Legends of the Pacific
17 days, 16 nights from Guam to Fiji...or reverse
Traditional Villages, WWII Sites and Snorkeling. Seldom explored by outside visitors, our voyage of discovery includes a unique combination of age-old primative island cultures, mementos of World War II sites in the Pacific, and some of the most spectacular snorkeling opportunities on Earth.
 CRUISE
- Anderson Giles
 Accomplished artist and Professor of Art from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, Anderson Giles has a unique background which encompasses decades of experience in the Pacific Islands involved in World War II. He wrote, directed, and produced an award-winning documentary, contributed to a number of films and publications, has appeared in many WWII productions, and given numerous presentations on his dedicated work.
His travels and research have taken him to Fiji, Truk, Guadalcanal, Christmas Island, Tulagi, New Britain, Peleliu, Angaur, the Marshall Islands, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and Japan and he has lead many tours to various Pacific Islands and is personally familiar with many of the Islanders and their cultures. He has also traveled in Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Korea and the pacific coast of Russia.
Giles is also an accomplished painter, with over 90 solo and group exhibitions to his credit over the last 20 years. Giles’ paintings hang in numerous corporate and private collections across the United States and abroad. On Veterans Day, 2004, The Bangor Daily News ran a front-page article on Professor Giles entitled, “Fighting Time, Honoring our Veterans.”
Scattered across the Western Pacific lie some of the most remote and spectacular island chains in the world.
CRUISE
YOUR SELECTION
 CRUISE NORTHBOUND Legends of the Pacific
- Tour Costs From: $7,249 pp
- 17 Days, 16 Nights
- Fiji To Guam
- Departures:
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 Northbound Cruise 54
- Day 1 - NADI/LAUTOKA, FIJI
- Lautoka is the sugar city, surrounded by azure Pacific Ocean on one side and green-gold sugar cane on the other. Disembark for a visit to the original village of Fiji, Viseisei, where you’ll take part in a traditional Kava ceremony and be treated to local song and dance. Tour the delicate orchids of the Garden of the Sleeping Giant before boarding the Spirit of Oceanus.
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- Day 2 - AT SEA
- Soak up the majesty of a tangerine sun as it blazes over the horizon. Absorb the expertise and camaraderie of those around you and enjoy some downtime. BLD
- Day 3 - AMBRYM ISLAND, VANUATU
- You haven’t experienced Ambrym until you’ve taken part in the powerful and mysterious Rom dance. Feel the ground tremble beneath you as dancers sporting colorful masks and head-to-toe cloaks made of dried banana leaves pound giant carved wooden ‘tam tams’ into the ground—the rhythmic stomping and chanting will leave you mesmerized. Ambrym is also steeped in a rich history of sorcery—explore its seething active lava lakes, eerie mist-shrouded jungle and jagged black moonscape and you will quickly understand why. Here you will also find some of the best woodcarvings in the Pacific.
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- Day 4 - TIKOPIA, SOLOMON ISLANDS
- You’ll have to get on your hands and knees and crawl if you want to approach one of the four clan chiefs residing on Tikopia, where villagers have tremendous pride in their customs. As a result, little has changed over time. Men catch flying fish with nets shaped like tennis rackets and women wear tapa cloth skirts and cook in communal ovens. Explore craft markets and village huts, built low to the ground and curved to deflect strong winds. Enjoy dance performances and a hike to “Te Rota,” a mountaintop crater lake.
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- Day 5 - AT SEA
- More time to relax onboard and learn more about upcoming island visits. BLD
- Day 6 - GUADALCANAL, SOLOMON ISLANDS
- The Solomon Islands were the site of the 6-month Guadalcanal Campaign during the Pacific War in 1942-1943. Many relics are still found scattered both on land and sea. Visit the battlefields of Bloody Ridge and Henderson Field or explore a sunken Japanese freighter with mask and snorkel. It’s difficult to believe that Guadalcanal’s white-sand beaches and sparkling, clear lagoons were once the site of fierce fighting.
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- Day 7 - SANTA ISABELA ISLAND, SOLOMON ISLANDS
- Travel by inflatable excursion craft several miles up an inlet to the village of Kia (watching your ship’s wake for flying fish!) and follow a trail to the village center, once home to headhunters. Watch as women make tapa cloth from the bark of the paper-mulberry tree and color it pale blue with a dye of crushed orchid leaves. At night, water sparkles with phosphorescence under stilted thatched-roof huts.
