Small ship cruising review with photos on the Coral Princess II

[1of4]

DAY 1 - Friday March 28: Cairns & Thetford Reef

 

Cairns is situated on Trinity Inlet at the southern end of Trinity Bay. It was named after William Wellington Cairns, Governor of Queensland from 1875 to 1877. Trinity Bay was named by lieutenant James Cook on his voyage in 1770.

 

"A reef such as is here is scarcely known in Europe. It is a wall of coral rock rising almost perpendicular out of the unfathomable ocean" - Captain Cook, 1770

 

The Coral Sea News provided so much information I really enjoyed reading them.

 

Our safety briefing was held at 11:15 followed by us getting fitted for our snorkeling gear which we kept for the voyage. Lunch was at 12:30 and we were due to arrive at Thetford Reef at 2:30

 

Now...a warning....at home all my photos are in chronological order but on Shutterfly...not so much. So I will post reef photos but I can not say with 100% assurance that the photo is of that reef...so sorry.

 

We were strongly advised to buy stinger suits to protect our skin from a variety of jellyfish. The cost was AUS$27.00 each. All but 2 people purchased for the week we were on board. The suit is a net material which also has a hood, gloves and socks. You just need something to cover your skin. I was advised by Australian friends that at $27 no profit was being made, which didn't matter, I was going to buy two anyway. We didn't wear the hood but did wear the suit, socks and gloves each time we entered the water.

 

DD was the only one who didn't mind wearing the thing, the rest of us just grinned and made jokes as we all looked the same and we all knew it was for our own safety.

 

 

First up was a glass bottom boat tour with Trip Director Alice. Then Alice provided an introduction to snorkeling lesson, snorkeling tour and assisted snorkeling. All were optional and you could partake or go it on your own.

 

The dive instructor's name was Beat an both he and Alice made everyone, even non-swimmers, comfortable and never pushed but wanted everyone to experience the reef. Alice and Beat would take people who were uneasy in the water, if they chose, by having them hold on to either a life ring or a bar with two floats on either end. They just held on and Alice and Beat swam them around so they could see the reef.

 

DH doesn't swim and both DD and I commented that we thought he would do that.

 

 

while we were in the water, Anna, the lifeguard on our voyage (amoung 2 or thee other tasks) would stand at the back of the boat and watch. You can see one bar with the two white floats in the photos above. Anna would go our in the zodiac and place two of these both within her perifial vision. We were asked to stay within those floats while swimming. If you went out then you would get "the whistle". We had signals too for if we felt we needed the zodiac to come and get us, which never happened but was good to know.

 

The photo below is a panorama I stitched together so it does leave more white space around it.

 

We left Thetford Reef at 4:30 and headed towards our overnight anchorage. Conditions on the sea were ideal, more than ideal really, so the boat had a huge treat for us. Instead of having pre-dinner drinks in the lounge we were being permitted to have "Sundown Sippers" on Sudbury Cay, which is a sand cay that is protected and is only allowed one visit per day and has very tight regulations guarding its pristine condition. This is my new "happy place", I will never forget this experience.

 

The ocean was like a mirror (I did nothing to this picture, this is exactly how it was, the ocean reflecting the boat and melting into the sky):

 

 

So we gathered at the aft deck and the glass bottomed boat ferried us over to the Cay once Anna and Alice had set up the "bar":

 

 

I lightened the above photo just a bit, but the sunset was spectacular (I need to look in a thesaurus for another word and I will use it a lot).

 

Let me know if you want to see more picture from Sudbury Cay. I don't want to bore you, but it was just amazing!

[sail7seas]

Thank you for much for sharing all this with us.

It seems to have been an amazing time.

The photos are wonderful.

[RuthC]

I am truly enjoying both your narrative and your pictures, as this trip is something I know I could enjoy---perhaps as part of a longer trip.

 

But I'll have to be satisfied "taking" this trip via your posts. Sad to say it's not for me if breakfast is at 7:00 AM :eek:. Not getting up in the middle of the night for breakfast. ;)

[Susie51]

Thank you for your review and pics. You gave us a wonderful insight to small ship cruising.

[1of4]

I am truly enjoying both your narrative and your pictures, as this trip is something I know I could enjoy---perhaps as part of a longer trip.

