Trans-Pacific: more interesting itineraries

[shorne]

Although there are many trans-Pacific cruises between North America (Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Ángeles, San Diego) and either Australia (typically Sydney) or New Zealand (typically Auckland), the points that they visit in between tend to be very much the same: a few stops in Hawai‘i, two or three in French Polynesia, and often several in New Zealand. When one does stop in, say, Kiribati or Vanuatu, often the destination is an uninhabited island—really nothing but an anonymous beach and a couple of souvenir stands.

 

Which cruises make meaningful visits to other parts of the South Pacific, such as Kiribati, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa? I'm more interested in destinations such as these.

 

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, shorne said:

Although there are many trans-Pacific cruises between North America (Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Ángeles, San Diego) and either Australia (typically Sydney) or New Zealand (typically Auckland), the points that they visit in between tend to be very much the same: a few stops in Hawai‘i, two or three in French Polynesia, and often several in New Zealand. When one does stop in, say, Kiribati or Vanuatu, often the destination is an uninhabited island—really nothing but an anonymous beach and a couple of souvenir stands.

 

Which cruises make meaningful visits to other parts of the South Pacific, such as Kiribati, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa? I'm more interested in destinations such as these.

 

 

Kiribati & Vanuatu are way of the normal track for Trans-Pacific voyages from N/America to Aus/NZ, so the probability of getting them on the itinerary is extremely low. I have crossed the Pacific many times and spent an entire 4-month Aussie cruising season out of Sydney and Kiribati is a port I have not visited.

 

With respect to Fiji (Suva and/or Lautoka), Tonga & Samoa (Samoa, Apia or Pago Pago) I have stopped in each of them on World Cruises and also S/Pacific cruises from Sydney.

 

You can also check out Paul Gaugin cruises from Tahiti.   

[cruiser3775]

These islands are well north of the usual trans Pacific cruise routes. But they are often offered as round trip cruise ports from the Australian ports of Brisbane and Sydney, usually 10 to 14 days. Carnival currently has several options during the northern hemisphere summer, which is winter in Australia, but mild warm weather in the Pacific islands.

[dd likes to cruise]

I agree with the original poster. What I have found occasionally are itineraries that go north first, with a few stops in Alaska, across to Asia and then heads south. Those look more interesting to me. 
 

I know Carnival has one on their schedule. And I was booked on one on Princess that got canceled due to Covid. It was going to be 29 days. 
 

As much as I enjoy Hawaii, it is a place I prefer to do myself, not on a cruise. 

[SPacificbound]

We have only done one TP, it was out of Sydney in 2013, with 18 nights to Honolulu.

 

I looked back at my blog and this was the itinerary.

 

Sydney, Australia; Noumea, Caldonia; Isle of Pines, New Caldonia; Mystery Island; Vila, Vanuatu; Suva, Fiji; Apia, Samoa; Pago Pago, American Samoa; Lahaina, Maui Hawaii; Honolulu, Hawaii.

 

 

[SPacificbound]

Just now, SPacificbound said:

We have only done one TP, it was out of Sydney in 2013, with 18 nights to Honolulu.

 

I looked back at my blog and this was the itinerary.

 

Sydney, Australia; Noumea, Caldonia; Isle of Pines, New Caldonia; Mystery Island; Vila, Vanuatu; Suva, Fiji; Apia, Samoa; Pago Pago, American Samoa; Lahaina, Maui Hawaii; Honolulu, Hawaii.

 

 

Now I recall we did not actually make all of those listed above due to sea conditions. This was on RC Rhapsody of the Seas and was our first cruise.

[YoPhilly]

On 4/23/2023 at 6:39 PM, shorne said:

Although there are many trans-Pacific cruises between North America (Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Ángeles, San Diego) and either Australia (typically Sydney) or New Zealand (typically Auckland), the points that they visit in between tend to be very much the same: a few stops in Hawai‘i, two or three in French Polynesia, and often several in New Zealand. When one does stop in, say, Kiribati or Vanuatu, often the destination is an uninhabited island—really nothing but an anonymous beach and a couple of souvenir stands.

 

Which cruises make meaningful visits to other parts of the South Pacific, such as Kiribati, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa? I'm more interested in destinations such as these.

 

I don't know if you're still looking, but Oceania Insignia calls at Hawaii, FP, Fiji, American Samoa, and Samoa on its January 14, 2024 Los Angeles to Auckland.

[lorif]

NCL has the Jewel moving spring and fall between Alaska and Tokyo. 

[sambamama]

I went on a 22 night South Pacific cruise RT from Auckland and hit some neat ports.  We went to two islands in Tonga, Nieue (a tiny island that doesn't even have its own currency), American Samoa, Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, and 4 stops in Fiji including Dravuni Island where only 200 people leave and has some of the best soft corals in the world! We were supposed to stop at one of the cook islands, but the weather was bad, so we did a scenic cruise instead. 

[Floridastorm]

On 8/22/2023 at 8:08 PM, sambamama said:

I went on a 22 night South Pacific cruise RT from Auckland and hit some neat ports.  We went to two islands in Tonga, Nieue (a tiny island that doesn't even have its own currency), American Samoa, Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, and 4 stops in Fiji including Dravuni Island where only 200 people leave and has some of the best soft corals in the world! We were supposed to stop at one of the cook islands, but the weather was bad, so we did a scenic cruise instead. 

Hello there..................Can you advise whether those ports were docked or tendered? My wife is not big on tendering from ship to port and return. To me, US Navy retired, of course doesn't matter. 🚤

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, Floridastorm said:

Hello there..................Can you advise whether those ports were docked or tendered? My wife is not big on tendering from ship to port and return. To me, US Navy retired, of course doesn't matter. 🚤

 

American Samoa (Pago Pago) - alongside berth is available

Tahiti (Papete) - multiple alongside berths available

Moorea - tender

Bora Bora - tender

Fiji - Suva is alongside, all other ports in Fiji that I have visited were tender ports, mind you some were 45 yrs ago, so might have changed.

[Floridastorm]

Thank You. Helps a lot.

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, Floridastorm said:

Thank You. Helps a lot.

 

Correction to my previous reply.

 

In Lautoka (Fiji) we also docked alongside. I recalled operating a tender, but it was officers only, as we topped it up with some lunches and cases of beer, heading over to one of the local islands.

[whogo]

Seabourn Sojourn is scheduled to visit Kiribati, American Samoa, Samoa, and Tonga (as well as a number of Hawaii and New Zealand ports) on her January 11, 2024 39 day sailing from San Pedro to Sydney.