aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 #1 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Good Morning, We have just returned from the Radiance 11 South Pacific cruise from Sydney,Australia. This is our review....I hope you enjoy the ride. Itinerary Sailing Itinerary 03-Feb Sydney, Australia 18:30 04-Feb Cruising 05-Feb Cruising 06-Feb Nouméa, New Caledonia 07:00 17:30 Docked 07-Feb Mystery Island, Vanuatu 08:00 16:00 Tendered 08-Feb Champagne Bay, Vanuatu 12:00 19:00 Tendered 09-Feb Vila, Vanuatu 08:00 18:00 Docked 10-Feb Lifou, Loyalty Island 08:00 18:00 Tendered 11-Feb Isle of Pines, New Caledonia 08:00 17:00 Tendered 12-Feb Cruising 13-Feb Cruising 14-Feb Sydney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkb8 Posted February 15, 2014 #2 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Really looking forward to this, thanks!! Our favorite ship, hoping to see more of her after we retire. Good Morning, We have just returned from the Radiance 11 South Pacific cruise from Sydney,Australia. This is our review....I hope you enjoy the ride. Itinerary Sailing Itinerary 03-Feb Sydney, Australia 18:30 04-Feb Cruising 05-Feb Cruising 06-Feb Nouméa, New Caledonia 07:00 17:30 Docked 07-Feb Mystery Island, Vanuatu 08:00 16:00 Tendered 08-Feb Champagne Bay, Vanuatu 12:00 19:00 Tendered 09-Feb Vila, Vanuatu 08:00 18:00 Docked 10-Feb Lifou, Loyalty Island 08:00 18:00 Tendered 11-Feb Isle of Pines, New Caledonia 08:00 17:00 Tendered 12-Feb Cruising 13-Feb Cruising 14-Feb Sydney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avalon007 Posted February 15, 2014 #3 Share Posted February 15, 2014 We did this exact same cruise on Radiance in 2012 - enjoyed it immensely.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #4 Share Posted February 15, 2014 We arrived in Sydney two days pre-cruise and had two glorious days of weather...28 C. Pre-Cruise photos-Sydney Harbour Rhapsody of the Seas docked on the Saturday. Opera House Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #5 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Really looking forward to this, thanks!! Our favorite ship, hoping to see more of her after we retire. We did this exact same cruise on Radiance in 2012 - enjoyed it immensely.:) Thanks for following along....the Radiance is a lovely ship and now one of our favourites. The best way to see the harbour is jump on one of the local ferries.....on the Sunday there is a family ticket $2.50 p/p all day on ferry & buses if you have a child. We took a ferry to Manly on the Sunday.....a short 30 min from the cruise port...it is near the Sydney heads,you have harbour on one side of the town and pacific ocean a short walk from ferry dock. Sydney ferry Oosterdam in port on Sunday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #6 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Manly beach We took the ferry back to Circular Quay,next to cruise terminal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #7 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Cruise day Monday. We stayed at the Swissotel Sydney for two nights pre-cruise,it was a nice hotel in the middle of the city 5 star. We walked to the ship in around 20 minutes down hill and arrived at 11.00 for check in. Sydney cruise terminal (OPT) Over Seas Passenger Terminal has limited space,so the larger ships have a staggered check in time. Deck 10 is first...11.00 am check in & Crown & Anchor status,suites etc have early boarding as well. Time to board Bag drop on the pier and then walk upstairs to departure gate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #8 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Check in was quick at the OPT and we were onboard the ship in 30 minutes and went for our first look around. First impressions First photo onboard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BecciBoo Posted February 15, 2014 #9 Share Posted February 15, 2014 I'm along for the ride....French Polynesia is our dream cruise!!!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #10 Share Posted February 15, 2014 More photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #11 Share Posted February 15, 2014 I'm along for the ride....French Polynesia is our dream cruise!!!:D This cruise was three ports in Vanuatu and three in French Polynesia or New Caledonia. I'm going to focus on the ports of call in this review,we didn't spend any time at the shows and no food photos. Will have lots of photos of the ports of call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #12 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Our room, We booked a E1 balcony for the three of us....two adults and 1 child (15) We were on deck 10 #1508...five cabins from the front starboard side. This cabin sleeps four.....it has the bed slide out of the roof as well,we tried this bed and found it got in the way more than the sofa bed....plus in swayed a little in rough seas. The sofa bed was comfortable by all reports. Our cabin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Cruizers Posted February 15, 2014 #13 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Great start, we leave for our first trip to Sydney march 15th for our 13 day NZ cruise and post cruise sightseeing and are getting excited. It will be wonderful to be back on the ROS since 2008. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #14 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Great start, we leave for our first trip to Sydney march 15th for our 13 day NZ cruise and post cruise sightseeing and are getting excited. It will be wonderful to be back on the ROS since 2008. Anyone doing or thinking about a cruise to Australia/New Zealand should read Terry from Ohio's great thread of his recent Down under holiday...