Thoughts on Australian CruiseTours?

[bluestocking88]

Hello, apologies if I missed a thread on this question. We are a family of four--two fit adults and two teenagers and are planning an Australian/New Zealand vacation in December. I am considering a Princess Line 12 night cruise and a 7 day land CruiseTour that includes Ayers Rock, Cairns, Port Douglas, and Sydney--then we board the ship and cruise around New Zealand.

 

We took a Mediterranean cruise with Princess a couple of years ago and enjoyed it very much. I am wondering if anyone has tried such an ambitious CruiseTour of Australia, and if so, does it feel like you got to enjoy the cities toured, or just spent your time traveling from one to the other? The itinerary looks promising, but I cannot tell how many hours of each day we will spend on the plane and bus shuttling from location to location. Any advise/experience would be most helpful. Thanks!

[Aus Traveller]

Hello, apologies if I missed a thread on this question. We are a family of four--two fit adults and two teenagers and are planning an Australian/New Zealand vacation in December. I am considering a Princess Line 12 night cruise and a 7 day land CruiseTour that includes Ayers Rock, Cairns, Port Douglas, and Sydney--then we board the ship and cruise around New Zealand.

 

We took a Mediterranean cruise with Princess a couple of years ago and enjoyed it very much. I am wondering if anyone has tried such an ambitious CruiseTour of Australia, and if so, does it feel like you got to enjoy the cities toured, or just spent your time traveling from one to the other? The itinerary looks promising, but I cannot tell how many hours of each day we will spend on the plane and bus shuttling from location to location. Any advise/experience would be most helpful. Thanks!

In my opinion a seven day land tour that travels to the places mentioned will not give you much time on the ground at each one. The flying time between arrival in Aust (presumably Sydney) to Ayers Rock, then to Cairns and then to Sydney is around three hours for each leg. Add waiting time at each airport (1 hour minimum for domestic flights). Please be aware that December is of course our summer so it will be very very hot in the Centre (probably around 40 degrees celsius - well over 100 degrees fahrenheit) and hot and humid and probably wet in Cairns and Port Douglas. This is the monsoon/cyclone season in the north. I don't want to put you off the plan, but this is not the best time of the year to travel to central Australia and the North. However, it is the best time for New Zealand.

 

For comfortable travelling maybe you would be better to spend some time travelling independantly in Sydney and the surrounding area, maybe Canberra as well. It is very easy to get around in a hire car. You could also travel in southern Australia (Tasmania or Melbourne). All these places are lovely and the weather should be good. Then take your cruise to NZ.

 

I am concerned that the land tour you outline would not be very enjoyable in December. It would be great in spring or autumn, but that is not such a good time for NZ.

[bazzaw]

I agree very much with AUS TRAVELLER. IMO, December is not really the time to travel in Central and Northern Australia - although having said that, there are a lot of people who live all year in these places. They would probably be acclimatised though

 

Barry

[kate59]

Bluestocking

 

The problem I can see (besides the weather) is that there is more than just Ayres Rock - there is also the Olgas and Kings Canyon if going out this way, and there is no way you can enjoy walking around the area in our summer - think US desert in summer & the place will be full of flies.

 

Sydney is also big and lots around it to do and the same goes for Cairns with its rainforested areas, its coral and islands.

 

When we travel within Australia we take weeks just to get to some areas then spend time in those areas. The way to enjoy Australia is to enjoy the travel on the way to the destination - probably similar to cruising in that way.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I have not done the Princess Cruise Tour, but I do know its pretty full on . A few years ago Cruise Critic followed "Bill" on his Round the World Cruise, and he reported back on the tour to Ayers Rock and Cairns and the Barrier Reef.

The thread is still running in the "Chat Room", but the Australian section can be found here..

look for the posts from "Wita Mut"

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=909893&page=51

[bluestocking88]

I had not put a lot of thought into the weather. We will just enjoy Auckland and Sydney on either end of our cruise and save Ayers Rock and the Great Barrier Reef for another trip.

[Aus Traveller]

I had not put a lot of thought into the weather. We will just enjoy Auckland and Sydney on either end of our cruise and save Ayers Rock and the Great Barrier Reef for another trip.

Wise decision. :):)

[Sandielle]

Wise decision. :):)

 

I second that! I spent most of my life in inland northern Australia and I never did get acclimatised! :cool: