Yasawa Islands Explorer Cruise with Lunch

"explore" all islands from the distance of cruise (not getting off on any island)

If someone just wants to see (browse from far) all the Yasawa islands, just to see how they look, where the resorts are, what's the view, what's the weather conditions, what's the sea conditions, how SSC operates and makes sure all passengers (and their respective luggage) is sent and picked up from different islands, enjoy a day just relaxing on cruise (food water on our own expense) then it's a good option. Decent price. Takes 9 hours. Smooth and interesting operations. Wide variety in islands. WEATHER MATTERS a LOT (for water quality/transparency, beauty and overall sea swell conditions).

Terrible experience

8 hours spent in a passenger ferry. Continuous announcement for disembarking passenger, no tourist information provided.

This is not a cruise! It’s a FERRY

We have emailed this to the Fijian cruise company, let's hope they refund our money and change their adverts! ——— We have left both a facebook message and facebook post hoping to reach someone. We are contacting you here to try and gain a resolution of our complaint, which we detail further below. We booked the Yasawa Islands Sightseeing Cruise after reading the hotel brochure titled 'Full Day Adventure Cruise...' on board the ''Yasawa Flyer' a comfortable, fast catamaran...'. We had been on the Captain Cook dinner cruise the night before and expected something similar but during the day and longer and is why we didnt mind paying the asking price of $215 per person. On Saturday 2 September our bad day started with the transfer bus not stopping at The Westin to pick us up, we were there waiting and saw the bus pull up but was not even there long enough for the concierge to go to his door to ask what transfer it was and then the bus took off. We then had to get a Taxi for $10 and almost missed the boat. Upon arriving to the port, we were given our tickets and were told to rush because the 'Yellow Ferry' will be leaving very soon. And so we rushed to board. The day then become worse, we could not find a seat to sit on, for the first hour of the trip, there were many people who sat on the steps or on the floor as the only seats left were broken. We eventually sat in the many seats that become available after that first hour. We then enquired about being able to get off the ferry to hop from resort to resort (as this is what the brochure inferred we could do) and we were told we were not allowed off the ferry as we didnt have the bookings at the resorts; we were explained that what we booked was purely just to stay on the ferry for the 9 hour expected trip out and back to the port. By this stage we were disappointed and annoyed that the brochure conveyed such grandeur, stating we would be on '...a comfortable, fast catamaran...'. The seats were not comfortable, the seats were either ripped and or broken or had thin foam; not something that you sit on for 9 hours! No where did any advertisment say we were to stay on the ferry. We assumed by your brochure that the red dots were where we were able to disembark the boat to look around the island and island hop for the 'full day adventure curise'. As we has been up since 6am to meet the 7.45am bus transfer, we were getting hungry and expected lunch to be around 12.30pm (midday). We again made enquiries for lunch and were told that lunch is picked up at the end of the trip. We then enquired about our drinks vouchures and were told it was one water and one soft drink per person. This is definately not sufficient liquid for 9 hours and was disgusted that we were not informed to bring extra water or drinks. Finally at 1.45pm we received our packed lunch which was a COLD toasted sandwich with COLD egg and ham and COLD meant to be hot chips. We could not eat this and had to dispose of the food in the bin. Upon sitting inside we found the air conditioning to not work efficiently and saw cockroaches and ants on the tables. This ferry had not been hygienically cleaned and was not the standard portrayed on your brochures. We felt duped and disappointed and after all that money spent we lost a day of our 5 day Fijian holiday on board this passenger ferry. We are seeking compensation, a full refund of $430 Fijian Dollars. And would like you to change your brochures and advertising to ensure other like-minded travellers do not experience the same disappointment as we did.

Stay miles away!!! Hostage experience.

