We Almost Didn't Go on This Australia Cruise — Here's What Happened
Bora Bora PortAustralia CountryNew Caledonia CountryVanuatu CountryPort Vila PortSydney PortCarnival Splendor Cruise Ship
We almost canceled our Australia cruise after losing our son, Michael. Here is why we decided to go and how we found healing along the way. After facing an unimaginable loss just days before our scheduled departure, we had to decide between staying home or continuing with our planned 50th birthday trip. We chose to board the Carnival Splendor, documenting our journey from Sydney through the islands of Vanuatu. This story shares our honest experience with grief while traveling and provides the logistics you need if you are planning your own voyage. We break down the costs and details for a private Sydney tour that included koalas and ancient petroglyphs, as well as our stops in Santo and Port Vila. Whether you are looking for specific Vanuatu travel tips or just want to see how we navigated this difficult time, we share the signs and moments that reminded us that joy and grief can exist at the same time. This is a complete look at our experience on this Australia cruise, including the excursions and ship life that helped us heal. As a comprehensive cruise travel guide, we hope our journey helps you navigate your own. Subscribe for weekly travel breakdowns, and let us know in the comments if you have ever traveled while grieving. ✅ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Why We Almost Canceled This Australia Cruise 1:02 - First Signs in Sydney: The Driver Named Michael G 1:54 - Sydney Private Tour: Koalas, Platypus & 30,000-Year-Old Petroglyphs 2:56 - Boarding Carnival Splendor at Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal 3:50 - New Caledonia Canceled: Rerouted to Vanuatu 4:04 - Santo Beach Escape Excursion ($229/Person) & The Vanuatu Blue Hole 4:49 - Port Vila Vanuatu: Beach, Starfish & Waterfall Rope Swing 5:32 - Carnival Splendor Casino Wins & Piano Bar Night 6:28 - Vivid Sydney Light Show & The Fall Out Boy Phoenix Moment 6:58 - Same Driver Home: Michael's Final Sign 7:13 - How This Cruise Accelerated Our Grief Healing If you are planning a cruise out of Sydney, the embarkation process at the Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal is smooth and nearly identical to the US — you will have zero issues. The Vanuatu stops at Santo and Port Vila were unexpected gems after our New Caledonia itinerary was changed due to civil unrest. The Santo Beach Escape excursion at $229 per person and the Blue Hole were among the most beautiful places we have ever visited. The private 9-hour Sydney tour ran us $850 for just the two of us and covered koalas, the platypus habitat, Bondi Beach, Manly Beach, and 30,000-year-old Aboriginal petroglyphs. We were on the Carnival Splendor for the fourth time — and it delivered again. If you are sailing on her, do not miss the piano bar. 📦 ULTIMATE TRAVEL PACKING LIST → https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F18nwsACJMID5964jQi4426g80-92a6E/edit?usp=drive_link ?? Watch our Bora Bora shark tour next → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6koy5FCl6A