This move post service is long over due, inward Nov 2016, nosotros aboard the Royal Caribbean Area Explorer of the Seas to New Caledonia as well as Vanuatu. I have got entirely previously been on P&O cruises as well as the experience wasn't pleasant - a combination of drunks as well as existence bounding main sick. The Royal Caribbean Area as well as a luxury experience equally presently equally nosotros boarded the ship.
THE CRUISE - ROYAL CARIBBEAN
I loved every 2nd nosotros were on board. Photo higher upwards is a painting of the dining room, you lot had the choice of eating at a dinning room or buffet - both are included inward the cost of your fare. I personally idea the nutrient was great.
We were extremely busy on board alongside breakfast, lunch, dinner, movies, games, shows as well as the occasional gym.
TIPS:
- Costings on board are inward USD
- Alcohol costs.... a lot
- Remember to supply your towels or you lot powerfulness live on charged
- Examine your statements thoroughly, you lot powerfulness honour obscure charges hither as well as there. We were charged several hundred dollars later on nosotros got home, evidently this is a normal occurrence, later on a calendar week or then the charges were dropped alongside no coin taken out of the card.
- Ensure to business upwards for your dinner at to the lowest degree 10 minutes beforehand, it gets rattling crowded
- Get a room alongside a balcony, it's worth the extra cost.
- H5N1 stateroom tin slumber three people, it tin larn a piffling chip crowded specially if everyone wants to usage the bathroom!
- We paid some $1200 give or accept pp. for 8 nights.
- There was a 24/7 café that is covered nether your cruise fare, the buffet as well as principal dining hall is opened upwards at for certain times. There are also several restaurants you lot postulate to pay for on the cruise... but what's the point? The buffet is HUGE.
- There are heaps of activities to create on the cruise, you lot volition have a daily schedule the flush before. We saw performances each nighttime (from cabaret to magic shows), painting screenings inward the evening, there's a bar alongside belatedly nighttime disco, physical activities such equally stone climbing, archery as well as tossing edible bean bags, trivia + karaoke, there's a gym or you lot tin chill alongside newspaper arts and crafts session. It wasn't until the final pair of days where nosotros got a chip bored, otherwise lots of activities.
- We paid some $1200 give or accept pp. for 8 nights.
- There was a 24/7 café that is covered nether your cruise fare, the buffet as well as principal dining hall is opened upwards at for certain times. There are also several restaurants you lot postulate to pay for on the cruise... but what's the point? The buffet is HUGE.
- There are heaps of activities to create on the cruise, you lot volition have a daily schedule the flush before. We saw performances each nighttime (from cabaret to magic shows), painting screenings inward the evening, there's a bar alongside belatedly nighttime disco, physical activities such equally stone climbing, archery as well as tossing edible bean bags, trivia + karaoke, there's a gym or you lot tin chill alongside newspaper arts and crafts session. It wasn't until the final pair of days where nosotros got a chip bored, otherwise lots of activities.
MARE, NEW CALEDONIA
Mare was our start port.. as well as dare I say my favourite.
TIPS:
- You volition postulate to accept a tender from the cruise to the port, this is gratuitous of charge
- You volition postulate to pay some 20USD per someone to accept a shuttle from the port to the beach. It is non inside a walkable distance. There are no option carry to the beach so, I highly recommend buying tickets on board because it's 1 of the around beautiful beaches I have got e'er been too... even alongside an overcast.
- There volition live on modest stalls selling diverse local foods on the beach, highly recommend you lot to endeavour them!
- There are a lot of wild dogs at the port.
- There volition live on people selling souvenirs at the port, live on aware that these are non mitt made as well as mainly imported. The sarongs are likely the entirely pieces that may live on worth while.
- The H2O at the beach is SO clear you lot tin run across the fish without goggles.
- There are no pre-booked activities at Mare
MYSTERY ISLAND, VANUATU
- I got my pilus corn braided here, it was inexpensive... some 15-20 dollars based on your pilus length. There are fresh coconuts on the island, food... non then much
- We went on the Turtle watching tour alongside the locals as well as man child they flora a bounding main turtle as well as seat it on our laps.
- You tin pre-book activities at for Mystery Island, but locals volition have got activity stalls such equally snorkelling as well as turtle watching. However you lot must live on aware that locals santise their snorkelling gears their ain means via bounding main water.
- Mystery Island is uninhabited, evidently the isle is haunted then people entirely see the isle during solar daytime fourth dimension for tourism purposes.
- Stalls available on the isle - lots of them.
- Beware of footwear. The sand on the beach is mainly comprise of sea-shells, I wore thongs to start alongside as well as my feet were then sore then I only took them off.
NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA
- Once you lot dock, at that spot volition live on a stall department where locals sell either imported or hand-made items. I purchased a mitt brand clay necklace of turtles. The prices are non inexpensive as well as oft inward USD as well as AUD.
- Some of the shops volition accept AUD - nonetheless if you lot firm into the town the shops volition entirely accept FRANCs as well as utter French. However, at that spot are locals who are fluent inward English.
- You tin larn on the infamous Choo-Choo however, it is expensive!!! We only took a 3hr coach tour for a fraction of the price, this was purchased at the stalls where local tours groups compete with. We went to a pair of cultural sites, a church building as well as a expect out point. Following the tour our fare included the hop on hop off coach.
- Duck Island is recommended, nosotros didn't larn at that spot but at that spot are some foreign statues on the island.
- Snorkelling is available, nonetheless I honour the H2O inward Mare to live on MUCH clearer.
- I believe Noumea contains 75% of community housing, Noumea is tiny, you tin likely explore the everything inward a pair of days.
- There are dainty restaurants along the coast, nosotros didn't have got fourth dimension to larn to the mall. The buildings along the coast looks dainty but things expect to a greater extent than run downwards farther away from the coast.
- I honour people to live on warmer inward Vanuatu - but that was my personal experience.
Overall, I had a actually skilful time. I didn't larn bounding main sick or experience an upset tum on the cruise or when I ate habitation made local foods I purchased from the stalls on the islands.
Would I cruise again? Hell yes.
