Booked Excursions

Some of the other folks that will be taking the cruise have been busy with scouring the internet for potential private tours. While HAL does usually have some decent tours, the prices tend to be somewhat higher than what we can book ourselves directly.

Thanks to the wonderful folks on Cruisecritic.com, a wealth of information can be found on almost any port in the world. Based on information there and what others have found out on their own, we have commented to the following private tours;

Bora-Bora: We are booked with Maohi Nui with Patrick Tairua. It includes snorkeling of course where we should see sting rays, sharks, turtles, and other sea creatures, and a Polynesian lunch on a private island. An all day affair that should be wonderful!

Cairns: We are going snorkeling once again to the Great Barrier Reef. What more can one say!

Port Chalmers (Dunedin): An all day tour that encompasses a tour of the city, a stop at Larnach Castle, lunch, tour of the Otago Peninsula, bird watching, Otakou Marae, the Albatross Center, and the Yellow-eyed Penguin Reserve.

Tauranga and Bay of Islands: all day tours are in the works and should be fantastic.

With so many wonderful ports in both Australia and New Zealand, trying to budget our money and yet still see as much as possible in our short visit is difficult. But we will keep looking and do the best that we can.

Hmmmm, if we took over 8000 pictures on a 50 day cruise, I wonder if we can break 10,000 on this 63 day cruise . . . .

Cheers!