Australian Cruise/Land tour/Suggestions?

We have been researching this area for some time, and are about ready to make some plans to come "Down Under" in November of 2013. Waiting for the RCCL to release their cruises for this time of year. We are planning to fly to Sydney, and stay several days to tour this area. Then, thinking of doing an 11 night Queensland cruise that will have stops in New Castle, Brisbane, Cairns(overnite) and Arlie Beach. Hoping this will give us a real taste of this part of the country. Wanting to know if the cruise would accomplish this, or do you think it would be best done all on land? Looking at cost of land vs. cruise. We do love to cruise, and I was thinking this would be a mix of both worlds to see as much as we can while there.

I would also love to go to the islands off the coast. Looking at either the New Caledonia stops vs the ones that also include Vanuatu. Or possibly doing New Zealand while there. We are looking at taking at least a month to visit Australia. We are open to some suggestions from all our friends in Australia. We are open to staying in Sydney for a week, and renting a car for transportation. Not afraid to drive places. Or taking the train, or a flight to another area. I will also be posting this on the Australia boards. Thanks all for your input!

I lived in Australia for several years and have visited there many times as well. Based on my experiences and what ports you mention, I think that you will miss out on a lot of the best of Australia if you restrict yourself to a cruise. The ports of Newcastle and Brisbane would hold no attraction for me and a mere overnight stay in Cairns isn't going to be enough to really see Far North Queensland.

If you just want to take a cruise, I'm sure that it's very nice cruising around Australia and New Zealand (which I have visited many times as well.) But, if you want to see something of these countries, you need to get off the ship and devote some time to driving around and/or flying inland. For example, you aren't going to see Uluru or the Snowy Mountains or Queenstown or Lake Taupo by cruising around Australia and New Zealand.

If you have a month for your visit, you might do a short cruise (just for the sake of cruising) and then spend another 2- 3 weeks doing a land tour.

Debbie

I live on the Gold Coast in Queensland and tend to agree with previous poster, you wont see much of Aust / NZ on a cruise ... Land is a much better option.

If you want to do a cruise you could look at the Queensland 7 dayer but I would choose a line that departs from Brisbane. Having said that you must see Sydney and Melbourne as well. It all depends on what interests you and what you like to do.

Domestic airlines in Aust are:

Jetstar dot com

Virgin australia dot com

Qantas dot com

Jetstar is the low cost airline of Qantas.

Must see places are:

Great Barrier Reef which can be accessed from many places in Queensland, ie. Mackay, Airlie Beach, Rockhampton, Townsville, Cairns. Best islands are Hayman, Hamilton, Great Keppel, Long Island, Daydream. All are easily accessible by ferry from the mainland.

Ayers Rock, Alice Springs ( central Aust)

Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast which is one hour by car from Brisbane.

Flight times between major cities are:

Sydney to melbourne 1.5 hours

Melbourne to brisbane 2.5 hours

Sydney to brisbane 1.5 hours

Brisbane to cairns 2 hours

Brisbane to mackay 1.2 hours

Brisbane to perth 4 hours

There will be variations to this when daylight savings is on which is october to april. Main impact is between melb, sydney and queensland (brisbane) time as queensland does NOT do daylight saving.

Tell us what you want to do and we can advise further..

Cheers Aleisha

I'm also exploring a cruise that leaves from Sydney, stops at Melbourne with the remainder of the ports being in New Zealand ending in Auckland.

I have also been thinking about how I might tour the interior of Australia before the cruise. I probably would have no more than a week and fully realize I'd be limited in what I could see. It would be like someone coming to the US and only seeing Miami or New York, maybe New Orleans and then Los Angeles or San Francisco. And certainly no one could do justice to a week's tour to the center of our country. However, time and money would limit my travel time, and it would be better than no seeing any of the interior at all.

I will be traveling alone so would prefer a bus tour or maybe a tour that includes flying into Alice Springs. I don't think I would be comfortable driving, but I'd take a train to Alice Springs and then do a couple of day trips before heading to Sydney.

Any ideas to help me continue to explore - companies, possibility of going solo on the train, or anything else.

ILoveScotland, can I assume that your Australian cruise will be in January or February? If so, I'm not sure I would recommend going to Alice Springs or the center of Australia at that time of year. It's BEASTLY hot there with an average high temperature in January of 98 degrees F. A much more temperate climate (and a fascinating place to see) would be Tasmania. AAT Kings is a well-known tour company in Australia and you might check them first for any tours in Tasmania (or other places that interest you in Australia).