 

But I'll have to be satisfied "taking" this trip via your posts. Sad to say it's not for me if breakfast is at 7:00 AM :eek:. Not getting up in the middle of the night for breakfast. ;)

 

Glad you are enjoying it Ruth. The days were so full of things to do we were often in the water by 9 so 7 didn't seem so early (spoken by the woman who gets up at 4:00 every work day). But I get your point. There was some grumbling. Breakfast was served, buffet style, at 7:00 but some didn't come until 7:30 and one or two would grab something when they were on their way out the back door to the glass bottom boat.

Edited June 19, 2014 by 1of4

[1of4]

Back to watching the sun set from Sudbury Cay, a sand cay about 70 km off the coast of Australia.

 

 

I had to lighten the shadows on this one as the person who took my camera got confused and didn't take a photo until it was almost too late:

 

The sunsets during the week were amazing:

 

 

We returned to the boat after sunset via the glass bottom boat:

We had a wonderful seafood buffet for dinner prepared by Chef Adam. Nobody went hungry and if seafood wasn't your thing they would make you a pasta or steak...or anything, just ask.

 

After dinner it was up to the top lounge to mix and mingle over drinks and music, but most didn't last after 9:00. It was a big day.

 

A few more tidbits of information:

• The GBR is home to 600 types of soft and hard corals, more than 100 species of jellyfish, 4000 varieties of molluscs, 500 species of worms, 1625 types of fish, 134 varieties of sharks and rays, and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins
  
• It is unique because it extends over 14 degrees of latitude, from shallow estuarine areas to deep oceanic waters.
  
• Average depth is 35 metres in its inshore waters, while on outer reefs; continental slopes extend down to depths of more than 2000 metres and is between 60 and 250 kilometres in width.
  

In case anyone is wondering, we were in the water a minimum of twice a day for 7 full days and in that time we saw 1 shark and 1 ray, both fascinating and not scary. When surrounded by so much life you realize that you do not look appatising in the least!

[solocanadian]

So enjoyed your narrative and photos, Gail. Appears you and Natalie had a great time. Don't think my knees, or legs for that matter could handle the stairs. Otherwise I'd love to do this cruise. Thanks again & see you next April on the Westerdam. Gail.:)

[1of4]

Day 2 - Saturday March 29: Nathan and Gilbey Reefs

 

"It's now and then, in a jungle, or amidst the towering white menace of a burnt or burning Australian forest, that nature strips the moral veils from vegetation and we apprehend its starak ferocity" - H.G. Wells

 

This was to be a a very special day. The weather conditions were so good we had the priviledge of visiting a reef that few get to see. In fact some of the crew who had worked on the boat for 2 years had never visited. Gilby Reef is a treasure and something DD and I will never forget.

 

The itinerary for the day:

 

0700 Continental and hot breakfast in the dining room

 

0800 Coral Princess II arrives at Nathan Reef. Alice will take assisted snorkeling tours and will have informative glass bottom boat tours to give you the opportunity for some fascinating coral and fish viewing. There is ample opportunity for spectacular snorkeling and of course SCUBA with Beat. A "touch tank" will be conducted, where you can get up close and personal with some of the local marine life which will be on display on the back deck.

 

1100 Depart Nathan Reef

 

1200 buffet lunch will be avilable in the dining room

 

1300 Expedition stop of Gilbey Reef. Here you are free to snorkel at your leisure, as well as glass bottom boat and snorkel tours will be available with alice and SCUBA with Beat. coral Princess II rarely visits this special reef and we are very excited about it. We will depart Gilbey Reef at 1630

 

 

You can see the floats out behind me in this photo below. That shows the left extreme of where we should be swimming. We were asked not to swim over the reef when the tide was going out so we would not touch the coral.

 

 

Gilbey Reef was beyond description. All the staff took turns swimming. We all agreed it defied description.

 

I will have to add photos from home as I have't got them on Shutterfly, sorry

 

 

The water was this calm:

 

with another spectacular sunset:

[Linda&Vern]

Thanks so much for taking time to post your comments and photos. What an amazing trip! I am really enjoying your journey!

[jbhcw]

Your photos are amazing..thank you so much for sharing!! What a wonderful time with your daughter!!

[Scrapnana]

Great pictures, Gail. What a wonderful adventure for you and your daughter!

