MV 'Clipper Odyssey': Voyage to Melanesia
 Villagers celebrating on Ambrym |
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19 days / 18 nights
| Location | Nights |
| Fiji | 2 |
| MV 'Clipper Odyssey' | 14 |
| Papua New Guinea / Cairns | 1 |
| In-flight | 1 |
Day 01 Depart USA/Nadi, Fiji
Cross the International Dateline en route to Nadi, Fiji.
In-flight
Day 02 Nadi
Your room is ready as soon as you arrive. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Sofitel Fiji
Day 03 Nadi, Fiji/Embark 'Clipper Odyssey'
Tour Nadi this morning. After lunch, board 'Clipper Odyssey' for your first evening at sea.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 04 Yasawa Group, Fiji
Visit the village of Yaqeta and receive a traditional Fijian Bula welcome and a bowl of kava. Join your naturalists for a birding expedition, snorkel or dive off the island's serene white beaches.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 05 At Sea
Join the expedition staff for a stimulating lecture, relax in the library with a good book, or enjoy the fresh air from the deck as you watch for marine life and seabirds.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 06 Ambrym Island, Vanuatu
Ambrym Island has a majestic pair of active volcanoes, but it is also known for large slit-drums. You may witness the famous Rom dance and village welcoming dances.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 07 Luganville, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu
Explore Million Dollar Point, a memorial to the American 103rd Battalion and the site of the 1942 sinking of the USS 'President Coolidge'. Keen divers may descend to the fascinating remains of this ship, the world's largest accessible wreck.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 08 At Sea
Lecture presentations continue today, with a focus on the Solomon Islands and their pivotal role during the World War II South Pacific campaign.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 09 Santa Ana, Solomon Islands
This most traditional of Melanesian outer islands is known for pearl shell inlaid woodcarvings. Hikers walk with a naturalist to view a traditional 'spirit house' and to see the wide range of resident bird species.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 10 Florida Island Group, Solomon Islands
Go ashore in the morning to meet the villagers in Tulagi. Visit Blue Beach, the first landing site of the U.S. Marines in August 1942, to see an Allied seaplane base, a partially sunken Japanese destroyer and a U.S. war memorial. Snorkel in calm waters, where colorful corals proliferate on World War II relics. This evening, cross Iron Bottom Sound, aptly named for the numerous World War II ships that sank there. Cast a wreath in honor of those who died there.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 11 Rendova/Munda/Lubaria and Plum Pudding Island, Solomon Islands
Follow in the wake of John F. Kennedy's PT-109 as 'Clipper Odyssey' cruises the waters of Munda, Gizo and Lubaria Islands. If conditions permit, stop at Plum Pudding Island, where the future president and his crew swam to safety after PT-109 sank in 1943.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 12 Blackett Straits/Gizo/Vella Lavella
Likely stops today include the islands of Gizo and Vella Lavella. Because the jungles and palm groves were spared extensive damage, Japanese soldiers remained hidden until their ultimate surrender as late as 1965. Snorkel and dive enthusiasts can see some of the most intact and accessible World War II wrecks in these waters.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 13 Bougainville/Puruata Island/Buka
Cruise along the coast of Bougainville Island, passing Empress Augusta Bay and Puruata Island. This afternoon, continue through narrow Buka Strait for visits to the Kamishima Shrine at Kubu and the Japanese bomb shelters and bunkers at Hahela. Birders may spot Pacific black duck, glossy ibis and lorikeet.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 14 Rabaul, East New Britain, Papau New Guinea
Spend the day in Rabaul exploring the Japanese caves, General Yamamoto's bunker, the botanical garden and the seismological station, or wander through the local markets. This evening, witness mask-clad Bainings tribe dancers in the traditional 'Fire Dance' – a spectacle rarely seen by visitors.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 15 At Sea
Relax on board today and then join your expedition team as they continue their informative lecture series.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 16 Kairiru Island, Papau New Guinea
Pass Manam Island, and this afternoon visit Kairiru Island to see the Catholic Mission that served as base of operations for Japanese forces. Largely destroyed by Allied bombings, it has since been rebuilt and continues as an active mission today. This evening, enjoy a lavish farewell reception and dinner on board.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
Day 17 Wewak, Papua New Guinea/Cairns, Australia
Disembark in Wewak and board a charter flight to Cairns, Australia. Your evening is at leisure. (B)
Shangri-La Hotel
Day 18 Cairns/ Depart
Board your homebound flight. (B)
Note: Due to the nature of adventure cruising, your itinerary is subject to change based on weather, sea, wildlife and local conditions and is at the discretion of the captain and expedition leader.
MV 'Clipper Odyssey'
The Clipper Odyssey has a reputation as one of the most comfortable and luxurious small ships in the world with 64 spacious staterooms, all outward facing, private well appointed bathrooms and a convivial, intimate atmosphere onboard. A passenger elevator services all decks and the ship promotes an open bridge policy. By day, travellers enjoy fascinating shore excursions, many by Zodiac, with distinguished onboard experts and by night award-winning cuisine and creature comforts. A&K's hand-picked lecturer/guides include avian ecologists, marine biologists, oceanographers and historians each skilled at illuminating the many treasures found en route. Also on the ship is a cosy well-stocked library, heated outdoor pool, small gym and on-board masseuse.
