Perfect Day at Lelepa

[ApexoftheSeas]

When might we here news about this? What ships would visit it?

[F1guynz]

I wouldn’t expect any news soon. It is still on hold with no timeline for any work to start on it.

if it goes ahead I don’t think it will be before 2027/28.

[ApexoftheSeas]

Perfect timing for Oasis 7

[F1guynz]

36 minutes ago, ApexoftheSeas said:

Perfect timing for Oasis 7

Most south pacific ports are tendered so unless sometime changes I don't see it as an option much as I would like it as an option.

Given the current pricing of Royal cruises it would probably be too expensive and Royal would get more revenue in the US. 

 

[Chili]

The money that RCG would have to invest, Lelepa would not be viable.

3 ships here for 6 months a year ,it’s not going to happen.

[KWofPerth]

I expect it will be quietly shelved at some point.

[F1guynz]

On the plus side Mystery Island may get some upgrades, but if Carnival is footing the bill will Royal still be able go there.

https://www.dailypost.vu/news/vt2-billion-mystery-island-tourism-upgrade/article_dcd695b2-4d09-5006-bea4-ed3f482daa7c.html

 

[mattymay]

When it was supposed to open in 2022, Sydney cruise ship schedule had an RCL 'unnamed vessel' year round. Thanks covid.

Can Noumea take an Oasis? It could do round trip Brisbane - Noumea - Lelepa. Similar to Florida - Nassau - CocoCay.

[Chili]

2 hours ago, mattymay said:

When it was supposed to open in 2022, Sydney cruise ship schedule had an RCL 'unnamed vessel' year round. Thanks covid.

Can Noumea take an Oasis? It could do round trip Brisbane - Noumea - Lelepa. Similar to Florida - Nassau - CocoCay.

I’m pretty sure Noumea can take a Oasis .The dock is long enough and it has 50 tonne bollards.

Its a bit hard to find any information unless you read French.

[Chili]

2 hours ago, F1guynz said:

On the plus side Mystery Island may get some upgrades, but if Carnival is footing the bill will Royal still be able go there.

https://www.dailypost.vu/news/vt2-billion-mystery-island-tourism-upgrade/article_dcd695b2-4d09-5006-bea4-ed3f482daa7c.html

 

They would be better to spend some money in Port  Vila .
That island Iririki was or is for sale .Thats the resort in the bay .

They could get revenue year round without a ship .

[D Alt]

anyone have an update on Lelepa? 

[Chili]

On 3/30/2024 at 11:11 AM, D Alt said:

anyone have an update on Lelepa? 

Someone reported ,at a captain’s corner just recently, mid 2026 .

 I can’t see the investment being viable ,just for 3-4 ships in Australia for 6 months a year.

[mattymay]

Before COVID Quantum was on the Sydney schedule year round. I think the plan was to always have a ship here doing round trips to Lelepa. 

There will be Star and Icon 3 by 2026, and Oasis 7 sometime after that which should shuffle things around a bit. Maybe free up a Q class all year?

[Chili]

No mention of the resort but it looks like they are still interested in Lelepa .

Apparently cruise director Mitch said there may be a announcement soon.

https://www.dailypost.vu/news/royal-caribbean-delivers-school-supplies-to-lelepa-students/article_45967310-4107-52ef-815c-58b869d809ae.html

 

[Chili]

Kind of related to Lelepa.

The Japanese government is investing aid into Vanuatu cruise infrastructure.

https://www.dailypost.vu/news/mystery-island-upgrades-part-of-pm-s-dialogue-with-japans-pm/article_859cd5a3-6a06-5deb-a752-d7e3783626ed.html

 

[KWofPerth]

 

[Chili]

I seems , it’s been down graded from a perfect day Lelepa private island to a beach club.

[Matt]

5 hours ago, Chili said:

I seems , it’s been down graded from a perfect day Lelepa private island to a beach club.

Correct. I assumed Michael Bayley was referring to Lelepa, but it turns out it's a beach club and not Perfect Day.

[smokeybandit]

So, Perfect Day For Those Who Pay?

[Chili]

I never thought Lelepa was viable in the form of cocoa cay ,we just don’t have the population or the ships to  warrant it .

Vanuatu is a pretty remote place and they would be better to have a Beach Club near Port Vila or  Luganville where there’s a dock and some infrastructure.

The U.S just opened an embassy and Japan has their check book out . Maybe they might help upgrade Vila dock to take a Quantum or Oasis class .

[Southern Dan]

17 minutes ago, Chili said:

I never thought Lelepa was viable in the form of cocoa cay ,we just don’t have the population or the ships to  warrant it .

Vanuatu is a pretty remote place and they would be better to have a Beach Club near Port Vila or  Luganville where there’s a dock and some infrastructure.

The U.S just opened an embassy and Japan has their check book out . Maybe they might help upgrade Vila dock to take a Quantum or Oasis class .

They are going to have an abundance of Oasis/Icon class ships if Icon V & VI get built so they better start building because one of 'em should be down under during the AU Summer season.

[twangster]

Have they straightened out which chief was the right chief?  Seems like I recall Royal made a deal but with the wrong chief.  Another tribal chief objected.  

