This was published 6 years ago
Cruising from Sydney to Tasmania on Carnival Spirit is a fun short break
By Kristie Kellahan
Shore excursion: A drive or bike ride to the summit of Mount Wellington is rewarded by expansive views over southern Tasmania..Credit: Tourism Tasmania / Paul Fleming
Strewth mate, does it get more 'strayan than an AC/DC suitcase? Cruising from Sydney to Tasmania on Carnival Spirit earlier in the year, our five-night trip coincides with the Australia Day long weekend and everyone, it seems, is waving the green, the gold, the Southern Cross, the rock, the roll. It's hard to miss a large suitcase straight from the AC/DC fan club catalogue; more attention to detail is required to spot the "I'm Shannon Noll, let me back into the Crazy Horse" T-shirt.
Inflatable kangaroos and thongs fit for a giant's foot bob about in the pool, a game of backyard cricket is under way on the sports deck and the trivia quizmaster wants to know Sir Donald Bradman's batting average.
SunMay28cruisetas - Tasmania cruise on Carnival Spirit
Passengers have been invited to dress up in their Aussie best, a dress code widely interpreted to include Southern Cross unitards, Kylie Minogue ensembles and Akubras akimbo. The buffet couldn't show more national pride if a referendum on the republic depended on it: lamingtons, pavlovas, an enormous Aussie flag cake. Strictly Ballroom is screening at the pool deck; the XXXX beer flows at the rooftop BBQ.
The crew members seem to be having nearly as much fun as the passengers, bopping to the beat of Midnight Oil's greatest hits and enjoying the novelty of wearing temporary tattoos to work. The party atmosphere is hard to resist, and the smiling faces of young and old are good advertisements for the fun of carefree cruising.
With the seemingly unstoppable rise in popularity of cruise holidays, cruise lines are spruiking new itineraries and lesser-known destinations to entice novice cruisers and those who already know their way around deck.
Short Australian voyages tick many boxes: for newbies, it's an easy introduction to cruising, a chance to test sea legs for a few days without the hassle of passports and foreign currency. For those who have already been converted to the joys of all-inclusive dining and unpacking just once, Aussie cruises are convenient getaways to local destinations that may have been saved for later in the pursuit of passport stamps.
Tasmania is one of the states reaping the recent rewards of exponential cruise traffic, in terms of significantly increased visitor numbers and the corresponding dollars cruisers spend on tours, dining and souvenirs. The Port Arthur historic site is undertaking a major redevelopment of its visitor centre, an enhancement made necessary by the frequent arrival of cruise passengers en masse.
We arrive in Port Arthur on a sparkling day, under a clear blue sky and hot sun that has us reaching for the SPF40. We walk around the sandstone ruins and restored buildings of the Convict World Heritage Site, marvelling as we read signs with vivid descriptions of life here between 1830 and 1877.
Boys as young as 10 years old were transported from their homes on the other side of the world to one of the harshest penal settlements in the world. Prison guards and their wives held picnics by the water's edge; anything to brighten up a tough assignment. Educated convicts were employed as teachers at the school for children of military families, with some going on to own small businesses after serving time.
Local operators offer special tours exclusively for cruise passengers, including a Daytime Ghost Tour and a Behind the Scenes Tour. Ghost tour participants come back wide-eyed, telling tales of a particularly nasty convict, John Gould, who has reportedly been spotted on many occasions with pure hate in his eyes.
A visit to the secret basement in the Surgeon's House is not recommended for queasy types: many hundreds of illegal dissections and autopsies were carried out here by curious medical personnel. Body parts were preserved in jars, and local lore has it that if you close your eyes, you can still get a whiff of formaldehyde.
In Hobart the next day, the only thing we can smell is fish and chips and we follow our noses to the floating fish punts moored in Constitution Dock. Flippers serves up crumbed trevalla, garlic prawns and buttery soft calamari rings that hit the spot.
Hobart is a vibrant city, effortlessly mixing the heritage of sandstone landmarks and convict history with the new wave of innovative art galleries and restaurants worth travelling for.
Top of the list for art lovers must be a visit to MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art. Collector and philanthropist David Walsh has achieved an impressive feat, creating Australia's largest private museum. The architecture itself is worth a visit. Don't say we didn't forewarn you about the poo machine (a purpose-built machine that creates excrement).
For other passengers, the day in Hobart is a chance to eat fresh oysters at Barilla Bay, to take in the expansive views from the summit of Mount Wellington or to wander around the shops and bars of Salamanca Place.
