Cruises with Indonesian Ports of Call

Without getting political, I'm wondering how other people feel about cruising to Indonesian ports, at the moment?

As one who is always on the lookout for cruising to what the cruise industry calls "exotic ports", I was considering a cruise with Indonesian ports of call. However, my heart just isn't cruising Indonesian ports, at the moment, which is such a shame, with the choice currently available.

I was never a "Bali person", as I live at the beach, however, I love the Indonesian people, who serve on cruise ships, as well as one who I studied with at university.

Bali never ever for this traveller and unfortunately most Asian cruise ports are a considerable distance from the normal tourist sites. Just to top it off most cruise companies seem to insist in running cruises in Sept to Feb time slot when the weather is generally wet and humid in the region .

Perhaps they should consider India ,Burma and Sri Lanka to add some new options

I was there in early April. First time I been to Indonesia. It was hot and humid and the tendering process too a long time.

I was on a Princess tour and there was like about 8 buses of Princess tour that had to get a police escort back to the port cause the traffic was horrendous. We were very late. I didn't get back to the ship until 6 pm and last tender was 4.15 pm

Indonesian ports of call don't interest me these days and that's nothing to do with what's happened recently. I was fortunate enough to visit Surabaya a few times during the '80s with the navy. It was interesting and I'm glad I did it but I've done that, tick it off my list please. There are many places in SE Asia I've visited before and would go back again, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Penang to name a few. India and Sri Lanka have some nice places to visit too.

Having visited Bali in February/March on the Solstice, I can say that I will not visit that region again. Of course I say that now and things change in the future and a cruise I just can't turn down might end up stopping there, in that case of course I will go - but specially for that region - no.

Firstly we get off, onto our tenders, longggg.... tender ride into the port. While tendering through the bay, I was by the tender door and rubbish was just floating past in large clumps, lots of it.

Fortunately the tour we were on went into the hills, not the city but just driving through it - rubbish everywhere. Then to top it off coming back to the ship, next to the mangroves, right on the bay there was this huge - and I mean city size, exposed rubbish dump that towered over the houses in front and was long enough for me to get my camera out, focus and take a picture while zooming past in a bus.

As you can gather from my Avatar and name, I work in the waste industry and know rubbish when I see it. I was so despondent when I finished that day because I know what hard work we Australians do to recycle and make sure what we landfill is correctly done, that the site of all this rubbish just floating out to sea was upsetting.

Some people might think rubbish laying about the place is 'local colour' but I know what it is doing to our environment. Combine this with burning down the rainforests, etc and I just have trouble touring through this area.

You may not want to visit Egypt or India. They make Indonesia (Bali) look tidy in comparison.

You may not want to visit Egypt or India. They make Indonesia (Bali) look tidy in comparison.

I agree - if you think Bali is bad......

I have to agree that the tendering for Bali is just too long...just like the Port in KL - it is way too far to do anything meaningful and given the location, you are in a way either forced to do a ship tour or as in the case of KL, you are held at ransom by the high taxi charges by the sole operator who has the right to operate there. Given the distance from the port an the traffic, we found it too risky to venture out. Fortunately we have been to KL heaps of times so it was no loss for us (and we were able to enjoy some local food at the canteen area near the Port - not sure if others were game enough but the crew did seem to also enjoy the food there). :)

We have been to Lombok twice, the 1st and 2nd time we were pounced

on as soon as we got through gates, the last time I just turned round

and got the 1st tender back, so no I would never get off the ship again,

either in Lombok or Bali.

You may not want to visit Egypt or India. They make Indonesia (Bali) look tidy in comparison.

You are absolutely correct, because I work in the waste industry I know the real impact of shoddy waste practices on our planet. People are always surprised that people in our industry are 'green' but we don't go around with rose coloured glasses thinking someone else is taking care of the problem.

I have to say this has been an interesting thread to read for the different perspectives, especially the waste angle. Thanks!

For me, I'd been looking at a cruise in that region but a family member was turned off by the recent news. I would have been okay with staying on board, but was fine to rule that one off.

Similar reasons would prevent me from ever visiting Russia again i.e. due to their ongoing actions. It's the only say we have and when something bad affects you, you can't really go there and ignore what's happened.

I have never gone to Bali, and like some on here was never likely too. I don't see what the attraction is & DW would not go there. That said I know a lot of people who have gone there a number of times. Perhaps if it was included on a cruise, I would take a sticky.

The recent events there have zero to do with my choice of not going there.

All of Bali WAS a beautiful place many years ago. Unfortunately many younger (and older) Australians are not respectful of the culture and see Bali as a cheap place to party, party, party and generally show off there bad side.

In the past you could safely hire a scooter and visit the countryside or ride around the touristy areas. Not possible now unless you want to cut your holiday short.

We will be calling in to several ports as part of a cruise itinerary in Sept and April and will probably do a mixture of ship and private tours.

