Society Islands & Tuamotus vs. Society & Cook Islands

Quick poll or impressions in deciding itinerary, many of you have cruised with PG numerous times. What is your preference of itinerary and why?

Society Islands/Cook Islands or Society Islands/Tuamotus Fall 2017. Cook itinerary for October has longer Port time in Bora and 1 extra Sea day. We do not Scuba but love the water and Snorkeling.

Thanks again!

We booked our first PG cruise about two months ago and the extra time in Bora was the winning factor for choosing the Cook Islands route for us.

Haven't done the Cooks, but have done the Tuamotus multiple times. There is one sea day on the Tuamotu route, two sea days on the Cooks. Some people like sea days, others don't. There is also the possible, I understand, of not being able to tender into Aitutaki--not sure how often this happens, but used to read about this issue years ago. Perhaps someone who's been can address this.

We have done both and I would choose the Cook Islands. There is the possibility of not being able to tender in at the Cooks but we did not experience that. We have done the Tuamotu cruise twice and the second time we could not get into the lagoon at Rangiora due to weather. Obviously both have some negative.

The reason I would recommend the Cooks is that the lagoon at Aitutaki comes close to rivaling the lagoon at Bora Bora and may actually surpass it. The snorkeling and giant clams are great to view at Aitutaki. On Rarotonga we made a mistKe and did a land based excursion.

Fakarava is nice but very very limited in what to do. Rangiora also is very limited. The lagoon there is very large but with a cruise stop the options that are across the lagoon are not really options. We also spent 6 nights on Rangiroa after our cruise and there is very little to see there.

We have done both and I would choose the Cook Islands. There is the possibility of not being able to tender in at the Cooks but we did not experience that. We have done the Tuamotu cruise twice and the second time we could not get into the lagoon at Rangiora due to weather. Obviously both have some negative.

 

The reason I would recommend the Cooks is that the lagoon at Aitutaki comes close to rivaling the lagoon at Bora Bora and may actually surpass it. The snorkeling and giant clams are great to view at Aitutaki. On Rarotonga we made a mistKe and did a land based excursion.

 

Fakarava is nice but very very limited in what to do. Rangiora also is very limited. The lagoon there is very large but with a cruise stop the options that are across the lagoon are not really options. We also spent 6 nights on Rangiroa after our cruise and there is very little to see there.

Thanks so much FlightMedic for the comparison. Your info is pretty much what I thought from reading and my own experiences previously. I am hoping our friends who we are traveling with think the same. Much appreciated.

*Any input of C Balcony rear facing cabins on the PG vs mid-ship? WE are trying to narrow down our cabin choice before putting deposit. We have cruised many times but never rear facing as those were typically much higher end suites. Appears on the PG from the deck schematic that the C balcony Rear facing are larger and no more expensive. Hard to believe they would not be charging more for these unless there is some downside I am not aware of.

Sorry but I am firmly in the deck 4 group. The cabins on deck 4 and 6 are the same size except,that deck 6 has the balcony. Having been on the ship 4 times we did not miss the balcony and we were rarely in our cabin.

Sorry but I am firmly in the deck 4 group. The cabins on deck 4 and 6 are the same size except,that deck 6 has the balcony. Having been on the ship 4 times we did not miss the balcony and we were rarely in our cabin.

Thanks again, I may have to reconsider our deck and cabin selection. Big difference in pricing between Deck 4 & 7.

We spend minimal time in our cabin as well, Sea Days we are out by the pool typically..

Thanks again, I may have to reconsider our deck and cabin selection. Big difference in pricing between Deck 4 & 7.

We spend minimal time in our cabin as well, Sea Days we are out by the pool typically..

Really, it's the right choice--use the money to book extravagant excursions. The deck 7 balcony suites are imperceptibly larger (I mean inches) and the balconies are small; deck 6 balconies are identical to the window cabins. No room on the balconies for a chaise, just a couple of chairs.

Really, it's the right choice--use the money to book extravagant excursions. The deck 7 balcony suites are imperceptibly larger (I mean inches) and the balconies are small; deck 6 balconies are identical to the window cabins. No room on the balconies for a chaise, just a couple of chairs.

Thanks Wendy for your reassurance regarding cabins, all of you who have cruised many times with PG have concurred so I have e-mailed my TA for pricing on the Oct. 2017 Cooks Island/Society island Cruise Category E.

One last question, have any of you cruised in October and can share your experiences with weather at this time of year? Thanks again for your help.

This itinerary is not offered in September, only October if we are looking at these 2 specific months for travel.

Sorry but I am firmly in the deck 4 group. The cabins on deck 4 and 6 are the same size except,that deck 6 has the balcony. Having been on the ship 4 times we did not miss the balcony and we were rarely in our cabin.

Thanks very much Flight Medic for your valuable input! Deck 4 it is. Hoping to do Cooks/Society in October 2017 in a Deck 4 cabin. Any Cabin favorites on Deck 4?

Anything from 417-440 would be my first choice. All are mid ship. No logic to this but I prefer the odd numbers. Since the ship does not dock it swings gently at each mooring so it is impossible to predict which side of the ship will have a specific view. In any case I am never in the cabin for the view as the upper decks are my balcony.

You should also be able to get an approximate $500-$700 additional on board credit from your travel agent. This should be on top of what ever the cruise line offers.

