Transportation, Meals, Lodging:  Aurora Expeditions  -- Aurora's Marina Svetaeva 100 guest small cruise boat hosted our kayaking on their standard tour.  We booked top of the line double mini suite accommodations.  Aurora Expeditions delivery was a huge disappointment.

Overall Rating: C  [Kayaking rates B, Aurora Expeditions rates D]  
Difficulty: Low
Recommendation:  Take this trip if you have an interest in development of primitive cultures but then ONLY IF you can stomach spending half your time in 'tour bus' level activities geared to the special safety needs of the slowest moving of octogenarians AND like tours where the operator is constantly changing the venue AND are do not have posh expectations. 

BOOKING AND PREPARATION

Aurora Expeditions originally scheduled their Papua New Guinea trip departing April 10 and returning April 20.  We made our booking, paid our deposit, and made non-refundable airline reservations through international gateway cities served just one day a week.  About a month later we received a terse email:
     I am writing to let you know that there has been a change to your PNG itinerary....
     ... I have attached the new itinerary and the package flyer if you are interested.
     Please let me know if you are still able to join us on this voyage.
 
Indeed, the trip had been rescheduled to April 10 to April 22.  Through sheer luck our flight connections continued to work.  And with similar luck we were able to re-arrange our other commitments.  While on the ship, we met another Aurora guest from the UK who was more inconvenienced [and irritated] than we were.  Aurora didn't seem too concerned about the connections for most of their guests coming from Australia because they booked most guests on their air & accommodations package extension to the cruise.  Future travelers considering Aurora Expeditions be forewarned, that Aurora does not hold true to dates and schedules they have established.  We saw the same "we-change-whatever-we-want" behavior with daily changes in schedule and with personnel changes.  For instance less than a week before departure, we received an email from Aurora Expeditions listing Greg Mortimer as leader.   Greg had an extensive resume [as did other expedition leaders] and we were looking forward to learning from his experience.  When we arrived on the ship, we found that Gary Miller would be the leader and that Greg Mortimer was no where to be found.  We learned of another example of last minute scheduling when one of the guest lecturers told us that they "had only a few weeks notice" for this Aurora Expeditions trip.  Perhaps the rescheduling from April 20 to April 22 inconvenienced more people than just guests.

The information that Aurora Expeditions provided ahead of the trip was inadequate.  For instance, the office told us we needed 'Stinger Suits' in order to swim.  So we went to the Internet and located some at a local dive shop.  When we arrived on board the ship, the Aurora Expeditions guides told us they were not necessary.   Another example:  Aurora Expeditions office failed to tell anyone that local customs would prohibit visitors from swimming in bikini's.  The Aurora Expeditions office told us we could not leave the ship early enough in Rabaul to make the 11:20AM departure back to Port Moresby.  So we followed their instructions and booked extra days and chose a different international routing at extra expense to us.  Then, the morning of departure, 4 guests caught an early Zodiac to town, switched to a waiting car, and made their flights.  For some reason we were denied that option. 

Both guests and residents were disadvantaged by Aurora Expeditions failure to provide ballpark estimates of the amount of local currency which might be needed to buy crafts.  Once we had left Port Moresby, there was no opportunity to exchange currency or use an ATM.  Prior to departure, no-one  had any idea how much things would cost, how frequently purchases might be interesting, that residents would not take dollars, or that there would be no means of obtaining or exchanging money.  Aurora Expeditions had tens of thousands of local currency [in order to pay landing and visitation fees to local villages], but were unwilling to part with any to help guests.  Even more disappointing ... Aurora Expeditions missed the opportunity to bring additional local currency and provide a value added exchange service for guests.  We did manage to purchase one nice mask using Australian dollars which Aurora Expeditions graciously  made available in exchange for some of our US dollars.   Small crafts cost $5 US to $20 US.  Exquisite masks and large carvings can cost up to $200 US.  We would recommend bringing $300 or more in local currency for crafts.  US dollars can be exchanged in the Port Moresby airport [but not in Singapore or Hong Kong -- two gateway cities to Papua New Guinea].

Another pre-departure information disappointment arose around the agility of the typical passenger.  We assumed that Aurora Expeditions attracted an active and therefore physically able clientele.  After all, they visit exotic locations lacking in wheelchair or handicap access, the word 'expedition' is in their name, a kayaking option is offered, scuba/camping/climbing/ are advertised as possibilities, and guests are told beforehand that they must be able to easily navigate stairs.  In reality, we found perhaps half the Aurora Expeditions guests to have some impairment of agility.  Causes included overweight, bad knees, ear problems, and mostly lack of regular exercise/activity.  As a result, Aurora Expeditions gears their trips to passengers with minimal agility.  Since we were looking for an active 'Expedition', we were disappointed by what resulted.  Future Aurora Expeditions guests should 'know before they go'.

