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hey y'all! finalizing vacation bids w/Boss for next year and thinking 2 wks in Oz might be the thing (he went once before on family cruise including NZ)
What's the best time for general nonrev? we're DL/Skyteam and we have Skymiles for upgrades/cnx if need be for <gasp> confirmed seats!@!
any pre-planning advice??
I'm gathering you just pay taxes on DL... no fare component? We pay zed low on CX or medium on others, so if someone wants to take QF/DL etc there are usually deals in US of USD$700-900rtn in economy for confirmed seat to stimulate travel here,for us to travel the other way return is another matter!! (more $$). So in terms of comparison to a zed it isn't much more for a confirmed seat, but if you pay taxes only a lot more I guess. But a confirmed seat then upgrades on miles sounds like a good idea...
I couldn't tell you what time is a good time to nonrev here... I never had trouble in March/April on QF. Had a LOT of trouble in October/November, and my friend had a lot of trouble on DL this month.
Are you just doing SYD or other places? First time?
first for me--he did the cruise w/some family (his 9 yr old stayed on board and ate cheeseburgers...) and most stops were NZ.
we never spend more than 3-4 nights in most places. got an idea for itinerary?
Our DL seats are free (fees only) and IF we wanted confirmed steerage we can use his "award" tkts (that is NOT happening w/his seniority!)
I guess we can still buy a OzPass of some sort? We also have partnership with VAustralia (??) (we also have Skymiles)
We bid for last wk Jan, first in Feb combo for 2011. We do have 2 wks end Sept spill Oct. We can add to front end easily.
I'm just starting to consider ideas--throw them at me!! Thanks in advance!
Did my trip to SYD in March so that seems all right since Nick mentioned it as well.
I flew NRSA on QF.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mrs767er @ Jan 29 2010, 01:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>So I take it if you do 3-4 nights in places you are going to go to cities other than Sydney?Quote:
We bid for last wk Jan, first in Feb combo for 2011. We do have 2 wks end Sept spill Oct. We can add to front end easily.
I'm just starting to consider ideas--throw them at me!! Thanks in advance![/b]
What are you into? Flashy touristic sites? The outback? Beaches? Food/wine? Nature?
Sydney is very flashy and the tourist capial with most icons. Melbourne is more about the arts, food and coffee. Adelaide is good for wineries. Tasmania is good for nature. Northern Territory will give you that outback feel. Queensland is good for beaches and diving.
Let me know and i'll hit you up with some ideas.
You have a ZED with QF right? If I were you i'd check out www.tigerairways.com.au - it's basic but very safe and would prob be cheaper than ZEDs. I got a fare to Tasmania for $2.60 in a few weeks (+$20 taxes, +$6 "convenience fee" etc... you get the drift).
wow--I just looked at the V agreement we have--kinda complicated! it's a service charge basis and must be requested in advance blah blah blah
We do have ZEDM with Qantas and if using jetstar--sep listing/zed for those flights
we're not "city" people--not shoppers--more culture, outdoor--he goes outdoors, I watch him and drink! I love the spa stuff (Lillianfels is one of our targets I get discounts from luxurylink.com) as well as the Observatory and Diamont. I adore tragic opera and I really want to see the Opera House--he's willing to see his first there.
my husband fell in love w/Hobart-It sounds perfect to spend some serious time.
we like beaches but not to just cram into lounges and drink beer (sorry, I know that's a national pastime, Nick..)
I'm the wine-r and foodie so that appeals to me, but not the upscale $$ end--good eats, great prices
hmmm....just starting to sort thru options!@
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mrs767er @ Feb 1 2010, 04:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>As in V Australia or Virgin Blue? Or does V agreement mean something totally different? If you mean those two their staff travel policies are WHACKED.Quote:
wow--I just looked at the V agreement we have--kinda complicated! it's a service charge basis and must be requested in advance blah blah blah
We do have ZEDM with Qantas and if using jetstar--sep listing/zed for those flights
we're not "city" people--not shoppers--more culture, outdoor--he goes outdoors, I watch him and drink! I love the spa stuff (Lillianfels is one of our targets I get discounts from luxurylink.com) as well as the Observatory and Diamont. I adore tragic opera and I really want to see the Opera House--he's willing to see his first there.
my husband fell in love w/Hobart-It sounds perfect to spend some serious time.
we like beaches but not to just cram into lounges and drink beer (sorry, I know that's a national pastime, Nick..)
