Escaping to the South Pacific on the Emerald Princess (Part 3: New Caledonia and Vanuatu)

Part 1: Australia
Part 2: New Zealand
Part 3: New Caledonia and Vanuatu


Noumea, New Caledonia
I had to work port day supervision in the afternoon so I booked a tour: Noumea Scenic Drive & Aquarium for the morning.
The bus took us to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, the Ouen Toro Lookout and also the Aquarium de Lagons.
My favourite part of the whole tour was the aquarium because it was the closest I have ever been to a shark.

The tank at the Aquarium that contained giant fishes and reef sharks

The aquarium also had an outdoor sea turtle pond and a black-light exhibit room with illuminated jellyfish.

The jellyfishes illuminated in the black-light room

Lifou, New Caledonia
This was a tendered port which "docks" right at the beach. It was a nice day for spending some time in the ocean and on the sand.
Note: There are lots of sea coral so water shoes would make walking around less painful.

A photo from the tender to Lifou

Mystery Island, Vanuatu
The ship was unable to drop the anchor at this tendered port because of the wind conditions and sea swells.   


Port Vila, Vanuatu
Having been to this port last year my impression was that unless you book an excursion or want to spend a lot of money there's not much to do here. However, a friend of mine shared her secret beach location with us and it was inexpensive as well. We took the water taxi to Coco beach ($5 AUD one way, 15 minutes).

View from the water taxi

The best part of Coco beach was its seclusion. There was no one on this beach besides the four friends I went with and the locals who were working at the resort/bar near the beach.
Last year I named Luecila beach in Lifou, New Caledonia as the most deserted beach I have ever been to but Coco beach has now taken those honours.

View of Coco beach from the water taxi

View from the dock of Coco beach

I split my time at Coco beach between swimming in the ocean (being careful not to hurt myself on the coral/rocks on the ocean floor), exploring the beach, and lounging on the beach chairs. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Port Vila even if I didn't go on a shore excursion!


Champagne Bay, Vanuatu
This is my favourite beach port with its perfect combination of (mostly) coral-free white sand beaches and clear turquoise waters. I enjoyed my day alternating between soaking up the sun on the beach and cooling off in the water.

The best beach port in my opinion: Champagne Bay

The heat from the sun was intense so I bought a coconut from a local to stay hydrated. When I was done drinking the last drop from the coconut I went back to the local to get her to cut open the coconut so I could eat the flesh. I also snacked on some of the locally made banana chips and sweet potato chips that were sold at the stalls scattered around the island.
Champagne Bay is always a good time, even more so when the weather is nice. I couldn't have asked for a better port to finish my contract with!


My heart will always have a soft spot for the South Pacific islands and the laid-back and friendly locals who live there. South Pacific, hope to see you again soon!

Escaping to the South Pacific on the Emerald Princess (Part 2: New Zealand)

Part 1: Australia
Part 2: New Zealand
Part 3: New Caledonia and Vanuatu


Tauranga
Cruise 2:
Tauranga is my favourite port in New Zealand and I always have a good time here. Something I have always wanted to do was hike up Mount Maunganui and I finally did it. In the morning I made my way up to the summit of Mount Manganui.

Sheeps at the base of Mount Manuganui

It took me about 40 minutes to reach the summit but the views were amazing the entire way up. Since the trail is around the edge of the mountain every time I looked to my right I would see the ocean below.

View from the summit of Mount Manuganui

Another view from the summit of Mount Maunganui

In the afternoon, after grabbing lunch, I spent the rest of my time in port at Main Beach using the free WiFi and also watching people surfing in the ocean.
Note: Although the WiFi is free there is a limited number of megabytes you can use in one day.


Picton
Cruise 2:
This was my first time in Picton and it's always exciting to visit a city for the first time! The ship docked at a working port so everyone needed to take the complimentary shuttle to get to and from the port and town. Along the 10 minute shuttle ride the driver gave a little talk about this town with about 4000 residents. The shuttle stopped within walking distance of the Picton Shorefront. We checked out the arts and crafts market nearby as well as the shops around town.

Picton Shorefront

Cruise 4:
I started the morning with a tour: Omaka Aviation, Moa Brewery & Chocolates
The bus drove us from Picton to the city of Omaka to explore the Aviation Heritage Museum. We had about 45 minutes to spend inside the Museum before we needed to be back on the bus.

The planes on display outside the Aviation Heritage Museum

Our next stop was Moa Brewery to sample different apple ciders and ales.

