Diamond Princess 12 Day Australia/New Zealand Cruise Review 12/29-1/11

[blondie1234]

Here is a review of our Diamond Princess Australia/New Zealand cruise. I don't focus so much on the ship as there are tons of reviews out there on that. I focus on the shore excursions and ports. In particular, one member of our party has walking difficulties so I focus on what tours, etc. were difficult for her to do.

 

Overall, I would also say New Zealand was cold, alot colder than we expected. Alot of Americans thought of well, it is summer time in NZ, not really. It was about 50-60 everyday and rains alot so be prepared accordingly.

 

Auckland: We went 2 days early and stayed at the Hilton. Great location, literally steps to the cruise dock. You can just roll your luggage about 50 feet and you are there. In Auckland we went on our own on the ferry to Waipeke island which was nice and then took the island tour. We also went on a 1/2 day city tour and saw alot of gardens.

 

Tauranga: We went on the ship's tour that went to Te Papa (or something like that, the cultural center in Rarotonga) and the sheep show. This tour I thought was a waste of money. It was raining so that may have contributed to it, but if you have been to Yellowstone, the geysers, etc. are not that impressive. Also, they say the park is wheelchair accessible, but it really isn't. My mother was in her wheelchair that day and she ended up having to sit outside in the cold when the rest of the tour went to see the geyser, because the tour group was going too fast as well as the fact that the slope was really downhill so it just isn't feasible.

 

I would suggest if you have walking difficulties not to take this tour. Plus it isn't worth the price - something like $175 a person. The cultural performance was ok, but very short - less than 15 minutes. All in all, there really isn't much to see in this port. The ship runs a shuttle bus into Taurango I believe, but it didn't look like there was much there either.

 

The sheep show was nice, it is about an hour and they show you all the different kinds of sheep. there are lots of youtube videos of it. If you are a vegan you may find it a little disturbing, as I felt sorry for the animals, they looked really sad.

 

Next port was Wellington: We took the city tour for $39. OK tour, you go up to the hilltop to take pictures (again you have to walk up about 50 steps to go to the picture taking stop, so if you have walking difficulties, you can't see the best part of the picture taking spot as you have to stay on the bottom). Then we went to a church and the parliament buildings. They give you a rest stop at the gardens. Wellington is definitely something you can do on your own, but the tour was only 3 hours and wasn't that expensive so not that bad to do.

 

In all of these ports, I was surprised how much they had tours at the docks. In Wellington, Akoroa, Hobart, Dunedin, Hobart, in particular, I saw lots of signs for local tours that were much cheaper than the ships's tour.

 

After our Wellington tour, we stayed in town and went to the cable car. There is a shuttle bus for $5 each way back to the ship. They take US currency. We were here NY Day and not much was open.

 

Akoroa: I would highly recommend taking a tour with Robin. Right when you get off the ship, there are a bunch of people running tours that are much cheaper than the ship's excursion. We normally take ship tours, but all the tours in Akoroa are drastically over priced and didn't go where we really wanted to go. Anyway, there's this guy Robin who stands outside right when you come off the tender. He runs tours for $75 NZ ($90 US) that go to Christchurch, and also to see the surrounding scenery in between.

 

This was a great tour. This guy use to run tours out of Christchurch - he had 9 buses in his business and like 10 employees. Now because of the earthquake he is down to just one bus and just him. We really got to see an insider's perspective of the earthquake damage. I don't think we got a sense in the US just how bad it is. Christchurch is a ghost town. It is really a shame.

 

We spent about 2 hours driving through scenery, then we spent about an hour driving around Christchurch where we stopped at a shopping mall for lunch (on your own at McDonalds or food court). Then about 1.5 hours driving back. We were back by 3PM so that gave us enough time to shop in Akoroa.

 

It isn't worth taking a shuttle, etc. to Christchurch - there is nothing there. No stores open, nothing. This tour allowed us to see Christchurch and to imagine its past beauty without having to waste a whole day there.

