PNG looks to infrastructure

[Sandielle]

From today's Cruise Weekly............

 

PNG looks to infrastructure

 

P&O Cruises’ decision to include cruises to Papua New Guinea next season, has been met with excitement from PNG authorities, with the country’s Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, saying that the Government is “taking steps to ensure cruising becomes an important contributor to our nation”.

“Infrastructure improvements are part of that strategy,” he added.

The comments come on the back of a meeting between Carnival Australia (operator of P&O Cruises in Australia) CEO Ann Sherry, and the PNG Prime Minister last week.

Speaking in the wake of the meeting Sherry said “The PNG Government’s decision to accelerate funding for the port upgrade at Alotau is a positive investment to achieve the economic benefits of regular cruise ship visits”.

[erewhon]

Thank you for posting this information.

[Raison]

I'm sure these cruises will be a big boost to the PNG economy. Good to see they are keen to look at their infrastructure to cope with the influx of passengers.

[rugbypopsie]

It is good that the New Guinea government is looking to the future..however having lived and worked up there..it takes a long time to achieve anything.

 

Perhaps because it will be obvious to the local people the direct benefits of encouraging tourism that they will get behind the scheme to improve facilities.

 

For visitors to this part of the world and other third world countries please, please do not encourage begging. If you want to help explore other ways, donations of educational materials or sports equipment to the local school.

 

All third world tourism requires you to travel with an open mind and just enjoy everything without expectation that it will be up to western developed world standards..I am beyond excited about the opportunity to revisit this exciting part of the world.

 

Sue

[The_Big_M]

And then there's today's ruckus with the Deputy PM. Let's hope it's not another Ouvea.

[rugbypopsie]

Because of the topography of New Guinea there are hundreds of tribes with their own dialects and allegiances...the country was not explored by western nations until the 1930's a blink in history. It is impossible to go from a tribal based culture to the 21st century in so short a time..and so they struggle with the totally alien western culture.

 

Their tribal system is based on "payback" which can be good or bad and on the "wontok" system which is allegiances based on location. Sometimes what we see as corruption is just an extension of their culture

 

I dont think the Moresby situation will have any effect where we are going.

 

This country has so much to offer..it is almost window back in time...but they cant go back and its hard to go forward.

 

Sue

[thied]

Because of the topography of New Guinea there are hundreds of tribes with their own dialects and allegiances...the country was not explored by western nations until the 1930's a blink in history. It is impossible to go from a tribal based culture to the 21st century in so short a time..and so they struggle with the totally alien western culture.

 

Their tribal system is based on "payback" which can be good or bad and on the "wontok" system which is allegiances based on location. Sometimes what we see as corruption is just an extension of their culture

 

I dont think the Moresby situation will have any effect where we are going.

 

This country has so much to offer..it is almost window back in time...but they cant go back and its hard to go forward.

 

Sue

won would sy you have lived in PNG am I right in saying that?

[rugbypopsie]

Yes I lived and worked in Lae in the early 70's. I have a kundu drum and many artifacts I collected while I lived there. The drum festival is going to be something really exciting.

 

My father was an administrator of the Institute of Technology in Lae for 6 years. My uncle was the engineer responsible for planning the Highlands Highway which opened up the interior areas around Mt. Hagen.

 

You have to live there to totally understand the difficulties of the situation and not just see the place not measuring up to our western ideas of civilisation.

 

I am extremely fond of NG but I haven't been to the areas we will visit on our cruise so am particularly excited to be going there.

 

Sue

[Sandielle]

Yes I lived and worked in Lae in the early 70's. I have a kundu drum and many artifacts I collected while I lived there. The drum festival is going to be something really exciting.

 

My father was an administrator of the Institute of Technology in Lae for 6 years. My uncle was the engineer responsible for planning the Highlands Highway which opened up the interior areas around Mt. Hagen.

 

You have to live there to totally understand the difficulties of the situation and not just see the place not measuring up to our western ideas of civilisation.

 

I am extremely fond of NG but I haven't been to the areas we will visit on our cruise so am particularly excited to be going there.

 

Sue

 

Interesting life you've led, Sue. Yes the area we are cruising to is cut off from the troublesome areas. DH's friend who used to live on one of the islands with his family and loved it, and the people, is still in contact with the people there - we've heard lots of interesting anecdotes about their way of life, so we are really looking forward to it. Oh, and apparently, the highway is in need of some repairs, these days! :)

[Busy Mum]

I wonder if any Princess ships will consider heading up that way - it would be a very interesting place to visit and something completely different to New Zealand and the South Pacific. Maybe they are waiting to see how popular it is with P & O, but by the sounds of it, it's going to be extremely popular. Come on Princess let's think out side the square - and I'll be on board!