[erewhon]

I am trying to remember exactly how I came across Coral Princess Cruises but I think it was through an on-line TA that was recommended highly by a well known geographic publication. As soon as I did my research on them everythig clicked. I emailed the company directly and was instantly put at ease that DD would be very welcome. We had a tentative booking that we had to cancel due to some medical issues and DD got two lovely emails from Coral Princess Cruises saying they hope she felt better and they would look forward to our booking in the future.

 

Now DH and DS are interested and we are looking at booking further intineraries as it was really that good.

 

Thanks for your reply.

[1of4]

Here is a picture of Alice and Beat (Trip director / Dive Master) during the introduction talk. They LOVE their jobs and it shows in everything they do!

 

 

I forgot to show photos from the touch tank. This is done once each segment but I will put both segments photos in this post. Alice dives to the bottom and brings up anything she can find for us to see/touch/hold. She was very careful not to stress the creatures and she always puts them back where she found them. DD loved to get this "up close and personal" and she may be rethinking her career choice....

 

 

Alice holding a pineapple sea cucumber:

 

DD holding a slipper coral

 

 

Fascinating!

 

DD holding staghorn coral that was starting to regrow after breaking off and falling to the sand after a storm:

 

[1of4]

A few more facts from the "Coral Sea News"

• The GBR is composed of over 2,900 individual reef(s?)
  
• There are over 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 km
  
• It can be seen from outer space
  
• Tourism to the reef generates approximately AU$4-5 billion per year
  

 

From what we saw of it we are left unable to accurately describe the colours, the sounds or the feel of the reef itself. Sensory overload for sure!

 

 

 

 

To finish off our Saturday we were invited to join the staff in the top lounge at 1800 for pre dinner drinks. At 1845 Alice gave us a talk on Sunday's activities and at 1900 a magnificent dinner was served.

 

After dinner we were invited back up to the top lounge for a showing of a DVD on the GBR. DD and I went and made it halfway and then we left the lounge, empty, for our beds as the next day promised to be spectacular as we would wake in the Hinchinbrook Channel, something I had been really keen to see. It did not disappoint and deserves its own post!

[1of4]

Day 3 - Sunday March 30th: Hinchinbrook, Pelorus & Orpheus Island

 

"Every Country needs Wilderness where People can go - young and old - to have a renewal of spirit" Sir Edmund Hillary

 

What a day! I will have a difficult time describing what we saw so pictures will have to help. It was an early start with a lecture before breakfast and there was much grumbling, especially by the couple on their honeymoon, but I wouldn't have wanted to miss a second of it...and since early is not a problem I have doing as I get up at 4:00 normally, DD and I were out chatting with Alice early.

 

Itinerary for the day:

 

0700 Outside on the sundeck to hear Alice tell us about the surrounding mangrove ecosystem of the Hinchinbrook Channel. The Hinchinbrook region includes an exceptional collection of interrelated elements from the mangrove communities, active sand dune process, coastal lowlands through a very wide range of biological communities to a peak altitude of 1142 metres (Mt. Bowen). All of these are very close to their natural condition and provides a rare opportunity to stay that way.

 

0730 Continental breakfast and a hot buffet breakfast in the dining room

 

0930 We cross the Lucinda Bar, this is the shallowest part of our journey

 

1030 Arrive a Pelorus Island, our own private tropical island. Once transferred to the island, Alice will guide a short nature walk. Following this we will enjoy a BBQ lunch on the island cooked by Captain Gary. After lunch you will have the opportunity to go snorkeling, SCUBA with Beat and join in a Fish Feed with Alice.

 

1530 Depart Pelorus Island

 

1415 Join Alice in the top lounge for a presentation on the GBR this is a fabulous opportunity to learn about coral identification and fish identification

 

1730 We will transfer across to Orpheus Island for Sunset Sippers on Yanks Jetty. Here Alice will conduct a fish feed and go over tomorrow's itinerary as we watch the sun set over mainland Australia

 

1900 dinner prepared by Chef Adam followed direction by the famous Coral Princess Quiz.

 

Told you it was a packed day!!

 

Dawn in the Hinchinbrook Channel...there was not a ripple on the ocean....

