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Australia/New Zealand - Trip Complete. And Awesome! (1 Viewer)

kutta

kutta

Footballguy
My Europe vacation turned out great, in large part because of the feedback I got in here. So it's time to plan the next one - Australia/New Zealand. We will be going sometime in early October most likely.

My youngest daughter is graduating high school and come fall, my wife and I will be empty-nesters :pickle:. We want to take an awesome vacation to celebrate (just the two of us), and Australia has always been on our list. We really want to incorporate a cruise into the vacation, and we want to be sure to see both Australia and New Zealand. We are planning about two weeks.

Our only two must-sees are Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef. Since Australia is so much bigger, my thought is that we could fly over to New Zealand and spend a week or so driving around the island, then fly back to Sydney and do a 7 day cruise up the coast to the Great Barrier Reef. But, we are open to cruising around New Zealand and driving in Australia too.

Any feedback is really appreciated - ideas on how best to utilize time (cruise/drive), where to stay, what to see, etc.

TIA

 
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Sounds awesome Kutta.  On my bucket list too.  Never been to either.   I left a NZ based company before getting over to Auckland but have lots of friends over there.  I'll see if I can dig up some recommendations.  

 
Judge Smails said:
Sounds awesome Kutta.  On my bucket list too.  Never been to either.   I left a NZ based company before getting over to Auckland but have lots of friends over there.  I'll see if I can dig up some recommendations.  
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Damn Judge, I was counting on you!

I appreciate anything you can come up with  :thumbup:

 
Two words for you: Port Douglas.
Much better feel than Cairns. I wouldn't do a cruise up the great barrier reef if snorkeling or scuba is your thing. I'd hit Port Douglas for 3/4 days and go out with small companies each day. Wife and I did a large boat that had their own platform and it was too many people. The smaller cruises are much, much better. We got to swim a couple feet behind a sea turtle, swam down to giant clams...it was a wonderful time and I can't speak too highly of Port Douglas.

If you're looking for rest/relaxation in the Queensland area, I'd recommend Silky Oaks Lodge.
 

 
Gawain said:
Two words for you: Port Douglas.
Much better feel than Cairns. I wouldn't do a cruise up the great barrier reef if snorkeling or scuba is your thing. I'd hit Port Douglas for 3/4 days and go out with small companies each day. Wife and I did a large boat that had their own platform and it was too many people. The smaller cruises are much, much better. We got to swim a couple feet behind a sea turtle, swam down to giant clams...it was a wonderful time and I can't speak too highly of Port Douglas.

If you're looking for rest/relaxation in the Queensland area, I'd recommend Silky Oaks Lodge.
 
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Port Douglas looks pretty darn sweet! That looks like the kind of place we would like. Queensland is probably out; I don't think I want to go that far inland.

So if we really want to do a cruise, it sounds like you might recommend cruising around New Zealand and hanging for a few days in Port Douglas?

 
2 weeks isn't enough time to do your trip justice, but if that's what you've got.....

First of all you need to decide if you really want to see New Zealand or not.

Second is a cruise the best use of your time. You will be spending a lot of time in a boat risking food poisoning at every meal.

Next you need to decide the pace of your visit. If relaxation is your goal, then pick 3 or 4 spots and enjoy your time. Do you want to concentrate on the cities, see the outback, visit the indigenous areas? 

If you want to see as much as possible as a taster visit for a better and longer visit next time, then cram everything in you can.

Practical things:

Australia is an expensive place to visit. Fluctuations in the exchange rate can take a massive toll on your budget. Accomodation isnt cheap and food will be much more expensive than you are used to.

Unless you are used to driving long distances, air is your best option. Driving on the other side is something that is very dangerous for long trips as the roads can be long, straight and monotonous. You can easily drift into auto pilot and end up on the wrong side or lose concentration.

I will give my knowledge of what i know.

Sydney. A shthole. Of course the Opera house and Sydney harbour bridge are the draw cards, as is Bondi beach. Darling Harbour is also worth a look. Kings cross wont be as grimy as my experiences were in the 80s and 90s. Oxford st is the gay capital of Australia. Public transport isnt well organised and it is a fast paced city. Think New York or London. After 2 or 3 days here i have to get out.