One of many New Zealand vineyards

We finished the tour with a quick stop at Makana Confections (a boutique chocolate factory) where we were able to sample some chocolates and watch them make the confections they sell.
At the end of the tour I rode the bus back to the pier to meet up with a friend. We took the complimentary shuttle into town and walked the Waikawa trail and Scout trail to get to Habour View. The view of the harbour and the surrounding tree covered hills/islands was amazing! I could have stared at the view for hours marveling at how blessed I am to be able to experience such beauty.

My photo just doesn't do Harbour View justice!

 

Wellington
Cruise 2:
After the damage caused by the earthquake in November 2016, no pedestrian traffic was allowed in and out of the port. Instead, complimentary shuttles took passengers (and crew) to/from the port to the shopping district (about a 15 minute ride).
It was an extremely windy and cold day so our walk along the waterfront to Oriental Bay was not as pleasant as the last time I was here. Not complaining, just saying.

Cruise 4:
We walked around the downtown shopping area where the shuttle dropped us off and explored many parts of Wellington by foot that we have never been to before. To finish off the afternoon we bought some sushi (I'm always craving sushi when I work on the ship). Usually I buy sushi by the roll but several sushi places in Wellington (including this one) sold them by the piece.


Akaroa
Cruise 2: 
This is a tendered port and it takes about 15 to 30 minutes to get to the Main Wharf. 

Akaroa as seen from the tender

Having been to Akaroa a few times before we decided to do something different on this day. We had seen the lighthouse while we were in the tender and wanted to take a closer look at it. On our walk towards the lighthouse we saw a sign for the Garden of Tane. Intrigued but not entirely sure what it was we followed the trail into a forest and arrived at a lookout point over the bay.

View of Akaroa from the lookout point

Satisfied with our off-the-path adventure we continued on our way to the lighthouse. With some time to spare before we needed to be back on the ship we walked along Beach Road and checked out a few of the shops.


Port Chalmers
Cruise 2:
We took a shuttle ($15 roundtrip for 2 people) into Dunedin. The 20 minute bus ride dropped us off at the Octagon. From there we made the 5 minute walk to Cadbury World. After picking out 8 bars of chocolate from the Cadbury store we went to the supermarket (Countdown) across the street to look for New Zealand treats to buy for people back home.
When I was in Dunedin two years ago I remember marveling at how beautiful the architecture of the Railway Station was. This year I decided to take a look inside the Railway Station and found out it is was not as architecturally amazing as the outside but still interesting nonetheless. 
We walked along George street which had many interesting shops and Asian restaurants (I was craving Asian food at the time). Along George street is the Wall Street Mall which we took a quick walk through. When we were tired of walking we took the crew shuttle back to the ship then used the free WiFi in the cruise terminal.

Cruise 4:
Once again I took the shuttle into Dunedin to buy chocolates at Cadbury World. This time I was buying for a coworker who was doing port day supervision and didn't have time to go into Dunedin. After my little shopping task I walked around town to explore the different malls.


The ports in New Zealand have a little bit of everything from beaches to the big city life to the small towns to the amazing scenery. I truly believe it has something for everyone!

Escaping to the South Pacific on the Emerald Princess (Part 1: Australia)

My most recent contract aboard the Emerald Princess allowed me to sail to Australia, New Zealand and some of the South Pacific islands for the third Christmas/New Year's in a row. The 1st and 3rd cruise on this contract went to Tasmania, the 2nd and 4th cruise went to New Zealand and the 5th cruise went to New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

I have separated my experience into three parts: 
Part 1: Australia
Part 2: New Zealand
Part 3: New Caledonia and Vanuatu

Collage of pictures I took of the Sydney Opera House

Melbourne
Cruise 1:
I walked along the beach on Beach Street then turned onto Bay Street (known as the shopping street within walking distance of the port). When I needed a break from walking I went inside the local library to sit down and browse through some books.

Cruise 3 (Day 1):
It was so nice to have an overnight stay in Melbourne. This was one of my favourite days from this contract because (a) I was able to go to a part of Melbourne I have never been to before, (b) spend it with some good friends and (c) have nice weather.
We bought a myki card ($6 for the non-refundable card and $6 for loading a 1-day pass onto the card) at the convenience store across the street from the tram. We then caught tram 109 into Melbourne City Centre. 
Note: The myki card can be used on the tram, bus or train.
After getting off the tram, we went to a 7-11 to buy a (lychee/coke flavoured) slurpee to drink while we walked around the city. I was very impressed with Melbourne's Chinatown; there were a lot of Chinese and Japanese restaurants to choose from as well as cold drink places (e.g. Gong Cha, Chatime).
We found our way to Flinders street to see the iconic Flinders Street Station (pictured on most Melbourne souvenirs) and walked around Federation Square for a bit before catching the tram back to the cruise terminal.