Without getting political, I'm wondering how other people feel about cruising to Indonesian ports, at the moment?

I dont have a problem cruising to Indonesian ports, and would be happy to go again :)

We have only been to Indonesian once on a cruise and that was back in 2009.

[quote name='The_Big_M;46452350

For me' date=' I'd been looking at a cruise in that region but a family member was turned off by the recent news. I would have been okay with staying on board, but was fine to rule that one off.

Similar reasons would prevent me from ever visiting Russia again i.e. due to their ongoing actions. It's the only say we have and when something bad affects you, you can't really go there and ignore what's happened[/i'].

I feel the same way, for the same reasons. I'm pleased I have already visited St Petersburg, Russia.

I have been to Bali twice & both times stayed at a resort in Nusa Dua away from the bogan crowds.

You then catch a bus into town to do some shopping or take a tour out to see some of the lovely temples etc, but you can escape to some tranquil tropical peace & quiet after.

This isn't possible of course on a cruise - so the experience seems to be less attractive going there as a cruise port.

Indonesia = Komodo. Lombok and Bali for me - but there are other ports of call as well such as Semarang/Borobudur

While not high on our list of places to revisit the recent events have no impact on whether or not we return on a cruise

If I didn't visit countries where things had occurred that I didn't agree with I would have a very limited set of destinations to choose from

We have booked Dawn Princess next June and are really looking forward to it. Every country is very different in one way or another to ours. It broadens our minds, and this is what we love about traveling!

Every country does things differently and we make the adjustments as needed. For instance: Brunei doesn't allow alcohol, so we didn't drink. Singapore wanted me to jump through hoops and fill out lots of forms for medication that I must have, so I did.

I wish Australia had laws that allowed everyone to marry their beloved, but unhappily that is not so - yet!

We'd all like a perfect world, but nothing is perfect!

Recent events have no sway in my decision to go back to Bali or not. If the itinerary was what I wanted then I would go.

Cheers

We cruised to Indonesia last week.

Everyone on the ship had to pay $35 USD for visas into the country.

We were there 2 days after the executions.

Komodo island is were the Komodo dragons are. Beautiful island to look at but the dragons are wild animals. You must pay a fee to land on the island. Another $35. The tracks are difficult for those not in the good shape. We skipped this and stayed on board the ship. Many others did this. Some whom went felt it was a waste of money.

Some people stayed on the ship as they didn't was to to visit Bali after this event.

the tender process was a total mess. I heard that there was an issue with clearing the ship by the authorities which set the tender process out.

By the time the ship was allowed to start tender process it was 2 hours after estimated time. Many people's private tours were totally messed up. Some stayed on the ship as no point getting off only to go straight back again.

Bali was dirty and run down. The rubbish in the water.

The people were pushing things at you as soon as you left the gates of the port.

We're had a private driver and went to Ubud.

I would not go back for a holiday there.

The people whom are not selling you things are nice enough.

They want the tourists to come back. I feel sorry for those whom really need the tourist dollar to survive but the government is doing nothing to make tourists want to go there.

Australians still remember the Bali bombings and now this latest event.

I loved the Sydney to Singapore itinerary but would have been happy to visit another country other than Indonesia.

It makes me sad to see peoples opinions of Bali/Indonesia when they've only had a minimal experience. I went to Ubud for my honeymoon a year and a half ago, and it was just beautiful. I had such an amazing time (even though I got heat rash :roll eyes:).

Another poster made a comment that all countries have their issues, and no one is perfect so I can say that the current situation is not going to stop me from going to Indonesia in the future, although I don't think going on a cruise is the way to see the country best tbh.

It makes me sad to see peoples opinions of Bali/Indonesia when they've only had a minimal experience. I went to Ubud for my honeymoon a year and a half ago, and it was just beautiful. I had such an amazing time (even though I got heat rash :roll eyes:).

 

Another poster made a comment that all countries have their issues, and no one is perfect so I can say that the current situation is not going to stop me from going to Indonesia in the future, although I don't think going on a cruise is the way to see the country best tbh.

This thread is seeking cruisers' opinions on cruising to Indonesian ports of call, so obviously their experiences and opinions will be totally different to people who have enjoyed longer land holidays in Bali/Indonesia.

Might point out that my thoughts had the basis of traveling to Bali for holidays twice before. I have stayed in Kuta & sanuar.

This thread is seeking cruisers' opinions on cruising to Indonesian ports of call, so obviously their experiences and opinions will be totally different to people who have enjoyed longer land holidays in Bali/Indonesia.

I get that, but other people have made mention of never going back to Indonesia at all, whether by cruise or other so I was making my remark based on that.

Also, I don't think the initial question is exclusive to other forms of travel, either even though it's worded as such.

each to his or her own I personally can not stand the place and will never go back either by sea or land