Travel Review: Luxury Australia & New Zealand Vacation, Tasmania, Port Douglas, Cairns, Freyciet National Park, Ayers Rock

First, we would not use the the transfer company. Second, we would not use the small group tour company in Ayre's Rock. My wife injured her back in Port Douglas the day before our walking tours around Ayre's Rock and Kata Tjuta (by the way both tours in one day was a bit much - 8 and 1/2 miles on the first tour and then 4 miles on the second tour with only two hours in between them) and we called and cancelled her excursions giving 22 and 26 hrs. notice. The company refused to give even a partial refund for either of these tours. Therefore, I would not recommend them.  And finally, we would not take the Karunda train ride near Cairns. It was hot and humid and there was no air conditioning and little ventilation on the train. It was extremely loud and rickety. The overall view from the train 95% of the time consisted of rock embankments and dense trees. Also, the seats were assigned and we were facing backwards and this greatly exacerbated my motion sickness. It was a miserable two hours. Other than that everything else on our trip was wonderful!

Travel Company's Comment

We are so happy that the travelers had an amazing trip to Australia and New Zealand. We strive to provide our clients with a seamless travel experience but also realize that unforeseen situations can come up during the time of travel. We appreciate the feedback and want to address the travel snags:

Transfer Company: Traveling with 7 pieces of luggage exceeded the luggage allowance for sedan transfers. After speaking with the transfer company, we were informed that the first 3 drivers put the extra luggage in the front seat to accommodate the travelers and their luggage, regardless of allowance limits. One driver did suggest getting a larger vehicle to accommodate the travelers and their luggage more comfortably, which was declined. However, the transfer company went ahead secured a larger vehicle for the return airport transfer and requested the additional funds for the upgraded transfer. We realize that this matter was not handled properly, and refunded the clients in full for this additional transfer charge. 

In regard to the Cruise Terminal pick up time, the transfer company did speak with the cruise ship concierge twice, and re-scheduled an earlier pick up for the client transfer to the airport. The ship concierge was confused, since there were two phone numbers listed on the clients’ travel documents. We have updated our travel documents, so the contact details are clear for future travelers needing to amend transfer times. 

Small Group Tour Company: This company has a strict 7-day cancellation policy, which is clearly stated on the travel documents. The traveler had back surgery prior to traveling, but declined travel insurance for their trip. If travel insurance had been purchased, these lost funds could have been recovered with an insurance claim.

Kuranda Train: This is a historic train ride, which gets great reviews by most travelers, especially for the views. The train is old and moves slowly, and being in the tropics it can be warm, so it’s not for everyone. Although the travelers had requested it initially, a more detailed discussion about the experience could have provided insight that it wasn’t the right fit.