peter.kath@hotmail.com

We like the shopping in Suva so usually just walk 15 mins up to the Grand Pacific Hotel or the Holiday Inn and if you buy a drink they are happy to let you use their pool. We usually have a nice Chinese lunch at the Peking on the walk way back.

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I saw something that said 1 single serve cone to the value of $5.

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One of the best things about the Dawn is the Cruise Director Willie he is a real character. Also nothing better then being in the Dome Deck 14 to watch the ship make its way out of the Brisbane River and out into Moreton Bay.

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I suggest you visit your local op shop, I don't get time to read at home but with a couple of sea days, I manage to get though 3 or 4 books.

There is a Library, I think it was open for an hour each day, with a limited selection of books and games. There was also some computers in there for internet browsing.

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Our last 2 cruises we have been in 4070 and 4071 on the Aria and they were both good 3 doors down from the lift. They were quite as there were no cabins across the hallway.

Just be aware that on Deck 5 there is a laundrette opposite 5062.

When I am booking a cruise I never book anything over $1000 triple share and always manage to get on the ones we want.

Those cruises from Cairns look great. We did our 2nd to PNG in February and had a fantastic time.

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When you get off the ship in Suva there will be several local operators offering tours at half the cost of the ships tours. From our experience they are usually very good.

If you are stopping at Port Denarau the same operators will be there as well.

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If you go to Rabaul, definately go Swimming with Dolphins with Rapopo Plantation Resort it was one of the best experiences we have ever had.

They picked us up from the ship and delivered us to the resort. My 16 year old daughter has CP cannot walk and uses a wheelchair, and the guys helped use get her into and out of the boat.

We spent about an hour swimming with a pod of probably 200 Spinner Dolphins, then the same snorkelling and then back to Resort for a great Lobster Mornay for lunch. We were than returned to the ship by boat giving us a really scenic view of the Volcano.

I have travelled to PNG twice and Tonga Fiji Vanuatu many times and never felt unsafe.

I will tell that on our last PNG cruise there were only 106 children on board but that was early February just when school went back.

Enjoy your cruise we might have a look at those for next year.

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I am glad you rechecked as 2 of the onlines that I use were both showing cabins available, but we are not allowed to name them.

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Water is served free and available for self serve at most bays. Soft drinks you pay for cans were $2.75 and they usually just take your cruis card for payment.

We like to drink but would not get the value out of a drinks package.

Coffees were $4 I think.

My daughter had the sofa bed in a triple share room with no complaints.

Enjoy your cruise.

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At $78 it is definitely overpriced.

Mystery Island is really just a nice beach day. There are some local tours available. My husband normally goes fishing. I have a massage and enjoy a look through the markets stalls.

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Have you checked with the online agents.

Which cruise are you looking at ?

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Our first cruise to PNG was in November 2013 and our 2nd in March 2017 and I feel they are still finding there way with cruise ship tourists.

We didn't snorkel at Driftwood but they did have a tour available, some others on our ship went on one of there fishing charters.

No renting lounge chairs, just relaxing on their jetty with a couple of drinks and lunch. We had Lobster and Mud Crab for $25 each which was good value. There were only 3 other groups there and we just got them to take us back at about 1pm and had a look around the shops.

We feel perfectly safe there. My 16 year old daughter has CP and uses a wheelchair so they were fascinated by her. We stopped off at the Waterfront Bar and she was carried up the stairs in her chair.

Kiriwini is a tender stop and there is good snorkelling right where you get off.

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Hi Nina,

Sounds like a great cruise. At Alotau as you walk through the port gates there is a lady there from Driftwater Resort who offer free transport to their resort about 10 mins away. We had a swim and a seafood lunch and they dropped us back into town, where it is a short 20 min flat walk back to the ship past the Milne Bay Monument, there are also market stalls.

There is also a new Waterfront Bar set up next to the wharf with lunches, drinks and some local entertainment.

Kiriwini is a nice beach day.

If you hadn't made arrangements for Rabaul the Swimming with Dolphins through Rapopo Plantation Resort would have to been one of the best experiences our family have e really had.

We love Lugunville also a beautiful paradise we went there last year in July for a week came straight home and went back for a Christmas.

I hope you have a great cruise.

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We have been on 2 cruises to PNG and probably 12 others to the South Pacific and do nothing.

We eat locally at all the ports with no problems. The food we had there at the resorts was as good as we would have in any very good restaurant at home. We had lobsters on the beach at Kitava and Kiriwini Islands where they are served straight from the grill. The local fruit is really good.

We travel at lot and never worry about malaria either but do cover up with long sleeve shirts to take repellent.

If you need some help with things to do let me know your ports and what you want to do.

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Another option is taking a "noodle" which you place under your chest and float on.

If you have not snorkelled before there are some easy breath masks on eBay for about $50 these are great especially if you have trouble breathing with a normal snorkel and mask.

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Sorry just checked post my parents could not afford to travel until they went on the pension.

