On my way to Tahiti
That familiar, humid air wrapped my body the instant I stepped off the plane. In a strange way, that I can’t quite explain, the heavy warmth was reassuring, reminding me that I was back in the South Pacific. But not the islands I know so well and love so much, this place was somewhere new – and I couldn’t wait to unveil French Polynesia’s secrets.
This year has been my most travelled yet, and having done numerous long-haul flights, the two short flights from Sydney-Auckland and Auckland-Papeete were quite pleasant. The thought sprang in my head, “Why haven’t I travelled to Tahiti before?” (This thought would become an earworm throughout the day).
It was well after 9pm when I arrived at the Hilton Tahiti, my bed for the night. Ready to wash away the day, I didn’t get much of a chance to look around, but the next morning, I was kicking myself I hadn’t had the foresight to have booked an extra night to enjoy the stunning property.
That’s the Spirit
But, let me back track. A few months ago, I received an invitation from Norwegian Cruise Line to cruise aboard the Spirit from Tahiti to Fiji. The ship had recently undergone a $150M (and a bit more) refurb ahead of her Australian/NZ season.
The full itinerary is a 14-day cruise from Tahiti to Sydney. The Spirit will arrive in Sydney on 21 December. And, after cruising on Norwegian’s newest ship Prima recently, I was so keen to try another ship in their fleet. Seriously, how could anyone refuse such an offer?
So here I am, waiting for the transfer to take me the short drive to the spend the next 8 days aboard Norwegian Spirit. I really don’t know what to expect, but the discovery of a ship I’ve yet to cruise on is always super exciting.
So here I am, waiting for the transfer to take me the short drive to the spend the next 8 days aboard Norwegian Spirit. I really don’t know what to expect, but the discovery of a ship I’ve yet to cruise on is always super exciting.
And let’s not forget about the ports – it reads like the ultimate South Pacific fantasy. Embarking in Papeete, then port stops in Moorea, Bora Bora, Apia (Samoa) and ending in Lautoka, Fiji. I’m super excited about crossing the International Date Line, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and I’ll get to cross it off my list. Others include the Suez Canal, Panama Canal and Drake’s Passage – but I’ll get to those one day.
More later, it’s TIME TO BOARD!
A Few Facts about Norwegian Spirit
• Built: 1998• Refurbished: 2020
• Gross Tonnage: 75, 904
• Guests (Double Occupancy): 2, 018
• Overall Length: 880ft
• Max Beam: 121ft
• Crew: 912
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