Stop in Cairns on an Australian/NZ Cruise???

[luvbigdogs]

Does anyone know if there is currently (or soon to be) a 10-14 day cruise itinerary that covers both Australia & New Zealand that also covers a stop in Cairns? There are plenty of cruises that cover each country separately, but I am looking to cruise both, and diving the Great Barrier Reef is a must while there! Rather than additional flights/hotels/etc, I'd like to cruise the entire trip. More cruise companies are putting ships down there, but still none of them offer such a trip. Any ideas???

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Its the Wet season, (that also brings cyclones), up in Cairns and the top end, when the ships are further south doing the Au /NZ run.

 

 

[timtam2]

I have never seen a cruise like that and I doubt there ever would be. The long expanse of ocean across between QLD and NZ qlwould be aproblem. A round trip cruise ex Sydney or Auckland within that timeframe wld not be feasible as there would not be enough time for many ports and 2 Tasman crossings could be a bit stomach churning. The best bet is B2B but that will be about 21-24 days

[Aus Traveller]

New Zealand cruises are usually 14 days from Sydney or Brisbane and return. These only operate in summer because of the weather in NZ.

 

There are regular seven day cruises from Brisbane to Cairns, but summer is the wet (monsoon) season in the north when it will be hot and humid with rain and the possiblity of a cyclone (hurricane). This isn't the best time for going to the reef.

 

There is a cruise that does both Australia and New Zealand. It is on the Sea Princess, 18th October for 33 nights. It goes to the north before it gets to hot and before the monsoon, and goes to NZ at the end of the trip when it is starting to warm up. The itinerary looks superb, but is longer than you want.:)

 

Possibly if you want to combine two cruises you could do the seven day from Brisbane first - say early November before the wet season (although it will be fairly humid), maybe have a few days for land touring around Sydney, then take a cruise to NZ.