EPTCB

Pizza station at the buffet doesn't count or no longer there? They aren't still using the main theater for night club type events?

South Pass is very nice but from what I recall the boat ride was 75-90 minutes each way. Blue Lagoon is considerably closer; although the snorkeling is admittedly nowhere near as good.

We are spending the day with Janou in Huahine for the first time in June (and for the second time in September).

In Huahine, we have enjoyed both Marc's motu picnic and his land / sea combo tour on several prior occasions: https://www.huahinenautique.com/ On our upcoming trip, we are doing a private tour but can't recommend that one specifically just yet as have not yet done the tour. In Bora Bora, can't go wrong with pure snorkeling / reef discovery. This can be booked through the ship or independently. https://reefdiscovery.com/ In Moorea, we have done and enjoyed Moorea Miti tour and ATV tours: https://www.mooreamititours.com/ https://www.atvmooreatours.com/en/ In Fakarava, we always try to do blue lagoon or pink sands tour with Ato Lissant: https://www.pensionpaparara.com/activités fakaravaexplorer@hotmail.com In Rangiroa, have done independent snorkel excursion with Six Passengers: https://www.the6passengers.com/en/

...and the Garden.

Some screenshots, lunch and dinner.

Anytime is good, but whale season is spectacular if you like snorkeling.

We do this routinely. Upside is missing the entire disembarkation day (which tends to be a real drag) with only downside being missing the professional dance troop show that night. Last year, Ponant charge for transfer for two people from pier to airport which departed pier at 8:30 pm was $98.

Unless doing back to back, 7 day itineraries are too short. Both the Cook Islands and Tuamotus itineraries are great.

Why ask the question if you don't want to hear the answer? As CruisinSusan70 says, there is a difference between being able to get away with doing something and having that something be the courteous thing to do. Common etiquette isn't always stated in writing so if you only refrain from things that are expressly prohibited, you should be just fine.

In my opinion, Hudson's has better views and more pleasing decor.

May be able to get 25 additional minutes added to massage on boarding day. Depending on Latitudes level, also get discount on signature services while in port.

Yes.

The Cruise Critic write-up of the Prima mentions "cabins to avoid include any room above or around the ship's theater, which doubles as a night club and can be loud late into the night." Anybody have experience with deck 9 forward cabins? If so, which cabin were you in and was noise from the theater an issue?

How would you describe water temperature in the thermal suite pools? Hot, warm, lukewarm??

Was told on October cruise that it had to do with some of them being unvaccinated.

I can't comment on sunset on land vs. boat as that is really a subjective preference but if you decide on the boat option, I have gone out with Reef Discovery more times than I can remember. They are a great company and offer private sunset cruises. Bora Bora Sunset Cruise | Reef Discovery

We got to of these on our October 2022 trip, about 14 inches by 19 inches.

Things are changing daily. Today in Bora Bora, they are limiting tenders to 50 people (for social distancing). They have also moved first tender back a half hour as cruise started in Fiji and all have to all do a passport control thing this morning at 8 am upon entering French Polynesia.

English has not been a problem but the crew members that are now French that have interacted with on current cruise have been pretty easy to identify by their stereotypically French attitude; that is to say not exactly exuding warm and friendly vibes.

First trip (for us) under Ponant management underway and tendering process has indeed changed, IMHO for the worse. As Tiki, er um Tahitianbigkahuna, stated above people not doing PG tour were asked to get tender tickets in Piano Bar. Problem is tickets being distributed were for an hour after listed first tender. In order to board actual first official tender to make early independent tour start time, had to go to excursion desk to get on "exclusion list" and then wait in grand salon for independent tour people to be called. Told this will also be process for Bora Bora and Moorea. With this in mind, I don't think you will make 08:15 start time as Poanat seems to be cracking down on / formalizing tender process and the last time we were in Bora Bora overnight, the first scheduled tender was 08:30 on both days. If your tour operator is strict about departure time, I would just suggest scheduling the later start time option (assuming it will allow you to catch last tender which is generally 30 minutes before listed ship departure time). Will voice displeasure with new process on post-cruise comments form.....

If the first tender is at 8:30, there is still a way that you might make 8:15 time but it is in no way guaranteed. There is actually a first tender to bring supplies to the tender pier before the first official passenger tender. In the past, we have had luck going to the person running cards at the tender station a day or so before the tour, explaining that we had an early tour time and politely asking if we could get on the unadvertised first tender. This was in pre-Ponant times but we were allowed to do this.

No, but effective in getting us in front of people also doing independent activities should tender space be in short supply after people doing PG excursions get on.