Blue Lagoon Cruises (BLC)
INVIGORATING | INTIMATE | ENVIRONMENTAL | LOST IN TIME!
I decided to arrange this cruise well over a year ago (July 2009!) and wondered if I'd be too old (50, male; with wife and 3 kids... 10 to 16), how wrong was I?
We set sail in the school holidays of September 2010 after having over-nighted at a local Fijian resort. Blue Lagoon Cruises' transfer bus arrived earlier than expected the next day to pick us up (there's no Fiji time with these guys) setting off for our short comfortable mini-coach ride to the Blue Lagoon Cruises reception centre.
RECEPTION CENTRE
On arrival, we were greeted by both senior and helper ground crew of Blue Lagoon Cruises and the MV Mistique Princess. Drinks and food were a`plenty, provided (at a small cost) in the bar/bistro area of the reception centre for those in need.
During reception, passengers met the crew of Mistique Princess and were given information about the cruise: safety, islands/destinations & activities; food onboard and tips on how to make the cruise a memorable one.
Snorkel gear was issued to each passenger (free of charge) - a very easy process, whist we had a little time to move around and meet some of the other passengers.
An hour or so later - once briefs were announced and everyone was fitted out with snorkel gear, 2 buses arrived to ferry us a 3 minute ride to the ship terminal.
MISTIQUE PRINCESS - THE VESSEL
Mistique Princess, by comparison, is the newer looking vessel of Blue Lagoon Cruises'.
We arrived ship with no queues or bustle and boarded her immediately. Very different to the likes of trying to board a much larger ocean liner.
We were directed to our cabins where our luggage had already arrived.
Cabins/staterooms
Much larger than I'd expected, given this is small ship cruising. Even much larger than most compared aboard 70+ Tonne Liners we've experienced. The beds were very comfortable and there was plenty of room around the bed and dressers.
Bathroom
Again, bigger than expected; has all the mods & cons of the usual cruise ship. Good shower area, vanity and uninterrupted hot water!
Toweling was "as you need it". Typically, if you discarded towels, they were collected and replaced as necessary during each day's cabin make-up.
Bedding
Surprisingly, our cabin had a good choice in pillows - soft and fluffy, or low and firm. Sheets were crisp and blanket/dooner accommodating. Spares were found in the cupboards if needed.
The beds (as seen on most ships) are king singles, adjoined to make a double when double bedding is required. The seam between the two (in our case) was difficult to identify.
Storage - clothes etc
There was more than ample storage in draws and robe space in each of the cabins.
Power/Voltage etc
Power is 240V and on Mistique Princess, power points are Australian type. Power points around the cabin are few but if you use a little imagination, computers and mobile phones can easily be recharged with little hassle.
Cabin attendants
It was always nice knowing that when we returned to our cabin, the make-up was both pleasing and professional. I really can't say I had a bad experience with the way our cabins were prepared each day. It's a shame that considering we were off ship early each day, we never really got to know our attendant; the quiet achievers they were.
In-cabin TV/DVD
Cabin overview
Spacey, neat as a pin. Plenty of room and has comforts of home (away from home) Each cabin has ocean view windows!
The ship - general
Sleek, stylish but looking a little tired in certain areas.
4 Main decks: 1. Lower deck consisting of cabins and a Laundromat, 2. Entry level: cabins, main desk, dining room and bar, 3. Upper deck - cabins and a reading room (which was converted to a children/teens retreat for this school holiday cruise) and lastly, 4. The sky deck, consisting of the Sky Suite, Captains Bridge and a large tabled sitting and lazing area - with a bar!
Bar the lower stateroom deck (1), each deck has a door leading to a sitting area at the stern. The lower deck is the deck in which passengers board and disembark tenders to the islands she visits.
Dining
The dining room is large, consisting of around 9 round tables of eight - no fixed seating (ie. sit where and with whom you want, each meal time.
Each meal is buffet style, Breakfast is between 7 and 9am, lunch around 1pm and dinner at 7pm. The amount of food was more than adequate; the quality excellent. Breakfast menus were very similar each morning, lunch varied but you had to be careful not to eat too much! Dinner is typical Fijian style, both native and Indian dishes. Variety was excellent.
Table No. 1 was always invited to the buffet first, followed by 2, 3 and four and so on.
Bar & Beverage
Fresh coffee flowed 24/7, as did drinking water. The bar in the dining room is open during each meal time and the Sky Bar open whilst the ship is in motion and during the evenings of the cruise.
Prices were so, so. Eight or nine dollars bought a beer; cocktails around $15. Considering the value of the AUD against the Fijian Dollar (all drinks are charged in Fijian dollars), a beer ran out at about $6.50; cocktails a little over ten AUD.
Crew
Typically Fijian: a love for excitement and pride for their culture & origin.
What's more, a passion for what it is they do for their customers aboard ship.
Negatives
I've not been on a ship where absolutely nothing goes wrong. Be it the temperature of the food, one person offering bad service that affects your whole cruise, mechanical failure and the likes or even rough seas! We had no such problems however what was probably a bigger problem to crew than it was us, the PA system malfunctioned but by day 3, an electrician was sea-planed in and the system rectified immediately.
Scuba Diving: Dives were cancelled on our cruise due to the contracting company being unable to attend however, and again: the people of Blue Lagoon Cruises were quick to rectify this which saw ten or so divers take to the water.
