The Perfect Storm!!!

Seven Seas Explorer Cruise Review to South Pacific

lkruser

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 3

Helpful Votes: 37

Overall rating:

4 out of 5

Verified Review

18 Night Rugged Outback To Golden Beaches (Sydney To Benoa)

Sail date: January 26, 2023

Ship: Seven Seas Explorer

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: 1021

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

The Perfect Storm!!! My wife & I cruised from Sydney to Bali on the Regent Seven Seas Explorer. The Pre-Cruise Sydney Icons & 1st half of our voyage from Sydney to Cairns was all speed ahead 5*/Excellent, however, since arriving Papua New Guinea, our voyage was reversed into 1*/Poor, given poor decision making by RSSC, including significant Excursion Tour Safety & Security Issues! The factors, which caused this reversal, we signed up for an Excursion Tour, entitled: “GUR-005 TAWALI SNORKEL & SKULL CAVE Duration: 8.00 Hrs Date: February 04, 2023 07:30 AM” Significant excursion Tour Safety & Security Issues! Drive in Buses from RSSC Explorer/Alotau Port to Transfer Destination: Three small cramped fully occupied 20-passenger buses & 56-Passengers. Three hour round-trip drive on rickety, unsafe (tires were bald, at least on our bus) & non-Air Conditioned buses and bumpy, unsaved & washed road at times (80+-degrees & 80+-humidity; RSSC advised in advance the buses may not have Air Conditioning and the road may be bumpy & unpaved at times). Transfer Destination from Buses to Boats which would take us to Milne Island: Upon arrival, there were high-surf, which were dangerous, ferocious & unsafe weather conditions. Further, there were only two small flat, fishing skiff-type & unstable boats were present, with small outboard motors, no life preservers, & no first aid kits...and no RSSC crew- &/or staff-member presence whatsoever. We were advised by the local tour operator these two small boats were our transportation to Milne Island, where an additional boat(s) would take us to the Skull Caves. [See photos of these buses & two small boats, high-surf & no RSSC presence whatsoever.] Immediately, several of us indicated we were “not” going out to sea in these conditions, especially with these only two small barebones unequipped boats and, subsequently, fairly immediately, all passengers were in agreement, and we should immediately return to ship, of which, RSSC decision makers back on ship finally relented and we subsequently made our return to ship. Before departing from the Transfer Destination back to ship, we & a few other passengers learned from the local tour operator, it was “RSSC who made the decision to proceed” with the Excursion Tour “despite” the unsafe weather conditions & barebones unequipped boats AND the “local tour operator’s multiple advisories & warnings NOT do so”. RSSC potentially put our lives & others in eminent danger ⛔️ ⛔️ ⛔️!!! [Please see screen shot photo of the text communications between the local tour operator’s per RSSC.] In summary, if we hadn’t drowned perhaps something else crime & violence-wise would have happened to us & our group of 56-passengers on the PNG Skull Cave Excursion. There are a lot of upset passengers on this ship as a result of these actions and not just us & our group, however numerous other PNG Excursions! Numerous passengers we’ve met on ship decided it wasn’t safe to get off & did not do so. We were advised by other passengers on the ship that the US, Canada & the UK governments have more severe travel warnings on travel to PNG! Someone in the higher ranks of RSSC did not do their due diligence & risking passengers welfare & lives by going to PNG and NOT listening to local tour operators warnings! The End (fortunately)! ***Update*** As we departed the ship on Mon Feb 13th, Passports & Statements were delayed to us on-ship given on-board Internet issues and, as a result, we only had an opportunity to review our final Invoice/Statement en-route home to San Diego. There was a $180 Internet charge on 01/26/2023 Location #4500. We were charged for this upgraded Internet service, which we tried for 15-minutes & immediately canceled with the ship's Business Center Representative, given was unusable & worthless, and should have never been Added on our Invoice/Statement or at least Credited accordingly.