LUXURY CRUISE COLLECTION

Melbourne, Australia & New Zealand

Melbourne is about the same size as Sydney, but there the similarity ends. Where Sydney is a jumble of hills and inlets, Melbourne spreads over a flat plain. Its pace, steadfast and sedate, contrasts with Sydney’s upbeat and brassy lifestyle.

Tree-shaded parks and gardens, a quiet bay and a proud stateliness become this capital of culture and the arts. Grand municipal buildings and splendid Victorian edifices, which sprang up in the wake of the gold rush, stand proudly along broad avenues.

Melbourne is the sporting capital of Australia. The only time Melbournians are known to lose their dignity is on the racetrack or the cricket green. The Melbourne Cup, held on the first Tuesday in November since 1861, is not only a race that stops the nation for a few minutes, but also a full-fledged fashion show where most of Melbourne society turns out in full regalia.

Melbourne was the creation of a Tasmanian farmer named John Batment who arrived in 1835; he began trading blankets and utensils for half a million acres of native land. A gold rush in the 1850s resulted in a population explosion, and by 1861 Melbourne rivaled Sydney in size. Amid today’s skyscrapers stand many of the early Victorian-style buildings, reminders of the city’s history and paying tribute to the gold rush era.

The heart of the inner city, called the Golden Mile, contains the government and commercial hub of Melbourne, its main shopping street, major hotels and theaters. Many of the city’s landmarks are within walking distance of each other. As Australia’s major fashion center, Melbourne boasts a number of upscale department stores and designer boutiques.

Ports for this region:

Auckland Brisbane Broome Cairns Cooktown Cruising the Great Barrier Reef Darwin Dunedin Exmouth Geraldton Hobart, Tasmania

Kimberley Melbourne Milford Sound Perth Port Douglas Rabaul Sydney Tauranga Townsville Wellington