Our ship arrived into the Burnie harbor, and we were immediately greeted (again) by one of Tasmania's most distinctive sights—a massive mountain of wood chips towering near the dock. The morning skies, with clouds hovering over the hills, made it look like the day would be chilly and overcast but by the time our Captain docked, blue skies appeared and the temperature climbed to 22C. Our Tasmanian adventure awaited us beyond the port at the Wings Wildlife Park. The 1 hour bus

We didn't do much research on our next port of call, nor was anyone else expecting anything exciting but after we arrived back to our ship, the Coral Princess, everyone said "This has been a very cool town to visit" and it's a spot to revisit for sure. New Plymouth is located on the west coast of New Zealand's north island and is known for its coastal walkway. Behind the city is Mount Taranaki, the second tallest mountain in New Zealand after Mount Cook, and today it stood t

Picton may be small, but it's rich in natural beauty and character . Located at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound, it offers access to over 1,500 km of sheltered coastline. The scenery is breathtaking, with forested hillsides plunging into turquoise bays. It is the gateway to the stunning Marlborough Sounds, known for its sheltered waterways, forested hills and abundant wild life. The town offers a charming waterfront, cafes, shops, and scenic walking paths. It is also the en

After a very busy and especially fun day in Auckland, we headed southbound to Tauranga which was our next port of call. This is a sunny coastal city on the Bay of Plenty in the north-eastern corner of the North Island and it’s one of the country’s fastest-growing urban areas with a population of around 160,000 (and climbing), and it has that unmistakable mix of laid-back beach energy and working-port practicality. Tauranga is best known for its connection to the ocean with go

Jan and I left the New Zealand Fijords today after an amazing cruise through the Fijordland Park. Over the past 3 days I have not been able to post any blogs as we can't get a consistent wifi signal and as a result my program for the blogs will not work. I am hopeful that within the next few days we will pickup a signal and I will update everyone with the latest stops. We are now two days at sea and will arrive in Sydney Australia on Monday our time (Sunday at home) but here

Saturday was our 32nd day at sea and we arrived in Auckland at 6 am as the sun began to rise and the city was aglow with early morning light and immediately showed why it’s called the “City of Sails.” Auckland sits on New Zealand’s North Island, on a narrow isthmus between two harbors—the Waitematā Harbour (opening to the Hauraki Gulf) and the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea side—so water is never far away. Within one hour the sun was awake and Auckland was lit up and came

After one month on the Coral Princess and following our visit to so many islands in the Pacific, we will finally be on solid ground when we stop at our first port in New Zealand tomorrow morning. The temperature has now dropped but the sun still shines. Today, it is a breezy 21C outside and we are expecting the same temperatures in Auckland tomorrow. We have an exciting day planned for our initial stop and look forward to posting the details on a blog following our day tomorr

We sailed from the Island of Dravuni after a fun day at shore with expectations for an arrival in Port Villa, Vanuatu the next morning. Vanuatu was the site for the TV series Survivor for many episodes and the filming and accomodations for the TV Staff took place on the island close to our port. Upon arrival to Port Villa, the captain politely woke everyone up at 6 am with a general announcement into the entire ship and each of the rooms, advising the passengers that we woul

We arrived at Dravuni Island aboard the Coral Princess, and anchored offshore in the waters about 40 miles from Suva. The island is a volcanic island known for it's clear, pristine and white sandy beaches. Our ship launched four tenders around 8 am but Jan and I headed in to shore around 9 am, with the last return tender running us back to the ship at 3 pm . It was a classic tropical day—about 30°C, with a bit of wind that took the edge off the heat, but strong sun. The wate

We only had one day in Suva, Fiji but it didn’t take long to feel like we’d stepped into a completely different world—hot and very humid air, old and poor, with surprises as the day passes. The harbour and port were very commercial with lots of containers being stored and ships in the bay. Fishing boats were moored in the harbor and the port was busy during the entire time we were in town. A little about Suva Suva is the capital of Fiji and its largest city. It sits on the so

