CRUISING THE SOUTH WEST PACIFIC ON LINERS
KIRIWINA ISLAND (PNG) from GOLDEN PRINCES Sept 2017
Latest cruise was JAN 2019 - but much of this page was written after a Feb 2016 trip on CARNIVAL LEGEND. There is an UPDATE department on subsequent cruises towards the human foot of the page.
NO SHORTAGE OF CHOICE
There's a heap of cruises departing Sydney - inwards fact you lot tin send away go virtually anywhere on the world's oceans - but the most pop are the relatively brusk (8 to xi days) runs around the various islands of New Caledonia as well as Vanuatu inwards the south-west Pacific E of of the central-north Queensland coast.
Um, someone left the N out of VaNuatu. I fogot to include a linear scale - it is 1600 km inwards a straight line from the NEW CALEDONIA identify marking to that of ROCKHAMPTON as well as just nether 2000 to SYDNEY.
The cruises tend to take 2 or iii days to accomplish the islands from Sydney; so 3,4 or five days depending on how many call-ins around the various islands (New Caledonia has i large isle as well as a hell of a lot of smaller ones: Vanuatu is all smallish islands); as well as 2 or iii days to acquire dorsum to Sydney. There tin send away live variations - for instance 2 Tropical Cyclones (aka Typhoons/Hurricanes depending on where you lot live) forced an early on retreat latest cruise on CARNIVAL LEGEND as well as so nosotros spent a rattling leisurely 4 days getting dorsum from New Caledonia. Hell, I think I could receive got swum faster - but it was all rattling relaxing as well as because nosotros were ever considerably inwards front end of the tempest nosotros suffered no really large seas or rigid winds.
Similarly our Oct fifteen voyage on CARNIVAL SPIRIT saw propeller problems causing an extra one-half twenty-four hr menses to acquire home.
Island call-ins. Note that when writing this I've yet to build Lifou (those darn Tropical Cyclones) as well as that Espiritu Santo is a rare see for these cruises. Early publicity for our latest trip included Santo but it was dropped, apparently because of inadequate docking/shore excursion facilities. Anyway, those cyclones came from that management so no way would nosotros receive got made it.
UPDATE - afterwards cruises saw 2 visits to both LIFOU as well as ESPIRIT SANTO - regard downwardly page.
For scale - it's close 530km inwards a straight line betwixt the identify markers of PORT VILA AND NOUMEA
Note also I neglected to include Port Denarau and Suva inwards Fiji, which are sometimes additions to these New Caledonia cruises. Fiji is close 1000km E of Port Vila.
This is a March 2016 cruise on Carnival Legend. I pinched the graphic off Ozcruising's website.
Looks to live an interesting trip - I've backpacked Republic of the Fiji Islands dorsum inwards the 90s: hafta acquire back.
UPDATE - equally indicated up-page that's precisely what I did inwards August xvi on Carnival Spirit. Our outward leg was Sydney-Noumea-Suva - the render was slightly different to the higher upwards - Port Denaru-Suva-Sydeny. Was supposed to live Port Denaru-Isle of Pines (can live seen below Mare on the higher upwards map)-Sydney.
I've done 4 of the shorter isle cruises inwards the iii years to FEB 1016, plus 2 slightly longer ones - the start around New Zealand, which is in all probability the next most pop cruise ex-Sydney - the 2d extending across to Fiji. The NZ cruise involved 2 sea days each way, plus call-ins every twenty-four hr menses at 8 different locations around the 2 islands - 12 days inwards total. Republic of the Fiji Islands involved 2 sea days to Noumea as well as Mystery Island, 2 sea days to Republic of the Fiji Islands as well as 4 sea days dorsum to Commonwealth of Australia including the medical emergency mentioned downwardly page- total with stops 12 days.
Much of this page concentrates on the Feb 2016 trip on Carnival Legend to the islands - but I volition add together information which may acquire useful to you lot from other cruises where applicable.
WHY CRUISE?
Some of you lot guys are in all probability quest why a long-time backpacker is cruising. Thing is it's so EASY. No mucking around at airports both at Sydney's poor excuse fer i or the hassles as well as scams at airports similar Phuket's as well as Bali's. Check inwards as well as customs/emigration/immigration is so much easier.
EASIER also is access:
Sydney's Circular Quay rider terminal for cruise liners(properly known equally THE OVERSEAS PASSENGER TERMINAL - CIRCULAR QUAY) is exclusively 300m from Circular Quay rail station. This is a 120km 2.5 h prepare trip from my dwelling house town, rattling relaxing as well as exclusively costing $aud2.50 (less than $us2) on concern human relationship I'm a seriously old dude with a geezer's concession. This is the Carnival Legend waiting for us on our latest Feb2016 cruise as well as was shot from the Quay concourse.
White Bay, from where the PandO cruises as well as other smaller liners usually start is a flake farther westward - add together a $aud25 taxi ride from Central Station (the panorama shot click-expands nicely)....
....but White Bay departures have the wages of travelling nether the Sydney Harbour Bridge - something I've done many times inwards little ferries, but....
.....it seems so different inwards a large ship.
The P+0 Pearl as well as Jewel just build it yesteryear a few meters - the bigger Carnival boats don't.
Note work of the + instead of the common shorthand inwards P&0. For some argue blogger can't handgrip & - equally yu tin send away see.
Relative spot of OVERSEAS CRUISE TERMINAL at Circular Quay as well as WHITE BAY CRUISE TERMINAL.
Straight line distance betwixt the 2 identify markers is exclusively 2 km, but you lot tin send away regard that the White Bay based boats receive got a rather twisted course of instruction before they are next say the Opera House.
By the way, if I was an overseas visitor I would much prefer Circular Quay - you lot tin send away walk to the Opera House, Sydney Harbour bridge, the Rocks historical expanse as well as the City - plus the Quay is a train/bus focus for to a greater extent than distant parts of Sydney. Buses for Bondi Beach leave of absence from hither - facial expression for 380 or 333 inwards Alfred St opp wharf 2 - 45 minutes.
White Bay nonetheless is relatively isolated as well as poorly served with world carry - no incertitude the cruise lines throw on buses etc for their exxy shore excursions but if you lot are similar me as well as prefer to do your ain exploring it is a hard identify to acquire out cheaply/quickly.
UPDATE - State Transport is at nowadays running a ferry from a wharf close 500m to the right in i trial out of the terminal (ask directions from i of the many helpers at that spot on arrivals time), to Circular Quay. I haven't done this yet, but it would live a pretty scenic trip - including passing nether the bridge.
But THE MAIN ATTRACTION of cruising is best summed upwards yesteryear an old piece of work mate met on my start cruise - it was her 15th or so. When asked what she liked best, she said "They PAMPER you". Too right - service is the large thing as well as you lot don't receive got to worry close cooking, house-work or most of the other everyday hassles.
I receive got to add together that GOOD VALUE is some other thing that appeals to me. You tin send away do these cruises for less than $aud70 ($us50)** per mortal a day all inclusive - unlimited food, comfy cabin, entertainment, goodness leisure facilities, heaps of involvement activities plus of course of instruction you lot are existence transported to a multifariousness of places inwards high comfort. For Australian cruises Carnival as well as P+O fares include tips (Oz aint a tipping culture). However, knowing how poorly most of the crew is paid, nosotros usually give at cruise goal a little number of minor sums to people who receive got stood out service-wise.
Note I think ALL UP costs of my recent backpacker trips would mostly live unopen to $70 a twenty-four hr menses - some more.
You tin send away of course of instruction pass to a greater extent than - on special food, sure shipboard involvement activities, shore excursions, gambling etc - but our extra spending latest cruise just involved booze, a shore excursion motorcoach ride to Yejele Beach on Mare as well as a unproblematic wifi packet for Lady Tezza (note wifi is expensive - ridiculous inwards this twenty-four hr menses as well as age). Plus the afore-mentioned minor tips
**UPDATE 2017 - COST WISE at that spot are so many variables - fifty-fifty with the same type of cabin (we ever go for a sea sentiment cabin because The Lady freaks without natural light) you lot tin send away goal upwards spending way to a greater extent than than twice the higher upwards figures (and that is BEFORE you lot start adding booze packages, pay dining, spa treatments, expensive shore excursions ...yada). Pick a higher even out cabin as well as it goes upwards again.
But hither are a few tips:
- essay to non volume the opening fare (unfortunately some people can't avoid this).
- PACK AND GO (last minute) FARES are usually a goodness create do - but banknote you lot receive got less selection re cabin types, location etc. Maybe no choice.
- After the Opening Fares as well as before Pack as well as Go some goodness deals acquire available.
- CRUISE WHOLESALERS should non live avoided. Get on their e-mail listing as well as they volition send you lot special offers. Sure, they acquire their middleman cutting but nosotros receive got works life places similar CRUISE SALE FINDER to offering some first-class deals. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few times nosotros receive got been upgraded to a balcony at no extra charge.
- Often some inclusive charges similar TIPS (at to the lowest degree on cruises leaving Australlia) tin send away live opted out.
Thing is a lot of this is variable - THE LADY has just told me (Dec 2017) ROYAL CARRIBEAN has removed the choice to opt-out of inclusive tips for cruises out of Australia. So the thing is to do your query on all this before booking.
Anyway, with THE LADY doing all this research/booking, nosotros ever goal upwards with a goodness deal, Our sea-view room ever costs to a greater extent than than the bottom budget internal cabins (think around $100 a twenty-four hr menses each for TWO people inwards 2017, to a greater extent than similar $80 when nosotros started inwards 2014) vs downwardly to 60-70% of that for an interior cabin with FOUR people.
We receive got works life LOCATION of cabin tin send away live of import - goal cabins tend to displace around a flake to a greater extent than inwards crude oil seas as well as cruising forums tin send away tell you lot the noisy cabins (often the ones close amusement venues) as well as other problems.
THE SHIPS
As tardily equally our sixth cruise inwards July 2016 nosotros had exclusively used 2 outfits, CARNIVAL and P+0. And fifty-fifty to a greater extent than restrictive, they are owned yesteryear the i company, Carnival Corporation plc - this outfit is the largest cruise liner operator inwards earth with to a greater extent than than 100 ships over 10 brands.
So no surprises that our cruise experiences are non radically different.
But at that spot are several other cruise lines operating out of Sydney, some non owned yesteryear Carnival. I hope to live able to study on a few some fourth dimension inwards the future.
OUR CARNIVAL CHOICES
We receive got done 2 cruises on Carnival Legend, and 2 on Carnival Spirit. They are sis ships as well as tend to live rattling similar. But non identical.
This is Carnival Legend off Mare. Carnival Spirit is a sis panamax shape ship (biggest Carnival that tin send away acquire thru the Panama canal) as well as looks to a greater extent than or less identical. At 86000 tons, 294m long as well as 32m wide, carrying 2100 passengers as well as 904 crew they are non small, but are nowhere the size of some later-built cruise ships - the higher upwards was launched inwards 2001.
There are little variations internally - Spirit has had the most recent refit (2015) as well as has a novel Mexican style buffet section. It also has less ostentatious internal decorations, although both are pretty flash - what Carnival calls its Las Vegas style.
Legend's 8 storey Atrium. Those are lifts at left.
The Atriums's basis flooring aint precisely retiring either.
The topic continues right thru the ship - this is i of the stairwells.
If all this seems a flake overwhelming, banknote it seemed much less chintzy on our 2d Legend trip. And those legend-based paintings as well as murals are goodness value to translate (see downwardly page).
Differences betwixt Carnival's Legend as well as Spirit are small.
Apart from a to a greater extent than relaxed decor (but soundless to a greater extent than blingy than P+O) a to a greater extent than recent refit on the Spirit results inwards some extra nutrient options - notably a Mexican nutrient bar which on the Legend serves hamburger,chips etc (no worries large fourth dimension gourmets - these high gain options are available inwards some other spot on the Spirit).
Fitness freaks should banknote Legend has a mentum upwards bar out on the deck inwards front end of the gym, Spirit has no mentum upwards bar.
Chin-ups rule
THE P+O SHIPS
P+0 Pacific Pearl at Napier, New Zealand. It's unopen inwards appearance as well as size to our other P+O choice, Pacific Jewel. These are SMALLER than the Carnival vessels at a 63500/69850 gross tonnes respectively, 247/245m long, 1850/1900 passengers (although they equally broad equally the Carnivals as well as receive got an equal number of rider decks (11) - the argue they fit nether the Sydney Harbour Bridge is largely due to their lower funnels). Thing is at all times I thought I was on pretty sizable ships. They are older than the Carnivals - launched 1989. But regular refits hateful they are non shabby.
Lines of the slightly larger (well heavier but really 2m shorter) Pacific Jewel were done yesteryear world famous architect Lorenzo Piano. To me, the curved "dolphin like" profile makes it facial expression bigger, sleeker as well as to a greater extent than modern that Pacific Pearl. Only job is that Piano had a mitt inwards styling Pearl (launched abt the same time) - um let's say he was less successful.
Setting is in i trial once to a greater extent than Mare, New Caledonia.
Decor on P+O is considerably to a greater extent than restrained. This is in all probability the blingiest spot on the Jewel, its iii storey Atrium.
More relaxed decor in P+O Jewel's buffet's body of body of water sentiment department vs....
....Carnival Legend
Differences betwixt the P+O ships
CAVEAT - a lot of the next mentions PACIFIC PEARL - but inwards March 2017 P+O sold her - she is at nowadays currently sailing for Cruise as well as Maritme Voyages out of the U.K. equally COLUMBUS. Lady Tezza says I should delete the next sections mentioning PEARL, but a lot is close the New Zealand Cruise which should live relevant on whatever P+O ship is doing it. Plus some U.K. readers may live interested inwards PEARL'S features.
Our 2 P+O boats differed to a greater extent than internally than the Carnivals.
I thought dining, entertainment, other activities as well as cabin standards were rattling similar.
However Pearl had a terrific cicular world lounge expanse upwards top frontward called THE DOME which.....
....was a neat identify to sit, spotter the the surrounding scene (particularly goodness on entry/exit to ports as well as other scenic areas) as well as to just read. play cards etc. The large cardinal opened upwards infinite was goodness for the gratis trip the low-cal fantastic classes, movies, talks from experts on art, arts and crafts activities etc, teen discos as well as so on.
Jewel has a much to a greater extent than longitudinally extensive expanse upwards top. However those front end panoramic windows receive got the GYM expanse (with a spa downstairs) - earth lounge, soundless called THE DOME, is an irregular rectangle behind on the port side exclusively (those upper nurture windows you lot tin send away regard inwards the pic) as well as is much smaller as well as pokier than on the Pearl. On the starboard side are fitness suites (pay for special fitness stuff/massages) as well as the beauty salon.
I personally don't tending if I receive got a sea sentiment when working out, but I did pass a hell of a lot of fourth dimension relaxing at the Pearl Dome sea-view front end windows.
So evidently some other large difference is GYM LOCATION. On the Pearl it is way downwardly on deck A which is below the start of the rider cabin decks (1) as well as mainly has crew quarters as well as auxiliary ship functions. Side areas from the gym receive got spa, fitness suites as well as the beauty salon.
At start I thought hiding the gym downwardly at that spot was non so hot, but it is right at the human foot of the cardinal stairway (and lifts) as well as because I similar to do several bottom to top stair climbs after a workout (10 floors mid-ship) I grew to really prefer it - helped largely yesteryear the fact it ever seemed less crowded than on the Jewel. I think Pearl's gym is slightly larger, but the chief argue was that Jewel had a circus high- wire deed for the chief top deck at the fourth dimension of my cruise as well as the performers spent a fair fourth dimension inwards the gym keeping fit. On all ships performers from the shows' trip the low-cal fantastic troupes etc also used the gyms, but these people did non overcrowd the other iii gyms. Some prissy optic candy too.
Another score against Jewel's gym was that at the fourth dimension of my trip all the stationary bicycles were inwards a separate room, evidently for the paid spin classes. Pearl had at to the lowest degree vi bikes - I never had to hold off for one.
A score against both is that at that spot are no chin-up, pull-up bars - my personal favourite.
A banknote hither - I don't work gyms at home: no time/can't afford them. But this is the thing close cruises - you lot tin send away essay novel activities at no cost. And a workout at the gym sure burns some of that excess of yummy nutrient from the buffet.
The Jewel has an adults' exclusively deck out dorsum (the Oasis) with sun-lounges as well as lounging pods. plus comfy seats nether encompass dorsum close the bar to right of image. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 similar but smaller deck is below this, without bar facilities
The Pearl has a similar set-up, except the chief Oasis deck also contains twin spas, rattling pop with guests.
If you lot desire a fresh air spa experience on the Jewel at that spot are 2 betwixt the swimming pools on deck 12 (there is some other puddle beyond that metallic hoop, but it is empty as well as covered yesteryear a internet because of crude oil conditions the previous night). Note pools are non huge - no identify for laps swimmers.
This expanse on the Pearl is rattling similar apart from no spas as well as a swim upwards bar at i of the pools.
The nurture exterior extension to the buffet expanse higher upwards the Oasis decks was a prissy identify to pass fourth dimension on both ships. Here Pearl passengers are checking Milford Sound, Fiordland, South Island New Zealand. Nice area.
Differences betwixt Carnival as well as P+0
MORE FEATURES
Size is evidently a major difference - but I never thought the Carnivals also large or the P+Os also small.
But the extra infinite allows Carnival to to a greater extent than fit things on-board like....
.....a third (tiny) puddle on the nurture adults' only deck. That's a spa inwards the elevated drinking glass enclosed expanse goal of pool. This deck was a pop expanse - has lots of comfy chairs nether encompass as well as similar the P+Os, a bar. Booze prices gave this elcheapo dude a jolt, but I purchase mass from Dan Murphy's etc as well as I noticed prices were rattling similar to onshore pubs inwards New Zealand as well as considerably cheaper than rip-off New Caledonia. Nice dot - booze prices seemed constant throughout each ship - so if you lot were at i of the flash Atrium bars you lot soundless paid $aud 7+ for your stubby of beer. For the record, P+O may receive got been 5-10% cheaper than Carnival.
I think FOOD VARIETY may receive got been slightly to a greater extent than on the Carnivals but at no fourth dimension did I consider P+0's buffet was lacking. FOOD QUALITY was goodness on both lines equally far equally I was concerned, both inwards the buffets as well as the a la carte restaurants. Then again, I'm no gourmet.
Main difference inwards the buffets apart from decor was that P+Os (Jewel at top) had to a greater extent than pressure level on seating - no large deal, but several occasions at peak times nosotros had to search for a spot, oftentimes sharing a identify unit of measurement tabular array with some other couple. Carnival Legend Lido buffet seating at bottom.
ALL THAT FOOD!
The amount as well as multifariousness of nutrient on the cruise is a blowout. Particularly to The Lady as well as me who were raised inwards lower working shape families which dorsum inwards the tardily 40s/early-mid 50s tended to do it tough - at that spot was oftentimes a shortage of nutrient as well as multifariousness was restricted to the same old inexpensive staples. So fifty-fifty though our afterwards years were hardly lower working shape (bless Australia's gratis instruction system) nosotros receive got remained pretty frugal as well as no frills. Get into a province of affairs where nosotros tin send away go berserk at no extra cost as well as I peculiarly lose some restraint - despite my rigorous daily excercise regime (see downwardly page) I set on five kilos (11 lbs) inwards the 10 days/12 nights on board FEB 2016 trip).
But our early on life-experience soundless showed - our parents would kill us if nosotros wasted nutrient so nosotros never left materials on our cruise plates uneaten, different 50%+ of other passengers.
My poor old mum would live turning over inwards her grave. And this is little fourth dimension compared to the materials left on other plates.
Nor did nosotros consume betwixt meals - the amount of grazing when the buffet was closed (for exclusively close an hr betwixt meals after opening 0615 - closes rattling late) was incredible, as well as most of this materials was pay extra. Similarly at that spot would live at to the lowest degree a half-dozen partly finished pizzas on trays exterior cabins on my java fetching trek each morning. I assumed room service had delivered - some room service items are free, others not. But mayhap passengers had fetched these themselves from the pizzeria which similar the deli sandwich counter, remains opened upwards 24 hours).
BTW - no lack of quantity inwards the Waterfront a la carte restaurant, as well as if you lot desire more, ask. Want 2 entrees or H2O ice cream with that fancy dessert? No problem.
SOFT SERVES RULE!
I reckon a large number for families with kids is that the Carnivals had a SELF SERVE SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM MACHINE out on the chief puddle deck, which was immensely pop (and non just with the kids - I love that stuff, peculiarly when free). The P+0s receive got a pay per serve H2O ice cream cone identify - also immensely popular.
PAY?
When at that spot is so much yummy gratis food? Yep, plenty did, including at a articulation close the lower deck lounges on each ship selling fabulous looking cakes as well as pastries - but no to a greater extent than fabulous looking to me than the gratis pastries as well as cake upwards at the buffet. A pay java store also did a roaring merchandise (sure, those java machines inwards the buffet powerfulness non striking the spot for a truthful java freak - I wouldn't know the difference betwixt goodness as well as rattling average java but Lady Tezza does) as well as you lot would non believe the crowds inwards the lolly shops. Gourmets who desire to measurement upwards from the gratis a la carte restaurants receive got several pay options for a fancy meal. Dunno how goodness they are - I thought the gratis restaurants served pretty goodness nutrient with neat service.
