Airline & Holiday Information

You may be in for a long haul but when you get to this infinitely fascinating continent, flanked on all sides by breathtaking seascapes, you’ll quickly realise that the travelling was worth every minute. All Australian state capitals have major airports (and many also have ports), so one of them is inevitably going to be your arrival point. Most holidaymakers visit the country between May and October, and most of these head for the stunning Southern coastline. Bear in mind that, if you’re travelling from Europe, your flight time will not be under 24 hours (travellers from Los Angeles get off lightly with 14 hours). Australia is, however, serviced by more than 50 international airlines, with Qantas, for example, flying in and out every week, every year.  With distances like this, however, you must expect flights to be expensive. Keep your eyes peeled, even so; during the slower travel times there are invariably excellent deals to be found.

If you’d prefer to cruise to Oz, you’ll almost certainly arrive at Sydney. Don’t be under any illusions though; fabulous though the cruise experience usually is, you’ll certainly pay for it. Floating holidays to Australia are not cheap. And they’re very popular, so you’ll nearly always discover there’s a waiting list. So either plan well ahead, or fly to Asia and pick up a Princess Cruise from there (the waiting period is usually shorter this way).

When you arrive, don’t be fazed by the strict customs controls. Australia has kept itself free of many diseases and pests for many years, so it prides itself on its customs rigour. You’ll be asked to declare anything you’re bringing in – so don’t even think about taking any fruit, vegetables, meat or other foodstuffs or you’ll instantly fall foul of the authorities. Be extra careful about your passport and visa, though; visas must be issued in the visitor’s country of origin and passports must expire well after the specified departure date.