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- Day 8 - AT SEA
- As you cross the Equator and sail between islands, Exploration Leaders and other experts will brief you on the natural history and cultures you’ll visit in the following days. BLD
- Day 9 - AT SEA
- As you cross the Equator and sail between islands, Exploration Leaders and other experts will brief you on the natural history and cultures you’ll visit in the following days. BLD
- Day 10 - POHNPEI, ISLAND FSM
- Let the mist of a rushing waterfall cool your face as you traverse the tropical forest of Pohnpei, teeming with over 40 species of birds, reptiles and deer. Visit the ancient ruins of Nan Madol (“the Venice of the Pacific”), said to be over 700 years old. Savor an authentic hot lunch—served on a giant leaf—keeping your eyes peeled for the endemic Pohnpei fantail and flycatcher in the trees above.
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- Day 11 - AT SEA
- Enjoy a relaxing day at sea as we cruise between islands. Your Exploration Leaders and other experts will brief you on the natural history and cultures of upcoming islands. BLD
- Day 12 - TONOAS, CHUUK
- Chuuk (also known as Truk), fringed in mangroves in a picturesque lagoon, was the center for the Japanese Navy during World War II. Snorkel around a sunken Japanese destroyer, or explore the remains of the battle known as Operation Hailstorm.
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- Day 13 - SATAWAL ISLAND, YAP
- Some of the most renowned sailors in the Pacific live on Satawal Island, traveling phenomenal distances in outrigger canoes, navigating by the stars and the ocean’s waves. Visit their village and feel the energy and rhythm of a traditional dance. One-of-a-kind canoe houses dot the shore and underwater, a snorkeler’s paradise awaits.
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- Day 14 - IFALUK, YAP
- The approximately 650 inhabitants of Ifaluk are some of the most traditional of all the Eastern Caroline Islands. As you make your way by inflatable excursion craft from the ship to the island, you are greeted by singing villagers, adorned in shell necklaces, exotic flowers and colorful body paint. Experience your first ceremonial dance before taking a plunge into Ifaluk’s shallow lagoon, brimming with tropical fish and vivid sea fans.
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- Day 15 - GAFERUT ATOLL, YAP
- This tiny atoll is only 0.2 miles long! While its sliver of white-sand beach is barely visible above water, its isolation makes it a perfect sanctuary for hundreds of nesting frigates, boobies, noddies and terns, including the elegant fairy tern. The snorkeling just off the atoll is spectacular.
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- Day 16 - GUAM, U.S.
- A morning tour introduces you to the southernmost of the Mariana Islands. First visited by Magellan in 1521, Guam’s culture has a significant Spanish influence: notice the colorful mastizas worn by the women and in the architecture of the southern villages.
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- Day 17 - GUAM/HOME CITIES
- Transfer to the airport for your flight home. B
B=Breakfast L=Lunch D=Dinner
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CRUISE DATES & PRICES
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TOUR 54 NORTHBOUND
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MAJ |
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$7249 |
$7749 |
$8099 |
$8699 |
$10049 |
$11049 |
$16149 |
The cost of your cruise includes $475 per person which covers taxes / port charges / fees and onboard services. Onboard gratuities are neither required nor expected. Prices are per person, double-occupancy, U.S. dollars. Single / Triple rates available upon request where applicable. Airfare extra. Prices do not include fuel surcharges which may be added up to the time of final payment.
TOUR 55 SOUTHBOUND
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SUP |
MAJ |
PRE |
CLS |
EXP |
GT |
OWN |
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$7249 |
$7749 |
$8099 |
$8699 |
$10049 |
$11049 |
$16149 |
The cost of your cruise includes $380 per person which covers taxes / port charges / fees and onboard services. Onboard gratuities are neither required nor expected. Prices are per person, double-occupancy, U.S. dollars. Single / Triple rates available upon request where applicable. Airfare extra. Prices do not include fuel surcharges which may be added up to the time of final payment.
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Spirit of Oceanus
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Cabin Category SOO - Superior :
(Suites 250, 331) Located on the Oceanus and Main decks, Superior Suites average 215 square feet in size and have three portholes (Main Deck) or picture windows (Oceanus Deck). Twin or king beds. |
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YOUR SELECTIONS BELOW
Legends of the Pacific
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Spirit of Oceanus
One Classy Lady
Cruise West's first oceangoing vessel is also our most spacious and luxurious. Equipped with stabilizers, the Spirit of Oceanus reveals new worlds.
