Are these flights/cruises doable?

I'm planning our first trip to Australia/New Zealand/Tasmania for the spring of 2017, and need the help of some experienced cruisers. Is this a doable itinerary?

March 22, 2017 - Board the Golden Princess for a 9-day New Zealand to Melbourne cruise.

March 31, 2017 - Remain on the Golden Princess for the 5-day Tasmania cruise.

April 5, 2017 - Disembarked the Golden Princess and fly to Sydney to board the Sea Princess for a 10-day Queensland and Great Barrier Reef cruise.

My two questions are 1) Is it okay to book these B2B? 2) The Golden arrives at 7:00 am and the Sea leaves at 4:00 pm. The Princess website says we need to arrive at the Sydney airport by 12:15 pm, but we aren't supposed to book flights out of Melbourne before 12:00 pm. It's only a 90 minute flight. Does the Golden offer walk-off? I can get a 10:30 am flight out of Melbourne that will arrive in Sydney at noon. I just don't know how fast we can disembark the Golden.

To sum it up, is this doable or am I crazy?

I'm planning our first trip to Australia/New Zealand/Tasmania for the spring of 2017, and need the help of some experienced cruisers. Is this a doable itinerary?

March 22, 2017 - Board the Golden Princess for a 9-day New Zealand to Melbourne cruise.

March 31, 2017 - Remain on the Golden Princess for the 5-day Tasmania cruise.

April 5, 2017 - Disembarked the Golden Princess and fly to Sydney to board the Sea Princess for a 10-day Queensland and Great Barrier Reef cruise.

My two questions are 1) Is it okay to book these B2B? 2) The Golden arrives at 7:00 am and the Sea leaves at 4:00 pm. The Princess website says we need to arrive at the Sydney airport by 12:15 pm, but we aren't supposed to book flights out of Melbourne before 12:00 pm. It's only a 90 minute flight. Does the Golden offer walk-off? I can get a 10:30 am flight out of Melbourne that will arrive in Sydney at noon. I just don't know how fast we can disembark the Golden.

To sum it up, is this doable or am I crazy?

For Party Barbie, I would not call you "crazy", but you do raise some serious questions for what you are trying to achieve, most like to do, getting your practical logistics done, etc. From my live/blog below, you can get lots of ideas, see many visuals, etc., for wonderful and amazing New Zealand and Australia. Here are some of my questions, comments, etc.:

1. You plan to get off of the ship in Melbourne in the am of April 5, get out to their airport early enough for their security timing and walking long hallways, have a flight to Sydney, get your luggage and go from that airport to the ship boarding. The "details" for each and every one of these connections are your biggest "weak link" to achieve this timing. In some cases, it might work, if and if, maybe, hopefully, etc. BUT, you are clearly "rolling the dice" to make it ALL work perfectly regardless of weather conditions, traffic, airline schedules/changes, etc. For me, this one-day Melbourne to Sydney connection would be too risky and pressured.

2. On your first, nine-day cruise, it is a little limited for the amount of time it allows you in super scenic and spectacular New Zealand. That cruise would depart Auckland and then do Tauranga, Gisborne, Wellington, Akaroa, Dunedin before sailing around Fiordland National Park and doing your two-day crossing of the challenging Tasman Sea. Then you arrive in Melbourne, Australia. Few cruise ships visit Gisborne and the options are little limited there compared to some other options that many other cruises do. Other cruises allow more and/or better schedule to be gain the NZ experiences.

3. Will you have some time in Auckland before your cruise starts? It's a great, fascinating city with many interesting options. Plus, you need time to adjust from the long flights, time-zone changes, etc.

4. Seeing Queenstown and other great highlights for the interior of the NZ South Island can be "major" and excellent if your are to appreciate fully the wonders of this nation. Have you considered any of these options and how to get more time for the Queenstown area?

5. There are some cruise options going Sydney to Auckland (or reverse) that are 12-14 days and allow more time for NZ. Have you considered any other options or are you locked in to these specific dates and this cruise line?

6. Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef are amazing, but there are other ways to get to that area than just by cruise ship and a ten-day sailing that might not be as ideally time-efficient.

7. Doing the five-day cruise to Tasmania involves lots of sailing time to get that limited amount of time in Hobart, etc. As we did, our 14-day cruise included a day there and it was more time-efficient than what you are trying to do.

Hopefully these questions make some sense for the overall strategic planning that is needed to sample these two countries. Tell us more for your exact goals and desires in seeing these two countries. How much are you seeking nature, wildlife, culture, cities, countrysides, shopping, museums, landscapes, etc.?

