Fly Stay Cruise - 30 Day Frontier: Papua New Guinea, Solomon, Tonga & Bay of Islands

Welcome to your South Pacific adventure. Today, fly from your home city of Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth on your included domestic flight to Sydney. On arrival at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, make your way to the Mercure Sydney on George Street, your pre-cruise hotel in the city centre and within easy reach of the Overseas Passenger Terminal where tomorrow's cruise departs. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore Sydney. You may wish to wander along Darling Harbour with its restaurants and waterfront promenade, take in views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge from Circular Quay, or enjoy a stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens. Tonight, find a local restaurant for dinner before resting ahead of tomorrow's embarkation. Special Information:Airport transfers in Sydney are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your Sydney airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.

After breakfast at the hotel, the morning is at leisure in Sydney before making your way to the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay for cruise check-in. Once on board Westerdam, settle into your stateroom and explore the ship. Take in the Crow's Nest panoramic lounge, the World Stage theatre, the Lido Market and the open-deck pools as you prepare for sail-away. Few cities offer a more spectacular departure than Sydney, with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge framing the view as Westerdam heads out through Sydney Heads into the Pacific. Tonight, enjoy your welcome dinner on board and meet your fellow travellers. An optional upgrade to Holland America's Have It All package is available for those who would like to add drinks, Wi-Fi, specialty dining and shore excursion credits. Special Information:Check-in at the Overseas Passenger Terminal commences at 1pm. Transfer from the Mercure Sydney to the cruise terminal is not included; the OPT is approximately 2.5km / 5-10 minutes by taxi from the hotel. All guests must be on board at least 2 hours prior to the ship's scheduled departure.

A relaxed day at sea as Westerdam cruises north along the Queensland coast. Take advantage of the ship's facilities including pools, the Greenhouse Spa, fitness centre, library and onboard entertainment, or simply find a quiet spot on deck and watch the Pacific roll by. The Explorations Central enrichment area on board offers talks and presentations about the South Pacific.

This morning Westerdam arrives at Moreton Island, a 38km sand island just off the Queensland coast and one of the largest sand islands in the world. Moreton is home to the famous Tangalooma shipwrecks, turtle and dolphin habitats, and pristine beaches. Tender into shore for a half-day of beach time, snorkelling among the wrecks, or sandboarding the island's massive dunes.Special Information:Tender required to access this port. Wheelchair access is limited at this port.

A day at sea as Westerdam continues north along the Great Barrier Reef coast.

Arrive in Townsville, a tropical northern Queensland city and gateway to Magnetic Island. Explore The Strand waterfront promenade, climb Castle Hill for panoramic views over the city, or take an optional excursion to Magnetic Island's wallaby and koala habitats, or the Reef HQ Aquarium.

Arrive in Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. With Westerdam overnighting in port, you have two full days to explore one of Australia's most spectacular regions. Take a full-day reef trip out to the Outer Barrier Reef for snorkelling or diving, ride the Kuranda Scenic Railway through the rainforest, glide above the canopy on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, or venture into the Daintree, the world's oldest tropical rainforest. Special Information:Westerdam arrives and overnights in port. Times subject to tidal conditions.

A second full day in Cairns to continue exploring. Options today include the Kuranda Scenic Railway combined with the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, a visit to the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon and tropical gardens, or a hot air balloon flight over the Atherton Tablelands. Westerdam departs in the evening bound for Papua New Guinea.

A day at sea as Westerdam crosses the Coral Sea toward Papua New Guinea.

Arrive in Alotau, the capital of Milne Bay Province and one of the most beautiful corners of Papua New Guinea. Alotau was the site of the WWII Battle of Milne Bay in 1942, the first decisive land defeat of Japanese forces in the Pacific War. Today the area is known for its local culture, traditional canoe building and stunning bays. Optional excursions include the Battle of Milne Bay memorial sites, traditional village visits and the colourful local market. Special Information:Tender required to access this port. Wheelchair access is limited.

A rare chance to visit the Trobriand Islands at Kiriwina, an archipelago famously documented by anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski in his classic study of Pacific culture. The Trobriand Islanders are renowned for their matrilineal society, intricate wood carving and the annual yam harvest festival. Spend the day meeting the local community, watching traditional dance, browsing the wood carvers' market and exploring this remote Pacific island far from the typical cruise circuit.Special Information:Tender required to access the island. Wheelchair access is limited.

Arrive in Rabaul on the island of New Britain, one of the most dramatic ports in the Pacific. Rabaul sits in the shadow of Mount Tavurvur, the active volcano that devastated the town in a major eruption in 1994. Visit the volcano observatory, walk through the ash-covered ruins of old Rabaul, explore the extensive WWII Japanese tunnel network that once housed Admiral Yamamoto's command bunker, and pay your respects at the Bitapaka War Cemetery.

A day at sea as Westerdam cruises south across the Solomon Sea toward Honiara.

Arrive in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands and one of the most significant WWII sites in the Pacific. The island of Guadalcanal was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting of the Pacific War between Allied and Japanese forces from August 1942 to February 1943. Visit the US Marine Memorial, Bloody Ridge, the Vilu War Museum with its open-air collection of WWII aircraft and equipment, and the National Museum of the Solomon Islands.

A day at sea as Westerdam cruises south through the Coral Sea toward Vanuatu.

