E-mail a friendShip: Odyssey
Itinerary: Circumnavigation of New Guinea - Part I: Wewak to Port Moresby
cabins & deck plans | additional itineraries | cancellation policy
| Day 1 : | Brisbane / Cairns, Australia |
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| Day 2 : | Cairns / Wewak, Papua New Guinea (PNG) / Embark Clipper Odyssey |
| Day 3 : | Jayapura, Irian Jaya |
| Day 4 : | Cruising the Irian Jaya Coast / Expedition Stop |
| Day 5 : | Mapia Atoll |
| Day 6 : | Expedition Stop, Raja Ampat |
| Day 7 : | Kokas, MacCluer Gulf |
| Day 8 : | Triton Bay |
| Day 9 : | Cruising en route to the Asmat |
| Days 10-11 : | Asmat Villages |
| Day 12 : | Sailing the Arafura Sea |
| Day 13 : | Thursday Island / Cape York, Australia |
| Day 14 : | Torres Strait / Expedition Stop, Ashmore Reef |
| Day 15 : | Port Moresby, PNG / Disembark Clipper Odyssey / Brisbane, Australia |
| Day 16 : | Brisbane |
| Click for full itinerary |
| Days | Dates | Deck + Cabin Type | ||||||
| Category 1/ A-Deck | Category 2/ Main | Category 3/ Main | Category 4/ Lido | Category 5/ Bridge | Category 6/ Balcony Suite | Owners Suite | ||
| 16 | Mar 18, 2009 | $9,380 | $9,880 | $10,380 | $10,880 | $11,680 | $12,680 | $15,780 |
| Can combine with Part II for complete circumnavigation- contact us for rates! | ||||||||
| Destinations : Australia, Papua New Guinea, South Pacific Activities : Cultural Activities, Modern History, Nature Viewing, Photography, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Whale Watching |
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Exotic and ultimately diverse, New Guinea never fails to astound travelers with its landscapes and fascinating cultures. Join us for a two-part expedition circumnavigating the world’s second-largest island. Afloat and ashore, these voyages dazzle with unforgettable images: sky-piercing volcanoes, idyllic coral islets, thatched-roof villages, kaleidoscopic reefs teeming with marine life, the exuberant traditional welcomes of Asmat warriors and Melanesian villagers, soaring white-tailed tropicbirds, and the sweet scent of frangipani.
Day 1 : Brisbane / Cairns, Australia
Arrive in Brisbane this morning and connect with your flight to Cairns. After our hotel check-in and lunch enjoy the afternoon at leisure. In the evening join us for a welcome dinner and overnight at our waterfront hotel.
Day 2 : Cairns / Wewak, Papua New Guinea (PNG) / Embark Clipper Odyssey
We fly to Wewak this morning; time permitting we have a short tour before boarding our ship in the late afternoon. An attractive town, Wewak is surrounded by golden beaches fringed with palm trees; the surrounding region is steeped in WWII history. Board the Clipper Odyssey and set sail in the evening toward Irian Jaya.
Day 3 : Jayapura, Irian Jaya
Our naturalists and historians begin their lectures as we sail along the Irian Jaya coast. In 1526 a Portuguese governor of the Moluccas, Jorge de Meneses, was blown off course and landed on the northwest coast. He baptized the island “Ilhas dos Papuas,” from the Malay term for “frizzy-haired man.”
Watch for flying fish and sperm whales as we sail the Bismarck Sea, arriving midday in the capital of Jayapura, formerly known as Hollandia. We drive through Shangri-La-like countryside to the site where General MacArthur established his headquarters in 1944 after sweeping the Japanese from the town.
Day 4 : Cruising the Irian Jaya Coast / Expedition Stop
We cruise among a cluster of islands called Pulau Pulau Padaido, and make an expedition stop on Urbinasi, a beautiful uninhabited island with a pristine sand beach. Snorkel right from the shore or near our anchorage among colorful corals and fish.
Day 5 : Mapia Atoll
As we approach Mapia, we may spot dolphins and orca. The vertical walls of the atoll rise several thousands of feet from the ocean floor, alive with brilliant soft corals, gorgonian sea fans, sponges, and a myriad of tropical fish that delight snorkelers. Divers encounter larger species—mantas, barracuda, and tuna—among swirling clouds of reef fish including humphead parrotfish and curious jacks. The diving around this atoll is regarded as some of the world’s finest. Birders and walkers can explore the three small islands that crown the reef and visit with villagers on Pegun Island.
