What Wish We Knew BEFORE Taking an Australia New Zealand Cruise
Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.
Creator's Key Takeaways
Australia and New Zealand take things one step further. We are really strict about biocurity and don't allow you to take anything off the ship except bottled water.
The Australian visa is pretty inexpensive, around 20 Australian dollars, which is roughly $13 per person. However, the New Zealand visa is a bit more expensive, costing about 117 New Zealand, which is roughly $67 per person.
Many of the cruises in the region are quite long with quite a number of itineraries usually lasting up to 14 days.
The weather during our time in Australia ended up being significantly warmer than we expected with some days reaching 100° F. Yet, the weather New Zealand was cloudy and overcast most of the time with some wind and rain making it feel cooler than the actual temperatures.
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Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.
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💲Get the latest cruise deals and exclusive savings from our trusted travel partner, MEI-Travel: https://mei-travel.com/?apid=escy 🌎Save Up to 40% On Shore Excursions: https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1603014 After our 14-day bucket list cruise on Holland America's Westerdam from Sydney to Auckland, we're sharing critical Australia cruise tips we wish we'd known before sailing. These Australia New Zealand cruise tips will help make your journey down under unforgettable! 🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe for more travel hacks, cruise reviews, and insider tips. https://www.youtube.com/c/EatSleepCruise1 🚢 Essential Planning Tips Different itineraries serve different experiences. Looking for the Great Barrier Reef? You'll need northern routes. Want more of southern Australia? Choose cruises visiting Melbourne, Adelaide, and Tasmania. More cruise lines sail this region than we expected! Beyond Holland America, we discovered Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity offering similar itineraries. By 2026, 14 different cruise lines will operate in these waters. 📝 Must-Know Requirements CRUCIAL: Americans need visas for both countries! We cover the application process and costs (about $13 USD for Australia and $67 USD for New Zealand per person). Strict biosecurity rules mean you cannot bring ANYTHING off the ship except bottled water - no coffee or snacks. Random bag checks with potential fines are common. 💡 Insider Australia Cruise Tips Sydney has TWO cruise terminals with different advantages depending on your ship size. Both countries are primarily cashless - your credit card will be essential everywhere. Wildlife note: No koalas or kangaroos in New Zealand! We recommend the best Australian wildlife sanctuaries. 🌊 Practical Cruise Tips Australia New Zealand The Tasman Sea crossing can be extremely rough - we share essential motion sickness prevention strategies. Pack for dramatic weather variations from 100°F in Australia to cool, rainy conditions in New Zealand. Most ports are working harbors requiring shuttle transportation. We explain how to navigate these systems. Shore excursions here cost $200-300+ per person. We reveal alternatives saving up to 40% without missing your ship. For longer trips, check your ship's laundry options. We compare self-service facilities versus ship services to save on packing. Australia New Zealand Cruise Tips 0:00 Cruise Tips Australia New Zealand 0:40 You Need to Review the Itinerary Options Carefully 1:55 Several Cruise Lines Offer A Variety of Itineraries 3:10 You Will Need to Apply for Visas for Both Countries 4:22 The Countries Are Strict About Biosecurity 5:20 Most of the Region is Cashless 6:15 The Weather Can Be Quite Variable 7:00 There are Two Cruise Terminals in Sydney 7:58 There Are No Kola Bears or Kangaroos in New 8:50 The Tasman Sea Can Be Rough 9:50 Investigate Your Ship's Laundry Situation 10:48 You Can’t Walk Off The Ship at Most Ports 11:40 Shore Excursions Are Expensive 💬 Are you dreaming of taking an Australia New Zealand cruise? Let us know in the comments! Get More Australia New Zealand Cruise Tips on the Blog https://eatsleepcruise.com/australia-and-new-zealand-cruise-review/ ---TRENDING VIDEOS FROM EAT SLEEP CRUISE------ 12 Big Cruise Changes 2025: https://youtu.be/3T3O4fANjS0 The Best New Cruise Ships Coming in 2025: https://youtu.be/E4HDzQJZbaw The Cruise Rip-offs Cruisers Never Pay For On a Cruise: https://youtu.be/cjbKOLTVStQ 31 Cruise Embarkation Day Mistakes: https://youtu.be/6MHk9_3YbmM Join us on Social Media as we “Sea the World, One Port at a Time.” Instagram: https://instagram.com/EatSleepCruise Facebook: https://facebook.com/EatSleepCruise Twitter: https://twitter.com/EatSleepCruise TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@UCEWq5SMTt-0nSCQZLMhoFHA Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/EatSleepCruise