Our arrival in Apia, Samoa was our 21st day at sea and Jan and I, along with two other couples opted to find a local company to take us on a tour of the island. Apia, is the capital of Western or Independent Samoa, and is a city of 40,000 on the island of Upolu. It's picturesque waterfront is lined with public buildings, shops, and trading companies. When we got off the ship there were so many companies and individuals looking to provide tours and after some negotiations we d

Would you trust this guy to Captain the Ship? Today was a sea day but we were busy attending a personal guest tour of the bridge, beginning my ukulele lessons, partaking in music trivia, having dinner at the Crown Restaurant and attending two concerts in the Universe Theatre. Yes, we kept so busy that we actually jumped in time, passing through the IDL (International Date Line). Even though this evening is Tuesday, tomorrow morning becomes Thursday. If anyone can come up wit

Seahawk- Go get em' Today was the first of four days at sea as we sail on our way to the American Samoa port. We began the morning with 45 minutes of Tai Chi, moving slowly and deliberately while the ship swayed beneath us. It was a peaceful way to wake up our bodies and minds, and to remind ourselves to be present for the days ahead. Plus it took away some aches and pains from all the walking and especially the sitting as well. After Tai Chi, it was time for something a lit

We arrived in Papeete, Tahiti this morning on the Coral Princess to sunny, hot, humid weather—32°C and very much rainy‑season air. Locals told us it had rained lots over the past week, so we felt lucky to start the day under blue skies. At the port our ship shadowed over the sailboats docked in the city marina and close to the town stores and market. We were one of three cruise ships in the Papeete port so the island was busy. Our excursion, “Tour of the Island,” took us by

Today we visited Moorea, in French Polynesia. The temperature was hot from early morning, which is the kind of tropical heat that wraps around you the minute you step outside. Because there is no deep-water dock for larger ships, we anchored offshore and used tenders to reach the island. The short ride gave us our first close-up views of Moorea’s dramatic green peaks and the shimmering blue lagoon. Moorea is a volcanic island and the largest member of the Windward Islands, a

After leaving Hawaii some five days ago, we arrived in Raiatea, French Polynesia this morning at 7:00 am on the Coral Princess . It felt like a true milestone in our Pacific crossing—watching the open ocean slowly give way to the dramatic outline of this lush, green island. Threading the Needle Through the Coral Reefs As we sailed toward Raiatea, the ship had to pass through a narrow opening in the surrounding coral reef. From our balcony, we could clearly see the waves build

Now that we have been on board the Coral Princess for more than two weeks, it feels like we have moved into a small floating neighborhood. Our room D-618, is our new home and the rest of the ship is our new backyard but with no snow to shovel nor grass to cut, we will take advantage of the low maintenance. We even have a barbershop, jewelry store, clothing store, alcohol sales and medical supplies, entertainment and bars. We seem to be all set especially with the "Drink Packa

Today was a celebratory day aboard the Coral Princess as we crossed the equator at exactly 1 pm and officially left the realm of mere “Slimy Pollywogs” behind as they became trusted Shellbacks. Polliwogs are sailors or passengers who have never crossed the equator. Slimy Pollywogs are uninitiated lowly status marine travelers. Once they complete the ceremony they become Trusted Shellbacks. And so the ceremony began. Most of the ship's passengers gathered around the pool and u

Today is our second day at sea since leaving Kona, Hawaii, and we have a few more days to go before we get to our next destination which is Raiatea, French Polynesia. We're passing our time today relaxing and catching up on some social media. Jan's doing her crocheting. There's comfy chairs outside the Wheelhouse Bar and a perfect place to settle for a good view of the rolling seas. The water has been moderately calm, but as of mid afternoon today the winds were picking up. N

Our four days in Hawaii with blue skies, warm weather and an opportunity to visit all four large islands has drawn to an end. Starting with Honolulu, then Kauai followed by Maui and today the Big Island, has been a treat for both Jan and myself. We have been to Kauai several times but now we can say we have visited all four islands. But how did this chain of islands get formed? The earth’s outer crust is made up of a series of tectonic plates that move over the surface of the