Which cruise line?

[adias.angel]

Eventually we would like to take a cruise to Australia as my BF has been dying to see it since he was a little boy. Which cruise line for a young 20's couple who are not into water activities? Also what are some things that are a must see. Thanks, Carla

[Rev22:17]

Carla,

Originally Posted by You

Eventually we would like to take a cruise to Australia as my BF has been dying to see it since he was a little boy. Which cruise line for a young 20's couple who are not into water activities?

Most of the major cruise lines with ships going to Australia and New Zealand offer very similar itineraries with a similar variety of shore excursions in each port of call, so you would be best served by the cruise line that's the best match for your personal style. Here, "not into watersports" is pretty much a wash. I'm more concerned with whether you and your significant other prefer "pretzels and beer," "wine and cheese," or "cmapagne and caviar," for example. None of these preferences are any better or worse than any other, but you and your significant other would be a better served by a line that caters to your preferred style than by a line where you and he have to spend most of the cruise pretending to be what you are not.

Do yourself the favor of stopping into a bookstore, picking up a guidebook to cruise lines and cruise ships, reading the descriptions of the lines carefully, and discussing the differences in style with your significant other to sort out which lines would be a good match. If you do this, I think that the appropriate lines for you and your significant other will be readily apparent.

Norm.

[Lombard]

Originally Posted by adias.angel

Eventually we would like to take a cruise to Australia as my BF has been dying to see it since he was a little boy. Which cruise line for a young 20's couple who are not into water activities? Also what are some things that are a must see. Thanks, Carla

Carla go to http://www.pocruises.com.au/ which is the web site for the only cruise company based in this area.
They have cruises to south pacific islands and also cruises that hit a few ozzy ports as well.
P&O have a younger customer base.

Princess line has the "pacific princess" which occasionally cruises all the way around ozzy (anti clockwise).
They also have a larger ship (sapphire princess this year) cruising between ozzy and NZ during our summer.

Both web sites have excursion pages for each port associated with each cruise.

I have not yet looked at Celebrity's web site for their inaugural season down here.

[adias.angel]

Originally Posted by Rev22:17

I'm more concerned with whether you and your significant other prefer "pretzels and beer," "wine and cheese," or "cmapagne and caviar," for example.

Actually we are more the pop and cookies kind of couple. Typical engineers huh?

Thats for the tip on the guide book. I am a frequent customer at our local bookstore. I guess that will be my next purchase, Carla

[kmm44]

Last summer DH overheard pax on our N. European Jewel of the Seas cruise raving about two "must do" cruises, Mexican Riviera and Aust/NZ. Shortly after we got home in early July, he asked me to do some research on the MR cruises. I chose the Mercury 11-night out of San Diego for 1/29/07. Last fall I looked to see which lines went to Aust/NZ and was disappointed to see that Celebrity and RCCL were not listed, since those are the only lines we cruise. I looked again a couple of days later and was pleased to see that X's Mercury had been added to the list. We booked Mercury's Jan. 20 cruise from Sydney to Aukland while on the MR cruise and have since added an extra day in Syd. and two extra days in Auk. I love it that DH initiated the desire for these cruises and I didn't have to do any arm-twisting, in spite of the $$$. I think he realizes we aren't getting any younger and we better "make hay while the sunshines", .
This will be Mercury's only season for the Aust/NZ itinerary. She is the "guinea pig", so to speak. The cruises are almost all sold out already and X is putting the larger Millenium in that slot starting the next season to accomodate more pax, but the price will surely go up.
I would recommend Celebrity, even if you are pop and cookies engineers. DH is a retired engineer!
Are you from the midwest? I noticed you use the term "pop" instead of "soda". We are "pop" people, too. We were camping with our kids years ago in upstate NY and asked if there was a "pop" machine somewhere. The boy at the counter looked blankly at us until his co-worker explained what we meant To me, "soda" is an ice cream soda.

1/02 Explorer E. Carib.
1/03 Explorer W. Carib.
8/03 Summit Alaska cruise/tour
2/04 Adventure S. Carib.
2/05 Galaxy Panama Canal
6/06 Jewel Brit. Isles/Nor. Fjords + 3 days in London
1/07 Mercury Mexcan Riviera
1/08 Mercury Aust/NZ

[Rev22:17]

Carla,

[quote="You"]Actually we are more the pop and cookies kind of couple. Typical engineers huh? [quote="You"]

Hmmm....

Unfortunately, Disney Cruises does not go there yet. Nonetheless, most cruise lines do a good job of catering to the "pop and cookies" crowd. ;-)

I'm not so sure about the "typical engineers" part, though. The engineers that I know are, quite literally, all over the map....

Originally Posted by You

Thats for the tip on the guide book. I am a frequent customer at our local bookstore. I guess that will be my next purchase,

You're welcome, and happy cruising!

Norm.