Live at Sea - Dawn Princess Fijian Jewels 23rd May 2009

[matmar]

Day 8 Saturday 30/5/2009 – Dravuni Island Fiji – Overcast but warm day, easy tender process. We had breakfast on our balcony this morning. Obtained our tender tickets and called straight away. Climbed the hill for a view across the island and the ship. Walked along the beach, water a little cool but ok for swimming. After returning to the ship for lunch, spent the afternoon relaxing reading a book. Last tender at 4:30pm for sailaway and tonight is “Island Night” up on Deck 12 from 9:30pm. Tomorrow is a day at Sea heading to Vila.

Day 9 Sunday 31/5/09 – At Sea – The Island Night was cancelled last night due to heavy rain and thunderstorm. Fantastic lightening show across the seas. Arose very late today and 1st day I actually missed breakfast.

Very quiet afternoon lazing around reading. Bingo Jackpot is up to $3750 today. We received our Special Invitation today to the Captains Circle Cocktail Party for next Wednesday evening on our last Formal night.

Dinner in the dining room was excellent with Rack of Lamb on the menu. After the awful Lamb Shanks the other night we were a bit hesitant but gave it a shot. The Rack of Lamb was cooked to perfection and very nice.

Day 10 Monday 1/6/09 – Port Vila – Docked at Port Vila around 7:30am and received clearance for disembarkation fairly quickly. We teamed up again with Ross and Lesley and found ourselves a mini bus driver for A$15pp to take us wherever we wanted to go. We headed up the Mele Cascade Falls, with a A$20 or VAV 1500 entry fee we headed off up the path, the cascading waterfalls are absolutely beautiful but highlight is at the end of the trail when you climb up the upper sections of the cascades to the base of the 150m waterfall and pools. They say it’s a 20 minute walk but that is only to the base of the watery rock climbing. At first it’s a bit hair raising until you get a bit of confidence walking on the rocks through rushing water, you definitely get wet on this part of the climb. After spending some time at the water holes in awe of the place we transcended quicker than our climb. On the way down we detoured on a path to wonderful outlook across the bay back to Vila. At the starting point we met up with taxi driver Henry who drove us back to town via a local village. Our driver dropped us in town and we spent a few hours wandering the shops and markets and of course buying the duty free grog and cigarettes before marooning ourselves at the Port Vila Yacht Club to soak up a few cold Tusker beers. Once again our independent tour cost us A$35 compared to the Princess version at A$69.

All aboard at 5:30pm for 6pm sailaway to Lifou.

Island Night has been rescheduled for tonight, but Captain has said we maybe sailing into rain so we will wait and see what happens. Although after a day shore with another tomorrow I think we will be having a reasonably early night. Getting to old to party too hard.

Seas have developed into rough during dinner.

[Gaznjo]

gee I am going to beat mark here,.... we have been turned away from lifou.... new caledonia officials will not let us anchor.....

 

I guess a slow boat to sydney now

 

joanne

[sailawaysally]

That's a pity you can't get to Lifou, I was looking forward to hearing about it. We are on the next Fijian Jewels cruise. I wonder if this means that some of our ports will be changed?

[Kiwi Kruzer]

gee I am going to beat mark here,.... we have been turned away from lifou.... new caledonia officials will not let us anchor.....joanne

 

Why?

Any reasons given?

[MargnGrah]

Another great review Mark.:D

 

What reason was given for not going to Lifou????

Such a shame you didn't get to go there....:confused:

[Kiwi Kruzer]

What reason was given for not going to Lifou????Such a shame you didn't get to go there....

 

I am sure we will hear soon,but I checked the webcam and the sea looked a bit rough.

[sailawaysally]

Mark said in another post that the ship was refused entry because of the swine flu. So some places in the South Pacific islands are getting worried by the sounds of it.

[matmar]

Day 11 Tuesday 2/6/09 – Lifou, New Caledonia – Lifou has been cancelled as the Health Authorities have denied us access due to Swine Flu issues. So we have set sail for Sydney. What the hell is going to happen to us when we arrive in Sydney. We cannot believe the Captain was only told this information at 7:30am this morning, he would have known this bull**** way beforehand. Had we been told whilst in Vila we would have packed our bags and caught a flight from Vila back to Brisbane, but now we are stuck on this ship for the next 3 days. The Pursers office has also told we cannot get back to Sydney early as the wharf is already booked, which I would doubt that there was not a berth available somewhere. This has turned out to be the longest south pacific cruise with fewest ports we’ve ever been on. We went up to the buffet for breakfast, there are lots of angry passengers around the decks this morning.