MORE FUN AT CARNIVAL'S Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 LA CARTE
You tin send away facial expression Carnival's restaurants to live bigger, but inwards plumbing fixtures with the FUN SHIPS topic of the line, the wait-staff set on some brusk amusement each nighttime which proved immensely popular.
The Carnival Spirit as well as Legend receive got 2 even out a la carte restaurants called Waterfront - lower even out for permanent bookings, upper for casual. These also are opened upwards for breakfast as well as tiffin for people who don't fancy the buffet. Dinner card has a goodness multifariousness of novel dishes each nighttime as well as equally said above, I thought the nutrient itself pretty nice.
Towards the goal of dinner, fabulous maitre d Silvestru (at right on tabular array top) would denote vocal or dance. He led yesteryear example....
....busting out all the moves (great dancer as well as this guy is middle aged).
Wait staff joined in....
....soon followed yesteryear many diners. Sounds corny, but rattling enjoyable. Sorry close the character of some shots, but I took them piece doing the the Macarena
BIGGER, BETTER GYMS
Carnival's gyms were much larger - makes sense on a bigger ship but I'm thinking disproportionately so. Gyms spread over iii levels at top front end of vessels. Those windows below human face upwards forward, give body of body of water views.
Lowest even out has some bikes, cross trainers, a few workout machines. Chin upwards bar is out on the front end deck close windows - Carnival Legend only. Spirit does without. So do P+O Jewel as well as Pearl.
Mid even out has this cardinal spa (very popular) plus......
.....more bikes as well as a stretch/floor-exercise area
Note how Green Thunder goes yesteryear the side of the ship as well as over the water, 12 storeys up. Tube is transparent but I receive got to say I was going so fast I didn't notice where I was (this attraction is mainly for kids, adolescents as well as geezers similar me with an emotional historic menses of 11). I pinched this shot from a disney cruise weblog - looks similar they got it from WHITEWATER WATERPARKS AND ATTRACTIONS.
Take off zone for the Green Thunder - attendant gets the all clear, presses clit as well as standing platform drops away. Young lady, who evidently likes the buffet, looks (from arms-crossed stance) similar she is worried that the initial gratis autumn volition take to a greater extent than than her breath away. Just kidding - crossed arm opinion is safest/fastest way to move inwards tube both virile mortal as well as female.
The take-off platform for Green Thunder is the highest identify on the ship passengers tin send away accomplish - aft you lot tin send away regard a smaller opened upwards H2O slide for younger kids as well as less brave people....
....forward is a prissy elevated sunning area, never crowded on my passes-by. At the next lowest even out out of frame towards the photographic telly camera is a prissy fairly spacious wading puddle rattling pop with parents as well as toddlers. P+O Jewel/Pearl have a smaller toddlers' wading puddle on an aft deck just higher upwards the adults' exclusively level.
BETTER FOR KIDS?
Well the gratis H2O slides are certainly a plus for Carnival. Both Carnival as well as P+0 receive got supervised kids' clubs which pre teens seemed to expose rattling enjoyable. For teens they also receive got special areas as well as activities but it seemed to me Carnival's were to a greater extent than conspicuous. But I didn't acquire the thought P+O was lacking hither - lotsa teens on our P+O trips as well as they never seemed bored.
Kids (and others) volition similar the zip-lines on the P+0 Jewel/Pearl. Trouble is this is a paid activity - equally was the walk the plank as well as climb the funnel on the same ships.
THEATERS
All the ships nosotros receive got been on receive got had chief theaters which for twice nightly performances of shows plus other occasions where mass seating is required.
Carnival Legend Folies house higher upwards - seems to me non also much bigger (if at all) than those on the P+O boats - seats mayhap 800. All performances both Carnival as well as P+O nosotros receive got seen characteristic professional person production, neat lighting etc, rattling loud, goodness choreography to this amateur viewer, singers vary from rattling goodness alive to ditto mimed.
However Carnival Legend and Spirit receive got a bonus - a smaller sub-theater (Firebird Theater on Legend) i deck downwardly for to a greater extent than performances as well as activities requiring less seating - mayhap 250 people. Doubles equally icon palace during daylight hours+ little focus groups (art lectures etc). We works life the comedians after dinner rattling goodness value.
GUESTS
1500 - haven't eaten since breakfast so upwards to the buffet (the a la carte eatery is also opened upwards for to a greater extent than discerning guests but nosotros prefer the buffet's heed boggling selection at tiffin as well as breakfast - non that dinner at that spot has fewer choices). On difference days the buffet tends to remain opened upwards for luncheon until 1600 or later, important it is never also tardily to grab a seize with teeth to eat....
....go across to i of the port windows and......
....check out the Sydney Opera House, plus....
....the never ending passing parade of ferries as well as harbour-cruise boats.
As said upwards page, you lot tin send away do this from your cabin also if it is port side. Even amend if you lot receive got a balcony. Our deck 1 cabin didn't receive got a balcony but the sea sentiment window was less than 10m higher upwards the H2O - when i of those larger ferries inwards the preceding shot went yesteryear it was really higher than this viewpoint. Pretty cool inwards large seas also - i moving ridge submerged the window. Waterproof of course of instruction - you lot get to empathise why deck 1 doesn't receive got balcony cabins.
What gets me is that the nearby expanse has hotel rooms where you lot volition pay $300+ a twenty-four hr menses for similar views, as well as plenty of ultra expensive restaurants, none of which receive got the elevated deck ix outlook of the pics 2 as well as iii up.
CHECKING THE SCENE.
After luncheon it is the over an hr before the SAFETY DRILL, which gives plenty of fourth dimension to wander the ship as well as banking concern check the scene.
City as well as the Quay facial expression good.....
....as does the coat hanger.
Aft on the adult's exclusively (SERENITY) deck the puddle has no takers at this early on hour, but if you lot facial expression carefully (click to expand on PC) you lot tin send away regard 4 or five happy souls sprawled inwards the spa - coctails inwards mitt I noticed at the time.
Behind the previous shot's camera, the bar is doing a goodness trade. Nothing similar getting inwards the mood early. Lady Tezza drags me away.
Kids non irksome to striking the H2O at the twin pools chief deck (a similar set-up behind camera).
SAFETY DRILL TIME
1700 - our muster station is on frontward deck 3, which is way amend than a previous difference on Carnival Spirit when nosotros were on the other sunny side of the ship with poorer non Opera House/water views. That sure got hot inwards the crowded 20/30 minutes it takes to demonstrate emergency procedures. Tip - delay arrival after start summons to minimise fourth dimension spent hither - but don't delay inwards cabin so that cabin stewards receive got to roust you lot to drill - as well as endure glares from before arrivals similar yours truly.
Note, different the P+O cruises, passengers don't receive got to take bulky life jackets from cabins to the drills.
DEPARTURE TIME
1830 - at that spot is no hooting of the claxon (city dissonance controls), scandalise or growth inwards dissonance even out - until I noticed the surrounding scenery sliding yesteryear I was unaware nosotros were underway.
Goodbye metropolis as well as Overseas Terminal equally nosotros dorsum away from berth.
Goodbye Opera House.
Sydney Harbour is pretty narrow hither (which may receive got something to do with why they built the span at this spot) as well as the reversing Legend goes a fair way across before the stern thrusters as well as assisting tugs start to plough it through ninety degrees.....
....so that the stern goes pretty unopen to existence nether the coat hanger. Then the airplane pilot throws it into frontward as well as nosotros are off towards the heads.
Now Legend is nowhere close equally long equally some other ships which work the Overseas Terminal - backing out must live a pretty tight manoeuvre for them.
Sydney Harbour is rattling picturesque - these exhibit a later-in-the-day difference on our previous (November 2014) Carnival Legend cruise (strong westerly winds had delayed our contrary out of the Quay on concern human relationship the airplane pilot feared nosotros powerfulness live blown across onto the Opera House).
Best fourth dimension of the twenty-four hr menses - grab a beer or drinking glass of vino from the bar on the nurture adult's exclusively deck, expose an empty spot as well as do a flake of reading.
Despite a higher proportion of co-eds on this trip, optic candy around the nurture puddle is disappointing - also many immature women these days are having a serious love matter with those series seducers Krispy Kreme as well as Maccas. Not so members of the Lido Theater's trip the low-cal fantastic troupe who trim down upwards nicely.
Sometimes the nurture deck is a flake also hot or windy - inwards that instance I go searching for The Lady who tin send away usually live works life caput inwards volume inwards i of the quieter aircon lounges downwardly on deck 2. Lotsa places downwardly at that spot I tin send away acquire a beer - so no complaints.
ALL THOSE LEGENDS
On the 2d sea twenty-four hr menses I acquire distracted yesteryear the artwork inwards the deck 2 lounge. Carnival Legend is total of murals, paintings as well as sculptures depicting yesteryear legends:
Each landing on the stairway has a huge artwork - I think this has something to do with a babe called Diana, sneaky/horsey tricks as well as that metropolis inwards north-west Turkey. Was its local cry Ilium?
Just close every spare surface inwards the corridors features a mural - I reckon this has something to do with goodness old Jason....
....and I seem to think a sword called Excalibur.
But what legend is this?
BTW it seems to me those old fourth dimension painters had a dodgy fixation on 12 yr old girls.
And what's going on here? Don't similar the facial expression on that bloke's face.
Um, I just worked out that's Adam (okay, so I'm a flake slow) - looks similar he's thinking of committing a large fourth dimension sin inwards close 2 seconds. Well before the apple. How does that work?
Speaking of sinful plans, should an angel live considering what he's got inwards mind? At to the lowest degree the sweetie looks less alarmed than Eve inwards the previous shot.
This was a huge mural roofing the dorsum wall of i of the lifts. Once again, what legend?
Each cabin has a legend-themed painting. Now I figure this i higher upwards our bed is Roman based - but I'm darned if I know the especial legend. Lady T who is academy trained inwards Latin (3 years) hasn't a clue.
1830 - PRE DINNER ENTERTAINMENT
Most bar/lounges on the ship receive got some sort of amusement going on from close 1700 thru to rattling tardily - so piece waiting for the Waterfront eatery to opened upwards for the tardily setting nosotros go downwardly to deck 2 as well as regard what's going on.
The Atrium lounge is a favourite - mainly because the singing duo (TAKE TWO) at that spot is totally first-class over a huge gain of stuff. This is shot pre-dinner twenty-four hr menses iii - Meet the Captain opportunity.
Captain GUISEPPE CAZZANO patiently shakes hands, chats as well as poses for pix for over an hour. This is pretty touchstone for captains each trip - but this guy goes the extra yard. I receive got never seen a captain showing upwards inwards so many various parts of the ship at different times....
.....Here he is walking thru a deck 2 lounge afterwards inwards the trip. The immature lady to his right collars him as well as he spends at to the lowest degree five minutes talking to her as well as her friends.
Meet the captain is a jeopardy for people to clothes upwards a flake - in i trial once to a greater extent than the ladies don't disappoint. These immature sweethearts are posing for i of the ship's photographers - a neat jeopardy for me to freeload on the setup.
1945 - 2100 DINNER
Dinner equally common does non disappoint - dining room staff amusement twenty-four hr menses iii is themed Love is inwards the Air - hither guests trip the low-cal fantastic away piece maitre d as well as staff fellow member belt out a rather goodness rendition of "Volare"
2100 ON
On concern human relationship nosotros are geezers, I receive got to acknowledge most nights nosotros just did some other quick tour of the lounges as well as casinos as well as so went dorsum to our cabin. However nighttime 2 nosotros checked out the exhibit inwards the Folies theatre - regard comments upwards page (later inwards the trip same time/place sees a rather mediocre illusionist) as well as acquire dorsum to the cabin existent tardily for us at 2345 to find.....
....this cool dude waiting to greet us.
DAY 4 - MYSTERY ISLAND
Mystery Island is most people's thought of a tropical isle - it is a coral cay, an ex atoll whose cardinal lagoon has been filled (or inwards this case, partially filled) yesteryear wave/wind deposited detritus from the reef.
Mystery Island is pretty tiny - the ground just to its due north is a southward western peninsula on a bigger isle of Aneityum, which is inwards the far southward of the Vanuatu isle chain.
Aneityum (at left) is pretty mountainous whereas Mystery isle is typical of coral cays which rarely acquire to a greater extent than than a few meters higher upwards sea level.
I reckon this is the chief argue MI has no permanent settlement (the story goes it's haunted) - it would non live also neat during the huge waves as well as tidal surges of a tropical cyclone. Lack of running H2O is some other problem. So "locals" alive on the bigger isle as well as displace across to sell beers, food, touristy souvenirs, hire snorkels etc when the cruise liners arrival. Hell, at that spot is fifty-fifty a crude oil grass airstrip to enable access from farther afield.
This beach inwards the island's south-east is in all probability the best, but at that spot are sections of sand all around the isle except at the rattling southward end. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 walking rail does the circuit - took me close twoscore minutes.
Note conditions conditions are of import - I receive got been hither inwards tardily Oct as well as Nov - despite existence inwards the sub-tropics, the SE trades as well as sea temps during Spring are non quite warm plenty to build it pleasant on this exposed side of the isle - the western lee side is a amend idea. Latest trip was inwards mid-summer Feb - the trades soundless blowing but were welcome equally a cooling agent inwards this hotter period. Water temp rattling nice.
There are a number of goodness snorkeling spots, but a pop i where a lot of the paid snorkeling trips go is straight to the left of the photographic telly camera inwards the previous pic. The boat center-background is i of the snorkel trip arts and crafts - if you lot click-expand you lot volition regard heads inwards H2O to right of it. I swam out - it is close 250m - coral as well as fish were pretty goodness without existence fantastic. Water fairly shallow.
Close to shore at that spot were plenty fish as well as little coral patches to build it interesting for novices.
Waiting to live tendered dorsum to the Legend (note tender transfers are free). Mystery Island is a goodness anchorage - the liners tin send away acquire unopen as well as the island's reef gives goodness protection from the SE swell so that transfers are relatively quick and stable - inwards 2 visits nosotros receive got got off the ship each time, different nearby Isle of Pines (1 inwards 3)
I receive got to a greater extent than info, maps as well as pix on MYSTERY ISLAND on this page.
CHANGE OF PLANS - ENTER THE TWIN CYCLONES!
As nosotros delineate away from Mystery Island circa 1600 the captain come upwards on the pa - 2 Tropical Cyclones (TC Tatania and TC Winston) are heading our way from the north, so nosotros are no longer going inwards that management to Vila, nor volition nosotros stick around also long inwards the nowadays full general area. After visiting Mare a flake to the southward tomorrow nosotros volition give the next twenty-four hr menses at Lifou a miss - instead nosotros volition caput farther southward to Noumea inwards New Caledonia.
I'm non a large fan of Noumea, really liked my i previous see to Vila as well as was looking frontward to my start see to Lifou. However Tropical Cyclones tin send away live rattling nasty - Winston afterwards kills 40+ people inwards Republic of the Fiji Islands - so no incertitude nosotros are doing the right thing.
This is i of the synoptic charts set upwards around the ship. It is for Feb14, 4 days after nosotros leave of absence Mystery island, situated just off the nautical chart higher upwards New Caledonia, which tin send away live seen close 2/3 across the nautical chart at the top.
TC Tatiana can live seen at left and TC Winston at right - their predicted courses good below New Caledonia as well as heading southward (although Winston volition presently veer to the E towards Samoa, the Cook Islands as well as Fiji). Fortunately for us both cyclones were good off the nautical chart to the due north when nosotros left Mystery Island as well as the captain Gazzano made sure nosotros stayed to their southward yesteryear non dallying inwards Noumea for to a greater extent than than a twenty-four hr menses as well as a night.
Note our master copy schedule had us inwards Noumea on the 14th - so the Cyclones would receive got already passed. Thing is, tropical cyclone paths are unpredictable - at that spot is null to halt i of these babies changing its supposed course of instruction as well as going right over Noumea. And fifty-fifty when at a medium distance, winds as well as seas tin send away acquire pretty fierce.
DAY five - MARE
Mare, 250km south-west of Mystery island, is much bigger, but relatively little compared to the chief isle of New Caledonia, Grand Terre (closest dot abt 110km farther south-west).
Its population is mainly indigenous kanaks - abt 7000.
Cruise ships tend to anchor inwards a rattling protected (from the prevailing south-east trades) bay just off i of the chief villages, TADINE. We are running iii out of iii hither equally far equally success inwards getting off the ship is concerned.
YEJELE BEACH is i of the to a greater extent than pop as well as less expensive shore excursions - it is a relatively brusk motorcoach trip from the landing area.
Speaking of shore excursions, at that spot is equally common a selection. But Lady Tezza as well as I are cheapskates as well as receive got gone for Yejele Beach on 2 of our iii visits including this one, On our middle see nosotros elected to just hang around the Tadine landing area.
Yejele Beach is a typical tropical beach - whitish coral based sand which is okay underfoot, an offshore reef which cuts whatever body of body of water swell (the cruises ever warn of tricky currents: I haven't come upwards across whatever although I receive got never gone out close the fringing reef which must live 300m from the sand), some trees inwards dorsum of beach for shade lovers, as well as some okay (but non heed blowing) patches of coral (those darker areas inwards the H2O at left higher upwards the people) with a few interesting fishies non also far off the sand. It does human face upwards the merchandise winds but this is a plus if your see happens to live inwards the warmer months.
It exclusively takes close fifteen minutes to accomplish from the Tadine landing expanse as well as the locals seem to receive got a goodness provide of buses as well as other carry to minimise whatever delays to as well as from. I think the ship charges $aud20 render for tickets.
In dorsum of the beach locals run the common businesses - beers as well as food, trinkets, snorkel/fins as well as beach chair hire - pilus plaiting for pre-tweens thru early on 20s chickens seems peculiarly popular.
Back at the TADINE landing expanse the locals receive got laid upwards a marketplace selling the same sort of things. Like at the beach, Aussie dollars are okay.
There is a hamlet schoolhouse inwards this expanse but the chief hamlet is close 800m inland as well as upwards a flake on the limestone plateau which covers most of the isle (Mare is a raised coral atoll).
There are some prissy sheltered coves with clear H2O as well as piece of cake access into the sea next the landing pier - on our 2d see I was quite happy to pass a lot of my onshore fourth dimension snorkeling around this expanse - coral as well as fish goodness plenty to wow novices although hard liners volition non live overwhelmed.
I receive got to a greater extent than info, pix as well as maps on YEJELE BEACH on this page.
DAY vi - NOUMEA
Noumea is the majuscule of the French overseas territory New Caledonia, as well as is situated on the biggest isle of Grand Terre.
The chief islands of New Caledonia. Grand Terre is non precisely little - banking concern check scale line. I think it the third biggest inwards the Pacific after both islands of New Zillund. Um, mayhap PNG fits somewhere inwards there.
It is surrounded yesteryear a huge barrier reef which is tin send away acquire 30+km from the shore, creating the world's largest tropical lagoon.
I'm non whelmed with Noumea. We receive got visited many times - twice for fly-in vacation dorsum inwards the 70s, as well as 4 times inwards recent years (UPDATE JAN nineteen - at nowadays 10 ship visits). The cruise lines love NOUMEA - rattling goodness facilities for repairs as well as dockside moorings which allows motion impaired passengers a much easier "debarkation"/embarkation than via mid-bay tender as well as New Caledonian regime insist that if cruises desire to see outer islands similar MARE, LIFOU as well as ISLE OF PINES, the ship must also telephone band inwards at Noumea.
But thhe identify is rattling expensive as well as French colonial types tend to live fifty-fifty to a greater extent than arrogant as well as pretentious than those at dwelling house - was it KATHY LETTE who said the French are borne with a condescension chromosome: No incertitude they think nosotros Aussies are loud oral cavity yobbos. Not incorrect mes amis. And the indigenous kanaks, although non snobbish, are nowhere close equally friendly as well as outgoing equally say the Vanuatu locals.
The town itself, although having plenty of chic shops, restaurants, bars etc reminds me a flake of Wollongong NSW circa 1980. There are plenty of hotels as well as a few swish resorts but tourism inwards New Caledonia is non a large create do these days - the identify earns most of its income from nickel mining. No incertitude the locals experience they are on a winner hither as well as high wage levels (and so ridiculously high prices for goods as well as services) seem to demeanour this out. But the competitiveness of the nickel manufacture is propped upwards yesteryear the common European Union primary manufacture subsidies (and so unknowing French as well as other European Union taxpayers).
Ships of CARNIVAL LEGEND size are forced to necktie upwards at the container terminal. Dock safety requires work of those shuttle coaches (no charge) to go across to the little cruise terminal which is the white edifice nether the tiny dark arrow just to right of top center. Fortunately this exclusively takes a few minutes. Slightly smaller liners similar P+O PACIFIC JEWEL tin send away dock right with the terminal.
