New Caledonia locked down.

[arxcards]

17 minutes ago, cruiselover53 said:

Not too sure what there is to complain about the tower diving lol ? I thought it was fascinating. Totally agree about the jetties. Some of them are shall I say ....well used

O agree. Some passengers overlooked the fact it was a rite of passage, and saw it as a cruel show just put on for tourists.

[ceeceeDee]

I know I'm going to drive myself crazy speculating, but I wonder if a side trip to Fiji is doable on our December cruise? Since we are sure to be missing two ports in NC, that's two days up the cruise line's sleeve. However I have no idea what the sailing time from Mystery would be. Looking at the itinerary map on P&O's cruise control, it looks a fair sort of a hop and there is no scale so I don't know the distance and then it would depend on the ship's cruising speed etc. etc. along with a lot of other factors to which I am not au fait. I suppose it gives me something to do whilst I twiddle my thumbs waiting for P&O to make an announcement.🙄

[arxcards]

22 minutes ago, ceeceeDee said:

I know I'm going to drive myself crazy speculating, but I wonder if a side trip to Fiji is doable on our December cruise? Since we are sure to be missing two ports in NC, that's two days up the cruise line's sleeve. However I have no idea what the sailing time from Mystery would be. Looking at the itinerary map on P&O's cruise control, it looks a fair sort of a hop and there is no scale so I don't know the distance and then it would depend on the ship's cruising speed etc. etc. along with a lot of other factors to which I am not au fait. I suppose it gives me something to do whilst I twiddle my thumbs waiting for P&O to make an announcement.🙄

No.

Your two lost ports are the closest ones to Australia, and they have showed no inclination to substitute New Caledonian ports with Fiji - so far at least. Perhaps a day at Moreton Island along the way, but I see an extra sea day and "scenic cruising" of the Havannah Boulari passage (aka 2 x sea days).

[ceeceeDee]

9 minutes ago, arxcards said:

No.

Your two lost ports are the closest ones to Australia, and they have showed no inclination to substitute New Caledonian ports with Fiji - so far at least. Perhaps a day at Moreton Island along the way, but I see an extra sea day and "scenic cruising" of the Havannah Boulari passage (aka 2 x sea days).

I think you're on the money with the two extra sea days, Geoff. Frankly, that's what I have been expecting all along. If that is what eventuates, I'll take an extra couple of books and relax on the balcony whilst cracking the whip over Darren to make sure he gets on with designing the set for my next theatre show. I'm a 'glass half full' kind of gal.🙂

[ceeceeDee]

Just saw this in Cruise Passenger newsletter. Carnival Splendor's South Pacific cruise this week went/is going to PNG.

https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/new-caledonia-riots-could-mean-thousands-of-cancellations/?utm_source=Cruise+Newsletter&utm_campaign=7511fe1717-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_05_24_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8365a3eb10-7511fe1717-209960741

 

Hope Carnival organised the visas.

[Jim_P]

Id be stoked to get that itinerary change instead of going to the same tired old New Cal ports.

[Mycruiseobsession]

1 hour ago, ceeceeDee said:

Hope Carnival organised the visas

 PNG is pretty straight forward. They like money. 

[ceeceeDee]

15 hours ago, Jim_P said:

Id be stoked to get that itinerary change instead of going to the same tired old New Cal ports.

We haven't been to PNG, but have to admit it is not on our bucket list. Still, it would be somewhere different.

[Mycruiseobsession]

Latest News 

 

 

Full article link:

 https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/pacific/pac-newcal-violence-09192024041640.html

[cruiser3775]

The eastern part of Papua New Guinea, where the cruise ships usually go, is generally not particularly unsafe. The three usual ports, Alotau, Rabaul and the Conflict Islands, have some very interesting things to see and do.  The cruise ships usually get visas for the passengers, or you can apply online for an e-Visa.

[Rayhorn]

With the issues seemingly concentrated around Noumea, is there a chance that cruise lines would still visit Isle of Pines, Lifou, or Ouvea, or is NC off limits no matter the port?

[windsor26]

5 minutes ago, Rayhorn said:

With the issues seemingly concentrated around Noumea, is there a chance that cruise lines would still visit Isle of Pines, Lifou, or Ouvea, or is NC off limits no matter the port?

my 24th Oct cruise has changed to use Santos and Vila

[Jim_P]

49 minutes ago, Rayhorn said:

With the issues seemingly concentrated around Noumea, is there a chance that cruise lines would still visit Isle of Pines, Lifou, or Ouvea, or is NC off limits no matter the port?

The biggest issue there is with insurance (the cruise lines as well as passengers travel insurance). While ever there are travel warnings in place against New Caledonia insurers won't cover it and cruise lines won't go there.

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, Rayhorn said:

With the issues seemingly concentrated around Noumea, is there a chance that cruise lines would still visit Isle of Pines, Lifou, or Ouvea, or is NC off limits no matter the port?

No. And not Mare either.

These are Kanak Islands that are always in disagreement with the main island at the best of times, and ships will be unable to ensure the safety of passengers. IOP is too close to Noumea, and had already turned their back on cruise ships during the covid pause.