Flinders Street Station

In the evening, after finishing work for the night, we took tram 109 back to the City Centre to experience Melbourne after dark.

Flinders Street Station at night

Cruise 3 (Day 2):
I started the morning with a tour: City Drive and Eureka Deck
The bus drove us around Albert Park Lake where the Grand Prix is held when it is in Melbourne. At our first stop everyone got off the bus and went up to the Eureka Skydeck on the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower. The Skydeck is "The Southern Hemisphere's Highest Viewing Platform." I was able to see 360 degree views of Melbourne through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

You can see the ship from the Eureka Skydeck

The tour then made a stop at Fitzroy Gardens where we were able to go inside Cook's Cottage (also known as the house captain James Cook's parents use to lived in when they were in England). The last stop on the tour was at the Shrine of Remembrance.

Shrine of Remembrance

The tour finished in the afternoon and I was able to spend a few hours at the beach before all the crew had to be back on the ship.


Hobart
Cruise 1:
I picked up a map provided at the cruise terminal and discovered the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens had free admission and was within walking distance (about a 45 minute walk). To get to the gardens, I walked on the sidewalk along the Tasman Highway to get onto the Soldier's Memorial Oval.
Fun fact: There is a tree planted for every Tasmanian soldier who fought in World War 1 on the Soldier's Memorial Oval trail

The gorgeous scenery along the Soldier's Memorial Oval

Following the signs I soon reached the entrance to the gardens. I was pleased to discover that the gardens were spacious, well-maintained and had benches throughout for people to sit and enjoy the view.
Tip: There is unlimited free WiFi in the cruise terminal.

Cruise 3:
We walked to Elizabeth Mall and went inside the Cat & Fiddle Arcade to look for Australian-made souvenirs to bring home. We also went to do some typical crew member shopping (for snacks) at Woolworths inside Wellington Centre. Before heading back to the ship for work we treated ourselves to a delicious green milk tea from Tea Tea after successfully surviving a busy Christmas and New Year's cruise aboard the Emerald Princess.


Port Arthur 
Cruise 3:
Upon stepping foot in Port Arthur I immediately noticed the newly restored Penitentiary (it was under renovations when I was here two years ago). Along with some friends, I hiked up a short trail to the Scorpion Rock Lookout.

Panaroma of the view from the Scorpion Rock Lookout

We checked out what used to be the Church and the Government Cottage when prisoners were still living here. Finally, we made our way through the nicely maintained Government Gardens to catch the 15 minute tender ride back to the ship.


Sydney
Two years ago when the Sun Princess was docked in Sydney I had to take a shuttle from the White Bay cruise terminal to Darling Harbour and then walk in the direction of Sydney Cove to find the Sydney Opera House. This time around our turnaround port was docked right beside the Sydney Opera House.

The Emerald Princess docked in Sydney

Cruise 2:
We walked towards the direction of the Harbour Bridge, did a loop around the neighbourhood and then made our way back to the Opera House. We went inside the Opera House but didn't do a full tour (tickets cost $37). We also checked out the Museum Of Contemporary Arts (free admission for some parts of the museum) located across from where the ship was docked.

Cruise 3:
We decided to do our own walking tour from the ship to the Royal Botanic Gardens. I was thoroughly impressed by the very beautiful landscapes, ponds and benches located in the Gardens.

Cruise 4:
We walked along George street because we had heard there were a lot of malls/shopping arcades with plenty of options for food inside the food courts.
This was also the only time this contract we watched sail away from the crew deck. It was a gorgeous day fitting for the picturesque sail away from Sydney.

Watching the Emerald Princess sail pass the Harbour Bridge from the crew deck

Cruise 5:
Our last day to explore Sydney was turnaround day before cruise 5. We walked towards Darling Harbour and Chinatown. We discovered Regent Place which had a variety of Asian (Japanese, Thai, Malaysian) restaurants set up in a street food style. There was also a Daiso on the 9th floor where we picked up fun knick-knacks. Walking a bit further we ventured inside Skyview Plaza and bought a cold lychee green tea from Sharetea (perfect for a hot day!). When we finally got to Chinatown we were happy to see many restaurants and cold drink places to pick from. We took a look inside Paddy's Markets which had many stalls selling cheap clothing, souvenirs, snacks and even fresh fruits.


It's been two years since I've been to these ports in Australia and it was definitely nice to be back exploring new places that I didn't get a chance to see last time.