The terminal has places selling shore trips, some at a discount to Carnival prices, an upstairs marketplace expanse selling touristy have on as well as trinkets, a ridiculously expensive cafe (I saw a immature human being rider pay $aud14 for a toasted ham sandwich - at to the lowest degree they take Aussie dollars similar a lot but non all places inwards town) which has all the ambiance of downtown Pitt St Sydney 1968, plus irksome unreliable BUT FREE! wifi.
Just yesteryear the terminal is a waterfront cafe/bar which is a prissy but exxy identify to pass fourth dimension as well as across the route a medium size supermarket which is an interesting identify to banking concern check out (can't take nutrient or booze dorsum onto the ship).
Noumea has a prissy setting on a hilly peninsula important at that spot is no shortage of bays as well as surrounding water. Watersports are naturally a large create do - peculiarly current of air surfing as well as diving.
Carnival has a host of shore excursions you lot tin send away do inwards as well as around Noumea. Diving, snorkeling as well as visits to little offshore islands seem attractive but Lady Tezza as well as I know that longish fast boat trips inwards this expanse tend to live a uncomfortable (the distance of the barrier reef offshore agency the SE trades tin send away boot upwards a fairly large chop within the giant lagoon) - plus the cost of nearly every excursion whether offshore or on is beyond our cheapskate budget.
There are some attractive rain-forest as well as waterfall locations inwards the hinterland around Noumea but they are pretty exxy shore excursions. Ditto most of the guided site-seeing trips around Noumea itself.
So nosotros settle for the cheapest shore excursion possible - a ticket on the hop-on, hop off motorcoach which goes every 10 minutes or so from the little cruise terminal mentioned higher upwards to the far goal of Anse Vata/return. Other pop stops are at the Marina markets, the Aquarium as well as Lemon Bay. People wanting to see i of Noumea's casino volition expose i inwards the Chateau Royal resort just due north of Anse Vata as well as at Hotel Le Surf on the headland close the aquarium.
We know much less expensive as well as frequent town buses go where nosotros desire to journey, but they start/finish inwards "the city" a brusk walk from the shore terminal. (Since I originally wrote this I receive got used them a brace of times to go to outlying beaches - but you lot demand the local currency which you lot tin send away acquire inwards the Cruise Terminal. Routes etc are available online - Google "Noumean buses")
We receive got just hopped on the ho/ho motorcoach at Anse Vata. This expanse has some okay restaurants as well as bars, but non equally many equally the nearer to ship Baie des Citrons which is the local cry for Lemon Bay. Later at the ship the captain tells all nosotros are staying inwards port overnight (normally nosotros would leave of absence abt 1800 that evening) as well as Carnival will run a gratis shuttle to Lemon Bay all nighttime for people who desire to party.
Lemon Bay has a beach - it tends to live much to a greater extent than sheltered than Anse Vata but at that spot is less sand.
Lady Tezza as well as I spent an hr or so at the little beach just yesteryear Anse Vata exterior Chateau Royal resort where nosotros stayed dorsum inwards the 70s. As you lot tin send away see, the beach is null to write dwelling house to mum about, peculiarly towards total tide. But this expanse is sheltered from the SE trades, different Anse Vata inwards background.
I grab my human face upwards mask as well as swim close 400m offshore. The H2O is pretty clear, doesn't acquire much to a greater extent than than 2m deep. The bottom has mostly sea grass with a few rattling little clumps of coral. I regard few fish.
Anse Vata is in all probability the best unopen to ship beach inwards Noumea, but yesteryear world standards is non all that good. At to the lowest degree at that spot is to a greater extent than sand in this shot than at the Chateau, but this was taken on our 2014 visit, closer to mid tide. Anse Vata's orientation agency it really picks upwards the SE trades - this makes it a pop current of air surfing beach but nosotros works life the current of air chill on this blustery, overcast September twenty-four hr menses was sufficient to demand us have on jackets.
This is just yesteryear the Chateau beach/250m behind photographic telly camera inwards the pic 2 higher upwards this - if you lot circular the little dot the expanse is nicely exposed to the prevailing merchandise winds as well as is some other pop current of air surfing location.
{I receive got a fair flake of info/maps/pix on ix NOMEA BEACHES on THIS PAGE)
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DAYS 7, 8, 9, 10 - AT SEA SYDNEY BOUND
After clearing Grand Terre's barrier reef abt an hr after leaving Noumea at 0600 twenty-four hr menses 6, nosotros build a bee line fer goodness ol' Sydney town. We are non precisely inwards a hurry, having 4 days to do what unremarkably takes 2 - the captain goes just fast plenty to maintain us a prophylactic distance inwards front end of TC Tatiana.
DODGING CYCLONES (aka HURRICANES/TYPHOONS)
Might demand to click expand paradigm for labels to live clearer.
TATIANA (white path left of center) presently veers left as well as so heads dorsum due north almost to its starting point, where it blows itself out.
WINSTON (yellow path) on the other hand, keeps on keeping on. As said upwards page, it presently turns E away from us - but it keeps going to close Samoa (it is 2600 km inwards a straight line from the GRAND TERRE identify marking to that of SAMOA), where it turns dorsum west, cleans upwards Republic of the Fiji Islands on 19/20 Feb with 325kmh winds as well as heavy pelting (over twoscore people lose their lives), as well as gets dorsum to the southward of GRAND TERRE around 25/26 Feb. Ironically CARNIVAL LEGEND is doing its next cruise at this fourth dimension as well as a ship tracking website shows it has in i trial once to a greater extent than scurried for dwelling house early on when it should live inwards Noumea.
WINSTON keeps going, veering due north towards the Queensland coast. In tardily Feb it eventually loses some powerfulness as well as is downgraded from a TC to a Tropical Depression - finally it hits the far due north Queensland coast on the third of March - lotsa pelting but no current of air damage. Next twenty-four hr menses the L has disappeared - it has finally blown itself completely out.
WINSTON'S path thru Fiji
Nearly a calendar week afterwards it is southward of New Caledonia again
Late on March iii is the in conclusion I regard of ex TC WINSTON (image top right - sorry I couldn't crop the higher upwards farther but the primitive photograph editor on my version of Windows would non allow).
I relish the irksome cruise dorsum over the next 4 days - speedily settling into much of the same routine equally the early on sea days outlined above. To me, cruising is close existence on the ship to a greater extent than than the destinations.
GOOD NEWS
On the start of these sea days the captain tells us Carnival has decided to compensate us for the cutting inwards destinations yesteryear giving each rider a $aud250 credit on whatever Carnival cruise taken inwards the next eighteen months. Not a bad create do for people who tin send away schedule it - nosotros certainly can, as well as it represents at to the lowest degree 25% discount of what nosotros unremarkably outlay.
Some people start to pass their $250 early on - passengers comment close the pick upwards of concern inwards the casino as well as bars.
DAY xi - HOME
The captain said nosotros would live passing thru Sydney Heads abt 0600 so imagine my surprise to wake abt 0530 to expose the Sydney Opera House sliding yesteryear our window. I rush upwards to deck 10 for some pix - those lights inwards background belong to some other cruise liner parked mid harbour - this is unusual; looks similar it was out of luck for a necktie up. Sydney is pathetically served for bigger cruise liners which can't fit nether the Harbour Bridge. And exclusively has close iii pier spaces for those which can.
The coat hanger looks okay....
....as does the cruise terminal.
In a brace of hours nosotros volition live "debarking" thru at that spot - as well as iii hours afterwards dorsum at Chez Tezza yesteryear the Sea.
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MISSED DESTINATIONS
I made it to LIFOU inwards 2018 as well as 2019 - some information downwardly page.
However before this especial TWIN CYCLONE CRUISE I had visited PORT VILA - called inwards at that spot on our Nov 2014 CARNIVAL LEGEND cruise
PORT VILA
The ships necktie upwards inwards a rattling sheltered component of Vila's harbour - locals who are the friendliest as well as to the lowest degree pushy of whatever inwards this weblog laid upwards the common services as well as stores along the route leading to the ship.
The waterfront street inwards downtown Vila has a number of bars - this i had alive music as well as reasonably priced local beer ($sud5 compared to $8 inwards Noumea) - banknote the ship inwards pump background abt iii km from downtown - I walked it inwards abt 45 minutes but at that spot were taxis (both route as well as H2O types) for $aud5 each way.
There is a prissy waterfront common a flake closer to the boat than the higher upwards - has some markets as well as a prissy bar/cafe type place.
Despite existence the largest town as well as majuscule of Vanuatu, Port Vila is pretty little at around 45000 people. Downtown is tiny - a brace of blocks of depression rise.
The identify gets most of its money from tourism, export of primary products as well as equally a taxation haven.
That beach close the ship is okay although at that spot are some resorts close town with nicer beaches you lot tin send away see on some of the paid SHORE EXCURSIONS. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 gain of other excursions similar to those at/out of Noumea are offered.
Vila has the lowest duty gratis prices I've seen ANYWHERE - hither i of the duty gratis stores inwards town is delivering to the Legend. The ship impounds these until "debarkment" inwards Sydney. The ship claims it tin send away check whatever cost inwards town - I haven't set this to the test.
ANOTHER TROPICAL CYCLONE!
I experience sorry for the lovely people of Port Vila as well as Vanuatu - the identify was cleaned upwards badly yesteryear TC PAM inwards March 2015. This caused a lot of impairment to the tourist infrastructure which saw a large drib inwards visitors, exacerbated yesteryear the refusal of most airlines to maintain using the damaged local runway inwards recent months.
Quite a few cruise liners cancelled call-ins for some fourth dimension which would receive got wound the businesses pictured above. I reckon our cancellation latest trip must receive got been an added blow - at to the lowest degree TC WINSTON as well as TC TATIANA missed Port Vila.
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ISLE OF PINES
This wasn't on our itinerary this trip, but was component of our iii previous cruises into this area.
The Isle of Pines is abt 2/3 the size of Mare, as well as if you lot banking concern check the map up-page you lot tin send away regard it abt 50km off the eastern-most tip of New Caledonia's large island, Grande Terre.
We start visited inwards the 70s, flight inwards from Noumea for a 4 twenty-four hr menses stay. It is a existent prissy island, but unfortunately the cruise ship anchorage is nowhere close equally protected equally at Mare, Noumea, Port Vila or Mystery island, which lessens the jeopardy of successfully landing - nosotros receive got exclusively managed 1 inwards iii on our cruise visits at the fourth dimension of writing. (UPDATE JAN 2019 - I'm at nowadays 4 inwards 6. Lady Tezza is doing better: five inwards seven as well as my boy is running 1 inwards 1!)
Missed "debarkments" are non for desire of trying - on our Nov 2015 call-in, the captain of CARNIVAL SPIRIT manoeuvered for at to the lowest degree twoscore minutes to different parts of the bay trying to expose calm-enough H2O to build tender loading prophylactic for the old as well as infirm. Nov 2014 on CARNIVAL LEGEND was much the same. Both times no luck - nosotros had to canvas away. This must live heartbreaking to the locals who would receive got already laid upwards their tents as well as stalls inwards the landing expanse - plus of course of instruction all those engaged inwards sightseeing, snorkeling as well as diving trips - at that spot is the common various gain of paid SHORE EXCURSIONS.
This is the part where the tenders ground - a prissy spit expanse inwards the island's south-west, coincidentally where our resort dorsum inwards the 70s was located - with frontages to both bays (a riot yesteryear indigenous people during the independence force of the 80s burned it down).
When ships are due, locals laid upwards their tents as well as stalls along that clearing where the spit is narrowest. Both the beach as well as that little isle vicinity (right of lower-center) are pop with people off the ship.
Area around this little island (ROCHER DE KAA NUE MERA - the stone of Kanamera Bay) has no lack of swimmers as well as snorkelers. I grabbed my human face upwards mask (don't take snorkel as well as fins - also bulky) as well as did a circumnavigation. Some okay coral as well as a few fish but some parts rattling ordinary - a lot of dead coral on the other side of the island.
Water surprisingly un-tropical at around 21 c - but this was November: sea temperatures ever lag the atmosphere's yesteryear 2 to iii months. Air temp at this fourth dimension rattling pleasant.
Plenty of prissy shaded areas on spit next island. I got the impression good over one-half the passengers had decided to pass fourth dimension unopen to the tender landing expanse rather than pay for i of the SHORE EXCURSIONS.
Interestingly (at to the lowest degree fer us); Lady Tezza as well as I works life some ruins of our 70s resort close here.
This is PLAGE de KAA NUE MERA to the E of ROCHER. Sweet beach.
Across on the other side of the spit, "Kuto Beach" was pretty nice. This has fine white sand a la the Bounty ad. (maybe the overcast washes out a flake of the white). If you lot click-expand you lot volition to a greater extent than clearly regard (mid shot) the pyramid roof of the Hotel Kou-Bugney which seems to live a boutique identify built inwards the bush behind the beach since the riots.
This cool beachfront bar/cafe was abt 300m upwards the beach from the previous pic. I'm assuming it is component of the nearby boutique resort. Quite a few cruise passengers were swanking it out on the deck higher upwards the sand - I resisted: partly because I thought the combination of New Caledonia as well as boutique resort would ensure eye-watering prices (UPDAT - yep, a beer tardily 1017 was $12aud) - partly because nearby tempest clouds warned it would live a goodness thought to retreat to the tenders. Indeed it was.
I receive got to a greater extent than info, maps as well as pix on the ISLE OF PINES on this page.
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THE BIG DADDY (so far) - THE NEW ZEALAND CRUISE
I can't leave of absence this page without some materials on the most enjoyable of my five cruises to date.
I receive got already said that to me, cruising is abt being on the ship - non where you lot visit. But that is mayhap non quite right if where I see is novel to me. Thing is, I receive got never been to NZ as well as I works life the various places nosotros checked out rattling goodness value. Plus the ship itself, P+O Pacific Pearl was pretty sweet.
2 days at sea from Oz, so a telephone band inwards each twenty-four hr menses the 8 locations shown, so 2 days at sea to acquire home.
HIGHLIGHT - MILFORD SOUND
Our start sight of NZ - the narrow entrance to Fiordland National Park's Milford Sound.
0600 arrival plus fairly high latitude agency people are good rugged upwards despite it existence Spring.
After Milford Sound nosotros caput southward - an hr or so afterwards nosotros plough into DOUBTFUL SOUND, which has entrances both due north as well as southward allowing us to cruise right thru - followed yesteryear the similar but longer DUSKY SOUND. Both are pretty goodness (saw some whales inwards the latter) but non equally gob-smacking equally Milford.
NOTHING FANCY AS USUAL
Our other stops involve getting off the ship. At all, at that spot is a goodness array of paid SHORE EXCURSIONS available, some to iconic NZ tourist places similar Rotorua as well as Canterbury, but I was content to just acquire off the ship as well as wander around, checking the local scene. Thing is, I think to do a wing inwards see to NZ presently which volition give to a greater extent than fourth dimension to banking concern check the good known spots at my leisure.
A really prissy thing close most stops was that non exclusively were at that spot shops, museums, pubs, houses etc to speck out, but also a VIEWPOINT within twoscore minutes walk of the ship.....
....such equally PORT CHALMERS
(these panorama shots common click-expand nicely).
....WELLINGTON.
Not exclusively did this expanse give a prissy outlook - it was a high income area. Checking out the houses was interesting - rich Kiwis tend to maintain the fabulous old timber homes of the early on C20th inwards goodness status rather than supercede them with modern materials or remodel the hell out of them equally inwards Oz.
Note the bigger ship (GOLDEN PRINCESS) parked inwards front end of PEARL; - it had intended to cruise MILFORD SOUND presently after us, but cancelled according to passengers. GOLDEN PRINCESS at 109,000 tons is a goodness 50% upwards on P+0 PEARL - it's 290m length (same equally CARNIVAL LEGEND/SPIRIT) is an extra 45m on PEARL which in all probability accounts for its difficulty inwards the Sound. Interestingly it is exclusively 4m wider but 2 decks higher.
....NAPIER.
Free shuttle from ship to prissy downtown expanse - abt 10mins. Several high areas for goodness surrounding views.
....TAURANGA
If you lot similar trekking you'll love Mt Maunganui as well as its 360 grade panorama. Took a piffling to a greater extent than than afore-mentioned 40 minutes to acquire upwards hither from the ship. Maybe 60.
....AUCKLAND.
The Sky Tower is worth the minor cost/wait. Make sure you lot go to the 2d (higher) viewing area.
Auckland's Sky Tower is less than 20 mins walk from the cruise terminal. Thrill seekers tin send away bungey bound from the tower. I'm a flake of a thrill seeker, but also tight on the wallet.
THE ONLY PAID SHORE EXCURSION
The Bay of Islands is NZ's version of Australia's Whitsundays. I know from many visits to the latter that the exclusively way to appreciate such places is to do a little boat cruise.
Highlight for me of the many islands observed was Hole inwards the Rock at Motukokako Island - nosotros didn't acquire to go yesteryear thru on concern human relationship of the swell as well as chop that afternoon. Even inwards goodness conditions it would live a flake of a tight squeeze. Lady skipper said morn cruises are usually calmer.
I think for many others the dolphin watching was tops. These guys apparently hold off around for the cruise boats as well as set on a exhibit (for a bucket or 2 of fish of course).
Back to the ship...,
....and dorsum (after 2 days) to Oz.
Note - Lady Tezza has no similar of little boats excursionsand so elected to tender ashore to Paihia - where she did the common wander around/check the scene. She said Paihia was a typical charming little NZ landing town, non different Port Chalmers as well as Akoroa. She reckoned I would receive got peculiarly liked the display of old cars (NZ is the dwelling house of master copy condition/restored classics) - warning: this was a Sun visit. If your cruise comes inwards on a weekday placidity a few of the old machine guys may live at work.
WHERE NEXT?
Well nosotros receive got to fit inwards another Carnival cruise sometime inwards the next eighteen months to redeem our $250 each compensation for missed places.
And we'ed similar to essay some other cruise line, preferably to some other location. PRINCESS has some attractive Republic of the Fiji Islands trips which facial expression promising.
I receive got a hankering to essay i of the giant super-liners. There are a few visiting Commonwealth of Australia inwards 2016, but Lady Tezza shows piffling involvement inwards cities afloat.
Whatever nosotros chose, I'll do a flake on it below.
UPDATE - SUBSEQUENT CRUISES
Have done several cruises since but soundless waiting on the super-liner thing. The Speaker of the House (She Who Must Be Obeyed he he he he) is equally ever non keen.
JULY 2016 - CARNIVAL SPIRIT - VANUATU, FIJI, NEW CALEDONIA.
SPIRIT backs out of Circular Quay
Lady Tezza was inwards a hurry to redeem our $250 each compensation from Carnival as well as booked their next cruise where costing seemed a bargain. I didn't heed - I really similar the no endeavour as well as comfort of cruising. Not to refer the food.
The itinerary was an xi day Noumea New Caledonia, Mystery Island Vanuatu, Suva Fiji, Port Denarau Fiji, Isle Pines New Caledonia.
Carnival Spirit must live jinxed. It had farther propulsion problems on this trip - caused us to substitute Noumea for the Isle of Pines on our outward leg to Republic of the Fiji Islands (Noumea has repair facilities). The revised programme was to telephone band inwards at the Isle of Pines on our render leg instead of Noumea, but a rider medical emergency saw us turning dorsum to Suva shortly after leaving Republic of the Fiji Islands thereby losing a lot of fourth dimension as well as forcing an abandonment of whatever Isle of Pines visit. Such is cruising. Fortunately the sick babe recovered good as well as was dorsum inwards Commonwealth of Australia before us.
Not much to say close the stops: SUVA was worth a walk around from the pier but the shore tours were expensive as well as seemed to live a long way out of town, PORT DENARU ditto (plus I backpacked Republic of the Fiji Islands long before this blog: did equally many offshore islands, kava ceremonies, hamlet visits etc I ever desire to - but way cheaper than from the ship. Non-Fiji stops we'd done before.
SPIRIT from infirmary heights Suva
PORT DENARU has an okay shopping-eats-entertainment complex where the tenders come upwards in: worth an hr or two. As is a roam around the nearby isle resort zone. You tin send away pass some fourth dimension inwards these resorts but been at similar/seen that.
MARCH 2017 - ROYAL CARIBBEAN'S "VOYAGER OF THE SEAS"
My wishing came one-half truthful hither because for a few years at the plough of this century this was the world's biggest cruise ship. Dwarfed now, however.
The cruise was an xi twenty-four hr menses thing taking in Lautoka Republic of the Fiji Islands – Port Vila Vanuatu – Mystery Island Vanuatu – Noumea New Caledonia.
Voyager didn't seem bigger than Legend or Spirit. Maybe because it's abt the same length (at 290m: really 4m shorter), But it's a flake wider (37m vs 32), has i to a greater extent than rider deck as well as seems to receive got a bigger superstructure - which agency it tin send away fit inwards a hell of a lot to a greater extent than passengers (3100 vs 2100). One thing for sure - it weighs a lot to a greater extent than (138K tonnes vs 86K)
I really liked Voyager ....
....it had a standout iii story cardinal atrium running 75% the length of the ship called the GRAND PROMENADE where special parades (the kids loved the Dreamworld themed parades as well as other events) plus a lot of the ships bars, shops etc were located ....
