Thanks Australia we had an Awesome Time !!!!

[Pacific Sandy]

Hi - Just returned from our b2b on the Rhapsody - Great Barrier Reef & New Caledonia. We had an incredible time.

 

Australia was everything we expected and so much more. So clean and friendly. So beautiful and loads of fun.

 

I have always bragged about Vancouver being the most beautiful harbour in the world, but I think I must concede the title to Sydney. Just beautiful.

 

We flew up to Cairns pre-cruise and spent 4 days in Palm Cove. Gorgeous. We did a 3 day liveaboard dive trip on the Outer Great Barrier Reef. I have never seen so many fish in my life.

 

You'll be happy to know that I learned how to say "Cairns & Melbourne" properly. I drank lots of your heavenly wine too. I cuddled a Koala and hand fed Kangaroos.

 

Thanks for spelling Cheque, harbour, labour etc. properly. :D

 

Anyway, the long flight was definitely worth it. Can't wait to return.

 

Sandra

[Aussieflyer]

Glad you liked us, Pacific Sandy. We think we've got a pretty good place too! (Though with projected tourist numbers for next year to be about the lowest on record, maybe other people do not know what we've got!). Hurry back.

[Baglady34]

HI there... we are booked on the Rhapsody in November 2009. My husband is a diver, I am not..... but do enjoy the sea and sun. He would love to do the live aboard.. can you please send the name of the ship, etc .etc. so we can look into it.... before we get our air set up. We have selected this trip because of the Great Barrier Reef visit rather than just do two cities in Australia and then New Zealand. We hope to do that another time.

 

Also, what were the accommodations and food like on the live aboard? and can they accommodate our cruise luggage as well. DO not want to fly with his scuba stuff... too much for this trip so can they supply?

 

Any and all info would be appreciated.

 

Fran and Mike, Boston MA

[Pacific Sandy]

HI there... we are booked on the Rhapsody in November 2009. My husband is a diver, I am not..... but do enjoy the sea and sun. He would love to do the live aboard.. can you please send the name of the ship, etc .etc. so we can look into it.... before we get our air set up. We have selected this trip because of the Great Barrier Reef visit rather than just do two cities in Australia and then New Zealand. We hope to do that another time.

 

Also, what were the accommodations and food like on the live aboard? and can they accommodate our cruise luggage as well. DO not want to fly with his scuba stuff... too much for this trip so can they supply?

 

Any and all info would be appreciated.

 

Fran and Mike, Boston MA

 

Hi - We went with Prodive - on the Scubapro III. We had a nice little room with just a double bed in it. It was comfortable. The food was incredible and the crew were very friendly and highly professional. I would go with them again. They provide all your gear. We only brought our own mask & snorkel.

 

You can leave your luggage at their dive shop in Cairns or store it at the Sydney Airport. We stayed at the Marriot Sydney Harbour the night before and stored our luggage there.

 

You can go along as a snorkeller. The snorkeling we did was amazing.

 

We are going back next year and our plan is to do a trip to the Yongala which is out of Townsville.

 

Have a great time.

[Globaliser]

Anyway, the long flight was definitely worth it. Can't wait to return.

Glad you enjoyed the trip - and glad that you'll be going back!

(Though with projected tourist numbers for next year to be about the lowest on record, maybe other people do not know what we've got!).

Does this mean that I should come more often?

 

I probably don't register properly on the statistics because I never tick "holiday" on the form - always "VFR".

[Aussieflyer]

Globaliser, you are probably here more than some Australian citizens! Think the projection may work on incoming passengers but not sure if they only look for "holiday".

[Keith1010]

I am glad that you enjoyed the trip.

 

We visited Australia and New Zealand for the very first time earlier this year and look forward to going back. They were easy places for us to visit. We throroughly enjoyed the scenery, the people, the wildlife, and all that we had the opportunity to see.

 

Keith

[M&A]

We are on the Rhapsody in April, doing the Repositioning - Sydney to Vancouver, looking forward to going back to Aus.

Anita was in Aus the last two weeks of November to visit our daughter who is attending Uni on the Gold Coast. They had a great time, Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, Philip Island and a few days in Sydney before flying back.

 

Mike and Anita

[Aussie Gal]

Pacific Sandy,

 

Thanks for the compliments. We believe we live in the best country and are always happy when visitors enjoy our shores.

 

We also love your city of Vancouver, we were there again in September this year but unfortunately your weather is just a bit cold for our liking.

 

I am glad that you now know how to say "Melbourne" correctly and hope you enjoyed your short time in our lovely city.

 

Jennie

[Aussie Gal]

Glad you enjoyed the trip - and glad that you'll be going back!Does this mean that I should come more often?

 

I probably don't register properly on the statistics because I never tick "holiday" on the form - always "VFR".

 

Globaliser,

 

Sorry to hijack this thread, but what has happened to our other countdown clocks. They ceased to work after 2008! I have used them for years and loved them. I now have to resort to these ones. Can you help?

 

Jennie

[Aussie Gal]

Globiliser,

 

Sorry for the above post, I have managed to get the clocks to work this afternoon.

 

Jennie

[MMDown Under]

Hi - Just returned from our b2b on the Rhapsody - Great Barrier Reef & New Caledonia. We had an incredible time.

