2 days from now I’m flying into Melbourne, Australia to enjoy some more time exploring that Beautiful part of the World!
As you’ll see here, my first visit “Down Under” was a 3-week “Tauck Land Tour” which showed me both Australia & New Zealand and then for my second visit, as you’ll see here, I took a 17-night Cruise on “Regent Seven Seas Cruises” that started in Bali, Indonesia and ended up in Sydney, Australia.
FYI, this time around I’m on a modified 8-night Tauck Land Tour which isn’t one they offer to the public… as I talk about here, I do A LOT of business with Tauck (And I’m also on their Advisory Board, which helps me truly serve my Tauck clients really well as I know Tauck inside & out and have all the connections I need to help you have Great trips! 🙂) and this Land Tour is exclusively for their top 5 sellers in North America so I’m not going to get into the details of this particular trip that I’m going on since it’s not one you can do yourself…
…but, I do want to talk to you about a question I get often from my clients which is…
“Shawn, for our trip to Australia & New Zealand, should we take a Cruise or a Tauck Land Tour?”
So, let’s get into it and let me tell you what I tell my clients who want to visit this Beautiful part of the World.
As you’ll see here, I’ve personally been on 87 Cruises to date all around the World so I TRULY love Cruising… it’s my favorite method of travel and if it makes sense to visit a new destination by an Ocean Cruise or River Cruise… I’m going to do that 100% of the time! 😉
But, as I talk about here, Cruises don’t go everywhere in the World (An African Safari in Kenya/Tanzania/Rwanda for example isn’t something you can do on a Cruise ship) and even for some places where Cruises do go…
…a Land Tour is sometimes a better way to explore that destination than a Cruise is.
For example, up until when I started selling Tauck Land Tours, I had clients visit Countries like India and Australia & New Zealand and Morocco and Africa and Japan, etc. by Cruise ship but, the feedback from my clients was always they wished they’d seen more of those fascinating Countries!
But once I started booking clients on Land Tours with Tauck to those places, the reviews from my clients were so Amazing & my clients Raved about them so much that I knew a Land Tour was the BEST way to see those Countries… even for a Cruise Lover like me… as I’d get to see much more in the time I was there compared to on a Cruise… and when flying halfway around the World you want to see everything possible & maximize your time as much as possible!
And, at least in my opinion, I believe Australia & New Zealand is one of those areas where it’s better to do a “Tauck Land Tour” rather than take a Cruise to that destination!
Above I mentioned “maximizing” your time as much as possible when you travel…
…which is one of the main reasons I personally booked this Tauck Land Tour for myself in Australia & New Zealand when I first visited “Down Under” as my clients who had done that trip raved about the “Charter/Private” flights Tauck includes during their tour which saves you A LOT of time!! (I’m talking NO checking in or going through security for flights… literally, being dropped off at the plane’s doorstep!!)
So, unlike on a Cruise in that area, you’re not wasting 3-5 days to Cross the Ocean between Australia & New Zealand… you’re simply taking a few-hour flight!
And as the waters can often be rough crossing that area… even in Northern Australia & around Sydney it can be VERY rough, on this Cruise here, I experienced some of the roughest waters ever out of my 87 Cruises… so a Land Tour is a much better option for those without good “Sea Legs”!)
Overall, here was my “end result” from me taking this Tauck Land Tour instead of a Cruise my first time visiting this area…
…again & again when I talk to other people who have been to Australia & New Zealand and we “compare notes”, when I tell them about my trip they keep saying “I didn’t see that” multiple times… they simply couldn’t see all I did due to Tauck’s “Charter/Private” flights that I talk about here which saves A LOT of time so you can see & experience more!
Here are some of the “Highlights” of what I saw & experienced when I did this “Australia & New Zealand” Tauck Land Tour:
I took in a Sunset while enjoying Champagne & Canapes at “Ayers Rock”/Uluru
I stayed at a Luxury Lodge in a Rainforest in Cairns
I took a Skyrail through the Rainforest
I enjoyed a hot air balloon ride in Cairns
I experienced a boat tour & snorkelling in the “Great Barrier Reef”
I pleased my palate on a “foodie” tour in Sydney
I explored Melbourne by foot
I got up close & personal with Crocodiles, Kangaroos, Koalas, Wallabies, Wombats, etc.
I enjoyed a private tour at the Sydney Opera House
I enjoyed a Private Cruise in Sydney Harbor
I experienced many yummy meals & wine tastings in New Zealand
I visited a sheep farm & saw a sheep-sharing demonstration
I enjoyed a Private boat ride through Marlborough Sound while we munched on “Green Tipped Mussels” and sipped on local award-winning “Sauvignon Blanc” wine from the region before being served a home-cooked lunch onboard… yum!! 🙂
I enjoyed a Private boat ride through Milford Sound
I was whisked away on a vigorous jetboat ride through a scenic valley followed by a Helicopter Ride (What an Amazing experience that was!!)
I enjoyed a private dinner at “Sir Peter Jackson’s” museum
I enjoyed a VERY SCENIC lunch in the revolving Restaurant high up in Auckland’s famous “Sky Tower”
I saw a traditional “Maori” cultural music concert
Plus MANY, MANY MORE things!!
So, overall, I saw many/many more highlights of both Australia & New Zealand on this Tauck Land Tour than anyone I’ve ever talked to who’s done a Cruise in these areas as our Private Charter Flights simply gave us more time to explore and we didn’t waste time “at sea” getting between these 2 Countries…
…and don’t get me wrong, as a Cruise Lover as I talk about at the beginning of this article… I love my “sea days”… but when flying 30 hours each way to a faraway place like Australia & New Zealand, it just made sense to me to maximize my time while there as much as possible to see as much as I can!
So, for me, when a client of mine asks…
“Shawn, for our trip to Australia & New Zealand, should we take a Cruise or a Tauck Land Tour?”
I recommend doing this Tauck Land Tour as I know they will come home Very/Very happy travelers after seeing Australia & New Zealand in what I think is the BEST way possible!! 💯😀
Any questions at all about my multiple trips to Australia & New Zealand or to book your own Vacation to Australia & New Zealand or any other Tauck Land Tour or Ocean Cruise or River Cruise… simply contact me here and, as always, I’ll take Great care of you & will help you get your next Memorable trip booked!! 😉
I Appreciate You!!
Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!