....the iii even out a la carte eatery was similarly impressive with plenty seats for all passengers - although quite a few had dinner inwards the buffet which was pretty good. Above, eatery staff is doing its nightly entertainment.
VOGAGER also has a neat SKATING RINK with ICE SHOWS as well as FREE SKATING (a photographic telly camera ban when I took inwards a exhibit saw me pinch this i from https://www.cruisecritic.com.au/)....
....plus an upstairs al-fresco WAVE RIDER as well as a nearby CLIMBING WALL.
Passenger makeup was interesting - although to a greater extent than expensive than identify unit of measurement favourite CARNIVAL, VOYAGER with the moving ridge rider, H2O ice show-free skaing, climbing wall plus frequent DREAMWORLD THEMED parades on the GRAND PROMENADE, has a lot of kids on board. Naturally the common kids' clubs were available.
I also spent a lot of fourth dimension inwards an upstairs lounge area.....
Which had a neat outlook over the cardinal puddle area. This seemed an expanse a lot of people works life hard to expose as well as would live a good bad conditions port acquire out viewing spot for those inwards the know.
OTHER FACTORS - Buffet, as well as gym areas were pretty goodness equally was full general service as well as nutrient presentation. Booze prices non bad as well as they allowed us to take a gratis bottles of vino each on board . The exclusively inferior expanse to us was the adults' exclusively relaxation expanse (that agency no kids) which was undercover, next to a puddle - so rather dim as well as chlorine-smelling. The other cruise lines receive got these areas out the dorsum with sunshine, sea views plus shade if you lot desire it.
COST WISE I think nosotros paid abt $130aud a twenty-four hr menses which was upwards on our just nether $100 sea-view rooms on CARNIVAL but which I thought fair value.
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AUGUST 2017 - GOLDEN PRINCESS
PRINCESS CRUISE LINE is farther measurement upmarket within the CARNIVAL family. Some people decline to cruise with P+O, CARNIVAL or ROYAL CARRIBEAN - only PRINCESS will do.
Size-wise she sits betwixt th SPIRIT/LEGEND twins as well as VOYAGER OF THE SEAS with 2600 passengers (vs 2100 as well as 3100), tonnage of 109K (91k as well as 138). But physically she looks close the same, mainly because she is - same 290m length equally VOYAGER as well as really 4m shorter than SPIRIT/LEGEND, with a similar width (36m-32-37). Once in i trial to a greater extent than she has an extra rider deck over SPIRIT/LEGEND. She's a few years younger than the others as well as to my optic has to a greater extent than contemporary styling.
Very distinctive is the high nurture SKY WALKER lounge - this is shot at KIRIWINA ISLAND - PAPUA NEW GUINEA.
That high lounge became a neat scenic identify to relax, do a flake of reading yada. Bar service after abt 1600. It was non usually crowded despite existence able to acquire reasonably unopen yesteryear lift.
After dinner the identify turned into a nighttime monastic enjoin as well as at port acquire out fourth dimension was a HIGH ROLLER (multiple repeat customer) area.
Both shot at LUGANVILLE - VANUATU
The opened upwards expanse below the lounge....
....was a multi-decked adults' exclusively area. Real nice.
PORTS OF CALL
I was unimpressed with BRISBANE (been at that spot many a time) as well as non whelmed yesteryear Papua New Guinea's ALOTOU as well as Vanuatu's LUGANVILLE (typical south-Pacific little port towns - non much going on but non incertitude some goodness tours out of town for the cashed up), deja-vued yesteryear PORT VILA (lovely bay, wicked duty gratis but been at that spot many times) but was impressed with Papua New Guinea's RABAUL (volcanoes, hot springs, fabulous bay, state of war ruins).
Hot springs just out of town
Fabulous Bay is really a CALDERA caused yesteryear a huge volcanic explosion way back. Pic shot from rim viewpoint. Yellow sub-volcano is TAVURVUR - soundless smokin'. Blue is VUCAN which in conclusion erupted inwards 1994 flattening (with aid from TAVURVUR) the town.
Japanese hid boats inwards tunnels to escape allied bombing
Note that nosotros took a iii hr town as well as surrounds tour with KOKOPU TOURS to regard these sites as well as to a greater extent than - at 40-70% of the cost of ship bought tours. Recommended.
The other CALL IN I really enjoyed was at KIRIWINA ISLAND (one of PNG'S TROBRIAND ISLANDS) - the argue existence the cruise line decided to forego its common halt inwards the small-port town of LOSULA to telephone band inwards at KAIBOLA BEACH inwards the island's north.
KAIBOLA BEACH
Because of the steep drop-off from the fringing reef the ship was able to acquire within a few hundred meters of the beach (looks farther hither because of the focal length of the broad angle lens - shot at top of page to a greater extent than similar the existent deal). I thought this beach a classical southward sea isle beach - just what JAMES Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 MITCHENER had inwards heed (much of his "TALES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC" was laid inwards the TROBRIANDS). Sand soft, coarse coral based with fairly steep profile as well as a few broken coral pieces (reef booties build walking easier), to a greater extent than white than yellow, sufficiently broad at the top of the tide as well as with vegetation dorsum of the sand for shade.
A little hamlet just inland from the little pier was an interesting identify to take a stroll. Villagers had a lot of handicrafts, have on as well as touristy trinkets on sale. Were the most polite as well as patient hawkers I've met.
With no paid excursions from this area, the beach see was understandably popular.
There was plenty coral as well as fish inwards the shallows just off the sand to maintain novice snorkellers happy but the dropping tide made the expanse increasingly shallow. Reef booties recommended.
There were a few little channels made for local outriggers inwards the reef - experienced snorkellers could sneak out betwixt boats to the drop-off where fish as well as coral were impressive.
I receive got a lot to a greater extent than info, maps as well as pix on KAIBOLA BEACH on this page.
Overall I was impressed with Golden Princess - I thought it good worth the extra $20 per twenty-four hr menses over Royal Caribbean. The amusement on board was a step-up. Initially I wasn't impressed with the layout of the buffet but I came to realize that someone had worked out an first-class scheme - at that spot seemed to live way fewer problems with crowding as well as self-service. Plus buffet nutrient itself also seemed a measurement upwards (what's a measurement upwards from excellent?) I also was impressed with the pools - mains ones were bigger than our other ships as well as others were inwards spots that avoided the crowds. There seemed to a greater extent than neat piffling niches for sunning out of the wind. The gym was smaller, but given the older historic menses demographic of PRINCESS, never crowded - as well as it didn't seem lacking inwards whatever equipment. On our cruise the booze laid upwards was goodness with a happy hr inwards a nominated bar each twenty-four hr menses with 2 for the cost of i deals, pretty goodness when the cost of i potable was by as well as large a flake less than all out other cruise lines. The purchasable java card was a goodness create do fpr those wanting amend than the 24 hr java machines inwards the buffet.
CAVEAT - a lot of the higher upwards varies; cruise lines are constantly changing their offerings so do your query - don't rely on my materials on HAPPY HOURS etc.
This older demographic is sometimes criticized but I receive got to say that whatever the oldies receive got lost inwards physical powerfulness they to a greater extent than than build upwards inwards conversation skills as well as affability.
DOWNSIDES?
- Well the dining room was poor: nutrient character on our 2d sitting was way inferior to the other liners, so much so that after the start nighttime vacant spots on tables grew - nosotros bailed out after the third night, Fortunately dinner inwards the buffet was first-class - the already goodness touchstone of other meals stepped up.
- The auditorium was also small. One had to plough upwards at to the lowest degree xxx mins early on to ensure a spot at the nightly exhibit as well as to take heed to the first-class older lady giving her spiel on upcoming shore excursions.
- organized ship tours seemed to a greater extent than expensive than other lines.
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NOVEMBER 2017 - CARNIVAL LEGEND: NOUMEA, MARE as well as ISLE OF PINES
PLAGE DE KAA - gratis beach excursion ISLE OF PINES Nov 2017
Back on the Legend after nineteen months. This was a typical 8 nighttime cruise to NOUMEA, MARE as well as ISLE OF PINES. Not much novel to add together except after a gap of almost 2 years I thought Legend was getting a flake weary. Face it, she is hard at piece of work 24 hours a day, every day. Even when she turns around inwards Sydney everything except the propulsion scheme is flat-chat - it is no little undertaking to transfer 2000 people (who receive got striking the dining room around 0600 instead of 0800 or later) off as well as a similar number on, (and those inwards the know caput straight for the buffet) along with all their luggage as well as the huge amount of ship's supplies.
The goodness word is that she is going into dry out dock presently for refurbishment.
ANSE VATA beach NOUMEA on metropolis tour 2017. This shot is taken from the first-class OUEN TORO viewpoint high upwards from the resort/casino expanse due north of ANSE VATA. We access this on the first-class TCHOU TCHO TRAIN CITY TOUR run yesteryear LYVAI TOUR from the CRUISE TERMINAL.
LYVAI'S light-green chooty puff is around one-half the cost of the cruise lines' xanthous version. The latter takes an extra one-half hour, stops at i to a greater extent than attraction as well as has the wages of leaving from the pier inwards the container port rather than from the CRUISE TERMINAL 10 minutes away yesteryear gratis coach shuttle, which is a existent wages for motion impaired people.
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FEB 2018
MARE - MYSTERY ISLAND - PORT VILA - NOUMEA on VOYAGER OF THE SEAS
VOYAGER OF THE SEAS from the beach at MYSTERY ISLAND, VANUATU
This cruise was the same old same old destination wise, so I decided to banking concern check some novel places out when revisiting sure ports.
PORT VILA
I usually do the scenic cross-harbour H2O taxi into town as well as so banking concern check the first-class duty gratis stores as well as receive got a local beer inwards i of the waterfront bars or just wander thru the extensive ship-side markets as well as along the harbourside beaches inwards nurture of the ship - but this fifth see decided to take a tour to regard some of the places unopen to town, such as:
RARRU CASCADES
Pleasant but null to acquire excited about. Nice large puddle for a swim, an okay rope-jump which I just had to give a go.
BLUE LAGOON
A measurement upwards from RARRU but you lot won't live writing dwelling house to mum close it. Nice large pool, 2 pop rope jumps (which I just had to give several goes), entrance to the opened upwards ocean.
CRYSTAL BLUE TURTLE FARM
Underwhelming - 7km downwardly a bumpy dirt track, rattling ordinary bbq-luncheon, poor turtle as well as other exhibits if you lot receive got seen similar places, as well as no jeopardy for the promised SWIM WITH THE TURTLES AND TO Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 LOVELY BEACH (which is the chief argue I picked this tour - I'm a beach guy looking for a PORT VILA expanse beach to add together to my collection), Also some dodgy human handling of smaller turtles as well as other animals.
Overall I was disappointed with YUMI TOUR'S endeavour as well as would non recommend this one. Poor arrangement at the coming together dot seemed to set us behind schedule from the start as well as added a rush-factor to the fairly ordinary destinations.
NOUMEA
Not having been impressed yesteryear NOUMEA mainland beaches inwards recent years I decided to take the brusk trip offshore to DUCK ISLAND (ILE aux CANARDS) as well as because of proximity to the H2O taxi difference point, to revisit ANSE VATA as well as LIMON beaches to regard if they had stepped up.
DUCK ISLAND
This is a prissy i - inexpensive to accomplish (LYVAI TOURS at the CRUISE TERMINAL does a goodness JUMP ON JUMP OFF BUS - WATER TAXI TICKET which is exclusively a few to a greater extent than dollars to a greater extent than than metropolis bus/water taxi), no entry fee (sun-lounge, snorkel gear hire, refreshments a flake steep but no demand to pass on these). Main beach expanse inwards the lee of the islet from those pesky southward E merchandise winds. Okay coral but hard kernel snorkelers volition receive got seen way better. Reef booties recommended.
ANSE VATA
Still disappointing - exposed to the brisk prevailing merchandise winds, lack of sand most tide levels. Great for current of air surfers though.
LEMON BAY - LIMON BEACH (BAIE DES CITRONS)
Immediately WEST of ANSE VATA, this i is a measurement upwards IMHO, but it soundless wouldn't build my listing of top 500 beaches.
YOU CAN SEE Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 BUNCH MORE PIX AND FACTS OF ALL iii PLACES ABOVE ON THE NOUMEA'S BEACHES PAGE.
MARE
In one-half a dozen visits I'd never wandered the 10 minutes upwards the loma from the landing dot as well as visited the upper department of TADINE village.
UPPER TADINE
UPPER TADINE is no collection of grass huts - a few dozen western style bungalows on large blocks. Street paved as well as mostly wide. Place at left was close the most run downwardly I saw.
VOYAGER OF THE SEAS from upper TADINE.
FROM THE SHIP - UPPER TADINE (charcoal), tender pier as well as stone snorkel expanse (yellow), buses to YEJELE BEACH as well as some other stone snorkel expanse (blue).
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AUGUST 2018 - SOUTH-EAST-CENTRAL AND
P+0 PACIFIC EXPLORER
This was a seven nighttime cruise that took inwards MOOLOOLABA, GLADSTONE as well as MORETON ISLAND. Okay, they powerfulness non live Pacific Islands but they are definitely SW PACIFIC locations.
Google basis paradigm of destinations
"PACIFIC EXPLORER" is some other fairly large but non huge liner. She sits betwixt the CARNIVAL twins as well as "PACIFIC JEWEL" at 260m long, 32 wide, 77500 gross tonnes, 10 decks as well as 1900 passengers. She is depression plenty to fit nether the SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE so starting at WHITE BAY, although this shot is at CIRCULAR QUAY at cruise end. I've seen her at NOUMEA when I was visiting on "EXPLORER OF THE SEAS" where her shallower draft allowed her to dock at the CRUISE TERMINAL.
Carnival Corp transferred her inwards 2017 from the Princess line where she was known equally "DAWN PRINCESS". P+O at nowadays sent her to Singapore for a refit.
Not all that much clearance nether the coat-hanger.
MOOLOOLABA - SUNSHINE COAST.
Liners moor off the surf beach as well as shuttle passengers to shore via the nearby river oral cavity (white arrow). Each incoming tender does a pretty prissy cruise along the MOOLOOBA R. which runs parallel just inland from the long beach (yellow) - as well as unloads at a terminal non far inland from the surf-club.
I'm non sure how reliable this mooring location is - I reckon inwards whatever south-east, easterly or north-east swell it may live a flake bumpy. In the south-westerly conditions of our arrival it was pretty benign - POINT CARTWIGHT left of the white arrow gives goodness protection. Which makes the whole beach a neat location inwards such conditions. Many passengers, peculiarly families were content to pass all twenty-four hr menses at the beach. THE LADY as well as I walked a flake farther due north to this viewpoint at the HMAS "BRISBANE" memorial - so a piffling farther where nosotros could regard the nearby lovely beach at ALEXANDRA HEADLAND as well as the coast all the way upwards to NOOSA HEADS.
MOOLOOLABA is i of the SUNSHINE COAST'S MAJOR HOLIDAY TOWNS. Along the beach route behind the surf monastic enjoin inwards shot are a number of beach condos which characteristic lotsa footpath cafes/restaurants. There's lower cost accommodation nearby, including vacation homes, units as well as a caravan park.
Queensland SURF CLUBS btw are pretty goodness places to pass fourth dimension - all are licenced to sell booze, tin send away do a feed as well as most receive got patios with a neat outlook over the beach equally above. Outsiders are welcome.
I modified this GOOGLE EARTH paradigm to exhibit the layout.
GLADSTONE
This is an industrial, coal as well as grain loading port farther due north inwards SE QLD (although many claim this is southern CENTRAL QLD). At start glance its estuarine location doesn't offering also much for cruise ship visitors without spending large fourth dimension on shore excursions to fairly distant places similar the lovely beach at 1770 - but inwards fact I works life plenty of involvement close the ship.
Liners necktie upwards at the GRAIN TERMINAL less than 2km from the CBD as well as exclusively a few hundred meters from EAST POINT common pictured below.
The locals set on a street MARKET inwards EAST POINT PARK (white arrow) starting less than 400m from the gangway. Reached from path/stairs (not also steep) close the light-green arrow. To arrow's right (north) is an opened upwards area, with picnic facilities as well as a pop splash common for kids. The pinkish arrow shows "HMAS GLADSTONE" a retired patrol boat opened upwards for paid inspection. Yellow points at the GOLDING LOOKOUT which has panoramic 240 degrees view. There is a pop cafe upwards there. Plenty of nutrient trucks inwards the marketplace expanse too.
People doing paid ship excursions are mainly picked upwards from an expanse the other side of the common as well as so acquire to do a walk thru. Ditto people wanting to take take hold of a shuttle upwards to town.
For anglers at that spot are angling stations with cleaning tables along the riverside close HMAS "GLADSTONE" - looked a flake tide-dependent to me as well as I'm non sure close bait availablility.
I thought multifariousness as well as character of products as well as nutrient available a fair flake amend than the 2 weekly markets at my ain touristy dwelling house town. Note proximity of ports' grain silos.
MORETON ISLAND
This is i of the large sand islands off BRISBANE - it as well as the to a greater extent than southern NORTH STRADBROKE ISLAND isolate MORETON BAY from the opened upwards ocean.
Much of these islands are bush covered sand dunes with piffling settlement. Our destination was the expanse around TANGALOOMA
One of the chief attractions is the TANGALOOMA WRECKS expanse - little angling boats sunk off the beach to provide a marine habitat. Apparently snorkeling as well as diving are rattling good. I don't know - the ship could non do whatever tendering because of excessively crude oil conditions as well as so after trying several different locations for a few hours nosotros laid canvas for home.
One consolation - just due north of the isle nosotros saw quite a few WHALES which were doing their common migration southward from wintering farther due north inwards the WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS area.
I pinched this pic from P+O's in-cabin ATTRACTIONS folder. Note how clear the H2O is.
Looking from the ship towards the wrecks - irregular shapes at waterline next beach are tops of wrecks: tide must live downwardly a bit.
The dunes of these islands are amid the highest inwards earth - that highest dot is the top of a dune.
Water doesn't appear rattling crude oil inwards this shot - mayhap the captain has had a bad experience as well as is super-cautious.
TANGALOOMA RESORT is about southward of the wrecks. It's a pop vacation spot as well as a day-trip destination from Brisbane. Liner tenders ground at the resort pier - I was looking frontward to having a facial expression around before snorkeling the wrecks.
There is also a council-run camping ground expanse a flake out of frame to the left.
HOW RELIABLE IS SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND WEATHER IN COLDER MONTHS?
I've holidayed the SUNSHINE COAST a lot when surfing as well as backpacking. From many visits I receive got ever regarded the coldest iii months of the yr equally a flake marginal temperature-wise. In this menses I similar to live due north of ROCKHAMPTON which is nearly 360km closer the Equator from MOOLOOLABA, over 400km from MORETON ISLAND. But I do know that if you lot tin send away acquire a department of sheltered beach on a sunny day, fifty-fifty mid-July tin send away live great. And here's the thing, August is i of the iii coolest months, but I didn't think conditions during our see were unpleasant.
But GLADSTONE is a flake different - exclusively 55km farther from the Equator than ROCKY so mid-winter temps are getting pretty prophylactic hither fifty-fifty inwards to a greater extent than exposed areas.
RAINFALL WISE, the moisture flavor is inwards summer, peculiarly JANUARY. Cooler months tend to live driest. I don't think I've experienced August pelting inwards mayhap a dozen visits.
THE SHIP - "PACIFIC EXPLORER is non bad at all. I personally thought it a measurement upwards from smaller P+O liners as well as equal to the CARNIVAL TWINS.
P+0 has a lot of knockers on cruise forums with many people claiming it is downmarket as well as the bogans' cruise line. I disagree, I've never thought food, service as well as facilities lacking as well as at pump I'm a bogan also - but then, at that spot is a lot of snobbery on cruise forums. One thing LADY TEZZA (who does all our pre-cruise query as well as bookings) told me - P+O offers fewer really goodness specials than most other lines, but when they come upwards up they are worth looking at.
Aft adults exclusively deck a goodness identify to pass time.
I thought a standout was the amount of lounges on board - ever somewhere placidity to go sit down with a volume as well as to grab a potable from an ever unopen bar.
P+O does non offering a happy hr create do or allow gratis vino to live bought on board. However booze prices seem a flake lower than other lines as well as ever inwards $aud different CARIBBEAN as well as PRINCESS. Ten bucks aussie is a hell of a lot less than 10 bucks US.Our cabin was the common blueprint although a flake smaller than on most liners. Not also little - hell those JAPANESE moderate-priced hotel rooms are much little as well as they are non also small.
Buffet layout was different - designated "THE PANTRY as well as divided into MEX, INDIAN, AUSSIE, TRADITIONAL, CHINESE etc stations. Most nutrient served yesteryear counter staff rather than self-serve which lessens the jeopardy of norovirus etc - yet didn't seem to irksome things down. Buffet nutrient was fine. Plenty of seating. And the buffet was at the front end of the ship - all our other ships receive got had a nurture buffet.
Food inwards the dining room was okay as well as some other difference - apart from the paid dining options at that spot was also the jeopardy to dine at no extra cost inwards a CHINESE eatery as well as an ITALIAN. We tried both - null special nonetheless apart from a longer hold off for food. I swear it came from the same galley equally dining room stuff.
