The trip that didn't happen :-(
Last year when I booked our cruise to Mexico, I also found a fantastic rate for a cruise along the east coast of Australia. We weren't sure we were even going to like cruising enough to go, but the final payment wasn't due until after we returned from Mexico, so I figured we could always cancel. Luckily, we both enjoyed it enough to go on another one.
The plan was to fly from PHX to SFO to Auckland NZ, to Sydney. We chose this route for two reasons - it was one of the cheapest flights at the time we booked, plus we wanted to try skycouch on Air New Zealand.
Unfortunately, when we tried to cancel my husband's flight (long story ...), I discovered that my skycouch seats would also get cancelled and I would be in a middle seat for the 12 hour flight! That wasn't going to happen, so I ended up cancelling the flight, with the intention of booking a different flight for just me.
Additionally, cyclone Alfred is heading toward Brisbane, and there is a strong possibility of cancelled ports and rough seas/murky water that would impact snorkeling. As a result, we ultimately decided to cancel the whole trip for both of us and get as many refunds/credits as possible.
This was the itinerary for our planned (cancelled) cruise:
March 7 - Arrive in Sydney
March 8 - begin cruise from Sydney
March 9 - sea day
March 10 - Moreton Island/Tangalooma (snorkel at the wrecks) - I heard this port was cancelled
March 11 - sea day
March 12 - Airlie Beach - we booked a snorkeling excursion (Ocean Rafting Marine Safari) to the Whitsundays in the Great Barrier Reef
March 13 - Cairns - we booked an excursion to Kuranda, the scenic railway, and the Skyrail Rain Forest Cableway
March 14 - Port Douglas- we booked a snorkeling excursion to take a sailing catamaran to the Low Isles on the Great Barrier Reef
March 15-16 - sea days (one is a sail-by of Willis Island, which counts as international waters so the ship can run the casino)
March 17 - Brisbane (disembark)
March 18 - flight home
Time to start planning the replacement trip!