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I think in the 80's the economy was a lot different people who travelled and or cruised were young people without the responsibilities of children or rent or older wealthier people.

My parents could afford to travel until they retired and went on the pension.

Also we were lucky enough to pay cash when we bought our land but in the late 80s interest rates were around 17 per cent.

I also think the sad story of Diane changed the culture as well.

I do remember there being a security guard on our cruise and he spent a lot of time chasing couples out of the lifeboats at night with a torch.

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We have been on 14 cruises mostly March/April and November/December. The Ultimate PNG cruise that I really wanted to only goes in February and we were a bit worried out cyclones and the heat.

The seas were calm, and the weather perfect, it was cooler then the 47 degrees that they had here in Tamworth.

Last year we did a cruise in March during Cyclone Winston and although it was all around us firstly in Tonga, then Fiji, then Vanuatu we didn't really notice.

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Pete reminded me that when we went there were classes.

Because my friends mother was a travel agent we were 1st class we had better cabins, better tables and invited to the Captains Cocktail Party.

He was in 2nd class.

He had breakfast in the dining room and having a hangover and smelling Kippers wasn't the best.

There was also afternoon tea served, sandwiches and cakes at 3 pm.

He thinks he might have a "Daily News" somewhere we will have a look over the weekend.

I forgot to mention the slippery pole competition and tug a wars, there also might have been a bit of midnight skinny dipping.

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I too am sorry for your loss. Hopefully you get a good result.

We use 1cover travel insurance and several others that I have looked will not cover the loss of family members over 80.

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I will definately be looking forward to reading this post.

In 1984 myself and 3 friends went on the SS Canberras final voyage. It cost about $1100 at the time which was a lot of money then but we booked early and did the lay-by thing $20 a week for a year.

I must admit we don't pay that much now. Our room was a quad share but the bathrooms and toilets were shared down the hall. You really had to pick your shower time and waiting was common.

We left from Circular Quay and it was the whole streamer and fireworks thing. We went to Noumea, Vila, Savu Savu, Lautoka and Auckland so all ports no tenders for us.

We just got on the ship with our passport and carried on our own luggage. I will check with my husband when he comes home a few more details as this is where we met. He went with a mate and in those days that filled up the room so he was put in with 2 others he didn't know.

You were allocated dining time either early or late and you could not change under any circumstances. There was a lot more rules then. You were required to dress for dinner and if you didn't you weren't getting

in. It was a formal 3 course meal changed nightly we still have the menus, it was a lot classier then what we were used to.

As this was our 1st time away on our own we really let our hair down and had a good time. Our day started with room service breakfast (no charge) back to sleep til about 11. Then up to back on the ship for a couple of beers $1 and a swim. You were even allowed the sit on the railings and smoke anywhere. We also played chess and cards.

After dressing for dinner we would have pre dinner drinks, Fluffy Ducks, Cherry Advocate or maybe a Tequila Sunrise at the classy Crowns Nest Bar.

After dinner we went to the movies, I remember seeing Ghostbusters and Gremlins. And then the disco til 2 or 3 am. That DJ sure loved Billy Ocean and Lionel Ritchie.

On Port days we did get up a bit earlier.

At Port Vila we had a game of squash then went to a club in the backstreet and played pool.

Noumea and Savu Savu were very hot and dirty so we basically just hopped off for a quick look and back to the ship for a swim.

Lautoka we took a cruise to Treasure Island.

In Auckland we joined some others who had hired a bus, went to Bay of Islands and had Fish and Chips. We stopped at a pub on the way back but they would not let us in because we were Australians. I think it was something to do with sport. The cruise was in February and we hit a cyclone coming home it was so rough, and everyone was seasick.

The last night we stayed up all night got off caught the bus home and slept for about 2 days, it easily took a week to stop rocking.

We were lucky enough to travel a lot in our 20's but didn't cruise again until 2011. We have since been on 14 we have a 16 year old daughter who loves it and it gives a Mum and Dad a rest from all the day to day stuff.

Good luck with your book I hope you get some great feedback.

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Also we were on the Aria and the self service kiosk near reception dispensed Kina.

If you go to Kitava there is a money changer there as well. The stall selling beers and soft drinks. We were chatting to him and he had spent some time in Aussie.

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The Lobster man will take you out to the reef to fish or snorkel for $25 an hour, if you like to fish take your own gear and if your feeling generous give him to you when you leave.

We also bought a nicely carved walking stick for $50. Some of the others we looked at were up to $350. It pays to ask others what they paid for things and the price goes down later in the day.

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We were in Santo twice last year and we were surprised that they have earthquakes nearby most weeks. We were lucky that the biggest one we felt was a 5.0.

One of the last calls that we are friends, Fabrice Moderan from Island Fishing has been posting some pics and Lifou has now also be n hit by Donna.

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We were there for my husbands birthday on the 19/2/17 and had a beautiful freshly cooked lobster just to the left of the jetty. My husband went fishing with one of the locals. This was our 2nd time and will definately go again. All of the PNG ports are amazing.

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