 

It was also good because I thought instead of giving Princess the money for shore excursions we were really helping a local business who has struggled because of the earthquake. His bus has about 13 seats so if you want to go on this tour, I would recommend getting off the boat early, booking the tour with him (it leaves at 10AM) while you shop around Akoroa in the meantime.

 

He takes cash only, so be prepared to bring that or stop at the ATM. All in all, a great guy and a nice day.

 

There's not much in Akoroa - just some shops. Some people booked swimming with the dolphins and that looked like a waste - it is just too cold plus I don't think there were many dolphins.

 

Littleton is completely destroyed so looks like Princess will be coming to AKoroa the next few years.

 

Next stop was then Dunedin. We took the train. We went with Princess just because it is more convenient. If you go on your own you can save probably $100 a person. Anyway, it is a nice train trip. Steps are high but there is a lift if you have bad knees. Scenery is nice and you get a boxed lunch like a turkey sandwich or something to that effect. The train makes 3 stops for shopping. You can then get off the train in Dunedin and take the shuttle to the ship - $5 or $10 a person each way on the shuttle. We didn't get off in Dunedin so don't know what that looks like. The town didn't look too nice from the train though.

 

Milford Sound/etc. The day here is nice and relaxing. I have been to Norweigian fjords, Antarctica, Chile and Alaska and was a little disappointed. The water isn't really that blue. It is nice but it just doesn't top Antartica.

 

Hobart: This day we went to Bonorang as well as to Richmond. Bonorong was nice - you can pet the kangaroos, feed them, etc. We spent about an hour here. It is downhill, so if you are in a wheelchair you might have to stay on top. Then Richmond - there really isn't much in Richmond. Just some antique stores. We had an hour there. Then when we went back to the ship we went into Hobart - there is a free shuttle bus that drops you off in 2 places in town. There isn't much there - just some shops and restaurants.

 

I saw at the visitor center that they run tours to bonorong, richmond, etc. I think bonorong was $30 roundtrip plus you have to pay your own entry fees. So not bad if you don't want to spend the money for the ships' tour yet still want to go to bonorong. It is about half an hour away so unless you have a big party, the shuttle they run there from the visitor center is probably cheaper.

 

Melbourne: On this day, we took the city tour where we went on the boat ride in the Ybarra river and then around the city. We took the tram back to the ship - there was no shuttle bus back to the ship. It is a long walk from the tram back to the ship - not long for a fit person, but my mother who has difficulty walking found it difficult. I think there might be a shuttle bus running from the ship to the tram.

 

Sydney: We spent 4 nights in Sydney after. This was probably the best part of the trip. We went on the harbor cruise to the zoo, took a city tour and also went on our own to the opera house. You cannot go to the opera house in a wheelchair and there are a TON of steps. Apparently there are spending 500 million to upgrade it to make it handicap accessible. Anyway, the tour is an hour but there are alot of steps.

We also went to the blue mountain tour where we stopped at Featherdale which is very similiar to Bonorong and then to the Scenic World. The train ride at Scenic world is really something! Might be good to book the package where you get the lunch because at Scenic world the only options for food are $35 buffet or a hamburger for $9.

 

Make sure to look around for bargains as there are alot of places where you can get package deals. for instance, for the zoo, you can get a combined ticket with the harbor cruise, whereas if you go on the boat and then try to buy a ticket when you arrive at the zoo, the zoo entry fee is $40. So look online and plan ahead what you want to do so you can best find the deals.

 

In Sydney we stayed at the Harbor Marriot. Great location, as it was near the ferries, etc. Also not too far from cruise terminal.

 

Getting off the ship and getting a taxi is a bit of a disaster. We had to wait about 45 minutes in line to get a taxi - I guess they just don't have enough on cruise days!

 

Overall, it was a great trip. Food is extremely expensive in Australia and New Zealand so the cruise ends up being a great deal.

