by Ralph Grizzle

Cruising among some of the world's most appealing scenery sounds tempting. But is getting there worth it? The first European sailor to make landfall in Australia's Botany Bay would have trouble finding a spot to drop anchor today. Captain James Cook, who explored the South Pacific on the Endeavour in the late 1700s, would have to vie with several cruise companies that have recently put Australia and New Zealand on their charts. Celebrity Cruises and the aptly named Oceania Cruises each announced new Australia/New Zealand itineraries that will begin in late 2007. They will join Princess Cruises and Holland America Line, which have already been operating Down Under. Why the surge in popularity? Consider the highlights, which typically include Sydney and Melbourne in Australia and the major cities of New Zealand -- as well as scenic cruising in Milford Sound, where the filming of the movie "Lord of the Rings" inspired ad campaigns touting New Zealand's immense beauty as being real even if the blockbuster movie was based on fiction. Cruisers also have a chance to explore inland. Cruisetours, which are tours offered before and after cruises, typically are offered only in Australia and allow passengers to get deep into the Outback to admire the giant red monolith known as Ayer's Rock and the ochre domed rocks known as the Olgas. Other cruisetours take pre- or post-cruisers to the Great Barrier Reef. Though there are nuances among itineraries, most run 12 days or longer, and nearly all include a mix of cruising Australia's east coast and Tasmania (the Australian island state) with New Zealand's North Island and South Island. Some extended itineraries, often more than 30 days in length, also feature Asia. Remember, with seasons reversed in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, the major cruise lines typically operate "Down Under" from November through March.