Budgeting for TP cruise

We are looking into booking a cruise on theTahitian Princess...probably in the months of March or April, possibly May of 2006.

I know this question is very general, but perhaps someone can help. We would be flying from Philadelhia to LA (will book that air on our own) and stay one night in LA to recoup from the flight. Then we'd probably book LA to Papette through Princess, and do two nights precruise in Moorea. Not sure which hotel for the precruise yet. We'd like to book a mini-suite on TP. Given these parameters, do you think budgeting $10K would cover just about everything mentioned above, including spending money? We're not big onboard spenders, but I do know the shore excursions can be expensive. We're not looking to break the bank, but if we're going to spring for what will probably be the trip of a lifetime, we don't want to skimp either.

I'm just trying to figure out if my numbers are reasonable?

Hi JerseyGirl!

We are going on the TP 11/3/04 for our 30th Wedding Anniversary!! We used Delta FF miles for Tampa to LAX, booked our LAX-PPT through Princess and are doing one night in LAX at the Westin, one night at the Sheraton Tahiti, two nights in an OWB at the Sheraton Moorea, ten day cruise in a mini-suite and a day room at the Intercontinental before our flight home. Based on our expenses so far and the excursions we are planning, 10k sounds about right.

102 days and a wake-up til we leave for paradise!!:D :D :D

Wow, 10K is a whole lot more than we paid. We went in May and would most definately go in May again. NOT MUCH RAIN!!! March is really a rainy season there. We had booked our air from LAX to PPT through Princess, but I would not suggest that. A friend of mine kept her eyes out on the Air Tahiti Nui website for good deals. Wow did she get a great one!! $498pp round trip. You can do the same and save at least $600 or more. We stayed one night pre-cruise and 1 night post-cruise. We didn't get a meal plan since that is all we stayed. We stayed at the Beachcomber both places. We had a balcony suite. Room 6070 and it was just right. It wasn't a mini suite, but it was great. Remember, you are not in the room hardly at all. We used the difference in the mini suite price to pay for all of our tours. We did not take ANY princess guided tours. We booked all of ours online and saved at least $1000 by doing it that way. You are not our any money until the tours start or end, so if it rains the tour out you were not out any money. You can take the LeTruck for $2pp from airport to hotels or pay about $12 for a taxi to the hotels. We carried $5000 with us on the trip to spend for whatever we wanted. We brought $3600 home with us and we bought and did anything we wanted. I am telling you the tours take a lot of your time, and there isn't much souvienier shopping to be done. No t-shirt places like in the cariibean. Now if you want to buy some expensive pearls then yes you might just hit that $10k mark. I bought 3 pair and still brought that money home. I will most definately go again. If you want any information about the different tours we did and the email addresses just let me know. You may email me at mbr961@bellsouth.net

Nancy

we are doing this trip in sept. from phila. total air through princess was 1800 p/p including extra charges for a schedule change. the mini st. costs were 4100for 2people. we'r doing an otw at the beachcomber for 2 nights @1200 for 2. we're not staying in la overnight, or a post cruise stay. from phila. princess uses american which is not a direct flt. we are using us air miles to get to la because it's direct. from my calculations if you do not get an otw for pre cruise you can save about 500p/p. we figured about $2500 for excersions for 2. all this is based on 2004 prices that can change. hope thi helps.

hal

Here is something that I found on EBay. The seller had set up a quasi-budget comparison between Radisson and Princess. I expect it to be a little bit on the high side for Princess and low for Radisson, but it should act as a good guide for budgeting.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=16078&item=2257696006&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

I don't know how long it will still be posted on EBay.