New Guinea in March
 

Does anyone have any input weatherwise? The cruise starts in Cairns and does the east coast of New Guinea. My concern is the chance of cyclones. It appears to me to also be the rainiest time of the year in that area. Can't imagine a cruise company would schedule a cruise at that time if they didn't expect fairly good weather. Thanks

Louise,
We were in the Cairns area in March, 2003. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. We took a Captain Cook cruise through the reefs and then flew to Sydney where we boarded a cruise ship that did Australia and New Zealand. We were gone for a total of three weeks and had glorious weather all that time. In 2005 we are returning to Cairns for another cruise, to New Guinea this time, but our cruise does not leave from Cairns. We'll be flying to Wewak in New Guinea to board the Clipper Odyssey and cruise around Irian Jaya. We did Papua New Guinea 8 years ago. It was fabulous. If the weather is as good next year as it was last year, we're both going to have a great time. Good luck to us both. Jacquie

An interesting part of the Clipper Odyssey's 2005 Cruise Season is the "Clothing Optional" cruise departing Sydney on 23rd Feb, with Cairns arrival 6th March.

Certainly takes the hard work out of what to pack, and leaves plenty of room for souvenirs of the trip!

Hi, Jacquie - thanks for your response. I, too, was looking at the Clipper Odyssey cruise but it is fully booked and has been for several months. I am on standby but looks like I will have to wait until 2006. If you haven't been on the Odyssey before you will love it. I did Vanuatu and New Caledonia last November. I was to do a different SP cruise a month ago but after the Odyssey hit a rock in Alaska, the repair took longer than expected so my trip was canceled. Hope you have a wonderful time

Hi Louise,
I can't believe the cruise is fully booked! You never know, though. People have things come up at the last minute and rooms open up, but that doesn't do you any good if you've already planned something else. Thanks for the positive feedback on the Clipper Odyssey. We will be taking the Clipper Adventurer to Antarctica Nov. 29, but I think it's a more basic expedition ship. The Odyssey is supposed to be their luxury ship.
Whatever you decide to do, have a great time. Maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised and find you on board in March. Jackie

Hi again, Jacquie - I have friends who are doing the Antartica trip in January. It is their second trip although I think the first was not on the Adventurer. They loved the previous trip. Funny thing is I met them on the Vanuatu-New Caledonia cruise and they are from the same small Washington town I am from and live about 2 minutes away. My backup plan for the Odyssey New Guinea trip is with the Adventurer and the trip "Antiquities of the Mediterranean and North Africa". Hope you will give a trip report and let me know how the snorkeling is around New Guinea.

Bendigo,
Lets hope the Clipper Odyssey gets good weather for the "clothes optional" cruise in February. We will be meeting them at Rainbow Beach on February 27th and hope to join them on their planned nude 4WD tour of the coloured sands and Fraser Island.