I'm the wine-r and foodie so that appeals to me, but not the upscale $$ end--good eats, great prices
hmmm....just starting to sort thru options!@[/b]
If you don't mind being locked in to flights, I would seriously look at tiger airways or jetstar kk tickets. On a sale or a few weeks out they will be far far cheaper than a ZEDM.
Go to the opera and see something, it is worth the cost. Are you OK with heights? Do the bridge climb if you are. Rather $ but i've heard good things. As for nature in SYD - blue mountains. In syd a good central place to stay is circular quay, but bear in mind it is expensive as is all food nearby (tourist trap). Darling harbour is ok but a bit further away. Downtown is ideal. Also there is heaps of public transport in SYD, but it is run like a sham. No ticket is valid for everything so you need new tickets each time, and the ferries are expensive.
If you want to drink (wine?) MEL and ADL are the bets. Good wineries. Also near Melbourne I would recommend you google Daylesford/Hepburn Springs area for spas - both a great weekend away with good spas/pampering and great food. As for nature we have the 12 apostles and penguin parade... google those. Oh and and open range zoo. Food in MEL is excellent, we have everything you could want. Vietnamese? Head to victoria st. Middle eastern? Head to sydney road. Italian? head to lygon st (not best italian ever mind you). Cheap at these local places too... much cheaper than city and you can get there on a tram and our public transport tickets are valid on trains/trams/buses as one ticket. Did you know we have the largest tram network in the world based on length of track? We have the most bars per captia in Australia too... lots hidden in laneways, jazz clubs etc.
As for nature you would LOVE Tasmania. You can drive up and down in hours, and stop at wineries, cheese factories, brewery tours, distilleries. Great seafood, wine, dairy and nature.
If any of that interests you let me know and i'll shoot you more details somehow
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (29Palms @ Feb 1 2010, 05:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>Haha no worries. What was so weird? I'm curious!Quote:
Down under is quite interesting but very WIERD. (Sorry Nick)[/b]
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nick @ Feb 1 2010, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>Everything is bassackwards....opposite side of the equator, they drive on the wrong side of the road. They don't know wheather to have a president or have royalty like Britain does, they speak funny and the wordings have different meanings. I'm very pissed there means "I'm drunk", whereas here it means that you are "very angry". They name beer very funny like TOOHEY and they dress funny.Quote:
Speaking of which I read http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-new...00201-n792.html with interest today.
Know the guy? What do they mean non standard part? As in it could be fitted in a non standard way, or it was completely wrong part? Interesting it has taken so long for this trial[/b]
Are you going to rent a car?
Shoulder seasons are your best bet. We've non-revd SFO to SYD a bunch of times. Avoiding Oz holiday times, especially school holidays and Giftmas/new years will be your best bet.
My wife and I got married nearly 3 years ago and did our honeymoon in Oz in mid April. We were there for about a week and a half and did a one way rental from Brisbane to Sydney. It was awesome! I would highly recommend this. Non revd on Qantas SYD-BNE).
We also visited Queensland (UA SFO-SYD, SYD-CNS on Qantas), staying at Port Douglas and Cooktown Sept/Oct (08). If you can, make every effort to snorkel at the great barrier reef. It is spectacular. You need to avoid going when the stingers (jellyfish) are present.
We had to stay in CNS one night and didn't really care for it. We aren't really city people and near shore water isn't very nice to swim in.
Sydney- My wife has done the bridge walk and said that it is great. I'm too thrifty to pay for it. Spend some time in the botanical garden. It is really nice, and the fruit bats (big, daytime active ones) are very creepy. Sydney is really nice, but very expensive! Bondi and Manly beaches are great.
The Hunter Valley wine region is a couple hours outside of Sydney. We thought that it was fantastic. Be prepared...Aussie shiraz there costs about 2 to 3 times what they do in the US. Oh, in Sydney that pint of delicious beer is about $7 or $8 USD.