MARINA SVETAEVA SHIP

We booked top-of-the-line double-mini-suite accommodations on board the Marina Svetaeva.  And we were pleased with the space, the layout, the view and the exterior outside light of the cabin.  Furnishings were modest -- eg Walmart quality -- but acceptable.  The bedding was similarly modest -- just a notch above bunk beds -- but were wonderfully comfortable and we slept well every night.    The Aurora Expeditions website says:
   She [the ship] was refurbished in early 2005 to provide comfortable but not luxurious accommodations for 100 passengers and 41 Russian crew. 
There were many parts of our cabin which dated far earlier than 2005.   Aurora Expeditions is obviously not trying to create a differentiator with their shipboard accommodations. 

Our chief complaint about the accommodations has to do with the tap [and bath/shower] water.  The rust from desalination equipment, holding tanks, or pipes is disgusting.  It's so concentrated that a glass of water poured first thing in the morning would be the color of weak tea.  The sight of showering in brown water was not pleasant.  We regularly washed some of our clothing and by the end of the visit some had dull rust stains.  Fortunately, there was drinking water available by going to the bow of the ship and down three flights of stairs.  Another issue we had was that one of our windows [porthole] leaked when it rained.  About half of one of the beds got quite wet on two occasions.  Had we not had a double bed for two [married] persons there would have been problem getting a dry place to sleep.

We should also point out that four of our shirts came home with large grease spots from some unknown origin.

Air conditioning on the Marina Svetaeva is inadequate for tropical cruises.  The staff acknowledged this at our first briefing.  Of course the Aurora Expeditions makes no mention of this in their website and the information they provide prior to booking.  Meals were the most challenging situations as there was too many people for the available cooling capacity.  And to make matters worse at mealtime, one of the breakers regularly tripped until the maintenance staff figured out that the air conditioning for the master suite was on the same circuit at the dining room [even though they were on opposite ends of the ship].  So became the responsibility of the guest who had rented the master suite to turn his air conditioning off before each meal.  If I had rented the master suite, I would not have been pleased.  Fortunately, the air conditioning in our room was adequate.

Zodiac Loading on the Marina Svetaeva was a nerve racking experience.  Despite being in tropical waters with little winds and waves, the Zodiac would often move 2 feet or more relative to the ship.  Those with agility challenges found embarking and disembarking a difficult challenge.  Surely with a little investment, Aurora could have a safer and more re-assuring solution.  We've seen some very nice embark/disembark rigs on dive boats.

Besides the air conditioning problem, the dining area of the Marina Svetaeva was hopelessly overcrowded.  The Aurora Expeditions website says: 
    The ship is characterised by spacious cabins and large public spaces,
Well, on this particular trip to Papua New Guinea we were told there were 88 guests, not the 100 person capacity and yet seating was so tight along the 8 person tables [four on each side] everyone in each row [3 people] had to get up to let the last [4th] person in or out.  Even then, the tables were squeezed so close together that one found it difficult to get in our out without bumping in to those seated with their back to you at the next table.  And when that many people get together in such a small space, they have to talk louder than others in order to be heard.  Pretty soon everyone is shouting.  The noise was deafening.  Meal time became an unpleasant experience.  And I started to come down with Laryngitis. 

Fortunately, the second dining room was a bit less crowded and so after a few days we settled there.  I'm not sure why it wasn't everyone's top choice except to speculate that all the families with children made it their choice.  We cannot imagine it would be too difficult to separate meals into two seatings.  Besides, it never worked very well trying to get everyone into zodiacs at once and also everyone was always coming back from shore over an multi-hour interval.

Aurora Expeditions is obviously not trying to create a differentiator with their shipboard dining experience.  Nevertheless, the food was quite good and we were never hungry.  Juice / Coffee is available in the dining room or at each table at every meal.  If one wishes a soft drink or beer/wine, then these must be purchased ahead of time at the bar located at the opposite end of the ship. We simply programmed a trip past the bar into our routine before each meal.

