The World of Norfolk on schedule for first cruise shipSydney, March 4, 2010 - The World of Norfolk (Norfolk Island) will tonight commence preparation for trial runs to time and assess the assembly of its custom made floating pontoon, in anticipation of the first P&O Cruise ship to berth on the Island in 77 years. The pontoon was brought to Norfolk Island by the local freight ship on Monday, stopping two hundred metres from shore. Its final 200 metre stretch to Kingston Pier was balanced between two lighters (for raw footage of the pontoon being brought to shore see the embedded video below or click here to view it on YouTube), as is all sea freight (even bulldozers). In the absence of a pontoon for sea travellers on its rugged coastline, Norfolk Island invested in a secure pontoon structure which can be assembled on either side of the island as required. A crew of sixteen men will spend approximately three hours to assemble and three hours to take down the new pontoon. A number of test runs will be conducted including a full operational and safety assessment, each time. Six P&O cruise liners are currently scheduled to stop at the Island, each one carrying up to 1,800 people. The first ship "The Pacific Sun" departs Auckland on the 24th of March and arrives on Norfolk Island on the 26th of March. This year's cruise schedule is expected to contribute over three million dollars to Norfolk Island's local economy. Experiences available to passengers include scuba diving, all dining experiences, local beer and liqueur tasting, coffee plantation tour, Island culture tours, convict heritage walks, garden tours and more. Neville Christian, Minister for Finance, Norfolk Island, said: "Plans for the cruise liners and their passengers are on schedule. Local operators have all reviewed their offerings to meet the demand for people who are only on the Island for one day. We are delighted with the progress to date and are excited about the impending arrival of P&O's passengers". The current cruise schedule is:
About The World of Norfolk The World of Norfolk is an 8 x 5 kilometre Island in the South Pacific approximately 2 hours from the east coast of Australia and New Zealand. It is a self governed (9 member legislative assembly) external territory of Australia with a sub tropical climate, a UNESCO recognised rare language Norf'k and a population of 1770. There are over 70 different experiences for singles, couples, adventure seekers, nature lovers, historians, fisherman, food lovers and families and 60 accommodation properties from 3.5 to 5 stars.
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