Carnival Spirit was the first of the line's ships to offer four new shore excursions
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Carnival Australia has launched its new shore excursion programme on Mystery Island in Vanuatu in the South Pacific.
Although cruise ships have called at Mystery Island for the past 30 years, tours have only just been introduced in the remote region due to the absence of satellite communication, fuel supply, suitable management structures and insurance coverage, as well as the challenges associated with transporting a boat to the island. Carnival Australia has been working with the local community to establish a tour programme for the past five years.
“It has been a long road developing these excursions and providing the necessary resources to the community to manage them but we’re very excited about what the tours mean for the people of Aneityum and their beautiful cruise port Mystery Island,” said Michael Mihajlov, destinations director at Carnival Australia. “We are passionate about working with the island communities we visit to create a sustainable tourism success story so that cruise ship visits deliver a positive experience for all.”
Several of Carnival Australia’s brands will offer Mystery Islands tours including Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises and Holland America Line.
Each line will offer four shore excursion options including a glass-bottom boat tour, a guided snorkel safari on the reef, a glass-bottom kayak excursion and stand-up paddleboarding experience in the bay between the uninhabited Mystery Island and nearby Aneityum where the local community lives.
Two additional tours of Aneityum’s Anelghowhat village will soon be available with highlights including a visit to a fish bone hut and the ruins of the Presbyterian church (once the largest in the South Pacific) where missionary John Geddie helped bring an end to cannibalism.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Spirit was the first to call at the island on 13 February.
“While we know our guests love simply going onshore and taking a stroll through the markets, posing for photos in the infamous cannibal pot or just enjoying the beach, these tours add a new dimension to the destination,” said Jennifer Vandekreeke, president of Australia and New Zealand at Carnival Cruise Line. “Mystery Island is the perfect spot for a paddleboard, snorkel and glass bottom exploring and these experiences will be a real highlight for our guests.”