Excursion recommendations for 11 day Cook and Society Island trip

My husband and I will be going on the 11 day Cook and Society Island cruise and are in need of some recommendations for excursions. With the holidays, I haven't had time to do any research yet and we leave in two months! We are comfortable booking private tours if necessary as long as I can look them up on the internet. We enjoy snorkeling, hiking, sailing and general outdoor activities.

Thanks in advance to all you experienced PG cruisers!:D:D

I booked all our excursions through PG last summer. I just didn't have enough time to do the research and arrangements for private tours. The ones we enjoyed most:

- 4x4 island tour in Aitutaki

- drift snorkeling in Taha'a with a drop-off afterwards at Motu Mahana

- Trail of the Ancients in Moorea

- Dolphin watching in Moorea

My husband and I will be going on the 11 day Cook and Society Island cruise and are in need of some recommendations for excursions. With the holidays, I haven't had time to do any research yet and we leave in two months! We are comfortable booking private tours if necessary as long as I can look them up on the internet. We enjoy snorkeling, hiking, sailing and general outdoor activities.

Thanks in advance to all you experienced PG cruisers!:D:D

We are on the 6/15 Cook Island sailing. We are planning on doing the Trail of the Ancients on Moorea, and if we can get a group - Patricks tour on Bora Bora. Have you checked to see if there is a roll call for your sailing?

I'd very much like to hear about your sailing, please post a review when you return.

For Aitutaki you must do the lagoon cruise either with PG or through Teking. I did mine with PG. I think Trend booked something on her own so you may want to check out that as well.

Aitutaki - TeKing (he also took some from the ship as well as some who booked him directly)

Bora Bora - Patrick is now connected with the PG for his tour so you must now book through the ship and yes, pay a bit more)

Raiatea/Tahaa - Drift snorkel. Bruno does a better/longer tour for the same price but he doesn't always have enough people to warrant going so you might need to book the ships tour.

Moorea - any 4X4

Rarotonga - rent a car

Aitutaki - TeKing (he also took some from the ship as well as some who booked him directly)

 

Bora Bora - Patrick is now connected with the PG for his tour so you must now book through the ship and yes, pay a bit more)

 

Raiatea/Tahaa - Drift snorkel. Bruno does a better/longer tour for the same price but he doesn't always have enough people to warrant going so you might need to book the ships tour.

 

Moorea - any 4X4

 

Rarotonga - rent a car

Tiki - do you know what PG is calling Patrick's tour? I looked through their descriptions and for obvious reason, they aren't naming the tour operator.

I believe I recall there are also some other independent operators with tours similar to Patrick’s?

I think if you look through the description you will see Patrick's company mentioned . I think also it is the 3/4 day tour.

Not seeing anything with Patrick in it. Is this his tour?

Lagoon Cruise & Polynesian Feast (Bora Bora)

Duration: 5 hours

Circumnavigate beautiful Bora Bora in a traditional outrigger canoe on this private island lagoon tour, complete with ukulele music and expert commentary on local culture, history, and nature. Enjoy three stops along the way. First is a coral garden, where you can snorkel amid colorful fish, corals, and other inhabitants of this wonderful ecosystem, in the company of an expert guide. On the second stop, visit stingrays that inhabit the shallow waters. Our approach is gentle and respectful of these fascinating creatures, which have been tamed for more than 20 years. Continue to the ocean side of the island, where you can observe black-tip reef sharks in their natural habitat. Measuring three to five feet in length, the sharks are harmless to humans.

A morning of snorkeling may leave you hungry, and your tour concludes with a Polynesian feast on a private motu (islet). As the oven is opened, a guide will explain how your meal was prepared in a traditional earth oven made with volcanic rocks and covered with banana leaves. Then, proceed to the table, which is set in the lagoon with an umbrella to protect you from the sun. Savor a banquet of suckling pig, chicken with local spinach, manioc, plantains, breadfruit, raw fish salad with coconut milk, and finally a traditional dessert made with bananas and vanilla, as well as fresh tropical fruits.* Your choice of a bottle of Moët & Chandon Champagne or red or white wine is also included.

