So alike… and yet so different. That is the only way to describe Australia and New Zealand. These destinations are really popular right now – because of their own merits, and because they are perceived as safe and easy to travel (they are BOTH those things).
In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that although I was born in Iowa, my mother was Australian, so I lived in Canberra for several years as a child. Long before I ever knew Bob, he also lived there as well – first to work at World Expo ’88 in Brisbane, and then as a backpacker around both Australia and New Zealand. So we both have a strong personal connection to both these countries.
There is no doubt that Australia and New Zealand are a long way away. LA, San Francisco and Vancouver are the largest North American gateways to ANZ, and it’s a 15-hour flight from any of them to get down-under.
That’s a long way, and if you’ve only got a week to spare it’s a non-starter. For those with a bit more time, it’s well worth exploring. Here are some reasons why you want to visit:
- It’s easy. The Aussies and Kiwis may talk funny, but they all speak English, and in many regards it’s easier than traveling within Europe.
- It’s unique. There are many species of animal, birds (and other) that only exist down-under. The geology and geography are also much different than here.
- It’s diverse. We tend to think of Australia as a beach – and there are plenty of those. It also has a ton of other geography in its vast land mass. Australia is about the same size as the Lower 48 – so it is huge. New Zealand, while only about the size of Colorado, is even MORE diverse in terms of its climate and geography. They have beautiful sandy tropical beaches in the North, and snow-capped volcano glaciers in the south. There are wineries, hot springs, and a series of charming small cities and towns throughout the country.
Ways to see Australia & New Zealand
There are essentially 3 types of cruises to Australia/New Zealand:
- A cruise that starts or finishes in Australia, but with most of the port stops in New Zealand. This is the most common cruise, and for many people the best choice. These trips are usually 2 weeks long. Other than Auckland (a city of 2 million), NZ is a series of charming smaller cities and towns, and a ship is a great way to explore them.
- A cruise that starts or finishes in Australia and visits the South Pacific Islands or Southeast Asia.
- A circumnavigation of Australia. Only consider this cruise if you really like sea days. As noted above, Australia is as big as the USA, but with only 25 million people – so the cities and settlements are few and far between. These cruises are a minimum of 4 weeks, and often have fewer than 10 port stops.
Here are my best suggestions for seeing these two beautiful countries:
- Go for as long as you can. The flight is long, and never cheap.
- See both countries. Australia tends to attract more visitors, but in many ways there is more to see in New Zealand.
- Cruise ships are in ANZ November through April – the Austral spring & summer.
- In repositioning season, the cruise ships migrate between Alaska and the South Pacific. If you don’t feel like a 15 hour flight, you can make the journey one-way by ship. They either cross to Japan, and then down the east side of Asia, OR head out to Hawaii, and then to Fiji, Tahiti and the Pacific Islands. Either trip is usually about 4 weeks.
As different as these countries are from the United States, and each other, they are probably the MOST like us when it comes to travel. English is overwhelmingly the most spoken language in both places, and their infrastructure is very similar to ours.
Today’s Travel Opportunities
OCEANIA PRIVATE SALE
If you’re considering a trip to Australia & New Zealand (or really anywhere else Oceania goes – which is everywhere), then we can get you 5% off their best price for a veranda (and above) if you book this month. Here are some examples:
Auckland to Sydney departing December 8, 2024 for 14-days
- Visit Auckland, Rotorua, Napier, Picton, Christchurch, Dunedin, Bluff, Milford Sound, Melbourne (overnight), Tasmania, Sydney.
- Verandas from $7099 with a $400 per person shore excursion credit.
Sydney to Tahiti departing December 10, 2025 for 19-days
- Visit Sydney, New Caledonia, Mystery Island, Fiji (2 stops), Tonga (2 stops), Samoa, Pago Pago, Cook Islands, Bora Bora, Huahine, Moorea, Papeete (overnight)
- Verandas from $8599 with a $500 per person shore excursion credit.
