In recent years cruises that circumnavigate Australia have become extremely popular, with more being scheduled every year on various liners. One such liner is Rhapsody of the Seas of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, which makes two voyages around Australia each summer season, the first departing Sydney in October, the second in late February. Having joined this vessel in March last year at Fremantle for the second half of one of these cruises, this year I decided to start at Sydney and disembark in Fremantle. As was the case last year, I was a lecturer on board the ship.
Departing Sydney on Friday, 26 February, we were due to spend the Sunday in Brisbane, but the previous day a major earthquake under the Pacific off the coast of South America had caused devastation in Chile, and early on Sunday morning a tsunami warning was broadcast for the east coast of Australia, which resulted in most ports being closed, including Brisbane. As a result we spent the day, which fortunately was fine and sunny, idling in Moreton Bay. We were advised that the ship had to go into Brisbane to take on 600 tonnes of fuel, otherwise, as the captain said, we would not be going anywhere. The tsunami warning was not lifted until late afternoon, so it was dark by the time we berthed at Fisherman Island, and no one was allowed ashore. This was a great disappointment to many of the international passengers on board, who had booked excursions to Australia Zoo, the Gold Coast, or sightseeing in the city. Of course, there were several passengers who said they had only come on the cruise to see Brisbane!
Departing Brisbane shortly after midnight, the ship travelled at top speed all through the next day so that we would reach our next destination, Airlie Beach, on time. The ship anchored some distance from the shore, and a variety of catamaran vessels, some from as far away as Townsville, were used to transfer passengers ashore, or take them on excursions to the Great Barrier Reef or some of the nearby island. As it was quite a blustery day, it was only possible for the tenders to come alongside on one side of the ship only, which delayed the process quite a bit.
I went ashore in mid-morning, but there is really not a great deal to see or do at Airlie Beach, so after walking around the marina and into the town, I was back on board for a late lunch, and remained on the ship until we pulled up the anchor and headed off at 5pm.
Early the next morning I was up on deck as we came down the channel into Cairns. Most large cruise ships calling at Cairns have to anchor off Yorkeys Knob, from where passengers are taken ashore by tender, then there is a half hour coach transfer into the centre of Cairns. However, Rhapsody of the Seas has been approved to berth at Trinity Wharf, which is a short walk from the centre of town, and makes a visit to Cairns much more enjoyable.
A variety of excursions were available, several including a visit to Kuranda, which were very well patronised. As I had been to Cairns several times, I settled for a couple of walks around the town and along the new esplanade around Trinity Bay.
As our next port of call was Port Moresby, and all passengers had to obtain a New Guinea visa, at a cost of US$45, two representatives from New Guinea had joined the ship in Cairns to do the paperwork. Every passenger was required to fill in the necessary forms, and present them with their passport to these representatives, and this turned into a very slow business, with some passengers queuing for over three hours.
Prior to arriving in Port Moresby we had been warned that it could be quite a dangerous place if certain safety procedures were not followed. These included only walking around the town in groups, not going down any side alleys or going too far from the main business area, and not getting into any taxis or private cars.
We berthed very close to the centre of town, the weather being very hot and humid. It was a short walk to the main shops, but the traffic was absolutely chaotic, and while most people appeared to be friendly, there were numerous groups of idle men who seemed to be looking for an opportunity to take advantage of anyone who was not careful.
Most passengers who went ashore took advantage of one of the three excursions on offer from the ship, one taking in the sights of Port Moresby, while another went to a village to witness the local customs and traditions. I joined the third trip, which was offered both in the morning and afternoon, taking in the major sights from World War 2. This trip was done in a convoy of seven mini-busses, and to ensure our safety we were followed the whole way by a police vehicle containing four armed officers.
Driving out of Port Moresby through very heavy traffic, we eventually ended up on what seemed like a minor country road, but was in fact the main road. After an hour and a half of climbing into the highlands, with one stop at a beautiful waterfall, we turned onto a dirt road, which was the start of the Kokoda Track. We were driven down this for about six kilometres, until we reached a spot known as McDonald’s Corner, where we were able to leave the busses and walk a short distance along the track, watched by a group of locals who appeared from nowhere. For Australians this was a very special moment, but most of the international passengers did not know the story of Kokoda.
On the way back to the city we stopped at the Bomona War Cemetry, where some 7,500 Australian troops are buried. The compelling beauty of this location is a strange contrast to the terrible conflict that consigned so many men to an early death. The whole place is beautifully maintained, but it was noticeable that no birds were seen or heard. It was a very moving experience, and left quite a few of the group with tears in their eyes.