Melbourne. Multicultural capital of the world imho. 50% of the names are non british in origin. Nguyen is the 2nd most common name in the phone book. There are more greeks than anywhere outside Athens, more maltese than in Malta and large groups of Italians, serbs, Croats, Lebanese, turkish, sudanese, chinese, vietnamese etc. The city is beautifully organised from an infrastructure and growth point of view and is easy to navigate through. Trams, buses, trains and ferries all cover the city well. You will have just missed the Aussie rules finals, but be there during the spring horse racing carnival. It is the sporting capital of australia, but your timing will be bad to see it.





Brisbane. Australias 3rd city isnt really suited to tourists, but the Gold Coast which is, is only an hour away. There are nice things to do, but nothing that will knock your socks off. Its climate at that time of year will be perfect. There is a great Koala sanctuary near by and river cruises are well catered for. A lot of Aussies retire here or at the Gold Coast. 





Perth. On the opposite site of the country and a 4 hour plane trip from the east coast. Never been there. It is popular with british tourists and has a high percentage of english and scotiish expats. If you go here, you will really want to go as there isnt much outside perth.





Adelaide. Not quite as isolated as Perth, but also nowhere near as exciting. the town is basically dead after 5pm. Called the city of churches, which you will either love or be bored by.





Tasmania/Hobart. The island down south is a joke by the mainland people and inbred jokes are common. Has lovely scenary, but the ethnic diversity common in the other cities is lacking here. Culturally 30 years behind the rest of australia. 





Major regional areas:





Darwin. The city closest to asia and has the highest aboriginal population per capita. Very hot and humid. Not much to see.





Cairns/Port Douglas. Great resorts, but as they are in the far north of queensland it is a bit of the way out. Because of the jellyfish the beaches are difficult to swim at. 





Sunshine Coast. A big strip north of Brisbane. Noosa is a great place for hippies or the young travellers.





Gold Coast. Tourist capital of australia. Can be seen as tacky, but has great beaches. You can literally walk for miles on beautiful strips of sand. Your visit may coincide with school holidays which means if you want to avoid kids dont go here. Schoolies may also be on ie spring break. 





Hunter valley. Great vineyards and newcastle has arguably the best beaches in oz





Canberra. The nations capital is a disgusting place that you either love or hate. Guess which camp i fall in.





Alice Springs. The centre of the nation. Surrounded by red dust and if you want to see indigenous poverty, come here.





Uluru/Ayers Rock. A giant red rock that takes ages to get too, you cant climb and there is nothing remotely close.





Whitsundays. The best place to see the great barrier reef. Beautiful islands, great boat trips and in october will be pefect weather. Airlie Beach is the main town here.





Byron Bay. The hippie/alternative capital of australia. 





Queensland country. Many towns widely spread out. Townsville, Mount Isa, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Toowoomba and Mackay would be the best to see. 





NSW country. The most populaous state has many fine inland or coastal places, like Dubbo, Broken Hill, Casino, Orange, Tamworth Also some terrible ones like Wollongong





Victorian country. The great ocean road is a magnificent drive to see the twelve apostles. Phillip Island is great to see the penguins. Ballarat and Bendigo are fun as well.





Western Australian country. Broome may be worth a visit. Outside that vast pockets of emptiness.





South Australian country. Nothing.





Tasmania has a few places like Devonport, Burnie and Launceston.





Northern Territory. Kakadu is beautiful.


 
kutta said:
Port Douglas looks pretty darn sweet! That looks like the kind of place we would like. Queensland is probably out; I don't think I want to go that far inland.

So if we really want to do a cruise, it sounds like you might recommend cruising around New Zealand and hanging for a few days in Port Douglas?
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As an fyi Port Douglas is in Queensland

 
cstu said:
Everything you need to know about Queensland.
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That is probably 30 years out of date culturally. Queensland is as close as Australia got to a dictatorship in one of its states. Joh Bjelke Peterson was premier for over 20 years and head of a very corrupt government. I think he won an election with 32 % of the vote. It was a backward police state for a long time. Google the fitzgerald enquiry if you want a laugh. After the fitzgerald enquiry the queenslanders finally got joh out of office in the late 80s

 
If i had to recommend 3 things it would be 

a) The whitsunday Islands/Airlie Beach to see the great barrier reef

b) Melbourne and while you are there take a drive on the great ocean road to see the twelve apostles.

c) Sunshine Coast/Noosa

So basically 2 places in queensland, but if you have to see Sydney and dont have time, drop the sunshine coast.

Let me know if you would like more info about anything or any place specifically.

