I thought I’d give you all some respite from the blue skies, turquoise waters and lush green tropical island vegetation that is so typical of the South Pacific and talk about the serious subject of karaoke. We couldn’t have been more fortunate to discover there was a karaoke competition on board the Oosterdam. Lucky for […]
Archives for January 2014
Dravuni Island, Fiji
January 30, 2014 By 21 Comments
We woke up in Fiji and were anchored off Dravuni Island. By the time we arrived I was so tired and exhausted from a combination of self-inflicted issues including too many late nights, too much sun and too many cocktails (probably the biggest issue) that I thought about not leaving the ship and just lying […]
Bounty Island, Fiji
January 29, 2014 By 31 Comments
The first thing I was aware of when we arrived in Fiji was the heat. This is a hot country and they play a lot of rugby and I don’t know how they manage it. The ship docked in the city of Lautoka, Fiji, which is Fiji’s second-largest city and about a 40-minute drive […]
Matevulu Blue Hole, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu
January 28, 2014 By 28 Comments
After we left the extremely stunning and picturesque Champagne Bay, we drove back towards the town of Luganville. Our driver, Johnnie, wasn’t doing too well. I was sitting behind him and noticed he kept punching himself in the head. Carl was sitting next to him and found this a bit disconcerting and asked him if […]
Champagne Bay, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu
January 27, 2014 By 32 Comments
Espiritu Santo literally means ‘Holy Spirit’. Espiritu Santo is the largest of Vanuatu’s islands and its population is around 30,000. Luganville is the largest town however it is often referred to as ‘Santo’. The people of Vanuatu are known as the happiest people on earth and their happiness is contagious. On the morning our ship […]
Turtle Bay, Efate Island, Vanuatu
January 26, 2014 By 30 Comments
After visiting Cascade Falls we asked Willie if he could take us to a place where we could swim with turtles. He told us there was a place but it was on the other side of the Island and as such, would be an additional AUS$50.00 in costs. That seemed very reasonable and so back […]
MS Oosterdam – An Overview
January 24, 2014 By 35 Comments
I thought you might like a tour of the Oosterdam but be warned, this post has a lot of images! The Oosterdam is a very beautiful looking ship from the outside and I love its navy blue lines. However when we walked onto the ship I was immediately struck by the overpowering use of teal […]
Cascade Falls, Efate Island, Vanuatu
January 23, 2014 By 32 Comments
Efate Island in Vanuatu is home to Port Vila, the country’s capital city. At Efate, cruise ships can dock rather than anchor off-shore so we were able to walk off the ship, rather than arrive in tender boats. We knew we were in a tropical paradise before even walking off the ship as local musicians […]
Lifou, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
January 22, 2014 By 32 Comments
Lifou is the largest of the four Loyalty Islands that form part of New Caledonia, a French-speaking country in the South Pacific. British sea-faring merchants named the four islands the ‘Loyalty Islands’ because of the remarkably friendly indigenous people and nothing’s changed; they still are extremely welcoming and friendly. The official language is French with […]
Ms Oosterdam – The Pinnacle Grill
January 21, 2014 By 41 Comments
The signature restaurant onboard the MS Oosterdam is the Pinnacle Grill. Unlike the ship’s two main dining options, the Lido Buffet and the Vista Dining Room, there is an additional charge of US$29.00 (AUS$34.00) per person to dine in this restaurant. The executive chef of the Pinnacle Grill is Rudi Sodiman who is the Holland […]
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