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So we're planning our first cruise to or from Australia....


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We've been on about 8 cruises but nothing in the South Pacific. So we're excited but also really not informed. So any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

First things first... what would be your best or favorite month to cruise to enjoy the sun, beaches and beauty of the South Pacific?

And if you would be so kind to identify your favorite ports?

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We've been on about 8 cruises but nothing in the South Pacific. So we're excited but also really not informed. So any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

First things first... what would be your best or favorite month to cruise to enjoy the sun, beaches and beauty of the South Pacific?

And if you would be so kind to identify your favorite ports?

 

nov thru to feb although this is cyclone season, we just did august was pretty cool at night but sunny during the day 22deg to 27 deg.

we like isle of pines, mystery island,pentacost island, vila for duty free shopping, champagne bay, port denarau in fiji, mare is nice,

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I would avoid December, January and February. This is the wet season. It will be very hot, very humid and it is likely to rain at least part of the day. If you are lucky, it might only be a few hours in the afternoon. There is the chance of a cyclone in the area although the ship will avoid the worst of any cyclonic weather.

 

I suggest that in October, November, late March and April you have a good chance of good weather. It would be warm enough to swim. After all, the Pacific Islands are in the tropics.:)

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I have done South Pacific in March, April, June and December. Had great weather on all of them with only June being on the cooler side but still warm enough to snorkel. Only our April cruise was disrupted by cyclone but it just meant that our ports were rearranged and we lost one port. Cruise lines are used to dealing with cyclones and how to rearrange if necessary.

 

My favourite ports are Isle of Pines and Lifou for snorkelling. I enjoyed Suva and Port Denarau for the tours, I think we chose well. Agree that Port Vila has best duty free. Noumea is on every cruise and is the largest port. There are some good tours available there. I have done Tchou tchou train and the Segway tour of the zoo and both were really good. Mare is really pretty but there is only a beach to visit so while I enjoy it, if you are only going to do one SP cruise, this is one port I would not be upset to miss. I have never done Champagne Bay but everyone says it is really beautiful but it is not on as many itineraries as the other ports. Mystery Island is lovely too. There are always markets and it is a nice walk around the island and great swimming water. I think all the ports have their own charm and you can't really lose. Have a great time!

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Have cruised 6 times to the South Pacific and sailing again in 10 days . Have only had problems with weather on both cruises we took in March on both occasions we missed ports due to cyclones, these cruises were 10 years apart. My favorite destination by far is Champagne Bay absolutely beautiful and unspoilt Isle of Pines and Mystery Island are great for snorkeling with some interesting tous as well. Port Villa is excellent for duty free shopping and Noumea is as mentioned on most iteneries but I find it expensive but interesting. Luganville is great if you are interested in World war 2 history as it was the centre of United States Military efforts in the South Pacific. There are very good tours available incorporating all the major WW 2 sites and local points of interest.

In my opinion the ports in Fiji leave a lot to be desired however, there are some excellent cultural tours available.

Whatever itenery you choose I am sure you will enjoy this magical part of the world.

I hope you also have the opportunity to see some of our great land down under.

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Thanks everyone for the great responses. It appears early November might be the timeline we shoot for. I'll plot the suggested ports on a map and begin to zero in on a specific cruise. We'll be Diamond level on Royal Caribbean by the time we take this cruise, so the discount & added perks may come into play but we're also open to other cruise lines. Thanks again everyone!

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Most of the South Pacific ports where you dock are at rather uninspiring towns, like Noumea, Lautoka, Suva, Port Vila.

 

It pays to get tours out of those towns, either to islands or into the countryside and not waste time in town.

 

The tender ports like Champagne Bay, Lifou and Dravuni Island are generally more interesting.

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Perhaps a Hawaii to Sydney cruise would fit the bill, it most likely takes in Tahiti, but more importantly Bora Bora and Moorea which are just awesome. It would also take in a bit of NZ as a bonus. Might help for flights as well. I can recommend the Solstice for this trip.

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