Summer Cruising Down Under with Rhapsody of the Seas

Written by Gerard Murphy, Director, Bon Voyage Cruises & Travel

In the last few years New Zealand has become one of the fastest growing destinations for the world’s major cruise lines.

Our summer is the cruise world’s off-season so like a shore-bird migration ships head this way from Alaska, Asia and even Europe.

Five or six years ago Royal Caribbean based a ship called Legend of the Seas in Australasia for a couple of summer seasons, cruising between Sydney and Auckland via Tasmania over to Fiordland and right around our coast.  New Zealand cruise passengers were initially attracted by some outstanding prices and then blown away by the great value for money when they boarded the Legend of the Seas.

At that time most of the local cruises were offered on older, smaller vessels out of Sydney so when a sleek modern ship like this sailed into places like Napier, Tauranga, Dunedin and even Wellington she dominated the city and was literally the talk of the town.

This summer Royal Caribbean are back in our waters again with Legend’s sister ship Rhapsody of the Seas and, while these ships at 70,000 tons are not as large as some now visiting our waters, they are still stunning looking ships and offer an outstanding cruise experience.

I was lucky enough to cruise on Legend of the Seas a few years ago and was very impressed. The first impression was of light and spaciousness. You enter through the Centrum, a soaring seven-deck atrium, beautifully decorated with floors of white marble and lots of brass softened by plentiful living plants, soft leathers, muted wood tones and kinetic water sculptures.

They are known as the ‘ships of light’ with over two acres of glass canopies, skylights and floor to ceiling windows offering great views, important for coastal cruising. The sundeck offers a relaxing large pool and spa area in a solarium with retractable glass roof and elsewhere for the more active you will find everything from a well equipped fitness centre, mini-golf course right through to a rock-climbing wall.

The other lasting impression of my short cruise was the fantastic crew. Royal Caribbean hire their people from across the globe, so there are multiple nationalities in all sorts of roles from officers to entertainment and hospitality staff, so their ships have a real United Nations flavour. This really made a difference – a very high standard of service with friendliness and enthusiasm that was memorable.

Food and entertainment is also international and different, from the two level main restaurant though to the spectacular Viking Crown Lounge with 360 degree views right at the top of the ship. There’s something on these ships for everyone.

The Rhapsody of the Seas 2009-2010 Summer Season offers a good variety of cruises and destinations from 8 through to 17 days with 30 ports on offer. Here’s the full schedule:

• 17 night Circumnavigation of Australia in October 09 and February 2010 from $3,295
  Ports of Call: Sydney, Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Cairns; Port Moresby PNG, Darwin, Broome, Exmouth, and Perth.
  

• 10 night Australia & Great Barrier Reef cruises in November 09, December 09 and April 2010 from $2,050
  Ports of Call: Sydney, Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas, Willis Island, Brisbane, Sydney
  

• 14 night Australia & New Zealand in January and February 2010
  Ports of Call: Sydney; Bay Of Islands, Auckland, Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound, Milford Sound, Sydney
  

• 17 night Australia & New Zealand in December 2009
  Ports of Call: Sydney, Melbourne, Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound, Dunedin, Christchurch, Picton, Wellington, Napier, Volcanic White Island, Tauranga, Auckland, Bay Of Islands, Sydney

• 8 night Tasmanian Cruise in February 2010 from $1,795
  Ports of Call: Sydney, Melbourne, Burnie, Hobart, Sydney
  

• 16 night South Pacific cruise in April 2010
  Ports of Call: Sydney, Bora Bora, Raiatea, Papeete, Moorea, Lahaina (Maui), Honolulu
  

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