Explorer: Itinerary Change!?

[markannab]

We're booked for 14 February 2016 from Sydney. We've just stumbled on a change to the itinerary. Lifou has been replaced with Vila, and the order of ports has changed, too. We're happy with the changes. But it's a pity we're not notified by email.

 

Is anyone aware of the reason for the changes?

[ctsharpie05]

I am on the Empress in June. They kept our ports the same but switched the days and times. No email.

 

 

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[The_Big_M]

They found that Lifou doesn't have the capacity to handle the tenders from Explorer. They've done this with all itineraries to date for Explorer involving Lifou (although substitute varies).

[markannab]

Thankyou.

[astera]

Lifou is probably the only stop I have ever been to where the next time I won't bother getting off the ship. Seems like a trap where more pax get burned by fire corals than elsewhere, some slippers rocks along the beach that the unaware will break bones on, etc. It really is nothing special.

 

Vila is the capitol city so completely different in terms of how you spend your time, and you might get shocked by the swarms of people wanting to give you a ride once you exit the ship. The town is really small, but if you know where to go you can get a superb meal that will trump a 5-star hotel restaurant in a major capitol city. Also, if you ever want to pick up some vintage electronics devices then this is the place. :) Want an old-style ghettoblaster that plays tapes? No prob. ;)

[markannab]

We've been to both Lifou and Vila several times - and have friends who live in Vila. We like both. There's still more we want to do on Lifou. But, on this particular cruise, the only Vanuatu island on the original itinerary was Mystery Island. With first time cruisers with us this time, I wanted to visit more of Vanuatu for their sake. So the change to Vila is good for us.