STAFF

Prominent Aurora Expeditions staff included a Trip Leader, Assistant Trip Leader, Kayak Guide, Zodiac Leader,  Bar Host, Doctor, and 3 non-employee guest staff/lecturers: Bob, Krissy, and Matt.  Individually each [with the exception of trip leader Gary Miller] had pleasant dispositions and interesting life experiences.  We enjoyed them as individuals. 

Collectively however, the Aurora staff failed to deliver a well run expedition.  Almost every daily schedule was re-arranged leaving those who do a good job with time management in a constant hurry up and wait mode.  For instance, one morning passengers heard a mildly annoyed 'last call' to board the zodiacs broadcast over the loud speaker.  We responded immediately, yet it was 30 minutes later when we were finally underway.  Another example from 14-April was the midmorning announcement while on shore that our scheduled late 1:30 lunch would be delayed till 2:30 -- even for those who chose to head back to the ship at 12:00 [because there was not much more to see on shore].  It was nearly 3PM before we were served.  Had we known of such delays we would have stocked up with extra fruits and muffins after the morning meal.  Instead, we endured a low blood sugar condition for two hours. Breakfasts are almost always at 7:00AM so, future Aurora Guests should be aware of the long time between breakfast and lunch and that nearly every lunch is delayed one half to one hour.

We got to our 13-April anchorage at 10AM instead of 8AM [resulting in loosing the opportunity to Dive with Papua New Guinea's top dive resort].  The reason given was that the ship's captain did not wish to steam through uncharted waters at full speed and so the captain had slowed down.  Why this wasn't known earlier remains a mystery.  And, our GPS log shows that we never slowed down anywhere along that leg.  Instead, we took a detour dozens of miles out of the way.  Our last example involves disembarking.  Breakfast was moved a half hour earlier to 6:30AM.  We were told to have our bags packed and outside our door before heading to breakfast so the crew could pick them up in a timely manner and deliver to the dock.  Well, the crew picked up the bags at 9AM!!!  It would have been a great morning to have a late breakfast especially since the Aurora Expeditions arranged tour didn't include any lunch and many guests were famished when they arrived at their hotel at 3PM.

Teams usually function only as well as their leader.  Having an expedition leader with observably poor planning ability and poor leadership skills detracted from the overall experience.  Scheduling was dysfunctional, Zodiac loading was chaotic, communication was frequently missing.  Half of almost every dinner conversation was devoted to "I cannot believe xxx is so poorly executed".  It became the topic upon which dozens of guests bonded.  I've never heard such universal complaining.  We are veteran's of only one other small boat cruise [with a different operator], and the experience was no way similar.  Future guests who seek well organized adventures should be aware of Aurora realities.

The trip leader was Gary Miller.  He did not portray a friendly demeanor [at least to us].  And he seemed to dislike the fact that there was a kayaking group on board which presented an extra complexity in scheduling and zodiac loading.  We were similarly not inspired by his narcissistic 'above-the-rules' behavior.  At our very first briefing Krissy ,who had lived on Papua New Guinea for years and who was our guest lecturer on local culture, advised us that photo's were OK, but to refrain from 'getting in people's faces' with our cameras.  The next morning, there was our leader Gary taking pictures with his very large Nikon digital single lens reflex just 2 feet from a newly introduced native person.

Lastly, we had difficulty accepting the staff's written and verbal over-statements of each day's experiences.  It was difficult to reconcile announcements that talked about "a wonderful afternoon in paradise" with numerous dinner conversation complaints of flies, dirt, heat, etc.  The differences were even more pronounced on three days where we went 'exploring'.  'Exploring' seems to be a euphemism for the situation where Aurora headquarters didn't bother to plan anything for the day.  We knew where we would anchor.  We just didn't know what we would do for the morning and afternoon.  One afternoon all 80+ guests loaded into the zodiacs only to be denied permission by the locals to land.  So everyone floated for an hour or two atop a turquoise bay.  That afternoon's adventure was officially described as:  "we drifted over gorgeous coral reefs encompassing the islands and contemplated the delicate nature it sometimes can be to visit other people's land and ocean".   Dinner conversation was a totally different message "wasted afternoon".  [Note, as kayakers, we WERE given permission to circumnavigate the island.  The 7 of us did have a great time].