Look forward to hearing more back from you. Plus, any added questions.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 107,704 views for this posting.

Terry- no pictures? You OK? :D;)

I wouldnt do the last portion its cutting it too fine. What happens if flights are delayed? Are you willing to risk the $xxx that it cost you for the 10 day cruise?

Terry- no pictures? You OK? :D;)

Don't worry, Bruce! Still have all of the pictures on my live/blogs, plus many more available to post here. Just was waiting to find out more from the original posters about the details for their specific interests/needs. Then, I'll be happy to share more.

THANKS for your sharp eye and interest! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 199,046 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

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

It's doable if you can get a walk off, port melbourne to the airport is only 30minutes on a weekend but you want to allow more for a weekday. You need to be there about 45minutes before the flight, so if you are off the ship by 8am you should be fine to catch a 10.30 flight. Melbourne to Sydney is one of the busiest flight paths in the world, there is a flight about every 15 minutes during the day, if you miss one you can jump on the next. It will cost you. But can be done. Sydney airport to port is 30 minutes in a taxi.

Melbourne is a smallish airport so no gates are a huge walk from the entrance, and security is almost always quick. Airlines all have self checkin so no need to line up.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and suggestions. :) DH and I decided that it would be too stressful to to try and change ships on the same day.

The Sea Princess cruise is also being offered as a 10-day itinerary on April 7th, 2017, departing from Brisbane. We could fly from Melbourne to Brisbane, stay two nights, then board the Sea Princess on April 7th.

Pre-cruise we would to fly into Auckland two days prior to boarding the Golden Princess. If we leave California on Saturday, we would arrive on Monday, giving us a little time to see Auckland.

We highly prefer to cruise on Princess, mostly due to the elite perks and past passenger credits that we receive from them. In addition to the free laundry (which will come in handy) we would receive about $1000 in shipboard credits for the three cruises.

TLCOhio, nothing is set in stone. We are still in the researching phase. We are open to suggestions. It sounds like you have traveled extensively in Australia/New Zealand and I would love to hear more from you.

We enjoy beautiful scenery, whether it's mountains, rainforests, or oceans. DH is a history buff, so we enjoy touring historical sights. We like downtime to relax and have a drink. I love seeing animals, especially in the wild. We're not big city people, but do go to San Francisco occasionally.

I will certainly check out your blog and await your suggestions. :cool:

TLCOhio, nothing is set in stone. We are still in the researching phase. We are open to suggestions. It sounds like you have traveled extensively in Australia/New Zealand and I would love to hear more from you. We enjoy beautiful scenery, whether it's mountains, rainforests, or oceans. DH is a history buff, so we enjoy touring historical sights. We like downtime to relax and have a drink. I love seeing animals, especially in the wild. We're not big city people, but do go to San Francisco occasionally. I will certainly check out your blog and await your suggestions.

Appreciate your follow-up and knowing that you are still researching and planning. Glad to learn that you are not locked into an exact schedule, yet!! Lots of time as the earliest for booking airline tickets is not until 330 days prior to your flight departure. Good that you will arrive a little early in Auckland. Lots of details and visuals on that town and nearby on my live/blog.

Personally, I love history, too!. BUT, both of these nations are relatively "young" in their age and development compared to most parts of Europe, etc. Below are a few of my visuals that involve some history, local native background, great scenery, wildlife, etc.

Cruises have their pro/con factors. I would do a mix of ship travel/excursions, PLUS, some by land options in a few key parts of these areas. Look at what and how we did the options for Kangaroo Island and Great Barrier Reef/Rainforest areas that were separate from the cruise travel.

A key point to consider is that you cannot do it "ALL" in just one, first trip to NZ and Australia. Like the USA, these are very big and diverse areas. So many options and potentials!!

Does Princess, like we did with Celebrity, offer an overnight trip to Queenstown while sailing in that part of NZ's South Island?

Look forward to any and all of your added, future questions. Don't be shy!!

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

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 177,618 views.