We have been on the PG a couple of times in October, mostly due to it being an anniversary month but also trying to fulfill the dream of seeing the humpbacks, which come up from Antartica to calve Aug-Oct (apx). No luck on the latter… yet :o)

We have also been in Feb, April and July, Nov. (Chronic PG flu sufferer; deck 3-4 always) We prefer October as we found it to be less rainy and with less humidity than Feb/April and the water was cooler in July. It's not cold, mind you, just maybe 4-5 degrees cooler. We're divers and appreciate the warmth at depth. But weather is, of course, unpredictable.

Have a great time and circle back to CC and let us know all about it!

We have been on the PG a couple of times in October, mostly due to it being an anniversary month but also trying to fulfill the dream of seeing the humpbacks, which come up from Antartica to calve Aug-Oct (apx). No luck on the latter… yet :o)

 

We have also been in Feb, April and July, Nov. (Chronic PG flu sufferer; deck 3-4 always) We prefer October as we found it to be less rainy and with less humidity than Feb/April and the water was cooler in July. It's not cold, mind you, just maybe 4-5 degrees cooler. We're divers and appreciate the warmth at depth. But weather is, of course, unpredictable.

 

Have a great time and circle back to CC and let us know all about it!

Sita, why don't you join us PG flu sufferers on the Reunion?

We have been on the PG a couple of times in October, mostly due to it being an anniversary month but also trying to fulfill the dream of seeing the humpbacks, which come up from Antartica to calve Aug-Oct (apx). No luck on the latter… yet :o)

 

We have also been in Feb, April and July, Nov. (Chronic PG flu sufferer; deck 3-4 always) We prefer October as we found it to be less rainy and with less humidity than Feb/April and the water was cooler in July. It's not cold, mind you, just maybe 4-5 degrees cooler. We're divers and appreciate the warmth at depth. But weather is, of course, unpredictable.

 

Have a great time and circle back to CC and let us know all about it!

Sita,

Thank you so much for your October weather thoughts. I think it will be Oct. 2017 for sure and will post once we return. Still a long way off....

Stay away from cabin 426! The pool drains run at 4:30 pm and 4 am. There is nothing you can do about it. We were in this cabin and had to request a switch since the 4 am drain kept waking me up.

The PG staff were able to switch us which was no easy matter due to the fact we had our daughter with us. They simply lifted up the hide away bed and moved it to another cabin.

Stay away from cabin 426! The pool drains run at 4:30 pm and 4 am. There is nothing you can do about it. We were in this cabin and had to request a switch since the 4 am drain kept waking me up.

 

The PG staff were able to switch us which was no easy matter due to the fact we had our daughter with us. They simply lifted up the hide away bed and moved it to another cabin.

We had the same problem in Regent days....didn't know it was the pool drains just recall the gushing of water. We also had DD with us and they did precisely that just moved the sofa bed to another cabin. This happened on the Papeete to Fiji trip so glad the ship wasn't full!

I did the Cooks Islands the end of Oct and Nov in 2013. We had very good weather and was able to get to every port.

Sita, why don't you join us PG flu sufferers on the Reunion?

Emdee, wish we could; the timing didn't work out for us

BPCruiser, have fun anticipating, imo this is one trip where it truly exceeds your dreams.

Thanks again, I may have to reconsider our deck and cabin selection. Big difference in pricing between Deck 4 & 7.

We spend minimal time in our cabin as well, Sea Days we are out by the pool typically..

Now you are thinking straight!

Told you most here would tell you deck 3 or 4!

We have done both and I would choose the Cook Islands. There is the possibility of not being able to tender in at the Cooks but we did not experience that. We have done the Tuamotu cruise twice and the second time we could not get into the lagoon at Rangiora due to weather. Obviously both have some negative.

 

The reason I would recommend the Cooks is that the lagoon at Aitutaki comes close to rivaling the lagoon at Bora Bora and may actually surpass it. The snorkeling and giant clams are great to view at Aitutaki. On Rarotonga we made a mistKe and did a land based excursion.

 

Question for you FlightMedic

 

Why was it a mistake to do a land based excursion in Rarotonga? Did you do a ship or local excursion or just toured the interior of the island on your own?

 

We're thinking of taking the bus that goes around the island to get around. Are you familiar with it at all?

 

Thanks.

We did a ship excursion which was a 4x4 drive around and to the interior of Rarotonga. There was not a lot to see and afterwards we both felt we should have opted for an excursion which included snorkeling, diving or a beach day.

We did a ship excursion which was a 4x4 drive around and to the interior of Rarotonga. There was not a lot to see and afterwards we both felt we should have opted for an excursion which included snorkeling, diving or a beach day.

Thanks!

We're booked in 426 in August 2017. Can you recommend a better cabin?

Thanks!

Stay away from cabin 426! The pool drains run at 4:30 pm and 4 am. There is nothing you can do about it. We were in this cabin and had to request a switch since the 4 am drain kept waking me up.

 

The PG staff were able to switch us which was no easy matter due to the fact we had our daughter with us. They simply lifted up the hide away bed and moved it to another cabin.

We're booked in 426 in August 2017. Can you recommend a better cabin?

Thanks!

410, 408 or even the ones on the other side of the aisle from 426 should be ok.

Yes, we were in 427 and it was fine.