(celebrity) http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139 Terry is one of best in the business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxKroozer Posted February 15, 2014 #15 Share Posted February 15, 2014 We are excited to follow your review. We have plans for a San Francisco to Sydney Australia cruise this September on celebrity century. So we will be interested in any comments and pictures about New Caledonia and Tahiti as we will be stopping at both (Vanatu, Bora Bora, and Papette). Your early pictures are so nice. You appear to have had lovely weather. Looking forward to more of your review and thank you for sharing and taking the time to do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #16 Share Posted February 15, 2014 We are excited to follow your review. We have plans for a San Francisco to Sydney Australia cruise this September on celebrity century. So we will be interested in any comments and pictures about New Caledonia and Tahiti as we will be stopping at both (Vanatu, Bora Bora, and Papette). Your early pictures are so nice. You appear to have had lovely weather. Looking forward to more of your review and thank you for sharing and taking the time to do this. It's good to give back....I like reading reviews and there is not too much info on the South Pacific ports. A trans-Pacific cruise is on our bucket list .....would like to see Bora Bora....our choice is April or Sept for these cruises,now Carnival Legend is coming down under,it gives us Aussies more choice for this cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #17 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Ships Officers and Staff onboard, Captain...........Goran Peterson Hotel Director...Alistair Burnett Executive chef..Costin Giuroiu Cruise Director..Amy Fickert Activities.....Gordon The Captain seemed friendly from what I could see,Some staff told me they prefered the other Captain. Captain Peterson has gone on holidays and will return when the Radiance is in Hawaii on it's Trans-Pacific cruise April/May. Amy seemed nice,but we like Gordon the activities manager,I think he would make a good cruise director.....he was popping up everywhere,helping the tender boats each day and always seemed happy. A lot of the crew are from India....they liked the Radiance from what I was told. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #18 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Two sea days We had two lazy sea days on the way to Noumea,New Caledonia. The second sea day we had our Meet & Mingle......we had around 40 people in attendance......Gordon the activities manager welcomed us all and gave out some free prizes,this was held in the Quill & Compass lounge. Next day our first stop Noumea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamH Posted February 15, 2014 #19 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Looking forward to following this to see what others got up to. We did go to a lot of the shows and really enjoyed most of what we saw. Jonathan Clark (singer/impressionist) and Mark Anthony (hypnotist) were particular favourites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avalon007 Posted February 15, 2014 #20 Share Posted February 15, 2014 We are excited to follow your review. We have plans for a San Francisco to Sydney Australia cruise this September on celebrity century. So we will be interested in any comments and pictures about New Caledonia and Tahiti as we will be stopping at both (Vanatu, Bora Bora, and Papette). Your early pictures are so nice. You appear to have had lovely weather. Looking forward to more of your review and thank you for sharing and taking the time to do this. I just sailed via Tahiti on a trans pacific a few months ago in Sept. But this review is about a cruise that goes to the Vanuatu Islands & New Caledonian Islands so the OP didn't go to Tahiti. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Cruizers Posted February 15, 2014 #21 Share Posted February 15, 2014 We will resume our sailing on April 10th with the Transpacific and April 27th, 12 day Hawaii back to Vanconver. Aussie Cruzer, I have read many of Terry's reviews but not his latest one, thank you for the link, will read it for sure.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #22 Share Posted February 15, 2014 We will resume our sailing on April 10th with the Transpacific and April 27th, 12 day Hawaii back to Vanconver. Aussie Cruzer, I have read many of Terry's reviews but not his latest one, thank you for the link, will read it for sure.:) It's a good read as usual......some good ideas for overseas visitors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #23 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Noumea ,New Caledonia Weather 30 C / 86 F Ships arrival 7.00 am All Aboard 5.00 pm We arrived to over cast conditions and light rain,but the day turned out nice....not too hot as it can be here in summer. The Radiance arrived at the container port and not the smaller cruise terminal which is too short for her to berth....Rcl put on a free shuttle service from the ship to cruise terminal (5 mins) We had heard negative stories about Noumea being boring,so opted for a local tour from the terminal. Noumea turned out too be a lot better than expected and we had a pleasant day seeing the sights. At the cruise terminal there are lots of tours on offer,some half the price of ships tours. We opted for the hop on hop off bus $15 p/p Aus at the terminal....all day around city of Noumea,this tour dropped you off at around eight different stops in town,ideal for the beach and some shopping. Not the most attractive port. The cruise terminal is the white building straight ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #24 Share Posted February 15, 2014 The tourist train from cruise terminal.....the ships train picked you up beside the ship. The ships train tour was $59 US and local train around $35 Aus. Markets in cruise terminal Cruise Terminal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted February 15, 2014 Author #25 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Local tours at terminal This the one we did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now