Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

LOL I was thinking the same, could fly buisness with what you'd be spending on the cruise and have a luxery hotel for a couple of nights on route :)

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

Yep. Wonder how much business class costs these days? *Wanders off to check*

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

We once did Melbourne to Southampton on Chandris Lines 'Britanis'. It took about 40 days and we went Melbourne to Sydney (1/2 day bus tour of Harbour etc thrown in); Sydney to Wellington (1/2 day to explore the city, ship berthed 'downtown'); was meant to be Wellington to Tahiti but the weather was so bad the Tahiti stop was cancelled and we went on through the Panama Canal Zone with a 1/2 day stop in Balbao on the Pacific side; stopped at Curacao then the Azores and finally to Southampton.

How was it? Well, I discovered I got bad seasickness so spent most of Sydney to Panama feeling very ill! It's in theory a good way to 'see the world' and it was great to see the places mentioned but to be honest for much of the time we were bored. There's only so much reading, deck quoits etc you can do and for over 90% of the time you are looking at the sea.

Each to their own but I'd rather fly and have a lot of longer stopovers as frankly a 1/2 day whistle stop tour of each place wasn't enough. Suffice to say we cashed in our return ticket (at considerable loss) and flew back home. But each to their own, others might like shipboard life.

OzTennis :)

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

Yea, I reckon you're right. I have the attention span of a gnat as it is so I suspect I would get bored even on one of these super-liners.

Re: Business Class - just did a quick check on Expedia. Turned up the following prices for a single ticket to Sydney flying in mid June.

Cathay: £1,591.90
Emirates: £1,958.30
BA: £2,292.70
Malaysia: £2,768.10
Virgin: £4,304.20
Quantas: £4,309.20

To which I say - "****ing hell there's a hell of a difference in those prices!" :)

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

Probably cheaper to get a return?? cant be arsed to look sorry :o

We are getting return flights so I can come back and visit mum in 6 months :)

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

My parents were 10 pound poms and returned to the UK about 2/3 years later. When they left Sydney they decided to travel back on a ship. It took them 6 weeks but they loved every minute of it. They saw so many countries and it's something I'm sure they would love to do again.

If I had the money I would do it that way!!! ;)

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

We were thinking possibly a trip to the states inbetween. Fly to NYC and then maybe trip across to California and a flight from LAX to Oz. Nice! :beer:

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

I wanna go via Singapore, my parents and siblings used to live there, so I've always wanted to see it :)

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

There was the linguistically challenged boat owner who took his dirty greaty flybridge out from his Raby Bay home to Peel Island (not really that far). Ran out of fuel outbound off Cleveland Point (about 1km from home). Weather conditions at the time: excellent visiblity, fine & no wind - drifter!
Off Cleveland Point (about 100m offshore) the flybridge is amidst a lot of tinnies that are fishing. At the same time, a yacht race is trying to drift towards a marker off Cleveland Point.

Hmm what did our hero do next?
1. Makes a garbled mobile phone call for assistance.
Then
2. "This orange V sheet thingy makes a nice flag."
3. "This self lighting thingy gives off a terrible orange smoke that is making a mess on my shiney new boat."
4. "I can't hear this expensive electronic thingy making a sound".

Radio traffic went beserk ALL OVER the bay (including off Bribie Island) reporting a flare sighting. Under IYRC rulles the yachts had to cease racing and render assistance (not really sure what they could do though).

Of course Cleveland Point is under final approach to Brisbane Airport so the poor pilots had to handle the EPIRB alert as well!

Yep Moreton Bay can be a dangerous place. :D :D

WW

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

We went on Oriana for 2 weeks last year with our 3 daughters who were then aged 7,9 and 10. She is a beautiful ship, very elegant. It was the best holiday we have ever had! If you can afford it then go for it.

Tracy

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

Sounds like a sketch off the Benny Hill Show! Amazing what people do when at Sea. I bet there is a website all about calamities at sea. I shall search now.

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

Thank christ we don't & never have owned a flybridge - Wasn't us, promise!! :D

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

No sketch.

He could have nearly walked to shore.

Having money doesnt neccessary mean some people can buy the brains to go with it. As the boat would now be a few years old, the good news is he has probably sold it.

And bought a bigger one... :scared:

WW

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

Hi there

Friends of ours emigrated to New Zealand earlier this year and went out on the Oriana last January. Another family we know were also on the same ship and sailed a bit further onto Sydney and then to their new home in Adelaide. The ones in New Zealand we keep in touch with and they told us there were about 6 families all emigrating to Oz on the same ship. We have seen the photos and it looked fantastic. They had the opportunity to see and do so much on the way AND they arrived with NO jet lag!! :)

These ships have loads of facilities and wonderful food - most of it included in the price. When they had days at see the children spent the day in the kids club!

If we had the time and money it is something I would love to do!

Carolyn :)

Re: Sailing to Australia?
 

Start the Evenrude and I'll see you in 40 days, Lol. :D

Flash.