Entertainment touchstone as well as venues okay without existence standouts.
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NOV 2018 NOUMEA MARE MYSTERY ISLAND, LIFOU
"EXPLORER OF THE SEAS"
"EXPLORER OF THE SEAS" off EASO BEACH, LIFOU.
EXPLORER IS Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 SISTER SHIP TO "VOYAGER OF THE SEAS" - chief difference was that world areas seemed a flake amend organised providing to a greater extent than space.
LIFOU was a novel destination for us - rather than repeat materials I receive got a total description on THIS PAGE
MYSTERY ISLAND as well as MARE were much the same, but at NOUMEA I managed to acquire to a novel location - the beaches of NOUVILLE PENINSULA. I receive got a fair flake of information as well as pix towards the bottom of THIS PAGE.
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JAN 2019 HAL "NOORDAM"
14 NIGHTS ISLE OF PINES, LUGANVILLE, CHAMPAGNE BEACH, PORT VILA, MYSTERY ISLAND, LIFOU, MARE, NOUMEA.
HOLLAND AMERICA LINE is regarded yesteryear cruisers equally a measurement upwards from ROYAL CARIBBEAN, mayhap fifty-fifty PRINCESS. So when THE LADY managed to acquire a cost per twenty-four hr menses around the same even out equally RC, naturally nosotros went for it. One other plus was a novel destination - nosotros receive got never been to CHAMPAGNE BEACH inwards northern VANUATU.
The "NOORDAM" is some other of these intermediate sized liners - it's slightly shorter than the CARNIVAL TWINS, close the same inwards width, rider numbers as well as gross tonnage - a noted difference is that without the high funnels etc it tin send away fit nether the Sydney Harbour Bridge as well as so started at White Bay although finishing Circular Quay.This was of neat wages to international travellers soundless on board - as well as a large difference to our previous cruises was the high number of U.S. of A. citizens as well as other nationalities doing an extended cruise.
Note though the draft is plenty to bar it from NOUMEA'S cruise terminal different the slightly smaller P+0 "PACIFIC EXPLORER" - nosotros docked at the container terminal nearby.
Another difference to normal HAL cruises which attract an older demographic is that existence the Australian schoolhouse holidays, at that spot were (ok, "was" is technically to a greater extent than correct) a fair few kids on board.
CHAMPAGNE BAY is drib dead gorgeous - everyone's thought of a tropical beach. I receive got a fair flake to a greater extent than information HERE.
Other call-ins were much the same although I did deal to acquire dorsum to CHATEAU ROYAL BEACH, as well as at in conclusion to PLAGE DU MERIDIAN both at NOUMEA as well as that locals had introduced BEACH CABANAS at MYSTERY ISLANDS. I receive got details of the former HERE and the latter HERE
THE "NOORDAM" ITSELF is a pretty prissy ship. I thought the cabins as well as full general service equal to other lines, the buffet/dining room nutrient amend inwards character as well as peculiarly variety; most amusement was good. There was no shortage of sit-down infinite at the buffet. Booze was a goodness create do - each rider could take a bottle of vino aboard no accuse as well as at that spot were several HAPPY HOURS per twenty-four hr menses where the 2d potable was exclusively $US2 extra. Plus the puddle bars had a 2 for the cost of i offering going on a gain of beers all day. Inferior was dining room service - at to the lowest degree the amount of fourth dimension it took to deliver meals. The buffet - a piffling tricky to regard all offerings as well as acquire them. And the nurture ADULTS ONLY expanse was non policed properly - I couldn't swim or spa without jumping splashing kids. BTW at that spot is some other neat puddle expanse for families midships most of these times.
The gym was smaller than on most of our other ships with fewer workout machines. None of my favourite mentum upwards bars (roof a flake depression but they could set a bar exterior inwards a placidity deck area). However the gym seemed to receive got to a greater extent than professional person staff than most other outfits as well as plenty of stretching, yoga, spinning etc classes.
In summary LADY TEZZA was so taken she has already paid a refundable deposit for whatever HAL cruise inwards the next 4 years. I've no objections.
THE LADY managed to score a balcony cabin at no extra cost.
Top-front CROWS NEST LOUNGE got quite crowded at times similar SAIL AWAY, HAPPY HOUR, TRIVIA QUIZ. Otherwise an excellent, quiet, scenic identify to read, beak etc. Aircon a tad enthusiastic though.
OFT-READ CRITICISMS OF HAL SEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
- non many activities: non much to do. Gotta disagree - I thought HAL had heaps of interesting activities, talks, movies, ship tours etc going throughout the day. Maybe younger people are the complainers - the scene slows after 2200. But immature people are non component of the HAL demographic as well as THE LADY as well as I tend to live tucked upwards inwards the sack yesteryear then.
- non much for kids. Okay, no H2O ice skating, dodgems, H2O slides, zip-lines, Disney parades etc. But I did regard a brace of younger crew ladies leading a grouping of sub-teens around the identify which suggests some sort of kids' club, plus a definite striking (and non just with the kids) was the usually-open H2O ice cream department inwards the buffet with a broad selection of flavours. This beats the sometimes-only-available as well as restricted choices on ROYAL CARIBBEAN as well as PRINCESS, the ever available soft-serve exclusively on CARNIVAL as well as the pay-only create do on P+O. But yes, on reflection, this is non the best line for people with kids - which is mayhap why HAL had a relaxed policy on policing the adults exclusively expanse for this especial schoolhouse vacation cruise.
ATTENTION: I THINK FEW PEOPLE WILL READ THIS PAGE. THE WAY GOOGLE WORKS WILL THROW information technology UP WAY DOWN THE LIST FOR PEOPLE LOOKING FOR SHORT CRUISE INFO OUT OF SYDNEY.
GOOGLE SNAGS ME Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 LOT OF READERS LOOKING FOR STUFF ABT THAI/INDO/MALAYSIAN BEACHES AND ISLANDS - BUT I FIGURE MOST WILL NOT BE INTERESTED IN BIG SHIP TRIPS INTO THE SOUTH WEST PACIFIC.
NEVERTHELESS, IF YOU SEE MISTAKES OR HAVE ADDITIONAL INFO, PLEASE POST information technology BELOW. BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK THEM IN THE FORUM WHICH CAN BE ACCESSED VIA THE INDEX LINK TOP RIGHT OF THIS PAGE. I RARELY CHECK INDIVIDUAL PAGES LIKE THIS WHEREAS I VISIT THE FORUM MOST DAYS.
Sumber http://tezza-thailandbeachesandislands.blogspot.com/
Latest cruise was JAN 2019 - but much of this page was written after a Feb 2016 trip on CARNIVAL LEGEND. There is an UPDATE department on subsequent cruises towards the human foot of the page.
NO SHORTAGE OF CHOICE
There's a heap of cruises departing Sydney - inwards fact you lot tin send away go virtually anywhere on the world's oceans - but the most pop are the relatively brusk (8 to xi days) runs around the various islands of New Caledonia as well as Vanuatu inwards the south-west Pacific E of of the central-north Queensland coast.
The cruises tend to take 2 or iii days to accomplish the islands from Sydney; so 3,4 or five days depending on how many call-ins around the various islands (New Caledonia has i large isle as well as a hell of a lot of smaller ones: Vanuatu is all smallish islands); as well as 2 or iii days to acquire dorsum to Sydney. There tin send away live variations - for instance 2 Tropical Cyclones (aka Typhoons/Hurricanes depending on where you lot live) forced an early on retreat latest cruise on CARNIVAL LEGEND as well as so nosotros spent a rattling leisurely 4 days getting dorsum from New Caledonia. Hell, I think I could receive got swum faster - but it was all rattling relaxing as well as because nosotros were ever considerably inwards front end of the tempest nosotros suffered no really large seas or rigid winds.
Similarly our Oct fifteen voyage on CARNIVAL SPIRIT saw propeller problems causing an extra one-half twenty-four hr menses to acquire home.
UPDATE - afterwards cruises saw 2 visits to both LIFOU as well as ESPIRIT SANTO - regard downwardly page.
For scale - it's close 530km inwards a straight line betwixt the identify markers of PORT VILA AND NOUMEA
Note also I neglected to include Port Denarau and Suva inwards Fiji, which are sometimes additions to these New Caledonia cruises. Fiji is close 1000km E of Port Vila.
Looks to live an interesting trip - I've backpacked Republic of the Fiji Islands dorsum inwards the 90s: hafta acquire back.
UPDATE - equally indicated up-page that's precisely what I did inwards August xvi on Carnival Spirit. Our outward leg was Sydney-Noumea-Suva - the render was slightly different to the higher upwards - Port Denaru-Suva-Sydeny. Was supposed to live Port Denaru-Isle of Pines (can live seen below Mare on the higher upwards map)-Sydney.
I've done 4 of the shorter isle cruises inwards the iii years to FEB 1016, plus 2 slightly longer ones - the start around New Zealand, which is in all probability the next most pop cruise ex-Sydney - the 2d extending across to Fiji. The NZ cruise involved 2 sea days each way, plus call-ins every twenty-four hr menses at 8 different locations around the 2 islands - 12 days inwards total. Republic of the Fiji Islands involved 2 sea days to Noumea as well as Mystery Island, 2 sea days to Republic of the Fiji Islands as well as 4 sea days dorsum to Commonwealth of Australia including the medical emergency mentioned downwardly page- total with stops 12 days.
Much of this page concentrates on the Feb 2016 trip on Carnival Legend to the islands - but I volition add together information which may acquire useful to you lot from other cruises where applicable.
WHY CRUISE?
Some of you lot guys are in all probability quest why a long-time backpacker is cruising. Thing is it's so EASY. No mucking around at airports both at Sydney's poor excuse fer i or the hassles as well as scams at airports similar Phuket's as well as Bali's. Check inwards as well as customs/emigration/immigration is so much easier.
EASIER also is access:
Note work of the + instead of the common shorthand inwards P&0. For some argue blogger can't handgrip & - equally yu tin send away see.
Straight line distance betwixt the 2 identify markers is exclusively 2 km, but you lot tin send away regard that the White Bay based boats receive got a rather twisted course of instruction before they are next say the Opera House.
By the way, if I was an overseas visitor I would much prefer Circular Quay - you lot tin send away walk to the Opera House, Sydney Harbour bridge, the Rocks historical expanse as well as the City - plus the Quay is a train/bus focus for to a greater extent than distant parts of Sydney. Buses for Bondi Beach leave of absence from hither - facial expression for 380 or 333 inwards Alfred St opp wharf 2 - 45 minutes.
White Bay nonetheless is relatively isolated as well as poorly served with world carry - no incertitude the cruise lines throw on buses etc for their exxy shore excursions but if you lot are similar me as well as prefer to do your ain exploring it is a hard identify to acquire out cheaply/quickly.
UPDATE - State Transport is at nowadays running a ferry from a wharf close 500m to the right in i trial out of the terminal (ask directions from i of the many helpers at that spot on arrivals time), to Circular Quay. I haven't done this yet, but it would live a pretty scenic trip - including passing nether the bridge.
But THE MAIN ATTRACTION of cruising is best summed upwards yesteryear an old piece of work mate met on my start cruise - it was her 15th or so. When asked what she liked best, she said "They PAMPER you". Too right - service is the large thing as well as you lot don't receive got to worry close cooking, house-work or most of the other everyday hassles.
I receive got to add together that GOOD VALUE is some other thing that appeals to me. You tin send away do these cruises for less than $aud70 ($us50)** per mortal a day all inclusive - unlimited food, comfy cabin, entertainment, goodness leisure facilities, heaps of involvement activities plus of course of instruction you lot are existence transported to a multifariousness of places inwards high comfort. For Australian cruises Carnival as well as P+O fares include tips (Oz aint a tipping culture). However, knowing how poorly most of the crew is paid, nosotros usually give at cruise goal a little number of minor sums to people who receive got stood out service-wise.
Note I think ALL UP costs of my recent backpacker trips would mostly live unopen to $70 a twenty-four hr menses - some more.
You tin send away of course of instruction pass to a greater extent than - on special food, sure shipboard involvement activities, shore excursions, gambling etc - but our extra spending latest cruise just involved booze, a shore excursion motorcoach ride to Yejele Beach on Mare as well as a unproblematic wifi packet for Lady Tezza (note wifi is expensive - ridiculous inwards this twenty-four hr menses as well as age). Plus the afore-mentioned minor tips
**UPDATE 2017 - COST WISE at that spot are so many variables - fifty-fifty with the same type of cabin (we ever go for a sea sentiment cabin because The Lady freaks without natural light) you lot tin send away goal upwards spending way to a greater extent than than twice the higher upwards figures (and that is BEFORE you lot start adding booze packages, pay dining, spa treatments, expensive shore excursions ...yada). Pick a higher even out cabin as well as it goes upwards again.
But hither are a few tips:
- essay to non volume the opening fare (unfortunately some people can't avoid this).
- PACK AND GO (last minute) FARES are usually a goodness create do - but banknote you lot receive got less selection re cabin types, location etc. Maybe no choice.
- After the Opening Fares as well as before Pack as well as Go some goodness deals acquire available.
- CRUISE WHOLESALERS should non live avoided. Get on their e-mail listing as well as they volition send you lot special offers. Sure, they acquire their middleman cutting but nosotros receive got works life places similar CRUISE SALE FINDER to offering some first-class deals. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few times nosotros receive got been upgraded to a balcony at no extra charge.
- Often some inclusive charges similar TIPS (at to the lowest degree on cruises leaving Australlia) tin send away live opted out.
Thing is a lot of this is variable - THE LADY has just told me (Dec 2017) ROYAL CARRIBEAN has removed the choice to opt-out of inclusive tips for cruises out of Australia. So the thing is to do your query on all this before booking.
Anyway, with THE LADY doing all this research/booking, nosotros ever goal upwards with a goodness deal, Our sea-view room ever costs to a greater extent than than the bottom budget internal cabins (think around $100 a twenty-four hr menses each for TWO people inwards 2017, to a greater extent than similar $80 when nosotros started inwards 2014) vs downwardly to 60-70% of that for an interior cabin with FOUR people.
We receive got works life LOCATION of cabin tin send away live of import - goal cabins tend to displace around a flake to a greater extent than inwards crude oil seas as well as cruising forums tin send away tell you lot the noisy cabins (often the ones close amusement venues) as well as other problems.
THE SHIPS
As tardily equally our sixth cruise inwards July 2016 nosotros had exclusively used 2 outfits, CARNIVAL and P+0. And fifty-fifty to a greater extent than restrictive, they are owned yesteryear the i company, Carnival Corporation plc - this outfit is the largest cruise liner operator inwards earth with to a greater extent than than 100 ships over 10 brands.
So no surprises that our cruise experiences are non radically different.
But at that spot are several other cruise lines operating out of Sydney, some non owned yesteryear Carnival. I hope to live able to study on a few some fourth dimension inwards the future.
OUR CARNIVAL CHOICES
We receive got done 2 cruises on Carnival Legend, and 2 on Carnival Spirit. They are sis ships as well as tend to live rattling similar. But non identical.
There are little variations internally - Spirit has had the most recent refit (2015) as well as has a novel Mexican style buffet section. It also has less ostentatious internal decorations, although both are pretty flash - what Carnival calls its Las Vegas style.
If all this seems a flake overwhelming, banknote it seemed much less chintzy on our 2d Legend trip. And those legend-based paintings as well as murals are goodness value to translate (see downwardly page).
Differences betwixt Carnival's Legend as well as Spirit are small.
Apart from a to a greater extent than relaxed decor (but soundless to a greater extent than blingy than P+O) a to a greater extent than recent refit on the Spirit results inwards some extra nutrient options - notably a Mexican nutrient bar which on the Legend serves hamburger,chips etc (no worries large fourth dimension gourmets - these high gain options are available inwards some other spot on the Spirit).
Fitness freaks should banknote Legend has a mentum upwards bar out on the deck inwards front end of the gym, Spirit has no mentum upwards bar.
Chin-ups rule
THE P+O SHIPS
Setting is in i trial once to a greater extent than Mare, New Caledonia.
More relaxed decor in P+O Jewel's buffet's body of body of water sentiment department vs....
Differences betwixt the P+O ships
CAVEAT - a lot of the next mentions PACIFIC PEARL - but inwards March 2017 P+O sold her - she is at nowadays currently sailing for Cruise as well as Maritme Voyages out of the U.K. equally COLUMBUS. Lady Tezza says I should delete the next sections mentioning PEARL, but a lot is close the New Zealand Cruise which should live relevant on whatever P+O ship is doing it. Plus some U.K. readers may live interested inwards PEARL'S features.
Our 2 P+O boats differed to a greater extent than internally than the Carnivals.
I thought dining, entertainment, other activities as well as cabin standards were rattling similar.
I personally don't tending if I receive got a sea sentiment when working out, but I did pass a hell of a lot of fourth dimension relaxing at the Pearl Dome sea-view front end windows.
So evidently some other large difference is GYM LOCATION. On the Pearl it is way downwardly on deck A which is below the start of the rider cabin decks (1) as well as mainly has crew quarters as well as auxiliary ship functions. Side areas from the gym receive got spa, fitness suites as well as the beauty salon.
At start I thought hiding the gym downwardly at that spot was non so hot, but it is right at the human foot of the cardinal stairway (and lifts) as well as because I similar to do several bottom to top stair climbs after a workout (10 floors mid-ship) I grew to really prefer it - helped largely yesteryear the fact it ever seemed less crowded than on the Jewel. I think Pearl's gym is slightly larger, but the chief argue was that Jewel had a circus high- wire deed for the chief top deck at the fourth dimension of my cruise as well as the performers spent a fair fourth dimension inwards the gym keeping fit. On all ships performers from the shows' trip the low-cal fantastic troupes etc also used the gyms, but these people did non overcrowd the other iii gyms. Some prissy optic candy too.
Another score against Jewel's gym was that at the fourth dimension of my trip all the stationary bicycles were inwards a separate room, evidently for the paid spin classes. Pearl had at to the lowest degree vi bikes - I never had to hold off for one.
A score against both is that at that spot are no chin-up, pull-up bars - my personal favourite.
A banknote hither - I don't work gyms at home: no time/can't afford them. But this is the thing close cruises - you lot tin send away essay novel activities at no cost. And a workout at the gym sure burns some of that excess of yummy nutrient from the buffet.
This expanse on the Pearl is rattling similar apart from no spas as well as a swim upwards bar at i of the pools.
Differences betwixt Carnival as well as P+0
MORE FEATURES
Size is evidently a major difference - but I never thought the Carnivals also large or the P+Os also small.
But the extra infinite allows Carnival to to a greater extent than fit things on-board like....
I think FOOD VARIETY may receive got been slightly to a greater extent than on the Carnivals but at no fourth dimension did I consider P+0's buffet was lacking. FOOD QUALITY was goodness on both lines equally far equally I was concerned, both inwards the buffets as well as the a la carte restaurants. Then again, I'm no gourmet.
ALL THAT FOOD!
The amount as well as multifariousness of nutrient on the cruise is a blowout. Particularly to The Lady as well as me who were raised inwards lower working shape families which dorsum inwards the tardily 40s/early-mid 50s tended to do it tough - at that spot was oftentimes a shortage of nutrient as well as multifariousness was restricted to the same old inexpensive staples. So fifty-fifty though our afterwards years were hardly lower working shape (bless Australia's gratis instruction system) nosotros receive got remained pretty frugal as well as no frills. Get into a province of affairs where nosotros tin send away go berserk at no extra cost as well as I peculiarly lose some restraint - despite my rigorous daily excercise regime (see downwardly page) I set on five kilos (11 lbs) inwards the 10 days/12 nights on board FEB 2016 trip).
But our early on life-experience soundless showed - our parents would kill us if nosotros wasted nutrient so nosotros never left materials on our cruise plates uneaten, different 50%+ of other passengers.
Nor did nosotros consume betwixt meals - the amount of grazing when the buffet was closed (for exclusively close an hr betwixt meals after opening 0615 - closes rattling late) was incredible, as well as most of this materials was pay extra. Similarly at that spot would live at to the lowest degree a half-dozen partly finished pizzas on trays exterior cabins on my java fetching trek each morning. I assumed room service had delivered - some room service items are free, others not. But mayhap passengers had fetched these themselves from the pizzeria which similar the deli sandwich counter, remains opened upwards 24 hours).
BTW - no lack of quantity inwards the Waterfront a la carte restaurant, as well as if you lot desire more, ask. Want 2 entrees or H2O ice cream with that fancy dessert? No problem.
SOFT SERVES RULE!
I reckon a large number for families with kids is that the Carnivals had a SELF SERVE SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM MACHINE out on the chief puddle deck, which was immensely pop (and non just with the kids - I love that stuff, peculiarly when free). The P+0s receive got a pay per serve H2O ice cream cone identify - also immensely popular.
PAY?