 

Only other thing I would mention is that yahoo email as well as AT&T did not work the whole cruise in teh internet cafe. Not sure why, didn't get good yahoo connection in australia either. If email is important to you and you use yahoo perhaps plan ahead and have a backup account on gmail too.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for posting a review, glad you had a great time.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Akoroa: I would highly recommend taking a tour with Robin. Right when you get off the ship, there are a bunch of people running tours that are much cheaper than the ship's excursion. We normally take ship tours, but all the tours in Akoroa are drastically over priced and didn't go where we really wanted to go. Anyway, there's this guy Robin who stands outside right when you come off the tender. He runs tours for $75 NZ ($90 US) that go to Christchurch, and also to see the surrounding scenery in between.

 

 

Thanks for your Review Diamond is my favourite ship.:D:D

 

:eek:Shouldn't that be other way around ?...

$75.00 NZ is around $60.00US

 

[blondie1234]

Yes you are right, it was 90NZ, 75 US for the Christchurch/akoroa tour

[jackiedanny]

Thanks for posting a review, glad you had a great time.

 

sounds to me that they didnt enjoy new zealand or australia( except for sydney ) much at all:eek:

[cassamanda]

sounds to me that they didnt enjoy new zealand or australia( except for sydney ) much at all:eek:

Have to agree with you there. One word - pathetic. Sad sheep, wrong names to places, nothing worth seeing, blah, blah. We stopped the roo's hopping down George St in case they looked sad too:D

[me429sb]

Thanks very much. I found your review really entertaining - in fact I laughed most of the way through it! Just the thought of the sad sheep in Raratonga makes me laugh. :D Sorry you didn't enjoy your visit to Australia and New Zealand.

 

Michelle

[cjm66]

I have only just caught up with this review - it suggests that there is no wheelchair access to the Opera House. This is not the case - there are now lifts to all performance levels and there is an accessible tour lasting an hour at 12 each tour day. You do need to book for the tour in advance however.

 

http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/Visit/Accessibility_Mobility.aspx

 

We attend performances regularly at the Opera House and provided you make your requirements clear when you book seats, anyone with a wheelchair, scooter or other mobility aid will be catered for.

 

Colleen

[cassamanda]

I have only just caught up with this review - it suggests that there is no wheelchair access to the Opera House. This is not the case - there are now lifts to all performance levels and there is an accessible tour lasting an hour at 12 each tour day. You do need to book for the tour in advance however.

 

http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/Visit/Accessibility_Mobility.aspx

 

We attend performances regularly at the Opera House and provided you make your requirements clear when you book seats, anyone with a wheelchair, scooter or other mobility aid will be catered for.

 

Colleen

Totally agree - that's part of what makes this review so misleading and should be taken with a grain of salt.. Below are my comments, like it or lump it:

Blondie Comments

Mmmm, I have been pondering this Blondie review for a little while and have come to the conclusion that it warrants a comment. A bit lukewarm I’m afraid even though the emphasis was on tours with mobility difficulties.

To our NZ friends, you have a great country and lovely towns that we will be exploring again in March. It’s a pity the OP can’t remember correct names and places – jotting them down in a journal would be a good idea if you are going to do a review. It would be nice to know which tour company “Robin” represents so others can enjoy the experience also. Personally I do not think it wise to enter Christchurch just yet as the area is still very unstable.

The OP obviously did little appropriate research but did do some research on the Australian boards about places to visit and wheelchair access, so should have known what to expect as good advice was given. The weather – yep NZ is known as “the land of the long white cloud”. We go there to play in the snow in winter, so summer is not going to be tropical!!!

Ship tours always appear to be twice the price of shore based tours and many don’t give children prices. I guess if you need or want the convenience of a ship tour and don’t want to organise anything yourself, then expect to pay through the nose. The only time I would take a ship tour is if there was a serious language or security issue. There are none in AUS or NZ. BTW most people actually do private tours. Good to see that there are plenty of operators providing private tours. I suspect that the ship was tendered at some ports and it would have been nice to know if there were any problems in this regard as to meeting privately organised tours on time.

