3 Night Explorer Cruise
The 3 Night Explorer Cruise is Blue Lagoon Cruises' most accessible introduction to small ship cruising in the Fiji Islands. Departing every Friday from Port Denarau and returning on Monday, this four-day journey takes you through the outer Mamanuca Islands, visiting the famous Cast Away filming location on Modriki Island, the chiefly village of Soso, and the remote Sacred Islands. With a maximum of 64 guests onboard, every cruise offers a relaxed and personal atmosphere led by a 100% Fijian crew.
Cruise highlights
- Visit Modriki Island, the Cast Away film location
- Swim with reef sharks at Moyia Reef
- Snorkel around superb tropical reefs in the Mamanuca Islands
- Visit the chiefly village of Soso and experience authentic Fijian culture
- Take part in a traditional Kava ceremony
- Dine on traditional Fijian meals and a range of international cuisine
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Enjoy a Captain's Welcome Dinner with live entertainment
What's included
The Explorer Cruise fare includes a generous range of complimentary inclusions, meaning very few extras to think about once onboard.
Optional extras
A small number of activities and services are available at an additional cost.
Day-by-day itinerary
The Explorer itinerary visits four distinct locations across the Mamanuca Islands, with a different experience each day. Note that due to tidal and weather conditions, the itinerary may be adjusted without notice.
Day 1 (Friday): Modriki Island
Set sail from Port Denarau and cruise to the sandy beaches of Modriki Island, the location made famous as the backdrop of Tom Hanks' film Cast Away. Settle in with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine and canapés on the Sun Deck before sitting down to the Captain's Welcome Dinner, accompanied by live music from the singing and guitar-playing crew.
Day 2 (Saturday): Soso Bay
The morning is spent swimming with reef sharks at Moyia Reef (weather permitting), one of the most memorable experiences on the cruise. In the afternoon, visit the chiefly village of Soso for a guided tour, followed by afternoon tea on the beach. Dinner is a traditional Indian Thali, with Bollywood dancing and a movie to follow in the evening.
Day 3 (Sunday): Naukacuvu Island
The day begins with an optional visit to a local village church service. Spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach, swimming, snorkelling, and soaking up the sun. In the evening, Happy Hour on the Sun Deck is followed by a South Pacific-themed buffet dinner and a round of Fiji Bingo in the Lounge Bar.
Day 4 (Monday): Sacred Islands
During breakfast, cruise to the Sacred Islands for a final morning on the beach with a picnic lunch. Mid-afternoon, the crew bids you farewell and a private high-speed catamaran transfers you back to Port Denarau, arriving at 4:00pm.
Malamala Beach Club
All Explorer Cruise guests receive a complimentary Full-Day Pass to Malamala Beach Club, the world's first island beach club, including a FJ$50 food and beverage voucher per adult. For 3 Night Explorer guests, you can use your beach club day on the Friday departure day itself before joining the ship.
How it works on departure day
Check your luggage in at Port Denarau, then transfer to Malamala Beach Club (approximately 25 minutes away) to spend the morning and early afternoon making use of all the club's facilities. Mid-afternoon, a tender boat transfers you directly to the ship where your luggage will already be waiting in your cabin. The beach club departs at either 9:30am or 10:00am, with check-in required at least 45 minutes before departure.
The ships
Blue Lagoon Cruises operates two catamarans with a shallow draft, giving them access to secluded bays and remote anchorages that larger vessels cannot reach. Explorer Cruise departures operate on either the MV. Fiji Princess or the MV. Yasawa Princess II depending on availability.
MV. Fiji Princess
The flagship vessel carries a maximum of 64 guests across 32 cabins spread over three decks. Ship facilities include an open-air dining room, lounge and bar, open-air Sun Deck with bar, splash pool, onboard spa, glass bottom boat, and complimentary snorkelling and paddleboard equipment. All 32 cabins are air-conditioned with private en suites, ocean-view windows, TV with in-cabin movies, hair dryer, bath robes, and bathroom amenities. Cabins are serviced twice daily.
- Orchid Cabins (28 cabins, Upper and Middle Deck): approximately 13 sqm, with either a queen bed or the option of twin single beds
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Hibiscus Cabins (4 cabins, Lower Deck): with either a queen bed or twin single beds
MV. Yasawa Princess II
The second vessel carries a maximum of 44 guests across 22 cabins. Facilities include an upper deck dining room, lounge and bar, open-air Sun Deck, onboard spa, sea pool, and water sports equipment. All cabins are air-conditioned with private en suites, ocean-view windows, hair dryer, bath robes, and bathroom amenities.
- Orchid Cabins (20 cabins): 14.5 sqm, with either a queen bed or twin single beds
- Hibiscus Cabins (2 cabins, Middle Deck): 14.5 sqm, with either a queen bed or twin single beds
Family cruising
For most of the year, the Explorer Cruise is adults only with a minimum age of 16 years. During designated Family Cruise Departure dates, children aged 5 to 15 are welcomed onboard. Children aged 4 and under are not permitted to travel. The 2026 family departure dates for the 3 Night Explorer Cruise are:
- 25 September & 2 October 2026
- 25 December 2026 & 8 January 2027
Child rates apply to 2 children sharing a cabin, or one child sharing with one adult (child fare plus adult fare). A child in their own cabin is charged the full adult single rate.
Guest rating: 70% — Public Rating