DISCOVER DOWN UNDER
16-Night Luxury Cruise
FEBRUARY 6–28, 2015
Friday 02/06 Depart for Australia.
Saturday 02/07 Cross the International Date Line and lose one calendar day.
Sunday 02/08 Arrive in Sydney and connect with the flight to Cairns. Remainder of the day at leisure.
Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & SpaMitre StreetPort Douglas QLD4877AustraliaPhone: 61 7 4084 3500Fax: 61 7 4084 3599
Monday 02/09 Included full-day Great Barrier Reef excursion with lunch. Explore one of the natural wonders of the world, Australia’s breathtaking Great Barrier Reef. Board a Wavepiercer ship and cruise to an outer reef for an experience of a lifetime, seeing the largest coral reef in the world first-hand. This underwater wonderland provides a colorful kaleidoscope of over 200 varieties of coral, over 1,500 species of fish, giant clams, and other fascinating marine life. Enjoy an included morning and afternoon tea, a lunch buffet, and a presentation from a marine biologist. View the magnificent reef from an underwater observatory or a semi-submersible vessel. Snorkeling equipment is provided for those wanting to venture into the water. (Boat tour with a small amount of walking.)Tuesday 02/10 Day at leisure or enjoy an OPTIONAL full-day Daintree and Cape Tribulation excursion with lunch—Your adventure begins with a drive on one of Australia’s great scenic highways en route to Mossman Gorge in the spectacular Daintree National Park. Revel in the splendid scenery of Mossman Gorge—mountains draped in lush rainforest and clear, sparkling waters cascading over granite rocks, as you walk along a forest trail. Learn about the extensive wildlife and enjoy morning tea before taking a cable ferry ride across the Daintree River to Alexandra Lookout for awe-inspiring views of the coast, islands, and Coral Sea. Stop in Noah Valley for a delicious BBQ lunch in a rainforest setting and then continue to the magnificent Cape Tribulation Beach, where the coconut palm-fringed shore offers a spectacular place to stroll. Next, admire the outstanding views from Kulki Lookout to the coral reef, coastline and rainforest below. Conclude your unforgettable day with a cruise on the scenic Daintree River for another view of the area’s fascinating wildlife that includes the elusive saltwater crocodile.(Motor coach, river, and walking tour with a moderate amount of walking.)
Wednesday 02/11 Morning at leisure. Transfer to the airport in the afternoon for the flight to Sydney.
Parkroyal Darling Harbour hotel150 Day StreetSydney NSW 2000AustraliaPhone: 61 2 9261 1188Fax: 61 2 9261 8766
Thursday 02/12 Included morning sightseeing tour of Sydney with a visit to the famous Opera House. Embark on a panoramic tour of Sydney, the first settlement and largest city in Australia. Begin in the vibrant Bondi Junction - a cosmopolitan shopping center in the heart of the Eastern Suburbs, before continuing to the exclusive suburbs of Rose Bay and Double Bay. Pass by the eclectic and famous nightlife district of Kings Cross, revel in the beauty of the Botanical Gardens, see the Conservatorium of Music, and Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair. This historic chair carved out of a rock ledge provides spectacular views of the harbor, including the Sydney Opera House. Continue with a visit to the iconic Opera House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s most distinctive buildings, and find a magnificent concert hall and opera theater within its dazzling white exterior. Conclude your tour at The Rocks, Sydney’s oldest preserved colonial district. (Motor coach and walking tour with a moderate amount of walking.)Transfer to Marina in the afternoon.
CRUISE ITINERARY
FEB 10: Depart for Sydney
FEB 11: In flight
FEB 12: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Depart 6PM
Embark on your luxury cruise aboard Marina in Sydney, the spectacular capital of New South Wales and the site of the first British colony in the country.
Depart 6PM
Embark on your luxury cruise aboard Marina in Sydney, the spectacular capital of New South Wales and the site of the first British colony in the country.
FEB 13: CRUISING THE TASMAN SEA
FEB 14: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Arrive 8AM–Depart 11:59PM
With a rich history and distinctly European flavor, Melbourne is a cultural mecca on the southern coast of Australia’s eastern seaboard. Victorian architecture and myriad museums and galleries complement the city’s scenic splendor. Nearby, the Healesville Sanctuary is considered the best place to view Australian wildlife.
---Kangaroos And Koalas
Arrive 8AM–Depart 11:59PM
With a rich history and distinctly European flavor, Melbourne is a cultural mecca on the southern coast of Australia’s eastern seaboard. Victorian architecture and myriad museums and galleries complement the city’s scenic splendor. Nearby, the Healesville Sanctuary is considered the best place to view Australian wildlife.
---Kangaroos And Koalas
FEB 15: GEELONG, AUSTRALIA
Arrive 8AM–Depart 7PM
Gateway to Australia’s famed Great Ocean Road, Geelong is a port city on Corio Bay and the Barwon River in Victoria. Graced with distinctive architecture, botanical gardens, public art and a lively waterfront, this whimsical city is also renowned for its fascinating National Wool Museum and rare steam-driven, hand-carved wooden carousel.
Arrive 8AM–Depart 7PM
Gateway to Australia’s famed Great Ocean Road, Geelong is a port city on Corio Bay and the Barwon River in Victoria. Graced with distinctive architecture, botanical gardens, public art and a lively waterfront, this whimsical city is also renowned for its fascinating National Wool Museum and rare steam-driven, hand-carved wooden carousel.
