Do You Long For the Land Down Under?

I can't say the response to a huge print mailout of The Cruise Planner Magazine was overwhelming.  In fact, it confirmed my opinion that many people, like me, sort their mail between bills and junk, and then throw out the junk unread.  The occasional hand-penned letter from a dear friend always receives top priority, but in an age of free long distance calls, emails, messaging, Facebook and Twitter, those personal letters are few and far between. And apparently my slick magazines don't qualify among personal missives.

Of the people who did respond to the offer for a chance to win a free cruise, one striking fact was revealed: most see Australia/New Zealand as either their next destination or their ideal vacation, or both.

I don't find this shocking, especially for travelers on the West Coast for whom that amazing region is only a little more distant than Europe.  Many of my clients have already enjoyed multiple vacations in Europe and Mexico but none to Australia.  The cruise lines spotted this trend a couple of years ago and began redeploying ships to the area, frequently at the expense of Mexican Riviera cruises which had been yielding disappointing revenues.

Julie and I flew down under two years ago and enjoyed one of the best vacations ever.  The Aussies and Kiwis are friendly people, happy to show their wonderful countries to Americans.  And of course language is no barrier.

 

The main appeal, however, is in the region's sensational natural sites like the Great Barrier Reef, Fiordland National Park and Kuranda Rainforest. Cities, from Sydney with its iconic opera house to Wellington, where the Lord of the Rings movies took shape, to tropical Cairns to the City of Sails, Auckland.

Then there's the diversity of the region's attractions.  Penguins can be visited outside the Scottish-inspired town of Dunedin, Bondi Beach.  We enjoyed a wonderful trip, but we would like to return to see the wildlife of Australia's Blue Mountains, New Zealand's rugged peaks that were the backdrop for much of cinema's Lord of the Rings and, of course, majestic Ayers Rock.

Whatever you want in a vacation, you can find it on an Australia/New Zealand cruise, and this year is your best opportunity to explore this exotic yet civilized continent.  There are super upscale cruises available, but most of us are interested in the mainstream lines, where prices are eminently affordable due to the large influx of ships.  As my friend Bill recently lamented when he discovered the Seychelles and Africa cruise he almost took a few years ago was no longer available, sometimes you need to go when the opportunity is there, or you could miss it altogether.

I can't sing high enough praises for the job Princess does in Australia/New Zealand, with terrific onboard lecturers to supplement well-selected itineraries.  We loved every moment of our trip. Of course, you also get all the wonderful entertainment, meals and lodging of a great cruise wherever you go.

Celebrity Solstice, which along with her twins is the best large ship (122,000 tons) for sophisticated adults, takes the dining experience up a notch, and you wouldn't go wrong selecting her.

Royal Caribbean continues to be the most popular line for families and adventure seeking adults, and Holland America, a favorite of traditional cruisers, will put the beautiful Oosterdam through her paces in Australia/New Zealand too.

There are many more itineraries besides the ones linked, and you need a program...or better yet a Cruise Planner... to help you sort through to the one best for you.

Please click on some of the hotlinks above to see what Julie and I found on our extended vacation down under, but understand that Australia/New Zealand caters to your individual dreams.

Better service leads to better trips!