Should you still want to see Alice Springs and/or Uluru, you could fly to either place and take tours. There is also a train, the Ghan, from Adelaide up to Alice Springs and you could check that out as well.

A good travel guide will have more detailed information about climate, transportation, tours, etc. and I recommend you consult one or two of them.

ILoveScotland, can I assume that your Australian cruise will be in January or February? If so, I'm not sure I would recommend going to Alice Springs or the center of Australia at that time of year. It's BEASTLY hot there with an average high temperature in January of 98 degrees F. A much more temperate climate (and a fascinating place to see) would be Tasmania. AAT Kings is a well-known tour company in Australia and you might check them first for any tours in Tasmania (or other places that interest you in Australia).

 

Should you still want to see Alice Springs and/or Uluru, you could fly to either place and take tours. There is also a train, the Ghan, from Adelaide up to Alice Springs and you could check that out as well.

 

A good travel guide will have more detailed information about climate, transportation, tours, etc. and I recommend you consult one or two of them.

Actually the cruise I am considering is in November 2013 and stops in Tasmania. I admit I'm pretty adament about seeing Alice Springs and possibly Uluru. That's just an area of Australia that has held my fascination for more years than I can remember.

As for heat. I am a native Southerner of the US and while lately I've been in the mountains where the high rarely goes over 90, I've lived lots of places where it was often high 90s if not 100. It's uncomfortable, but it's a well known experience.

I'm just beginning my quest so am taking all advice and will hopefully put it into a plan before too long.

Another must do besides visiting Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef is the drive along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. It is a great drive and the views are spectacular. Also, whilst in Victoria, many tourists visit our Fairy penguins at Phillip Island.

There is so much to see and do in our country and by doing a cruise, you are really only touching the surface and of course only spending a day in each port whereas you need days and weeks to see most of what we have to offer.

Jennie

Another must do besides visiting Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef is the drive along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. It is a great drive and the views are spectacular. Also, whilst in Victoria, many tourists visit our Fairy penguins at Phillip Island.

 

There is so much to see and do in our country and by doing a cruise, you are really only touching the surface and of course only spending a day in each port whereas you need days and weeks to see most of what we have to offer.

 

Jennie

Jennie,

I do understand. It's like someone coming to the US and only seeing New York or Miami or perhaps San Francisco. They miss out on the great plains and the high mountains and so much more.

It's just that I'm having to make choices, and who knows what I'll ultimately do. Still, I really do get that what I'm thinking about will only touch the surface.

Beth

Beth, I certainly understand the draw that Uluru has. It was one of the places I wanted to see on my first trip to Australia many years ago.

If you are coming in November, it will be only be semi-beastly hot. At least you'll know what to expect being a Southern girl (like me).

There are a number of tours companies that offer tours between Alice Springs and Uluru. For example, AAT Kings, a big tour company in Australia, has tours ranging from 3 - 9 days. There are other tour companies that offer camping tours where you can sleep under the stars. With a bit of research, I'm sure you can find a tour that suits you.

Beth, I certainly understand the draw that Uluru has. It was one of the places I wanted to see on my first trip to Australia many years ago.

 

If you are coming in November, it will be only be semi-beastly hot. At least you'll know what to expect being a Southern girl (like me).

 

There are a number of tours companies that offer tours between Alice Springs and Uluru. For example, AAT Kings, a big tour company in Australia, has tours ranging from 3 - 9 days. There are other tour companies that offer camping tours where you can sleep under the stars. With a bit of research, I'm sure you can find a tour that suits you.

I'd wondered if you were Southern. Is the UT in your name - UTennessee or UTexas?

I'm actually thinking about going it alone by train to Alice Springs rather than a tour. My time will be limited, and the Gahn from Adelaide would give me some great views of the land.

I'm too old for camping although I don't need luxury by a long shot. I've been looking at Alice Springs Hotels/Motels, and there seem to be some good options.

Time will tell what I ultimately decide, but I'm enjoying the research and exploration.

You wont see much from the train to Alice Springs...I would suggest you fly to Alice Springs and hire a campervan to get to Ularu and the wonderful areas around there...camp out in the desert. Be aware the temperatures are very very hot in the summer..and nights can be cold. Our Spring or Autumn is probably best. The bus from Sydney to our Capital Canberra is cheap and quick..plenty to see and do there. Including more kangaroos than you are likely to see anywhere else in Australia.

