Rarotonga, Cook Islands

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Tour Day 19, Cruise Day 19 – Day at Sea

Tour Day 20, Cruise Day 20; Rarotonga, Cook Islands – NO SHORE EXCURSIONS AVAILABLE – Initially, I wondered why we were stopping if there was no good reason (shore excursion) to leave the ship. After doing a little research and then hearing, on the day before our arrival, a cautionary “don’t get your hopes up” from the Captain, I now have a guess. The seas are rough in the anchoring area near Cook Island, and many cruise ships planning to tender to the island have been unable to do so because the operation was too dangerous. Indeed, our Captain launched one of the tenders early on the day of our arrival for a reconnaissance mission before making his decision. Fortunately, we did make it to shore (and back) safely.

Rarotonga is the largest of the Cook Islands, a nation of 15 islands in the central South Pacific. The chief town on Rarotonga, Avarua, is the capital of the Cook Islands. Volcanic peaks, ridges and rainforest dominate its interior. A 20-mile, round-the-island road links the beaches, coastal lagoon and reefs that make scuba diving and snorkeling popular. The Cross-Island Track is a rugged hiking trail that passes 2100-foot Te Rua Manga peak, or "The Needle."

Tour Day 21, Cruise Day 21 – Day at Sea

Tour Day 20, Cruise Day 20 – Cross International Dateline, Day at Sea

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