VIDEO: Surprise Visit From AIDAsol Cruise Ship

The AIDAsol made a surprise visit, and we were ready! Everyone showed true spirit, preparing unique crafts for the 1,700 passengers. The day was filled with joy, trading, and cultural exchange. Check out our two-minute video to see the highlights of this special day with the AIDAsol. Looking forward to their next visit!

NOTE: This video and article was originally published in the December Issue of The Pitcairn Miscellany.

The AidaSol gave just a couple of weeks’ notice of her unscheduled visit to Pitcairn, and the sounds of a myriad of power tools could be heard all across Adamstown as everyone raced to prepare enough curio to have for the 1,700 passengers onboard. With a long spell of bad weather in the build up to her arrival, everyone watched cautiously to see if the conditions would be favourable.

Finally, on the morning of her arrival, the sun was out and the seas were fair. Everyone helped down the landing, loading the curio into the hull of the longboat Moss – by way of a big human chain, passing down baskets and crates of everything from carvings of whales, jars of Pitcairn honey, to t-shirts and caps.

The AidaSol was anchored quite close to Bounty Bay, so it was a fairly short ride out to her, and almost all of the passengers were lining the decks and balconies, watching and waving as we came alongside and started unloading all of our cargo onto the ship, through the side hatch. Coming alongside a cruise ship in the longboat, and transferring everyone and everything onto the ship is always a spectacle which cruise ship passengers enjoy seeing.

Most took photos, and all applauded when the task was complete. Once onboard, everyone headed up to the main outdoor deck, where the ship’s crew had made space for our trading tables. It was a long and hot day of trading, although all of the passengers were keen to find their little souvenir from Pitcairn. Kevin even had to close up shop early, having sold out completely. Almost all of the passengers were from Germany, most onboard for the entire round the world voyage, but language was no great barrier. Between the passenger’s knowledge of English, and our knowledge of German, the day proved successful for everybody.

All of the passengers were curious about our tiny and distant island, and trading was just as much a Q&A as it was a transaction. As the day onboard drew to a close, the captain invited us all into the main auditorium, brought us all onto the stage (almost the entire population of Pitcairn), and thanked us all for a wonderful visit.

The Mayor and Immigration Officer received gifts from the ship’s crew (plaques of the ship and the RTW 2023 voyage), and we thanked the ship for their warm hospitality, and welcomed them back to Pitcairn next time they are nearby. All of the passengers were touched by us singing In the Sweet by and by and Pitcairn’s Goodbye Song. The only thing left to do for the day was to pack up all of our baskets and boxes, load them back into the longboat, and head home. We circled the cruise ship, with much waving, and turned to head back to the landing. With one final blast of the ship’s horn, and the firing of the engines, the AidaSol steamed off into the distance as we started unloading the boxes and baskets back off the longboat.

Thank you for a great day, AidaSol, we look forward to the next time!