Sea Princess sails the South Pacific (Part 3: Vanuatu and New Caledonia - again)

The third and final cruise of my Sea Princess contract was to Vanuatu and New Caledonia again. I enjoyed my time in Vanuatu and New Caledonia more the second time around because of the better weather and the awesome excursions I went on.

Read Part 1 (Vanuatu and New Caledonia) of my Sea Princess adventures here
Read Part 2 (New Zealand) of my Sea Princess adventures here


Champagne Bay:
This is my favourite port ever for having a beach day. The water is crystal clear, a beautiful light turquoise colour and warm. The sand under your feet when you are in the water is soft and free of rocks/seaweed/debris. When you are in the water and look out at the horizon all you see is turquoise waters and green hills - I loved it!

This picture can't capture the beauty of Champagne Bay

View while sunbathing

Port Vila:
I have mentioned my love for boats operating at high speeds in open waters before and the Jet Boat Adventure satiated my adrenaline cravings. Goggles were provided because the water in the harbour around Port Vila is extremely salty and it would be painful if it ever got in your eyes. I got completely soaked on the jet boat and the salt remnants in my hair were proof of the super salty water. Life jackets were mandatory in case anyone fell into the water while the jet boat was doing any of it's special tricks. We were treated to the jet boat making some fast turns, complete circles and bouncing on the water. Not only was the tour an adrenaline rush it also provided a nice way to see the island from the water.

Since the excursion was only 30 minutes long I still had a full day to explore Port Vila. I spent some time around the port looking at the souvenirs stalls lining the road and bought a wooden souvenir. When I got back on the ship I went on the crew deck to soak up the sunshine since I didn't want to waste a beautiful, sunny day.


Lifou: 
This is a tendered port and there is a beach right where the tender drops you off. I had a great time looking for "immunity idols" at the beach last year but this time I wanted to experience something different.

I went on the Luecila Beach & Scenic Island Drive excursion. We boarded our motor-coach and drove past roads lined with the beautiful greenery of trees, immaculately-built huts and homes.

Huts like this one were everywhere on our drive

Luecila Beach was our own little slice of a private getaway. It was quiet with the only people on the beach being a handful of locals and the 19 passengers who were on the excursion.

The most deserted beach I have been to - Luecila Beach

After the tour ended I spent some time at the beach where the tender docks. It was definitely a lot more crowded than Luecila Beach but still offered nice views! One big difference between the two beaches, besides how many people were on it, is the sand is softer and coral-free at Luecila Beach.


Noumea:
Noumea was never one of favourite ports but the Amedee Island Marine Reserve excursion changed my mind about this port. I would go back to Noumea again just so I can visit Amedee Island!

This was a full-day (8 hour) tour but it was so perfectly planned out with activities and free-time that we never got bored or felt rushed during our time on Amedee Island. A bus shuttle took us from the ship to Port Moselle. Then we boarded a catamaran for the 45 minute trip to Amedee Island. No one lives on the island but people will take day trips to it from Noumea.

Beautiful soft white sand at Amedee Island

Upon arriving at Amedee Island we had some free time to walk all around the island and explore the lighthouse. Then we went on a 20 minute glass bottom boat tour. We saw a variety of tropical fishes (including a parrot fish) as well as a giant sea turtle.

The lighthouse

We had some more free time on the beach before our barrier reef boat tour began. The loungers and umbrellas are provided free of charge for those on the excursion.

My lounging spot

We boarded the catamaran for our 45 minute barrier reef boat tour where we went to the largest lagoon in the world. The waters were crystal clear and a light turquoise colour. I kept marveling and saying out loud how beautiful the water was because I couldn't believe my eyes! I also fed french baguette to the fishes in the water.

So many fishes in that crystal clear water

Then it was back to the beach for a delicious buffet lunch. The variety and quality of food was impressive. It was a feast of salads, seafood, fried rice, potato gratin, spinach, roast beef, tuna steak, fruits, desserts and more. We were also treated to a Polynesian folkloric show with music and dancing while eating our lunch.

After eating a big meal I was ready for a nap! I spent some time on a beach lounger resting in the shade under an umbrella. When it got too hot I went into the water. Once again the water was so crystal clear you could see right to the ocean floor. There were lots of fishes swimming around me and I even stepped on a sea snake by accident. Apparently sea snakes are very common at Amedee Island. Luckily they are afraid of humans but they are still poisonous.

The crystal clear water is great for swimming or snorkeling

To finish off the day we watched a coconut grating demonstration and sampled the coconut pieces. It was a great day and I would highly recommend doing this tour if you ever go to Noumea! I know I would do it again if I got the chance.


