1-800-774-6237
Manage booking
Booking Details Check In Make a payment Cruise Packages Shore Excursions Flight & Transfers Vacation Protection Plan
My Account | Saved | Log out
Find a Cruise
Quiet coastal village with palm trees, wooden huts and several small motorboats resting in shallow blue water, set against a backdrop of forested hills and distant islands.

Alotau , Papua New Guinea

Cruises to Alotau (Milne Bay), Papua New Guinea

View cruises

Things to do in Alotau

Alotau feels both peaceful and storied, with volcanic shorelines, rainforest hills and a history shaped by one of WWII’s most pivotal battles. It’s a place where everyday life unfolds slowly, giving visitors room to explore culture, nature and the bay’s striking scenery.

Explore things to do in Alotau
01 / 04
  • Vintage Papua and New Guinea postage stamp showing a military aircraft swooping over a tropical shoreline with several boats below, two of them burning and trailing smoke near a palm-lined beach.

    Visit the Milne Bay War Memorial for a quiet look at the Battle of Milne Bay, a defining moment in the Pacific campaign.

  • Lush green hillside packed with palm trees and dense rainforest rising above a small sandy beach, bordered by bright blue ocean under a clear sky.

    Walk the foreshore and nearby markets to browse handmade crafts and meet local vendors offering fresh produce and woven goods.

  • Long wooden canoes decorated with striking red, black and white painted designs, featuring carved bird-like prows, pulled onto a dark sandy beach with gentle waves rolling in behind them.

    Stop by the Massim Museum to see artifacts, carvings and cultural displays that trace the region’s deep Melanesian roots.

  • Dense tropical jungle cascading down a hillside, filled with vibrant green foliage and hanging vines, with mist-covered mountains towering in the background above a dark, still shoreline.

    Take in sweeping bay views from Toptown Lookout, where rainforest hills meet dark volcanic beaches and the town stretches below.

01 / 04

Shore excursions to explore in Alotau

Alotau’s excursions offer a close look at Milne Bay’s culture, food and landscapes, from rainforest villages to volcanic coastlines. These experiences help you see how local traditions and everyday life all blend together in this quiet corner of Papua New Guinea.

01 / 03
  • Row of wooden outrigger canoes pulled onto a sandy beach under tall palm and casuarina trees, with calm turquoise water and distant forested hills in the background.

    Milne Bay Village Life

    Immerse yourself in daily life across Milne Bay as your guide leads you through rural markets, small communities and traditional meeting places. In Bibiko Village, you’ll see how long-standing customs balance with newer influences, then watch clay pot dishes prepared over open fires. The tour ends at the Milne Bay War Memorial where you’ll hear stories from the Battle of Milne Bay, one of WWII’s most significant turning points in the Pacific.

    Learn more
  • Small harbor scene with several moored boats resting in shallow water, a pebbled shoreline, clusters of people gathered under trees and dense green hills rising in the background beneath a bright sky.

    Clay Pot Cooking Class

    Spend the day at Masurina Lodge learning the region’s signature clay pot cooking technique with help from a local chef. You’ll prepare a traditional meal using fresh ingredients, explore a small WWII exhibit tied to the Battle of Milne Bay and enjoy your finished dishes in the lodge’s dining room. After lunch, relax at the bar or cool off with a swim before returning to the pier.

    Learn more
  • Dimly lit cave chamber lined with pale stalactites and stalagmites, surrounded by numerous human skulls and bone fragments scattered across the rocky floor.

    Remote Tawali Resort Snorkel and Skull Cave

    Travel to secluded Tawali Resort for a day that blends culture and marine exploration. Start with a guided Skull Cave walk to view ancestral remains linked to Milne Bay’s long and complex history. After meeting local villagers, return to Tawali for lunch and two snorkel sessions along the resort’s house reef, home to epaulet sharks, ghost pipefish and vibrant coral. Free time at the pool or waterfront rounds out the experience.

    Learn more
01 / 03
Discover all shore excursions

Explore itineraries with cruises to Alotau

Alotau often appears on South Pacific and world cruise itineraries that trace remote corners of Papua New Guinea and the Coral Sea. Many itineraries continue through Milne Bay or link to broader journeys across Oceania, making Alotau a standout stop for travelers who want culture and scenery in one place. You’ll also find Alotau featured on select voyages in our world cruises program, where longer sailings highlight some of the most secluded places on the map.