Australia and NZ have a rich cultural background. There is no point commenting on places that were not visited or only seen from afar. Places such as Tauranga, Akaroa, Dunedin, Richmond and Hobart were written off as “not much there, just some shops” or not even visited. A little interest in the local history would paint a different picture.

Melbourne is one of the easiest cities to get about. Just hop on the 109 tram from the pier and presto you’re in the city and all the interesting places in between.

I am glad that Sydney came up to scratch. BTW there IS a wheelchair tour of the Opera House. The Access tour is at 12noon and does the Essential Tour without steps. For those wanting to go to various places on the Harbour – there are package prices available from the ferry terminal.

The comment regarding high food prices is a common one but is relative to the cost of living. We have one of the best economies in the world. Australians & Kiwis receive full salaries and don’t need to rely on tips to survive. I deduce that the OP is American. Here in Australia prices on all items are such that what you see is what you pay, ie there are no additional taxes and tips on top of everything.

Once again, detailed research goes a long way and would have enhanced this tour immensely.

[erewhon]

Totally agree - that's part of what makes this review so misleading and should be taken with a grain of salt.. Below are my comments, like it or lump it:

Blondie Comments

 

Mmmm, I have been pondering this Blondie review for a little while and have come to the conclusion that it warrants a comment. A bit lukewarm I’m afraid even though the emphasis was on tours with mobility difficulties.

 

To our NZ friends, you have a great country and lovely towns that we will be exploring again in March. It’s a pity the OP can’t remember correct names and places – jotting them down in a journal would be a good idea if you are going to do a review. It would be nice to know which tour company “Robin” represents so others can enjoy the experience also. Personally I do not think it wise to enter Christchurch just yet as the area is still very unstable.

 

The OP obviously did little appropriate research but did do some research on the Australian boards about places to visit and wheelchair access, so should have known what to expect as good advice was given. The weather – yep NZ is known as “the land of the long white cloud”. We go there to play in the snow in winter, so summer is not going to be tropical!!!

 

Ship tours always appear to be twice the price of shore based tours and many don’t give children prices. I guess if you need or want the convenience of a ship tour and don’t want to organise anything yourself, then expect to pay through the nose. The only time I would take a ship tour is if there was a serious language or security issue. There are none in AUS or NZ. BTW most people actually do private tours. Good to see that there are plenty of operators providing private tours. I suspect that the ship was tendered at some ports and it would have been nice to know if there were any problems in this regard as to meeting privately organised tours on time.

 

Australia and NZ have a rich cultural background. There is no point commenting on places that were not visited or only seen from afar. Places such as Tauranga, Akaroa, Dunedin, Richmond and Hobart were written off as “not much there, just some shops” or not even visited. A little interest in the local history would paint a different picture.

 

Melbourne is one of the easiest cities to get about. Just hop on the 109 tram from the pier and presto you’re in the city and all the interesting places in between.

 

I am glad that Sydney came up to scratch. BTW there IS a wheelchair tour of the Opera House. The Access tour is at 12noon and does the Essential Tour without steps. For those wanting to go to various places on the Harbour – there are package prices available from the ferry terminal.

The comment regarding high food prices is a common one but is relative to the cost of living. We have one of the best economies in the world. Australians & Kiwis receive full salaries and don’t need to rely on tips to survive. I deduce that the OP is American. Here in Australia prices on all items are such that what you see is what you pay, ie there are no additional taxes and tips on top of everything.

 

Once again, detailed research goes a long way and would have enhanced this tour immensely.

 

As a "Kiwi " , I appreciate your comments.

Thank you.

[jldev]

As a "Kiwi " , I appreciate your comments.

Thank you.

 

And ditto from me, another Kiwi. Thanks for sticking up for our special little country.