Patrick's Tour Bora Bora - length?

[cruisinabout]

How far in advance did you have to book Patrick's tour to insure availability?

[Kween Karen]

I don't remember for sure.....but we had it booked at least 6 months in advance. It is very popular...............and he had 3 boats which can carry 12 each...so total 36 max.

[Bucky3]

Our roll call booked Patrick on Bora Bora for next fall over a year ahead of time filling all three of his boats! So, best to get your request in as early as possible. Our cruise is unusual in that it is 28 days RT on Sapphire Princess (big ship) from LA to Hawaii, Samoa, and Tahiti with a roll call approaching 200 already!

[mavie]

Yes it would be fine. You can always use one of those noodles to boost your confidence. You can see the sharks and the rays from the boat. You can also just kind of hang on to the outrigger part of the boat and put your face in the water. The motu picnic part is, of course, on land with a lovely shallow beach that goes far out. There is a stop in the lagoon which is shallow enough to stand.

A WONDERFUL excursion!!

Thanks. I think I'll try it. Do they supply the noodles, do you know?

[cruisinabout]

Thanks Kween Karen and Bucky3. I'll take your advice and book well ahead.

[Toto2Kansas]

. Do they supply the noodles, do you know?

Unless I have missed them on several past visits, I have never seen them provide noodles in Tahiti. Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention, but I would have sworn I have never seen a noodle provided on any tour we have ever taken in FP.:confused:

[Seal]

Unless I have missed them on several past visits, I have never seen them provide noodles in Tahiti. Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention, but I would have sworn I have never seen a noodle provided on any tour we have ever taken in FP.:confused:

 

I think the only time I've seen them is once maybe twice in the Caribbean.

 

Nancy:D

[Toto2Kansas]

I think the only time I've seen them is once maybe twice in the Caribbean.

 

Nancy:D

 

Oh, we see noodles on almost every tour in the Caribbean, but I never remember seeing any tour that provided them in Tahiti before?? I always suggest if someone needs a floatation device in Tahiti, that they bring one with them, such as a snorkel vest or some sort of blow up float. (we always bring both the vest and the blow up float when we visit FP).

[south seas sue]

Toto, the Paul Gauguin always has noodles for snorklers and swimmers, and Patrick's tour supplied them as well.

In addition, vests were also available from Patrick and the ship.

[BridgeMates]

I'm taking a couple of cheap little blow up inner tubes for just relaxing in the water. One year in the Caribbean I cut a noodle down to fit in my large suitcase and it worked out fine for doing water exercises in the pool or just "lazing" about. Just made it short enough to kind of circle around the clothes.

[Toto2Kansas]

Toto, the Paul Gauguin always has noodles for snorklers and swimmers, and Patrick's tour supplied them as well.

In addition, vests were also available from Patrick and the ship.

 

That explains them being supplied from the ship then. I hear the Paul Gauguin pretty much supplies everything, but we always sail on Princess which does not supply them. But I still have to admit, I have never seen them supplied by Patrick and we have taken his tour twice in the past, the last one was last October. Interesting.............we never saw a noodle on our outrigger and nobody was supplied or offered any (although not sure where they would have stored them out of site in the outrigger). In fact, I loaned someone my snorkeling vest on patricks tour to go into the water as there was nothing else available for them. I will have to ask in February when we take this tour again. Very strange.

[Toto2Kansas]

I'm taking a couple of cheap little blow up inner tubes for just relaxing in the water. One year in the Caribbean I cut a noodle down to fit in my large suitcase and it worked out fine for doing water exercises in the pool or just "lazing" about. Just made it short enough to kind of circle around the clothes.

 

That's a GREAT idea. They weigh next to nothing, and would take up very little space. :)

[Seal]

Oh, we see noodles on almost every tour in the Caribbean, but I never remember seeing any tour that provided them in Tahiti before?? I always suggest if someone needs a floatation device in Tahiti, that they bring one with them, such as a snorkel vest or some sort of blow up float. (we always bring both the vest and the blow up float when we visit FP).

 

This shows how little attention I give to the noodles--there were a couple left in the cart garage in the desert and I do like them in the pool--swimming doesn't excite me anymore--floating is REALLY good.

 

Nancy

[Toto2Kansas]

This shows how little attention I give to the noodles--there were a couple left in the cart garage in the desert and I do like them in the pool--swimming doesn't excite me anymore--floating is REALLY good.

