First Timer Planning AUS/NZ and would Appreciate your Insight

[crewsgirl]

We are finally considering taking the plunge and would like to plan our first trip to AUS/NZ, possibly during March 2024 and need a little insight on which ship/itiernary to choose. I want to spend a few days in Sydney beforehand, visit Hobart if possible,and enjoy a stop for the lovely NZ white wines. Looking for the most efficient pricing and if you have any tips on where to search for that, it would be most appreciated. Is it possible to use an Australian TA to book a cruise if we are US citizens? We just got off Celebrity Reflection, and we also like HAL, but open to other cruise lines, not opposed to a smaller ship if it affords availability of smaller, interesting ports of call. Would love to hear your compelling thoughts on which ship does this area the best and which ports are not to be missed. We are active mid/late 60s, love nature, no mobility issues, enjoy new adventures, and want to have plenty of time to plan this trip. Thanks in advance. 

[Aussieflyer]

Hi crewsgirl - well, how long is a piece of string, as they say. There are many different places in Australia and NZ - all worth visiting in their own right.

A couple of things might help us - for example:

How long are you intending to visit for?

Are you open to travelling (flying) to other parts of Australia/NZ before or after a cruise?

Do you intend to take ship shore excursions or do things on your own mostly?

What sort of 'nature' do you love - bushwalking, seeing animals etc?

 

Australia and New Zealand being 2 separate countries have different things to see/experience. Quite a few of the signature sights are not along the coast and in Au in particular would need a land trip to really appreciate.  

 

If you are looking to cruise to NZ from Australia, most itineraries are around the 12 - 14 day mark to include both North and South Island (which are quite different). March 2024 is not that far away and so you would need to get the planning underway pretty quickly.

 

For what it's worth - we like Silversea for NZ cruises - the small ships can get into ports the big ones can't - but then prices are much less on Celebrity or Princess (who do a lot of cruising down this way).

I am sure people will add so much information and so many suggestions you will be inundated.

[Sparky74]

@Aussieflyer raises many valid points. 
 

Remember that as a land mass, Australia is the sixth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil).

[crewsgirl]

Thank you Aussieflyer, and I'm sure we would love Silversea, but the budget would probably not agree, lol. Most likely, we would fly to Hawaii for 2 days to get somewhat acclimated to the time change, then fly to Sydney for 2 days before a 10-12 day cruise. That is probably not as much time as we would like, but ~ 2 weeks will have to do. 

 

And, as you richly point out, Australia is massive, and we would never be able to see everything from just a cruise. I am going to have to console myself that we will be happy doing the cruise thing and getting just a small taste of the area.

 

In your opinion, is Hobart a must do? I see that HAL makes that stop, but I am interested in exploring Princess as well. We are not die hards on a certain cruise line, but would like to choose the itiernary that offers the best ports. Interested in your opinions of each cruise line that is popular in the area for the most reasonable price. 

 

We are happy to do excursions on our own, and if there are others that join together to form small groups, that is the best option for small group tours. We have been successful in other cities with our CC roll call and found better opportunities for small tours. But, if groups don't happen, and the ship offers tours, we have done that as well, but tbh, we prefer a group of 20 or less. 

 

And I agree with you, I need to get busy, 2024 will be here in a hurry! I just now have the hubby on board to consider this trip. 

 

[Aussieflyer]

OK - thanks for coming back with some more detail crewsgirl. 

It does depend on what you are after. Here are a few websites of cruise lines for March 2024 - maybe have a look and come back with questions about any particular cruises that look interesting to you.

Princess - https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/results/?resType=C

Celebrity - https://www.celebritycruises.com/au/itinerary-search?destinations=AUSTL&sailStartDate=2024-03-01&sailEndDate=2024-03-31&dateToggle=M

HAL - https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise.html#soldOut=false&group.sort=&sort=departDate asc,price_AUD_anonymous asc&{!tag=destinationTag}destinationIds=P&{!tag=departTag}departDate=2024-03-01T00:00:00Z&{!tag=durationTag}duration=&{!tag=embarkTag}embarkPortCode=&{!tag=portsTag}portsOfCall=&{!tag=shipsTag}shipId=&{!tag=regionTag}regions=&{!tag=cruisetypeTag}cruiseType=&start=0

 

Edited June 21, 2023 by Aussieflyer

[cruiser3775]

I did a HAL cruise two months ago to New Zealand from Sydney, and really enjoyed it. They offer one way cruises, which start in Sydney and end in Auckland, NZ.  That saves two sea days getting back to Sydney, and you can fly back to the US from Auckland.  You could add those two days onto your Sydney stop and see something of the Australian countryside with a visit to the nearby Blue Mountains.

