PG - French Polynesia Currency Question...

[B6driver]

Looking for recommendations regarding the local currency...Specifically, where is the best place to make the exchange, do I need a bunch of the local currency (and what for), and are credit cards easy to use over there?

I am a guy who prefers going the plastic route but figure I need to pick up some of the local currency at some point.

Thanks!

[RachelG]

Stores that cater to tourists take plastic, but little shops and stands don't. And there are a lot of those. Depending on how much you like to buy things to bring home will depend how much local currency you need. We bought pearls, but from Tahia Collins, and they definitely take plastic. I bought a couple of pareos, but they aren't that expensive. I ordered about $250 in FP currency from the bank ahead of time. We spent most of it--used the last little bit at the airport to buy bottled water. Our biggest local currency expenditure was taxi to and from the airport.

[parislady40]

The best place to exchange currency is right at the airport when you arrive in Tahiti. It is open immediately after the flight arrives. All you need is your passport and it's easy. It will give you the best exchange rate to your dollar. By far far better than ordering from a local bank. If you wish, you can also exchange at the local banks in the little towns, dependant on which islands you are visiting. But again the best rate is at the airport on arrival in Tahiti. Do not exchange in the US!! We learned this from two wonderful ladies who we consider the Tahitian experts. Have a read of the latest book by Jan Prince, an excellent guide to all the questions like this :). Hope it was okay to mention the book. It's a fantastic guide!

[Emdee]

I second Parislady. I used to always buy either at home or in LAX but I found that the airport was convenient and reasonable.

We just told the Regent people that we were exchanging currency and would be along shortly.

[Rally]

Looking for recommendations regarding the local currency...Specifically, where is the best place to make the exchange, do I need a bunch of the local currency (and what for), and are credit cards easy to use over there?

I am a guy who prefers going the plastic route but figure I need to pick up some of the local currency at some point.

Thanks!

You won't need much local currency but there is one little secret that I have not seen posted here before: At Faa'a Airport in Papeete, luggage carts require a 100 CFP coin. It is SO handy to have that coin, as you will learn if your experience at this airport is typical =)

[Bearnaise]

You won't need much local currency but there is one little secret that I have not seen posted here before: At Faa'a Airport in Papeete, luggage carts require a 100 CFP coin. It is SO handy to have that coin, as you will learn if your experience at this airport is typical =)
Is there a money-exchange kiosk in the baggage claim area? Otherwise, from my experience, if I exchange for foreign currency at either my bank or LAX, they only supply bills, no coins.

Or better yet, when Regent provides transfers, do they assist you with the bags directly from the carousel like they did for our Alaska cruise, or will we need to get our own carts to get through customs/immigration first?

(I know the Faaa airport is primitive and miserable, but couldn't they at least have installed credit-card Smartcarte machines?)

[Rally]

Is there a money-exchange kiosk in the baggage claim area? Otherwise, from my experience, if I exchange for foreign currency at either my bank or LAX, they only supply bills, no coins.

Or better yet, when Regent provides transfers, do they assist you with the bags directly from the carousel like they did for our Alaska cruise, or will we need to get our own carts to get through customs/immigration first?

(I know the Faaa airport is primitive and miserable, but couldn't they at least have installed credit-card Smartcarte machines?)

No charge for carts when you ARRIVE (Regent meets you after you clear customs.) As for the coin . . . . you may be able to get one by changing a couple of dollars onboard; if not, change a couple of dollars the day before onboard and then get change at a shop in Moorea. We have flown out of Faa'a a few times now and have NEVER managed to remember the darn coin =)

[Rally]

(I know the Faaa airport is primitive and miserable, but couldn't they at least have installed credit-card Smartcarte machines?)

Don't be too hard on Faa'a ---- have you ever been in LAX's Tom Bradley International terminal? Talk about Third World =(

[Bearnaise]

Don't be too hard on Faa'a ---- have you ever been in LAX's Tom Bradley International terminal? Talk about Third World =(
Come on, at least LAX has air-conditioning and credit-card luggage cart machines. And if you need to kill a lot of time and don't have lounge access, the upper level (pre-security) has a decent selection of food, a Daily Grill restaurant, comfy seats, and a nice bar. I spent 12 hours hanging out up there once after an involuntary re-routing of an Asia itinerary. I'm already planning on a 4-hour stint this trip since we're planning on getting in line real early in hopes of a paid upgrade :D

[Rally]

Come on, at least LAX has air-conditioning and credit-card luggage cart machines. And if you need to kill a lot of time and don't have lounge access, the upper level (pre-security) has a decent selection of food, a Daily Grill restaurant, comfy seats, and a nice bar. I spent 12 hours hanging out up there once after an involuntary re-routing of an Asia itinerary. I'm already planning on a 4-hour stint this trip since we're planning on getting in line real early in hopes of a paid upgrade :D

True, true, and true, but I will take Faa'a bathrooms over Bradley any day =) Enjoy your trip and I hope you get that upgrade =)

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I agree with most of the above--get your currency at Fa'aa airport, and don't get a lot, perhaps a couple of hundred dollars worth to start. You can get local currency on the ship.

You'll use it for shopping in the markets and buying inexpensive souvenirs, jewellery, clothing, etc.

But the pearl shops take credit cards, as do the shops in general in Papeete. Take a credit card to the Taha'a motu day if you want to look at pearls--they have a nice selection there.

[Rally]

I agree with most of the above--get your currency at Fa'aa airport, and don't get a lot, perhaps a couple of hundred dollars worth to start. You can get local currency on the ship.

You'll use it for shopping in the markets and buying inexpensive souvenirs, jewellery, clothing, etc.

But the pearl shops take credit cards, as do the shops in general in Papeete. Take a credit card to the Taha'a motu day if you want to look at pearls--they have a nice selection there.

