French Polynesia/New Caledonia - any expereince?

[Chunky2219]

Hi, thinking of a cruise from Sydney to Sydney and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of the ports, disabled or otherwise. We'd visit Isle of Pines (tendered), Mystery Island Vanuatu (tendered) Lifou Loyalty Island (tendered), Noumea New Caledonia (docked).

 

I'm a walker with crutches for short distances so can tender if the weather is calm but I need to use a wheelchair on land to get anywhere. I'm particularly interested in what there is to see and whether I'd be able to access it. I'm not adverse to taking a bus tour, but I'm not convinced the ports are big enough to warrant a big coach driving around and therefore if we'd be restricted to more difficult activities like catamarans and 4 x 4s.

 

Please tell me anything you can.

Many thanks, C

 

 

 

p.s. Doh, typo in the title that it's too late to change. My apologies.

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Edited February 3, 2016 by Chunky2219

[Going Coastal]

When I was in Noumea in 2013, there was an excellent round the island tour on an open air tram, much like the ones in Key West. The cars were low so easy to get on and off. The one problem was that there is no space to put mobility devices and they were left at the pier. Luckily I had my small triangular rollator, which folds up like a child's umbrella stroller and was able to keep it with me. There is one refreshment stop on this tour so I was glad to have it with me, but the tour driver and guide brought things out to those who could not walk. It was a very interesting island and I was glad to see so much of it. Hope you have a great time at all your stops.

[Splinter]

We used a manual wheelchair near the pier in Noumea. Finding curb cuts was a bit of a challenge, but that was in 2000 and it may have improved. We just walked around the downtown area near the pier and did some shopping (several nice shell shops as I remember).

 

Isle of Pines is not paved, so if your wheelchair is a standard chair (not a transport chair) you should be able to access the area right around the pier with help, where the native dance show is, and see (but probably not use) the beautiful power sugar beach there. It is a beautiful port.

 

Hopefully they will allow you to tender. What ship are you on?

[Chunky2219]

Many thanks for that. I might take a "Freewheel" big add-on front wheel for the wheelchair which would make rough ground a lot easier to deal with.

 

The ship would be Celebrity Solstice. At present it's only the planning stage 'cost there's plenty of availability left. What we really wanted was Sydney to Sydney up the east coast of Oz and back again, but it's pretty much sold out and what's left is expensive. A great pity that they only put the voyage on once every years and we can't plan to do it in 2018.

 

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[Going Coastal]

The freewheel sounds great. I have a specialized rollator with huge front wheels that is great for gravel and grass and uneven pavement.

[Esilef]

Just did these islands last week.

 

My issue for you would be getting to the tender boat. Down all the stairs & onto the boat especially in Rockie weather. The isle of pines is beautiful as is lifou but they are all islands with sand. Hard work but worth seeing.

 

Have you thought about a repositioning cruise? The Coast of Australia is amazing and then you can go to places like Singapore or Honolulu.... Cheap cruises to. Don't be afraid to fly back from overseas.