P&O Cruises expands Pacific shore tours programme

P&O Cruises expands Pacific shore tours programme

Shore excursions are always a popular pastime for cruise passengers and for 2004, P&O Cruises is expanding its South Pacific land tours programme and adding a new pre-booking service.

Day trips on offer for passengers sailing to New Caledonia and Vanuatu on Pacific Sky and Pacific Princess are detailed in a new 'Island Discoveries' booklet. It is delivered to passengers with their cruise tickets.

By early 2004, cruise fans will be able to use the brochure to pre-reserve shore tours by fax, mail or the Internet ahead of their South Pacific cruise - a first for P&O Cruises.

Seven additions to the 47 land tours include a Tarzan adventure, scuba diving lessons, bareboat charters, horse-drawn carriage rides and reef fishing. They also include tours taking passengers to attractions in Noumea as diverse as a nickel plant and a chocolate factory.

For the more adventurous, there's always the Tarzan tour. It's an adrenalin-filled trek on Mt Koghis involving swing ropes, swaying trestles, a 'monkey bridge' and a 'Tarzan jump'.

For sweet tooths with room to spare - there's a never-ending supply of desserts aboard P&O Cruises ships - there's a visit to a chocolate factory. A four-hour reef fishing expedition in Vila is also new to the shore tours programme.

Several popular shore trips reappear in the 'Island Discoveries' programme. They include visits to Noumea's 'Opera House of the South Pacific' - the spectacular Tjibaou Cultural Centre - a four-wheel-drive adventure in the New Caledonian bush, grunt-filled Harley-style trike rides along Noumea's resort beaches and helicopter flights.

There's also paraflying over Vila, horse-riding in rainforest, overland safaris in Vanuatu, visits to native villages and various adventure trips including kayaking, jet skiing, cycling, snorkelling, bushwalking and sailing.

"Adventure is the main focus of our new shore tours programme," says P&O Cruises' strategic business development manager Shannon Currie. "We have arranged a wide variety of the best available tours in each port to ensure our passengers enjoy their time ashore.

"In 2004, it will be even easier for passengers to book their tours with the new option of pre-reserving tours by mail, fax or the internet."

The 46,000-ton 'fun and easygoing' Pacific Sky sails the South Pacific year-round with fares starting at $1,095 per person for a seven-night cruise.

The luxurious 30,000-ton boutique liner Pacific Princess cruises the South Pacific between November and April each year with fares from $2,965 per person for nine nights. All P&O Cruises fares include main meals and entertainment onboard.

Bookings and cruise brochures are available from travel agents or by calling the P&O Cruises freephone on 0800 441 766 or by visiting the company's website at www.pocruises.co.nz .

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