 

Vicki.

[rugbypopsie]

There's quite a few of us Princess princess' willing to give P & O a go...just to get to see NG. I'm giving up free laundry! LOL

 

It will be interesting to see who follows..I am surprised they are sending a ship as big as Pacific Dawn..it will be tendering...but there are so many fascinating places to see..I am thinking it is going to be a culture shock on both sides.

 

Yes Sandy I have been very lucky in life to see lots of things, meet interesting people and still get excited everytime I travel..I think when you get beyond being excited you may as well be dead.

 

Sue

[Busy Mum]

Hi Sue,

 

You most certainly have had a very interesting life! I will be very interested in seeing what you Princess Princess' think of this cruise and I totally agree it is going to be a bit of culture shock for both sides.

 

Need to get Hawaii and the "other Islands" done first - DH and I really looking forward to that one, and its coming around quite quickly.

 

Vicki.

[thied]

There's quite a few of us Princess princess' willing to give P & O a go...just to get to see NG. I'm giving up free laundry! LOL

 

It will be interesting to see who follows..I am surprised they are sending a ship as big as Pacific Dawn..it will be tendering...but there are so many fascinating places to see..I am thinking it is going to be a culture shock on both sides.

 

Yes Sandy I have been very lucky in life to see lots of things, meet interesting people and still get excited everytime I travel..I think when you get beyond being excited you may as well be dead.

 

Sue

I am just wondering how you came to saying this quote (I am surprised they are sending a ship as big as Pacific Dawn..it will be tendering)

 

Why would the Pacific be to big to send to PNG with all six ports tendering?

the Pacific dawn and many other ship her size and bigger go to the Pacific islands all year round with many of the ports are tender ports.

 

curren tly out of all the ports that P&O Australia cruise ship go to in the Pacific Island there are only three docking ports all the rest are tenders ports.

[rugbypopsie]

I am just wondering how you came to saying this quote (I am surprised they are sending a ship as big as Pacific Dawn..it will be tendering)

 

Why would the Pacific be to big to send to PNG with all six ports tendering?

the Pacific dawn and many other ship her size and bigger go to the Pacific islands all year round with many of the ports are tender ports.

 

curren tly out of all the ports that P&O Australia cruise ship go to in the Pacific Island there are only three docking ports all the rest are tenders ports.

 

Because all the islands in the Sth Pacific that are regularly used have been used to tendering for years and there there is a lot of previous experience...this is the first cruise to these islands (as far as I know) by a ship the size of Pacific Dawn. I am not aware of the size of the dock that the tenders will pull up to, if it is very small then tendering a ship the size of Pacific Dawn may take some time and there may be some element of disorganisation as they work it out. Its not a problem that concerns me..just a comment thats all.

[thied]

Because all the islands in the Sth Pacific that are regularly used have been used to tendering for years and there there is a lot of previous experience...this is the first cruise to these islands (as far as I know) by a ship the size of Pacific Dawn. I am not aware of the size of the dock that the tenders will pull up to, if it is very small then tendering a ship the size of Pacific Dawn may take some time and there may be some element of disorganisation as they work it out. Its not a problem that concerns me..just a comment thats all.

 

there is not a big difference in the tender size from big to small cruise ships.

 

one would thought that the powers to be in p7o would have looked at all of this way before there thourght of sending a cruise ship up there would you think that it may be possiable?

[Sandielle]

Because all the islands in the Sth Pacific that are regularly used have been used to tendering for years and there there is a lot of previous experience...this is the first cruise to these islands (as far as I know) by a ship the size of Pacific Dawn. I am not aware of the size of the dock that the tenders will pull up to, if it is very small then tendering a ship the size of Pacific Dawn may take some time and there may be some element of disorganisation as they work it out. Its not a problem that concerns me..just a comment thats all.

 

LOL, that is why DH is happy to go on 2nd cruise! :) He thinks it will be too crowded with festival as people come from everywhere.

 

DH's friend, who was a skipper there, was saying last night it will be interesting to see where they anchor as it is very deep water. Found this ref on PNG Ports site. Looks a fair way from the town.

 

 

The anchorage is where the blue circle is. Of course, the port might be upgraded then?????? As stated by Anne Sherry....“The PNG government’s decision to accelerate funding for the port upgrade at Alotau is a positive investment to achieve the economic benefits of regular cruise ship visits.”

