Cruising along Sydney Harbour

Reading online about Sydney’s history is interesting, but cruising along Sydney Harbour while hearing the whole story onboard a cruise ship is way better. You get to see the city’s important landmarks and hearing commentaries as well. It’s surely the best way to fully understand Australia’s history.

It was our fourth day in Sydney and we haven’t checked out the city’s famed icon. We’re not rushing though.

Me and my buddy embarked on a honeymoon adventure right after our laid back backyard wedding in Zambales. We considered having a winter trip to Japan but after a sponsored deal on Manila to Sydney flight with Scoot, we totally changed our plans on a two-week escapade to some key destinations in Australia after consulting with One Vine Migration—my very first trip outside Asia (you may check my guide on How to Get Australian Tourist Visa in the Philippines).

Check out Scoot's year-round fares to key cities in Australia from Manila via Singapore

It took us one full day to finally reach Sydney from Manila after a 16-hour layover in Singapore. We did a quick and yummy food trip session on our full day stopover and then enjoyed the almost 8-hour flight from Singapore to Sydney onboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. 

Cruising along Sydney Harbour spotting the city's famed icon, the Sydney Opera House (UNESCO World Heritage List under the World Heritage Convention - 2007). Booked this cruise tour with @klooktravel ⛵ Photoby @lakadpilipinas #BlissfulLakadDownUnder #Scoot2Sydney #KlookStories #KlookTravel

A post shared by blissfulguro (@blissfulguro) on Mar 7, 2018 at 12:21am PST

We then settled on our home for three days, Sydney Central Inn, and did a little exploring on the neighboring towns of the city including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Blue Mountains and walked around interesting spots in Sydney. It was on our fourth day when we got to see, for the first time, the famed icons of the city. 

We needed to exchange our e-voucher with physical cruise tickets

We booked a Sydney Harbour Highlights Cruise through Klook App. The convenience of having Klook on my smartphone allowed me to scan the available tours and activities in Sydney (check here for discounted tours, transportation and activities in Sydney). 

We settled on the sundeck, for better view :)

The ease of booking a tour right before your trip at the convenience of your own phone is nothing but great. I received the e-voucher for the cruise the next day and all I needed to do was to show up at the designated place on my chosen date. 

Cruising along Sydney Harbour with commentary on the city's historical landmarks.

Our cruise was scheduled at 2:30 pm to 3:45 pm but we were at Circular Quay at around two in the afternoon. We looked for the ticket office of Captain Cook Cruises on Wharf No.6 and showed the counter staff our e-voucher. She then provided us with the physical tickets that will be used for the cruise. 

Sydney's skyline

We waited at the wharf and noticed something familiar—the Sydney Opera House. We didn’t realize that it’s actually located at Circular Quay. The beautiful shell-shaped roof of one of the famous opera houses in the world was gleaming from the two o’clock sun. 

The majestic Sydney Opera House

It was 2:20 pm when we were asked to board the ship which was actually bigger than what I expected. We headed directly at the sundeck and settled on some of the seats that were available, only to realize that as the cruise commenced, almost everyone started to get up and took pleasure from the beautiful scenery. 

Passing underneath Sydney Harbour Bridge

The sun was playing hide n’ seek with us as we cruised along Sydney Harbour. In some parts, it will glimmer its glorious afternoon shine and it will hide on the thick clouds on some. Nonetheless, we found our own spot where we could fully appreciate everything. 

Perfect day for a cruise

The intense heat of the sun was in total contrast with the cool autumn breeze as we cruised along. We passed by on some of Sydney’s important landmarks, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and some of the lavish waterfront mansions along the exclusive eastern suburbs. 

Darling Harbour

The commentary while aboard the ship was effective as everyone became aware of Sydney’s interesting history. We were waiting for whales, dolphins, seals or ferry penguins to surface from the water, to no avail. 

Australia’s modern history started with the arrival of the first fleet of eleven British ships in 1788 bringing in 778 convicts and settled on a penal colony. It was in Sydney’s Port Jackson, home to several to several Australian Aboriginal tribes in the early years, that the settlement was established. 

Luna Park

We were absorbed on the beautiful sceneries during the first half of the cruise. We took endless snaps of the iconic sights as we eagerly listened to the story behind each landmark. 

We shushed at the second half and then talked about our personal adventure as a couple. It was two weeks when we committed to stay together and it was nothing but bliss. 

The one hour and fifteen minutes cruise was so worth it.

We were then offered some soda which was included on the cruise package as we went down on the first level of the ship. It was a nice experience to get an overview of Sydney’s history in a fun way. Everything made sense afterwards, the mix of the old and new structures on Sydney’s CBD. Whether to do it on the very first day of the trip or at the end wouldn’t matter at all as you’d be delighted on the fresh insights. 

'Til next time, Sydney

As we hopped off the ferry, we expressed our gratitude towards the crew and realized that two of them were Filipinos. We spoke to them using our own native language and bid our farewell. 

Sydney Harbour Highlights Cruise is certainly a must-do when in Sydney. With the help of Klook App, we got to experience a cruise tour around famous landmarks in the city that moulded Australia’s history. 

Check here for discounted hotels, inns, and hostels in Sydney

---