I really wanted to see Bora Bora – it’s one of the exotic destinations that simply sound irresistible. But getting there is not cheap. Just the return fares from Sydney/Australia are more than $2,000 AUD. Add to this luxury accommodation, and you will end up spending a fortune on your holiday. After all, Bora Bora simply doesn’t cater for mass tourism (let alone backpackers).
That made me wonder how to visit a magnificent South Pacific Island like Bora Bora on a budget.
I was truly intrigued by this place which my grandmother had visited back in the 80s while crossing the Pacific on a cruise ship. To this day, I still remember the pictures of stunning beaches and luscious green mountains that drop down into crystal clear waters.
The adventurous spirit of my grandmother (who has now been long gone) continues to live on within me. I clearly wasn’t going to get discouraged by the high-level pricing of the island and instead, started looking into trans-pacific cruises. Quickly did I learn that during the month of April many cruise lines travel from Sydney across the Pacific to places like Hawaii. This makes perfect sense as the cruising season comes to an end down under with winter approaching – while it starts to warm up in places like Alaska, etc. Likewise, trans-pacific cruises are available in September – this time heading in the opposite direction towards Sydney.
I found the perfect cruise which was to depart from my hometown Sydney in early April.
This would mark the starting point of a 6 months trip around the world. I felt very grateful for a great deal that the local travel agency (Escape Travel) had on offer: for the 18-day cruise in a 2-bedroom cabin with obstructed views, my friend and I paid just over $2,000 AUD each. It paid off to get in early and secure our cabin 6 months in advance: Fares were rising over time and it turned out that the cruise was fully booked the day of departure.
Interestingly, the price we paid in total pretty much compared to the airfare from Sydney to Bora Bora, as previously mentioned. The only difference was that the price for the cruise not only covered our transport and accommodation but also all of your delicious meals on board. This deal was even better than the fares I had found on the internet which would not even let me choose a particular cabin.
I see an advantage in opting for an obstructed view cabin as it is not much more expensive than an interior room, yet provides natural light along with a door to let fresh air in. For people like myself who don’t spend much time in the cabin (other than to sleep), this is clearly my favourite pick. Generally speaking, it’s always worth comparing and talking to travel agents who can put together a special deal which in our case included some extra credit towards accommodation in Hawaii.
My main criteria for picking this particular cruise were price, destinations and date/ location of departure.
I had been on a number of different cruise ships such as Princess, Royal Caribbean, MSC, AIDA andP&O. While they all have their own personality and appeal to different target markets, for me the actual cruise company does not determine my buying decision. It’s the overall package that matters. I had never been on a CarnivalCruise up to this point in time and was open to a new experience. What I found very convincing were the ports of call that we were going to visit: starting in Sydney (AU), Noumea (New Caledonia), Port Denarau (Fiji), Papeete, Moorea, BoraBora and finally Honolulu (Hawaii).
Now if you do the maths, you realise that out of the 18 days we actually spent only 7 days onshore and hence 11 days at sea. While times of arrival and departure varied slightly, on average we would get to a port any time between 7 am and 9 am in the morning and would return to the ship between 4 pm and 10.30 pm. While the time we got to spend on the islands might not seem like a lot, it is always amazing to see what is possible in a day if you just put some thoughts into what you want to see and prepare accordingly.
There was certainly enough time to get a good overview of the various places and to decide which ones you would like to go back to one day. While some people prefer to stay in one spot only for their entire holiday, I am someone who enjoys being on the move and simply loves variety. While this travel style may not be suitable for everyone, the cruising rhythm certainly works for me.
I believe that a transpacific cruise best suits people who love the ocean.
Remember we spent a total of 11 days on the sea! You are in the right place if you really want to unwind. After all, at sea, there is not too much happening – unless you opt to participate in the entertainment activities that are on offer. If you are curious to find out what a typical day at sea looks like, this article is for you. I personally prefer to entertain myself and simply love contemplating the views of the deep blue ocean.
I found it really impressive to journey through the waters for days and days without any sight of land. A trans-pacific cruise gave me an accurate impression of the vastness of our oceans and the long distance between places. When looking at a world map that typically shows Europe in its centre, one hardly gets the full picture on how much of our planet is actually covered by water – in particular, the Pacific Ocean.
We had to set the clock forward 3 (!) times and then hit the date crossing line which gave us an extra day – travelling back in time. The overall distance travelled from Sydney to Hawaii added up to roughly 10,000 km. Clearly, our earth home is called blue planet for a reason. I highly recommend taking the time to travel across the Pacific in style:
A journey of a lifetime that will live on in your memory (and maybe that of your grandkids) forever.