Arrive at Luganville on Espiritu Santo, the largest island in the Vanuatu archipelago and another major WWII Pacific base. Today Luganville is famous for Million Dollar Point, where the US military dumped millions of dollars of military equipment into the sea at the end of WWII rather than ship it home - now one of the world's most unusual dive and snorkel sites. Visit the famous Champagne Beach, regularly voted one of the most beautiful beaches in the South Pacific, or explore the wreck of the SS President Coolidge, a luxury liner turned troop ship that struck a mine in 1942.

Arrive in Port Vila, Vanuatu's capital and the heart of Pacific island life. Explore the colourful local markets where Ni-Vanuatu women sell tropical fruit and woven crafts, swim at the Mele Cascades waterfall, kayak through the Blue Lagoon, or visit a traditional Ni-Vanuatu village to see kava preparation and traditional dance. The town offers a relaxed Pacific pace and stunning waterfront views.

Arrive at Mystery Island, an uninhabited tropical paradise that is opened up for cruise ship visitors by the neighbouring community of Aneityum. Spend the day snorkelling in crystal-clear waters over coral gardens, relaxing on white sand beaches, or browsing the local stalls that the Aneityum islanders set up for the ship's visit. A genuine castaway island day in one of the South Pacific's most photogenic locations. Special Information:Tender required to access the island. Wheelchair access is limited.

A day at sea as Westerdam cruises east toward Fiji.

Arrive in Lautoka on the western side of Viti Levu, Fiji's main island, with Westerdam overnighting in port to give you two full days to explore. Lautoka is known as Fiji's "sugar city" for its sugarcane industry and is the gateway to the famous Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands. Take a day cruise to the outer islands for snorkelling and beach time, visit the Garden of the Sleeping Giant orchid sanctuary at the foot of the Sabeto mountains, or soak in the Sabeto mud pools and natural hot springs.

A second full day in Lautoka to continue exploring. Take in the local markets, enjoy a final beach day on Fiji's Coral Coast, or relax on board Westerdam before the evening departure for Suva.

Arrive in Suva, Fiji's capital city on the wetter eastern side of Viti Levu. Explore the colourful Suva Municipal Market with its tropical fruit, kava and spices, visit the Fiji Museum in Thurston Gardens for the country's pre-colonial and colonial history, wander the colonial-era city centre with its mix of Indian, Fijian and colonial British architecture, or head out of town to the Colo-i-Suva Forest Park for rainforest walks and natural swimming holes.

A day at sea as Westerdam cruises south toward the Kingdom of Tonga.

Arrive in Nuku'alofa, the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga and the last remaining Polynesian kingdom. Visit the Royal Palace on the waterfront, the ancient Ha'amonga 'a Maui stone trilithon known as Tonga's Stonehenge, the dramatic blowholes at Houma where the surf shoots through coastal lava tubes, and Tonga's beautiful Methodist and Catholic churches that fill with song each Sunday.

A day at sea as Westerdam cruises south-west across the Pacific toward New Zealand.

A second day at sea, with a chance to enjoy the last full sea day of the cruise. Catch up on shipboard activities, attend a final Explorations Central talk on New Zealand, or simply relax on deck.

Arrive in the Bay of Islands, one of the most beautiful and historically significant corners of New Zealand. Tender into Waitangi, the site where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 between Maori chiefs and the British Crown, founding modern New Zealand. Visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds with its meeting house, Maori cultural performances and museum, or explore the historic town of Russell across the bay, one of New Zealand's earliest European settlements. The Bay of Islands is also known for its 144 subtropical islands, sheltered waters and dolphin populations.Special Information:Tender required to access this port. Wheelchair access is limited. A New Zealand eTA (NZeTA) and International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) are required for Australian passport holders entering New Zealand.

After breakfast on board, Westerdam arrives into Auckland, the City of Sails, and your 26 night South Pacific cruise comes to a close. Disembark at Princes Wharf in central Auckland and make your way to your post-cruise hotel in the city centre, where you check in for the first of two nights. The rest of the day is at leisure to begin exploring Auckland. Stroll the Viaduct Harbour with its waterfront restaurants and superyachts, ride the lift to the top of the Sky Tower for panoramic views over the harbour and the city, or wander Queen Street and the Britomart precinct for shopping and cafes. Tonight, enjoy your first dinner ashore in New Zealand. Special Information:A New Zealand eTA (NZeTA) and International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) are required for Australian passport holders entering New Zealand. Transfer from Princes Wharf cruise terminal to your post-cruise hotel is not included; most central Auckland hotels are within walking distance of the cruise terminal or a short taxi ride away.

After breakfast, your day is at leisure to explore Auckland at your own pace. Auckland sits on a narrow isthmus between two harbours and is built on a field of around 50 dormant volcanoes. Climb Mount Eden for sweeping views over the city and harbour, take the ferry across to Devonport on the North Shore for a village atmosphere and Victorian architecture, visit the Auckland War Memorial Museum at the Domain for Maori and Pacific Island collections, or browse the boutiques and waterfront restaurants of the Viaduct Harbour and Wynyard Quarter. For those seeking a day trip, optional excursions to Waiheke Island offer vineyards and beaches a 40 minute ferry ride away, while a visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set in nearby Matamata is a popular full-day tour for Lord of the Rings fans.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and make your way to Auckland Airport for your included return flight home to Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth. Thank you for travelling with Inspiring Vacations. We hope you return with memories of WWII history in Papua New Guinea and the Solomons, traditional cultures in the Trobriands, Vanuatu's volcanic beaches, Fiji's overnight stays, the Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga and the historic landscapes of New Zealand's Bay of Islands and Auckland.Special Information:Transfer from your Auckland hotel to Auckland Airport is not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book Auckland airport transfers for an easier departure experience (additional charges apply).