Cruising Papua New Guinea
With the main Australian cruising season coming to an end, when most of the ships head North for winter, we thought it would be a great opportunity to look at a slightly different cruise itinerary available from Australia: Papua New Guinea.
PNG offers a different destination to the common South Pacific Cruises. The country offers some great culture with village visits. There is extraordinary World War II history. And opportunities for relaxing beach days.
We traveled with Princess Cruises aboard the Coral Princess. Our Mini Suite accommodation didn’t disappoint. It has a generous-sized bathroom, great storage space and two TV’s. Also, a decent sized balcony to take in the scenes and fresh air.
The onboard entertainment was great. There were the musical productions in the main theatre. A comedian, and then also talented guest bands and entertainers that frequent the multiple bars.
Food was as expected, plentiful! There was the Horizon Court Buffet and the main dining restaurants which are free. But the highlight for us was the specialty restaurants – the Bayou Steakhouse and the Italian restaurant Sabitini’s.
Princess offers a new and fantastic take on the cruise card, it’s called Medallion. Instead of a card, it’s a disk that can hang around your neck, or in a watch band, bangle or necklace.
Coupled with Wifi and location recognition it’s possible to have food and drinks brought to you, just don’t order when you’re in the toilet, no need to leave the deckchair! As you walk up to your room, the medallion unlocks your door, so you can just turn the handle and walk straight in.
The real highlights were the shore visits. In Milne Bay we went to a small village to learn about village life. We saw some remnants of the Battle of Milne Bay, a large battle between the Australian and Japanese troops during World War II.
In Rabaul, there were some more interesting war artifacts. We saw the Japanese Barge Tunnels and Bita Paka War Cemetary in nearby Kokopo.
There was also the chance to view the volcanos dotted around the town> This was a fascinating look at the geology of the area.
The Conflict Islands were the last destination, and the beaches were as stunning as you would expect!
Looking for a unique cruising destination from Australia? Get in contact with us to help plan your Papua New Guinea cruise!
Photos provided by Paul Gambling
