It a good trip if you take your time and spend about 6 weeks. Discount if you are a member of CMCA plus on the aged pension. Agree with the comment from David "it is very much a place where you select a base to stay and then explore the surrounding area."
Best to book your return trip as the boat does get booked out and it is sometime not easy to get back to the mainland without a booking! Some caravans have waited two or three weeks in the peck season to cross back to the mainland because they didn't have a return booking.
-- Edited by Rabbit on Wednesday 26th of June 2013 05:19:52 PM
-- Edited by Rabbit on Wednesday 26th of June 2013 05:21:18 PM
I just got a rough quote for our Tassy trip and it worked out at $1158, just to get us and the van over there! That's not including a return trip. I couldn't believe it. Does that sound right to you guys? I'm in shock, I didn't believe it would cost so much. We are now considering trying to get cheap flights and perhaps hiring a van or motor home for a week or two for the same bloody price. Maybe I made a boo boo and I did over estimate the size of van and Ute, but geez Louise that's expensive. I estimated that the van would be over 2.1mt cos I wasn't sure but even if I did, I can't imagine it would be that much extra. How do people ever afford to go there?
We went over with the motorhome on 1 November last year - came back in early March. Cost us less than $700 return - we did the Ocean Recliners, rather than a cabin. Most people we spoke to with caravans were shocked at the price for their rigs. Is your van only 2.1m long? or is that the height - we are about 3.3 high, and put it down as 7.5m long with bull bar and bike racks. The food on board is ok - we went to the buffet, and they have deals - not too badly priced, and the food was nice.
We also booked a long time ahead, on line. On line you can change things without incurring extra costs, in fact, we got a refund when we changed our return date!
It is worth going - there is a heap of free camping - sometimes on the most beautiful beachfronts, or in towns. The sense of history over there is amazing, you really appreciate our forefathers, and the hardships they had to face. There are a lot of the camping spots in the "free/budget campspots" subforum on this site.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
A Motorhome up to 7 meters is the same price as a car. Once you talk cars and caravans, it costs an arm and a leg especially in peak season (Summertime). Beats me why the Govt. doesn't subsidize more for caravans as the State certainly needs the tourist Dollar. I'm on the Spirit tonight. Motorhome and Ocean Recliner chair cost $184.00 total
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Retired Airline Pilot and Electrician..
I'm not old, I've just been young a long time....Ken
Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
Yes, it is expensive to get to Tassie with a vehicle larger than a car, as I believe the cars are subsidised, but anything bigger goes at a commercial rate. That is one of the main reasons I bought a HiAce poptop, because it is under 2.1M tall and less than 6M in length. With a son in Brisbane, I tend to cross a couple of times a year.
It may be worth seeing if you can hire a van only, and bring your tug over to tow it, but I don't know where you'd start looking at that option.
If you can travel outside of the peak tourist season it is far cheaper to take your car on the ferry and then stay in cabins as you travel around, it can even be cheaper to fly, rent a car and stay in cabins, the quality of cabins in Tassie is excellent with everything supplied for two, better than staying in motels, it might be worthwhile having a look for fly drive packages.
Every time I have priced taking a van to Tassie the cost far outweighs the other options unless staying for an extended period which is at least 6 weeks, also if travelling by car the are some very good accommodation options staying in Historic Houses. Have travelled around Tassie a number of times and would not look forward to towing a van daily on the roads there, it is very much a place where you select a base to stay and then explore the surrounding area.
When we first went over we had 5 kids. We couldn't afford to take the car, caravan and the kids both ways (that was back in 1988!) so we took the car and the kids and hired a caravan. In those days that was from Devonport area. Word of warning on this however. Check that caravans are maintained well. The one we hired didn't have good brakes and finally jack-knifed us 3 days before we were due to return to mainland. So we ended up bringing the 5 kids back minus the car! Â Now that was interesting. We hired a car from Melbourne to get home. Next time we went we took our own caravan (minus the kids). It is expensive but worth every cent. We stopped in a place and explored the area then moved on so we weren't towing our van all the time.
Been over to Tassie twice, once was for work for six months and the other was for another six months travelling around over there.
First trip company payed for all travelling expenses to get over there, second time we payed, Could have gone over seas cheaper (sad but true ) but do not think the expense is worth it if only going for a short while. So all up we have been over there in total twelve months and still not seen/ done every thing that Tassie has to offer. But next time we go we will be flying and renting a motor home from over there, but this option is becoming so popular now due to the expense of getting vehicle and van over, One needs to book a motor home well in advance before your planned trip,as demand is stripping the supply of motor homes. If you are taking your van make sure your van insurance covers your van in transit .A lot of insurance companies do not cover if your van is transported by boat.
It a good trip if you take your time and spend about 6 weeks. Discount if you are a member of CMCA plus on the aged pension. Agree with the comment from David "it is very much a place where you select a base to stay and then explore the surrounding area."
Best to book your return trip as the boat does get booked out and it is sometime not easy to get back to the mainland without a booking! Some caravans have waited two or three weeks in the peck season to cross back to the mainland because they didn't have a return booking.
-- Edited by Rabbit on Wednesday 26th of June 2013 05:19:52 PM
-- Edited by Rabbit on Wednesday 26th of June 2013 05:21:18 PM
Regarding booking a return - it is the - best thing to do - and if you do it on line, and want to change it, also do that online, costs nothing, and you can see what is available and book accordingly.
If you reckon you have "seen" all of Australia, and haven't been to Tassie for an extended trip, you haven't seen Australia - it is a wonderful place!!!
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
