When Australian/nz cruises first started Brisbane was chosen along with melbourne and sydney. I went on a 3 night weekend cruise from Brisbane and it was packed.
But after two seasons dcl decided to abandon brisbane and stick with the much colder cities of sydney, melbourne and little auckland. This in my view was a massive mistake and should change.
In the first two seasons the Brisbane cruises were on the worst dates (i.e. outside the summer school holiday period) whereas the other cities had cruises during the long summer school holidays. Obviously demand will be much higher during school holiday period.
Of all four cities Brisbane is by far the best placed for summer cruises. The weather is consistently always swimming weather. Thats not even remotely the case for the other three cities. Brisbane cruises also have access to amazing ports. Whether that be the nearby beach islands like Moreton or the further north destinations like the whitsundays or cairns which have access to the daintree rainforest, great barrier reef and some of the best beaches on the planet. For whatever reason disney did not choose to do any of these ports and decided to do no ports for the smaller trips from Brisbane or send everyone down south to the colder weather for a port stop at boring Sydney. Sydney people come up to brisbane for holidays to get away from sydney. Not to come back to it for a half day port stop in their own town. Its like doing a cruise from port canaveral and instead of going to the bahamas/carribean you go up north for one port stop in new york (except sydney is way way more boring then new york).
If brisbane was given the opportunity to have some cruises during the school holiday periods and have island port stops in actual queensland then I have no doubt that Brisbane would be DCLs most popular Australian/nzd destination.
Seriously brisbane is twice the size of auckland and has a climate and ports far better for cruising. Its ridiculous that dcl didnt know how to make it work. Its the equivalent of dcl failing to make florida work and running all its cruises from houston, new york and galveston instead.
If anyone from dcl is listening. To make australia/nlz cruises work you need to make brisbane the main town and do proper qld cruises. Queensland is where you go for swimming, holidays and sun in Australia. You shouldnt do the opposite and abandon brisbane altogether. Its absurd.
But after two seasons dcl decided to abandon brisbane and stick with the much colder cities of sydney, melbourne and little auckland. This in my view was a massive mistake and should change.
In the first two seasons the Brisbane cruises were on the worst dates (i.e. outside the summer school holiday period) whereas the other cities had cruises during the long summer school holidays. Obviously demand will be much higher during school holiday period.
Of all four cities Brisbane is by far the best placed for summer cruises. The weather is consistently always swimming weather. Thats not even remotely the case for the other three cities. Brisbane cruises also have access to amazing ports. Whether that be the nearby beach islands like Moreton or the further north destinations like the whitsundays or cairns which have access to the daintree rainforest, great barrier reef and some of the best beaches on the planet. For whatever reason disney did not choose to do any of these ports and decided to do no ports for the smaller trips from Brisbane or send everyone down south to the colder weather for a port stop at boring Sydney. Sydney people come up to brisbane for holidays to get away from sydney. Not to come back to it for a half day port stop in their own town. Its like doing a cruise from port canaveral and instead of going to the bahamas/carribean you go up north for one port stop in new york (except sydney is way way more boring then new york).
If brisbane was given the opportunity to have some cruises during the school holiday periods and have island port stops in actual queensland then I have no doubt that Brisbane would be DCLs most popular Australian/nzd destination.
Seriously brisbane is twice the size of auckland and has a climate and ports far better for cruising. Its ridiculous that dcl didnt know how to make it work. Its the equivalent of dcl failing to make florida work and running all its cruises from houston, new york and galveston instead.
If anyone from dcl is listening. To make australia/nlz cruises work you need to make brisbane the main town and do proper qld cruises. Queensland is where you go for swimming, holidays and sun in Australia. You shouldnt do the opposite and abandon brisbane altogether. Its absurd.
Last edited:
