Around Australia

[jewles]

Hi all, I have crusied a few times before but only to the islands. THis time my hubby and I are going around Australia on the Diamond Princess. I was wondering if anyone has any hints on what to do at the ports in Auz that wont cost an arm and a leg. We will be stopping at melbourne, Hobart (overnight), Adelaide, Albany, Margaret River, Fremantle, Darwin, Port Douglas (really want to see the reef), Airlie beach, Brisbane.

Any help would be great:o

[GUT2407]

Hi all, I have crusied a few times before but only to the islands. THis time my hubby and I are going around Australia on the Diamond Princess. I was wondering if anyone has any hints on what to do at the ports in Auz that wont cost an arm and a leg. We will be stopping at melbourne, Hobart (overnight), Adelaide, Albany, Margaret River, Fremantle, Darwin, Port Douglas (really want to see the reef), Airlie beach, Brisbane.

Any help would be great:o

 

 

First join your roll call if you haven't already.

 

Second enjoy your cruise, it is one we want to do soon.

 

Hard to tell you what to do without knowing where you've been before and your likes,

 

The bigger cities will have Hop on Hop off buses or trams which are a great way to simply have a look around [one of our favourite things to do].

 

Margaret River the wineries, if that takes your fancy

 

Hobart Port Arthur if you haven't already been [or even if you have] or MONA or a cruise on a ferry up the Derwent or the Tas Devil Park, up Mt Wellington, Historic Richmond or Ross or an historic tour of Hobart [would probably be the pick].

 

Perth Swan river and Kings Park or a visit to Rottnest Island

 

Albany I think the whalng station is still open [haven't been there for a few years]

Adelaide Tram to Glenelg is good.

 

'll be back later with some more.

[Mary Ellen]

In addition to the previous suggestion to join your Roll Call (or start one if there isn't already), the place here to look for the information you desire is the Austraila & New Zealand forum under Ports of Call. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=77

[cb at sea]

You need to get a guidebook! That will tell you ALL there is in Oz!!!

[paul929207]

On the Roll Call, be sure to look for people organizing private tours. They are usually cheaper and better than those offered by Princess

[babs135]

Hi all, I have crusied a few times before but only to the islands. THis time my hubby and I are going around Australia on the Diamond Princess. I was wondering if anyone has any hints on what to do at the ports in Auz that wont cost an arm and a leg. We will be stopping at melbourne, Hobart (overnight), Adelaide, Albany, Margaret River, Fremantle, Darwin, Port Douglas (really want to see the reef), Airlie beach, Brisbane.

Any help would be great:o

 

Sorry, your location shows as Australia and you're asking advice on what to do in Australia? Am I missing something here?

[Mary Ellen]

Sorry, your location shows as Australia and you're asking advice on what to do in Australia? Am I missing something here?

Well, Australia is a LOT larger than the UK. :rolleyes: Maybe everyone in the UK knows everything about what to do in UK ports, but I wouldn't bet on that for larger countries. I know I don't consider it at all strange when people from the US ask about US ports.

[GUT2407]

Sorry, your location shows as Australia and you're asking advice on what to do in Australia? Am I missing something here?

 

 

There are certainly ports in Aus I'd bee looking for advice on.

[GUT2407]

There are certainly ports in Aus I'd bee looking for advice on.

 

 

And I've lived here all my life.

[GUT2407]

You need to get a guidebook! That will tell you ALL there is in Oz!!!

 

 

Ha Ha Ha

[Floridiana]

We did the circumnavigation of OZ on a Princess ship. I was amazed at the helpfulness of the volunteers on shore and the opportunities for free or low cost transportation into town when necessary. There were often tours offered in port or town by small local companies.

 

Join your roll call. Ours had a really nice Australian couple as leaders and organizers. Also many of the passengers on our cruise had been to the ports before and were a fountain of knowledge.