- 295 feet in length
- Cruising speed of 14.5 knots
- Registered in the Bahamas
- English-speaking multinational crew
- All cabins feature private facilities
- Bed sizes will vary from standard
- Elevator to all passenger decks
- TV monitor/VCR in each cabin
- 120 guests
- Satellite phone, email and Internet capability
- 15 Suites have private balconies
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SOO - Superior
SOO - Majestic
SOO - Premium
SOO - Classic
SOO - Explorer
SOO - Grand Titan
SOO - Owner's Suite
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Expand/Contract All
 Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
The Solomons remained relatively unexplored except during World War II when all sides valued their strategic position. Guadalcanal was, of course, the setting for one of the most fiercely fought battles of WW2. The Guadalcanal Campaign of 1942-3 is regarded as one of the most crucial Allied victories, if not the actual turning point of the war in the Pacific. The evidence of this campaign can be seen in many sights on and around Guadalcanal, including Bloody Ridge, Henderson Field (now the Solomon's international airport), Mataniko River, Red Beach, Western and Eastern Battlefields, and the huge number of divable shipwrecks and aircraft. In addition to being the subject of numerous books, the battle featured in the recent film "The Thin Red Line", which was shot partly on Guadalcanal. Guadalcanal is the largest island in the Solomon Islands. It hosts the nation's largest city and Capitol of the Solomon Islands, Honiara. Honiara city is a port and commercial centre on the northern coast of Guadalcanal Island, which sprang up during World War II. The port primarily trades in coconuts, palm products, and timber both locally and internationally.
- Santa Isabela Island, Solomon Islands
Waters that sparkle with phosphorescence at night, parrots and eagles soaring overhead, luxuriously rich coral reefs…it’s hard to imagine a more perfect paradise. The rich history here includes a legacy of matrilineal inheritance, developed during headhunting days when women were usually spared but men were not. Other enduring traditions include a unique way of making tapa cloth from the bark of the paper-mulberry tree and tinting it a pale blue using a dye made of crushed orchid leaves. There is very little development on the island and no roads beyond a short stretch in the Provincial Capital Buala, and the town of Kaevanga on the south coast. Villages are all traditional, with beautifully kept leaf houses and gardens. The village of Kia in the north is of especial interest, as it is built mainly on stilts over the clear lagoon waters. All transport is by canoe, outboard or dugout and there are crocodiles in the many deep rivers. We’ll anchor off Kia village this morning and go ashore to explore, watch a traditional dance performance, and shop for handicrafts. In the far north are the Arnarvon Islands, protected as a conservation area noted for a breeding area of rare green and leatherback turtles. To the southwest, the island of San Jorge is known as a place of the dead, where spirits reside, and overnight visitors observe strange phenomena.
- Pohnpei Island, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)
Pohnpei offers rushing rivers and tranquil fresh water pools as well as some of the most spectacular waterfalls in Micronesia. Bird watchers will want to keep their eyes peeled for the endemic Pohnpei fantail and Pohnpei flycatcher. But the highlight of the island is the ‘city’ ruins of Nan Madol, once home to the ancient Saudeleur kings. Called the Venice of the Pacific, this manmade city with ocean-filled channels once housed a thriving, royal civilization. Said to be over 700 years old, this Venice-like community built on 100 artificial islets was once complete with canals, stone towers, and bridges. Huge basalt pillars form the residences of kings and sorcerers. These remnants of an ancient Pohnpeian civilization are still being studied and explored. Pohnpei is the largest and tallest island in the FSM. Its peaks get plenty of rainfall annually and this creates more than 40 rivers that feed the lush upper rain forest. Pohnpei's waterfalls range from pleasant to spectacular, creating a refreshing and breathtaking experience for those venturing to the base of the falls. Pohnpei is famous for its energetic dances and also for the relaxing drink sakau, a kava-like brew. Pohnpei's people offer a look at family life island style. Communities come together to weave a new boathouse or just wash the daily clothes. Kids frolic in the water of the many rivers that flow from the mountains and down past the villages.
- Tonoas Island, Chuuk (also known as Truk), FSM
The center for the Japanese Navy during World War II, this island still has many remains of the battle known as Operation Hailstone.