When at that spot is so much yummy gratis food? Yep, plenty did, including at a articulation close the lower deck lounges on each ship selling fabulous looking cakes as well as pastries - but no to a greater extent than fabulous looking to me than the gratis pastries as well as cake upwards at the buffet. A pay java store also did a roaring merchandise (sure, those java machines inwards the buffet powerfulness non striking the spot for a truthful java freak - I wouldn't know the difference betwixt goodness as well as rattling average java but Lady Tezza does) as well as you lot would non believe the crowds inwards the lolly shops. Gourmets who desire to measurement upwards from the gratis a la carte restaurants receive got several pay options for a fancy meal. Dunno how goodness they are - I thought the gratis restaurants served pretty goodness nutrient with neat service.
MORE FUN AT CARNIVAL'S Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 LA CARTE
You tin send away facial expression Carnival's restaurants to live bigger, but inwards plumbing fixtures with the FUN SHIPS topic of the line, the wait-staff set on some brusk amusement each nighttime which proved immensely popular.
BIGGER, BETTER GYMS
Carnival's gyms were much larger - makes sense on a bigger ship but I'm thinking disproportionately so. Gyms spread over iii levels at top front end of vessels. Those windows below human face upwards forward, give body of body of water views.
Top even out has to a greater extent than machines as well as a gratis weights expanse at the far end. The latter is a flake little and was the exclusively identify I had to divert to a greater extent than than a few times to other machines to wait.
COOL WATER SLIDES
The Carnival Legend as well as Spirit each receive got the Green Thunder gratis H2O slide.
BETTER FOR KIDS?
Well the gratis H2O slides are certainly a plus for Carnival. Both Carnival as well as P+0 receive got supervised kids' clubs which pre teens seemed to expose rattling enjoyable. For teens they also receive got special areas as well as activities but it seemed to me Carnival's were to a greater extent than conspicuous. But I didn't acquire the thought P+O was lacking hither - lotsa teens on our P+O trips as well as they never seemed bored.
THEATERS
All the ships nosotros receive got been on receive got had chief theaters which for twice nightly performances of shows plus other occasions where mass seating is required.
However Carnival Legend and Spirit receive got a bonus - a smaller sub-theater (Firebird Theater on Legend) i deck downwardly for to a greater extent than performances as well as activities requiring less seating - mayhap 250 people. Doubles equally icon palace during daylight hours+ little focus groups (art lectures etc). We works life the comedians after dinner rattling goodness value.
GUESTS
Yeah, I know. You are thinking cruise liners are the domain of old dudes. I'm a geezer myself (except most times I don't experience I'm a geezer on concern human relationship I'm so fit as well as cutting I could go a posse of pole dancers as well as non suspension sweat....um....a flake of wishful thinking at that spot as well as a LOT of hyperbole)) as well as at that spot has never been a shortage of geezers on the ones I've done - but the thing is, these brusk trips out of Sydney seem to live rattling pop with families - as well as my latest Feb '16 cruise had plenty of immature people inwards the historic menses gain 18-22 on concern human relationship it was close the in conclusion i to these destinations they could do before academy kicked off for the year. More later.
These are the cohorts you lot tin send away facial expression to regard to a greater extent than on these brusk cruises than inwards society equally a whole:
OLD DUDES - yep, you lot got the silvery nomads spending the grand-kids' inheritance large time. Now you may live a grand-kid. Get over it - you lot volition live old i day. Thing is, OLD DUDES are pretty relaxed travelers - they are ever goodness for conversation (maybe a fading fine art inwards these days when everyone nether 35 had his/her caput stuck inwards a device), tend to striking the sack early on as well as don't crowd upwards those tardily venues, as well as receive got learned that a sense of give as well as take inwards life is a winner (so are less judgmental: aint no large create do some immature dude got smashed in conclusion nighttime - met a sweetheart as well as went to her cabin, had a huge workout of the recreational kind, striking the sack as well as cutting the ZZZZZZs so hard he did non hear the constant PA announcements looking fer him on concern human relationship his blood brother thought he were so affected yesteryear alky he went over the rail - thing is old dudes say: done that or seen similar - WTF).
Disadvantages of OLD DUDES include they tend to overuse the lifts, tin send away live a flake irksome getting on as well as off ship's tenders, may receive got emergency medical episodes which alter the cruise schedule (but regard my materials on young Jarod higher upwards and down page). And non all are equally relaxed equally yer humble correspondent as well as most of his ilk close the ZZZZZing Jarods of this world.
YOUNG FAMILIES - this is unremarkably the next biggest cohort, tending to stand upwards for abt 25% of guests (maybe more). Kids gain from toddlers thru to teens.
YOUNG ADULTS - mayhap 15%. Got a fair historic menses gain hither - academy students inwards their tardily teens thru to early/mid 30s. No shortage of immature couples as well as honeymooners.
THE CHINESE - although less than 10%, this is soundless disproportionately higher than the Chinese part of Australia's population. No mystery - tourists from mainland China as well as Hong Kong to Commonwealth of Australia total over 1 1000000 per yr - if exclusively a little proportion of these realise an first-class way to lift their see is to bound on i of these trips, that soundless represents a fair number of people. And yesteryear the proportion claiming non to empathise English, it seems most are non Chinese-Australians. Thing is, $70 to $100 per twenty-four hr menses is pretty little cheese to the average Chinese daily expenditure when visiting Commonwealth of Australia - as well as the Chinese receive got ever had a olfactory organ for goodness value.
Similarly, I reckon this would live a goodness create do for backpackers as well as other budget travelers - 4 sharing a cabin with all the inclusions would piece of work out cheaper than staying inwards a dorm plus nutrient transport, amusement etc inwards Oz. So I tend to maintain an optic out for these people - at that spot receive got been some, but sadly, few seem to live receive got onto this goodness create do during the yesteryear brace of years.
THE SERIOUSLY OBESE - some other grouping over-represented (but I'd say less than 5%** of all passenger). Gotta consider that for value-seeking huge dudes the cost of nutrient must ever live a large create do - as well as on a cruise they tin send away consume similar champs as well as it costs no to a greater extent than than that sparse daughter pecking at her plate next table. Plus a really large dude puts on an extra five kilos as well as no-one notices, different yers truly, who pre-cruise looks similar an overtrained, underfed greyhound (Lady Tezza prefers ferret to greyhound. ....um.... ain't a ferret a fellow member of the rat family?)
**yeah, I know fat people take upwards to a greater extent than than 5% of Australia's population. But nosotros are talking the SERIOUSLY fat here.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES - some other over-represented group. The all inwards i nature of cruise ships plus the ease of moving around (the lifts are plentiful as well as fast, the corridors non-crowded) in all probability appeals. And I receive got an thought the staff, who gives deadbeats similar me first-class service, measurement upwards fifty-fifty to a greater extent than for people with problems. Note that trips with visits to a lot of places having "debarkation" straight onto wharves rather than via ship's tender volition regard to a greater extent than people with motion disabilities.
Sample of passengers on latest Feb16 cruise - hither checking Carnival Legend's difference from Circular Quay. Note at that spot were fewer families on this cruise on concern human relationship of rattling early on inwards the schoolhouse year. The SERIOUSLY fat as well as people with disabilities in all probability expose it a flake hard to build it upwards to these crowed areas.
..............................................................
CARNIVAL LEGEND CRUISE - FEBRUARY 2016
1405 - within Overseas Passenger Terminal next ship. Not supposed to take pix hither (security) so this is the exclusively i I receive got - shows check-in line. Moves quite quickly, mainly due to Carnival (and P+O at White Bay) employing lotsa check-in staff, different those airlines at airports. Also helping is our self-nominated banking concern check inwards time-envelope (1400 to 1430) - cruise companies non also keen on people arriving before than nominated but no problems close afterwards providing you lot shell the cutting off fourth dimension - 1630 from memory. Bags dropped off to baggage handlers prior to line.
At desk passengers are allocated cabins (many booking services allow you lot to pre-choose), issued with CRUISE CARD which acts equally key as well as charge-it card on board as well as accommodate link betwixt their banking concern credit card as well as the cruise card (we do this online when booking). Cash payers demand to accommodate this with CUSTOMERS SERVICES in i trial on board.
1430 - thru safety as well as emigration (also much quicker than at airports) as well as close to cross to ship.
1431 - shute drops us onto deck iii - just thru that door is an electronic machine which records your arrival using the CRUISE CARD. You do this each fourth dimension you lot embark as well as debark (their term) the ship. There is some other safety banking concern check - but the Cruise lines seem to a greater extent than interested inwards checking for people bringing on-board booze, prohibited jugs as well as cooking implements etc. But I'm sure if the customs scan missed your AK 47, they would confiscate that too.
1435 - acquire inwards at deck 1 sea sentiment cabin. Pretty typical of all five of our cruises' cabins - I don't think whatever was preferable. Well featured, sufficient room, comfy beds (most tin send away live reconfigured into twins) - nosotros ever inquire cabin steward (who typical knocks as well as introduces him/herself inwards the start hour) to supercede bed doona with sparse blanket), aircon ever on but tin send away live adjusted over little range. Okay bath with lotsa towels etc behind left division mid pic at nowadays above.
Deck 1 port side has immediacy of H2O as well as 1000000 dollar views of Opera House etc. Note those lighting slots on Carnivals are first-class for drying damp washing inwards aircon current - pack some old-style wire hangers with hooks, Carnival's clothes hangers are the slotted types). Of course of instruction you lot tin send away do your washing/drying/ironing at a pay laundry on the stateroom deck plus at that spot is a pay valet laundry service.
IMPORTANT POINT - pack into your shoulder handbag whatever supplies as well as have on you lot think you lot volition demand inwards the start few hours on board - delivery of your bigger luggage items oftentimes takes several hours. Don't freak if you lot receive got an early on booking inwards the a la carte eatery - clothes code start nighttime is ever dress equally you lot arrived.
A BALCONY CABIN
On a previous Carnival Legend cruise nosotros were upgraded from sea sentiment to a balcony cabin, deck seven starboard. This was rattling similar inwards size as well as layout to the deck 1 cabin shown upwards page - the little balcony was okay, prissy identify to pass fourth dimension entering/leaving/in port - but nosotros personally thought it non worth the extra money unremarkably asked yesteryear Carnival.
TUCKER TIME!
These are the cohorts you lot tin send away facial expression to regard to a greater extent than on these brusk cruises than inwards society equally a whole:
OLD DUDES - yep, you lot got the silvery nomads spending the grand-kids' inheritance large time. Now you may live a grand-kid. Get over it - you lot volition live old i day. Thing is, OLD DUDES are pretty relaxed travelers - they are ever goodness for conversation (maybe a fading fine art inwards these days when everyone nether 35 had his/her caput stuck inwards a device), tend to striking the sack early on as well as don't crowd upwards those tardily venues, as well as receive got learned that a sense of give as well as take inwards life is a winner (so are less judgmental: aint no large create do some immature dude got smashed in conclusion nighttime - met a sweetheart as well as went to her cabin, had a huge workout of the recreational kind, striking the sack as well as cutting the ZZZZZZs so hard he did non hear the constant PA announcements looking fer him on concern human relationship his blood brother thought he were so affected yesteryear alky he went over the rail - thing is old dudes say: done that or seen similar - WTF).
Disadvantages of OLD DUDES include they tend to overuse the lifts, tin send away live a flake irksome getting on as well as off ship's tenders, may receive got emergency medical episodes which alter the cruise schedule (but regard my materials on young Jarod higher upwards and down page). And non all are equally relaxed equally yer humble correspondent as well as most of his ilk close the ZZZZZing Jarods of this world.
YOUNG FAMILIES - this is unremarkably the next biggest cohort, tending to stand upwards for abt 25% of guests (maybe more). Kids gain from toddlers thru to teens.
YOUNG ADULTS - mayhap 15%. Got a fair historic menses gain hither - academy students inwards their tardily teens thru to early/mid 30s. No shortage of immature couples as well as honeymooners.
THE CHINESE - although less than 10%, this is soundless disproportionately higher than the Chinese part of Australia's population. No mystery - tourists from mainland China as well as Hong Kong to Commonwealth of Australia total over 1 1000000 per yr - if exclusively a little proportion of these realise an first-class way to lift their see is to bound on i of these trips, that soundless represents a fair number of people. And yesteryear the proportion claiming non to empathise English, it seems most are non Chinese-Australians. Thing is, $70 to $100 per twenty-four hr menses is pretty little cheese to the average Chinese daily expenditure when visiting Commonwealth of Australia - as well as the Chinese receive got ever had a olfactory organ for goodness value.
Similarly, I reckon this would live a goodness create do for backpackers as well as other budget travelers - 4 sharing a cabin with all the inclusions would piece of work out cheaper than staying inwards a dorm plus nutrient transport, amusement etc inwards Oz. So I tend to maintain an optic out for these people - at that spot receive got been some, but sadly, few seem to live receive got onto this goodness create do during the yesteryear brace of years.
THE SERIOUSLY OBESE - some other grouping over-represented (but I'd say less than 5%** of all passenger). Gotta consider that for value-seeking huge dudes the cost of nutrient must ever live a large create do - as well as on a cruise they tin send away consume similar champs as well as it costs no to a greater extent than than that sparse daughter pecking at her plate next table. Plus a really large dude puts on an extra five kilos as well as no-one notices, different yers truly, who pre-cruise looks similar an overtrained, underfed greyhound (Lady Tezza prefers ferret to greyhound. ....um.... ain't a ferret a fellow member of the rat family?)
**yeah, I know fat people take upwards to a greater extent than than 5% of Australia's population. But nosotros are talking the SERIOUSLY fat here.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES - some other over-represented group. The all inwards i nature of cruise ships plus the ease of moving around (the lifts are plentiful as well as fast, the corridors non-crowded) in all probability appeals. And I receive got an thought the staff, who gives deadbeats similar me first-class service, measurement upwards fifty-fifty to a greater extent than for people with problems. Note that trips with visits to a lot of places having "debarkation" straight onto wharves rather than via ship's tender volition regard to a greater extent than people with motion disabilities.
..............................................................
CARNIVAL LEGEND CRUISE - FEBRUARY 2016
1400 - emerge from Circular Quay rail station - destination dead ahead
At desk passengers are allocated cabins (many booking services allow you lot to pre-choose), issued with CRUISE CARD which acts equally key as well as charge-it card on board as well as accommodate link betwixt their banking concern credit card as well as the cruise card (we do this online when booking). Cash payers demand to accommodate this with CUSTOMERS SERVICES in i trial on board.
This is a flooring programme of our Ocean View stateroom. Bathroom looks pokey but non peculiarly so inwards practice.
Of course of instruction at that spot are many other cabin choices - multifariousness tin send away live regard at this site.
IMPORTANT POINT - pack into your shoulder handbag whatever supplies as well as have on you lot think you lot volition demand inwards the start few hours on board - delivery of your bigger luggage items oftentimes takes several hours. Don't freak if you lot receive got an early on booking inwards the a la carte eatery - clothes code start nighttime is ever dress equally you lot arrived.
A BALCONY CABIN
TUCKER TIME!
What gets me is that the nearby expanse has hotel rooms where you lot volition pay $300+ a twenty-four hr menses for similar views, as well as plenty of ultra expensive restaurants, none of which receive got the elevated deck ix outlook of the pics 2 as well as iii up.
CHECKING THE SCENE.
After luncheon it is the over an hr before the SAFETY DRILL, which gives plenty of fourth dimension to wander the ship as well as banking concern check the scene.
SAFETY DRILL TIME
Note, different the P+O cruises, passengers don't receive got to take bulky life jackets from cabins to the drills.
DEPARTURE TIME
1830 - at that spot is no hooting of the claxon (city dissonance controls), scandalise or growth inwards dissonance even out - until I noticed the surrounding scenery sliding yesteryear I was unaware nosotros were underway.
Now Legend is nowhere close equally long equally some other ships which work the Overseas Terminal - backing out must live a pretty tight manoeuvre for them.
Back on the latest cruise - fourth dimension approx 1715. HEADS AHOY! - that's the entrance to the opened upwards body of body of water - South Head on right, North Head left.
The convoluted nature of Sydney Harbour comes out much amend on large ships than say from harbour ferries where it is harder to regard where you lot are going : it isn't a straight shot from the Quay to the Heads - nosotros are really looking at our goal over the SIDE RAIL of the LEGEND which is heading straight for Manly Cove at the fourth dimension of shot. Did a zig to miss a shoal marked yesteryear that buoy mid pic. Other shoals, little islands as well as headlands receive got forced several course of instruction changes.
1930 - OPEN SEA!
The zig-zag course of instruction tin send away live seen from just exterior he heads - Circular Quay is really behind that headland far right of pic - approx inwards line with that little vessel whose wake is furthest right - which you lot may regard amend if you lot click-expand.
1935 - goodbye pilot, seen hither transferring to airplane pilot boat which has followed us since cast off. Here he had no problem getting off - on the previous Legend trip, large seas made the physical care for a 10 minute+ ordeal
1945 - yesteryear at nowadays it's fourth dimension for dinner at the 2d setting inwards the Waterfront (a la carte) restaurant. We expose the start setting at 1730 is a flake early, peculiarly after a tardily lumch start day.
Note if you lot receive got nominated a permanent tabular array when booking cruise you lot don't receive got to exhibit upwards every nighttime - nightly attendance varied markedly: highest on formal clothes nights (not also formal - few dinner suits, non a lot of clothes suits, ladies seem to relish the jeopardy to clothes up, balance of diners go for cruise casual but non also casual) as well as topic nights similar South Seas, Mexican as well as Wild West (again - cruise non also casual is okay if yu didn't pack the sombrero etc).
Second even out of eatery from which this is shot is for walk-ins as well as one-off bookings.
2145 - all the bustle of the start twenty-four hr menses has left us feeling a flake tired so after a tour of the lounge/casino deck nosotros striking our cabin for an early on nighttime - to expose our cabin steward has left this cute critter on our bed.
Wally leaves a novel creation each nighttime - here's a sample.
2200 - 0100 - WHERE'S JAROD?
But hitting the sack doesn't hateful sleep. At 2200 an extremely loud pa proclamation is piped into the cabin looking for Jarod, some immature bloke who has gone missing. Apparently his blood brother is frantic. This is repeated at x infinitesimal intervals. At around 2345 the ship's regime acquire so desperate (they think he has gone overboard)...
Where's Jarod? (image https://chandralynn.wordpress.com/ )
....they denote all people should render to cabins (so lounges/bars, casino, chief deck icon exhibit etc are unopen down) where a crew fellow member volition do a cabin check. This seems a lengthy physical care for - it is a goodness 45 minutes before someone knocks on our door as well as does a quick check.
At around 0045 they denote Jarod has been found! 15+ minutes afterwards the captain comes on as well as cheers us for our forbearance (this seems overkill - all people desire to do is slumber - but afterwards inwards the cruise nosotros acquire the agreement that the captain is a rattling caring individual).
We are non told where Jarod has been works life but the gospel according to passengers is that he was located asleep inwards some secluded spot upwards on the chief Lido pool/buffet/adult's exclusively deck. BULLDUST! I am non a goodness searcher but I could receive got works life him anywhere upwards at that spot within an hr - multiple skilled crew a lot faster. I reckon he had crashed inwards someone's cabin equally outlined upwards page, woken to expose an imminent cabin search as well as decided to go shroud somewhere he thought less reprehensible. Walking with a grouping of friends it would live piece of cake to displace from cabin to chief deck.
Passenger gospel on penalisation - confined to cabin for 24 hours. I would receive got thrown his donkey inwards the brig as well as unloaded him inwards Noumea to wing home. Retrospectively, mayhap that's a flake harsh. Naturally the ship is awash with Jarod jokes for the next few days - the ship's paid comedians peculiarly receive got a ball.
Go Jarod! That fin looks scary. (image http://www.grindtv.com/)
Next morn nosotros notice channel thirteen on the cabin concealment which shows ship location as well as course of instruction indicates nosotros really turned dorsum for an hr or so, looking for Jarod inwards the sea. I should receive got taken a concealment shot.
Just kidding....I modified this Google basis image
DAYS 2, iii AND 4 - AT SEA
On previous trips it has taken 2 sea days to accomplish New Caledonia, but our start destination is Mystery Island which existence i of the southern most islands of the Vanuatu chain, is a flake farther north.
0545 - COFFEE TIME.
As presently equally I wake upwards I grab our carry-on insulated potable holders with lids as well as climb the stairs from deck 1 to deck 9's buffet where several 24 hr java machines are located. The stair climbing is component of my fitness/weight command routine, but I ever take take hold of the elevator downwardly (speed plus dodgy knees - except when I'm with Lady Tezza who does non take take hold of a elevator the whole cruise: what a champion!)
0615 - WALK THE DECK
To burn downwardly a flake to a greater extent than release energy I next climb to deck 10 which has a goodness walking route right around the ship - this takes close five minutes per lap as well as I do 5. First twenty-four hr menses at that spot are exclusively close one-half a dozen walkers but equally the cruise goes on at that spot are a few extra each morn - excessive nutrient guilt is kicking in.
Part of deck 10 walkway higher upwards the chief puddle deck - is less crowded early on inwards the twenty-four hr menses unless entering port. In inclement conditions at that spot is an sheltered outer deck on even out iii (the emergency muster station deck pictured upstage). If blustery I expose walking the corridors goodness value - peculiarly deck 4 which goes right around the ship without the demand to backtrack.