Decor and appearance of the vessel: The ship generally appears tired.
The surface of the Sky Deck is poor, and although it appears that in certain areas work has already begun, carpets on the lower deck and staterooms are a little dull. (Carpets in the hall of the middle deck appeared quite new and are a brighter/warmer blue colour)
The ambience aboard MV Mistique Princess far outweighed any discomfort with her appearance.
Our Cruise - September 2010 (69 passengers)
Smack-bang during school holidays! Passenger make-up was:
Age groups - 7 to 80. Approximately: 16 children/teens; half-dozen passengers between 21 & 30; most popular age group (and parents of children) 30 to 50 and a further dozen or so passengers aged mid 50's and up.
Nationalities were mainly Australian & New Zealand; a handful of Americans.
A nice mix considering the time of year - everyone got on extremely well and it wasn't long before each discovered common interests.
Destinations
Each destination is an Island paradise experience. One rule that was made abundantly clear was: YOU MAY NOT SWIM TO OR FROM THE VESSEL - UNLESS THE SHIP IS TIED TO A COCONUT TREE! We all laughed, but understood the safety tip and we'd of course use the tenders to go ashore - as provided.
The Yasawa Island precinct is pristine. A slow cruise away from the Port of Nadi area had us arrive our first island within hours. FREE Captain's cocktails on the first night charged us up ready for the first dinner that followed. The next day we would begin our lazy exploration!
Each island destination is similar - unspoiled; similar in the activities you can do and similar in that it's still Fiji and it's still beach and sunshine... and relaxing.
Most Island destinations are village-type. Homes to families and business places to those who show off their artifacts, ready to sell to you in their market places. The usual items: sarongs, T shirts, shells and woodcraft. The culture is rich and the experience is very pleasing. Even the Kava tasting and festivity!
Day six, believe it or not, we were tied to a coconut tree. I'm not going to say any more about this event or destination and risk spoiling your surprise, but this island was easily the best of all.
Activities
Snorkeling, snorkeling and more snorkeling! Or a lazy hide-away on a deserted area of beach. Walking... An early morning swim each day. Scuba, kayaking or glass-bottom boating.
Beach BBQ's; volleyball or just browsing the markets, these Yasawa Island cruises are all about doing as much or as little as you want.
Weather
We had seven days of glorious sunshine, a bonus in Fiji considering it's a tropical group of islands. Generally speaking, the Fijian Islands can be full of weather surprises. Whilst rain was reported on the main island, we were lucky to experience fine weather the whole cruise.
Blue Lagoon Cruises - Summary
GREAT! Not everyone's cup of tea if you want to wake up in Venice one day, and Corfu the next. Blue Lagoon Cruises has a very distinct point of difference - it's small, intimate ship cruising; in an unrushed environment of holiday fun.
Cruising (ship at sea) is minimal. The crew are more interested in having you arrive your new island destination within fours hours maximum sailing and arranging your next activity and exploration. 'Not something passengers would ideally appreciate if they enjoy lengthy sea days or periods of non-stop sailing between destinations.
Who does it suit?
Persons new to cruising but were never too sure about 'boats'.
Honeymooners! School holiday cruises aside, I'd expect most passengers would be of similar age and with very similar interests. The concept of "unpack once - re-pack once" appeals to most and in my opinion, they'd be few honeymoon concepts that offer so much or so little to do - as you want to do it!
Blue Lagoon Cruises accommodates people of all ages and all walks of life. If you're a 'people person', you'll enjoy it. If you'd prefer to be locked away quietly in a resort hotel room, this idea probably isn't the best for you.
Similarly, if you like the hustle and bustle of busy cities for your ideal holiday, again; you'd do better in a place like Europe rather than the tranquility of the Fijian Islands.
Cost - Value for Money
Fair. Not the best option for a cheap honeymoon compared with the Gold Coast, but then Fiji isn't the Gold Coast! And when you add the cost of airfares to the cruise itself, it can sound a bit exxy.
But when you tally BLC inclusions:
- Accommodation
- All meals aboard ship
- Activities (most)
- Entertainment
- Transfers (small charge, if required)
- The 'do as much or as little as you like' concept, and
- Yasawa: Fiji's most romantic group of Islands destinations
...it compares well with the alternative of resort island living anywhere in the region.
Added benefits:
- Different outlook with different island destinations each day (ie. Not stuck with the same beachfront, day in and day out)
- You experience a kind of comradeship with other passengers whilst not having them integral to your cruise (in other words, and even though a small ship is subject to confined space, you'll make good friends but passengers won't rob you of your breathing space!)
- BLG comes as a package. Expenses are much easier to control when you know you're getting what you pay for.
Overall, the cost and value-for-money on Blue Lagoon Cruises' 7 nighter was good. Fair and affordable.
Spoil Factor... 7/10
Honeymooners, note:
If you'd like to have a Blue Lagoon Cruises honeymoon, and have it paid for; this page is a must for you to visit: For the Bride & Groom!
Final Note
I would cruise with Blue Lagoon Cruises again, at the drop of a hat!
To enquire about our fantastic Blue Lagoon Cruises deals or find out more about these cruises, please call us at Cruisescene on 1800 678 555
