After 36 hours of travel and 4 flights from Florida we finally arrived in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

We have been wanting to visit Australia for years and when people would ask if we had been we would always have to reply, not yet but it is on our list.  In case you haven't heard the story yet, we are sailing to Antarctica in February of 2026 but want Antarctica to be our 7th continent (as one does), so I (Melissa) needed to visit both Australia and Asia before we set sail and Scott needed to visit Australia.  

Since we have done quite a bit of traveling this year already and Scott doesn't have much vacation time left but works remotely anyway, we decided to look for a cruise that would give us a taste of Australia (who can see Australia in one trip anyway) and sail to Asia as well. So Hobart is our embarkation point as we sail along the east coast of Australia to Singapore for 21 days. This will be our 6th cruise, our first on Princess, and our longest to date.  We chose the cruise based on it's unique itinerary and as we have come to learn is becasue of a brief refresh of the ship that will be taking place in Singapore. 

Travel Tip if you are flying domestically in Australia 

After arriving in Brisbane from LAX, we had a tight connection in the domestic terminal to board our first-ever Virgin Australia flight.  Because we were in a rush, Scott, on crutches and using a knee scooter, we were directed to the oversize baggage check-in for assistance.  We quickly learned that the bags we had planned to carry on were not within the weight limit for this domestic flight, and 2 of our bags had already been checked and sent on.  The remaining bags had laptops, camera equipment, and batteries.  We have carried these bags all over the world and were shocked to learn we would not be able to carry them on the flight.

I must commend the ladies at the desk for helping us find a speedy resolution so we would not miss the flight about to board.  She quickly found us a shopper tote to load up our laptops and batteries.  They also checked the two other bags that were over the carry-on policy at no charge, and even though the baggage check-in had just closed, she also had them reopen it so the bags would all make it onto the flight.  One of the ladies also walked us through security to the front of the line and all the way to the gate. 

Thankfully the flight had actually been delayed by about half an hour so they were just about to board when we arrived. We can't express how much we appreciate their handling of something that could have been very frustrating to us and quickly delaying our travel plans with quick thinking of a viable solution that they had the authority to act on.  Very well done, Virgin Australia, for 2 Americans during their first day in Australia.

If you're flying through Brisbane, you might need more than a couple of hours as well since you'll have to clear immigration and customs and transfer by bus to the domestic terminal and check your bags in.  Since only domestic carriers fly out of Brisbane there likely won't be an option to book all the way to Hobart from the US. 

Once we finally arrived in Hobart not only was it raining but our cell phones (we recently switched to Xfinity mobile because the price, which is much lower than T-mobile, also includes 10GB of international data per billing cycle) were unfortunately not working.  We had to go old school and hail a taxi, thankfully most now accept credit cards and Apple Pay, to get us to the hotel.  Once we arrived and connected to the hotel's wifi, we were able to quickly chat with Xfinity and they got it sorted on their end.  Hopefully this won't be an issue going forward.  We also have fully unlocked phones so that we can use a eSim (we like GigSky) but since I had only planned to use one if I use all my high speed data from Xfinity, I hadn't purchased or set up my eSim for Australia yet. 

Where to Stay in Hobart, Tasmania

After researching several options, and since we were only visiting for one night, I decided on The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel. Since we are Titanium Elite Members for life (a benefit of some Marriott Timeshare Properties we own - that were formally part of Starwood, so we got some great benefits when they rolled into Marriott). We knew instantly we had made the right choice.  Not only is it central to the wharf/port area in Hobart, but it also boasts spectacular views, even in the rain. 

Tips for Booking Hotels 

If you are visiting Hobart, I recommend booking The Tasman well in advance.  I checked again a few weeks before our visit because sometimes you can actually cancel and rebook for a better price, and prices have skyrocketed. I had booked it directly through Marriott since that's the only way that hotels will typically honor your status for things like free upgrades or complimentary breakfast, plus the ability to earn your points.  I also checked with American Express Travel since I have a hotel benefit to use on my American Express Platinum card before the end of the year, and The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, is eligible for the benefit. Still, because the price had gone up so much, I would have actually ended up paying more for the room even with the credit than I would have with my original reservation, but it never hurts to check. 