After the walk I go upwards i even out to the little running rail as well as do some other 4-5 laps, unless my knees vociferation quits before this. If that's the case, I striking the stairs for a few 10 storey climbs.
0700 - BREKKA!
When I acquire dorsum to the cabin, Lady Tezza is busting for some eats, so nosotros climb upwards to that wonderful Lido buffet, where I set dorsum all the weight I receive got just burned off. And so some.
Pastries for brekka - yes please! This is something I never do at home, but I don't receive got anything cooked at dwelling house breakfasts either. I give both a large fourth dimension nudge - why? Because I can, as well as because it involves minimal endeavour as well as null extra cost.
0915 - HIT THE GYM
I hold off an hr or so for brekka to settle as well as so go to the gym to burn downwardly it off. I expose the gym tends to live less crowded inwards the few hours after/during key eating times. "During" because when I goal my 45 infinitesimal gym session plus some other 20 minutes climbing the stairs from deck Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 (below deck 1) to deck 10, I cruise along the Lido deck (9) to the java machines as well as expose the Lido Buffet total of breakfasters - stone the crows trendsetters, what receive got these dudes been upwards to to build fer a tardily 1045 brekka? Don't refer Jarod on concern human relationship this is the scene every twenty-four hr menses of the cruise.
1215 - LUNCHEON
Another java as well as so dorsum to the cabin. Doesn't take also long before Lady Tezza (who has in all probability striking the gym herself) starts agitating fer lunch. Not that I demand to live agitated with all that gorgeous nutrient upwards there. So nosotros climb from deck 1 to 9....
....grab a sea-view table....
....and striking the serveries.
WORK THE GYM/CLIMB THE STAIRS PART 2
I hold off long plenty for tiffin to digest as well as so it's dorsum to the gym - I essay to see the machines I missed start session. I figure fifty-fifty if they are ones which develop torso areas I'm non interested in, they in all probability burn downwardly to a greater extent than release energy on untrained muscles.
After the gym I striking the stairs for 4 or to a greater extent than deck Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 to ix climbs (down inwards the lifts to save my poor old knees) as well as so do mayhap 2 laps of deck 4 corridors.
This is finished around 1530 - fourth dimension for some other java from those neat machines inwards the Lido buffet as well as so dorsum to the cabin for some other shower plus mayhap a brusk session of clothes washing.
1645 - BOOZE + BOOKS
Sometimes the nurture deck is a flake also hot or windy - inwards that instance I go searching for The Lady who tin send away usually live works life caput inwards volume inwards i of the quieter aircon lounges downwardly on deck 2. Lotsa places downwardly at that spot I tin send away acquire a beer - so no complaints.
ALL THOSE LEGENDS
On the 2d sea twenty-four hr menses I acquire distracted yesteryear the artwork inwards the deck 2 lounge. Carnival Legend is total of murals, paintings as well as sculptures depicting yesteryear legends:
BTW it seems to me those old fourth dimension painters had a dodgy fixation on 12 yr old girls.
Um, I just worked out that's Adam (okay, so I'm a flake slow) - looks similar he's thinking of committing a large fourth dimension sin inwards close 2 seconds. Well before the apple. How does that work?
This was a huge mural roofing the dorsum wall of i of the lifts. Once again, what legend?
1830 - PRE DINNER ENTERTAINMENT
Most bar/lounges on the ship receive got some sort of amusement going on from close 1700 thru to rattling tardily - so piece waiting for the Waterfront eatery to opened upwards for the tardily setting nosotros go downwardly to deck 2 as well as regard what's going on.
1945 - 2100 DINNER
2100 ON
On concern human relationship nosotros are geezers, I receive got to acknowledge most nights nosotros just did some other quick tour of the lounges as well as casinos as well as so went dorsum to our cabin. However nighttime 2 nosotros checked out the exhibit inwards the Folies theatre - regard comments upwards page (later inwards the trip same time/place sees a rather mediocre illusionist) as well as acquire dorsum to the cabin existent tardily for us at 2345 to find.....
DAY 4 - MYSTERY ISLAND
I reckon this is the chief argue MI has no permanent settlement (the story goes it's haunted) - it would non live also neat during the huge waves as well as tidal surges of a tropical cyclone. Lack of running H2O is some other problem. So "locals" alive on the bigger isle as well as displace across to sell beers, food, touristy souvenirs, hire snorkels etc when the cruise liners arrival. Hell, at that spot is fifty-fifty a crude oil grass airstrip to enable access from farther afield.
Note conditions conditions are of import - I receive got been hither inwards tardily Oct as well as Nov - despite existence inwards the sub-tropics, the SE trades as well as sea temps during Spring are non quite warm plenty to build it pleasant on this exposed side of the isle - the western lee side is a amend idea. Latest trip was inwards mid-summer Feb - the trades soundless blowing but were welcome equally a cooling agent inwards this hotter period. Water temp rattling nice.
Close to shore at that spot were plenty fish as well as little coral patches to build it interesting for novices.
I receive got to a greater extent than info, maps as well as pix on MYSTERY ISLAND on this page.
CHANGE OF PLANS - ENTER THE TWIN CYCLONES!
As nosotros delineate away from Mystery Island circa 1600 the captain come upwards on the pa - 2 Tropical Cyclones (TC Tatania and TC Winston) are heading our way from the north, so nosotros are no longer going inwards that management to Vila, nor volition nosotros stick around also long inwards the nowadays full general area. After visiting Mare a flake to the southward tomorrow nosotros volition give the next twenty-four hr menses at Lifou a miss - instead nosotros volition caput farther southward to Noumea inwards New Caledonia.
I'm non a large fan of Noumea, really liked my i previous see to Vila as well as was looking frontward to my start see to Lifou. However Tropical Cyclones tin send away live rattling nasty - Winston afterwards kills 40+ people inwards Republic of the Fiji Islands - so no incertitude nosotros are doing the right thing.
TC Tatiana can live seen at left and TC Winston at right - their predicted courses good below New Caledonia as well as heading southward (although Winston volition presently veer to the E towards Samoa, the Cook Islands as well as Fiji). Fortunately for us both cyclones were good off the nautical chart to the due north when nosotros left Mystery Island as well as the captain Gazzano made sure nosotros stayed to their southward yesteryear non dallying inwards Noumea for to a greater extent than than a twenty-four hr menses as well as a night.
Note our master copy schedule had us inwards Noumea on the 14th - so the Cyclones would receive got already passed. Thing is, tropical cyclone paths are unpredictable - at that spot is null to halt i of these babies changing its supposed course of instruction as well as going right over Noumea. And fifty-fifty when at a medium distance, winds as well as seas tin send away acquire pretty fierce.
DAY five - MARE
Its population is mainly indigenous kanaks - abt 7000.
Cruise ships tend to anchor inwards a rattling protected (from the prevailing south-east trades) bay just off i of the chief villages, TADINE. We are running iii out of iii hither equally far equally success inwards getting off the ship is concerned.
YEJELE BEACH is i of the to a greater extent than pop as well as less expensive shore excursions - it is a relatively brusk motorcoach trip from the landing area.
Speaking of shore excursions, at that spot is equally common a selection. But Lady Tezza as well as I are cheapskates as well as receive got gone for Yejele Beach on 2 of our iii visits including this one, On our middle see nosotros elected to just hang around the Tadine landing area.
It exclusively takes close fifteen minutes to accomplish from the Tadine landing expanse as well as the locals seem to receive got a goodness provide of buses as well as other carry to minimise whatever delays to as well as from. I think the ship charges $aud20 render for tickets.
In dorsum of the beach locals run the common businesses - beers as well as food, trinkets, snorkel/fins as well as beach chair hire - pilus plaiting for pre-tweens thru early on 20s chickens seems peculiarly popular.
There is a hamlet schoolhouse inwards this expanse but the chief hamlet is close 800m inland as well as upwards a flake on the limestone plateau which covers most of the isle (Mare is a raised coral atoll).
I receive got to a greater extent than info, pix as well as maps on YEJELE BEACH on this page.
DAY vi - NOUMEA
Noumea is the majuscule of the French overseas territory New Caledonia, as well as is situated on the biggest isle of Grand Terre.
It is surrounded yesteryear a huge barrier reef which is tin send away acquire 30+km from the shore, creating the world's largest tropical lagoon.
I'm non whelmed with Noumea. We receive got visited many times - twice for fly-in vacation dorsum inwards the 70s, as well as 4 times inwards recent years (UPDATE JAN nineteen - at nowadays 10 ship visits). The cruise lines love NOUMEA - rattling goodness facilities for repairs as well as dockside moorings which allows motion impaired passengers a much easier "debarkation"/embarkation than via mid-bay tender as well as New Caledonian regime insist that if cruises desire to see outer islands similar MARE, LIFOU as well as ISLE OF PINES, the ship must also telephone band inwards at Noumea.
But thhe identify is rattling expensive as well as French colonial types tend to live fifty-fifty to a greater extent than arrogant as well as pretentious than those at dwelling house - was it KATHY LETTE who said the French are borne with a condescension chromosome: No incertitude they think nosotros Aussies are loud oral cavity yobbos. Not incorrect mes amis. And the indigenous kanaks, although non snobbish, are nowhere close equally friendly as well as outgoing equally say the Vanuatu locals.
The town itself, although having plenty of chic shops, restaurants, bars etc reminds me a flake of Wollongong NSW circa 1980. There are plenty of hotels as well as a few swish resorts but tourism inwards New Caledonia is non a large create do these days - the identify earns most of its income from nickel mining. No incertitude the locals experience they are on a winner hither as well as high wage levels (and so ridiculously high prices for goods as well as services) seem to demeanour this out. But the competitiveness of the nickel manufacture is propped upwards yesteryear the common European Union primary manufacture subsidies (and so unknowing French as well as other European Union taxpayers).
The terminal has places selling shore trips, some at a discount to Carnival prices, an upstairs marketplace expanse selling touristy have on as well as trinkets, a ridiculously expensive cafe (I saw a immature human being rider pay $aud14 for a toasted ham sandwich - at to the lowest degree they take Aussie dollars similar a lot but non all places inwards town) which has all the ambiance of downtown Pitt St Sydney 1968, plus irksome unreliable BUT FREE! wifi.
Just yesteryear the terminal is a waterfront cafe/bar which is a prissy but exxy identify to pass fourth dimension as well as across the route a medium size supermarket which is an interesting identify to banking concern check out (can't take nutrient or booze dorsum onto the ship).
Carnival has a host of shore excursions you lot tin send away do inwards as well as around Noumea. Diving, snorkeling as well as visits to little offshore islands seem attractive but Lady Tezza as well as I know that longish fast boat trips inwards this expanse tend to live a uncomfortable (the distance of the barrier reef offshore agency the SE trades tin send away boot upwards a fairly large chop within the giant lagoon) - plus the cost of nearly every excursion whether offshore or on is beyond our cheapskate budget.
There are some attractive rain-forest as well as waterfall locations inwards the hinterland around Noumea but they are pretty exxy shore excursions. Ditto most of the guided site-seeing trips around Noumea itself.
So nosotros settle for the cheapest shore excursion possible - a ticket on the hop-on, hop off motorcoach which goes every 10 minutes or so from the little cruise terminal mentioned higher upwards to the far goal of Anse Vata/return. Other pop stops are at the Marina markets, the Aquarium as well as Lemon Bay. People wanting to see i of Noumea's casino volition expose i inwards the Chateau Royal resort just due north of Anse Vata as well as at Hotel Le Surf on the headland close the aquarium.
We know much less expensive as well as frequent town buses go where nosotros desire to journey, but they start/finish inwards "the city" a brusk walk from the shore terminal. (Since I originally wrote this I receive got used them a brace of times to go to outlying beaches - but you lot demand the local currency which you lot tin send away acquire inwards the Cruise Terminal. Routes etc are available online - Google "Noumean buses")
Lemon Bay has a beach - it tends to live much to a greater extent than sheltered than Anse Vata but at that spot is less sand.
I grab my human face upwards mask as well as swim close 400m offshore. The H2O is pretty clear, doesn't acquire much to a greater extent than than 2m deep. The bottom has mostly sea grass with a few rattling little clumps of coral. I regard few fish.
{I receive got a fair flake of info/maps/pix on ix NOMEA BEACHES on THIS PAGE)
DAYS 7, 8, 9, 10 - AT SEA SYDNEY BOUND
After clearing Grand Terre's barrier reef abt an hr after leaving Noumea at 0600 twenty-four hr menses 6, nosotros build a bee line fer goodness ol' Sydney town. We are non precisely inwards a hurry, having 4 days to do what unremarkably takes 2 - the captain goes just fast plenty to maintain us a prophylactic distance inwards front end of TC Tatiana.
DODGING CYCLONES (aka HURRICANES/TYPHOONS)
TATIANA (white path left of center) presently veers left as well as so heads dorsum due north almost to its starting point, where it blows itself out.
WINSTON (yellow path) on the other hand, keeps on keeping on. As said upwards page, it presently turns E away from us - but it keeps going to close Samoa (it is 2600 km inwards a straight line from the GRAND TERRE identify marking to that of SAMOA), where it turns dorsum west, cleans upwards Republic of the Fiji Islands on 19/20 Feb with 325kmh winds as well as heavy pelting (over twoscore people lose their lives), as well as gets dorsum to the southward of GRAND TERRE around 25/26 Feb. Ironically CARNIVAL LEGEND is doing its next cruise at this fourth dimension as well as a ship tracking website shows it has in i trial once to a greater extent than scurried for dwelling house early on when it should live inwards Noumea.
WINSTON keeps going, veering due north towards the Queensland coast. In tardily Feb it eventually loses some powerfulness as well as is downgraded from a TC to a Tropical Depression - finally it hits the far due north Queensland coast on the third of March - lotsa pelting but no current of air damage. Next twenty-four hr menses the L has disappeared - it has finally blown itself completely out.
I relish the irksome cruise dorsum over the next 4 days - speedily settling into much of the same routine equally the early on sea days outlined above. To me, cruising is close existence on the ship to a greater extent than than the destinations.
GOOD NEWS
On the start of these sea days the captain tells us Carnival has decided to compensate us for the cutting inwards destinations yesteryear giving each rider a $aud250 credit on whatever Carnival cruise taken inwards the next eighteen months. Not a bad create do for people who tin send away schedule it - nosotros certainly can, as well as it represents at to the lowest degree 25% discount of what nosotros unremarkably outlay.
Some people start to pass their $250 early on - passengers comment close the pick upwards of concern inwards the casino as well as bars.
DAY xi - HOME
In a brace of hours nosotros volition live "debarking" thru at that spot - as well as iii hours afterwards dorsum at Chez Tezza yesteryear the Sea.
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MISSED DESTINATIONS
I made it to LIFOU inwards 2018 as well as 2019 - some information downwardly page.
However before this especial TWIN CYCLONE CRUISE I had visited PORT VILA - called inwards at that spot on our Nov 2014 CARNIVAL LEGEND cruise
PORT VILA
There is a prissy waterfront common a flake closer to the boat than the higher upwards - has some markets as well as a prissy bar/cafe type place.
The identify gets most of its money from tourism, export of primary products as well as equally a taxation haven.
That beach close the ship is okay although at that spot are some resorts close town with nicer beaches you lot tin send away see on some of the paid SHORE EXCURSIONS. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 gain of other excursions similar to those at/out of Noumea are offered.
ANOTHER TROPICAL CYCLONE!
I experience sorry for the lovely people of Port Vila as well as Vanuatu - the identify was cleaned upwards badly yesteryear TC PAM inwards March 2015. This caused a lot of impairment to the tourist infrastructure which saw a large drib inwards visitors, exacerbated yesteryear the refusal of most airlines to maintain using the damaged local runway inwards recent months.
Quite a few cruise liners cancelled call-ins for some fourth dimension which would receive got wound the businesses pictured above. I reckon our cancellation latest trip must receive got been an added blow - at to the lowest degree TC WINSTON as well as TC TATIANA missed Port Vila.
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ISLE OF PINES
This wasn't on our itinerary this trip, but was component of our iii previous cruises into this area.
The Isle of Pines is abt 2/3 the size of Mare, as well as if you lot banking concern check the map up-page you lot tin send away regard it abt 50km off the eastern-most tip of New Caledonia's large island, Grande Terre.
We start visited inwards the 70s, flight inwards from Noumea for a 4 twenty-four hr menses stay. It is a existent prissy island, but unfortunately the cruise ship anchorage is nowhere close equally protected equally at Mare, Noumea, Port Vila or Mystery island, which lessens the jeopardy of successfully landing - nosotros receive got exclusively managed 1 inwards iii on our cruise visits at the fourth dimension of writing. (UPDATE JAN 2019 - I'm at nowadays 4 inwards 6. Lady Tezza is doing better: five inwards seven as well as my boy is running 1 inwards 1!)
Missed "debarkments" are non for desire of trying - on our Nov 2015 call-in, the captain of CARNIVAL SPIRIT manoeuvered for at to the lowest degree twoscore minutes to different parts of the bay trying to expose calm-enough H2O to build tender loading prophylactic for the old as well as infirm. Nov 2014 on CARNIVAL LEGEND was much the same. Both times no luck - nosotros had to canvas away. This must live heartbreaking to the locals who would receive got already laid upwards their tents as well as stalls inwards the landing expanse - plus of course of instruction all those engaged inwards sightseeing, snorkeling as well as diving trips - at that spot is the common various gain of paid SHORE EXCURSIONS.
When ships are due, locals laid upwards their tents as well as stalls along that clearing where the spit is narrowest. Both the beach as well as that little isle vicinity (right of lower-center) are pop with people off the ship.
Water surprisingly un-tropical at around 21 c - but this was November: sea temperatures ever lag the atmosphere's yesteryear 2 to iii months. Air temp at this fourth dimension rattling pleasant.
Interestingly (at to the lowest degree fer us); Lady Tezza as well as I works life some ruins of our 70s resort close here.
I receive got to a greater extent than info, maps as well as pix on the ISLE OF PINES on this page.
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THE BIG DADDY (so far) - THE NEW ZEALAND CRUISE
I can't leave of absence this page without some materials on the most enjoyable of my five cruises to date.
I receive got already said that to me, cruising is abt being on the ship - non where you lot visit. But that is mayhap non quite right if where I see is novel to me. Thing is, I receive got never been to NZ as well as I works life the various places nosotros checked out rattling goodness value. Plus the ship itself, P+O Pacific Pearl was pretty sweet.
HIGHLIGHT - MILFORD SOUND
0600 arrival plus fairly high latitude agency people are good rugged upwards despite it existence Spring.
Spectacular scenery is a given....
....well this IS New Zillund.
Milford Sound is a "cruise by" location - passengers remain on board. We caput upwards the Sound for abt an hour, chuck a U-turn (pretty tight squeeze - bigger liners receive got to a greater extent than difficulty as well as are to a greater extent than probable to cancel if rigid winds build the plough iffy) close the inland goal as well as cruise dorsum out. The higher upwards shot is on the way out - yesteryear this fourth dimension the Sun had broken thru as well as it was a flake warmer.
NOTHING FANCY AS USUAL
Our other stops involve getting off the ship. At all, at that spot is a goodness array of paid SHORE EXCURSIONS available, some to iconic NZ tourist places similar Rotorua as well as Canterbury, but I was content to just acquire off the ship as well as wander around, checking the local scene. Thing is, I think to do a wing inwards see to NZ presently which volition give to a greater extent than fourth dimension to banking concern check the good known spots at my leisure.
A really prissy thing close most stops was that non exclusively were at that spot shops, museums, pubs, houses etc to speck out, but also a VIEWPOINT within twoscore minutes walk of the ship.....
(these panorama shots common click-expand nicely).
Not exclusively did this expanse give a prissy outlook - it was a high income area. Checking out the houses was interesting - rich Kiwis tend to maintain the fabulous old timber homes of the early on C20th inwards goodness status rather than supercede them with modern materials or remodel the hell out of them equally inwards Oz.
Note the bigger ship (GOLDEN PRINCESS) parked inwards front end of PEARL; - it had intended to cruise MILFORD SOUND presently after us, but cancelled according to passengers. GOLDEN PRINCESS at 109,000 tons is a goodness 50% upwards on P+0 PEARL - it's 290m length (same equally CARNIVAL LEGEND/SPIRIT) is an extra 45m on PEARL which in all probability accounts for its difficulty inwards the Sound. Interestingly it is exclusively 4m wider but 2 decks higher.
Free shuttle from ship to prissy downtown expanse - abt 10mins. Several high areas for goodness surrounding views.
If you lot similar trekking you'll love Mt Maunganui as well as its 360 grade panorama. Took a piffling to a greater extent than than afore-mentioned 40 minutes to acquire upwards hither from the ship. Maybe 60.
The Sky Tower is worth the minor cost/wait. Make sure you lot go to the 2d (higher) viewing area.
THE ONLY PAID SHORE EXCURSION
The Bay of Islands is NZ's version of Australia's Whitsundays. I know from many visits to the latter that the exclusively way to appreciate such places is to do a little boat cruise.
....and dorsum (after 2 days) to Oz.
