I’m jet lagged, the soles of my feet are burning and I already have strap marks from the intense sun, but being my first time in Sydney — and indeed in Australia —— I’m determined not to waste a moment of the six hours I have.
Starting my seven mile walk at Circular Quay, I arrive back to The Rocks for lunch, via Darling Harbour and Barangaroo nature reserve. Hunger sated and feet refreshed, I finish by securing that shot: a photograph of the Opera House topped by a cloudless blue sky.
I’m on a two-week cruise with ultra-luxury line Silversea, visiting Australian cities Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns and Darwin, before crossing into Indonesia. Just one segment of the 133-day Tale of Tales world cruise, many passengers are already settled in when I board.
Given Australia’s size, a cruise is a great way to experience the key cities without having to flight-hop. I speak to a British couple at the Sydney sailaway (one of the best farewell views on the planet) who agree that one of the selling points was not just the itinerary, but the fact that you cover a lot of ground while only unpacking once.
Our ship Silver Whisper has recently had a makeover and she’s looking pristine. There’s new pool furniture and carpets throughout, while suites are now decorated in tones of taupe, soft green and white, complimented by polished beech wood furnishings.
My veranda suite is elegant and spacious while still very homely. Being in ultra-luxury territory, you also get premium Bulgari toiletries, Etro bathrobes and nine pillow options.
It’s a winning formula; 95% of passengers on this sailing are return guests, including a particularly high number of single passengers.
Those sailing solo are well looked after, thanks to gentlemen hosts to introduce you to other singles, teach you to dance, meet you for pre-dinner drinks and accompany you to dinner — although it’s also totally fine if you prefer to eat alone or take advantage of All Around Dining (dining in your room or other public areas).
One night I order dinner in my suite and settle down to watch a film on the in-room entertainment system, with a couple of glasses of champagne to keep me company.
That’s the beauty of a luxury cruise — staff are on hand to help you do whatever you want, and service is one of the reasons people return. “They really look after you”, “They can’t do enough for you,” and “This is my second home,” are some comments I hear.
From the minute you board you are looked after; from the butlers to housekeeping and charismatic cruise director Fernando, staff are always smiling and upbeat. They all know your name, even though you’ve never met them before.
The food is consistently impressive too. My highlights? Breakfast waffles topped with lashings of maple syrup, cream and gigantic strawberries, lunch of the freshest fish which was surely lifted from the ocean that morning, and a Thai vegetable curry scented with coconut and flavoured with aromatic spices that wouldn’t have been out of place on the menu of some of the world’s best Asian restaurants.
And you will never be thirsty — on arrival, your butler stocks your minibar with your personal favourites. Around the ship, most drinks (except premium brands) including branded champagne are complimentary.
Having arranged my own excursion in the up-and-coming city of Brisbane, I catch the boat from the Southbank for a leisurely 70-minute meander down the Brisbane River — in my opinion it’s the best way to get to Lone Pine Sanctuary, the biggest and oldest koala sanctuary in the world, founded in 1927.
In this shady wildlife enclave, you can view native species including wombats, dingos, kangaroos and of course koalas, sleepy creatures with an addiction to eucalyptus leaves.
I wander the grounds, hold a koala and pet a kangaroo — who knew they were so tame? A few hours later, the Koala Express boat whisks me back to the Queensland capital in half the time.
Sea days — and there are eight on this segment — are lazy and low-key. I attend seminars by onboard lecturers, take part in exercise classes, indulge in afternoon tea and lie by the pool.
In cosmopolitan Cairns, a 10-minute bus ride takes me to Cairns Botanic Gardens. This sprawling park features lakes, a rainforest and exquisite gardens teaming with tropical flowers and plants. It’s so big it would take the best part of a day to get around, so I cool off at the city’s Lagoon Esplanade, a man-made pool with fountains, sand and shade, a scenic 10-minute walk from the cruise terminal.
An unexpected bonus for an ocean cruise is how close we are to land at times. Mirroring the coastline en route to Darwin, we pass Iron Range National Park, and spot snow-white sandbars in the distance.
Located in Australia’s Top End, sultry Darwin is equally wildlife-rich: I watch hungry pelicans being fed at the Territory Wildlife Park, and get up close to a black-headed snake and a possum. The young, colourful city even has its own man-made beach and wave pool in the waterfront quarter, which again is easily accessible from the cruise terminal — a welcome addition in the heat.
As we leave Australia’s cities behind, approaching the tiny island of Komodo for the Komodo National Park, I’m struck by the beauty of the Indonesian archipelago.
Stretches of white sand catch the eye, and as I walk along the jetty from the ship’s tender, the crystal clear water below reveals fish and coral that I have only ever seen on Blue Planet — it’s a Unesco World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature for good reason.
With such undeniable good looks it’s hard to believe that the island’s most infamous inhabitants, the Komodo dragons, are aggressive carnivores capable of hunting down wild boar, water buffalo and deer, all of which roam freely in the park.
Searching for these prehistoric-looking reptiles in their natural habitat, we are accompanied by park guides with two pronged sticks — understandably, tourists are only allowed on the island when part of an arranged tour. We are rewarded with sightings of six large males at a watering hole, who thankfully seemed more interested in napping than snacking.
That afternoon, ensconced in my favourite chair at the stern of the ship, I look out to sea and relish the soporific calmness, as Silver Whisper heads towards Bali at a steady rate of 12 knots; upon arrival we will have covered 3,494 nautical miles since leaving Sydney.
The gentleman sitting opposite breaks the silence. “There’s nothing better than this you know,” he says. “I was just thinking the same,” I reply, “but sadly I’m leaving tomorrow.” He smiles knowingly: “Take it with you when you go.” “Oh I intend to,” I promise, as I reluctantly prepare to close the chapter on this extraordinary cruise.
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