Australia Itineraries for 2013

[beckntom]

Any idea when HAL will release Australia itineraries for early 2013? Celebrity's have just been released, as well as Princess, so I'm hoping HAL is not far behind. There's an Aus/NZ/SoPacific sailing in 2012 that we're hoping will be repeated in 2013.

[luxurysailer]

I haven't heard anything about HAL cruises in Australia in 2013.

 

We have been on four Princess cruises and have found them to be quite comparable to HAL. You might be interested to know that there is an Australian circumnavigation cruise underway at the present time (Dawn Princess) and a live report being posted, originated by DonahCBrown which you may be able to find. Sounds like a great cruise to me.

 

In addition we have friends from Sydney on this cruise. These people are experienced cruisers, so I value their opinion. She emailed me a day or so ago and said that the service and attention to detail are better on this cruise than they've ever experienced before.

[beckntom]

Thanks very much, luxurysailer. We're definitely keeping that Dawn Princess cruise in mind. The problem there is it doesn't include New Zealand, so we would have to tack on another 12-14 days to add that, making for a very long cruise. It's a possibility, though.

[CruiserBruce]

I would think about September or October. That would be along the normal schedule.

[luxurysailer]

Thanks very much, luxurysailer. We're definitely keeping that Dawn Princess cruise in mind. The problem there is it doesn't include New Zealand, so we would have to tack on another 12-14 days to add that, making for a very long cruise. It's a possibility, though.

 

You're right, beckntom, and that would produce a long and expensive B2B since the circumnavigation cruise is 28 days long and expensive in and of itself. But you'd have to pay airfare only once. We Americans might need to start doing what the Aussies do when they travel to N. America or Europe: stay a long time and avoid multiple airfares.

 

We did the Auckland to Sydney cruise about five years ago on the Crown Princess. It was a great cruise. We really enjoyed the ports, and the people in NZ and Australia were great. However you do NZ and Australia, rest assured that it'll be wonderful.

[beckntom]

However you do NZ and Australia, rest assured that it'll be wonderful.

 

That's very kind of you, sailer. Thank you.

 

Thank you, too, CruiserBruce. I guess a little patience is in order here! :-)

[erewhon]

Any idea when HAL will release Australia itineraries for early 2013? Celebrity's have just been released, as well as Princess, so I'm hoping HAL is not far behind. There's an Aus/NZ/SoPacific sailing in 2012 that we're hoping will be repeated in 2013.

 

Holland America plan to have the Oosterdam and the Volendam in Australia/NewZealand for the2012/2013 summer season.

We also are waiting patiently for these itineraries to be published.

[beckntom]

Holland America plan to have the Oosterdam and the Volendam in Australia/NewZealand for the2012/2013 summer season.

We also are waiting patiently for these itineraries to be published.

 

 

Thank you for that exciting information. It's good to have choices! Now all the more reason to be eagerly anticipating release of the itineraries.

[HosannaB]

Does anyone know if Prinsendam has (or ever has had) a sailing schedule that includes Pacific ports like Hawaii, Tahiti, and New Zealand? I would love to sail on Prinsendam and very much want to cruise in the South Pacific. When I reviewed Prinsendam's cruises for 2011 - 2012, it seemed that she specializes in European ports, Mediteranean ports, North and South Atlantic ports, and ports in South America. Is that what she always does?

 

BB