Tahiti Itinerary ~ Stay Aboard The Ship???

[guardhouse]

Looking at the 10-day TP itinerary, it looks like 2 days aboard ship in Papeete, 2 days on the ship in Raiatea, 2 days onboartd in Bora Bora and then two final days on-board in Papeete.

 

Am I looking at this correctly? We have never stayed "overnight" in a port before. I am not sure what to expect....Is there plenty to do in these ports?

[maygoddess]

Hi there! My DH and my parents and I are actually already booked on the Sept 1 sailing on the TP..cannot wait to go.

 

I have never been, but from all my readings of this cruise, it should be quite an experience.

 

 

From others, I have read that the 1st day of the cruise which is embarkation day, you can arrive on the ship starting around noon, get settled in and go back ashore..many folks go over to Le Marche(big marketplace) and buy tropical flowers for their rooms,maybe drinks or other items to take aboard. You are then eating dinner on ship that night.

 

The next day, we are still in Papeete until 5pm. Many get off the ship and do excursions around papeete (circle island tours, 4x4 tours, etc) We then sailyaway at 5pm.

 

Raiatea we are there from around 6am one day to 6am the next day. We have an all day excursion planned that will probably be from around 9-4pm..most folks get back on the ship because there is a popular polynesian dance show with all kids starting at 5pm. Since we leave this area at 6am..not much else to do on the island itself..stay on ship all evening.

 

Bora Bora is another overnight stay. Since we arrive around noon the 1st day, we may miss out on some of the tours that are all day and start in the morning. Not sure yet what we have planned. We are talking about diving, sunset sailing(which will be the first chance to enjoy this since we are staying past the sunset!) There is also some talk about a night dive which would be the only place to do this. We can also dine on shore (Bloody mary's) if we choose since the last tenders I heard are late (10 or 11?).

 

The next just about fiill day in Bora Bora..we can plan on doing a longer excursion sicne we will be there in the morning. We sily away at 5pm and on to Moorea for a day. The ship then arrives back in Papeete in the evening and the last day we are docked already for embarkation. If you are leaving that night to the airport, you can stay on the ship(but out of the room) or leave the ship and tour around Papeete until your plane leaves.

 

So..it may seem like you have ALOT of extra time in a few of these overnight ports..but there is plenty to do from all that I have been reading. This intinerary is very port intensive because the islands are so closed to together..you really are not sailing that much. I think they only threw in the sail to rarotonga (or marquesas) just to give us some full sea days!!

 

Anyway..I hop ethat helps. I am excited and already planning my shore ex's..at least the most popular ones!

[laurieb]

I wish there was even more time in port, especially on Bora Bora. I would love to see Princess do the itinerary that Ren. did when it owned the ship.

the Polynesian show is actually held twice, the children in the afternoon, and then again in the evening, at the start of the island party after second seating dinner, with children and adults.

[guardhouse]

Thank you for the insight.

[seafish]

Agree with laurieb - loved the Ren Port Intensive itinerary with 2 days in each port - in exchange for the Rarotonga trip w/2 sea days+1 day raro. Nothing wrong with raro but - IMO 3 days out of 10 is a lot for this port. I'm sure this was well thought out by Princess. SeaFish

[guardhouse]

These boards are soooo helpful!