

 

And, although we had a 5 hour layover in SYD before flying on to AKL, one of my suitcases decided to stay on the plane from SYD and went on to Melbourne. Because we were in Auckland and the Bay of Islands for about a week before our cruise left, it did find its' way to NZ. BUT, it was 48 hours after our arrival before the staff at the AKL airport got it to our hotel in the city. Things do happen and cutting it that close to the cruise departure will not lower your blood pressure!;)

 

As Globaliser says, there are plenty of flights on to Tauranga -- but do you really want to miss sailaway and do you really want to need the first two days of the cruise to catch up with jet-lag??

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

Not to scare you :eek:, but there were ca. 120 people on our cruise - which left from Auckland on Feb. 3rd, that started the trip without their luggage because of flights coming in late to Auckland or luggage not having made a connection. A stopover in Fiji shouldn't cause that problem, but ...

 

And, although we had a 5 hour layover in SYD before flying on to AKL, one of my suitcases decided to stay on the plane from SYD and went on to Melbourne. Because we were in Auckland and the Bay of Islands for about a week before our cruise left, it did find its' way to NZ. BUT, it was 48 hours after our arrival before the staff at the AKL airport got it to our hotel in the city. Things do happen and cutting it that close to the cruise departure will not lower your blood pressure!;)

 

As Globaliser says, there are plenty of flights on to Tauranga -- but do you really want to miss sailaway and do you really want to need the first two days of the cruise to catch up with jet-lag??

 

Actually - we've experienced cruising without our luggage - it wasn't all that bad - we purchased new clothes on the ship which got us through the 5 days it took for our suitcases to catch up with us and be delivered to the ship !!

In a perfect world - we'll be able to snag a better flight (1 or 2 days earlier - or direct on Qantas) -

I certainly plan on continuing to call AA twice a day - still need to find return flights too !! :D

[Bobblsc]

Ccliff5,

 

I am certain you are a much more experienced flyer than I. However, if you have not been to Japan, you might reconsider your first plan and layover in Tokyo. I finally got back to Japan after being there from Korea many years ago while in the U. S. Air Force. It is still such a great country to visit.

 

We used 90,000 AA miles each to go Business Class on Japan Airlines to China and on returning used our one allowable layover for ten days in Japan, six in Kyoto and four in Tokyo. The Palace Hotel in Tokyo was great for us. All the girls there are pretty.

 

My wife says she would go back to Japan any time, but once in China is enough. We just need to build up our air miles again.

 

However you travel, have a great time. Do you have any air miles to spare? :D

 

Bob :rolleyes:

[cands]

Ccliff5,

 

I am certain you are a much more experienced flyer than I. However, if you have not been to Japan, you might reconsider your first plan and layover in Tokyo. I finally got back to Japan after being there from Korea many years ago while in the U. S. Air Force. It is still such a great country to visit.

 

We used 90,000 AA miles each to go Business Class on Japan Airlines to China and on returning used our one allowable layover for ten days in Japan, six in Kyoto and four in Tokyo. The Palace Hotel in Tokyo was great for us. All the girls there are pretty.

 

 

 

Bob :rolleyes:

 

Hi Bob,

I 100% agree with you. Japan is a great place to stop over. We stayed at the Palace Hotel too. What a great place!

 

We stayed 3 days (wish it was longer).

 

We were on our way home from the US and flew Los Angeles - Tokyo - Singapore - Melbourne with Singapore Airlines.

 

Cheers,

Steve.

[Bobblsc]

Hi Bob,

I 100% agree with you. Japan is a great place to stop over. We stayed at the Palace Hotel too. What a great place!

We stayed 3 days (wish it was longer).

We were on our way home from the US and flew Los Angeles - Tokyo - Singapore - Melbourne with Singapore Airlines.

Cheers,

Steve.

 

We were on the 2005 Westerdam Transatlantic with you. I recall having lunch with an Aussie couple and a flaming liberal from the U. S. I realize there were probably several Aussies on that trip, but it could have been you.

 

If you were at the talent show, I was the guy who sang "Ol' Man River". Well, actually, even if you were not there, I sang "Ol' Man River".

 

We Yanks think you Aussies are great people. Years ago, we shared a river boat dinner table with Aussies from Sidney. Actually, he was a Brit who settled in Australia, and she was from New Zealand. We had such great times on and off the boat.

 

Yes, we enjoyed the Palace Hotel very much. We bought a "special" which included breakfast and visits to the free drink room prior to dinner. There was a very intelligent Japanese girl serving drinks who had lived in San Francisco during her younger years.

 

If you ever go to Kyoto, try to stay at the Hyatt Regency. We were there for six nights and thought it to be a wonderful place. I had cocktails with the manager, Ken Yokoyama, and concluded that he was a very good manager. I have a post last June on Tripadvisor if you are interested.

 

We hope to get to Australia some day, but it is so far. We will have to fly business to get there.

 

Thank you , Australians, for your support of the United States.

 

Bob :)

[cands]

We were on the 2005 Westerdam Transatlantic with you. I recall having lunch with an Aussie couple and a flaming liberal from the U. S. I realize there were probably several Aussies on that trip, but it could have been you.

 

If you were at the talent show, I was the guy who sang "Ol' Man River". Well, actually, even if you were not there, I sang "Ol' Man River".

 

We Yanks think you Aussies are great people. Years ago, we shared a river boat dinner table with Aussies from Sidney. Actually, he was a Brit who settled in Australia, and she was from New Zealand. We had such great times on and off the boat.

 

Yes, we enjoyed the Palace Hotel very much. We bought a "special" which included breakfast and visits to the free drink room prior to dinner. There was a very intelligent Japanese girl serving drinks who had lived in San Francisco during her younger years.

 

If you ever go to Kyoto, try to stay at the Hyatt Regency. We were there for six nights and thought it to be a wonderful place. I had cocktails with the manager, Ken Yokoyama, and concluded that he was a very good manager. I have a post last June on Tripadvisor if you are interested.

 

We hope to get to Australia some day, but it is so far. We will have to fly business to get there.

 

Thank you , Australians, for your support of the United States.

 

Bob :)

 

 

Hi Bob,

Small World! We may well have met, although my memory is failing me at the moment.

That sure was a great trip on Westerdam. We met people from lots of countries. I don't remember how many Aussies were aboard. ( We don't seek out our fellow countrymen while abroad;) ).

 

Australia has always been a close friend to the USA, and I'm sure will continue to be. Americans are very welcome in this country so come-on-down for a visit. (start building up those points!):)

 

Here's a link to our photos of the trip:

 

 

Cheers,

Steve.

[Bobblsc]

Steve, thanks for responding. I looked at your photos and learned how to drink from a fountain.

 

If we get to Australia, I'm not sure we can properly communicate. We have trouble in England, Scotland and Ireland. Learning Aussie may be too difficult. :D

 

Bob