Who does it best ????

Oh my, I may get 100,000 opinions.... or, maybe none at all! :rolleyes:

I am just now beginning to wonder if I can plan a cruise to Australia and New Zealand..... did not think I'd ever consider it as the flight is soooo long. Hubby will never ever consider being on a cruise ship on just the ocean for that many days to get to land to start the cruise!

Are there any cruise lines that really shine with this itinerary? Or any that really do NOT merit a second thought for doing this itinerary? That might help me get the top 3 and cross off a few..........

Any helpful opinions from those of you who've been there, done that will be most helpful as I begin to consider going.

Yes, I do search cruise critic boards and will continue to do so for my answers -- but would love one place that folks might post their thoughts on the line and itinerary they enjoyed most.

Thanks! :D

My advice to anyone considering a cruise to Australia and New Zealand--If you really want to SEE those countries, do a land tour (preferably self-guided). If you just want to take a cruise and incidentally see some of those countries, then crusing is fine. However, if you take a cruise, I urge you to add several days on either end of the cruise to explore some of the inland portions of those countries which are not on the cruise itinerary.

My advice to anyone considering a cruise to Australia and New Zealand--If you really want to SEE those countries, do a land tour (preferably self-guided). If you just want to take a cruise and incidentally see some of those countries, then crusing is fine. However, if you take a cruise, I urge you to add several days on either end of the cruise to explore some of the inland portions of those countries which are not on the cruise itinerary.

Our friend, who is a native New Zealander, gave us the same advice as you, GradUT. For us, much depends on ff mile flight availablity in business/first at the lowest mileage level. We definitely want to add time in both NZ and AUS but just have to see how our flights play out.

My advice to anyone considering a cruise to Australia and New Zealand--If you really want to SEE those countries, do a land tour (preferably self-guided). If you just want to take a cruise and incidentally see some of those countries, then crusing is fine. However, if you take a cruise, I urge you to add several days on either end of the cruise to explore some of the inland portions of those countries which are not on the cruise itinerary.

Having done both cruises and land tours in Australia and New Zealand, I couldn't agree more. New Zealand is really pretty easy to land tour in 15-25 days. Maybe talk your Hubby into thinking about New Zealand from that prospective.

Do you want a cruise TO Australia and New Zealand, or a cruise OF Australia and New Zealand?

I wanted to cruise to get there, so I did a transpacific cruise and then rented a car in New Zealand and did a 10 day road trip before flying home. The best of both worlds - a cruise and a land trip! And I still didn't really do justice to even just the North Island of NZ, and I'd love to go back.

Having done both cruises and land tours in Australia and New Zealand, I couldn't agree more. New Zealand is really pretty easy to land tour in 15-25 days. Maybe talk your Hubby into thinking about New Zealand from that prospective.

I agree, if you really want to experience either country you need to travel by land. NZ can be comfortably done in 15-25 days, by car in each island with ferry or plane transfer between the North and South Islands.

Australia is different as is it so much larger - around the size of mainland USA. You would need to decide which places you wished to visit then fly between them (in most cases).

With cruising you will only see the coastal regions. NZ cruises often stop at many ports but Australian cruises have more sea days and less port stops. Most NZ cruises start and finish in Australia - NZ doesn't have the population base to support regular NZ-only cruises - and it takes two days each way to sail between Australia and NZ.

I'm biased, naturally, but I don't think you'd ever regret coming to visit our countries down-under. That plane trip isn't as bad as you think, it is endurable ;) Our daughter has been travelling regularly between Australia and the US and she recommends Air New Zealand as the best option, even though it means a transit stop in NZ on the way to and from Australia,

Unfortunately if we want to see some countries some of us have to fly very long distances, just the way it is.

I think what calliopecruiser has done might be an idea for you. You really do not get to see anything other than the ports and a quick whizz around at any cruise stop.

Another idea would be to fly to Sydney, spend some time in and around NSW and further afield if time and money permits, board a cruise ship bound for New Zealand and then spend time there before flying home. There are one way cruises from Au to NZ and vice versa.

You really need a fair bit of time to do justice to both countries.

We flew from Perth West Aust to Seattle a few years ago, 30 hours:eek:, awful, said I would not do it again, guess what, I am ready to do it again just so I can do another Alaskan cruise.

Another idea would be to fly to Sydney, spend some time in and around NSW and further afield if time and money permits, board a cruise ship bound for New Zealand and then spend time there before flying home. There are one way cruises from Au to NZ and vice versa.

