Conflict Island No More?

[springaussie]

Does anyone know what is happening with Conflict Island?

Not my cruise

Pacific Explorer

 

Edited May 9 by springaussie

[Kiwi_cruiser]

I have not heard anything about the Conflict Island...

[arxcards]

I am not aware of any broad changes around Conflict Islands. It looks like a longer stay in Honiara, and that may have driven the decision to drop Conflict Islands.

 

We will find out soon enough - Pac Explorer is due in CI again the following week (30th May)..

[bazzaw]

THREE days in Honiara - sounds like fun (NOT) . I visited Honiara in RAN Submarine about 1980 - I expect that it hasn't changed much 🙂

[MicCanberra]

That would be a shame if it is taken off every itinerary.

[cruiser3775]

The Conflict Islands were for sale when I visited last year. The owner apparently had a buyer, but the PNG Government blocked the sale for security reasons, and stated that they could only be sold to a PNG individual or company. Maybe the sale has now gone through?

www.smh.com.au/world/oceania/sale-of-aptly-named-conflict-islands-threatens-stability-in-the-region-20220901-p5bem7.html

 

[NSWP]

i thought png recently sold the conflicts to a private entity. DOLLARS RULE.

Edited May 10 by NSWP

[cruiser3775]

The Islands are owned by an Australian man, Ian Gowrie Smith, not by the Papua New Guinea government.  But they are part of PNG, so when he put the group of 21 islands up for sale, it was suggested that the Chinese might buy them. This obviously had strategic implications, and the PNG Government blocked the sale, unless it was to someone in PNG.

Edited May 10 by cruiser3775

[cruiser3775]

Found an article from two years ago that explains it better, but can't find anything to say they have recently been sold.

https://www.aspi.org.au/opinion/sale-aptly-named-conflict-islands-threatens-stability-region

 

[Mycruiseobsession]

My friend in Cairns is on the the cruise afterwards departing 25t and she said she still has Conflict Islands listed on their cruise control.

[MicCanberra]

11 minutes ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

My friend in Cairns is on the the cruise afterwards departing 25t and she said she still has Conflict Islands listed on their cruise control.

Welcome to Cruise Critic, that is good to hear.

[Mycruiseobsession]

8 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic, that is good to hear.

Thank you. Long time voyeur of Cruise Critic 🤭 Thought I should finally join.

[Gwendy]

We are on August 14 from Brisbane.  No advice of itinerary change, also have family members just booked for January 2025 and Conflict Island still showing there.  Interesting to see what happens.

[Sparky74]

2 minutes ago, Gwendy said:

We are on August 14 from Brisbane.  No advice of itinerary change, also have family members just booked for January 2025 and Conflict Island still showing there.  Interesting to see what happens.

DW & I are on that sailing too! 😁

[MicCanberra]

We have it for our Diamond Princess cruise Feb 2025 as well but anything can happen in 9 months.

[Mycruiseobsession]

Has there been any updates on why the port was cancelled  for that particular cruise? I am not on facebook so I can't lurk the groups 😜

[arxcards]

5 minutes ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

Has there been any updates on why the port was cancelled  for that particular cruise? I am not on facebook so I can't lurk the groups 😜

The top post is the official notification sent by P&O to passengers aboard that cruise. They give no specific reason, so it is up to all of us to fill the void. Those on FB groups will fill their own void.

 

I suspect that the opportunity for a 3 day window to do some specific maintenance while in Honiara required them to skip one of the other ports. 

[Mycruiseobsession]

2 minutes ago, arxcards said:

I suspect that the opportunity for a 3 day window to do some specific maintenance while in Honiara required them to skip one of the other ports

Ah yes that makes a lot of sense!

 

And yep it's always a little bit of fun to find the gossip.

 

I am never fussed with itinerary changes since I cruise for the ship experience but I love a good sticky beak 😆

[arxcards]

3 minutes ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

Ah yes that makes a lot of sense!

 

And yep it's always a little bit of fun to find the gossip.

 

I am never fussed with itinerary changes since I cruise for the ship experience but I love a good sticky beak 😆

Conflict Islands is a highlight though. I hope your friend gets there at the end of the month. 

[Mycruiseobsession]

17 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Conflict Islands is a highlight though. I hope your friend gets there at the end of the month

Thank you. They have been before, they're more addicted  to cruising than me! And sure I understand disappointment when ports are cancelled,  I went through that in the early cruises but now I have a different mindset and ensure I don't  have my heart set on any port anymore.

[cruiser3775]

Make sure you take a credit card with you going ashore at Conflict islands, if you get there.  I discovered to my dismay that the only way you can pay for anything on the islands is by credit card. They don't accept cash for food, drink, souvenirs, canoe hire etc.

[arxcards]

16 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

Make sure you take a credit card with you going ashore at Conflict islands, if you get there.  I discovered to my dismay that the only way you can pay for anything on the islands is by credit card. They don't accept cash for food, drink, souvenirs, canoe hire etc.

How good would it be if you could use your cruise card to pay, and have it go to your folio. It would be doable.

[MicCanberra]

No cash is so easy for the staff and the passengers, otherwise everyone would need local currency in Kina or at least a pig to trade.

[arxcards]

2 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

No cash is so easy for the staff and the passengers, otherwise everyone would need local currency in Kina or at least a pig to trade.

It was $AU cash only when we were there in 2018, which caught us by surprise. Being an island without a bank, card is so much easier for them - as long as they have power and a reliable eftpos link.

[MicCanberra]

When I was there last you needed to buy tokens for any purchases on the island, like food or drinks or massages etc. You could buy the tokens with Kina or AUD.