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

This is Old St. Paul's church in Wellington. It is the former cathedral in the Diocese of Wellington for the Anglican Church. As an example of 19th-century Gothic Revival architecture, they adapted to colonial conditions and materials. It is at 34 Mulgrave Street, close to the New Zealand Parliament. Its construction was completed in June 1866. After a significant battle to prevent its demolition, Old St. Paul's was purchased by the New Zealand Government in 1967 and restored. Although not a parish church, it remains consecrated and is a popular for weddings, funerals and other services. It is constructed from native NZ timbers. The interior has been likened to the upturned hull of an Elizabethan galleon with its exposed curving trusses and roof sacking. The flags displayed in the nave include the Royal Navy, NZ Merchant Navy and US Marine Corps. Many of our Marines were stationed in Wellington during World War II. My wife is in yellow walking down the center aisle as she absorb the building details. This was a very important and "moving" site to experience. :

At Te Puia near Rotorua in northern New Zealand, this Maori performance starts its ceremonies outside and then we entered the Wahiao Meeting House. Fortunately (with some skill), I was in a prime front row seat to be able to get great pictures, video, etc. Plus, experience the quality for how these members share these cultural traditions.:

With Craig Wickham, the operator of Exceptional Kangaroo Island on this famed Australian island near Adelaide, he took us on a "hunt", successfully, to find more Koalas out in the wild. Here is just one example of these Koala finds that we enjoyed so much. Aren't they cute? So lovable?:

From the Daintree Rainforest and National Park near Cairns, Australia, here is only one sample of our exploring there. It was a somewhat challenging 1.43 miles circular hike in the deep, deep of this dramatic rainforest. Lots of rocks, up and down paths, twists and turns, hard work, etc. But we survived!! Even at our ages. Also in the Mossman Gorge, there was a long swinging bridge. Not Indiana Jones, but for us it was super spectacular. Here is just one of my favorites as it shows a member of our group looking at one of these huge trees in the middle of this rainforest and contemplating its majesty, size and history. And I told John the next morning, that the picture shows his more photogenic side!:

Here is one of my visuals in connection with this steamship sailing leading to the dinner at the sheep station at the other end of this scenic lake near Queenstown during the two-day Solstice excursion. You will see lots of scenic mountains and areas during this sailing that is a key part of this evening fun. And, there was food!!:

Among the highlights in Dunedin was their rail station with its many special design touches. As our guide, John, explained, Dunedin was very rich at the time from its gold and other resources. Why did they make it so fancy? Because they could!! You can see some of the fancy tile work, a stained-glass window, etc., there. They do not build things like this these days. In this below picture, you can see our skilled guide John with some of the folks from our Central Ohio travel group outside in front of this landmark building.:

Thanks for the photos. It will probably take me awhile to read all of your blog, lol. I will have to see if Princess offers any overnighters to Queenstown.

I will have to see if Princess offers any overnighters to Queenstown.

If you really are interested in seeing Queenstown, you'd be better off going to NZ a couple of days earlier and spending time in Queenstown before you get anywhere near a ship.

I agree. Queenstown is worth a couple of days on a land trip, easy.

I would agree with previous posters - New Zealand is NOT a country which is best seen by cruising. Most of our spectacular scenery is nowhere near the coast. Yes some sights can be seen in a whistle-stop tour, but if you can rearrange your trip to spend the time land based in NZ before or after your cruise, that would be my recommendation.

Also, not sure if you're aware of it, but your spring 2017 is our autumn and it will be getting chillier not warmer.:)

I'm planning our first trip to Australia/New Zealand/Tasmania for the spring of 2017, and need the help of some experienced cruisers. Is this a doable itinerary?

 

March 22, 2017 - Board the Golden Princess for a 9-day New Zealand to Melbourne cruise.

 

March 31, 2017 - Remain on the Golden Princess for the 5-day Tasmania cruise.

 

April 5, 2017 - Disembarked the Golden Princess and fly to Sydney to board the Sea Princess for a 10-day Queensland and Great Barrier Reef cruise.

 

My two questions are 1) Is it okay to book these B2B? 2) The Golden arrives at 7:00 am and the Sea leaves at 4:00 pm. The Princess website says we need to arrive at the Sydney airport by 12:15 pm, but we aren't supposed to book flights out of Melbourne before 12:00 pm. It's only a 90 minute flight. Does the Golden offer walk-off? I can get a 10:30 am flight out of Melbourne that will arrive in Sydney at noon. I just don't know how fast we can disembark the Golden.

 

To sum it up, is this doable or am I crazy?

Another alternative is to do the first cruise and disembark in Melbourne. Then fly to Hobart for a day or 2 , and then fly to Sydney and enjoy a couple of days there before your Qld cruise.

Another alternative is to do the first cruise and disembark in Melbourne. Then fly to Hobart for a day or 2 , and then fly to Sydney and enjoy a couple of days there before your Qld cruise.

 

Yes, I was thinking about possibly doing that too.

Agree with Terry. Why not nix the last cruise and fly up to Cairns and spend a few days in the area.