Taipei to Perth departing April 14, 2025 for 20-days
- Visit Taiwan (2 stops), Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Java, Bali (overnight), Komodo, Broome, Geraldton, Perth.
- Verandas from $7499 with a $500 per person shore excursion credit, AND prepaid gratuities.
Circumnavigation: Sydney round-trip departing December 22, 2024 for 34 days
- Visit Brisbane, Whitsundays, Cairns, Cooktown, Darwin, Bali (overnight), Komodo, Geraldton, Perth (overnight), Brusselton, Albany, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Portland, Cowes, Melbourne, Geelong, Tasmania, Eden, and Sydney.
- Fares from $8199 with a $900 shore excursion credit.
Repositioning: Auckland to San Diego (via the tropical islands) departing May 28, 2025 for 37-days
- You’ll only have to fly one-way on this one, and then visit Auckland (overnight), Bay of Islands, New Caladonia, Mystery Island, 2 stops in Vanuatu, 2 stops in Fiji, Samoa, Pago Pago, Bora Bora (overnight) Raiatea, Tahiti (overnight), Moorea, Fakarava, Nuka Hiva, Honolulu (overnight), Hilo, San Diego,
- Fares from $9299 with a $900 shore excursions credit.
If you want to look over the hundreds of itineraries available through Oceania: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/cruise-finder#sort=featured:desc&page=1&pageSize=10
AMA WATERWAYS
If you’d prefer a river cruise, then here are a few from AMA Waterways that caught my eye:
Mekong River to Vietnam & Cambodia from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap for 7-nights
- Visit local markets and temples, do a local school visit, get a tuk tuk tour of Phnom Penh, and experience the amazing people, culture and food of the unique part of the world on a fully escorted trip.
- Twin Balcony rooms from $2999 in September 2024, or $3099 in September 2025. Lots of other departures dates available – inquire.
- See our ship tour video of AMA’s Mekong River ship: https://youtu.be/T6YIfrUbDwk?si=oXnRW6fNH9mvO9yX
Rhine & Moselle Rivers from Amsterdam to Basel for 11-days
- Visit Basel, Breisach (for the Black Forest & Riquewihr), Strasbourg, Ludwigshafen, Rudesheim, Rhine Gorge, Bernkastel, Trier, Cochem, Cologne, Amsterdam (overnight).
- Fares from $4599 ($1000 off) on August 4, 2024
- Fares from $4049 on June 15, 2025.
Tulip Cruise departing from Amsterdam March 30, 2025 for 7-nights
- Visit Amsterdam overnight, Kampen (for Flevoland tulip fields), Ghent (for a chocolate workshop), Antwerp (for the Floralia Flower Show), Rotterdam, Kinderdijk (for the windmills), Keukenhof Gardens, and an Amsterdam canal tour.
- Fares from $3299. Other dates between mid-March and early-May available.
TAUCK DOMESTIC LAND CRUISES
You’ve been asking for more domestic options, so here’s a couple:
Michigan Lakes and Mackinac Island from Traverse City to Detroit for 8-days
- Visit Traverse City (for the sand dunes, vineyards, and sandy beaches), Petoskey, Mackinac island, Midland, Bay City, Frankenmuth Bavarian Village, Dearborn (for Henry Ford Museum), Detroit.
- Limited space from now through October in 2024 from $4890 per person.
- Departures in 2025: May to October from $5290 per person.
Hot Air Balloon Festival in New Mexico from Albuquerque to Santa Fe for one week:
- Visit Albuquerque (historic old town and sawmill district), Pueblo Culture center, and Nuclear Science museum, Bandalier National Monument, Taos, float trip on Rio Grande, Santa Fe, Georgia O’Keeffe museum.
- Be part of the world’s largest hot air balloon festival
- Daily departures October 6 – 13 from $5990 per person
Have something to say about this?
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If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
