Feb. or March??

[cjcruiser27]

What month is better for Australia/NZ? I have booked a Feb cruise for 2014 but have been reading different posts that say March is better weather. The cruise I booked is 18 days beginnng the 3rd but may switch if March is better. The cruises in March are 12 days, wonder why they aren't longer? Going in March to Australia this year and I can't wait, 1st time!! Thanks for any input

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

If it is mainly NZ you are going to - stick to Feb. It will be getting quite chilly in NZ in March.... Depends on whether you want to swim or not....

[Jacs]

For australia it depends where you are going. Up north Feb and march is still the wet season, with hot wet and humid conditions. Feb will be worse for this, by March you will be getting a few more drier days on average.

Down south (Sydney, Melbourne etc) Feb can be very very hot still, with March seeing the start of milder autumn weather.

So for an Australian itinerary I would choose March for a better balance of weather, but if its NZ as the previous poster stated, I would go Feb.

[MargoK]

February is the most settled month of summer weather according to our weather experts here in NZ. (You are booked on the same cruise as us)

With the extra 6 days on the 18 day cruise will get to three more Australian ports, where the 12 day cruises you are referring to are more of NZ than Australia. Which is a good thing as we have a wonderful country (just a little bit biased!)

March will be cooler in NZ.

It will all depend of what sort of things do you like doing once in port.

Our neighbours are off on the 2013 18 day cruise on Monday - they are doing the B2B disembarking in Sydney. So we have had a chat to them this morning to let them know we will want the lowdown when they return!