I think Hobart is a very worthwhile stop. It is a beautiful city and the shore excursions will give you a taste of Tasmania.

You can do a winery tour from Picton, NZ, if that is one of your stops, to visit the Marlborough region at the top of the south island. There are also winery tours available from Napier on the north island.

The other essential part of a NZ cruise is to visit Milford Sound and the Fjordlands at the bottom of the south island. Some cruises miss that part - don't choose one of those, because it is breathtaking scenery.

March is getting towards the end of the NZ cruising season, so you need to firm up your dates and make a booking as soon as you can.

[crewsgirl]

20 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

I did a HAL cruise two months ago to New Zealand from Sydney, and really enjoyed it. They offer one way cruises, which start in Sydney and end in Auckland, NZ.  That saves two sea days getting back to Sydney, and you can fly back to the US from Auckland.  You could add those two days onto your Sydney stop and see something of the Australian countryside with a visit to the nearby Blue Mountains.

I think Hobart is a very worthwhile stop. It is a beautiful city and the shore excursions will give you a taste of Tasmania.

You can do a winery tour from Picton, NZ, if that is one of your stops, to visit the Marlborough region at the top of the south island. There are also winery tours available from Napier on the north island.

The other essential part of a NZ cruise is to visit Milford Sound and the Fjordlands at the bottom of the south island. Some cruises miss that part - don't choose one of those, because it is breathtaking scenery.

March is getting towards the end of the NZ cruising season, so you need to firm up your dates and make a booking as soon as you can.

oh cruiser3775, this is the info I am looking for, so thank you so much. Were you on the Noordam? Is it a decent ship? Any cabin recs? And yes, we are choosing first part of Mar to avoid the height of the season over there. We just finished Europe and while it was a FABuLOuS trip, I could have done with fewer tourists, especially in the quaint little villages that I love to explore. So, I am wondering if the weather down under is still desirable in March as well as smaller crowds? Hoping not too cold, not too hot, lol. 

 

The wineries in the Marlborough region sound delightful and definitely on my to do list. My husband will enjoy the fjords there for sure, I guess a balcony cabin is a must? We are amenable to going into Sydney and out of Auckland as well. 

[JJK2008]

4 hours ago, crewsgirl said:

We are finally considering taking the plunge and would like to plan our first trip to AUS/NZ, possibly during March 2024 and need a little insight on which ship/itiernary to choose. I want to spend a few days in Sydney beforehand, visit Hobart if possible,and enjoy a stop for the lovely NZ white wines. Looking for the most efficient pricing and if you have any tips on where to search for that, it would be most appreciated. Is it possible to use an Australian TA to book a cruise if we are US citizens? We just got off Celebrity Reflection, and we also like HAL, but open to other cruise lines, not opposed to a smaller ship if it affords availability of smaller, interesting ports of call. Would love to hear your compelling thoughts on which ship does this area the best and which ports are not to be missed. We are active mid/late 60s, love nature, no mobility issues, enjoy new adventures, and want to have plenty of time to plan this trip. Thanks in advance. 

WOW!!! Where to begin. There are many on CC doing exactly what you are planning. Without overwhelming you, I'd suggest checking out not only this forum but also check the roll calls for the ships that are already doing a Down Under cruise. We are booked on Princess for a New Zealand cruise out of Sydney. It is claimed that Princess is the largest cruise line doing the Down Under Cruises. Not sure what the "largest" means or even if it's true. But price wise they were in our budget, plus they offered many different itineraries and checked a lot of the boxes we were looking for. We are planning 8 weeks of travel doing the cruise to New Zealand and then in country Australia. We are splitting the Australia weeks between driving and flying. We'll fly to a section of the country, rent a car drive and then fly out of a different city to another location and do the same thing. This is a daunting task to organize, but it can be done, as we've done it in Europe and planning it is a great experience as well. We have found that these forums in CC have provided invaluable information and have saved us a lot of time and effort. The locals from Australia and New Zealand have been Outstanding in their offers to help and give suggestions. I'm sure you'll agree. Stay Safe & Healthy.

[lyndarra]

Having done cruises from Australia/NZ on RCI, Celebrity, Princess and, most recently, HAL. My pick would be HAL  their ship sizes are a good fit for me. I have cruised on Noordam, Westerdam and recently Nieu Amsterdam, all similar sizes and not too big. HAL  seems, to me, to have slightly better itineraries than others. You can fly into Sydney and fly home from Auckland or do it the other way round which as previously mentioned, avoids a two day return trip Sydney/Auckland giving you more land time.

