JimMephisto

Must also say, had the honour of being invited for Cocktails into the Captains Cabin during that Cruise. You were given a secret code to push in one of the lifts. While we were there we were joined by Entertainment Officer Dickie Rotter. Now there was a very animated person!

It was one of the most beautiful Islands I have ever seen with the most perfect weather. Like from your dreams. I remember they had a tiny jetty with a sign over it with Palm Tree Island written on it. Everyone had their photo taken on that Jetty. The Oriana pulled up in the channel off the coral reef in the bay and dropped off the visitors using the white motorised lifeboats. Such friendly people but behind the scenes, many on the Island were happy we were to be the last cruise to visit.

I was on the 6th Dec 1985 Oriana Cruise, which also happened to be the annual FM104 Rock Cruise. Palm Tree Island was North of the main part of Fiji called Rotuma Island. In 1985 the community there decided to end outside tourism. Looking at the Wiki site for Rotuma Island I note P&O managed 2 visits to the Island one of which was Saturday 14th December, the last time a cruise was allowed there. I remember it took a couple of days sailing from Lautoka to get there then about 2 days to get down to Port Vila. We sat with the First Officer at meal times and he told us about the Island and how we would be the last to see it.