We have the worst experience of our lives in this cruise. First of all, people reviewed it as "best snorkelling" etc...but we were not able to get off the boat. THERE IS NO SNORKELLING EXPERIENCE HERE! My wife was feeling sick and the head of the crew staff (Mrs. Ro Iva) did not want to allow us to get off at any stop. We were even considering a reservation for an overnight stay at any resort on the way up. Mrs. Ro Iva was very unable to deal with the situation. We had the impression that she wanted to put barriers for any possible solution. We asked her to ring the Botaira Resort to see if they could have us as day guests. She said that they wouldn't without even calling them. We insisted to speak to the the Botaira's resort manager. Surprisingly there was no barrier at all. We hopped off to the resort and in our way out Mrs Iva said that she wanted to let us know that we had to pay 57 dollars each pax to catch the cruise on the way back what should be already included in our package. We dropped off anyway. On the way back, before paying I've asked to speak to the manager. Mrs Ro Iva didn't want to connect me to the manager at the first request. She made a call and spoke to someone in Fijian and then told me we did not have to pay the 57 dollars. In addition, she asked me if I still wanted to speak to the manager. OMG!!! The manager Mrs Adi was really attentive and apologised the for the upsetting situation. She offered us an upgrade in the captain's lounge. We declined because we did not want any compensation for that. However, we decided to accept it when one of the crew staff denied to provide us our lunch pack that was included in our tour with the excuse that we had already had lunch in the Botaira resort. However, we have payed for the lunch and day pass out of our pockets. It was very unpleasant to feel like hostages in the boat. We had no where to go and relied on them for anything. The crew should be able to better assist people with motion sickness. And also to troubleshooting situations like this in a professional manner. I strongly do not recommend this cruise to anyone!!!

The snorkelling was the best, the...

<p>The snorkelling was the best, the food was great, the staff were wonderful, will definitely go back next time we visit Fiji</p>

Beautiful and efficient. What can you...

<p>Beautiful and efficient. What can you say about the beauty of the Yasawa Islands - Stunning!</p>

This tour was extremely...

<p>This tour was extremely disappointing. First the transportation to and from the port was unpleasant. The bus was damp, freezing cold, and the music was a very loud pop station. Further at one resort, the bus pulled up, stopped for approximately one minute and started pulling away as passengers were walking towards the bus. The passengers had to run to catch up to the bus and to get it to stop for them. The bus driver was also fairly surly. Second, the tour operator had very poor communication. The operator did not let me know when pick up would be or send me any sort of confirmation. I had to call the evening before to get the details. Additionally, the check in once we arrived at the port was very confusing and disorganized. Third, the cruise to the island Navitu--Botaira Resort was actually a crowded, dirty public-style ferry that stopped at several islands not just the two listed in the tour description. Fourth, while the island was beautiful, it would be much better if there were no Botaira Resort there as the resort detracted from the experience. The resort's staff were unfriendly. The lunch was the worst food I had in Fiji. One of the staff told us we could not drink the water but offered no alternative--luckily we brought our own water! The snorkeling equipment was dirty and broken--again, luckily we brought our own masks and snorkels, we only had to use the fins. There were not kayaks to use. The toilets were filthy and unusable. And the showers did not work so we had to ride the ferry back having not rinsed off the salt water. This really is the worst tour I've ever been on. It makes me distrustful of anything on Viator in the future and I will not book through Viator again.</p>

Octopus island is a lovely resort...

<p>Octopus island is a lovely resort, food and service was good. Whether you lie on the beach under palm umbrellas, or swim in their pool, it's a nice, relaxing time in paradise.</p>

Botaira island was beautiful but the...

<p>Botaira island was beautiful but the snorkeling was not great. Service and food were excellent, but not a lot more to do than hike in the jungle. Snorkeling equipment was broken and in need of replacement.</p>

Disappointed. Cruise was just a boat...

<p>Disappointed. Cruise was just a boat taking people to drop them off at different island resorts. Resort that we were dropped off at had a total of 4 people. the seafood lunch was just some fried fish very dry, some kind of vegetable and salad. The boat picked us up and we stopped at all the same resorts to pick people up on the way back. Would recommend that anyone going to Fiji stay at one of the nicer island resorts.</p>

A great experience combining the...

<p>A great experience combining the chance to relax, explore and heaps of picture opportunities. The staff at Octopus Resort were fantastic and the food was good.</p>

My fiancé and I took numerous day...

<p>My fiancé and I took numerous day trips while on vacation. This was by far the worst day! They dump you on an island, segregate you from the guests that are staying on the island, and let you entertain yourself. Leaving was the best part of the day! Food was average at best.</p>

Well organised and a very good...

<p>Well organised and a very good experience. The time was only just enough to explore everything on the island so could have done with slightly longer but overall very impressed and good value for money.</p>

The beach was beautiful but there...