 
John Maddens Lunchbox said:
If i had to recommend 3 things it would be 

a) The whitsunday Islands/Airlie Beach to see the great barrier reef

b) Melbourne and while you are there take a drive on the great ocean road to see the twelve apostles.

c) Sunshine Coast/Noosa

So basically 2 places in queensland, but if you have to see Sydney and dont have time, drop the sunshine coast.

Let me know if you would like more info about anything or any place specifically.
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Great info in all your posts. Thanks!

It looks really far from Melbourne to Sydney to the GBR. Is that drivable or should I be flying to each of these places. Seems like a lot of flights, but maybe I could spend 2-3 days in each spot?

 
kutta said:
Great info in all your posts. Thanks!

It looks really far from Melbourne to Sydney to the GBR. Is that drivable or should I be flying to each of these places. Seems like a lot of flights, but maybe I could spend 2-3 days in each spot?
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9 hours depending on where in each city you are going. As a warning the airport in sydney is a nightmare to get in and out of. They really need a 2nd airport, but politically it has been difficult. A cruise will be more leisurely than wasting time in and out of airports.

Dont get ambitious with your planning. 2 weeks will fly by. Remember you will almsot lose a day thanks to the time difference. Unless you really enjoy driving i would advise against it a) driving on the opposite side is more difficult than you realise and b) the scenery will be brilliant at first, but hours and hours of it will be tedious. You will have issues in the kilometre to mile conversion and animals like kangaroos litter the side of the road ie dead ones. Guess what hit them.

Be careful on planning your plane trip to australia as well. Make sure there are no internal flights before your final destination eg if you are wanting to land in sydney make sure it doesnt go to brisbane or melbourne first. A) it adds hours to your trip and b) customs make you collect your luggage at the first stop, inspect it and then you have to get it onto your next stop. A major pain. 

If logistics are something you enjoy it will be great to plan. Allow flexibility. Get travel insurance as well. 

Buses or cruises are better for tourists, but if you want some peace and quiet going your own way is better. Just either cope with airports and driving or both. 

You will need 3 days for sydney and 4 at least for the great barrier reef. Unfortunately travelling will eat into this time heavily. 

 
I lived in NZ for a few months - but it was 20 years ago...

First - there are two islands, and it takes a long time to drive through the islands (it's like driving from Seattle to LA).  If you really want to see both islands I think you need at least 2-3 weeks.  The two islands are on separate plates, the north island is generally flat with a few old volcanic mountains popping out of the plains - the south island is connected to the Alps - so it's very mountainous with dense vegetation in a lot of areas, and the south tip of the south island is all tundra.  I believe the west coast of the south island is considered one of the most diverse areas in the world.  I remember driving on a highway, a few hundred feet above the ocean - you could hear the waves crashing - but we were driving through a heavily vegetated rain forest and when you looked inland you could see snow-covered mountains.  Natural beauty and as pristine as anywhere in the world.  And the Kiwis are VERY friendly and laid-back, so taking time to get to know them is a treat.  If you can get tickets to a local rugby game or hang out at a pub during a game it's a good way to get a flavor for the locals. 

I think a lot of Americans try to combine a trip to Australia and NZ, but I think you would need at least 4 weeks to really make your effort worthwhile, otherwise you'll feel like you barely saw enough of either country. If you really only have 2 weeks I would chose one country and make the most of it.

 
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I was in NZ for only a week 10+ years ago.  Had a blast but was unable to do a lot of what I wanted (part of a school program).  Playing rugby, and getting my ### kicked, with the black-lite squad is something I'll always remember.

After NZ spent 6 weeks in Australia and still feel like I didn't see enough.  Went to Cairns, Melbourne, and finally Sydney.  It was great....till that damn USN aircraft carrier showed up and the sailors pissed off the locals.

I agree with Buttonhook, pick one country and stick with it.

 
Agree w/ previous comments stating that 2-weeks isn't enough for Aus/NZ. If you are going to separate them (i.e. NZ in the future) I would recommend going to NZ during our winter months (their summer) so that you can fully see what NZ has to offer. Part of that also involves driving from one city to the other so you can get a better feel for the beauty of it all.

 
Hmmm. Looks like I should consider bumping up the time. Then again, we did  Rome, Paris, London, and Sicily with the entire family in 17 days a couple years ago. We were rushed but did OK. I thought this would be easier. 

