Cruises > Cruise Lines > Blue Lagoon Cruises
Blue Lagoon Cruises
Fast Facts
Line: Blue Lagoon Cruises
Vessels: MV Mystique Princess, MV Fiji Princess
Star Rating: 4 star
Tonnage: MV Mystique Princess: 1,533 tons; MV Fiji Princess: 1,228 tons
Max Passenger Capacity: MV Mystique Princess: 72; MV Fiji Princess: 70
Total Crew: 26
Entered Service: MV Mystique Princess: 1996, MV Fiji Princess: 2004
Months of operation: Year round
Other facilities: Pool, laundry, spa, bars
Suitable for: Adventure, history and culture cruising Regions operate in: Fiji - Yasawa and northern Fijian islands
Blue Lagoon are a small cruise line operating three ships in Fijian waters. The ships are comparatively small and have the atmosphere of a large private yacht. The company is well established having been started by a New Zealand stockbroker and an Australian pilot in 1950. The line started by offering fishing trips to the Yasawa Islands and these are the waters that Blue Lagoon still cruise in. The founders split up their partnership and the line was sold to a small New Zealand company, but the striving for excellence that made the line such a success is still in evidence today. The line supports Yasawa villages and aids their development by assisting with the funding of schools and medical centres.
As befits a line cruising among the Pacific islands, the atmosphere on board the line’s ships is relaxed and casual. Cruising time is about four hours each day which leaves plenty of time for relaxing, swimming, snorkelling or fishing. Visits to the islands are also laid back and casual but cruisers are advised to dress modestly when visiting villages. The majority of people on the passenger list are from either Australia or New Zealand. There is always a smattering of Americans, Japanese and British. The ships attract a wide range of age groups from honeymooners to families and active retirees. Children are very welcome but there are no specialised activities for them except in the peak school holiday periods.
All cabins on the ships are individually air-conditioned. The cabins are well fitted out and equipped and all have sea views. They tend to be smaller than those found on the floating holiday resorts but passengers tend to not spend a great deal of time in them. There are double and twin cabins available and a small selection of suites. The mini-bar in each cabin is stocked with soft drinks, snacks and Fijian beer. The bathrooms are fully equipped with good quality toiletries.
All main meals are served in the main dining saloon. There is a single sitting for dinner but breakfast and lunch are more leisurely affairs. The menu is heavy on local dishes and sea food is of course high on the list of priorities. The chefs are locals but do cater for Australian and New Zealander tastes. The first night of the cruise is the captain’s dinner and is served. The remainder of the cruise sees dinner served buffet style so allowing passengers to pick and choose their favourite dishes. Lunches can quite often be taken ashore on a beach under a palm tree. There are always vegetarian and healthy option dishes available for each meal.
There is a special treat for honeymooners who can have a dinner for two served on a private deck under the stars. They may also want to have a champagne breakfast served in bed. This is followed by a hers and his massage.
The ships carry a very good wine cellar stocked most with wines from Australia and New Zealand. The bar serves a wide range of drinks to cater for almost all palates.
There are no shows performed on the ships but the crew often give impromptu concerts of local music and songs. One evening is a disco night and talented cruisers are welcome to perform on other evenings. Each ship has a fitness centre but most passengers like to get their exercise by snorkelling along the coral heads. A popular event is to join the crew early each morning as they fish from the ship. There are plenty of water toys including kayaks and small glass bottomed boat for fish watching.
A Blue Lagoon cruise is an extremely relaxing holiday in a beautiful area of the world. The food is outstanding and snorkelling the coral is difficult to beat.