I would suggest a cruise to the islands from Brisbane or Sydney is the best way to incorporate them into your holiday plans..probably at the end of the holiday..you'll be tired..its big place and your plans are ambitious.

Heres a link that might be useful

http://www.australia.com

If you go directly to Alice Springs, you will still need to get to Uluru which is about a 6 hour drive. There are flights that fly into Uluru from down south which could be a better way of saving time or hire a car at the airport when you arrive into Alice which is what we did.

We stayed at Sails in the Desert when we visited Uluru 2 years ago. We had a car so we were able drive out to the rock at sunset etc. Another must is Dinner Under the Stars. I have never seen so many stars in all my life and the Milky Way was incredible. We also visited the Olgas, Kings Canyon and closer to Alice the wonderful McDonnell Ranges. We spent a week altogether exploring and we only had a normal car. We didn't go off road, but we still saw a lot.

If you go in our summer remember to wear a hat with lots of corks around the brim as the blowfires are incredible and are a pest.

Jennie

Lots of great tips, details and ideas here. We just booked last week for the Celebrity Solstice Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland, 14 days. We will get into Australia early and plan added stops prior to the cruise, including for around Cairns and doing the Great Barrier Reef. Keep the good suggestions and secrets rolling along. I'll be reading and saving these key items in the trip file on my laptop.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 73,417 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 65,820 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

I am finding this thread very informative as we go to Australia/New Zealand in January 2013.

Jennie - many thanks for your comments on Ayers Rock. We are flying Sydney return and are staying at Sails. Have also booked the Sounds of Silence dinner. Will be amazing to be able to see all the stars without the distraction of city lights!

Outside of Sydney we are planning to go to the Hunter Valley one day and also to the Blue Mountains. Are there any other 'must sees' in the Sydney area?

Thank you so much for all the great ideas. As Terry has said, please keep the ideas coming. This is very informative.

jmhl-where can you get information on the Sounds of Silence dinner and make reservations? This sounds like a wonderful evening!

Celebrity sailing dates for Australian/NZ cruises starting in October 2013 have been published. I'm waiting for Royal Caribbean's schedule to come out before finalizing a cruise decision.

Meanwhile, another question about traveling on my own which would either be pre or post cruise - which might be from a few days to two weeks as I think about areas I'd like to see. What does anyone know about the Australian Rail Passes? I've looked at them, and they seem to be a pretty good deal.

Thanks,

Beth

Debshomespun--Everything at Yulara Village/Ayers Rock Resort is run by a company called Voyages. So if you want to book accommodations or the Sounds of Silence Dinner, go to the Voyages website: http://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/

To book the Sounds of Silence Dinner, choose "Dining" from the menu on the left side of the page.

ILoveScotland--I am a grad of the University of Texas (Go Horns). It sounds like you are very interested in train travel in Australia. I will have to agree with Rugbypopsie that you aren't going to see much from the train between Adelaide and Alice Springs. You will just see a...lot...of...the...same....thing. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it because for many people, the journey itself is the adventure. But, I just don't want you to think that you are going to see a lot of incredible scenery on the Ghan.

I'm afraid I can't help with the Australian Rail Pass. When I lived in Australia, I took the train between Sydney and Canberra a couple of times but that was about it. At that time, what was a 3 hour drive could be a 4 -5 hour train ride. So, if you decide to ride the rails, be prepared for loooong journeys.

Australia is not well served by trains...I have done the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Adelaide and the Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin. The trains whilst nice inside are very expensive and the scenery well...we have a lot of lovely scenery just most of it is not viewable from the train. Flying to Central Australia is definately a better option, the locations there are unforgettable, the earth so red like blood and the sky a brilliant clear blue..huge rocks bigger than apartment buildings scattered like lego blocks in the desert and the mountain ranges around Alice Springs so ancient and mysterious. Lots to see and experience.

Dont attempt a day trip from Alice Springs to Ularu as the OP said its six hours away with only a pub and a singing dingo to back the monotony. Once you are there make sure you take a guided walking tour around the base of the rock to hear about the legends on the indiginous people of the area..fascinating. As for climbing the rock...mmm heart attack territory..many have died and the local people respectfully ask that you observe their request not to climb.

