Review of Noordam - Dec 2018 cruise

[aussielozzie18]

Mini bar menu.  Prices are in USD as is everything on board.

[aussielozzie18]

Glassware and hairdryer stored in side of desk.

[aussielozzie18]

For the ladies - the hairdryer supplied.

[aussielozzie18]

More bar stuff on the desk.

[aussielozzie18]

Cabin has a safe

[aussielozzie18]

Free room service menu

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[aussielozzie18]

23 hours ago, NSWP said:

Too healthy, where is the full English !!!  Looks nice anyway.

Plenty of hot options to fill your plate NSWP.  I can't eat a full brekky as well as a 3 course dinner in MDR but that's just me...

[aussielozzie18]

23 hours ago, NSWP said:

Too healthy, where is the full English !!!  Looks nice anyway.

Plenty of hot options to fill your plate NSWP.  I can't eat a full brekky as well as a 3 course dinner in MDR but that's just me...

[aussielozzie18]

Don't worry, I won't post photos of the towel animal for all 15 nights.  Think I stopped taking photos on Day 5.

[Busy Mum]

Absolutely loving your review! I have often wondered if we would enjoy HAL, I’m really liking what I’m seeing and your comments.  PNG also looks wonderful, looks like I might need to do so further ‘researching’ into HAL.  Thank you again for your review.  Vicki. 🙂 

[aussielozzie18]

Back to the ports.  Our 2nd port in PNG was beautiful Kiriwina Island.  This was a tender port and we didn't need to queue for a tender number which was nice.  Just head down to the tender deck when you were ready.

[aussielozzie18]

1 minute ago, Busy Mum said:

Absolutely loving your review! I have often wondered if we would enjoy HAL, I’m really liking what I’m seeing and your comments.  PNG also looks wonderful, looks like I might need to do so further ‘researching’ into HAL.  Thank you again for your review.  Vicki. 🙂 

Thank you Vicki. I have friends and family members who like me hadn't considered HAL as an option who are now open to the idea.  If you have an opportunity to cruise to PNG I certainly recommend it.

[aussielozzie18]

After 4 cruises, I have made the decision that if I am going to book a cruise it must come with a balcony.  I do it mainly for the port sail ins and departures and with views like this I think it's worth it.

[aussielozzie18]

And this.

[aussielozzie18]

Kiriwina is new to tourism.  There are no ship tours and no local tours.  People find this a little surprising and maybe a little daunting but once you visit you understand why this is the case.

 

As a female solo, I was a little unsure how I would go but fortunately the lovely couple who I mentioned previously invited me to spend the day with them and that was much appreciated.

[aussielozzie18]

On arrival at the island beach, we were greeted by all the locals lined up along the beach and further along a sandy pathway leading into various villages, selling their wares of lots and lots and lots of wooden carvings as well as either items.  Whole families were seated on either side of the long pathway and greeted us with a shy hello in the hope we would buy one of their items.

 

It was very hot and humid.  We walked along the path slowly and eventually came to the first village of several simple abodes where one of the female locals was slicing fruit resting on her legs with a very large machete and another female was feeding her pigs.  We got chatting to one of the male family members and told us that the pigs are only cooked (sorry vegans) on very special occasions (festivities).  After we had been chatting to him for a while he made the first of many many requests on the island to exchange AUD to Kina.

[cheznandy]

Love all the glass ware in the cabin, and the hairdryer!!

We did PNG on the Dawn Princess a couple of years ago and it was one of our more memorable cruises, loved it.

We sailed into Milne Bay on ANZAC morning, will never foget it.

Just put a Poppy on the wall at the War Memorial Canberra today for a cousin that died on the Senanda track and is buried at Port Moresby, so your lovely photos of Alotau have bought back memories today. Thankyou.

The islands of Kirriwina, Kitava and Doini are beautiful.

[aussielozzie18]

The local currency is KINA.  If you are reading this and are considering maybe visiting PNG at some time, can I please please ask that you purchase KINA prior to your cruise or if you can on board the cruise ship.  The reason being that AUD is completely useless to the villagers on these remote PNG islands.  

 

What ends up happening is that cruisers find themselves constantly being approached with very polite and legitimate requests by the islanders on this island and the next one (Kitava) to exchange the AUD that they have received back into Kina.  This is not a scam.  This is a genuine exchange request.

[aussielozzie18]

8 minutes ago, cheznandy said:

Love all the glass ware in the cabin, and the hairdryer!!

We did PNG on the Dawn Princess a couple of years ago and it was one of our more memorable cruises, loved it.

We sailed into Milne Bay on ANZAC morning, will never foget it.

Just put a Poppy on the wall at the War Memorial Canberra today for a cousin that died on the Senanda track and is buried at Port Moresby, so your lovely photos of Alotau have bought back memories today. Thankyou.

The islands of Kirriwina, Kitava and Doini are beautiful.

Sailing into Milne Bay on Anzac morning would be truly memorable.  Having a family member buried in PNG would make it even more so.  The poppy wall in Canberra is special.  I am glad you are enjoying the photos.  Thank you. 

 

Yes, I was impressed with the glassware.  Didn't need to bring my party champagne glass for a celebratory toast on my verandah immediately after boarding after all.

Edited December 28, 2018 by aussielozzie18
extra info.

[aussielozzie18]

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[aussielozzie18]

As we walked along the rustic path to the various villages, we were passed by the local ladies carrying goods on there heads and men carrying goods on their shoulders.

[aussielozzie18]