The five-night cruise offers an easygoing balance of energetic days sightseeing in port and relaxed days on the ship. Carnival Spirit brings the fun, and for those who want to join in, there are plenty of opportunities to participate in trivia quizzes, piano bar singalongs, bingo, art auctions and dance lessons. A new addition, the Creative Cove, is popular with cruisers keen on making their own jewellery or learning how to paint.
The adults-only Serenity deck and pool is a welcome sanctuary for nap-seeking grown-ups, while kids are kept busy and mostly out of sight with the youth program. Nightly entertainment options are impressive, with all-singing, all-dancing productions on the main stage, and stand-up comedy that turns from PG to R-rated as the night progresses.
Like its sister ship Carnival Legend, the Spirit can carry 2680 passengers, with 12 decks of facilities that include three swimming pools, the Green Thunder waterslide and SplashZone, an Elemis Spa, a fitness centre and plenty of bars and lounges.
In addition to the extensive buffet, 24-hour pizza, and all-day fine dining in the elegant Truffles restaurant – all included in the cruise fare – passengers may choose to pay a bit extra to dine at the Chef's Table, Nouveau steak house or Bonsai Sushi. A new user-pays venue, Seafood Corner, offers prawns, clam chowder, fish and chips and more, fresh from Sydney Fish Market.
Hats off to the chefs, who do an admirable job of feeding the seemingly insatiable 24/7 hunger of cruisers. Carnival Spirit boasts a few more dining options than the Legend, namely Blueiguana Cantina for Mexican fare, Fat Jimmy's BBQ, an outdoor barbecue on deck 10, and Guy's Burger Joint, serving irresistible artery-cloggers endorsed by American restaurateur Guy Fieri.
The food is tasty, plentiful and offers more than enough variety for a five-day cruise. In fact, we run out of mealtimes before we can try it all. A good excuse to cruise again and see more of Australia? See you on deck.
TRIP NOTES
MORE INFORMATION
CRUISE
Carnival Spirit has cruises to Tasmania from Sydney throughout 2017 and 2018. Sister ship Carnival Legend will sail to Tasmania from Melbourne in 2018. Fares start from $799 a person twin share for a five-night Carnival Spirit cruise departing Sydney on March 1, 2018, including accommodation, main meals and onboard entertainment.
Phone Carnival Cruise Lines on 13 31 94, see visit carnival.com.au
Carnival Spirit sails from Sydney year-round and is joined by Carnival Legend for an extended summer period each year.
TOUR
Carnival offers shore excursions and tours in Port Arthur and Hobart. If you prefer to explore at your own pace, see the helpful guides at the Port Arthur Visitor Centre for maps and information.
Enjoy the day in Hobart by getting arty at MoNA, the Museum of Old and New Art (mona.net.au), exploring some of Tasmania's World Heritage Convict Sites (parks.tas.gov.au), or wandering around the shops and cafes at Salamanca Place.
A drive or challenging bike ride to the summit of Mount Wellington is rewarded by expansive views over southern Tasmania. Rent a car from Hertz (hertz.com.au); the branch office is at 122 Harrington Street, a short walk from where the ships dock. Join a guided mountain bike ride descent from the summit to the sea (underdownunder.com.au).
EAT
Tasmania enjoys a well-earned reputation as one of Australia's culinary superstar states. Taste Tassie wines at Gasworks Cellar Door in Hobart (gasworkscellardoor.com.au) and sample premium Tasmanian small batch whisky at Lark Distillery (larkdistillery.com). Catch a taxi to Barilla Bay to feast on just-caught oysters and premium seafood (barillabay.com.au) or enjoy lunch with a view at MoNA (mona.net.au).
Kristie Kellahan travelled as a guest of Carnival Cruise Lines.
THREE MORE FAVOURITE AUSTRALIAN CRUISES
THE MELBOURNE CUP
P&O and Carnival are two of the cruise lines offering itineraries to Melbourne in time for the race that stops the nation. Tickets and transfers to the racecourse are included in the cruise fare.
EXPLORE QUEENSLAND
The sunshine state is a popular cruise destination, with many cruise lines tailoring short getaways and longer voyages to the Whitsundays, Moreton Island, Hamilton Island, Brisbane and Cairns. See Princess Cruises, P&O and Royal Caribbean.
SEE AUSTRALIA
Circumnavigation cruises around our sunburnt country should be on the wish list for avid cruisers. Set aside at least a month and be prepared to be wowed by the wonders of Down Under. See Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Oceania Cruises.
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