Note - Lady Tezza has no similar of little boats excursionsand so elected to tender ashore to Paihia - where she did the common wander around/check the scene. She said Paihia was a typical charming little NZ landing town, non different Port Chalmers as well as Akoroa. She reckoned I would receive got peculiarly liked the display of old cars (NZ is the dwelling house of master copy condition/restored classics) - warning: this was a Sun visit. If your cruise comes inwards on a weekday placidity a few of the old machine guys may live at work.
WHERE NEXT?
Well nosotros receive got to fit inwards another Carnival cruise sometime inwards the next eighteen months to redeem our $250 each compensation for missed places.
And we'ed similar to essay some other cruise line, preferably to some other location. PRINCESS has some attractive Republic of the Fiji Islands trips which facial expression promising.
I receive got a hankering to essay i of the giant super-liners. There are a few visiting Commonwealth of Australia inwards 2016, but Lady Tezza shows piffling involvement inwards cities afloat.
Whatever nosotros chose, I'll do a flake on it below.
UPDATE - SUBSEQUENT CRUISES
Have done several cruises since but soundless waiting on the super-liner thing. The Speaker of the House (She Who Must Be Obeyed he he he he) is equally ever non keen.
JULY 2016 - CARNIVAL SPIRIT - VANUATU, FIJI, NEW CALEDONIA.
Lady Tezza was inwards a hurry to redeem our $250 each compensation from Carnival as well as booked their next cruise where costing seemed a bargain. I didn't heed - I really similar the no endeavour as well as comfort of cruising. Not to refer the food.
The itinerary was an xi day Noumea New Caledonia, Mystery Island Vanuatu, Suva Fiji, Port Denarau Fiji, Isle Pines New Caledonia.
Carnival Spirit must live jinxed. It had farther propulsion problems on this trip - caused us to substitute Noumea for the Isle of Pines on our outward leg to Republic of the Fiji Islands (Noumea has repair facilities). The revised programme was to telephone band inwards at the Isle of Pines on our render leg instead of Noumea, but a rider medical emergency saw us turning dorsum to Suva shortly after leaving Republic of the Fiji Islands thereby losing a lot of fourth dimension as well as forcing an abandonment of whatever Isle of Pines visit. Such is cruising. Fortunately the sick babe recovered good as well as was dorsum inwards Commonwealth of Australia before us.
Not much to say close the stops: SUVA was worth a walk around from the pier but the shore tours were expensive as well as seemed to live a long way out of town, PORT DENARU ditto (plus I backpacked Republic of the Fiji Islands long before this blog: did equally many offshore islands, kava ceremonies, hamlet visits etc I ever desire to - but way cheaper than from the ship. Non-Fiji stops we'd done before.
MARCH 2017 - ROYAL CARIBBEAN'S "VOYAGER OF THE SEAS"
My wishing came one-half truthful hither because for a few years at the plough of this century this was the world's biggest cruise ship. Dwarfed now, however.
The cruise was an xi twenty-four hr menses thing taking in Lautoka Republic of the Fiji Islands – Port Vila Vanuatu – Mystery Island Vanuatu – Noumea New Caledonia.
I really liked Voyager ....
Passenger makeup was interesting - although to a greater extent than expensive than identify unit of measurement favourite CARNIVAL, VOYAGER with the moving ridge rider, H2O ice show-free skaing, climbing wall plus frequent DREAMWORLD THEMED parades on the GRAND PROMENADE, has a lot of kids on board. Naturally the common kids' clubs were available.
OTHER FACTORS - Buffet, as well as gym areas were pretty goodness equally was full general service as well as nutrient presentation. Booze prices non bad as well as they allowed us to take a gratis bottles of vino each on board . The exclusively inferior expanse to us was the adults' exclusively relaxation expanse (that agency no kids) which was undercover, next to a puddle - so rather dim as well as chlorine-smelling. The other cruise lines receive got these areas out the dorsum with sunshine, sea views plus shade if you lot desire it.
COST WISE I think nosotros paid abt $130aud a twenty-four hr menses which was upwards on our just nether $100 sea-view rooms on CARNIVAL but which I thought fair value.
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AUGUST 2017 - GOLDEN PRINCESS
PRINCESS CRUISE LINE is farther measurement upmarket within the CARNIVAL family. Some people decline to cruise with P+O, CARNIVAL or ROYAL CARRIBEAN - only PRINCESS will do.
After dinner the identify turned into a nighttime monastic enjoin as well as at port acquire out fourth dimension was a HIGH ROLLER (multiple repeat customer) area.
Both shot at LUGANVILLE - VANUATU
The opened upwards expanse below the lounge....
PORTS OF CALL
I was unimpressed with BRISBANE (been at that spot many a time) as well as non whelmed yesteryear Papua New Guinea's ALOTOU as well as Vanuatu's LUGANVILLE (typical south-Pacific little port towns - non much going on but non incertitude some goodness tours out of town for the cashed up), deja-vued yesteryear PORT VILA (lovely bay, wicked duty gratis but been at that spot many times) but was impressed with Papua New Guinea's RABAUL (volcanoes, hot springs, fabulous bay, state of war ruins).
Note that nosotros took a iii hr town as well as surrounds tour with KOKOPU TOURS to regard these sites as well as to a greater extent than - at 40-70% of the cost of ship bought tours. Recommended.
The other CALL IN I really enjoyed was at KIRIWINA ISLAND (one of PNG'S TROBRIAND ISLANDS) - the argue existence the cruise line decided to forego its common halt inwards the small-port town of LOSULA to telephone band inwards at KAIBOLA BEACH inwards the island's north.
KAIBOLA BEACH
A little hamlet just inland from the little pier was an interesting identify to take a stroll. Villagers had a lot of handicrafts, have on as well as touristy trinkets on sale. Were the most polite as well as patient hawkers I've met.
There were a few little channels made for local outriggers inwards the reef - experienced snorkellers could sneak out betwixt boats to the drop-off where fish as well as coral were impressive.
I receive got a lot to a greater extent than info, maps as well as pix on KAIBOLA BEACH on this page.
Overall I was impressed with Golden Princess - I thought it good worth the extra $20 per twenty-four hr menses over Royal Caribbean. The amusement on board was a step-up. Initially I wasn't impressed with the layout of the buffet but I came to realize that someone had worked out an first-class scheme - at that spot seemed to live way fewer problems with crowding as well as self-service. Plus buffet nutrient itself also seemed a measurement upwards (what's a measurement upwards from excellent?) I also was impressed with the pools - mains ones were bigger than our other ships as well as others were inwards spots that avoided the crowds. There seemed to a greater extent than neat piffling niches for sunning out of the wind. The gym was smaller, but given the older historic menses demographic of PRINCESS, never crowded - as well as it didn't seem lacking inwards whatever equipment. On our cruise the booze laid upwards was goodness with a happy hr inwards a nominated bar each twenty-four hr menses with 2 for the cost of i deals, pretty goodness when the cost of i potable was by as well as large a flake less than all out other cruise lines. The purchasable java card was a goodness create do fpr those wanting amend than the 24 hr java machines inwards the buffet.
CAVEAT - a lot of the higher upwards varies; cruise lines are constantly changing their offerings so do your query - don't rely on my materials on HAPPY HOURS etc.
This older demographic is sometimes criticized but I receive got to say that whatever the oldies receive got lost inwards physical powerfulness they to a greater extent than than build upwards inwards conversation skills as well as affability.
DOWNSIDES?
- Well the dining room was poor: nutrient character on our 2d sitting was way inferior to the other liners, so much so that after the start nighttime vacant spots on tables grew - nosotros bailed out after the third night, Fortunately dinner inwards the buffet was first-class - the already goodness touchstone of other meals stepped up.
- The auditorium was also small. One had to plough upwards at to the lowest degree xxx mins early on to ensure a spot at the nightly exhibit as well as to take heed to the first-class older lady giving her spiel on upcoming shore excursions.
- organized ship tours seemed to a greater extent than expensive than other lines.
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NOVEMBER 2017 - CARNIVAL LEGEND: NOUMEA, MARE as well as ISLE OF PINES
Back on the Legend after nineteen months. This was a typical 8 nighttime cruise to NOUMEA, MARE as well as ISLE OF PINES. Not much novel to add together except after a gap of almost 2 years I thought Legend was getting a flake weary. Face it, she is hard at piece of work 24 hours a day, every day. Even when she turns around inwards Sydney everything except the propulsion scheme is flat-chat - it is no little undertaking to transfer 2000 people (who receive got striking the dining room around 0600 instead of 0800 or later) off as well as a similar number on, (and those inwards the know caput straight for the buffet) along with all their luggage as well as the huge amount of ship's supplies.
The goodness word is that she is going into dry out dock presently for refurbishment.
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FEB 2018
MARE - MYSTERY ISLAND - PORT VILA - NOUMEA on VOYAGER OF THE SEAS
This cruise was the same old same old destination wise, so I decided to banking concern check some novel places out when revisiting sure ports.
PORT VILA
I usually do the scenic cross-harbour H2O taxi into town as well as so banking concern check the first-class duty gratis stores as well as receive got a local beer inwards i of the waterfront bars or just wander thru the extensive ship-side markets as well as along the harbourside beaches inwards nurture of the ship - but this fifth see decided to take a tour to regard some of the places unopen to town, such as:
RARRU CASCADES
BLUE LAGOON
CRYSTAL BLUE TURTLE FARM
Overall I was disappointed with YUMI TOUR'S endeavour as well as would non recommend this one. Poor arrangement at the coming together dot seemed to set us behind schedule from the start as well as added a rush-factor to the fairly ordinary destinations.
NOUMEA
Not having been impressed yesteryear NOUMEA mainland beaches inwards recent years I decided to take the brusk trip offshore to DUCK ISLAND (ILE aux CANARDS) as well as because of proximity to the H2O taxi difference point, to revisit ANSE VATA as well as LIMON beaches to regard if they had stepped up.
DUCK ISLAND
ANSE VATA
LEMON BAY - LIMON BEACH (BAIE DES CITRONS)
YOU CAN SEE Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 BUNCH MORE PIX AND FACTS OF ALL iii PLACES ABOVE ON THE NOUMEA'S BEACHES PAGE.
MARE
In one-half a dozen visits I'd never wandered the 10 minutes upwards the loma from the landing dot as well as visited the upper department of TADINE village.
UPPER TADINE
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AUGUST 2018 - SOUTH-EAST-CENTRAL AND
P+0 PACIFIC EXPLORER
This was a seven nighttime cruise that took inwards MOOLOOLABA, GLADSTONE as well as MORETON ISLAND. Okay, they powerfulness non live Pacific Islands but they are definitely SW PACIFIC locations.
Carnival Corp transferred her inwards 2017 from the Princess line where she was known equally "DAWN PRINCESS". P+O at nowadays sent her to Singapore for a refit.
MOOLOOLABA - SUNSHINE COAST.
I'm non sure how reliable this mooring location is - I reckon inwards whatever south-east, easterly or north-east swell it may live a flake bumpy. In the south-westerly conditions of our arrival it was pretty benign - POINT CARTWIGHT left of the white arrow gives goodness protection. Which makes the whole beach a neat location inwards such conditions. Many passengers, peculiarly families were content to pass all twenty-four hr menses at the beach. THE LADY as well as I walked a flake farther due north to this viewpoint at the HMAS "BRISBANE" memorial - so a piffling farther where nosotros could regard the nearby lovely beach at ALEXANDRA HEADLAND as well as the coast all the way upwards to NOOSA HEADS.
Queensland SURF CLUBS btw are pretty goodness places to pass fourth dimension - all are licenced to sell booze, tin send away do a feed as well as most receive got patios with a neat outlook over the beach equally above. Outsiders are welcome.
GLADSTONE
This is an industrial, coal as well as grain loading port farther due north inwards SE QLD (although many claim this is southern CENTRAL QLD). At start glance its estuarine location doesn't offering also much for cruise ship visitors without spending large fourth dimension on shore excursions to fairly distant places similar the lovely beach at 1770 - but inwards fact I works life plenty of involvement close the ship.
People doing paid ship excursions are mainly picked upwards from an expanse the other side of the common as well as so acquire to do a walk thru. Ditto people wanting to take take hold of a shuttle upwards to town.
For anglers at that spot are angling stations with cleaning tables along the riverside close HMAS "GLADSTONE" - looked a flake tide-dependent to me as well as I'm non sure close bait availablility.
MORETON ISLAND
This is i of the large sand islands off BRISBANE - it as well as the to a greater extent than southern NORTH STRADBROKE ISLAND isolate MORETON BAY from the opened upwards ocean.
Much of these islands are bush covered sand dunes with piffling settlement. Our destination was the expanse around TANGALOOMA
One consolation - just due north of the isle nosotros saw quite a few WHALES which were doing their common migration southward from wintering farther due north inwards the WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS area.
I pinched this pic from P+O's in-cabin ATTRACTIONS folder. Note how clear the H2O is.
The dunes of these islands are amid the highest inwards earth - that highest dot is the top of a dune.
Water doesn't appear rattling crude oil inwards this shot - mayhap the captain has had a bad experience as well as is super-cautious.
There is also a council-run camping ground expanse a flake out of frame to the left.
HOW RELIABLE IS SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND WEATHER IN COLDER MONTHS?
I've holidayed the SUNSHINE COAST a lot when surfing as well as backpacking. From many visits I receive got ever regarded the coldest iii months of the yr equally a flake marginal temperature-wise. In this menses I similar to live due north of ROCKHAMPTON which is nearly 360km closer the Equator from MOOLOOLABA, over 400km from MORETON ISLAND. But I do know that if you lot tin send away acquire a department of sheltered beach on a sunny day, fifty-fifty mid-July tin send away live great. And here's the thing, August is i of the iii coolest months, but I didn't think conditions during our see were unpleasant.
But GLADSTONE is a flake different - exclusively 55km farther from the Equator than ROCKY so mid-winter temps are getting pretty prophylactic hither fifty-fifty inwards to a greater extent than exposed areas.
RAINFALL WISE, the moisture flavor is inwards summer, peculiarly JANUARY. Cooler months tend to live driest. I don't think I've experienced August pelting inwards mayhap a dozen visits.
THE SHIP - "PACIFIC EXPLORER is non bad at all. I personally thought it a measurement upwards from smaller P+O liners as well as equal to the CARNIVAL TWINS.
P+0 has a lot of knockers on cruise forums with many people claiming it is downmarket as well as the bogans' cruise line. I disagree, I've never thought food, service as well as facilities lacking as well as at pump I'm a bogan also - but then, at that spot is a lot of snobbery on cruise forums. One thing LADY TEZZA (who does all our pre-cruise query as well as bookings) told me - P+O offers fewer really goodness specials than most other lines, but when they come upwards up they are worth looking at.
I thought a standout was the amount of lounges on board - ever somewhere placidity to go sit down with a volume as well as to grab a potable from an ever unopen bar.
P+O does non offering a happy hr create do or allow gratis vino to live bought on board. However booze prices seem a flake lower than other lines as well as ever inwards $aud different CARIBBEAN as well as PRINCESS. Ten bucks aussie is a hell of a lot less than 10 bucks US.Our cabin was the common blueprint although a flake smaller than on most liners. Not also little - hell those JAPANESE moderate-priced hotel rooms are much little as well as they are non also small.
Buffet layout was different - designated "THE PANTRY as well as divided into MEX, INDIAN, AUSSIE, TRADITIONAL, CHINESE etc stations. Most nutrient served yesteryear counter staff rather than self-serve which lessens the jeopardy of norovirus etc - yet didn't seem to irksome things down. Buffet nutrient was fine. Plenty of seating. And the buffet was at the front end of the ship - all our other ships receive got had a nurture buffet.
Food inwards the dining room was okay as well as some other difference - apart from the paid dining options at that spot was also the jeopardy to dine at no extra cost inwards a CHINESE eatery as well as an ITALIAN. We tried both - null special nonetheless apart from a longer hold off for food. I swear it came from the same galley equally dining room stuff.
Entertainment touchstone as well as venues okay without existence standouts.
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NOV 2018 NOUMEA MARE MYSTERY ISLAND, LIFOU
"EXPLORER OF THE SEAS"
EXPLORER IS Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 SISTER SHIP TO "VOYAGER OF THE SEAS" - chief difference was that world areas seemed a flake amend organised providing to a greater extent than space.
LIFOU was a novel destination for us - rather than repeat materials I receive got a total description on THIS PAGE
MYSTERY ISLAND as well as MARE were much the same, but at NOUMEA I managed to acquire to a novel location - the beaches of NOUVILLE PENINSULA. I receive got a fair flake of information as well as pix towards the bottom of THIS PAGE.
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JAN 2019 HAL "NOORDAM"
14 NIGHTS ISLE OF PINES, LUGANVILLE, CHAMPAGNE BEACH, PORT VILA, MYSTERY ISLAND, LIFOU, MARE, NOUMEA.
HOLLAND AMERICA LINE is regarded yesteryear cruisers equally a measurement upwards from ROYAL CARIBBEAN, mayhap fifty-fifty PRINCESS. So when THE LADY managed to acquire a cost per twenty-four hr menses around the same even out equally RC, naturally nosotros went for it. One other plus was a novel destination - nosotros receive got never been to CHAMPAGNE BEACH inwards northern VANUATU.
Note though the draft is plenty to bar it from NOUMEA'S cruise terminal different the slightly smaller P+0 "PACIFIC EXPLORER" - nosotros docked at the container terminal nearby.
Another difference to normal HAL cruises which attract an older demographic is that existence the Australian schoolhouse holidays, at that spot were (ok, "was" is technically to a greater extent than correct) a fair few kids on board.
Other call-ins were much the same although I did deal to acquire dorsum to CHATEAU ROYAL BEACH, as well as at in conclusion to PLAGE DU MERIDIAN both at NOUMEA as well as that locals had introduced BEACH CABANAS at MYSTERY ISLANDS. I receive got details of the former HERE and the latter HERE
THE "NOORDAM" ITSELF is a pretty prissy ship. I thought the cabins as well as full general service equal to other lines, the buffet/dining room nutrient amend inwards character as well as peculiarly variety; most amusement was good. There was no shortage of sit-down infinite at the buffet. Booze was a goodness create do - each rider could take a bottle of vino aboard no accuse as well as at that spot were several HAPPY HOURS per twenty-four hr menses where the 2d potable was exclusively $US2 extra. Plus the puddle bars had a 2 for the cost of i offering going on a gain of beers all day. Inferior was dining room service - at to the lowest degree the amount of fourth dimension it took to deliver meals. The buffet - a piffling tricky to regard all offerings as well as acquire them. And the nurture ADULTS ONLY expanse was non policed properly - I couldn't swim or spa without jumping splashing kids. BTW at that spot is some other neat puddle expanse for families midships most of these times.
The gym was smaller than on most of our other ships with fewer workout machines. None of my favourite mentum upwards bars (roof a flake depression but they could set a bar exterior inwards a placidity deck area). However the gym seemed to receive got to a greater extent than professional person staff than most other outfits as well as plenty of stretching, yoga, spinning etc classes.
In summary LADY TEZZA was so taken she has already paid a refundable deposit for whatever HAL cruise inwards the next 4 years. I've no objections.
OFT-READ CRITICISMS OF HAL SEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
- non many activities: non much to do. Gotta disagree - I thought HAL had heaps of interesting activities, talks, movies, ship tours etc going throughout the day. Maybe younger people are the complainers - the scene slows after 2200. But immature people are non component of the HAL demographic as well as THE LADY as well as I tend to live tucked upwards inwards the sack yesteryear then.
- non much for kids. Okay, no H2O ice skating, dodgems, H2O slides, zip-lines, Disney parades etc. But I did regard a brace of younger crew ladies leading a grouping of sub-teens around the identify which suggests some sort of kids' club, plus a definite striking (and non just with the kids) was the usually-open H2O ice cream department inwards the buffet with a broad selection of flavours. This beats the sometimes-only-available as well as restricted choices on ROYAL CARIBBEAN as well as PRINCESS, the ever available soft-serve exclusively on CARNIVAL as well as the pay-only create do on P+O. But yes, on reflection, this is non the best line for people with kids - which is mayhap why HAL had a relaxed policy on policing the adults exclusively expanse for this especial schoolhouse vacation cruise.
ATTENTION: I THINK FEW PEOPLE WILL READ THIS PAGE. THE WAY GOOGLE WORKS WILL THROW information technology UP WAY DOWN THE LIST FOR PEOPLE LOOKING FOR SHORT CRUISE INFO OUT OF SYDNEY.
GOOGLE SNAGS ME Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 LOT OF READERS LOOKING FOR STUFF ABT THAI/INDO/MALAYSIAN BEACHES AND ISLANDS - BUT I FIGURE MOST WILL NOT BE INTERESTED IN BIG SHIP TRIPS INTO THE SOUTH WEST PACIFIC.
NEVERTHELESS, IF YOU SEE MISTAKES OR HAVE ADDITIONAL INFO, PLEASE POST information technology BELOW. BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK THEM IN THE FORUM WHICH CAN BE ACCESSED VIA THE INDEX LINK TOP RIGHT OF THIS PAGE. I RARELY CHECK INDIVIDUAL PAGES LIKE THIS WHEREAS I VISIT THE FORUM MOST DAYS.
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