Australia Return No Fly

[Sunset]

I'd like to visit Australia and NZ but I dislike flying.

I can easily cruise to Australia and would enjoy a month or two visiting it and NZ.

But the return trip has me stumped as I don't want to spend 6 months there so I could cruise back.

Anyone know of any standard cruises or set of cruises I could do, or a set of flights to hop back to the USA ?

For example, I could probably fly from Australia to HI , stay there for a week and then fly to Chicago. But maybe there is something better ?

 

[Freedom56]

Fly business or first class in a pod seat and you won't dislike it as much.

 

[pacergal]

We have looked at several cruises that go to Hawaii, Tahiti and Australia, and back to Hawaii or LA, but none that stay in Australia that long.
I think the Hawaii then Chicago sounds more feasible.
First or Busness class would definitely make the return air trip more comfy for you!

 

[Lewis Clark]

There are cruises between Hawaii and Australia. Perhaps take a ship on these two legs of the trip, and fly both ways between Hawaii and Chicago.

My wife and I looked at these cruise itineraries. Decided against them because there were more sea days (days with no port calls) than we wanted to do.

Cruises are also available between Hawaii and California.

 

[brett]

Two of our snowbird trips to Thailand included a month in Australia.

We typically do one way home from Sydney on Jetstar (Qantas owned) to HNL. Two days in HNL to break up the trip, then continue on our way home.

Last time we included a week in Tasmania. Wonderful. But depending on time or year the seas to Tas. can be rough. Very short flight from Brisbane or from Sydney. You can fly into Launceston and back through Hobart or vice versa.

Jetstar has some amazing fares from time to time.

 

[Sojourner]

I'd like to visit Australia and NZ but I dislike flying.

I can easily cruise to Australia and would enjoy a month or two visiting it and NZ.

So, that part of the equation is solved. Cruise -> Australia.

Fly business or first class in a pod seat and you won't dislike it as much.

Since cruising back to the U.S. doesn't really work in your case, I agree with @Freedom56: purchase a business-class, lay flat seat for the return trip. If that's too expensive to stomach, then consider "premium economy" with the wide seats that recline way back. Those are typically about half the price of business class/personal-pod seats and, IMHO, are much, much more comfortable than standard economy seats.

 

[ls99]

Try Freighter cruises.