Our Experience at The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart, Tasmania

I know they strive to have rooms ready early, and we typically like to be able to go to the room after such a long travel day(s), but he said if we could wait just about an hour, he was going to upgrade us to the highest floor with the panoramic view. Yes, please. He offered us a complimentary drink to enjoy in the lounge with our lunch while we waited and let's just say it was definitely worth the wait. 

They also gifted us a couple of complimentary bottles of local wine. Breakfast is typically included or can be selected as the welcome benefit for certain Marriott Bonvoy status levels, especially when traveling internationally, so be sure to ask.  Our experience has been that they offer 1000 points or a complimentary breakfast for 2, which can be worth well more than 1000 points, especially when, in this case, breakfast was well over 100 AUD, or about 60 USD. While some hotel breakfasts can be uninspiring, the hotel breakfast  at Peppina (also open for dinner) featured local free-range eggs, local juices, local jams, and other local products, including sourdough bread, which made it well worth it for us to try so many local Tasmanian products during our short stay here. 

We had a fantastic stay at The Tasman and would highly recommend it for your stay in Hobart. 

What to do in Hobart, Tasmania 

If you are lucky enough to be here on a Saturday morning, a visit to Salamanca Market is a must.  We love local markets and visit them whenever we can.  We agreed that Salamanca Market tops ALL the ones we have been to.  We had read this about the Salamanca Market and with probably over 100 vendors featuring local food (scallops, octopus, local pies, baked goods, wine, spirits), handmade crafts, plants, jewelry, artwork, clothing, and so much more.  Even though we typically don't intend to purchase much, it is always fun to explore.  We also appreciated that many from the cruise ship in port (the one we would board) were visiting, and a local market like this is a welcome sight after all the typically cruise-ship shops and markets where knick-knacks are imported from other places in the world. They all begin to feel the same. We did pick up a couple of small Christmas ornaments for the grandchildren.

Once thing we also noticed was that several of the amenities we had seen at the Tasman Hotel could be found at the market.  From the Beauty and the Bees, to the jam, to the fresh juices, and the spirits and snacks found in the mini bar were sold here.  I love that even as part of a larger hotel chain, the Tasman sources local goods from small vendors to share with it's guests. 

I can't help but share some of the amazing booths we passed. 

Since it was raining when we arrived, Scott needed to work for the day (it was afternoon when we arrived but he would be working the morning of that day in Europe and US time zones), he is currently on crutches and has the help of the knee scooter, and we were upgraded to the amazing view of the harbor where we would watch our ship come in and the comings and goings of everyone that evening.  While this is not our typical style as we like to get out and see as much as we can, even if we had a short time, this time allowed us to relax, work, and just enjoy the view and the room, something we rarely do. 

More Things to do in Hobart, Tasmania

Here's a few of the other things we had planned to potentially do.  We like to always have a list of "possibilities" ready so we will know the best things to do and see as time and energy allows. 

•  Stroll the Waterfront & Battery Point  - Start outside the hotel along Sullivans Cove — walk past Constitution Dock, the MONA ferry terminal, and Salamanca Wharf - Continue up to Battery Point via Kelly’s Steps — explore its historic cottages and harbor views.

• Stop at Jackman & McRoss Bakery for a pastry and flat white.

• Have Pre-dinner drink at The Den or Evolve Spirits Bar

• Short walk along the harbor to see the boats lit up.

• Enjoy a drink at Lark Cellar Door for Tasmanian whisky, we learned that things tend to close early so plan to go before 9PM

• Walk the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens or MONA

• Grab a cab to Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens (10 min drive). Peaceful, expansive views.

• Hop on the MONA ferry (10:15 AM) and spend ~1 hour at the world-famous Museum of Old and New Art,  it’s a 25-min ferry ride each way.

• Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery (5 min walk from the Tasman)
• A trip to Mt Wellington to take in the views above the city

Just our drive from the airport and what we learned about the fresh food and landscape of Tasmania has us already wanting to plan a trip back.  About the size of Florida, Tasmania should be explored with a week our two at your disposal.  We would love to drive the and see more of it, with the luxury of stopping along the way to hike, explore more, visit the wineries, and enjoy more of the fresh, local food Tasmania (locals call it Tassie) has to offer)!