A cruise can take you to places you never dreamt you’d visit: Antarctica, the Bahamas, or Australia’s top end, amongst many others. Cruising is also relaxing – you only need to unpack once – and yet you will see many different destinations.
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Beginners guide to cruising
Want to dip your toe in the waters of cruising but not sure what to expect? With the help of Brett Jardine from the International Cruise Council Australasia, we answer your cruising questions.
Q. Polly
I have heard a lot about cruising holidays and am keen to give it a go but how do I know I will like it?
A. Polly, it’s difficult to know if you will enjoy cruising without giving it a go. If you’re open minded about trying new things, meeting new people and seeing new places in bite sized chunks, then cruising should be the kind of holiday that you would enjoy. More often than not, it’s the misconceptions about cruising which put people off. YOURLifeChoices has debunked the most common myths about cruising to give you the confidence to get onboard and give it a try
Q. James
Is there a short cruise, which won’t cost the earth, which I could try before committing to something longer?
A. James, cruising is becoming so popular with Australian holidaymakers that companies are offering many options for those who wish to stay closer to home but try something a little different. Where you are located in Australia, may dictate which cruise option suits you best as you may not wish to add the cost of a flight or other travel to your holiday. Some of the options around Australia are:
· Seven days cruising the Kimberleys on a small craft (about 18 people). Kimberley Cruises have specials on several cruises over the next few months.
· Seven days cruising to New Zealand is a great way to go overseas and see several of New Zealand’s picturesque cities. New Zealand Cruises depart from Sydney and offer discounts for different occupations.
· Three nights cruising the Great Barrier Reef is the perfect taster cruise, travelling from Townsville to Cairns or vice versa on the Coral Princess.
Q. Jane
There are many cruises on offer so how can I choose which one suits my needs best?
A. Jane, it’s all down to personal preference, how long you wish to be away for, where you wish to visit and of course, how much you have to spend. YOURLifeChoices have a few useful tips to steer you in the right direction.
Q. Tom
I suffer from sea sickness and this makes me vary about cruising, even though I love the idea. Does my seasickness make cruising an impossibility?
A. Tom, going on holiday only to suffer terrible sickness would be a real tragedy however, most large passenger liners are so stable, you wouldn’t even know you were on the water. Sea sickness is also something which usually disappears once your body has acclimatised to the motion of the boat. There are further steps you can take until your body is used to the motion of the ocean:
Book a mid-ship cabin where you will experience the least amount of motion
Get plenty of fresh air
Drink plenty of water
Keep horizontal, you will be more prone to feeling the motion of the sea when you’re lying down
Getting involved in activities will help keep your mind off the feelings of dizziness and nausea
Walking around will help combat the effects of the motion of the sea
Eat little and often – light meals will be easier to keep down then a full-on three course meal
If these tricks don’t help, there will be an experienced physician on board who will have many clever cures for sea sickness.
Q. Betty
Can you give me any tips for cruising as a single?
A. Betty, as a single cruising can be one of the best types of holidays with so many activities available in which you can get involved. Many singles choose cruising as a way of seeing the world and meeting new people. One thing to keep in mind is your own personal safety. When you disembark at a port, make sure you tell someone where you plan on going and if possible, leave a contact number, such as a mobile. If you can, sight see as part of a group.
Also, it’s great to be open and take people at face value but keep your wits about you and don’t trust your new best friend just because they say you should. Exercise the same caution which you would when meeting any new friends.
Singles are often asked to pay a supplement when travelling and cruising is no different. Some travel agencies will offer hosted trips, gathering together a group of people who are happy to share a bunk with a fellow traveller. You may also wish to consider posting a Personal Ad on YOURLifeChoices and hopefully you can find a like-minded traveller with whom you can meet before you set sail.
Q. Wendy
I would like to see as much on Canada as possible. Is there a package which covers land and cruising?