[Chili]

4 hours ago, twangster said:

Have they straightened out which chief was the right chief?  Seems like I recall Royal made a deal but with the wrong chief.  Another tribal chief objected.  

It’s the first I have heard of that and I have been following it pretty closely .

[twangster]

2 hours ago, Chili said:

It’s the first I have heard of that and I have been following it pretty closely .

 

The below post was Nov. 23, 2022.  It seems Royal had never contacted him prior to this but was working with another 3rd party on the Lelepa concept.

It's not clear if Royal has since contacted the chief or come to an agreement with him.  

 

https://www.dailypost.vu/news/lelepa-chief-to-cruise-liner-visit-dependent-on-conditions/article_cedec975-e030-5d48-a64b-c7a235a2dc93.html

“If Royal Caribbean wants to bring the tourist over at Lelepa as a tourism attraction, they must work very close with me as a Chief of the land,” he said.

The Chief mentioned that he doesn’t want any third party involved when visitors arrive on the island and to only work with him and others who are the indigenous owners of the land.

“We don’t want them to approach a middle person instead of the rightful owner. With close collaboration I think its ok to visit but approach the rightful people of the land.”

[Chili]

https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/royal-caribbeans-private-beach-resort/

[twangster]

16 minutes ago, Chili said:

https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/royal-caribbeans-private-beach-resort/

That’s interesting because I recall right from the first announcement Royal said it wasn’t going to be a copy of CocoCay but rather have an emphasis on local culture and be a much lower key fitting in with the South Pacific type islands.  

[Chili]

15 hours ago, Southern Dan said:

They are going to have an abundance of Oasis/Icon class ships if Icon V & VI get built so they better start building because one of 'em should be down under during the AU Summer season.

I don’t think we have the market for a big ship 

[twangster]

Here are some early blog posts about Lelepa.

2019

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/10/15/royal-caribbean-announces-new-perfect-day-private-island-experience-vanuatu

2022

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/03/25/first-look-perfect-day-lelepa

I don't see or interpret any notion that Perfect Day Lelepa was going to be a copy of PDCC.  It appears right from the start Royal never said it would be a thrill park.  

It's wild to me that some bloggers are claiming they had plans to make an amusement park of out Lelepa copying PDCC.  That was never the intention.  Even the renderings from 2022 don't make it look like a PDCC copy.  

[Chili]

10 hours ago, twangster said:

Here are some early blog posts about Lelepa.

2019

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/10/15/royal-caribbean-announces-new-perfect-day-private-island-experience-vanuatu

2022

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/03/25/first-look-perfect-day-lelepa

I don't see or interpret any notion that Perfect Day Lelepa was going to be a copy of PDCC.  It appears right from the start Royal never said it would be a thrill park.  

It's wild to me that some bloggers are claiming they had plans to make an amusement park of out Lelepa copying PDCC.  That was never the intention.  Even the renderings from 2022 don't make it look like a PDCC copy.  

I was advised as having the longest zip line in the southern hemisphere and the tallest water slide this side of who knows.

Theres a few people just drumming up a story about it ,I think they are just getting the motivation from here and CC’s ANZ forum.

Why let the truth get in the way of a good article.

[Chili]

@twangster didn’t you speculate Navigator might go to Australia for the opening of Lelepa?

[Chili]

 

[twangster]

7 hours ago, Chili said:

 

That would be awesome and with Voyager coming back into the Pacific later this year maybe the stars are aligning for a year round ship in Australia.

Navigator has a dry dock and non-revenue repositioning sailing in March 2027.  April 23 she pops up somewhere ready to be in service. Lelepa is said to begin service "early 2027". With no guests on board the repositioning voyage from the shipyard in Singapore can be direct with no stops on the way.   

Voyager had a dry dock Nov. 2024.  Now that she is under the every 2.5 year requirement for shipyard visits due to her age, that puts the next Voyager dry dock in the May 2027 time frame.  If Voyager was meant to be part of the Lelepa kick off it seems odd to open Lelepa "early 2027" then send Voyager to Singapore for a dry dock soon after.  It's likely Voyager heads to Singapore after her LA/Mexico stint ending in April 2027 for the dry dock she will need.  That just leaves the question what does she do when the dry dock is over mid to late May.  Will they keep her in Singapore to take over from Navigator?  

They likely won't keep two ships year round in Australia, at least not at first, so a year round ship in the warmer Queensland climate doing runs that include Lelepa and the South Pacific regular ports of call visits makes a lot of sense.

With the more chill nature of Lelepa and no pier in favor of tendering, it may not need as long of a construction cycle so the "early 2027" time frame should be realistic. 

Why open early in 2027 if they didn't mean to keep going there through the middle of 2027 when traditionally ships have finished their Australia season?  We've seen references to Lelepa and year round service so maybe it's all coming together for Navigator from Brisbane year round with a Quantum class still operating from Sydney seasonally.

[Tim Smith]

That is exactly what I was thinking, fingers crossed for year round deployment in Aus! Navigator would really suit our market with the tropical style pool deck and waterslides giving us Aussies something different.

Also, does anyone know how we can share our feedback with Royal Caribbean about Lelepa? Has anyone received a survey they could link to, or know of a way to contact the design team directly? I'm really hoping they put a lagoon pool or infinity pool in, that would be a nice touch that would really set the island apart from the others eg mystery island.