davwen81

Just saw this post after posting about the Thompson book, great minds eh!!!! I was looking for your post on books and completely missed this one. Heard her interviewed on the radio today about Sea People and sounds like her writing style is very easy read and interesting. So I’m off to buy that one too! Cheerrs Wendy

David have just heard of another book on Polynesia called Sea People - The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson, it’s non-fiction but sounds very interesting. She’s also written another called Come on shore and We will Kill and Eat you all! About the Maoris in NZ. Also have you read Fatu Hiva - back to Nature by Thor Heyerdahl? I’m on the hunt for it now after visiting the Marquesas in April. Hope these might help with your Polynesian fly which I’m suffering from now😩

We just wanted to share our thanks and thoughts on our anniversary cruise on 13th April. We had so many of you offer advice and tips before we left that we wanted to let you know how much we appreciated that help and how it made our anticipation build before we went. We had a superb time and can honestly say it is definitely one of our all time favourite cruises. MOOREA PRECRUISE We loved our time on Moorea at the Hilton and loved their plunge pool bungalows and the snorkelling and kayaking from the beach. Food was great. Drinks exhorbitant but we’d stopped in Maharepa to get supplies from the supermarket so we were prepared. The pizza restaurant at the OWB area was fantastic. We did splurge on a bottle of wine that night so it was over $100 with 2 pizzas, one entree and one dessert to share which was plenty. It poured that night but we were moved under cover quickly and loved watching the rain fall around us. Then the reef sharks arrived, 8 in all and HUGE. Biggest we’ve ever seen. Loved the resort and would highly recommend it for the beach, the sunsets, great food and service. PG REUNION CRUISE We caught the ferry back and had lunch at the ferry terminal upstairs where we could watch the line to board the PG get longer. We went down and waited and were allowed to board at 3pm. Easily processed in the Grand Salon and taken to our cabin. We had wonderful Jo Fea as our cabin attendant in 625, who was superb. Looked after us so well and made sure our room was beautifully decorated for our wedding anniversary. We thought this cabin and where it was on the ship was great. Half way between the pool deck, Le Grill and La Palette and down the passageway to La Verandah and only one floor from the Grand Salon, two to reception and three to the tender deck. Never used the lifts! We ate in all restaurants and really enjoyed the people we met and the delicious food. La Verandah was a favourite and Arnold looked after us admirably with fabulous service and even sang to us on our anniversary. What a treat! He’s is part of the crew show and has a wonderful voice. Maitre d’s at both La Verandah and Le Grill were fantastic and went out of their way to look after us. Food in both was superb. Wine selections for white wine drinkers were awful to begin with. We are Australian and felt the Aussie white wine choices were awful. Stuff we’d never drink at home! However we finally found a Pinot Grigio and that was fine. But the included white wines were disappointing. Red wines seemed better quality. Cocktails were fantastic! Our 2 week itinerary to the Tuamotu, Marquesas and Society Islands was fantastic. We did a couple of ship excursions in the Marquesas where it was difficult to find private excursions and they were both fantastic. All our private excursions were also great. The Gaugines and Gaugins were fabulous and made this trip so very much more than what we were expecting. Their entertainment - dance classes, art and jewellery classes, their performances, their lovely warm personalities added all so much more to our enjoyment of our trip. Captain David Ljutic and all the crew were outstanding and very happy to stop and chat, assist in any way possible and go out of their way to meet your needs. Entertainment was excellent. . We had the Santa Rosa Band who were fantastic, Colour Blue duo from Uk, Michael Bird, a great solo singer, Gustavo Vierini, a fantastic illusionist, a White Party on the pool deck, Maeva Polynesia with the Gaugins and Gaugines, O’Tahiti E on our last night, a fabulous Polynesian dance company all made for great nights of entertainment. Speakers were also excellent and most interesting, on topics from Paul Gaugin, Oceans and Coral, wine making and tasting to Climate Change. We had a cooking demo with head chef, Palluaud Stephane, who was very entertaining and his poussin cru and truffle and mushroom risotto were delicious. We cant say that we have enjoyed a cruise more. For daytime activities to evening entertainment on this size ship, it was excellent. We were also lucky to be asked to dine with Dianne Moore the CEO of PG and her husband Bill, who were on as hosts for this reunion cruise and also celebrating their wedding anniversary. We had a delightful dinner with them and two other couples who like us were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversaries. We also loved the anniversary celebration that PG puts on for guests who register, which was held in La Palette with photos taken outside on the deck, where you are wrapped in a Tifaifai (Polynesian blanket) and your head is decorated with a floral wreath. It was just delightful. Our Cruise Director Gaelle was great fun also. Motu Mahane was as everyone had told us, a great fun day but unfortunately the weather wasn’t so kind to us that day and we left as storm clouds gathered. But the atmosphere, food and drink service was fabulous. Our day in Tahaa was a special war Memorial Day for NZ and Australia, ANZAC Day, and we were allowed to use the Captains lounge for our special Dawn Service organised by one of the NZ girls with Galle. That was very special for all of us and much appreciated. So thank you all for contributing to our anticipatory excitement, it meant a lot and was much exceeded by our onboard experiences. Cheers, Wendy and David

Go for Tahiti magnificent!

Were using unique Tahiti tours on Moorea, look on Trip Advisor she gets great reviews. Personally I’d jump back on the ferry to Moorea and do. Circle island tour or lagoon tour whichever you didn’t do on your day there.

Just wanted to know recent exchange rates as don’t want to use ATM’s. Many thanks for any help

FlightMedic, can you remember which restaurants would pick you up please?

Voil’a Moorea have a 2 hour sunset cruise and will pick up and drop you off at the Hilton Moorea. Doing it in a couple of weeks so can come back and let you know what it was like.

Thank you SellaVee, very helpful information 🙂

Thank you both for your replies, that is a huge relief. Soooo excited now🥂🎉😍

Hi all, getting down to tin tacks now with about 3 weeks to go and we’re both thinking of clothes to take! 1- I have lots of casual smart dresses, is that enough or should I pack something a bit more dressy (long dress) for captains toast night. 2- Does it make any difference that it’s the reunion cruise? 3- Does David need to take a jacket? He’d prefer not to but doesn’t want to feel like he should have! Any help gratefully appreciated cherrs Wendy and David

Yes we did E-visas, cheap and easy and valid for two entries (3 ports in an itinerary is one entry) in 60 days.

We did our Indian visas on line, sensible and easy and $85 US instead of $400 with Visa central, no brainer for us. You just read the instructions carefully and have your passport and pic uploaded in the right format and it’s easy.

Constellation February 17. 2019 Cabin- aquaclass . A2 9070 Area- between front and aft stairs starboard side Bed near - bathroom Quiet- no, overhead footsteps and rolling trolleys heard at all times balcony normal size no soot windy at times when at sea

We’re on Constellation at the moment and have unlimited drinks at all bars between 5-7 at any bar you wish! Great change to the 3 drink policy!!! You can also use the Reflections lounge forward where they have a dedicated CC area with drinks and canapés supplies as well. Breakfast in this ship is in Tuscan Grill with sparkling wine, Bellinis, bloody Mary’s and Mimosas for breakfast. It’s also served not buffet style and the included smoothie and fresh juices are delicious!