A. Wendy, while Canada is such a huge land mass, it is also home to some of the most beautiful rivers in the world. Its close proximity to Alaska, also makes it a very popular cruising destination. You may wish to cruise around the coast, cruise across the north of the country or combine rail journeys with river cruises to see the best of this amazing country. Canadian Tourism have a super website which highlight the best sights of Canada and how best to enjoy them. This is a great place to start, work out where you want to go and get advice on some of the cruising packages on offer. For more information, click YOURLifeChoices simple short cut
Q. John
I have saved up to go on the cruise of a lifetime and would like to make sure my wardrobe is suitable for the occasion. Which items should I pack?
A. John, It’s a good idea to pack as you would for any resort holiday. Cruise holidays are casual by day, whether you’re on the ship or ashore. Ships often offer the opportunity to dress for dinner and some will even have formal or black-tie nights while onboard. At the Captain’s Gala, for example, you’ll probably want to wear something more formal, such as a dark suit or a cocktail dress for the ladies, perhaps even a dinner jacket or gown. Think about where you intend to visit when on shore and if in doubt, ask your travel specialist what type of cruise ship you will be on, they will be able to advise how dressy you need to be.
Q. Joan
I would like to take my grandchildren on a cruise. Are there any that are age-appropriate for children?
A. Joan, cruise holidays are the only kind where everyone in the family is able to enjoy a break! Most cruise lines provide supervised activities for youngsters, especially during school holidays. If your grandchildren enjoy swimming, sports, games, movies and the adventure of new places, they’ll love a family cruise. You’ll find that children adapt to shipboard life with ease, the youth counsellors will help keep them busy and entertained and you won’t need to wonder what they’re up to every minute. Ships even offer youth “clubs” that cater to all ages with age-specific activities, from toddlers to teens. Best of all, children generally travel at a reduced rate.
Q. David
Is everything included in the cost of a cruise? Cruising seems expensive but if I have nothing else to pay for, then it may not be such a bad deal.
A. David, cruising offers a great value holiday option and there are cruise holidays to suit every budget. Your cruise fare includes your accommodation, meals, onboard activities and entertainment, plus your transportation from port to port. Some cruise lines also include much more, for a higher price, so speak to your travel agent about which will suit you and make sure you get a definitive list of what is included and what is not before you sign on the line and pay any money.
Q. Mary
I want to make my holiday budget stretch as far as I can. How can I get a good deal on my cruise holiday? Is there a best time to go or book?
A. Mary, some destinations, for example Antarctica and Alaska, have defined seasons and are only accessible in the summer. The best time to travel depends on the destination and your own tastes but the earlier you can book, the better the chances are of getting a great deal and securing the cabin you’d prefer. Remember to shop around and compare.
Q. Geoff
Are there any traps or pitfalls I should be wary of when booking my cruising holiday?
A. Geoff, probably the biggest pitfall to watch out for is not getting enough time to do what you want to do and see what you want to see. Some port stays can be short, leaving you feel a little cheated. If this is your first cruise, you want to make sure that the experience is a good one. You will also want to make sure you’re getting good value for money so shop around and ask exactly what is included and what is not.
Some unfortunate passengers have reached the end of their cruise only to be handed a very large bar tab! Speak with an expert who can advise you on the right cruise for you, check out forums to see what other people have said and always take out good travel insurance before you go!
Q. Terry
If I start my cruise but become ill, can I get treatment?
A. Almost all cruise ships (except for some smaller vessels that operate in coastal waters) have a fully equipped medical facility onboard and staff capable of handling almost any emergency. It’s always a good idea to ensure your travel insurance will cover the cost of any medical treatment you may need while at sea or ashore. For a competitive travel insurance quote, click YOURLifeChoices simple shortcut.
To find an accredited cruising specialist, contact the International Cruise Council Australasia.
Choosing a cruise
Cruising may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is still a great way to see different parts of the world. With so many choices on offer, YOURLifeChoices, subscriber, Sandra, would like to know which company she should choose?
Q. Sandra
I would like to know of any senior rates for Europe cruises in late May. Could you please give me a link where I can enquire about these?
A.
Sandra, there are many companies that offer deal on cruises around Europe however, we would suggest you contact Seniors Holiday Travel. They deal with seniors cruises and can often arrange a travel companion for you if you are travelling alone, which can reduce the cost considerably.