My last cruise from NZ was on Maarsdam which is no longer a HAL vessel. It included Hobart and also Oban, NZ which is rarely included in other itineraries. 

[cruiser3775]

Yes, my cruise in March was on the Noordam.  Nice size ship, not too big.  I liked Holland America. I had a balcony cabin on Rotterdam deck 7.  Definitely worth having a balcony. I stayed on it  for most of the fjordlands viewing, which I enjoyed more than on the public decks, where there was a continual commentary that was hard to understand. I liked being quiet and enjoying the fabulous scenery with just the sounds of the waves and the waterfalls. Along with sailing out of Sydney Harbour, that was the highlight of the trip for me.

The tour I took to the Marlborough wineries was privately arranged and was excellent. It was  a small local business with a mini bus, arranged through the Roll Call for our cruise. We went to five different wineries, and also had lunch at one of them. The Cruises forum on Trip Advisor is worth checking for ideas and names.

Weather in March will be reasonable. It's our autumn, so usually mild. The bottom of NZ is a long way south, not much between it and Antarctica, so you can get very cold winds. Bring a coat, gloves and a warm hat for that area. As you cruise north, the weather will get warmer and more pleasant. You won't find big tourist crowds anywhere in New Zealand, nothing like in Europe.

Sorry, I don't know if you can book through an Australian travel agent, but some of the experts here will surely know. There are some good cruise specialist travel agents, but we are not allowed to name them here.

 

[Jean C]

Hi, re NZ weather - March is the best month and the favourite month for weddings. It's generally calm, sunny and pleasantly warm, without the unpleasant humidity typical in February. The South Island at that time of year will be similar, but possibly a bit cooler.  Christchurch can buck the trend and be hot, so keep an open mind as to what to expect. In early March have on hand long sleeves and a light jacket, and I'm sure you'll be fine 😊 

 

PS - Aussies, being used to a warmer climate, tend to find NZ temperatures cool or cold ❄ 

Edited June 22, 2023 by Jean C

[Aussieflyer]

A one way itinerary to cruise NZ is the way to go if you have limited time in my opinion. I haven't cruised on HAL but if you like the line, there should be no issues as you know what the ships are like (though be aware, cruise lines tend to send their older ships down here much of the time). 

The 2 HAL cruises for March 2024 both have things going for them and I would be happy with either.

The  Sydney to Auckland on 9 March has the advantage of Kaikoura which is well known for whale watching, though I don't know much about Timaru. Burnie in Tasmania would need an excursion as there is not a lot in the town itself to fill a full day, having visited twice on ships and several times when in the area for land trips.

The reverse leaving Auckland on 23 March does visit Hobart which is better but then misses the whale watching at Kaikoura and doesn't seem to go into Milford Sound. They both do the other main ports and Fiordland though last time we were there in a late December, we couldn't go into the sounds at all because it was too rough.

 

HAL are certainly giving more ports than the Celebrity ones and would be preferable I think.

The best of the Princess one would be the 2 March one from Auckland to Sydney but that might be a bit early for you - this is a one way cruise which cuts out 2 wasted sea days crossing the Tasman Sea.

 

 

[cruiser3775]

Burnie is a small city on the Tasmania north coast. You can do a day shore excursion from there to Cradle Mountain, which is absolutely beautiful, or further along the coast to Stanley, another Tasmania beauty spot.  

Timaru is a small city on the east coast of NZ's south island. I enjoyed just walking around the streets there. It's an old fashioned sort of town that doesn't get more than a handful of cruise ship visits each year and the people were very welcoming.

[SinbadThePorter]

21 hours ago, crewsgirl said:

Is it possible to use an Australian TA to book a cruise if we are US citizens?

 

For the major cruise lines, not as far as I'm aware.

 

The conditions for Oz/NZ based cruises purchased in Oz/NZ by Oz/NZ residents differ from those for Oz/NZ cruises bought by non-Oz/NZ residents. For instance, gratuities are included in the fare for the former but not for the latter.

 

However, given the very favourable USD to AUD exchange rate and the generally better pricing available in the US, I'd say that you aren't missing out on much by not booking with an Oz TA.

[Aussieflyer]

3 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

Burnie is a small city on the Tasmania north coast. You can do a day shore excursion from there to Cradle Mountain, which is absolutely beautiful, or further along the coast to Stanley, another Tasmania beauty spot.  