Day 6 : Expedition Stop, Raja Ampat
Watch from on deck as our ship sails through the narrow channels between the islands off New Guinea’s northwestern tip known as Bird’s Head. Birders watch for species such as the sulfur-crested cockatoo and crested tern in the dense forests that line the passageway. More than 1,500 karst limestone islands off this coast make up the archipelago of Raja Ampat, or “Four Kings,” after its four main islands. Few outsiders have ever explored this remote region. The waters off Bird’s Head are heralded as the most biodiverse on earth and include 600 species of hard coral and 1,200 types of reef fish. Recently, more than 50 species previously unknown to science have been discovered in this Missouri-sized area. We plan to make an expedition stop in the area today for underwater activities.
Day 7 : Kokas, MacCluer Gulf
We reach the westernmost point of our voyage today as we sail into the MacCluer Gulf (Teluk Berau) with its breathtaking coastline of natural bays, tiny islets, pristine rain forest, and soaring mountains. Dozens of local tribes, speaking different languages, populate the shores. They are intrepid seafarers, often taking their hand-hewn dugout canoes hundreds of miles along the coast. We board Zodiacs to visit Kokas, strongly fortified by the Japanese during WWII, and today a prosperous fishing town of 3,000 residents. A unique cultural heritage presentation of harmonic songs, drumming, and the traditional Gabagaba, or stick dance, awaits.
Day 8 : Triton Bay
Exceptionally picturesque, Triton Bay offers outstanding Zodiac cruising. Entering a small channel between Mauwara Island and mainland Irian Jaya, we cruise through dazzling tropical waters and scenery of spellbinding natural beauty. Mushroom-shaped eroded limestone formations rise from the emerald water, covered with lush pandanus and betel palm vegetation, and a profusion of wild orchids. Though the area is uninhabited, small piles of shells and the occasional fishnet attest to human presence. Wildlife flourishes in this undisturbed habitat, including colorful bird species such as hornbills, rainbow lorikeets, helmeted friarbirds, egrets, and black-palm cockatoos. During our expedition stop snorkelers and divers marvel at the world of soft corals and kaleidoscopic reef fish, including dinner-plate-sized angelfish, large-striped sweetlips, and butterfly cod.
Day 9 : Cruising en route to the Asmat
After sailing southeastward during a relaxing day filled with lectures, we await high tide to enter the Flamingo River’s narrow channel off Agats village, and anchor for the night.
Days 10-11 : Asmat Villages
Our visit to the Asmat region is an expedition highlight. This remote riverine world—10,000 square miles in its entirety—is revealed to us as our Zodiacs take us along narrow waterways lined with the entwined branches of thick mangrove forests. Watch for Torres Strait imperial pigeons and bright red lorikeets flying overhead.
Asmat culture is noted for its remarkable ritual objects. The people believe that humanity began with Fumeripitsji the Creator, who carved humanlike figures and brought them to life by beating on a drum. The Asmat villagers honor this belief by carving many of their everyday items—bowls, spears, paddles, ornate wooden sculptures, and shields. The artistic themes are based on an intriguing interpretation of life and death, and many of the carvings resemble relatives who are recently deceased. Asmat woodcarvings are known for their powerful lines and coarse, expressive motifs, and are widely considered by collectors and scholars to be among the world’s finest. With our anthropologist helping us to communicate, we have the opportunity to purchase carvings directly from village artisans.
As we make our way upstream, villagers—whooping and chanting in elaborate warrior gear and war paint—paddle vigorously toward us in dozens of intricately carved canoes. We are escorted to the local village of Agats where enthusiastic welcomes await. A walk along elevated wooden boardwalks leads to the Catholic cathedral with its superb carvings, and the museum, with elaborate displays of ancestor poles, drums, body masks, shields, daggers, and skulls, reminding us that ritual cannibalism was practiced by the ancestors of some villagers. We also visit Ewer, its 1,000 hospitable residents inviting us ceremoniously to a colorful active market, a men’s longhouse, and to view their homes and prolific gardens.
