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Yep I got duped into booking a cruise at this time of year....I didnt even think twice about it being wet season atm, but I am leaving in approx 12 days for a 10-night cruise out to New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Now the question becomes..what camera gear should I bring?

So far I have worked out that I will definitely be bringing:
-Fujifilm F100fd + 40m casing
-Samsung EX1 (if that loaner I have been promised arrives in time)

But I am now completely uncertain as to what SLR gear I should bring...
D60 or D300??
lenses?

D60 so the D300 is still available for me to borrow

I just got back 10 days ago from a similar cruise (Rhapsody of the Seas- Royal Carribean-Port Villa, Vanuatu, Mystery Island, Lifou)

I was reluctant to go as i like to get up early and wander and like to explore local areas etc so a boat is not ideal for that!! It was with the kids (4 and 1) and in-laws (they paid as it was 40th anniversary so no complaints!), so my natural desire for travel and landscapes was somewhat tempered.

I ummed and aahed about taking my DSLR and didnt end up taking it for 2 reasons. Didnt want to stress about it in the rooms while i wasnt there (having done the trip i wouldnt stress about that now- there are safes and just not that kind of look after your valuables vibe). Also didnt want to leave it on shore while all of us were mucking round in the water.(main reason and cant see a way round this)

I dont regret it and probably only wanted it 2 or 3 times- silouettes on beaches etc that compacts struggle with.

I only took our underwater/shockproof camera that I'm happy to let the boy throw around. The images are good enough and i am going to put a photobook together as a bit of a thankyou. Not the normal A3's i print after a trip or bigger panos but not many chances for that anyway. Even on a trip in Port Villa to a waterfall didnt really miss it cos had kids to chase and carry so no chance of tripod and time to compose!

As everybody knows (Yasi is about to make landfall as i write) it is cyclone season. We had 7m swell on the outward trip and most people were feeling it so make sure you take something. Me and the boys were ok so didnt take anything but everyone else was chucking.


Overall it was better than i thought though a lot less time on shore than i expected- (also take your own mask and snorkel etc some islands were uninhabited so no chance of hiring)
Hope you enjoy!!


Robert

While it wasn't a cruise as such... I did take pretty much ALL my camera gear to Vanuatu (left the 200mm at home and didn't miss it). I never got to use the 10-16mm fisheye (the water wasn't really clear enough) but the 18-55mm and 60mm got a good workout and the 12-24mm even got used twice (2 dives, not 2 shots).

I took the D300+18-55m up the Mele Cascades, part of which you have to wade through the waterfall - this shot only shows a mild part of the climb:


But it was worth it to get some shots at the top:


Note, I had the camera/lens in a dry bag in a backpack (just a basic day bag not my normal camera backpack) so if I fell it would stay dry.

Mr Darcy wrote:D60 so the D300 is still available for me to borrow

Decision made!

Robert, thanks for your advice, I do own some snorkel gear so I will be bringing that. I have my 40m casing for my F100fd so I will be using that for throwing around. Maybe I should just leave the SLR's at home. I guess I should still have a EX1 (that shoots RAW) to use.

Andrew, I think that if I do bring something then I would definitely use it, and I do have a dry bag to keep anything like that safe from water. Good thing you mentioned it though, as I am sure someone in the future will probably read this and make use of that info.

Good luck Cameron - whatever you end up taking, remember the reason why your on holidays! enjoy the time you have with the people your are travelling with. But I do expect a shot from you guys with your feet up drinking a cocktail whilst on a beautiful beach!

Hope you have a ball Cameron. Just enjoy ya trip and don't think too much about the photos.

One other word of advice from our trip- get some waterproof reef shoes or sandals that you dont mind getting wet. Most beaches were made up of crushed coral so walking around would be tricky without shoes.

ATJ- we went to those waterfalls as well- great spot to relax in the cascading pools. just to give you an idea on price- we hired a van and driver who stayed there for a return trip and paid $50AUD while my inlaws paid $100AUD. worth bartering!

Also most places- noumea, vanuatu took AUD so we didnt do anything about currency exchange and used the ATM on ship (comes out in USD) to pay the gratuities- it was an US cruiseline.

robert wrote:ATJ- we went to those waterfalls as well- great spot to relax in the cascading pools. just to give you an idea on price- we hired a van and driver who stayed there for a return trip and paid $50AUD while my inlaws paid $100AUD. worth bartering!

I think we paid 400vt each (around AU$4.40) for the return trip. There were 6 of us so that worked out to be less than AU$30.

robert wrote:Also most places- noumea, vanuatu took AUD so we didnt do anything about currency exchange and used the ATM on ship (comes out in USD) to pay the gratuities- it was an US cruiseline.

As I was in Vanuatu for 7 days, I just got 20,000vt from the ATM at the airport to tide me over for the week. After exchanging 5,000vt for AU$60 with my of my traveling companions, I ended up with only 200 or 300vt when I left.