If you are really into trains then perhaps the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Alice Springs is a better option, it has a stop in Broken Hill which is an interesting place in its own right and famous for its outback painters and there is a bit more to see as you pass over the Blue Mountains on the way.

Sue

ILoveScotland,

The Ghan is a very expensive exercise and though it is a lot quicker than most of our rail lines, you could fly many times between Adelaide and Alice Springs for what you will be paying out.

The train between Sydney and Melbourne takes a good 8-10 hours though the scenery is terrific and that is well worth the time. A flight between the two cities is only one and a bit hours. The train between Melbourne and Adelaide also takes hours whereas the flight again is only an hour.

If you want a great train journey in Australia, think about doing the Indian Pacific which starts in Sydney and finishes in Perth. That is one of the best train trips in the world. You can also pick it up in Adelaide. Crossing the Nullabor on the train is a great experience. Otherwise, I would always fly as our distances are so great.

Jennie

I'm curious that several people keep saying that flying in Australia is cheaper than the train. Maybe I haven't looked at the right web sites, because the flights I've seen were very expensive.

I do understand what everyone is saying about the train, but I have a love for trains and train travel and would enjoy the trip regardless of how much I could see of the countryside. Trains don't cover all of the US either.

Well, as I've said, right now I'm just looking at options and certainly appreciate all the suggestions and will put them all into the hopper once I'm ready to make a decision.

I have just looked at the price for the Ghan from Adelaide to Alice Springs and it is on a special at $829AUD one way. Virgin Blue will fly you directly to Uluru from Adelaide for $288AUD and Qantas will fly you from Adelaide to Alice Springs for $243AUD. The airline prices are not sale prices. These prices are also expensive as there is not the passenger flow from a small city like Adelaide to the Alice. Most people would drive instead of taking a plane whereas if you fly from Melbourne or Sydney you can pick up a better price.

During the year the airlines do have specials and you can probably get these flights for a lot less. I bought flights on Qantas from Melbourne to Sydney for November a few weeks ago and only paid $89. I feel that is excellent value as with Qantas we do get a snack on board and there are no hidden extras.

If you are happy travelling on our trains then go for it but other than the Ghan and the Indian Pacific, do not expect anything like the wonderful European trains that leave right on time, are quiet and arrive on time. Our trains are a completely different experience.

Jennie

Jennie

I have just looked at the price for the Ghan from Adelaide to Alice Springs and it is on a special at $829AUD one way. Virgin Blue will fly you directly to Uluru from Adelaide for $288AUD and Qantas will fly you from Adelaide to Alice Springs for $243AUD. The airline prices are not sale prices. These prices are also expensive as there is not the passenger flow from a small city like Adelaide to the Alice. Most people would drive instead of taking a plane whereas if you fly from Melbourne or Sydney you can pick up a better price.

 

During the year the airlines do have specials and you can probably get these flights for a lot less. I bought flights on Qantas from Melbourne to Sydney for November a few weeks ago and only paid $89. I feel that is excellent value as with Qantas we do get a snack on board and there are no hidden extras.

 

If you are happy travelling on our trains then go for it but other than the Ghan and the Indian Pacific, do not expect anything like the wonderful European trains that leave right on time, are quiet and arrive on time. Our trains are a completely different experience.

 

Jennie

 

Jennie

Goodness, the air fares I saw were close to $1000 - not sure if that was AU or US. Is there one web site for me to look at, or should I look at each airline separately? Because, with this information gives me me something to think about if I can fly that inexpensively. Thanks.

Oh, and Amtrak here in the US is not like European trains, either, by a long shot.

Beth

Australia is not well served by trains...I have done the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Adelaide and the Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin. The trains whilst nice inside are very expensive and the scenery well...we have a lot of lovely scenery just most of it is not viewable from the train. Flying to Central Australia is definately a better option, the locations there are unforgettable, the earth so red like blood and the sky a brilliant clear blue..huge rocks bigger than apartment buildings scattered like lego blocks in the desert and the mountain ranges around Alice Springs so ancient and mysterious. Lots to see and experience. Sue

Appreciate so much this added rail and air info from Sue and others. Very helpful. Fortunately, we have lots of time to do this planning on our pre-cruise options in Australia before boarding our Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Celebrity Solstice cruise/adventure from Sydney to Auckland. Here are three quick questions:

1. Alice Springs and central Australia seems wonderful. But I've been told by an experienced travel veteran there that, however, in mid January, your summer, things there can be too hot and dry to be that nice and/or enjoyable. For that timing, is it worth it for making the trip over and back before starting our cruise.