 
When I looked into going there, I came to the conclusion that 2 weeks wasn't enough time if we wanted to fit NZ into the trip. And since it's probably a once in a lifetime kind of trip, we put it off until we can set aside at least 3 weeks.

 
kutta said:
Hmmm. Looks like I should consider bumping up the time. Then again, we did  Rome, Paris, London, and Sicily with the entire family in 17 days a couple years ago. We were rushed but did OK. I thought this would be easier. 
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Then again, I thought this trip was extremely ambitious. :D

And we generally take in a lot on our trips. We're doing 12 days in Sicily in June and I feel like it's not enough time.

 
jamny said:
Then again, I thought this trip was extremely ambitious. :D

And we generally take in a lot on our trips. We're doing 12 days in Sicily in June and I feel like it's not enough time.
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It was! And we barely made it!

My great great grand parents were from Sicily. There is a town in Sicily named with my last name - it was sooooo amazing to go visit. I'll PM you the town so you can try to check it out. You'll have a great time there.

 
Given the time and expense involved in getting there, it would make sense to stretch the time there a bit. Especially given the scope of what you're trying to see.  How likely is it you're going to return? If this is likely a doing it once trip... do it right. 

 
Some great stuff here.  Does anyone know someone like Sean Travis (SLBD's friend) who sets up trips to Australia and New Zealand?

 
I was lucky enough to live and work in Queenstown.  You could probably stay down there for at least a week alone, between the rock climbing/hiking/camping/rafting/fishing/skiing/jet boats/plane ride over the fiords, and the bungee-jumping...  When I was down there you were a short ride away from a bridge with a 100-foot-drop and a 300-foot-drop, but the craziest was watching someone bungee-jump out of a helicopter, over a 1,000 foot drop.  Needless to say, Queenstown is a great place for adrenaline-junkies, and it's a resort town so the locals love to party... most bars don't have a closing time... in the four months I was down there I saw more sunrises after stumbling out of bars then I did my entire college career.  

But it's a 24-hour drive (IIRC) from Auckland, with tons to see on the way.  My GB and I have been talking about going back for the last 20 years but both realize that 2 weeks in NZ is way too short, to the point where it's not worth the time and money spent to get down there.  To do it right (again), we both agreed we would need at least 4 weeks, which is not realistic now with jobs and families.  But I've still got great memories of the place, so no complaints...

 
3 years ago, I visited Australia, New Zealand, and spent a few days in the Cook Islands, and did it all in about 26 days. It wasn't nearly enough time.

If you're going to NZ, it's important to get a feel of both islands--beaches, glaciers, rivers, lush green hills, mountains, deserts, small lake towns, and big cities--you'll really want to explore it. In the case of each island, it's very manageable driving (even from the other side of the car). I'd say you could spend 15 days between the two islands and feel way too rushed.

Previous poster said it: Queenstown is a MUST. And I love Wellington too.

Re: AUS, I somewhat agree with JML--- I enjoyed Sydney and would never call it a #### hole, but it is very similar to NYC/London in overall vibe (though closer to beaches, so that's a plus).

LOVED Melbourne--lots of charm to that town.

Cairns was good--enjoyed the diving--but it can also feel a lot like a Florida tourist trap during Spring Break.

I prefer NZ to AUS, but if you only have two weeks available, and AUS is on your bucket list (NZ should be), then stick with that one country and take the limited time to take in as much of it as you can. Hit up New Zealand next year.

 
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Well, more good stuff guys - thanks.

The wife is pretty set on seeing both (Aus and NZ), and she's also pretty set on doing a cruise for one of them. So, I'm thinking I may be able to squeeze a few more days in, but not many more. I think we are leaning towards a 7 ish day cruise from Syndey up to the GBR and back down, and then spending about 10 days hanging around NZ. I understand we will feel a bit rushed, but we are OK with that.

Hmmm. Maybe we can just spend a few days in Sydney and then head over to NZ and blow off the GBR...

 
I would probably see the great barrier reef while you can. The north of the reef is suffering from severe coral bleaching. There are several scientists up in arms that the government isnt doing more to prevent/fix it and fear its only a matter of time before it travels further south. The science of why and how is complicated. The solution is even more convuluted.

 
Is there a reason your wife is so stuck to taking a cruise down there?  Seems like there's so much to do on the land at both countries - besides the GBR, doesn't seem like the best place to be taking a cruise.

 
Just make sure your will is in order before you go.  I'd put the chances of at least one of you not making it back due to death by croc, snake, spider, jellyfish, dropbear, frog, bee, octopus, bug, or dundee at roughly 100%.