To find out more, visit Seniors Holiday Travel.
Ferry Tales
As I child I spent endless hours bobbing around on the waters of Sydney Harbour in boats of various shapes and sizes. And although it’s many years since I settled happily elsewhere, I’m still captivated by shafts of sunlight slanting through green water and sparkling off sandstone, and by the tang of salt spray and fresh seaweed and the feel of a sea breeze ruffling – or shredding – my hair.
So it was I decided to treat myself to three days in Sydney, rediscovering some of the Harbour’s nooks and crannies. And because money was a bit of an issue (when isn’t it, these days?), I chose to do my exploring on board those wonderful Harbour workhorses, Sydney ferries.
My next great budget-driven decision was to stay at the Russell Hotel, located at the gateway to the Rocks. There are plenty of pricier options in the area, but none with more charm than this friendly B&B, just a spit from Circular Quay. If, unlike me, you want to break up your ferrying, when you head out in the morning, you simply turn left when you exit the Hotel to access the whole Rocks precinct, cross the road for the Museum of Contemporary Art or turn right to head uptown on foot, by bus, or by train from the elevated Circular Quay Station.
But my business was at sea-level so, having bought my Day Tripper ticket, I boarded the good ship Dawn Fraser for Parramatta. For maritime enthusiasts, the Dawn Fraser is a green-and-white RiverCat Class ferry, sleek and comfortable. But my heart belongs to the slightly older green-and-sand First Fleet Class vessels with their chunkier good looks and names evoking Sydney’s past.
It was on board one of these, Friendship, that I took what was to be my favourite journey, to Mosman. It was a gorgeous blue Sydney day. The breeze was gentle, my fellow-passengers good-humoured, and the ferry’s route proved the perfect vantage point for viewing two of well-heeled Sydney’s extremes.
On the Mosman, or north side, suburbs still rich in greenery lined the shore. At first non-plussed by the size of one well-treed expanse, I suddenly realised it was Taronga Zoo, where the animals enjoy what’s possibly the most expensive view in the world, taking in not only the Harbour, but, across the water, Sydney’s super-rich eastern suburbs. There, every skerrick of land seems crammed with mansions and apartment buildings – all those rooms with a view – and it looks ready to sink into the Harbour under the sheer weight.
The same over-building is apparent when you head into the Parramatta River, although it’s balanced to some degree by the stately bond stores and other historic industrial buildings found at this end of the Harbour. Modern-day industry also has a presence; at one point, containers stencilled ‘Hamburg Sud’ or ‘Harijin’ are stacked on the river bank like children’s building blocks. And there are plenty of offices and factories bordering this waterway, but the replanting of mangroves along certain reaches has been so successful that often only odd corners of buildings are visible. The river narrows here, too, and for a moment it’s possible to imagine you’re aboard the African Queen, with German raiders rather than Parramatta Weir lurking round the corner.
What else do I see on the 10 trips I take during my three-day ferry-go-round? Just about every Harbour sight – and sound – I’ve hoped for.
Runabouts, cruisers and sailing boats surround us; one cruiser is so large I think at first it’s another ferry. I wonder at it, but love the sailing boats more. They spank along ahead of the breeze, gaudy spinnakers billowing before them. At sunset, when the breeze drops, they rock gently at anchor, against a sky washed with duck-egg blue and yellow and, finally, the palest green.
Then there’s Luna Park, grinning madly across the water at its more dignified colleague, the Opera House. I hear parents tell their children “It’s not open today”, but as Sirius approaches the Luna Park wharf, it becomes clear they’re wrong. “Will they get away with it?” I wonder – Toby and Ella haven’t sounded particularly biddable during the early part of the trip.
Although Sydney’s main container port is now located in Botany Bay there’s still plenty of evidence that I’m travelling in a working harbour, and I love it. There are water taxis, water police, pilot boats, the naval dockyard and a business called Sydney Ship Repair & Engineering which seems to be located on an island (I check, it is; it’s on Goat Island and boasts ‘a complete service centre for vessels of all sizes and types’). I see a dredge branded Bluewater Constructions bustling off to a job and a single container ship, Helcion, squeezing itself under the Harbour Bridge. It gives a loud hoot, which I hope doesn’t alarm the climbers who seem to swarm over the Bridge from dawn to dusk, looking like so many ants. Trailing the Helcion is a tiny tug; it reminds me of a small child taking a Great Dane for a stroll.