 

It would be better to do it the other way around. Start in NZ, say in March when the weather is usually most settled but before it starts getting too cool. Travel through NZ, focusing on places the cruise doesn't go like Central Otago, Aoraki-Mount Cook, the West Coast, Nelson and the Abel Tasman National Park, Coromandel Peninsula plus major cities. Then cruise around NZ and over to Australia. Then travel within Australia. Most people want to see the Great Barrier Reef and that's best visited from Cairns or Port Douglas in Far North Queensland, which is very hot, wet and humid over the summer months but by late March / early April it should be much better. The southern parts of Australia will still be pleasantly warm at this time.

Celebrity Solstice cruises one way Auckland to Sydney (or visa versa). You could fly in explore on land for a while then do a one-way cruise then explore again at the other side.

We have been concentrating on bucket list trips for the last 5 years. We enjoy Princess cruises because they have been voted best itineraries for the last decade. It is not ideal to see any country by just the coastal regions but we enjoy it because I hate to pack and unpack and although you don't get to see everything, you do get a very good flavor for most places. No matter what kind of trip you take you will see some things and miss others. We just returned from the Australia/New Zealand 12 day Sydney-Auckland on the Diamond Princess and had a great time. If you are considering a cruise of this area, consider the size of the ship. The night we left Tasmania the captain announced that the Tasman sea would be "living up to it's reputation". Seas the first day were 18'. There was a smaller ship passing us going the opposite direction and it was having a difficult time. The Diamond, being a large ship, was rocking but ok. It is all up to personal preference as to land vs. sea, just thought I would throw in my two cents.

Depending on how you want to mix things between land and sea, and the time you have, Celebrity offer some Auckland to Perth that really look good.

We just returned from the reverse Auckland to Sydney cruise on the Diamond Princess. The seas were calm for the most part, just one day of 8 foot swells on the way from Melbourne to Hobart. We found that the time in New Zealand was sufficient to get a good feel of the country and the day spent in the fiords was very nice.

Princess offers a "cruisetour" that we took advantage of. Upon arrival in Sydney, we were transported to the airport for a 3 hour flight to Cairns. We then went by bus to Kuranda and a "skyrail" ride over the rainforest. Then a bus to Port Douglas for a great barrier reef tour the next day. It was a 400 passenger catamaran (only 200 onboard on our trip) to the reef for a day of lunch, snorkeling, scuba or just viewing. That night we had a private dinner in the rainforest with aboriginal entertainment that was spectacular.

The next day we flew back to Sydney for a two day stay which included a bus tour of the city. It was the best part of the trip.

The land tour was not cheap but when compared with trying to do it ourselves, it was the best way to go. All arrangements were flawless and our tour guide was excellent.

Our plan next January is fly into Carins, spend 2 days on the reef, then on to Sydney for 3 days before joining a ship (HAL in this case) for a 14 day cruise that ends up in Auckland. There we will spend 3-4 days touring before flying home.

A long trip? yes, but we'll probably never get over again, and want to make the most of it.

PS: We chose HAL because of the "smaller " ship, (even at 2500 pax) the itinerary that had more stops than anyone else, and of course the price. (Average for the mass market, but well below the high end lines)

Our plan next January is fly into Carins, spend 2 days on the reef, then on to Sydney for 3 days before joining a ship (HAL in this case) for a 14 day cruise that ends up in Auckland. There we will spend 3-4 days touring before flying home.

 

A long trip? yes, but we'll probably never get over again, and want to make the most of it.

 

PS: We chose HAL because of the "smaller " ship, (even at 2500 pax) the itinerary that had more stops than anyone else, and of course the price. (Average for the mass market, but well below the high end lines)

No HAL ship has 2500 pax. The largest current ship is N. Amsterdam, at 2200, but she doesn't go down under. If you are thinking Noordam or Oosterdam, you are talking about 2000.

The name HAL ship being built is, IIRC, going to be around 2800, but she is not scheduled to go to Australia.

Booking is on the Noordam. I stand corrected. (And frankly I'm overjoyed you are right. I've done the Oasis of the seas, and a couple of the larger Carnival ships, and hated them!)

These posts are wonderful! I really appreciate your thoughts -- each one of you. :D

SOOO much to consider -- it's a major undertaking for sure. I know your posts will definitely help other cruisers as they consider going 'down under' --:eek: (not a good choice of wording for a cruise!)