01 / 06

14-Day Papua New Guinea

View cruise

28-Day Hawaii & South Pacific Crossing

View cruise

36-Day Hawaii & South Pacific Crossing

View cruise

Discover Alotau on your next cruise

Alotau surprises many travelers with the contrast between its wartime history and the calm beauty that defines it today. WWII memorials stand only a short distance from rainforest trails, quiet beaches and villages where daily life moves at an easy pace. Visiting by cruise lets you see both sides of this region in a single day and learn what shaped Milne Bay long before and long after the battle fought here.

Cruises to Alotau
Elevated wooden yam house built from stacked logs with intricate red, white and black painted patterns, topped by a steep thatched roof and surrounded by dense tropical greenery.

Discover the artistry of a traditional yam house standing proudly beneath the jungle canopy.

Human skull and upper bones partially encased in thick mineral deposits inside a dim cave, surrounded by rippled calcite formations and pale stone textures.

Unearth a haunting relic deep within a limestone cave.

A smiling couple stands at the railing of a Princess® cruise ship, enjoying the open sea and blue sky.

A couple stands together on the wooden deck of a Princess® cruise ship, gazing out at the open sea beneath a bright blue sky dotted with clouds.

Front-facing view of a Princess® cruise ship sailing through calm ocean waters.

Cut through the world’s waterways and experience the planet’s most exciting coastlines from a sea-side perspective; our fleet is your luxury-and-entertainment-packed transport to adventure.

Discover our ships

Step aboard any Princess® ship and discover your new favorite way to travel. Each vessel is a floating playground of flavor, comfort and top-deck experiences. Enjoy freshly prepared local dishes, Broadway-caliber entertainment, oceanview fitness and wellness studios, family programming and beds so comfortable they’ve won awards. 


No two ships are identical, but they all share one mission: turn your vacation into a standing ovation.

Explore ships visiting this port

Cruises to Alotau FAQs

*The port location is subject to change. Please check itinerary details after you book for more information.

Let Princess get you there with travel, airfare & hotels

01 / 03
  • Princess EZair

    Princess EZAir® Flights

    Remove the hassle from air travel and give yourself the gift of flexibility, time, and a thicker wallet with Princess EZair® flights. We negotiate lower rates with the airline, allow you to book early and pay later with no penalty, and protect you if your flight is late or canceled. Princess EZair flight quotes are available on our cruise search result details pages. Please note: Princess EZair® is only available in certain markets.

    Learn more about Princess EZAir
  • airplane to ship transfer

    Airplane to Ship Transfer

    Let Princess pick you up from the airport and take you directly to your ship or hotel when you arrive, even if you didn't book your airfare through us. A uniformed Princess representative meets you at the airport after you've retrieved your luggage and transports you directly to your ship or hotel without you having to worry about the logistics of navigating a new city.

    Learn more about transfers
  • Cruise Plus hotel packages

    Cruise Plus Hotel Packages

    Extend your cruise vacation and simplify your travel plans with a hotel stay at the beginning or end of your cruise. With a Cruise Plus Hotel Package, a Princess representative meets you at the airport and pier, transporting you to and from your hotel. The package includes the cost of your hotel stay, transportation, luggage handling and the representative’s services.

    View Cruise Plus Hotel Packages
01 / 03

Cruise deals and promotions

Find our top sales, deals, partnerships and promotions for our destinations all in one place. We run promotions throughout the year and sometimes run sweepstakes where you can win prizes.

View all deals and promotions
Aerial view of a large cruise ship's top deck, featuring multiple pool areas, lounge chairs, and glass-domed structures, sailing through deep blue ocean waters.

Escape to the open sea with Princess Cruises.

A couple stands together on the deck of a cruise ship, smiling as they enjoy the ocean view under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

You may also like

Kauai, Hawaii

Hawaii Cruises

LEARN MORE
Hawaii waikiki beach in Honolulu city, aerial view of Diamond Head famous landmark travel destination.

8 Best Beaches in Hawaii

LEARN MORE
View on Na Pali Coast on Kauai island on Hawaii

Best Hawaiian Cruise Destinations

LEARN MORE
01 / 06