Png

[bob.s]

I just won a trip on the Febrina for 10 days in a photo contest yay!!! . I have been wanting to go there for a long time !! this forum has been very helpful in the past and now i am searching past posts and learning lots of good information about PNG , my questions are...i have enough frequent flyer miles to get to Cairns , from there approx. what is the cost for airfare to get to port morsbey and then to hoskins airport ?? just looking for a general cost...any difference in the time of year for going there ?? and the trip is for the twin share cabin...looking on the web site i see that the twin share holds 4 people per room..anyone have experience in this room ??.. I am thinking of spending a few more bucks and getting a double room...4 people in a room sounds like a lot !!..

thanks for any advice !!

Bob

 

[alijtaylor]

Hi Bob
I have just booked the Fabrina for late next September. Congratulations you did well! They tell me they don't put four people in those cabins - just two.

The Febrina does different routes at different times, there is a lot of info on their web site http://www.febrina.com/FeBrinaSpecs.html and I have found Cheryll Millar very helpful cmiller@mackay.net.au

I have been quoted $A695 for an airfare from Cairns to Port Morsbey and then from the Highlands to Hoskins with return from Hoskins to Port Morsbey and then back to Cairns. Without the diversion to the highlands it should be a little bit cheaper. Current exchange rate for the Aussie dollar to US (?) is about $A1 = $US.75 (I am sure there is an Aussie around who can correct me). That fare is an excursion fare from South Pacific Travel in Cairns where Owen Davis is the contact, it is better than anything I can find on the net. Email address is spt@onthenet.com.au

Enjoy and please post a report

Alison

 

[bob.s]

thanks Allison , i was thinking about sept. also to see the native dances...i might take the trip on sept. 16th...its just hard to wait that long !!!!!!!

 

[alijtaylor]

If you are planning on being at the Show in Goroka we should plan to have a beer together, I am intending to be there but am not booked on Febrina till the 29th. Actually I think show weekend is the 16th and 17th so maybe that isn't your plan..

The airfare I quoted will not get me to the highlands but it will get me either from Madang or Lae to Hoskins. Including a flight into Goroka added about $A90 from memory.

Cheers

Alison

 

[tb]

for divers/ photographers. It's not available on Qantas flights (even if you're on a code share w/ Air Nutigini. I'm not sure what the process is now but at one time, there was a form on the Walinidi web site for photographers and Bob Halstead has a comment in his article at Asian Diver reminding people about the allowance. You're gonna have a really good time.

 

[peterjmaerz]

Bob, you DOG !

Congratulations!! (You should post your winning photo!) I'm trying to remember my cost from CNS to HKN. It seems as though it was pretty steep, perhaps around $700, but I may well be wrong. Maybe one of the other PNG regulars can help you.

Captain Raabe alone is worth the trip on the Febrina (he captained the Star Dacner during my trip). The diving is second to none.

Enjoy.


Best Regards,

 

[Allison Finch]

I am considered a "frequent flyer" on the FeBrina and the Star Dancer. I have stayed in almost every cabin. The four bunker is never filled with four people. Two. The other bunks are used for laying out your gear. Tell Alan you know the "notorious Finch sisters". That may give him a good laugh. He'll say some major cuss word about it. Let me know any questions. I know the routine pretty well.

 

[OBie]

In the words of the Pythons: You Lucky B******!! Which is an old Australian greeting, by the way. Anyway, to the point: you'll find there's only Air NiuGini which flies into Port Moresby, so you'll just need to advise your "diver" status and they should annotate your booking for the extra weight allowance.

And, don't just whistle thru' POM if you can spare some time: the diving out of Bootless is great - regardless of the time of year, and there is a regular operator: John Miller at Airways Hotel, with Solatai as a day dive-boat, not the standard of Febrina, but a good day's diving, or you can use Loloata's services, but they're an island resort which takes a bit extra logistics effort.

Yes I'm biased coz I lived there for three years and dived almost every weekend: half an hour on Solatai and thirty-odd really interesting and different sites!

OBie

 

[caymaniac]

In the words of the Pythons: You Lucky B******!! Which is an old Australian greeting, by the way. Anyway, to the point: you'll find there's only Air NiuGini which flies into Port Moresby, so you'll just need to advise your "diver" status and they should annotate your booking for the extra weight allowance.

And, don't just whistle thru' POM if you can spare some time: the diving out of Bootless is great - regardless of the time of year, and there is a regular operator: John Miller at Airways Hotel, with Solatai as a day dive-boat, not the standard of Febrina, but a good day's diving, or you can use Loloata's services, but they're an island resort which takes a bit extra logistics effort.

Yes I'm biased coz I lived there for three years and dived almost every weekend: half an hour on Solatai and thirty-odd really interesting and different sites!

OBie

My wife and I were just at Loloata this summer, we had a couple of days there and dove one dive since with flying out that's all we were allowed.

http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/memberimages/14440_1124911796_File00119.jpg

 

[bob.s]

hey nice shots....I heard that loloatas was worth going to...also want to get up to the highlands and see some native tribes..between the 10 days on the boat and the 5 days travel time i wont have to much vacation time left for all the things i want to do : )