The many islands within this huge atoll are crowned with natural beauty. The outer barrier reef is punctuated with idyllic sand spits dotted with coconut palms. The high islands in the central lagoon rise into the blue island skies. Wild orchids and other flora are found in the scenic and sometimes rugged terrain of the islands. Lush vegetation and simple living punctuate the lives of the lagoon. Fishing, weaving and tending garden supplant the subsistence lives that many sustain on their individual islands. It is not unusual to see women waist deep in the mangroves hunting for a special delicacy or men walking the reefs by torchlight at night looking for baby octopus. Boat makers create vessels high in the hills of the inner islands and take them down to sea when finished. Open-hearth fires are still used to cook the daily meals. Life here is close to nature and lived in conjunction with the land and the sea. Local carvers are also famous for using beautiful local woods to carve warrior masks and busts. And the Chuukese love stick is part of a legendary practice of courtship unique to this island group. Chuuk (Also pronounced Truck), with its vast, shallow, beautiful lagoon is a Mecca for wreck divers. A major shipwreck site from WWII, with Truk Lagoon is unquestionably the world's best shipwreck diving destination. The villagers here still build seagoing canoes using traditional methods, and are adept at celestial navigation. You’ll have a chance to visit their village and snorkel in the clear waters. Today it offers excellent snorkeling and friendly villagers who will share their traditional dances and handicrafts with you – Taken from Pulap atoll itinerary. May need to change if we are no longer doing this.
- Satawal Island, Yap, FSM
The Federated States of Micronesia comprise Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap, four island states of more than 600 tiny islands and atolls, stretch almost the entire width of Micronesia, 1,800 miles across the western Pacific from east to west. Each speaks its own language with its own distinctive culture, traditions and history. Resident population close of 500 speak their native language, Satawalese. In addition, there are many Satawalese on Yap proper. The island of Satawal is the home of one of Micronesia’s most legendary figures, master star navigator Mau Pialug. He was responsible for starting the revival of traditional Polynesian voyaging 20 years ago, and today, giant canoe houses once more dot the shore. Without charts or compasses, these mariners rely on their knowledge of star positions, ocean swells and other natural phenomenon to navigate immense stretches of the Pacific in their traditional canoes. Some of the most skilled traditional Pacific navigators can be found on Satawal. Visit the village where these “ancient mariners” live and examine the giant canoe houses. Go diving or snorkeling on the island's reef, or take a nature walk and perhaps see the Caroline reed warbler and other native species of birds.
- Ifaluk, Yap, FSM
Yap, The westernmost state of Micronesia is, made up of four large and seven small islands plus another 134 Islets. There are four indigenous languages in Yap: Yapese, Ulithian, Woleian and Satawalese. English is the common language of the FSM and is commonly spoken and understood. Many elderly Yapese are fluent in Japanese. Home to approximately 650 people, the island of Ifaluk is powerfully traditional. In their cooperative culture, the men fish to supply the entire island, and there is no word for “anger.” Dance is an art form in Yap. Through dance, legends are passed down, history is recorded and entertainment is created. The dances of Yap are raucous, colorful and well orchestrated. Men and women both start at an early age to learn this special Yap tradition. This traditional life carries into the villages where fishing, sailing and weaving are still important parts of everyday life. Grass skirts for the women and thu'us, a type of loincloth, for the men are the basic garbs in the small towns that sit in tranquil settings around the island. The inhabitants of Ifaluk are the most traditional of all the Eastern Caroline Islands, and the inner lagoon is shallow and breathtakingly beautiful. The island's hard coral reefs and colorful drop-offs are enchanting. Sea anemones, soft corals and colorful gorgonian sea fans dot the walls. Sea turtles are seen at many sites around Ifaluk. The reefs here are alive with colorful fish that will delight snorkelers. As you visit with villagers, you may learn of their unique methods of fishing, and see them perform some of the dances that constitute their highest art form.
- Gaferut Atoll, Yap, FSM
A tiny, shimmering isle rising out of an azure sea, Gaferut is the archetypal South Pacific atoll. Like many atolls, uninhabited Gaferut is an important and isolated site for bird and turtle nesting. Birders can expect to see three species of boobies, two species of noddies, and three species of terns, including the elegant Fairy Tern. Spectacular snorkeling can be had right from the shore as we step from the apricot sand into the balmy Pacific waters for our first glimpse at paradise underwater. If you’re lucky, you may see some of Yap’s many manta rays.
- Guam, U.S.
Three times the size of Washington, DC. The Island of Guam is the Western most territory of the United States and one of the leading tourist destinations in the Western Pacific. Although located in the Northern Pacific, Guam is truly a tropical island paradise. The beaches offer gleaming white sand and crystal clear, calm waters for swimming, snorkeling, or just relaxing and enjoying the fantastic sunsets over the Philippine Sea. The Island of Guam has an ancient history and rich cultural heritage with 118 sites listed on the National and 155 listed on the Guam Registers of Historical Sites. The original inhabitants of Guam, the ancient Chamorro, are widely believed to have been of Indo-Malaya descent with linguistic and cultural similarities to Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. The first known contact with West occurred with the visit of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Spanish influence may be seen in Guam to this day in the mestiza, a style of women’s clothing, and in the architecture of Guam’s southern villages. You’ll disembark and enjoy a tour of Guam including Plaza de Espana, Isla Center for the Arts, and the War in the Pacific National Historic Park Visitor Center. After the tour, check into the Hyatt Regency, Guam, and spend the balance of the day at leisure. Transfer to the airport next morning for your return flight home.
