Live-ish! Journey Across the Pacific: Easter Island & French Polynesia on Scenic Eclipse II

[Redking]

1 hour ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Thanks for posting Redking.  I’m intrigued by this line.  I know they had a shaky start during Covid and I’m wondering if they’ve worked out the kinks.  Also interested in RC and the upcoming 4S.  My DH and I have mostly cruised with SS and it seems the line is having some growing pains or Royal Caribbean pains lately and we’re looking for alternatives.

 

When you get a chance could you post some pix of the staterooms and bars?  Does the gym seem big enough?  How are the included excursions?  Is there any entertainment? How is the service in general?

Some very pertinent questions. I'll endeavour to answer some in the remaining days of the cruise. I'll also come back to do a wrap of our experiences post cruise.

[Redking]

Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

 

Rapa Nui completed our visits to the apices of the Polynesian Triangle. There were most certainly some similarities between Rapa Nui and Māori cultures but also significant differences. The most notable similarity was in the languages, and I understand that Te Reo speakers and Rapa Nui are able to understand each other.

 

We had an overnight stay which enabled us to visit many of the key Moai sites and other sites of cultural significance.

 

Rapu Nui is one of the most remote places in the world. The nearest inhabited community is actually the space station! The history of its civilisation is shrouded in mystery including the origins of the people and the rise and fall of the practice of carving and raising the Moai.

 

Two theories exist as to the ancestry of the first people to settle Rapa Nui. Thor Heyerdahl maintained that the original inhabitants had links with the people of South America. More recent research maintains that the ancestors were Polynesian (hence the Polynesian Triangle) possibly the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia) and arrived on the island between the 6^th And 8^th centuries.

 

Worshipping ancestors was an important part of the Rapa Nui culture. When a tribe’s leader or person of standing (Mana) died, the people believed that their spirit lived on and the huge Moai were carved in honour of them and raised onto alters (Ahu) facing towards the villages to provide protection for the people of the village.

 

There are approximately 600 Maio distributed around the island with over 300 located in the Rano Raraku quarry, the source of the volcanic rock from which the Maoi were carved.

 

 

Master carvers sculpted the Maio using basalt and obsidian chisels and it’s thought that it took up to two years for a team of carvers to complete a large Maio. The front of the Maoi were first carved from the rock face with the exception of the eye sockets. The back of the Maoi were then chisled out to release them from the rock face. Many theories exist as to how the Moai were then moved to their final location, but a definitive answer remains a mystery.

 

Reenactment in Hawaii of how the Moai may have been moved:

 

 

Moai at the quarry site:

 

 

 

Once in place on the Ahu, the eye sockets were sculpted and the eyes made from coral and red scoria, were put in place along with red scoria top knot during a cultural ceremony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Moai period extended from approximately 800 A.D. to 1860 when it was replaced by the Tangata Manu or Birdman ritual and practice. It’s unclear what brought the Moai period to an end, but conflicts between the various tribes is considered to be a contributing factor.  

 

We visited the historic village if Oronga on our second day. The village was the site of the annual competition based on a ritual practice of retrieving a tern (Manutara) egg from their breeding ground on an offshore island (Motu).  On the arrival of the birds in September, the male participants (hopu hanu) chosen to represent their respective chiefs would ascend Rana Kau volcano  to the village of Oronga where they lived temporarily in a series of 54 stone houses. The hopu hanu descended the cliff of approximately 300 metres before swimming more than a kilometre to the furthest of the three motu, assisted with floats made of totora fibres. The winner of the competition was the chief whose hopu hanu was the first to return from the island with an intact tern egg secured in to his head. The winning chief that become the ruler for the following year.

 

Rana Kau Volcano Crater:

 

 

 

Motu from where the tern egg was retrieved:

 

 Some other sites around the island:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[2SailingNomads]

On 3/26/2024 at 9:30 AM, GMIAC said:

I'm enjoying your reports. We're contemplating a January 2026 Antarctic exploration. Is there much difference between Eclipse I and Eclipse II?

 

We're also on the 9 April Grandeur NYC-Barcelona crossing!

Having been on both... main difference on II vs. I is the outside area on Deck 10 forward.  On I there a little outside bar that rarely was used, due to staffing and just 2 hot tubs.  On II the bar is enclosed including bathrooms and seats.  There is a small pool outside the bar area in addition to the hot tubs.  The pool does block the forward views from inside the bar, but there is a raised platform in front of the pool for viewing where the ship is heading.

[mchell810]

@Redking

 

Hoping you'll come back and give us your final thoughts on Scenic.

[Redking]

On 5/5/2024 at 2:47 PM, mchell810 said:

@Redking

 

Hoping you'll come back and give us your final thoughts on Scenic.

Thank you so much for following up and apologies for the radio silence.

 

I was laid low with a virus when we got home. Terrible vertigo and brain fog. Seems to be my new thing after having a holiday.

 

Anyhoo, back on deck now and will finish up my review starting with the remainder of the itinerary. I'll then go onto the Yacht itself, our suite, public areas etc. 

 

Hopefully I'll get it finished in the next couple of days. If there's anything you need to know in the interim, please ask away.

 

Cheers for now.

[mchell810]

@Redking

 

So sorry you've been ill; glad you are on the mend now.  I don't have any specific questions about Scenic.  I am just interested in your experiences and impressions, and look forward to them whenever you're ready.  Thanks.