ATN Arrival Time with Pre Cruise Hotel Stay

We just wanted to get some feedback from those of you that have done this trip before.

We are doing our airfare (L.A. to Papeete) & pre cruise hotel stay (IC Tahiti) thru PG.

It looks like there's a flight that arrives @ 5a..m. and two flights that arrive late in the evening around 10p.m.

We would love some feedback from those of you that arrived @ 5a.m. and how that worked out for you?? Obviously you can't check in to the hotel until mid afternoon, are you able to store your luggage there, and hang out at the hotel and use the facilities, etc?? Do you have access to a day room?? Would you do that again??

We are 3 months till our cruise & haven't received our flight arrangements yet and just wondering if we should try to request a preference of flight time through our travel agent. Arriving late in the evening, you miss the first day of your hotel stay while arriving @ 5a.m. I'm assuming we will be exhausted and not sure how we will spend that time until check in.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks so much, GG

I don't really do well on overnight flights in any class business or in the back of the bus. We are taking the afternoon flight that leaves at 4:30 and arrives at 10pm. My logic is to get a good nights rest and enjoy a full day and a half at the IC until going to the ship.

Icecat, thanks so much for your quick reply. Are you doing your airfare thru PG or on your own?? If you are doing it thru PG did you request that 4:30p.m flight thru them?? Thanks, GG

We arrived at 5am and had booked a day room in advance for that night/day. Our check out time was 1pm. We ended up sleeping, working out, and showering and touring the market. i'm sure you could call and work out a day room.

We go a day earlier than most. We still take a red eye. The added charge for an over night stay is minimal.

Example:

Fly out on the red eye from LAX on Thursday night. Arrive Friday early morning. Stay Friday night at the IC, enjoy the show, relax, get a good nights sleep. Take the scheduled shuttle to the ship on Saturday afternoon.

As I said the upgrade is minimal ...........

We also don't like the overnight flights especially since we have one on the way back.

Whatever you decide do so before final payment.

They do have a transit shower area if you don't want the day room.

We have tried several options, from arriving just in time to pre-cruise stays.

This year we are going two days pre-cruise at the Tahiti IC and flying 2pm-7:30pm.

Even flying overnight with a day room is better than getting off the plane at 10:30pm, going through customs, onto the shuttle bus and onto the ship at midnight or after. We have done this and wasted a day on the PG looking like a zombie :eek:

We didnt do the 5 AM arrival, but I can tell you the IC has transit rooms, that you can ask for a key at the front desk and shower, change, then hang at the beach till you can officially 'check in" etc. This is what happens if you go on your own.

Unless I'm wrong, about it I think if you do that flight and pre night through PG, you have still paid 2 pre nights, (you paid for night #1 while you were flying) you can check in immediately upon arriving, so you when arrive at 5 you can get right into the room. Then you don't have to check out, you stay all day and the next (night #2) before boarding. Thats why you pay for 2 night pre stay through PG even though you only use the room from 5 AM.

I think thats why most of us using PG air and rooms choose the late arrival at 10 PM- you get to use 1 1/2 full days of your pre nights. Also, I found it much easier to try to stay awake during the 8 hour flight from LA and watch movies/read and then you are all ready to fall into bed the moment you arrive, rather than fighting to try to stay awake all day long after an all night flight.

If I have this wrong, someone will tell me I'm sure, but I thought if you purchase the flight from PG, your "day room' is really a "night" you've paid for, and you have access to the room when you arrive. Hopefully someone who has done this through PG can respond. If you do it on your own, and book a day room only- you will have to wait and use the transit room and lounge chairs till at least 2 PM (sometimes later if they are busy) to get into your room. Some folks who arrive the day of embarkation, have just paid to book the empty room so that it will be ready when they get there, but then you have to get out at 11 AM, the bus comes at 2:30 PM to embark.

usually the rooms are always available when you get to the IC around 7am.

Last year we upgraded the 'day roon' to a full overnight, the charge was minimal. We flew out on the Thursday red rye and were truely blessed as out room was ready at 7am Friday morning. There is no guarrantee that you will get the room at 7am but we did. If you do the same as we did make sure you have a backup plan like asking for the transit room, store your bags and then go have breakfast, hopefully your room will be ready ASAP.

Thank-you all for your comments, I appreciate it!

Can someone please explain the "day room" situation when you have purchased air fare & pre & post cruise hotel stays through PG. Is this included in our cost or something you have to request & pay extra & exactly how does it work??

Thanks, GG

Maybe you need to re-word your question. How can it not be 'included' if you already purchased air fare & pre & post cruise hotel stays through PG.

Tiki, I'm confused by your suggestion to reword my question. Are you implying that it is included??

I'm asking folks that have had this experience how it actually works??

Thanks for your reply, GG

Yes those goodies are typically included when you buy the package inclusive from LAX. You should have received an itemized sheet after you paid your deposit. did you receive this?

Gardening Girl,

Def call PG and ask specifically which things are included for what you purchased. We did the whole package, air from LA, transfers, two pre nights and day room after debarking. Ours included everything! Yours should too, but we can't know what you actually paid for (just the day room,or 2 pre nights?) PG will be able to tell you EXACTLY.

If you paid for 2 pre nights, you should get the flight, the bus to IC, a room when you arrive, breakfast for each morning you are there and the bus to the ship on embarkation day. The on debarkation day, you get the bud to IC (with a tour first) a day room till about 9 PM and then the bus back to the airport.

It is a little confusing when you start planning! Many here go on their "own" or "do their own thing" (coming in only 1 day ahead or pre nights on another island) and give different advice and information from what you'd get for taking the PG package. If you were doing these things on your own, you'd have different things you'd need to pay for, if you've paid for the package, you should be ok, and when PG sends the documents it will be super clear what happens each step of the way, plus there will be a little paper with the details at IC when you arrive and the Tahiti Nui rep in the lobby to answer your questions...truly seamless!

But do check with PG, they will tell you everything, so you will be prepared! Really super helpful!:D

Yup so many different ways to do the same thing.

Check with PG or your agent to see what applies to you.

Anyone have any idea how much a taxi will cost at the airport to go to the IC ? The time frame is arriving at 10pm and then going thru customs.

$22 - $30 bucks

After dark the rates can go up 50% so what is normally $15 - $20 can be $22 - $30

Is it advisable to get xpf through the an ATM at the airport to pay the taxi driver, etc , or can you use USD$$ anywhere in FP? Although the private excursion prices may be quoted in $$ or Euro- they mostly ask for cash, not credit card.- what currency should that be in?

Thanks,

kathy

Kathy,

XPF or USD, the taxi drivers accept both

I would still get XPF at the ATM at the airport because anywhere else - especially the hotel the exchange rate will be worse.

The ATM machine does not always work. If you want to have a fair amount of XPF while your in FP I would buy XPF on-line from Wells Fargo. They will give the best exchange rate. For smaller amounts I wouldn't worry about the exchange rate, even the hotels give a rate that isn't all that bad.

I agree about Wells Fargo - they are great!

Dear Emdee, Tiki, Karen, Larry, etc. Just wanted to thank you all for your help regarding the PG cruises. However, we have decided not to cruise for awhile. Have a great time on your PG cruises, Elaine

Ol' Tiki is trying like crazy to scrap together cruise money. I'm a real estate broker and it's been tough ........ hopefully we get to cruise this year but if not we'll use frequent flyer miles and do a cheap trip to somewhere ..........

Elaine sorry to hear. Hoping for the best for you and your husband.