[ceeceeDee]

15 hours ago, Jim_P said:

The biggest issue there is with insurance (the cruise lines as well as passengers travel insurance). While ever there are travel warnings in place against New Caledonia insurers won't cover it and cruise lines won't go there.

And I don't think that's likely to change in the near future. Our upcoming itinerary is still showing NC so I rang my insurer with the 'what if' scenario (change of ports or NC opening up). I was advised to use 'South Pacific' as the destination/s to cover eventualities. As you say, whilst travel warnings are in place, NC is a no go for cruises.

[arxcards]

Another option without options, as noted for the upcoming music charter cruises on Luminosa. Three ports in New Caledonia are no longer possible, and they can't substitute with other island ports. Reason - many of the headline music acts (including Human Nature and Marcia Hines) are only on for half the cruise, normally flying to or from Noumea to link up with their bookings on the ship. Needing an airport, the cruise now includes Brisbane. Syd - Bris - Willis Island - Sydney.

 

At least the entertainment will be good. The entrepreneurs behind these charters were on to a great niche that was getting bigger & better each year but have taken a pounding since covid showed up. They have switched from Royal to Carnival to keep the venture afloat, but some (as per ACA last night) booked this cruise for the itinerary. Fair call about not wanting to fly from Brisbane to Sydney only to cruise to Brisbane, but these cruises are all about the entertainment. No refunds are available because of the change of itinerary.

[Westaussie]

14 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Another option without options, as noted for the upcoming music charter cruises on Luminosa. Three ports in New Caledonia are no longer possible, and they can't substitute with other island ports. Reason - many of the headline music acts (including Human Nature and Marcia Hines) are only on for half the cruise, normally flying to or from Noumea to link up with their bookings on the ship. Needing an airport, the cruise now includes Brisbane. Syd - Bris - Willis Island - Sydney.

 

At least the entertainment will be good. The entrepreneurs behind these charters were on to a great niche that was getting bigger & better each year but have taken a pounding since covid showed up. They have switched from Royal to Carnival to keep the venture afloat, but some (as per ACA last night) booked this cruise for the itinerary. Fair call about not wanting to fly from Brisbane to Sydney only to cruise to Brisbane, but these cruises are all about the entertainment. No refunds are available because of the change of itinerary.

We are on the Bravo cruise in a couple of weeks.  Noumea has been changed to Airlie Beach (much preferred by us)  and may not be needing an airport midway cruise.

 

Watched ACA today when I heard about yesterday's program.  I doubt anyone on the music cruises would be going for the itinerary. Many of us have been to every Bravo cruise.

 

The change to Luminosa is because RCI does not have a Radiance class ship here this year and I would think the other ships are way too big for a charter cruise. 

[arxcards]

15 minutes ago, Westaussie said:

We are on the Bravo cruise in a couple of weeks.  Noumea has been changed to Airlie Beach (much preferred by us)  and may not be needing an airport midway cruise.

 

Watched ACA today when I heard about yesterday's program.  I doubt anyone on the music cruises would be going for the itinerary. Many of us have been to every Bravo cruise.

 

The change to Luminosa is because RCI does not have a Radiance class ship here this year and I would think the other ships are way too big for a charter cruise. 

They tried a combined Rock the Boat/Cruisin Country on Ovation in 2022. It probably would have worked, but for the shake-up of covid. Yes, to keep it running, they had to drop back to a more suitably sized ship and sell each genre separately. To be bold, a bigger ship would also allow for bigger artists to be booked.

 

Airlie Beach has no issues with an airport, easily serviced by Proserpine or Hamilton Island. It is a better option than Brisbane but was possibly already booked by another ship for the date needed for the retro cruise.

 

Yes, we don't do them for the itinerary either, as long as the ship goes somewhere. We have done a Cruise n Groove and a Rock the Boat on Radiance, and they are both among our most memorable cruises.

[arxcards]

Rock the Boat is calling at Cairns

[mr walker]

21 hours ago, Westaussie said:

Watched ACA today when I heard about yesterday's program.  I doubt anyone on the music cruises would be going for the itinerary.

Yes, I saw those wallys on ACA. Do they really expect anyone to believe that they paid a premium price & airfares to/from cruise for a music charter cruise that has entertainment that they have no interest in?? The onboard entertainment is what the cruise is all about.

They are just using the itinerary changes to try to get a refund or discount & the organisers need to stick to the conditions they purchased the cruise under.

[Mycruiseobsession]

44 minutes ago, mr walker said:

Yes, I saw those wallys on ACA. Do they really expect anyone to believe that they paid a premium price & airfares to/from cruise for a music charter cruise that has entertainment that they have no interest in?? The onboard entertainment is what the cruise is all about.

They are just using the itinerary changes to try to get a refund or discount & the organisers need to stick to the conditions they purchased the cruise under.

 

Absolutely.  You can get that itinerary on other lines cheaper, if all they cared about was the ports.

 

And even then all cruises have terms and conditions which include ports are not guaranteed. 

 

It's  been on the news for ages, there's  no way they would not have known that New Caledonia may not happen.