Please note: Snorkeling equipment is provided, as well as select beverages (mineral water, fruit juice, soft drinks, and beer). To preserve your memories, an underwater camera is recommended. Please wear a swimsuit under a cover-up, reef shoes, sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses, and bring a towel from the ship.

*Alternatively, the Polynesian lunch can be replaced by a BBQ of fish, chicken, spiny lobster (subject to availability), Polynesian vegetables, raw fish salad with coconut milk, and tropical fruits.

$199

It sure looks like it. Same as the 3 hour but lunch added. That is Patrick's BBQ menu.

Lagoon Excursion with Maohi Nui (Bora Bora)

Duration: 3 hours

Circumnavigate beautiful Bora Bora on a private island tour complete with ukulele music and expert commentary on local culture, history, and nature. Board a traditional outrigger canoe with padded seats and flower-and-leaf decoration for protection from the sun, and set out for the first of three stops you’ll enjoy along the way. First stop is a coral garden, where you can snorkel amid colorful fish, corals, and other inhabitants of this wonderful ecosystem, in the company of an expert guide. On the second stop, visit stingrays that inhabit the shallow waters. Our approach is gentle and respectful of these fascinating creatures, which have been tamed for more than 20 years. Continue to the ocean side of the island, where you can observe black-tip reef sharks in their natural habitat. Measuring three to five feet in length, the sharks are harmless to humans.

Please note: Snorkeling equipment is provided, as well as select beverages (mineral water, fruit juice, soft drinks, and beer). To preserve your memories, an underwater camera is recommended. Please wear a swimsuit under a cover-up, reef shoes, sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses, and bring a towel from the ship. Raincoats will be available in case of rain.

I believe that Maohi Nui is Patrick's company

He is likely also doing he one that you have outlined as well.

Hi everyone - I have a question - has anyone been on an excursion in an outrigger canoe? I have seen them but never was on one. Is there a ladder to climb in and out of the canoe. I have a knee problem and I am not thin, but would love to try one in bora bora or the Cook Islands. I will on the PG in March.

Thanks, Kathy

Most have ladders. Not many outriggers in the Cooks so plan on doing so in FP.

Patricks uses outriggers in Bora Bora. Not all vendors use them but Patrick does all the time.

I'd also recommend Christophe's Reef Discovery in Bora Bora, an independent tour. New, fast boats, small groups, lots of snorkeling (no meals) with expert guidance. They're very professional and respond right away to e-mails. It was the only time I got a chance to see manta rays (the big ones, not sting rays), and they were amazing.

We just.got back from that trip last week. Great ship and crew. We took the ATV tour on MOOREA by Albert's and had a blast. We also did the island tour by Vavau and really enjoyed it. The only PG tour we did was on Raiatea (replaced Rangora due to weather). It was the Island tour with lagoon cruise. It was OK. Informative and saw the island and river cruised. Weather was pretty wet, so that "dampened" the experience somewhat.

Hi Razorbuk - we are on the Cook cruise in June. Did you do excursion in Rarotonga? We are considering Pa's tour or just renting a car and driving/snorkling around the island.

Due to bad weather in the Cook islands we did Aitutaki and then skipped Rarotonga and went to Raiatea instead, so I have no info. We were going to rent a car in Rarotonga had we gone there.

I hear missing a port in Cook Islands is a fairly common occurence. Do you know if the change was due tendering or time it took the ship to get to Rarotonga?

Albo the swells are huge in the Cooks 4-5 feet. It took us 45 mins to load a tender when we were there and it was a real art well performed by the PG staff. Then I think they stopped tenders for some time.

One of the fun things about cruising is "going with the flow". Sometimes you end up in places you could never imagine!