 
Sydneysider here.   2 weeks is definitely way short for both NZ and AUS.  

I'm not sure I would recommend a cruise but if you want one, you need to prioritize it.    Cruises do not run that frequently, some not all year round, most of them are quite long in duration, expensive and sell out quickly.   The ones going from Auckland to Sydney through the major NZ cities usually take 2 weeks to do.   

Food, accommodation and pretty much everything is expensive but remember that we don't tip here and prices include tax.   American tourists are spoiling our well trained wait staff with tips.  Those wait staff are paid $15-20 an hour so do not tip them unless they are truly exceptional.   I would say mid range food is not worth it but you can sometimes find gems in the low end (pubs, RSL clubs, hole in the wall asian food) and high end restaurants are a bargain compared to US prices if you don't buy alcohol.   Many places will let you bring your own bottle with a corkage fee.

I second Port Douglas as a great port to explore the reef from.   Very good restaurants.   I don't know if cruising from Sydney to Port Douglas is an option.   The Whitsundays or Hamilton Island are a good alternative to Port Douglas and often have cheap flights from Sydney advertised on Jetstar or Virgin.  Be sure to check out Whitehaven beach if you are in that area.

I don't think you'll have time for Melbourne with your schedule but it is a city very well catered to tourists.   Sydney less so.   The Hunter wine region is about 2 hours north of Sydney.   Wine tasting is free so try to avoid driving yourself and there are lots of great restaurants and beautiful wineries.   I would try to spend a night there.

Taronga Zoo is also worth checking out and best accessed by ferry from Circular Quay which is a great cheap way to experience the harbour.   I would avoid most attractions in Darling Harbour like the Wild Life Sydney Zoo and the restaurants there are tourist traps.   But Darling Harbour itself is a great place to walk through and now connects all the way around to Circular Quay and the Opera House in a long beautiful stretch of harbour.  Some of the best restautrants in the country are in Circular Quay and the Rocks. Tripadvisor reviews are pretty reliable for the most part but not a very comprehensive list.

 
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Well, it looks like it's a cruise - the wife is pretty set on that. 

Our plan is to fly into Sydney and stay there for a couple days. I need some recommendations on where to stay while we are there. I don't really care about cost since it's only a couple nights, and we'd like somewhere nice near the water and within walking distance of some cool parts of the city, if that's possible. The cruise ends in Aukland, NZ, so we plan to hang there for a couple days then fly home.

The cruise looks really perfect. Here are the stops:

Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart Tasmania, Miford Sound, Fiordland National Park (cruise only, no port), Port Chalmers, Akoroa (Christchurch), Picton, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, Aukland.

We miss out on the Great Barrier Reef, but we are really starting to dig the idea of this cruise.

Thoughts?

 
Buttonhook said:
Is there a reason your wife is so stuck to taking a cruise down there?  Seems like there's so much to do on the land at both countries - besides the GBR, doesn't seem like the best place to be taking a cruise.
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We did an Alaska cruise awhile ago and had a blast. I told her when the kids moved out we would do whatever vacation she wanted, and she said she wanted to do another cruise. And, she has always wanted to check out Australia and NZ. So it's just kind of the way it is for this one.

 
kutta said:
Well, it looks like it's a cruise - the wife is pretty set on that. 

Our plan is to fly into Sydney and stay there for a couple days. I need some recommendations on where to stay while we are there. I don't really care about cost since it's only a couple nights, and we'd like somewhere nice near the water and within walking distance of some cool parts of the city, if that's possible. The cruise ends in Aukland, NZ, so we plan to hang there for a couple days then fly home.

The cruise looks really perfect. Here are the stops:

Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart Tasmania, Miford Sound, Fiordland National Park (cruise only, no port), Port Chalmers, Akoroa (Christchurch), Picton, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, Aukland.

We miss out on the Great Barrier Reef, but we are really starting to dig the idea of this cruise.

Thoughts?
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Accommodations are pricey here especially in the CBD (our phase for downtown). 

Check out wotif.com or booking.com and search Sydney CBD.

I guess if you are going all out, the Park Hyatt is about as good a location as you can get.   But that is some serious coin. There are many expensive but not ridiculous options around too.   Check out wotif. 

In october, Melbourne and Tassie will still be a bit chilly.  Sydney too.  This Canadian has gone soft here in Sydney weather.   both are excellent destinations.  