 

Nancy

 

 

Floating around in the warm waters in Tahiti works for me too. :) Although I do snorkel when the snorkeling is really good.

[shoediva]

We just got back from FP on the Royal Princess. We did Patrick's combo tour. No one was offered any floatation device (vest or noodle) on this tour. I didn't see any on the boat either, don't know where they would have stored them. 4x4 part of the tour was fabulous, and the motu picnic was amazing. The snorkelling part of the tour was good but boat troubles made it a bit of an adventure. Kind of worked out for the better because no one was at the stingray spot when we arrived. Last tender was at 10:30 so we weren't worried about missing the ship but even so they were in constant contact with their people on the shore in case they needed to send another boat out to get us. Great tour, have fun everyone!

[Toto2Kansas]

shoediva, Thanks, now at least I know I am not going blind. ;)

[linbar52]

We just got back from FP on the Royal Princess. We did Patrick's combo tour. No one was offered any floatation device (vest or noodle) on this tour. I didn't see any on the boat either, don't know where they would have stored them. 4x4 part of the tour was fabulous, and the motu picnic was amazing. The snorkelling part of the tour was good but boat troubles made it a bit of an adventure. Kind of worked out for the better because no one was at the stingray spot when we arrived. Last tender was at 10:30 so we weren't worried about missing the ship but even so they were in constant contact with their people on the shore in case they needed to send another boat out to get us. Great tour, have fun everyone!

 

 

That's interesting...When I confirmed our upcoming excursion with Patrick in January, since I don't snorkel, I asked if it would still be a worthwhile trip for me. This was their reply:

 

"Regarding the snorkelling part, don't worry, you'll have fun, some parts in the lagoon are very shallow and you'll be able to enjoy the excursion.Also we have floating devices on board and you can use some if you feel more comfortable."

 

???

[Toto2Kansas]

That's interesting...When I confirmed our upcoming excursion with Patrick in January, since I don't snorkel, I asked if it would still be a worthwhile trip for me. This was their reply:

 

"Regarding the snorkelling part, don't worry, you'll have fun, some parts in the lagoon are very shallow and you'll be able to enjoy the excursion.Also we have floating devices on board and you can use some if you feel more comfortable."

 

???

 

I wonder if they aren't getting some type of floats for future tours (if there has been a high demand for them)? Lifejackets maybe?

[TIBTEE]

We went on Patrick's tour recently ( Oct 6th Royal ). One of the ladies on our tour felt a little uncomfortable in the water and asked and was given a life vest to wear. She said it helped her enjoy the shark snorkel without worry. If you ask, they do have them on board.

[linbar52]

That's good to know. I was beginning to worry if they didn't even have life vests on board! Thanks for the info.

[aussiedisneyfan]

Here is a link to a video of somebody's tour (not mine). In our group we had some people that were uncertain in the water and they were great with them. I am pretty sure that there were lifejackets on ours too.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLpDwX86TqQ

 

This is a link to my photos from our trip.

 

[Wilcoam]

On of the most amazing things about Patrick's tour is that he uses a traditional boat that has a wood beam about 6 feet away from the boat, the beam acts as a great hang on floating device for those who do not swim as well as others or need a break, or are having trouble with currents

 

In fact you can just hang on to the beam, stick your head in the water, and see an awful lot of wildlife and coral

 

My wife and I just spent 12 days in Paradise, at 4 Seasons in Bora Bora, and 7 days on the PG, and I think its safe to say the ultimate moment of our entire vacation was on Patrick's 3/4 tour, at the very end of it, eating lunch on Patrick's family's private Island next to the 4 Seasons, chowing down on delicious mahi-mahi, chicken and lobster, on a picnic table in the lagoon, dangling our feet in the clear blue water, while facing a mountain, hearing the ocean hit the reef in the distant, words simply cannot describe the feeling

 

Thank you Patrick and your guides, its a homerun excursion

[GAJE]

Has anyone else had trouble getting a response from Patrick? I have emailed him 3 times concerning January 2012 when we are there on the Rotterdam. No answer to any of my emails yet.

Thanks, Betty

[Kween Karen]

Patrick always emailed me very quickly. Perhaps he is away on vacation himself. He has a young daughter in France that he visits sometimes.

[Seal]

We emailed him a few days ago and received an email back in less than 48 hours--although most messages come from Patricia, now.

 

Nancy:D