When P&O announced their new Papua New Guinea itineraries
beginning in October 2013, Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia,
billed it as “a first for the company”.
But Ms Sherry was being modest.
P&O pioneered cruises to Papua New Guinea in the 1930s with the
classic mail steamer SS Strathaird as part of their flourishing pre-war
Pacific activities which included Norfolk Island, Noumea and then
New Hebrides (now Vanuatu).
The SS Strathaird, which sailed for P&O from 1932-61, was of
remarkably similar appearance to my first cruise ship, the venerable
SS Himalaya, and was one of five ‘Strath’ class steamers that served
as both jolly tourist ships and sombre troop transports.
This writer’s uncle made a one way trip to North Africa aboard
Stratheden with his Australian 2/48 Battalion comrades in November
1940.
Pacific cruising was all the rage in the post-depression years with
cheery reports like this appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“More than eleven hundred happy, contented souls disembarked
reluctantly from the giant liner as she lay at Circular Quay, and from
their remarks it was apparent that this newly introduced mode of
spending a short holiday at sea had captured the Australian
imagination and come to stay.” – SMH 30 Dec 1932.
While cruises resumed to other Pacific ports soon after WWII, PNG
was much slower to recover and it wasn’t until 2005, when Cairnsbased
Coral Princess Cruises took their then brand new Oceanic
Princess into these neglected waters.
This was certainly the first commercial cruise by an Australian
vessel since the glory days of Strathaird and Oronsay and was quickly
followed up by rival operators Orion Expeditions and North Star
Cruises, cementing the destination firmly on the adventure cruise
calendar.
P&O’s new itinerary includes visits to Alotau, Doini Island and
Trobriand Islands by the comparatively massive, 70,000 ton Pacific
Dawn which can carry
more than 2000
passengers.
This area of Milne Bay
has substantial historic
significance to
Australians as the first land victory against the Japanese in August 1942.
The remains of the rusting Japanese barges can still be seen today
near the port of Alotau.
Also on the itinerary is the nearby resort island Doini, where the
mandatory aquatic frolics are planned, but the jewel in the crown
would have to be the planned stop in the fabled Trobriand Islands for
the sacred Canoe and Kundu Festival.
Called ‘the islands of love’ for the particularly striking men and
women of Kiriwina and surrounding islands, the Milne Bay folks
know how to throw a festival.
Guests can expect to see extravagant and elaborate costumes and
dancing which will reinforce the legends and fables of these
mysterious little islands.
The inaugural sailing, PNG Paradise (Cruise code W343), departs
Brisbane on 31 October 2013 for nine nights stopping at Townsville,
Alotau, Kiriwina Island, Kawanasausau Strait and Milne Bay
(cruising) and Doini Island.
I’m predicting a sell-out for this departure and a strong demand for
future bookings as PNG regains its place on the big ship cruise map.