I can't speak for NZ.  

 
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NZ, especially the South Island, will not be that warm either.  But if your wife thought the cruise to Alaska was great, she probably isn't the type to complain about not being able to lay around the pool deck in a bikini all day.  Definitely sounds like that cruise has some great stops. :jealous:

 
Holy crap! $900 US per night for the Park Hyatt. That's awesome.

Looks like an amazing place. Maybe I'll book it and just not tell the wife the price...

The other hotels around there look very cool too. Shangri La and Four Seasons are both pretty reasonable.

Thanks for the suggestions - Looks like that's the area to be.

 
Any advice on where to stay in Aukland?

And who knew there is a direct flight from Aukland to LA? That's crazy.

 
The 1-3 PLO game at the Star will cover your room and then some - my first hand at the table I re-re-potted all in for $300, three callers.  Within 20 minutes I was up to $1,700.  Then I pissed it away.  But you get the picture.  Insanely loose game.

 
kutta said:
Holy crap! $900 US per night for the Park Hyatt. That's awesome.

Looks like an amazing place. Maybe I'll book it and just not tell the wife the price...

The other hotels around there look very cool too. Shangri La and Four Seasons are both pretty reasonable.

Thanks for the suggestions - Looks like that's the area to be.
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If you are looking for something a little different, romantic and luxurious, the Langham Sydney is where we spent our ten year anniversary.   Victorian decor, high ceilings, high tea in the restaurant.   I'm pretty sure the Darling Harbour construction is finished now so I would try to get a room on that side.

The complementary in room breakfast included in our package was phenomenal was easily worth $100 in value.   

EDIT: Looks like they modernized the decor a bit, losing some of its charm.   Still a very nice option.

 
Well, I'm sitting in the American Airlines lounge in the international terminal at LAX getting ready to board our flight to Sydney. We decided to to do a cruise. We start in Sydney, spend a couple days there, cruise to Melbourne, over to Tasmania, then to New Zealand where we hit six different cities. We spend a couple days in Auckland before we head home. We have all kinds of things planned along the way. I'll update if I can while I'm there, otherwise when I get home. Thanks for all the suggestions. 

Aaaaand, we're off!

 
kutta said:
Well, I'm sitting in the American Airlines lounge in the international terminal at LAX getting ready to board our flight to Sydney. We decided to to do a cruise. We start in Sydney, spend a couple days there, cruise to Melbourne, over to Tasmania, then to New Zealand where we hit six different cities. We spend a couple days in Auckland before we head home. We have all kinds of things planned along the way. I'll update if I can while I'm there, otherwise when I get home. Thanks for all the suggestions. 

Aaaaand, we're off!
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Perfect time of year to do it.

Post here if something baffles you.

 
I haven't read the other responses yet, so I apologize if this is repetitive.

We went to the south island of NZ 2 years ago and it was the best vacation of my life.  We spent about 10 days there in a rented RV - they have great RV campsites all over.  I don't think it's a good idea to combine these trips... our inlaws spent another 10 days on the north island on another trip, and that feels right for each of the islands.  Trying to combine just NZ into one trip doesn't seem ideal.  Adding Australia to that wouldn't work for us.

NZ south island was amazing - we just drove from town to town seeing amazing sites and doing fun stuff everywhere - kayaking, beaches, rafting, caving, mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, fishing... there's an amazing variety of landscapes on the south island, from glaciers to white sand beaches.

If you're really going to try to wedge in everything on one trip, I would recommend Queenstown from the south island - beautiful place with tons of activities.

 
Buttonhook said:
Is there a reason your wife is so stuck to taking a cruise down there?  Seems like there's so much to do on the land at both countries - besides the GBR, doesn't seem like the best place to be taking a cruise.
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Yeah, cruise in Alaska or the Caribbean.  Drive around NZ.

 
kutta said:
Well, I'm sitting in the American Airlines lounge in the international terminal at LAX getting ready to board our flight to Sydney. We decided to to do a cruise. We start in Sydney, spend a couple days there, cruise to Melbourne, over to Tasmania, then to New Zealand where we hit six different cities. We spend a couple days in Auckland before we head home. We have all kinds of things planned along the way. I'll update if I can while I'm there, otherwise when I get home. Thanks for all the suggestions. 

Aaaaand, we're off!
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Haha, I'm giving recommendations as I read through, not looking at the dates... meanwhile you're already planned and there.  Have a blast, kutta.

 
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