A Moreton Island getaway onboard Sun Princess
By Evelyn A. Opilas
Photos by Evelyn A. Opilas
Onboard Sun Princess
March 20, 2019
“You’ve been working hard; it’s your birthday; do something differently,” I coax Mely Estanislao, my fellow invigilator, hoping she would join my sister Yvonne and I on a four-day getaway cruise to Moreton Island early in January.
left photo: Mely’s son Sydney ensured we arrived at the cruise terminal on time.; right photo: Evelyn and Yvonne await the tender back to the ship .
An anchored Sun Princess and pelicans frolicking on the sand
Surprisingly she consents, and going off-script from the usual lunch she would have with family and friends to mark her natal day, Mely sails with us, her son Sydney ensuring we arrived at the cruise terminal on time.
It’s Mely’s first voyage with Princess Cruises, and being a Princess fan, I was keen for her to enjoy the mini-voyage on Sun Princess, one of the cruise lines’ fleet in Australia.
Sun Princess delivered – our room attendant Nao kept our cabin neat and tidy; the dining room crew, many of them Filipinos, were attentive; cruise director DuVaul Gamble created a musical program that included soprano Mia Flores, a graduate of the University of the Philippines Conservatorium of Music, flown in from Manila to entertain guests with well-loved Broadway, Blues and Pop songs.
The Sun Princess approaches the Sydney Harbour Bridge, to cross underneath to get out of Sydney harbour .
The cruise ship’s exit from Sydney Harbour by sailing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge was in itself a spectacular feat!
The Sun Princess’s bow cuts through the water under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
As for our destination, access to Moreton Island required a tender – we were transferred to and from the island while the Sun Princess remained anchored off Moreton Bay.
Left photo: Sun Princess underneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge; right photo Sun Princess on its way out of Sydney Harbour
The protected sand island, just off the coast of south-eastern Queensland, is 98 per cent sand and 2 per cent rock, and is known for its beaches and sand dunes.
Its National Park status ensures that Moreton Island’s natural beauty is protected. The island is an important sanctuary for about 195 species of birds, with thousands of migratory birds swooping into the island shores and wetlands to rest and refuel every year, according to information brochures.
Onshore activities on the island include swimming, kayaking, snorkelling, driving among the sand dunes, whale watching, helicopter rides, walking around the shore, playing lazy.
Onboard, Filipino-Australian Zumba ‘queens’ Maria Kerrigan from Neutral Bay NSW and Mae Wall from the Gold Coast Qld joined other passengers do their workouts.
Left photo: Birthday greetings for Mely at our cabin door; right photo: Belated birthday wishes for Yvonne
A wonderful birthday getaway for both Mely and Yvonne indeed.