SAFETY

The preceding disappointment in staff, organization, and accommodations, alone would dampen our enthusiasm for traveling with Aurora again.  But a significant safety event makes the choice absolute in our minds:

During the half dozen snorkel opportunities we were told that we must snorkel within the watch of the zodiacs [for safety reasons].  [This requirement despite the fact that we are advanced divers].  At dinner after the first afternoon of snorkeling, one of the guests described how they were lightly nudged by the soft bow of one of the zodiac's as it was drifting in the breeze and how much it had startled both them and the zodiac driver.  Towards the end of the trip, I too was snorkeling and nearly struck by the bow.  Seems when one is looking down at fish and coral, it's difficult at the same time to look above the water for an approaching boat.  But the real scare came just 5 minutes later when while treading water I heard people screaming my name and yelling to turn around.  When I turned 180 degrees, I was about 4 feet from the outboard engine of a zodiac that was quickly closing the distance.  Even though the engine was off, the sharp edges of the 3000lb craft [zodiac plus full load of people] would have nicely cut me had I not kicked quickly out of the way.  Gary Miller was the driver and he said simply "you're OK & I'm OK, no problems".  He never apologized.  Eye witness accounts told me that his zodiac was in reverse and that he had turned off the engine when he was about 8 feet away].

My personal evaluation of the snorkeling situation is that a bunch of zodiac's hovering in the midst of snorkel-ers creates as much of a safety issue as their rescue potential.  [In my observation, none of these hovering zodiacs carried basic rescue gear such as life ring, reach bar, boarding ladder, etc.  It's not certain how a crew member could have responded to a guest in distress.  My further personal evaluation of the incident suggests that despite Aurora's safety rules,  real people have to be thoughtful, alert, and show good leadership.

The Ship was staffed by a three dozen person Russian crew.  We had some concerns about the advertised Russian crew thinking they could be rowdy and inappropriate for the guest clientele.  Our worries were ill founded as they were a nice and helpful group.  There was a clipboard at 'reception' just outside the dining area where guests wrote issues and repair needs.  Our one request was quickly addressed.

OTHER
Compared to our other small boat cruise, Aurora offered a great number of excursions in their zodiacs.  Given the difficulty of loading and unloading these craft from the poorly outfitted Marina Svetaeva, the company  and the staff are to be complimented for these efforts.  Over time it became possible to discern which zodiac drivers had compatible personalities and which guests were of above average agility and good humor.  By choosing to load such zodiacs, the trips were enjoyable. We enjoyed this aspect of the Aurora Expeditions experience.

There were several families with children and grandchildren amongst the passengers.  The energy and diversity of these young guests was appreciated. 

The cabin cleaning crew as responsive and unobtrusive.  We appreciated their services.  The bar and bar system works great.  We very much appreciated the mode of service and the methods of handling accounts.

Aurora might consider addressing a few additional annoyances associated with the ship Marina Svateava:
 1- Every morning the juice bottles are filled to the brim.  It is virtually impossible to pour the first glass without getting juice all over one's self, the table cloth, and/or the dishes or bowls.  Why not leave an inch of space when filling.

 2- Why not have available a bulk amount of local currency so guests can be prepared to help the local crafts vendors.  It's much better to be buying more goods than paying higher anchorage fees.

 3- The irregularity of Aurora Expeditions scheduling combined with the length of shore excursions strongly suggests that Aurora make some provision for bringing snack food and drink to shore for their guests.

 4- Make shipboard internet available.  Three years ago when traveling on the other small ship, it had internet via satelite and guests could purchase bandwidth at a reasonable cost.  Marina Svetaeva is the same size vessel.   It would seem that Aurora Expeditions is not interested in the guest who is a regular user of the Internet.  [And this probably means you if you are reading this page].

The anchorages coupled with village visits planned in advance by Aurora were excellent for mixing with local villagers, learning about Papua New Guinea, and seeing the flora and fauna.  Included are Kativa Island of the Trobirands, the Tufi area, Kamaili Village, Tami Islands, Karkar, Watam Village near the Sepik River, and Tingwon Island.  At times the Aurora Expeditions landing parties were un-announced because either word had not successfully arrived or because the Aurora Expeditions leaders thought it was 'interesting' to 'just-drop-in'.  These visits were much less fulfilling and in our opinion bordered between obtrusive and unprofessional.  Several times we were told "we knew there was a ship coming, but didn't know when."  As a result some of the sing-sing performances were organized on what may have been too little  notice. Such behavior runs the risk of creating disenchantment amongst villages for visitors.  We expected that a well organized expedition company would take greater care in getting word to the villages and/or scout in advance for places where there would be suitable welcome. As one 15 year-old guest aptly put it at dinner:  "I wouldn't be very happy if 100 people showed up at my house one morning and wanted to look around."