Correct as usual, Wendy =) One word of caution -- maybe this was jsut bad luck or maybe it was me, but I forgot my credit card on Taha'a motu day and, sure enough, my wife wanted something that exceeded my cash, so I went back to the ship, got the credit card, and came back to the motu (picking up points along the way for husband of the year =) and the vendor then used his cell phone to call someone with my credit card info -- and then it was declined. Whether this was a communication error or my credit card company didn't like the call-in from a motu in some lagoon I will never know, but the card had worked just fine in the previous prot and worked again just fine in the next port . . . .

[Bearnaise]

True, true, and true, but I will take Faa'a bathrooms over Bradley any day =) Enjoy your trip and I hope you get that upgrade =)
Ouch. OK, I forgot about LAX bathrooms (not just Bradley, they're horrible airport-wide). Probably repressed it due to post-traumatic stress disorder from the last time I had to use one :eek:

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Correct as usual, Wendy =) One word of caution -- maybe this was jsut bad luck or maybe it was me, but I forgot my credit card on Taha'a motu day and, sure enough, my wife wanted something that exceeded my cash, so I went back to the ship, got the credit card, and came back to the motu (picking up points along the way for husband of the year =) and the vendor then used his cell phone to call someone with my credit card info -- and then it was declined. Whether this was a communication error or my credit card company didn't like the call-in from a motu in some lagoon I will never know, but the card had worked just fine in the previous prot and worked again just fine in the next port . . . .

Ohhh, what a drag! After such an heroic effort!

[Cruisedreamer1]

If you are planning to try to upgrade your seat in Tahiti, good luck. We have been to Tahiti 3 years in a row and each year have tried to upgrade without success. For some reason, there is availability going to Tahiti but the return flight is always sold out at least in business class.

[Rally]

Ohhh, what a drag! After such an heroic effort!

Did I mention it was raining during my round-trip? I might have mentioned it to my wifebut if I did somehow it didn't seem to impress her -- when I returned she was watching a rainbow from our verandah. True love =)

[Emdee]

Bearnaise,
I think I already told you on the other forum about the little room next to the check in at Faaa airport. If you knock on the door they will open it and sell you the upgrade even before the check in has started. I think it has a glass door or had one last year!

My credit card was also declined in Moorea. Fortunately I had another which I could use but it was quite inconvenient. These days merchants are extra careful due to fraud.

I have a story ( urban legend) about a certain former head of a very well known American Insurance Company that has been in the news a great deal these days . One of his staff's AMEX card was declined in Hong Kong . He was paying for a large banquet and it caused a great deal of embarassment and loss of face for the corporation. The American Head asked for the business credit card of every employee in their New York office ,cut them up, placed them in an envelope and delivered them to the head honcho of AMEX. Then, they moved their account to Diners. The problem with Diners was it was not accepted widely so that very often when one went out to lunch with executives from this Insurer us lowly brokers were forced to pay the bill...
I believe they use another card now - neither AMEX nor Diners!

[Bearnaise]

If you are planning to try to upgrade your seat in Tahiti, good luck. We have been to Tahiti 3 years in a row and each year have tried to upgrade without success. For some reason, there is availability going to Tahiti but the return flight is always sold out at least in business class.
That's what I wanted to hear.

When I went to Tahiti in 2003, one of the guys I was traveling with easily scored an upgrade on the way there, but was handily rebuffed on the return flight. He didn't take it so well. I don't blame him. That return coach flight was one of the worst I've flown, beginning with the awful airport experience. On board, I actually tried to sleep (duh, it's a red eye!), but the flight attendant insisted on waking me up to raise my seat back so the passengers behind me could comfortably eat their 1 a.m. meal. Then, after I finally managed to get some uncomfortable shut-eye, the experience was repeated a few hours later when they served breakfast.

Not this time. I shelled out the $$ for biz class on the return flight, so I can expedite the check-in procedure somewhat, have an a/c'd lounge, and maybe catch some Zs on the red-eye (along with some decent champagne perhaps?). It's only the LAX-PPT leg I'm trying to upgrade and since that's a daytime flight with movies and we have our own row of two (I was traveling stag on the previous trip and shared my 2-row with a stranger), it won't be so bad at all if we don't get upgraded. But I'll still try!

[Rally]

That's what I wanted to hear.

When I went to Tahiti in 2003, one of the guys I was traveling with easily scored an upgrade on the way there, but was handily rebuffed on the return flight. He didn't take it so well. I don't blame him. That return coach flight was one of the worst I've flown, beginning with the awful airport experience. On board, I actually tried to sleep (duh, it's a red eye!), but the flight attendant insisted on waking me up to raise my seat back so the passengers behind me could comfortably eat their 1 a.m. meal. Then, after I finally managed to get some uncomfortable shut-eye, the experience was repeated a few hours later when they served breakfast.

Not this time. I shelled out the $$ for biz class on the return flight, so I can expedite the check-in procedure somewhat, have an a/c'd lounge, and maybe catch some Zs on the red-eye (along with some decent champagne perhaps?). It's only the LAX-PPT leg I'm trying to upgrade and since that's a daytime flight with movies and we have our own row of two (I was traveling stag on the previous trip and shared my 2-row with a stranger), it won't be so bad at all if we don't get upgraded. But I'll still try!

If you think the LAX - Papeete flight is rough, try LAX (after trying to use a bathroom =) to Sydney in Economy, departing (if you're lucky) at 11:45 PM. Killer!

[B6driver]

Thanks for the helpful advice about exchanging currency. I will just wait until we arrive in PPT.

I hear a lot of talk about experiences with Air Tahiti Nui, but has anybody flown Air France LAX-PPT??