FEB 16: CRUISING THE TASMAN SEA
FEB 17: HOBART (TASMANIA), AUSTRALIA
Arrive 8AM–Depart 6PM
Capital of the island state of Tasmania and the second oldest city in Australia, Hobart sits beneath majestic Mount Wellington, which rises 4,000 feet above the city. With a mesmerizing maritime culture, charming downtown area and captivating natural beauty, it’s no wonder Hobart is considered Australia’s most distinctive city.
---Mt. Wellington Descent
Capital of the island state of Tasmania and the second oldest city in Australia, Hobart sits beneath majestic Mount Wellington, which rises 4,000 feet above the city. With a mesmerizing maritime culture, charming downtown area and captivating natural beauty, it’s no wonder Hobart is considered Australia’s most distinctive city.
---Mt. Wellington Descent
FEB 18-19: CRUISING THE TASMAN SEA
FEB 20: CRUISING THE FJORDS OF MILFORD SOUND
Breathtakingly beautiful, this legendary fjord is an incredible natural spectacle of cascading waterfalls, swaths of rainforest clinging to towering cliffs and massive peaks rising vertically from serene waters.
Breathtakingly beautiful, this legendary fjord is an incredible natural spectacle of cascading waterfalls, swaths of rainforest clinging to towering cliffs and massive peaks rising vertically from serene waters.
FEB 21: DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND
Arrive 9AM–Depart 6PM
On the southeast coast of New Zealand’s South Island, Dunedin blends past and present, nature and culture from its perch on verdant hills overlooking a magnificent harbor. Beyond its bustling city center, Dunedin is home to the world’s rarest penguin and is the gateway to the celebrated Otago region.
Arrive 9AM–Depart 6PM
On the southeast coast of New Zealand’s South Island, Dunedin blends past and present, nature and culture from its perch on verdant hills overlooking a magnificent harbor. Beyond its bustling city center, Dunedin is home to the world’s rarest penguin and is the gateway to the celebrated Otago region.
FEB 22: AKAROA, NEW ZEALAND
Arrive 8AM–Depart 6PM
Cradled within the serrated coastline of the Banks Peninsula is the small fishing town of Akaroa, meaning “long harbor” in Maori. Influenced by its European past, today the town is distinguished by its lovely architecture and winding streets appointed with elegant French names.
---Akaroa Harbor Nature Cruise
Arrive 8AM–Depart 6PM
Cradled within the serrated coastline of the Banks Peninsula is the small fishing town of Akaroa, meaning “long harbor” in Maori. Influenced by its European past, today the town is distinguished by its lovely architecture and winding streets appointed with elegant French names.
---Akaroa Harbor Nature Cruise
FEB 23: WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
Arrive 8AM–Depart 5PM
The political center of New Zealand, Wellington is home to the Parliament Buildings, National Archives and National Library. The city is also celebrated for its chic culture and plentiful shops, restaurants and galleries. The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa traces New Zealand’s history, environment, art and Maori heritage.
Arrive 8AM–Depart 5PM
The political center of New Zealand, Wellington is home to the Parliament Buildings, National Archives and National Library. The city is also celebrated for its chic culture and plentiful shops, restaurants and galleries. The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa traces New Zealand’s history, environment, art and Maori heritage.
FEB 24: NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND
Arrive 9AM–Depart 6PM
Arrive 9AM–Depart 6PM
The distinctive Art Deco style of Napier memorializes the city’s resilient rebuilding effort following a devastating earthquake and fire in 1931. Irresistibly delightful, the city features the shore-hugging Marine Parade and the stingray-shaped National Aquarium of New Zealand. Nearby Port Ahuriri marks the first European settlement in the region.
---Cape Kidnappers & Gannet Safari
FEB 25: CRUISING THE SOUTH PACIFIC
FEB 26: TAURANGA, NEW ZEALAND
Arrive 8:45AM–Depart 7:45PM
In the aptly named Bay of Plenty is picturesque Tauranga, home to the Elms Mission House, one of the country’s oldest homes. Just south of Tauranga is the popular town of Rotorua, a haven of Maori culture and a geothermal paradise with its hot springs, bubbling mud pools and gushing geysers.
---A Rotorua Maori Experience & Thermal Reserve
Arrive 8:45AM–Depart 7:45PM
In the aptly named Bay of Plenty is picturesque Tauranga, home to the Elms Mission House, one of the country’s oldest homes. Just south of Tauranga is the popular town of Rotorua, a haven of Maori culture and a geothermal paradise with its hot springs, bubbling mud pools and gushing geysers.
---A Rotorua Maori Experience & Thermal Reserve
FEB 27: BAY OF ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
Arrive 8AM–Depart 6PM
Maori myths and local legends linger throughout the scenic beauty of the Bay of Islands—speckled by some 150 islands and the site of New Zealand’s first English settlement. Spectacular seascapes, secluded coves and sapphire waters flank the region, which proudly claims one of the bluest skies on earth.
---Glow Worm Cave & Puketi Kauri Forest
Arrive 8AM–Depart 6PM
Maori myths and local legends linger throughout the scenic beauty of the Bay of Islands—speckled by some 150 islands and the site of New Zealand’s first English settlement. Spectacular seascapes, secluded coves and sapphire waters flank the region, which proudly claims one of the bluest skies on earth.
---Glow Worm Cave & Puketi Kauri Forest
Keep posting! Looking forward your updates and pictures.
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