Day 12 : Sailing the Arafura Sea
Our lecturers recap our experience in Irian Jaya and brief us on our upcoming visit to Australia’s exciting northernmost tip.
Day 13 : Thursday Island / Cape York, Australia
Thursday Island lies in the strategic Torres Strait, which separates New Guinea from Australia. This island was settled in the late 19th century, and its early fame rested on pearling by the men who risked their lives on deep dives. We explore the small sleepy town with its typical veranda-lined “hotel” or pub. Green Hill Fort, high on a hill, offers a splendid 360-degree view of the neighboring islands and strait.
In the afternoon we alight from Zodiacs on Cape York to stand on Australia’s northernmost tip. Watch for the tall black-necked stork, the jabiru, patrolling the shoreline for fish. Or, hike up the hill for marvelous views of this rugged and sparsely populated land, much of which belongs to Aborigines. During WWII, Cape York was a major staging area for the battles taking place against the Japanese in New Guinea and the Coral Sea. We return to the ship as the sun begins to set over the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Day 14 : Torres Strait / Expedition Stop, Ashmore Reef
We spend our final day on board at a spectacular reef. Ashmore has no land or sand spits—just some of the most superb snorkeling that exists. The Indonesian Throughflow, a series of ocean currents, transports biological material from Philippine and Indonesian reefs, ensuring a varied array of marine life including more than 700 fish species. Huge schools of both colorful reef fish and silvery pelagics populate the rich waters; the backdrop of rainbow-hued corals seems like an impressionist painter’s palette.
Day 15 : Port Moresby, PNG / Disembark Clipper Odyssey / Brisbane, Australia
We disembark this morning in PNG's capital city, Port Moresby, and visit the National Museum and Arts Center. The museum exhibits one of the finest collections of primitive art in the world, including Sepik River carvings, Malagan masks from the New Ireland Island area, and Trobriand Island fishing canoes. Return to the ship to continue on Part II, or transfer to the airport for our flight to Brisbane where we enjoy dinner and our final overnight.
Day 16 : Brisbane
Depart on your independent flight home
NOTE: Due to rising fuel costs, a $20/night fuel surcharge will be assessed to your shipboard account onboard for departures starting in July 2008.
Prices are based on a 3% cash discount.
Ship Description: Odyssey
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Odyssey
The Odyssey was built in 1989 in Tsu, Japan, by Japanese craftsmen to the design of a master Dutch yacht designer, Studio Acht, and is eminently suited for the year-round itineraries in the Pacific. These range from as far south as New Zealand and Australia's Great Barrier Reef, to as far north as Japan, the Kuril Islands, and the Russian Far East, including the Kamchatka Peninsula.
The Odyssey measures 340 feet long, 51 feet wide, and has a draft of 14 feet. Staterooms are all outside and average a generous 186 square feet in size, and are furnished with either twin or queen-size beds and a sitting area with a sofa. Each cabin features a spacious bathroom with tub baths and shower, individually controlled air-conditioning, in-room music system, ample wardrobe space, three-sided mirrors, personal safe, refrigerator, and television.
A fleet of Zodiac landing craft can be launched in minutes to take passengers ashore in places where no infrastructure exists. The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art satellite navigation and communication equipment including telephone, fax, and email.
An outdoor swimming pool, dedicated jogging track, and two sun decks offer ample opportunities for outdoor recreation. Inside, the spacious public areas of the ship include two lounges, a small library, and a single seating dining room.
An experienced cruise staff, physician, and onboard lecturers accompany all voyages to enhance the passengers’ enjoyment of the places visited.
All meals are prepared to order on board. The ship's chefs, graduates of the finest American culinary schools, combine the highest quality American ingredients with the influences and spices of the places the Odyssey visits. The resulting "fusion cuisine" provides a taste of the destinations visited.
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Category 1/ A-Deck A Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area, portholes Approx. 185 sqft |
Category 2/ Main Forward Main Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 175 sqft |
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Category 3/ Main Main Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 175 sqft |
Category 4/ Lido Lido Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 175 sqft |
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Category 5/ Bridge Bridge Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 230 sqft |
Category 6/ Balcony Suite Bridge Deck Outside Suite with private veranda Approx. 230 sqft |
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Owners Suite Bridge Deck Outside Suite with separate bedroom and private veranda Approx. 310 sqft |