Then there is the people-watching and eavesdropping – both abundant as I enjoy my ferry-go-round.
First, my fellow-passengers. Visitors and locals alike are good-humoured, unless the kids are whinging. But the kids are, for the most part, enjoying their ferry adventure – I hear claims that smack of bravado: “I’m the only not scared one” and ‘there’s no-one going more faster than us”. En route to Neutral Bay, a Swedish girl tells her companion of research she’s involved in – is there really a link between humans and whales and, if so, what is it? Two Indian boys are keen to photograph each other with the Opera House as a backdrop, and I help with the logistics. Another boy, also from India or perhaps Pakistan, tells his mate, “It’s your first time, so I’ll take the pics” – wonderfully oblivious to what this might mean in the Australian idiom.
There are also tantalising glimpses of life ashore. The Dawn Fraser hoots and we all wave at a photo shoot for a wedding. In another corner of the same park, two lovers are snoozing, so close they look as if they’ve almost melted into each other. Back on the water, three kids and a dog lie back and relax as Dad expertly takes the family runabout for a spin. I actually see lots of sea-dogs, but none so elegant as the Dalmation assisting his owners pack up the banana lounges on the terrace after a day in the sun. I pass the same house the next day – more prosaically, there’s a doona draped over the balcony to air. A few doors down, a man sits over his morning coffee and paper and a few levels down, a woman is exercising more dogs.
On Greenwich Wharf, a young man is fishing. I will him to catch something, as I do his counterpart trying his luck from the park on Avenue Road, Mosman while his girlfriend stretches out on a bench, reading a book. At Watsons Bay I sit under the huge Moreton Bay fig trees, watching children paddle where mine once did.
Apart from this abundance of sights and sounds, Sydney’s ferries are also simply a great way to get around, sparing you the horrors of road traffic and often offering the most direct route – for example, from Manly to Darling Harbour (change at Circular Quay, please). They link with numerous shopping and entertainment meccas (including Olympic Park, Manly, Darling Harbour and über-smart Double Bay), and walks such as Colonial Parramatta, Balmain History Trail, the Arts and Gardens Walk and the Manly Scenic Walkway. Alight from the Watsons Bay ferry at Rose Bay, and you can take a ride in a seaplane from what was Australia’s first international airport.
While I was writing this article, a TV ad from a fast food company caught my eye. It claimed that $20 won’t buy you a harbour cruise these days, although it will buy you a bucketful of their product.
Readers, they’re wrong: $20 will buy you a whole day criss-crossing one of the world’s greatest harbours, and leave you enough change for a coffee or, if you can spare another couple of dollars, a mammoth Royal Copenhagen ice-cream when you get back to the Quay.
More
The Russell Hotel is located at 143a George Street, The Rocks. Check its website and www.wotif.com for specials.
Ph (02) 9241 3543
Web www.therussell.com.au
Sydney Ferries Corporation’s Guide to Sydney highlights popular locations on ferry routes. Pick up the Guide and timetables free at Circular Quay; the main Information office is on Wharf 4. Timetables can also be viewed online.
Ticket options include the DayTripper ($16.00 adult) and Pensioner Excursion ticket ($2.50; available to all Australian Pensioner Concession Card holders and some others); both allow unlimited all-day travel on regular Sydney Ferries (not Manly JetCats) and other public transport in the Sydney suburban area.
Ph 131 500 (Transport Infoline)
Web www.sydneyferries.info
For information about seaplane flights, visit www.seaplans.com.au
Cargo Ships
In Sydney, Freighter Travel books for the German NSB shipping company, for trips from Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle to Europe and Britain via Singapore and the Suez Canal.
Go there
The Columbus Line, now known as the Hamburg Süd, goes from Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne to the west coast of the United States via Tahiti, or to the east coast via the Panama Canal.
Go there
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