 

Australia was everything we expected and so much more. So clean and friendly. So beautiful and loads of fun.

 

I have always bragged about Vancouver being the most beautiful harbour in the world, but I think I must concede the title to Sydney. Just beautiful.

 

Sandra

 

Delighted to hear you had an awesome time and were well rewarded for all your research.

 

Whilst Aussies know Sydney Harbour is the most beautiful harbour in the world, we also know Vancouver Harbour is a close second.

[Krazy4Kruising]

Pacific Sandy,

Glad that you had such a wonderful adventure! We hope to replicate it in the near future!

I find myself in BagLady34's situation, my DH would dive, I would not. Were there many aboard that didn't dive & just snorkled? What area of GBR did you visit in those 3 days?

Thanks!

[OHCruisinDad]

Hi - Just returned from our b2b on the Rhapsody - Great Barrier Reef & New Caledonia. We had an incredible time.

 

Australia was everything we expected and so much more. So clean and friendly. So beautiful and loads of fun.

 

I have always bragged about Vancouver being the most beautiful harbour in the world, but I think I must concede the title to Sydney. Just beautiful.

 

We flew up to Cairns pre-cruise and spent 4 days in Palm Cove. Gorgeous. We did a 3 day liveaboard dive trip on the Outer Great Barrier Reef. I have never seen so many fish in my life.

 

You'll be happy to know that I learned how to say "Cairns & Melbourne" properly. I drank lots of your heavenly wine too. I cuddled a Koala and hand fed Kangaroos.

 

Thanks for spelling Cheque, harbour, labour etc. properly. :D

 

Anyway, the long flight was definitely worth it. Can't wait to return.

 

Sandra

 

Hello Pacific Sandy - Glad to hear you enjoyed Palm Cove. Its one of the nicest holiday towns we have found in Oz. Was it crowded and did the weather cooperate while you were there?

 

By the way, we made it to Vancouver in late September and had a weekend of fun, sun and 70 degrees before we boarded the Rocky Mountaineer for the two day rail trip to Banff. All I can say is it was a beautiful trip and we would really like to come back to the Vancouver area to tour and sightsee again.

 

HI there... we are booked on the Rhapsody in November 2009. My husband is a diver, I am not..... but do enjoy the sea and sun. He would love to do the live aboard.. can you please send the name of the ship, etc .etc. so we can look into it.... before we get our air set up. We have selected this trip because of the Great Barrier Reef visit rather than just do two cities in Australia and then New Zealand. We hope to do that another time.

 

Also, what were the accommodations and food like on the live aboard? and can they accommodate our cruise luggage as well. DO not want to fly with his scuba stuff... too much for this trip so can they supply?

 

Any and all info would be appreciated.

 

Fran and Mike, Boston MA

 

Another possibility to check out is Coral Princess Cruises. We did the Cairns to Townsville 4 day and were able to snorkel or dive every day. The Coral Princess II is a 46 person mini-cruiser and we had 32 onboard with a crew of 12 including a divemaster/instructor and a marine biologist. We had a fabulous time on the CP II. My cruise review is posted on the "Other Cruise Lines" board. The link is http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=15704748#post15704748

 

Enjoy your trip to the reef!

[Pacific Sandy]

Pacific Sandy,

Glad that you had such a wonderful adventure! We hope to replicate it in the near future!

I find myself in BagLady34's situation, my DH would dive, I would not. Were there many aboard that didn't dive & just snorkled? What area of GBR did you visit in those 3 days?

Thanks!

 

Hi - On the Dive Vessel, there were 32 divers and 2 snorkellers. They had a fantastic time. We snorkelled in between dives as well and, outside of Fiji, it was the best snorkelling we have ever done.

 

We visited 3 Reefs - Flynn's, Milln, and Tracy's.

 

I'm sure you are having the same weather in Seattle that we are getting in Victoria. Horrible, isn't it.:mad:

 

Wish I were back in the Land of Oz.

[Pacific Sandy]

Hello Pacific Sandy - Glad to hear you enjoyed Palm Cove. Its one of the nicest holiday towns we have found in Oz. Was it crowded and did the weather cooperate while you were there?

 

By the way, we made it to Vancouver in late September and had a weekend of fun, sun and 70 degrees before we boarded the Rocky Mountaineer for the two day rail trip to Banff. All I can say is it was a beautiful trip and we would really like to come back to the Vancouver area to tour and sightsee again.

 

!

 

We LOVED Palm Cove. I wish we could have stayed longer than 5 days.

 

We stayed at the Melaleuca Resort. It fit our needs perfectly. Great Pool.

[Krazy4Kruising]

Pacific Sandy,

 

Yes, I agree, after the weather we have had here in Seattle & Vancouver we all need a trip to OZ! I took a look at the Melaleuca resort website -- looks like heaven. Just wondering if you are working on a trip report?

 

OHCruisinDad,

 

I'm originally from Ohio (born in Toledo, raised in the Newark/Heath area). I really enjoyed reading your trip report - I found it answered alot of questions for someone like myself who has never cruised on a small ship. I've ordered their brochure to show to my DH!