A beach day in Champagne Bay followed by three wonderful excursions in Port Vila, Lifou and Noumea was the perfect ending to my South Pacific adventures on my Sea Princess contract. I am a happy girl!

Sea Princess sails the South Pacific (Part 1: Vanuatu and New Caledonia)

Since I had such a great experience in Australia last year I wanted to spend this Christmas/New Year on a ship based in Australia visiting New Zealand and the islands of the South Pacific again. Luckily the opportunity arose for me to be on the Sea Princess in December/January which meant another Canadian winter spent in the land down under.

I left Vancouver 3 days before I was scheduled to board the ship in Brisbane. I (along with all the fellow crew members joining the ship) stayed at a hotel located right in the heart of South Bank the night before embarking the ship.

Streets Beach (a man-made beach) in South Bank

It was a week away from Christmas when I arrived in Brisbane and the city had lots of events leading up to the big day. I checked out South Bank's Christmas Markets in the afternoon then found a spot to sit down and use the free WiFi available in South Bank Parklands.

One of the many fun Christmas events in Brisbane

At night I watched the Christmas Fireworks Spectacular over the Brisbane river from the Clem Jones Promenade in South Bank. The show was coordinated to Christmas music and I enjoyed my unobstructed view of fireworks lighting up the night sky. All in all it was a great day in Brisbane.


The first of three cruises on my Sea Princess contract was to Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Port Vila:
This was the first port in our cruise and also my first time in Vanuatu. I was super excited as a Survivor fan knowing one season of Survivor was filmed here.

As you exit the ship and walk to your left (only those on a ship offered shore excursion were allowed to walk to the right) you will walk by many locals asking if you need a taxi into town. There is a long stretch of road where stalls selling souvenirs line both sides of the road.

Tip: It isn't possible to walk into town and there isn't anything to do around the port besides browsing the stalls selling souvenirs. If you want to get into town you will need to take the bus or a taxi (indicated by a red B or T on the license plate). The largest (and best according to many people) place to shop for duty free items is a store called Fung Kuei in town.

I did my research on Port Vila beforehand so I knew the best way for me to experience this port was to sign up for a tour. I went on the Rainforest Walk and Cascade Falls tour. I had always wanted to walk/swim under a giant waterfall and this was my chance.

Cascade Falls

Highlights from the tour: 
- Watching a group of 5 local men singing an acapella version of Silent Night about mid-way up the trail to the waterfall
- Taking a dip in the water under the waterfalls to cool off
- The refreshments (thinly sliced coconut pieces, banana chips, tapioca chips, kasava chips, watermelon, lemonade) provided at the end of the tour were very good


Mystery Island:
This was a tendered port. Mystery Island is a small, uninhabited island with no electricity or roads.  The middle of the island has huts with booths selling tours and souvenirs. There are also rustic toilets scattered around the island.
There is sandy beach space (albeit a bit rocky) for sunbathing as well as good areas for snorkeling or swimming.

A cloudy day in Mystery Island

I was able to walk around the whole island in about an hour (this included stopping along the way to take photos). While walking on the rocks in the water I slipped and fell into the ocean with all my clothes on. On the bright side I saw a tropical green coloured fish while in the water!


Champagne Bay:
This was a tendered port. As you get off the tender you are greeted by children singing which just puts everyone in a good mood. You will also see locals offering tours or photo opportunities with animals. There are booths scattered around the island selling souvenirs and refreshment/food.

The tender docks right on the beach. The scenery of the lush green trees surrounding the soft, sandy beach with crystal clear turquoise waters makes this the perfect port to have a beach day.

A picture just doesn't do Champagne Bay justice!

I am always on the lookout for a postcard-perfect beach and Champagne Bay is the closest thing I have experienced to that!


Noumea:
I was in Noumea last year so I knew there wasn't much to do within walking distance of the port. Since I was scheduled to work afternoon port day I decided to sign up for the Yellow Petit Tchou Tchou Train excursion to make the most of my morning in Noumea.

The train that drove us around Noumea

We went on a scenic drive by a marina called Orphanage Bay and a beach called Lemon Bay before stopping at a resort to have refreshments/snacks. The train went up to Iron Mountain which provided great photo opportunities of Noumea from a high elevation. Our last stop was at Notre Dame du Pacifique which has a statue of the Lady of the Pacific as well as a great lookout spot to the ship docked at the port.


Read Part 2 (New Zealand) of my Sea Princess adventures here
Read Part 3 (Vanuatu and New Caledonia - again) of my Sea Princess adventures here