Travelling with first time cruisers

Hi All,

The following is not so much related to me, but rather the people I am travelling with.

In Feb 2012 we are travelling as a group of 14 - 16 people to Fiji... the only problem is, all but 3 are first time cruisers. This will be my third cruise, and the other two who have cruised have been on 4 and 2 cruises, respectively.

Obviously the weather will be hot, providing there are no cyclones so summer clothes and attire should make up the bulk of what we pack. WIth some warmer clothes for evening and when/if the weather is not the best.

I have previously traveled in August and July (both South Pacific cruises) and the weather was fine except for a day or two. So the questions I have are:

- What can I expect as a daily temp once we get out to see (from the 2nd or 3rd day onwards? I have seen forecasts etc but after something more tangible, ie. from experience.

- Shore tours, etc. As people havent traveled before and arent aware that when its full, its full - or some that we will be doing independent of the cruise line you obviously need to know how to go about it.Would anyone advise that the best way to do organise it is get everyone to have a look, then come together and thrash it out prior to the cutoff date (We all decided we want to do everything as a group -- from experience I know this will not happen)

Thanks for your help -- also if there is any other advice anyone can offer that would be great. I've done it all before but this time i've been left in charge of organising it and I am travelling with friends, rather than family -- so much younger group.

Peace out

For temperatures, if the weather is fine it will be quite hot as you say at sea. I don't know the temperature (but you said you've checked), but the experience is lots of pool activity and lobsters walking around. I'd say it felt like low-mid 30s but also humid given where you are.

Regarding tours, I'd be careful if you've taken on the co-ordinator role, particularly with people new to the game and probably some that aren't so close to you/do things differently to how you would. The difficulty tends to be in getting people to pay up, or not cancel without worrying about the flow-on effects since they know you e.g. last minute cancellations where you've made a commitment to the tour organiser. It depends how well you know them all, but some have a tendency to blame you for something they missed, changed their mind, forgot or if something goes wrong out of your control. I wish you good luck!

Generally, it seems to work better offering them options but putting the responsibility on them to choose what they want to do and pay up by the required date. It depends on the personality and how well you know them though.

Thanks M,

We are a fairly close group so I am not worried about people paying up etc its more they saw our photos and said "we wanna do that" so I am hoping to get everyone together get out the brochures and discuss it that way. So rather than doing what was done last time we can look at what is on offer, what we would do again, what we wouldn't and if it turns out we are doing different tours like splitting up that's fine.

Have you been to either Suva, dravuni island or port denarau and could recommend any shore tours that are a must?

That's good if that's not likely to be an issue. I'll leave someone else to answer Fiji though as I think others can give better advice for cruise visits there than I can.

Assuming they're all computer savvy, get them to look at the shore tours online and pick out their I wants, I mights, and no ways. Tally them up and you've got your pick! I would do this sooner rather than later, then you can start looking at independent tours as a group which might be better value for the same thing. Tripadvisor is also a good place to look for "things to do" and there are often tour operators names mentioned as good, bad or indifferent.

Weather....I doubt you'll need anything warm, even if the weather is cyclonic. It's still warm but wet and bumpy :D

There is not really much to do in Suva itself, so best to have a look around. There is the Pacific Harbour tour, you can arrange it yourself etc, otherwise not much.

There maybe firewalking on, and they would run this if there is a bog enough group booking (its usually in the evening though) and would be a drive to one of the hotels along the coast - about an 1.5 hours drive.

Thanks deb and Steve

Our balance is payable early December and I believe shore tours go live around that time or just after. There are a few things that if people want to do we would probably do external to it being offered by the cruise line but something's that involve a lot of travel perhaps do inhouse.

I remember you had some rough weather at the beginning of the year on the rhapsody, deb? All I hope is for 3 sunny days do lay in the sun, drink, drink, lay in the sun and did I say relax?