[rugbypopsie]

Theid.... I would hope the powers that be did check it all out but anyone who knows the islands knows there can be a big change between what is planned and how it pans out on the day, accelerating anything in NG could prove to be an interesting exercise. Its not the size of the tenders but the size of the dock which determines how many tenders can be unloaded at the same time. If they have to anchor a fair way out then again it slows things down. Obviously if we get down to one at a time and 2000 passengers and a long tender...its pretty slow.

 

I am pretty laid back...not really concerned...just discussing.

 

Sue

[thied]

Theid.... I would hope the powers that be did check it all out but anyone who knows the islands knows there can be a big change between what is planned and how it pans out on the day, accelerating anything in NG could prove to be an interesting exercise. Its not the size of the tenders but the size of the dock which determines how many tenders can be unloaded at the same time. If they have to anchor a fair way out then again it slows things down. Obviously if we get down to one at a time and 2000 passengers and a long tender...its pretty slow.

 

I am pretty laid back...not really concerned...just discussing.

 

Sue

it works at all the other Pacifc island one tender at a time.

[rugbypopsie]

Thats good hopefully it will be absolutely fine this time too. But I have also been on cruises even with a short tender when the tenders had to bob up and down for 15 or 20 minutes waiting for a turn to come into the dock...fine if you are not affected by motion sickness or diesel fumes...which I am not..but equally I am not fond of a tender full of people who are sea sick.:eek:

 

There's no reason to think it will not be OK just exploring the variables...its not going to put off any of us who are really really excited by this cruise.

 

Sue

[thied]

Thats good hopefully it will be absolutely fine this time too. But I have also been on cruises even with a short tender when the tenders had to bob up and down for 15 or 20 minutes waiting for a turn to come into the dock...fine if you are not affected by motion sickness or diesel fumes...which I am not..but equally I am not fond of a tender full of people who are sea sick.:eek:

 

There's no reason to think it will not be OK just exploring the variables...its not going to put off any of us who are really really excited by this cruise.

 

Sue

why would any one be put off going on this cruise, I for one am not put off by any port weather it be a tender or a dock port.

 

Here is the main dock in Atolau.

 

[The_Big_M]

there is not a big difference in the tender size from big to small cruise ships.

 

 

Heh, tell that to the passengers on the Diamond Princess who had to tender!

 

More passengers tendering = longer it takes, and more complicated logistically, and more customer dissatisfaction. There's no way for example that you'd ever see Oasis visiting a tender port.

[thied]

Heh, tell that to the passengers on the Diamond Princess who had to tender!

 

More passengers tendering = longer it takes, and more complicated logistically, and more customer dissatisfaction. There's no way for example that you'd ever see Oasis visiting a tender port.

the big the ship the more passengers yes this right, but they also have way more tenders.

[Sandielle]

DH's friend, who was a skipper there, was saying last night it will be interesting to see where they anchor as it is very deep water. Found this ref on PNG Ports site. Looks a fair way from the town.....................

The anchorage is where the blue circle is. Of course, the port might be upgraded then?????? As stated by Anne Sherry....“The PNG government’s decision to accelerate funding for the port upgrade at Alotau is a positive investment to achieve the economic benefits of regular cruise ship visits.”

 

I forgot to add the site to this post before...............by the statistics they have a lot of upgrading to do. :D

http://www.pngports.com.pg/Alotau.html

Whatever it's like, I'm soooooooooo looking forward to this cruise.

[rugbypopsie]

the big the ship the more passengers yes this right, but they also have way more tenders.

 

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]And if they can only dock one tender at a time it makes absolutely no difference..one at a time is one at a time.The number of tenders is immaterial except when they have some out of commission which is rare, the number of passengers the tender can take may help a little bit but not much.

 

The equation is simple, number of passengers, number of tenders, length of time between ship and shore, number of tenders able to access shore at same time. Even the age of the passengers can be a factor. With a big festival on...who knows?

 

Given my experience of working up there (albeit a long while ago) the chances of the upgrade to the port happening between now and our cruise..not likely. I am not put off and very few people will be but it is fairly certain that the first cruise will be a "shake down" cruise while they work out all the logistics. I am not having a go at P & O the circumstances will be the same no matter what ship or cruise line when you are talking about this many passengers. We will all need to be patient and just go with the flow. Just as long as we dont run out of cold drinks..

Keep encouraging your friends to join us onboard..its going to be a good one.

 

Sue [/font]

[The_Big_M]

the big the ship the more passengers yes this right, but they also have way more tenders.

 

More tenders yes, but the ship itself and the dock are both limiting factors for loading and unloading. You can't just run all the tenders on the ship as you have more passengers, the points at both ends are limits.