French cruise boat, L’Austral outside Gizo habour. Photo by ALFRED PAGEPITU

A mega cruise boat filled with mostly French tourists and divers made a five hours visit to Gizo on Christmas day.

The boat’s arrival came as a surprise as the provincial island capital, with its reputation of hosting major cruise visit was never prepared for this one.

Well-placed sources said there was no finance available for preparation and as commentators pointed, the pile of rubbish in front of the Gizo market and along the streets was a dismay to Gizo.

The cruise boat, L‘Austral is a cruise ship operated by the French cruise line company Compagnie du Ponant.

The cruise boat is on a 13 days cruise calling at ports of call in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu before returning to Cairns, Australia.

Ports of Call include Alotau, Papua New Guinea, Tufi, Oro, and Kitava and Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, Gizo, Kennedy Island, and Mbike Island in the Solomon Islands and Espiritu Santo, Port Vila and Efate in Vanuatu before returning to Australia.

Two visitors walking past piles of stinky rubbish at Gizo market. Photo by ALFRED PAGEPITU

French tourists dissembark a tender at Gizo Hotel jetty