Sarah16

Mum, aged 86, is coming to visit next April and would like to do a week long river cruise while she is here. I live in Sydney but mum is happy to travel anywhere in Australia; she has a pacemaker fitted but other than that is quite healthy.
Would love to hear recommendations, suggestions and any advice.

ozzieeagle

Interesting subject, not heard of anyone talking about this before, so I had a quick look. I dont think there are many available, and most if not all of these cruises apply to the Murray River.

So AFAIK the limited choice starts with this website.... Hopefully there are some others around. You may be restricted to South Australia with these, not that that is a bad thing.


http://www.cruisemurray.com.au/index.php/

Here is another through Victoria for 7 nights...

http://www.coorongcruises.com.au/gmr...camildura.html

I dont know anyone thats been on one.

Red_V_Roger

Captain Cook Cruises have Murray River options http://www.captaincook.com.au/home.a...61F5DD27C61DDC

Other than that, I think you would be looking at renting a house boat and doing it yourself.

Pollyana

Some fantastic cruises in Tassie, but not that long. Even the Gordon River is only a day long. Great cruise to do though.

ProudVIC

I've been on the Gordon River one which is quite spectacular through Macquarie Harbour and ending up in idyllic rainforest.

I know of heaps of fantastic cruises that are only a couple of hours long but I guess that doesn't help out much in this case. Don't know of any week long cruises but I guess along the Murray there might be some. Mostly paddle steamers though.

moneypenny20

I can't think of any Australian rivers that are deep enough and wide enough for long enough to do more than a few hours. Doing the paddle steamer cruises up and down the Brisbane river are quite good but I don't think I'd fly from Sydney to do them.

ozzieeagle

There are 7 day cruises from Echuca to Mildura and some in South Aus. I think that at times the Paddle steamers just pull up along the riverbank on Murray, which could be slightly dodgy for someone in their 80's. Just goes to show how much development potential there is along the Murray.

fish.01

I think the cruises in the north west of Western Australia (Kimberley's etc) are the most spectacular (and expensive).

moneypenny20

Not sure an 86 year old with a pacemaker should be travelling those waterfalls but she could be up for it.

fish.01

My mate went on one of these cruises and said the helicopter flew them from the boat to a mid-plateau of waterfalls to have a gourmet picnic lunch prepared and served by chefs who had been flown up earlier.

When taking a chopper flight over the surrounding outback they were asked to spot a cave of their own choice and the pilot would drop them there. They randomly chose one and found a cave full of amazing aboriginal art done in a unique style.

fish.01

I imagine there might be less activity than a normal river cruise - not too many places to pull over

DeadVim

From my cruise experience the peak of physical activity comes at Buffet Time ... I am 39 ... I will die before I go on another ... Or take up golf.

fish.01

Know what you mean....went on a cruise for my 40th and started to walk the 6 floors to the restaurant

Pollyana

I couldn't cope with that kind of cruise, I like the short ones - something like the Gordon River, which is truly beautiful, but I think I'd get cabin fever stuck on a ship for several days - specially if I didn't get one with anyone else there! Gorgeous pictures of the Kimberley one

irishbloo

I was having a heart attack just looking.