Curator’s statement
This was my first Princess Cruise, which deepened my love of adventure and cruising. I love the concept of unpacking once while enjoying multiple days and multiple different ports throughout the duration of the trip. It’s the right pace to actively explore each port by day, and then return to the ship when you’re ready for some rest, dinner or relaxing with cocktails by the pool or at one of the many lounges onboard. I appreciated the art shows, ample entertainment options and also the quiet corners available to slip away to read a book when I needed some space. One amazing feature of this cruise was the huge outdoor movie screen. Princess had heavy blankets available to use during movie nights which were very much appreciated. There weren’t too many people taking advantage of the open chilly sky and movie, but I found it amazing – and they even had popcorn! On the last night, there was no movie and the upper deck was dark enough to see the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. Thankfully, the clouds parted enough to see the Southern Cross constellation (Crux), which was a bucket-list item for me and several other passengers.
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Pre-cruise stay:
The cruise departed from Sydney, Australia. We stayed at and highly recommend the Sydney Harbour Hotel for at least one night before your Sydney departure. The hotel is located in the area known as “The Rocks”, which is a very walkable promenade along Sydney Harbour. Sydney Harbour Waterfront views including the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, walking distance to multiple restaurants, giftshops, bars, cafes and the weekend farmer’s market. The rooftop pool area had amazing skyline views which exploded with lights and fireworks at night. The Sydney Harbour Hotel also had a breakfast buffet available for a moderate fee. The hotel was an easy 5-10 minute walk to the cruise port.
Essentials to bring:
Essentials for this cruise is a rain jacket and closed-toe shoes to stay dry and warm.
The ship:
We were aboard the Royal Princess. We enjoyed a Thermal Spa Pass for the entirety of the cruise (13 days). The spa had a decent sized Thermal area with hot tubs, waterfall massage, wave rollers (divine!) and heated loungers.
Port calls:
The ports we visited included Melbourne, Hobart (Tasmania), Milford Sound (Fiordland National Park), Dunedin (New Zealand), Wellington (New Zealand), Tauranga (New Zealand) and disembarked in Auckland (New Zealand.) My favorite port was Tauranga where we participated in a real Haka performed by the Maori Tribe.
Additional costs:
We rode on the New Zealand Railway in Dunedin through the Taieri Gorge Route. This allowed for viewing the mountainous region and we passed through eight tunnels along the out-and-back ride. The Thermal Spa was an extra cost at $200-ish. Being onboard for 13 days made the price very reasonable.
Princess had two meals included for specialty dining during our cruise. We were with a group of eight passengers and had the same table each night at the same time with the same waiter and server. They had exceptional customer service skills and knew our beverage orders by heart in no time.
Need to know
I traveled during February 2024 with a group of eight. The weather was warm enough most days to sit around the pool, but not many were actually in the water due to chilly temperatures. This was another reason the Thermal Spa was a great choice for this cruise. One of the best displays of nature I've ever seen was cruising through the Milford Sound. The Captain of the Royal Princess noted that we had one of the best days (weather-wise) to pass through. The rain had cleared out and fog was lifting just enough for the sun to peek through from time to time. The sheer height of the mountains right alongside the ship was incredible to witness. The fjords of New Zealand were breathtaking. I had only experienced these in Alaska, but these were better. Absolutely incredible!
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Travel Advisor
Lisa Hale
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