Have you been wanting to visit Australia but are looking for something other than a regular flight? It might surprise you to learn that there are many cruise lines now offering trips from North America to the land down under. Many people consider cruise life as the ultimate luxury vacation package, so if you have the time, why not take a leisurely trip to Australia?
There are several options that a vacationer can choose from. One is to cruise to Australia from North America, a trip that usually takes anywhere from ten to fourteen days and requires several days at sea. Some vacationers choose to make this part of an extended or world cruise. Still others will cruise to Australia, spend some time enjoying the country, and then fly home, or vice versa. If you choose to cruise to Australia, be prepared to do so during the fall and winter months. You’ll be crossing the equator which means that North America’s winter is Australia’s summer, making it an excellent time for cruise travel. One option is to take a repositioning cruise at the end of the season. Cruise lines need to move their ships to different parts of the world, depending on the time of year, so it may be possible to take a ship home from Australia that is being repositioned to North America. These cruises can be slightly more affordable, but can also require more days at sea.
Another excellent option is to fly to and from Australia, but enjoy a cruise while you are there. There are many cruise lines offering a wide variety of trips, from simple three day jaunts to a trip around the entire continent of Australia. These cruises often also feature New Zealand, Fiji, and other areas in the South Pacific.
This Australian government initiative allows travelers to claim portions of the goods and services tax (GST) and the wine equalization tax (WET) that they pay on goods purchased while in the country. It can result in a large amount of savings for travelers, and so should be considered whenever purchasing goods, and prior to getting on board the plane and heading home.
In order to qualify for the TRS, you must purchase at least $300 worth of goods, including the GST, at one location and ask the cashier for a single tax invoice. Goods must not be purchased more than thirty days before your departure from Australia. All items that you are claiming must be worn on your person or carried in your carry-on luggage, unless security measures prevent them from being brought on board the plane. Goods and services that have been consumed or used while in Australia (ie chocolate, hotel costs) are exempt from the refund. You must make your claim at the airport at least thirty minutes before boarding the plane.
Upon arrival at the airport, you will first pass through Customs and Immigration, after which you will be able to approach the TRS counter to make your claim. You must have the goods, your single tax invoice, passport, and proof of travel, such as your international boarding pass. The refund will be paid by cheque, deposit to an Australian bank account, or payment to a credit card.
Items such as beer, spirits, and tobacco are not eligible for the TRS, however can be purchased at a duty-free store to save on cost. Wine is acceptable for a refund. Since customs must confirm that the goods are leaving Australia with you, eligible goods must be on your person, therefore items that do not fit into your carry-on luggage or worn on your person are not eligible for a refund.
For more information, contact the Australian Customs Service.
As the sixth largest country in the world, Australia actually has a proportionately small population of about twenty million people. It is the only country to control an entire continent and its islands, and is made up of six states and two territories. Western Australia is the largest state and is about the same size as Western Europe! Australia is also both the flattest and the driest continent in the world. Because it is located beneath the equator, Australia’s summers occur over North American winters, and winter over North American summers. If you want to spend Christmas on the beach, Australia is the place to go!
Prior to western exploration, Aboriginal people lived throughout the continent in culturally diverse groups. The first European contact with Australia came in 1606 with the Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon, however it wasn’t until 1770 when Captain James Cook led a scientific exploration to the area that it was claimed as part of the British Empire. Britain used Australia as a penal colony, sending convicts as indentured labour to the new country. It wasn’t until the 1850s, with the gold rush, that the first settlers of Australia began to make their way there under their own free will. The Commonwealth of Australia was created in 1901 and it gained its independence in 1931. A major civil rights action occurred in 1967 when Australians voted overwhelmingly to allow the government to pass legislation to improve the lives of Aboriginal people throughout the nation.
Australia has a wide variety of climates, with desert, tropics, subtropics, plains, and rainforests, not to mention mountains and snowfields. Tourism is major industry in Australia, and visitors from all over the world are flocking there to enjoy the warm hospitality, tropical weather, and unique natural features. Natural resources are also important to Australia and make up a large proportion of their world exports.
Prior to western exploration, Aboriginal people lived throughout the continent in culturally diverse groups. The first European contact with 