Returning to the ship shortly before sailing time, we were met by a group of indigenous dancers performing on the wharf. Before going up the gangway I was able to take some good pictures of them, particularly the men in their warpaint and feathers.
The next day dawned sunny and hot as we entered Torres Strait. Throughout the morning and early afternoon we were passing islands large and small, and the pilot on board provided information of the places we were passing. We went quite close to Wednesday Island, but Thursday Island was only glimpsed in the distance, which was rather a disappointment, but it was a great experience to go through the Strait.
After a second day at sea we berthed in Darwin, again being within easy walking distance of the centre of town, though a shuttle bus was available but cost US$7 in each direction. A good variety of tours was available from the ship, most of the international passengers opting to go to see crocodiles, or Litchfield Park. I decided to settle for a walking tour of Darwin, which proved very interesting. Our guide met us at the ship, and we rode the shuttle to the tourist information centre, where the walk started.
There are two major events in the history of Darwin, the Japanese attack on the city on 19 February 1942, and Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Day 1974. The latter event almost destroyed Darwin, as very few buildings survived, and almost everything to be seen dates from 1975 or later.
As the day was very hot and humid, the tour guide provided each of us with a bottle of water, which was most appreciated. The tour took us around the city taking in numerous historical locations as well as many modern buildings, including the Parliament House.  
There is only one wrecked building retained as a reminder of Tracy, the old Town Hall, but a number of more solid sandstone buildings did survive almost intact. We were taken to the Anglican Cathedral, where again the former building was destroyed almost completely, and a new building has risen on the same site. Ironically, the only part of the old cathedral to survive was the entrance portico, which was only added on in the late 1940s, using sandstone blocks retrieved from the wreckage of the former Post Office that was destroyed in the Japanese attack in 1942.
Our day in Darwin passed all too quickly, and we left as darkness fell. The next two days were at sea on our way to Broome, but really the distance could have been covered with only one day at sea. As a result we almost drifted along on an incredibly flat sea, the only waves to be seen being those created by the passage of the ship.
The wharf at Broome is at the end of a very long jetty, and some distance from the actual town. Passengers were not allowed to walk from the ship, but a series of free shuttle busses were provided to take us into town. We were dropped at the Visitor Information Centre on the edge of the town, which was a short walk away. The airport is also on the edge of the town, and during the day it was amazing to see large planes swooping low over the shops as they came in to land.
Again it was a very hot and humid day, but most of the shops were air conditioned, and nearly all of them sold pearls. The buildings were almost all built of metal, as there is a major termite problem in the area, and they also have to be cyclone-proof.  
In the afternoon I joined a 2-hour town sights tour, which included a visit to the famous Sun Theatre, where patrons sit outdoors in deck chairs, which featured in the film “Australia”. There was also an opportunity to have a walk along Cable Beach, and see the famous camels taking visitors along the sand. The final stop was at the top of the only hill in the area, on which sits the local golf course clubhouse, and provides panoramic views of the whole region.
After another day at sea we dropped anchor off Exmouth. This stop was made to enable those interested to visit Ningaloo Reef. Other passengers went ashore in the ship’s own tenders, which docked at a marina from where shuttle busses took them to the shopping centre, about ten minutes away. As there were very few shops, most passengers were back on board within a couple of hours, saying there was nothing to see. However I went for a walk around the town, which only has a population of 1,900, and found the place quite interesting, as it is quite unlike anywhere else I have visited. The lack of grass around homes, wild emus wandering along wide streets almost empty of traffic, and the smallest RSL Club I have ever seen, were only some of the unusual features.
Close to the marina where the tenders berthed was a superb beach, where I spent the afternoon walking on the sand and swimming in the clear, luke warm water. All in all, I really enjoyed my day in Exmouth, but unfortunately I was in the minority.
After another day at sea we arrived in Fremantle, where the majority of passengers were disembarking. Although Royal Caribbean was providing a shuttle service from the ship to Perth or the airport, though at a rather high cost, most passengers seemed to have decided to catch a taxi, which turned out to be a very poor choice. As I was being picked up by friends, I saw the long line of frustrated and increasingly angry passengers waiting, waiting, waiting for a taxi, and for many it would have been several hours before they were able to get away from the dock. A rather miserable end to what had been a most enjoyable and interesting cruise experience. 

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