 

 

 

 

 

Much happened between dawn and arriving at Pelorus Island, but I don't have those photos downloaded.

 

It was very hot and sunny. Perfect day for a beach BBQ, but make no mistake, there was no roughing it with table clothes and kangaroo (amongst other things) on the menu! I am wearing a full sun shirt that I bought on the boat to protect against the sun. Our northern white skin is no match for its strength!

 

 

I can't get over how clear the water is:

 

[RuthC]

I was sorry to see your thread moved here, since your audience is on the HAL forum. But please don't despair; at least one of us is still following this thread, and hoping for more posts. :)

 

I've truly enjoyed riding along on this cruise, as it is so different from anything I have taken, and yet in a place I have been.

[Vict0riann]

I'm here, too!:)

[jbhcw]

I am subscribed so I get an email...your review is amazing...love the pictures of a smaller ship...and the scenery is fantastic...

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report!

[Duanerice1]

Great report. Someone actually posted a link in the Celebrity boards. What lucky find. Can't wait to see more.

Thanks

[1of4]

Thanks everyone. Your comments mean a lot to me as I was, as Ruth suspected, upset to see it moved. I thought it may be taken down the first day or two, but when it wasn't I thought it was fine and I added photos of DD that I wouldn't have if the thread was here. I know it makes no sense. So I did red triage the first post on Friday.

 

But since I know now people are interested I will continue with a new thread here from where I left off.

 

Again, thanks for letting me know. It was a rough week and seeing this thread moved was just "icing in my cake". :(

[RuthC]

But since I know now people are interested I will continue with a new thread here from where I left off.(

New thread? Or continuing right along on this one?

 

I changed my subscription on this thread so I can get e-mails re: new posts (just in case I get amnesia, or something ;)). If you start a new thread I will come looking, and add that subscription, but why not just continue this thread, if you are going to stay with this forum???

[1of4]

I will continue on with this one as long as it is here but I did red triangle it on Friday so if/when it disappears I will just start a new one. As long as this one is here I will just add to it.

 

I am just checking in from the garden. Visitors from overseas coming with a little one so I am making sure everything is "little foot" safe and then it is downstairs to my quilt cave to make teacher gifts as Friday is the last day of school here for the 9 week summer break.

 

Next weekend is our long July 1st, Canada Day, weekend...well it will be an extra long one for me as I plan on taking Friday and Monday off as vacation so I will be off for 4 work days :). But I have to pain and wall paper...:(

 

But I will continue with more from my trip later this afternoon.

 

Thanks everyone!

[1of4]

Pelorus Island is the most northerly island in the Palm group of islands. These granite islands were once part of the mainland and have beautiful fringing coral reefs with lovely beaches. They were names by Captain James Cook in 1770 as he sailed up the east coat of Australia. He noted the palm like Pandanus trees on the islands and thinking they were palm trees, names the islands after them. In winter Humpback whales are often sighted swimming past Pelorus Island on their annual migration to the northern tropical waters.

 

We were in for quite a treat as the captain was at the BBQ cooking up our lunch while Alice took us on a short nature walk.

 

 

It was so beautiful...but so HOT. We decided not to go into the water until after lunch so we enjoyed the nature walk. The colours were so vibrant.

 

 

 

In case you may have the idea that a beach BBQ might be a bit rustic...the only roughing it was sitting at a linen clad picnic table!

 

 

The BBQ area before the captain got to work....

 

 

Hungry? On the menu there were no hamburgers and hotdogs; oh no, we had emu, kangaroo, steak, lamb, fish.....

 

Then when we donned our stinger suits and went snorkeling and we say a stingray resting on the bottom and a sea turtle come to check us out and then Alice conducted a fish feed in the water. We stood in about 3 or 4 feet of water and Alice through fish in the water to attract the life fish. When we were brave enough she handed over pieces of fish and told us how to hold it and the fish would come and eat right out of our hands.

 

DD went snorkeling with a piece of fish to attract other fish. She loved it.

 

When we had enough sun, sea and food we headed back to the boat via the glass bottom boat. It is so nice to be lifted right to the deck, no stairs! We signed in and went to the top deck to get a final look at the island.

 

 

If you thought that was a full day...we had another incredible event to come!

[RuthC]

Can't wait to read all about it.

 

(see, we're still here. ;))