Arts Village in Suva

[sue2539]

Hi

 

Can anyone tell me how they went about doing an independent tour to the Arts Village when visiting Suva?

I am thinking of going there in June and wondering if it is worth doing on your own, or should I pay to go with the ship.

A lot of people have been telling me "if you're not doing a tour in Suva don't get off the ship". What are your thoughts?

 

Thanks

 

Sue

[Ela 2]

Hi

 

Can anyone tell me how they went about doing an independent tour to the Arts Village when visiting Suva?

I am thinking of going there in June and wondering if it is worth doing on your own, or should I pay to go with the ship.

A lot of people have been telling me "if you're not doing a tour in Suva don't get off the ship". What are your thoughts?

 

Thanks

 

Sue

Hi Sue,

There is not much else to do in Suva, and the Arts Village is great. We took our family to there last year and they all loved it. I had organised it independently including transport by mini bus. The full package of shows at the Arts Village takes about 5 hours, whereas the ship's tour only does one part (firewalking/dancing) and it is very expensive. The full day tour (called Face to Face) is well worthwhile. After we organised our group, several other CCers have gone independently and everyone says it is the highlight of their cruise. Thunderchaser is one CCer who comes to mind.

 

Several in our CC group on the Pacific Dawn cruise to Samoa next week are going to the Arts Village. I didn't organise that one, but if you want to access our roll call and ask for contact details they will give them to you, plus give you prices. The contact has changed since I organised our visit. Don't try to read through our roll call, it will take you all day!!!:):)

 

Evon.

[silvertopo6]

Hi

 

Can anyone tell me how they went about doing an independent tour to the Arts Village when visiting Suva?

I am thinking of going there in June and wondering if it is worth doing on your own, or should I pay to go with the ship.

A lot of people have been telling me "if you're not doing a tour in Suva don't get off the ship". What are your thoughts?

 

Thanks

 

Sue

Hi Sue

We set sail on Friday

We have booked an independent tour of the Arts village and there are ten of us.

Prices are as follows

Bus from wharf to arts village and return $16.00 FJD per person

Arts Village tour $85.00 FJD per person

In all this works out at about $85.00 AUD per person

Contact details are:

Alamanda Taxis & Tours

Contact name Susil Dutt

email alamndatours@connect.com.fj

 

Arts village

Contact Name Nina

Email bookings@tsulu.com

From memory P&O price was $119.00 for their tour

If you have some spare time look up Ela2s postings they are very informative

Regards Rob

[sue2539]

Thanks so much Evon and Rob. I think it will work out great!

 

Hope you have a fantastic time on the Pacific Dawn Rob.. When is your next one Evon?

 

Thanks again

 

Sue

[Ela 2]

Thanks so much Evon and Rob. I think it will work out great! Hope you have a fantastic time on the Pacific Dawn Rob.. When is your next one Evon?

 

Thanks again

 

Sue

Hi Sue,

I have to confess we are off again on Friday. Pacific Dawn to Samoa. Hard life, but someone has to do it!!:D:D

 

Evon.

[Annatoo]

Hi Sue,

I have to confess we are off again on Friday. Pacific Dawn to Samoa. Hard life, but someone has to do it!!

Evon.

 

Evon....you are definitely addicted ;)

 

I was about to email you to clarify a few points re Pearls of Tahiti tours....I'm away all April until 12th May (NO - not cruising, flying visits to family in Vic and NZ) :p I'll contact you later in May.

Big job researching 14 Ports. Think we'll hire cars wherever confident to drive and perhaps see what is on offer dockside in other ports. So much easier ... especially when very little feedback from Roll Call. We still have 6 months for them to get enthusiastic :rolleyes:

I spent hours locating a contact for Arts Village SUVA now that Ronald Singh has left. Very prompt once I got the correct address :)

I look forward to your Review after Samoa .

Wishing you smooth seas and fun filled days :D

B E V

[Ela 2]

Thank you Bev. Your cruise is approaching and I know how you feel about researching what to do in each port. I was glad that Frank (Dickey Beach) researched some of the ports and that I didn't have to do them all.

 

We are back on 6th April, and hopefully work will get under way in earnest on our house repairs. When we booked this Samoan cruise we thought repairs would be complete, but we also didn't realise how much had to be done! No-one did. We are also using it as an opportunity to update. Peter doesn't quite see the need to do this. :D:D

 

Thank you for your good wishes.

 

Evon.