[The Shopping Sherpa]

Hi guys (and not just Matmar!)

 

I've been asked to pass the following message on to all onboard the Dawn Princess:

 

"The Sydney Morning Herald is following your story closely, and would like to hear from passengers onboard. Please email **** at ****@***.com.au if you can share anything about what you're being told by crew, how people are feeling, and (what is known about) where the ship is next headed."

[Host Walt]

For everyone's information, Cruise Critic requires that all media requests such as this be communicated through the management of Cruise Critic before the posting is made.

 

Contact community@cruisecritic.com.

[lizzy77]

Thanks Walt. I for one found, was very uncomfortable with the knowledge that a reporter was trying to get information through our site.

[bobhsv]

Yes, Thanks Walt. Great work and a sensible decision made by the moderators including yourself. Good on ya mate!

 

Cheers

[decco]

Matmars post has already been reported in papers in Brisbane, so there must be someone lurking.. :eek:

[bobhsv]

Matmars post has already been reported in papers in Brisbane, so there must be someone lurking.. :eek:

 

OMG, really!!:eek: I guess that proves exactly what media will 'stoop' to. A sad sign of the times isnt it. Lucky we all have pen names, when we are on this great site.:D I hope things such as this dont spoil our fun.....although they definately wont spoil our overall interest at heart, which is cruising and more cruising!!! :D:D

 

Cheers

Bob and Jen.......(now should I have said our names!!! :eek: LOL)

[lizzy77]

Yes, I for one was not impressed with the reporter trying to get the information direct from the ship. Unfortunately we can't be too naive and presume that everyone is as they try to make-out. We cannot do much about the lurkers, which obviously includes reporters:cool: .

The rest of us who enjoy chatting and learning from each other can go on, a little wiser;).

[Gaznjo]

gee matt & mark we thought you were enjoying our company :-)

 

well tonight was our last formal night .... no grumblings here just lots of laughing and dancing.....

 

Garry and I have really enjoyed this cruise as we have made some really good new friends... even having a few extra sea days it has not been that bad... yep we are sorry that we missed lifou and noumea but **** happens ... but we have not let this spoil our time......

 

Matt and mark have nicked named me a cruise tragic LOL and yep I have been like a kid in a lollie shop .... especially today when mark got me my second helping of lobster LOL

 

I am glad to read that our boat has been cleared of swine flu

 

thought I would not have minded being quarrantined for another 2 days up to brissy LOL

 

joanne

[decco]

Great to hear you have had a good time Joanne, even if there have been a few minor setbacks. Bet when you were getting ready for the cruise you would have never imagined all this. :eek:

 

Cant wait to read your review seeing as we will be leaving in a couple of weeks, hopefully our cruise isnt as eventful as yours. Enjoy your last day on the ship. :)

[Guest012]

Matmars post has already been reported in papers in Brisbane, so there must be someone lurking.. :eek:

 

It's not the first time......one was here the other day trying to get info from pax onboard the Pacific Sun.....lazy reporters... always after the muck ....nevermind this fiasco will be over soon......glad to hear Dawn Princess has been cleared...Joanne party hard tonight.....:D:D:p shiona

[kenexx]

Why would you want to fly back from Vila and miss the trip back to Sydney?

[kaseyoz]

Hurry on back to sydney as I am waiting to get on her. So glad you all got a clean bill of health, both for your sakes and my selfish ones.

[Gaznjo]

oh how sad it is... we are doing our final pack :-(

 

didn't win the $8000 at bingo but I did win $120 yesterday... and we turned $100 today into $175 at the casino ...

 

last night was great .... no flaming bombe alaska just the bombe alaska... but we did have the champagne fountain and danced away in the atrium

 

we are just getting ready for the last supper and hopefully just one more Ulimate Mai Tai :-)

 

we have been told that we are clean .... and will be docking at 5am.... someone is going to have to send me some picks from the boat of sydney as we left and will arrive in the dark.... that alone is worth another cruise...

 

I just want to say we have had made great friends with Ross & Lesley (wombat50 & lezann), Matt & Mark ( matmar ), David and Joan (featherski), colin and di ( the fox - who only lives 10min from us ) and Robyn and Ray ( who you don't know them here)

 

see you all on the other side....

 

joanne