2. Around Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef seems to be the top priority for us (in addition to Sydney and our cruise stop at Hobart). Is this correct and/or is that NE area too hot and tropical at this time of the year? How are things for weather and comfort along this coast at that time of the year? For Jan. 17, weather underground shows Cairns at an average high of 88°F, average low of 74°F.

3. Adelaide and its nearby Kangaroo Island with a pristine wilderness, substantial populations of native Australian animals, etc., seems interesting and good. How do you rate the value of getting to Adelaide & KI compared to other nature/wildlife things in and around Sydney, etc.?

THANKS for the added info! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 73,417 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Goodness, the air fares I saw were close to $1000 - not sure if that was AU or US. Is there one web site for me to look at, or should I look at each airline separately? Because, with this information gives me me something to think about if I can fly that inexpensively. Thanks.

 

Oh, and Amtrak here in the US is not like European trains, either, by a long shot.

 

Beth

Here are the links of the three airlines that fly within Australia. We always book directly with them.

Jetstar: http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/home

Virgin Blue: http://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/

Qantas: http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/home/au/en?alt_cam=QAN114:BRAND:ggl:qantas

Hope this helps a little.

Jennie

Appreciate so much this added rail and air info from Sue and others. Very helpful. Fortunately, we have lots of time to do this planning on our pre-cruise options in Australia before boarding our Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Celebrity Solstice cruise/adventure from Sydney to Auckland. Here are three quick questions:

 

1. Alice Springs and central Australia seems wonderful. But I've been told by an experienced travel veteran there that, however, in mid January, your summer, things there can be too hot and dry to be that nice and/or enjoyable. For that timing, is it worth it for making the trip over and back before starting our cruise.

 

2. Around Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef seems to be the top priority for us (in addition to Sydney and our cruise stop at Hobart). Is this correct and/or is that NE area too hot and tropical at this time of the year? How are things for weather and comfort along this coast at that time of the year? For Jan. 17, weather underground shows Cairns at an average high of 88°F, average low of 74°F.

 

3. Adelaide and its nearby Kangaroo Island with a pristine wilderness, substantial populations of native Australian animals, etc., seems interesting and good. How do you rate the value of getting to Adelaide & KI compared to other nature/wildlife things in and around Sydney, etc.?

 

THANKS for the added info! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 73,417 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

First of all Alice Springs and Uluru will be very hot in December-April but if that is the only time you will be visiting here, then go for it but the best time is in winter which is from June to September when days are warm though the nights are very cold. Also the flies aren't around at all.

Next the Great Barrier Reef. Unfortunately, again summer is the wrong time to visit as it is cyclone season up north and they do get a lot of rain from December-April. If it is raining, then the waters are murky and the view of the reef becomes clouded. Also, during summeryyou will get the stingers, so you need to swim way out near the islands or not at all. Another thing is that all along the Queensland coast in summer it is very, very humid. Cairns may show 88F but the humidity is nearer 90%! If this is your only visit to "down under" then just hope that when you fly up north, there isn't a cyclone nearby.

Finally, wonderful Kangaroo Island. Summer is the perfect time to visit this fantastic island. We spent 8 days there in November last year and loved every single day. It has wildlife, fantastic beaches, good wines and food and great scenery. We flew to Adelaide from Melbourne and then caught the plane to Kangaroo Island where we hired a four wheel drive. There are only two made roads on the island, all the rest are unsealed hence the four wheel drive or USV. It was a great trip and we hope to return again.

Sydney has a lot to offer and you can spend at least 3 days or more exploring but of course it is a big city and the animals you will see will be either in Toronga Park Zoo or at a Wildlife Sanctuary whereas on Kangaroo Island, they are in the wild.

If you didn't want to venture quite so far, then take a drive along our Great Ocean Road and visit the Grampians. We were there only 3 weeks ago and I have countless photos of Wallabies, Kangaroos and Koalas in the wild.

Visiting here is like visiting the U.S. You have to work out what your priorities and then stick to it. We have been visiting the U.S. for the past 7 years and we have made one of your major cities our priority on each visit. Our next visit is in September/October and this time we are going to see as much as we can of Chicago. Of course we are doing a New England cruise as well but we always try and see something different each time we visit the U.S.

Hope this helps a little with planning.

Jennie