 

For Port Douglas, you have to book the Great Barrier Reef excursion way ahead through the ship. The boat picks up passengers directly at the ship. All other passengers take the tenders to Port Douglas. There is not enough time and space to book this independently.

Edited February 2, 2015 by Floridiana

[GUT2407]

We did the circumnavigation of OZ on a Princess ship. I was amazed at the helpfulness of the volunteers on shore and the opportunities for free or low cost transportation into town when necessary. There were often tours offered in port or town by small local companies.

 

Join your roll call. Ours had a really nice Australian couple as leaders and organizers. Also many of the passengers on our cruise had been to the ports before and were a fountain of knowledge.

 

For Port Douglas, you have to book the Great Barrier Reef excursion way ahead through the ship. The boat picks up passengers directly at the ship. All other passengers take the tenders to Port Douglas. There is not enough time and space to book this independently.

 

 

I would tend to agree with the bit in red, time is a bt tight to do the reef on your own, and even more important there is the possibility of a delayed return, on a ship's tour they wait on a private tour probably not.

[Aussie One]

Sorry, your location shows as Australia and you're asking advice on what to do in Australia? Am I missing something here?

 

Babs we could fit England into Australia 140 times and put Texas in one of our cattle ranches yes you are missing something Aussie

[babs135]

Sorry, your location shows as Australia and you're asking advice on what to do in Australia? Am I missing something here?

 

Read above quote again and it does sound slightly rude which is not what I intended. Yes, Oz is on the large size (!) DH and I have had the fortune to visit 4 times and I suspect we've barely scratched the surface. Would return in a heartbeat but it is such a looong way!

 

Melbourne was our favourite. If you are interested in sport then a visit to the MCG is recommended, the Victoria Market is also good. There is a tram which does a circular route of the CBD which is free and could help you get your bearings. The little alleyways are worth walking through. If you have the time you could do a wine tour. We did one which visited 4 vineyards and 24 strangers were very happy by the end of the day!!!!!!!!

 

Margaret River is another place to go visiting wineries (as is Adelaide, and no I'm not an alcoholic :D) We did a river cruise in Brisbane and a self-guided walk in Darwin. Wanted to go to Kakadu but only had half a day so not enough time.

 

Look at what trips are being offered by the ship and see if any of them can be done by yourselves, if nothing they will give you loads of ideas. Guidebooks, as has been suggested, is another way to do research. Look under 'Walks in....' and that should give you ideas of what to do that won't cost too much. We sailed on the Diamond Princess into Nagasaki and they were offering a tour of the city for some exorbitant price (can't remember how much but I know it was ridiculous) but with some research beforehand we simply jumped on a tram and did pretty much the same as the ship's excursion for about £2.00 And I'm not exaggerating; everything we wanted to see was just about in walking distance.

 

BTW the Diamond Princess is a lovely ship. Enjoy your cruise and sorry again if I sounded rude.

[paul929207]

Sorry, your location shows as Australia and you're asking advice on what to do in Australia? Am I missing something here?

Our circumnavigation of Australia was a 28 day cruise. Australia is roughly the size of the continental US. So I am not surprised that a native would ask suggestions for other parts of their country

[jjones]

If I remember correctly, Albany has a tree-top walking tour that I thought was absolutely delightful. I smells lovely and despite so many tourists you could enjoy the quiet.

 

In Melbourne, I recommend the hop-on hop-off bus, get off at the big park and see the "fairy tree", the miniature village, James Cook's boyhood home (shipped from England and rebuilt) although I doubt it was really his house because when I read his biography he seemed to have lived in many houses as his father changed jobs frequently.

 

Brisbane has the Glass Mountains and Steve Irwin's zoo.

 

From Darwin I took a tour to Litchfield National Park - very interesting.

 

Freemantle has a wonderful aquarium fairly close and Perth is a short train ride away.

 

I loved my circumnavigation of Australia and wish I could do it again! Have a great trip!