[Hot Chilli]

I have to say Suva was the most terrible place I have ever been to (this was back in 2003 on Pacific Sky).

 

I can't remember the name of the tour we did but it was some Cultural thing around a traditional village. We did the Kava ceremony, visited the childrens school, the church & local waterfall.

 

Anyway (not to put you off or anything) the bus trip to the tour was just SCARY! At one point we crossed a rickety one lane bridge with no side walls, planks of wood missing and half of the bus tyres were OVER the edge of the bridge :eek: I was very happy to make it back to the ship in one piece!

 

However, if I went to Suva again I would still do a tour as Suva itself isn't really worth getting of the ship for. Hot, dirty & cranky people. Nothing much to see, do, shop for or eat. It was an experience but not one I wish to repeat if at all possible.

[licra]

Thanks for the info on the arts village silvertop06 i too am heading to fiji later this year, can you tell me are you doing the full day tour or just parts. I have looked at the website and am unsure whether to do the whole day:confused: (although it sounds great) i'd hate to get back late and miss the ship. I am just nervous about doing the tour on our own and not with the P & O, i'm hoping to save some money as i need to book for 4A + 3C and this could work out quite pricey with p & o.

 

Lisa

[Ela 2]

Thanks for the info on the arts village silvertop06 i too am heading to fiji later this year, can you tell me are you doing the full day tour or just parts. I have looked at the website and am unsure whether to do the whole day:confused: (although it sounds great) i'd hate to get back late and miss the ship. I am just nervous about doing the tour on our own and not with the P & O, i'm hoping to save some money as i need to book for 4A + 3C and this could work out quite pricey with p & o.

 

Lisa

I hope you don't mind me answering this question. We went independently and saw the whole day tours (called Face to Face). Our family said they preferred the 'other' bits of the show more than the firewalking/dancing part that the P & O tour goes to.

 

At the village, we emphasised to Joseph (the tour guide in the village) and also the manager that we wanted to leave the village as early as we could. We told them we wanted to leave at 3pm, but it was closer to 3.30pm by the time we got away. It is close to an hour's drive back to Suva. We had to be back on board the ship by 5.30pm so we had a short time to look around town. The shops are only ten minutes' walk from the ship.

 

I think you would be quite safe doing the tour independently, but tell them that you must leave by 3pm to get back to the ship. When you get back to Suva ask the bus driver to drop you at either Jacks or Tappoo (shops in town). Both of these run free shuttle buses back to the ship.:)

 

Cheers,

Evon.

[licra]

Thanks Evon

 

Any information is welcome, doesn't matter where it comes from thanks very much my mind is a bit more at ease. Should i book early or wait until say 1 month out. Also do we get a bus or is it a taxi that we order.

 

Lisa

[wombat50]

hi all, those of you who have booked independent tours of the arts village did the bus and tour come as a package deal or did you have to book them both independently and if so who did you book the bus through and does anyone have any idea what it would cost for a taxi each way

 

ross

[Annatoo]

Thanks Evon

Any information is welcome, doesn't matter where it comes from thanks very much my mind is a bit more at ease. Should i book early or wait until say 1 month out. Also do we get a bus or is it a taxi that we order.

Lisa

 

Lisa.....for peace of mind do it all through Arts Village. Taxis would be expensive but you need 10-12 for the transport. Contact bookings@tsulu.com

 

and they will give you all the information. I'm in touch with ADA at this address. Very prompt and helpful.

B E V

[Ela 2]

We booked the Arts Village and they organised the transport with Alamanda Tours. They were waiting with other mini buses and taxis on the wharf in Suva, and were then waiting for us when we finished at the Village. :):)

 

Evon.

[wombat50]

here is a appox cost of transport that i received from Ada at the artsvillage today.

''The price quoted is for the tour only, however, depending on the number of people in your group, we can organise transport at additional cost.

 

A Taxi seats four people would cost around $ 50.00 each way, also can arrange Mini Van seating 5 – 10 persons cost around $ 100 to $ 120 each way. We are located 50 kilometres from the wharf which is approximately 45 minutes drive.''

ross

[cruisekids009]

i had been wondering this exact question myself, thanks for all the contact details, i emailed them this morning and got a response within minutes, thats fantastic service!!

[Bucky3]

Just want to pop in here to thank you all for the good information we find on this board. We'll be doing the South Pacific and New Zealand next fall from California. All these ports will be new to us and there are lots of them, so we're having fun researching and really appreciate the help we're finding here!