<p>The beach was beautiful but there wasn't much to do at the resort and little guidance throughout the day. It took about 2 hours and 30 minutes to get to the Beach from Port Denarau on a South Sea Cruise boat. We saw many islands on the way that were very pretty, and made frequent stops at these islands to let other travelers off. Upon arriving at the resort, we took a small boat that was scary to ride in because the waters were rough. When we hit the beach, we were led to the small sandy floor restaurant and the day was laid out before us. They gave us a delicious complementary juice, and at lunch time we could pick from a small selection of meals that were included in the cost of the Day Cruise. Snorkeling was available, but the staff was not very eager to help us. We waited for them to acknowledge us for about 10 minutes before someone greeted us and reluctantly checked out snorkel gear for us. Once we got in the water for snorkeling, we had to swim a ways out before we were in the snorkeling zone. The water was deep and rough so we didn't stay too long as it didn't feel very safe, but the fish on the reef were nice to look at. Once we returned the snorkel gear, we walked up and down the beach. We thought about swimming in the pool but it was very cold, and quite small. The rest of the time was spent being lazy and waiting for the boat to arrive. Most other cruises had a full itinerary and had some entertainment, but this Cruise was more of a free for all that wasn't quite the luxury and excitement that I hoped it would be. While still a beautiful location in the Yasawa islands, I would pass on this trip if I had the opportunity to choose again and stick to somewhere closer in the Mamanucas.</p>

This was the highlite of my trip. A...

<p>This was the highlite of my trip. A beautiful trip out to the islands, beautiful beach and an amazing lunch.</p>

Alot included in the day. Beautiful...

<p>Alot included in the day. Beautiful part of the world, glad inhale seem a glimpse of it. Very friendly people. Amazing colours in the water, purples in the deep, topaz and aqua along the shore. Trips on the tender to shore, and to wait for the ferry were alot of fun too. Look forward to next trip.</p>

We loved this trip! Snorkeling was...

<p>We loved this trip! Snorkeling was good and lunch was good. The beach at the Octopus Resort was just perfect!</p>

Paradise is an understatement! The...

<p>Paradise is an understatement! The cruise over to Yasawa was fantastic! Beautiful clear blue skies, nice breeze as well skirted thru the ocean gazing at many different Islands for roughly about a two hour catamaran ride. As we approached the Island we were greeted by Fijans singing as they welcomed us. We got settled and headed for our snorkeling gear to start our day at sea. Crystal clear turquoise warm waters and a beautiful marine life of vibrant life below sea. We must have snorkeled for about two hours and boy were we exhausted afterwards which only led us to enjoy a quick nap in one of many hammocks comfortably on the Island. Followed by a great lunch and tropical drinks delight. I couldn't imagine a more enjoyable way to spend my afternoon!!! Awesomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee....</p>

Excellent day out cruising the...

<p>Excellent day out cruising the islands, really good hospitality on the boat, the service and experience at Bodaira was second to none. The snorkelling at Bodaira was the best we experienced for our whole holiday in Fiji.</p>

Just gorgeous. Easy as pie. Great...

<p>Just gorgeous. Easy as pie. Great day trip, although I wish I could stay on the islands forever</p>

The trip was absolutely great. The...

<p>The trip was absolutely great. The cruise itself was really nice as we got to see so many beautiful islands. Octopus resort is stunning. The welcome with the staff singing and greeting us was unexpected and make you feel comfortable right from the begining. The snorkeling was good, lots of fish but the corals were not that nice., a bit lifeless an colorless. Food was really good and served incredibly fast. I highly recommand this cruise, probably one of the best you can do. I repeat, Octopus is stunning !</p>

Mas que una excursion en si, este...

<p>Mas que una excursion en si, este Tour consiste en pasaje en el Ferry rápido a las islas Yasawa y la estancia de unas horas en un Resort. En nuestro caso el Octopus Resort. Las instalaciones y la isla son maravillosas e incluye la utilización de equipo de snorkeling y la comida a la carta la cual estaba deliciosa. El viaje en ferry te permite ver algunas de las islas Yasawa y Mamanucas. Recomendable si se esta en Nadi y se quiere ver algo de estas islas.</p>