Day 29 Tuesday February 13, 2024, Auckland, New Zealand Welcome to Day 1 in Auckland considered the most volcanic city in the world and also known as the City of Sails. It is 05:30 and a tug is pushing Insignia towards her pier in Auckland. We are overnight as is Viking Orion (capacity 930 passengers). I assume both ships are ending their segments and beginning new ones. From leaving the port of Los Angeles on January 14 cruising through Hawaii, French Polynesi...

Day 28 February 11,2024 Bay of Islands, New Zealand Welcome to New Zealand!! As I make my way to the walking track a cool breeze settles over Insignia. The forecast is temperatures of 24C so I do not think pants will be needed. The Bay of Islands (explain more) is our first stop on the North Island of New Zealand. Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas with its capacity of xxx is cruising into the bay as well. Today was spent with our friends Helen, Leroy, Bev...

Day 26 Friday February 9, 2024, Apia Fiji Change in World Cruise Itinerary so we are officially on the Magical Mystery Cruise #2. There has been talk understandably throughout the ship regarding the conflict in the Middle East and the travel through the Red Sea. Other reports on the internet indicated that cruise ships were adjusting their itineraries to reflect the conflict in the Middle East and that it was not safe to sail through the Red Sea or to any other...

Day 25 - Thursday February 8, 2024, Suva Fiji Arrival 08:00 All Aboard 18:00 Departure 18:30 As Insignia sails into the harbour at 06:30 the pilot is already onboard. I can see a ship on its side just inside the reef. It must have been a huge storm to shipwreck it. Old rusting out fishing boats dot the harbour as I wonder what it would be like to work on such a boat or what the living conditions would be like. As we cruise into the port you can see that Fiji...

Day 23 Tuesday February 6, 2024, Apia, Samoa Arrival 08:00 All Aboard 16:30 Departure 17:00 It is not a typo. Yesterday (Sunday) we left American Samoa only 132 nautical miles away to arrive in Apia, Samoa on Tuesday. Why you ask? Well overnight (Sunday) Insignia sailed across the International Date Line at roughly 180 degrees east or west. It is considered the halfway point from Greenwich Mean Time in the UK where time zones begin. In our case, Insignia ...