Norwegian Cruise Ship To Visit Lyttelton

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29102, 14 January 1960, Page 11

Norwegian Cruise Ship To Visit Lyttelton

The post-war luxury liner the Bergensfjoi-d, of the Norwegian America Line, will pay its first visit to New Zealand next month carrying 400 passengers. The streamlined white vessel of 18,750 tons, seven decks and many luxurious appointments, is expected to arrive at Lyttelton on Sunday, February 14, in the course of an 87-day winter cruise around the world which will include 22 ports. Sailing from New York through the Panama Canal, the ship will visit Pacific islands before making Auckland her first call in New Zealand.

Most of the passengers are American tourists. Eleven different shore excursions have been arranged from Auckland. Some passengers will go to Rotorua and Waitomo caves. Twenty-one persons will do a week’s tour of New Zealand including Nelson, and a motor trip to Westland and the glaciers. These passengers will arrive in Christchurch on February 17, travelling through Arthur’s Pass, and will fly to Sydney the next day to rejoin the ship. Plans in Christchurch

The majority of the passengers will stay with the ship in New Zealand and spend Sunday, February 14 in and around points of interest in Christchurch. The party will be divided into four sections —two doing a bus tour which will take them through Governor’s Bay, Gebbie’s Pass, Tai Tapu, Lincoln College, the Botanic Gardens, the Disabled Servicemen’s Centre, Riccarton, residential areas of Christchurch, and the Summit road. Two other groups will be taken to Akaroa where they will see an early settlers and antiques exhibition. They will also drive round Christchurch city, some suburbs and over the Summit road before returning to the ship. About 20 buses will be used to transport the passengers and special arrangements have been made for lunch in a public hall in Akaroa, with a Christchurch lounge for morning and afternoon tea and at Christchurch hotels for a mid-day meal. Milford Sound The ship will sail the same evening for Milford Sound to give passengers a last glimpse of New Zealand before the vessel leaves for Australian ports, South Africa, East Africa and back to New York. Plans for the large party are being handled by Thos. Cook and Son, Ltd., whose Christchurch manager (Mr M. N. Pointon) said yesterday that work on travellers’ itineraries was begun almost a year ago, in consultation with the South Island Publicity Association and the Public Relations Office. Sunday being a difficult day for visitors in New Zealand cities, special arrangements had to be made to feed the tourists and allow them a chance to buy souvenirs. “Forerunner of More”

The ship carries a Cook’s tour director and about a dozen members of the special cruise department of the agency’s New York office. “This ship can be regarded as the forerunner of other foreign cruise ships which will visit the Southern hemisphere,” Mr Pointon said, discussing the trend of tourism towards the South Pacific. “With a cruise ship the accommodation problem

presented is not so terrific,” he added.

The Bergensfjord is a popular ship for passengers to and from the United States and Scandinavia, her regular run being New York-Oslo, but she is also a favourite cruise ship for dodgers of American winters. She has cruised the last three winters in the South Atlantic, the South Pacific and last year on an “80-day-around-the-world” voyage. All First Class The highest fare paid for the present 87-day cruise, which excludes costs for shore trips, is 11,500 dollars (about £3833) in a suite on the sundeck, and the lowest is 2450 dollars (about £816). Every passenger travels first class with the full run of the ship. Every cabin has a toilet and many a bath or shower as well. A feature of the cuisine is the famed Norwegian-style supper—cold smorgasbord dishes of fish, cold meats and salads in great variety, served on the ship after the evening entertainments. A colourful brochure prepared for passengers’ information includes advice on suitable clothing for Southern New Zealand, reading: “A light-weight pullover or sweater jacket will come in handy.” Passengers are advised to take a rain-coat and reminded that if they wear glasses they should take the precaution of packing an extra pair. Women are asked not to wear slacks on shore trips or at meals in the ship at which time jackets are obligatory for men.