ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – For my first lunch aboard Sirena, I was escorted to a window seat overlooking the panoramic Pacific. When I told maître d’ Susan Lingao that I thought I had the best seat in the Grand Dining Room, something surprising happened. Every time I entered the dining room after that, I was lead to that same special table. Even when the dining room was full and window seats were at a premium, I …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – A friend asked me what there is to do on the Sirena cruise ship. A lot. Or nothing. The choice is up to each cruiser. The four-page Oceania Currents that is placed on our beds each night at turndown is filled with activity listings and information. The daily newsletter announces where we will be the next day, the weather forecast, when the sun will rise and set, and what time the ship …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – My cruise had just started when I returned to my stateroom and saw an evaluation form about my journey. Now, I am accustomed to getting evaluation forms at the end of a cruise but not at the beginning. It does make sense though. If my cruise is over and there is something I could suggest that would have made it more enjoyable for me, it wouldn’t help much to make note of …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – Today, shall I go scuba diving, swim with a stingray, watch for dolphins, take a catamaran sail, ride in a glass bottom boat, do an off-road safari or hike the Three Coconuts Trail? Of course, I could just relax on a balmy Tahitian beach or stay aboard the beautiful Oceania Sirena. Every day is an adventure on this cruise. When I boarded, I was given a seven-page brochure with about 50 shore …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – Now I know why there was a mutiny on the Bounty. After sailors saw Tahiti, they didn’t want to leave. Can’t say that I blame them. Shaped like a turtle, the island of Tahiti is the largest of the 118 islands that make up the archipelago of French Polynesia. Created millions of years ago by volcanic eruptions, Tahiti really is two islands – Tahiti Nui (the larger part) and Tahiti Iti (the …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – If Goldilocks were to board the Oceania Sirena, I think she would find the ship is not too big. It is not too small. It is just right. Even though our cruise is booked close to capacity, it does not feel crowded on the ship. Debuting in April 2016, Sirena can carry a maximum of 684 passengers. Our cruise has 613 passengers and 400 crewmembers, executive concierge Matteo Ribecco told me. Of …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – “Sometimes you have to go through hell to get to heaven,” Giuseppe Bagnato said. He certainly had that right. General manager of the Oceania Sirena, Giuseppe was welcoming me aboard the beautiful cruise ship docked in the Tahitian capital city of Papeete. I must have looked very bedraggled because I had been flying for two days. Getting from Indiana to Tahiti is not easy. Flying is no fun anymore. Planes are overcrowded …
Ah, Tahiti… The name conjures images of balmy beaches, spectacular sunsets, friendly folks and long lazy days sweeping away cares of the world. With my Indiana home in the midst of yucky winter weather, the thought of visiting Tahiti is certainly a dream scenario. Never did think it would happen but here I am heading for that faraway island. And I am going to visit French Polynesia in one of the best ways possible – on a …
Jacques Brel’s memory is alive, well and living in Atuona The voice is unmistakable, even 20 yards away from a bright green barn that sits at the edge of a beach on Hiva Oa in the Marquesas Islands of the South Pacific. Inside is a memorial to chanteur Jacques Brel, who was known throughout the world as a passionate singer, songwriter, and movie star. Listening to Brel on a warm, humid afternoon was one of the highlights of a freighter cruise to …
Paul Gauguin Cruises, operator of the highest-rated and longest continually sailing luxury cruise ship in the South Pacific, the m/s Paul Gauguin, and the 88-guest m/v Tere Moana, offers photography seminars by Jon Whittle and Lori Barbely, staff photographers for Islands magazine, on The Gauguin’s 7-night Tahiti & the Society Islands voyage departing September 27, 2014. Unique among travel magazines, Islands magazine focuses exclusively on islands as travel destinations, exploring their exotic landscapes, lifestyle, and culture with …
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