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| South Pacific Cruises |
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The world is currently in a global economic recession. No one has any spare cash to spend and so no one can afford to go on holiday anymore. Right? Wrong! One area of the travel industry that is continuing to do well is the cruise companies. And for Australian holidaymakers this is particularly true. The recession in the USA and fall of their dollar has meant a fall in the number of Americans booking international cruises. One result of this is that major discounts are now being offered to Australian tourists wishing to sample the luxury and excitement of ocean cruises.
A South Pacific cruise is a great place to start your love affair with cruise ships and at present there are plenty of cruise bargains to be found if you shop around. The South Pacific has so much to offer – pristine, blue waters reflecting clear, azure skies, lush tropical islands framed by vibrant coral reefs, alive with flickering fish and crustaceans, and the world famous warmth and hospitality of the peoples of the area. It’s pretty much cruise liner heaven!
The renowned Post-Impressionist artist, Paul Gauguin, disillusioned with life in Europe, sailed off to French Polynesia in the late 1800s. He settled for periods in Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands, producing some of his most celebrated works. In honour of his memory, a number of cruise lines offer Gauguin-inspired cruises of the South Pacific featuring such magical places as Papeete on Tahiti, fabulous Bora Bora and lovely Moorea. Others voyages go for longer and include visits to Noumea and the Yasawa Islands before taking you across the International Dateline and on to Aitutaki, Taha’a and then Bora Bora and Tahiti.
Or perhaps you’d prefer a taste of Fiji and Vanuatu, followed by a gentle cruise over to New Caledonia and it’s beautiful Isle of Pines, before completing your trip at Ouvea? If you feel you really want to get out there and explore the oceans, maybe you should consider a 35 day ocean cruise embracing Hawaii, Christmas Island, Tahiti and various other South Pacific Islands. You can even build your South Pacific cruise into fully-blown round-the-world passage, popping over to Honolulu and Apia when on your way from Auckland to San Francisco.
Not only do all the major cruise ship operators – P&O, Princess, Orion, Cunard and Regent Seven Seas, as well as various smaller niche travel companies - offer voyages to the South Pacific, but also the range of choice in how you travel is quite mind-boggling. You can depart from Australian ports like Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, or fly out to somewhere less familiar to rendez vous with your boat. You can decide to cruise for days, weeks, or even months. The level of luxury that you can expect on the cruise ships also varies greatly depending on your budget and whether you prefer to go for a simple interior room or a deluxe, balconied suite. However, don’t just assume that the cost of a cruise is beyond your reach. Due to the fact that many cruises are all inclusive, and that so many of the ships are offering discount cruises, a holiday afloat is well worth looking into. And no longer is the cruise ship the domain of the wealthy old age pensioner (though such holidays are still tremendously popular with retirees). Many younger people are realizing the potential for a relaxing family holiday where the children are entertained at Kids Clubs or by the many sports and activities available on board, whilst parents chill, undisturbed by the pool.
An ocean cruise really is whatever you want it to be. And without breaking the bank!
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