Timaru is a small city on the east coast of NZ's south island. I enjoyed just walking around the streets there. It's an old fashioned sort of town that doesn't get more than a handful of cruise ship visits each year and the people were very welcoming.

Cradle Mountain is lovely though a long day trip though worth it if it is the only opportunity to visit assuming the weather is good. We have only even driven in the area and been staying there so can't comment on it as as an excursion.

Edited June 22, 2023 by Aussieflyer

[OzKiwiJJ]

20 minutes ago, Aussieflyer said:

Cradle Mountain is lovely though a long day trip though worth it if it is the only opportunity to visit assuming the weather is good. We have only even driven in the area and been staying there so can't comment on it as as an excursion.

It was very interesting as an excursion because we went to Cradle Mountain one way and came back a different way, so got to see quite a bit of the countryside along the way. We had a stop at Sheffield which has some amazing murals around the main street. We were very lucky with the weather so enjoyed going up to the Glacier Rock Lookout at Dove Lake with spectacular views of the mountain. We also visited the Waldheim Chalet, built by the guy that fought to get Cradle Mountain listed as a National Park. The only disappointment was the lunch at the Cradle Mountain hotel. Nice side dishes but the BBQ meat options consisted of shoe leather steak, hockey puck burger patties, and slightly overcooked sausages (but at least they were edible). 

Edited June 22, 2023 by OzKiwiJJ

[cruiser3775]

This is Cradle Mountain. The photo of the little wallaby with joey in pouch was taken from the window of our hotel room.:

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

This is the view from Glacier Rock lookout which I think is just above the greyish bit on the small knob at the middle left of Cruiser3775's top photo. It's an easy walk to the lookout but with a short climb up to it at the end.

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by OzKiwiJJ

[OzKiwiJJ]

There was actually a tiny spot of snow on one of the peaks but it took full zoom to see it!

 

 

[crewsgirl]

WOW! The pics are incredible and are making us want to book a trip. Still figuring out our budget and dates that will work for us. I appreciate all the knowledge and suggestions offered here, keep it coming please. 

 

Do you think it is possible to pack in a carry on only? How dressy are Aussies on cruises? Are most excursions outdoor type activities like hiking, walking, or cities/towns? I am thinking hiking, and whale watching would be amazing as well.  Off for more reading! 

[yarramar]

Aussies are very casual and most would rather go to the buffet on formal night. Carry on does not gel with us  as we are only allowed 7kg or at most 10kg on domestic flights.

I would use a particular TA which I can't name but if you want a cruise or vacation it is the place to go.

[MMDown Under]

7 hours ago, crewsgirl said:

WOW! The pics are incredible and are making us want to book a trip. Still figuring out our budget and dates that will work for us. I appreciate all the knowledge and suggestions offered here, keep it coming please. 

 

Do you think it is possible to pack in a carry on only? How dressy are Aussies on cruises? Are most excursions outdoor type activities like hiking, walking, or cities/towns? I am thinking hiking, and whale watching would be amazing as well.  Off for more reading! 

Yes, it is possible to cruise with carry on only, but you'd need to wear your heavier winter gear.  Or have it across your arm on departure in USA, plus a small material bag to put it on the flight.  This becomes an extra pillow.

[OzKiwiJJ]

You will need to pack warm layers for NZ as the weather can be very variable there. I recall one cruise where it was 30°C (86°F) in Akaroa one day and 14°C (57°F) in Dunedin next day. It can also be very cold cruising through Fiordland first thing in the morning, but often warms up in the afternoon so layers are needed and I recommend a warm hat, scarf and gloves as well.

 

Casual is fine during the day but most people do make an effort to look a bit smarter in the evenings - a pretty dress or top and nice skirt/pants for ladies, long pants and a nice shirt or polo shirt for men.

 

 

[MMDown Under]

Buy merino/possum warm gloves, plus a merino/possum neck gaiter in NZ.  Expensive, but you get your money's worth on all future travel to cold countries, plus they are light.  Also merino singlets will keep you warm, without weight.

[Suzcruz75]

The problem with cruising in Australia is it’s such a large land mass that most areas to cruise in are separated into different cruises, for example 10 night itinerary to do the North Queensland coast and Great Barrier Reef, 12-14 days to do New Zealand, 6-8 days to do South Australia and Tasmania and it’s rare to get all those combined into one cruise. Celebrity do seem to tailor their itineraries to rotate through them so you can put back to backs together to see more, or there are some one way itineraries on HAL and Princess that start in NZ and end in Australia. 
 

so much to see and do here, we have lived here 12 years and haven’t even touched the surface yet