- Lautoka, Viti Levu, Fiji
Legend has it that within the bounds of today’s Lautoka town there lived two tribes each with a chief. As a result of an argument one day, a fight broke out between the two chiefs at a spot, which is now known as “Farquhar’s point.” As one chief speared the other he screamed “LAU-TOKA” meaning “spear-hit” or ‘hit to win”. And so, Lautoka acquired a name. Lautoka is the sugar city as many people describe. Sugar cane has been the major industry of Fiji and Lautoka is the Base. Here, one finds the industries, head quarters, the largest sugar mill, central sugar bulk, modern loading facilities and a large wharf.
The Lautoka Sugar Mill itself employs about 1300 people and majority of them are the
ratepayers and residents of Lautoka. Apart from this there are a number of other industries such as timber, pine chips, garment, distillery, brewery, jewelry, steel, fishing, hatchery, and many more. The blue Pacific Ocean on the western side and green-gold sugar cane and pine trees on the others surround Lautoka. Centuries-old banyan trees and colonial residences line Mill View Road. Disembark the Spirit of Oceanus in Lautoka, and spend the morning exploring the sites. Learn about the sugar cane industry, stroll down the main street, Vitogo Parade, shop in the municipal market. Transfer to your individual day room at the hotel to freshen up and enjoy the morning and lunch at leisure. In the afternoon, tour highlights of the island before embarking on your ship, Spirit of Oceanus, and sail at sunset.
- Ambrym, Vanuatu
The landscape of Ambrym, the Island of Mysteries, is beyond description: a primeval world of seething active lava lakes, ancient tree ferns, eerie mist-shrouded jungle, and jagged black moonscape. An enormous ash plain about 12km across occupies the centre of the island plain, representing the crater of the ancient volcano. The home of Mt Marum and Mt Benbow volcanoes, Ambrym holds a reputation for major sorcery in Vanuatu. Ambrym is famous for its drums with vertical slits and for its tree fern carvings, sand drawings and Rom Dance, an outstanding expression of the prevailing influence of spirits. The ni-Vanuatu world, as islanders are known, is still inhabited by spirits and demons, despite the missionaries' best efforts to expel them. Anything tabu is sacred or holy, and the word is in common use - on signs it can mean simply 'no entry'. Captain James Cook explored and chartered the Vanuatu archipelago, consisting an slightly larger area than Connecticut, and 80 islands in 1774, which he named the New Hebrides. Exploited, kidnapped, proselytized and robbed for a century and a half under the benevolence of a wobbly colonial administration, the ni-Vanuatu, have bounced back since independence in 1980. Today they are among the friendliest and most welcoming people in the Pacific. Vanuatu's fractured terrain produces a kaleidoscope of cultures and more than 100 indigenous languages. We’ll anchor offshore and inflatable craft will take you to the local village, where you’ll meet with the chief, a local medicine man, and have the opportunity to purchase handicrafts.
- Tikopia, Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands have long been known for their fierce headhunting tribes, which have led to the islands’ isolation until only recently. Descended from voyaging
The Solomon Islands have long been known for their fierce headhunting tribes, which have led to the islands’ isolation until only recently. Descended from voyaging Tongans, Tikopian culture differs from that of its neighbors, and islanders still follow a traditional lifestyle. Women wear tapa cloth skirts, catch fish with handmade nets from ancient fish traps, and cook in communal ovens. Men catch flying fish with airborne nets resembling tennis rackets, wear tribal tattoos, and chew betel nuts. There are no cars on the island, and it is still ruled by four clans, each with a chief who may only be approached by crawling. It’s a fascinating place with a colorful history. The island is actually part of the British Solomon Islands, yet culturally as well as linguistically, Tikopia is classified with Western Polynesia. Tikopia is a small, volcanic island, about six square miles in size. This Island is home to approximately 2,000 people. Hunting was never used as a means of food because of the lack of animals on the island. Therefore marine life is the main source of food in their diet. The Tikopians are distributed into 21 villages located along the coastline. The 21 villages are divided into two major social-geographical districts, named Ravenga and Faea. Relations between villages of the same district are characterized by mutual interest and cooperation, while in contrast, relations between villages of different districts are marked by rivalry and hostility.
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