Big Two Week PG Sale

[Wendy The Wanderer]

The Marquesas 4x4 trips. They were all ship-organized. I believe there is some private availability but difficult to find, at least when I went 2 years ago.

 

I'm not sure what my favorite was, we did 3 of them, on each island except Fatu Hiva (which is amazingly beautiful just walking up the road from the dock, but who knows what wonders are beyond that.) Perhaps the least favorite was Hiva Oa, but that was very nice too. We drove up through jungle to a marae on a hillside, which was really overgrown but interesting. Then up and around the coast to a hillside church overlooking a bay. We then came back into the town, Atuona, and were dropped there to shop and to visit the Gauguin museum. There were also opportunities to go to the grave sites, but we didn't do that.

 

On Ua Huka we drove mostly along panoramic hillside roads overlooking the beautiful shoreline. This is a desert island, the vegetation having been catastrophically destroyed in centuries past by feral goats and horses. It once supported a much larger population. Visited the botanical gardens, mostly fruit trees of various tropical kinds. It was Sunday and everybody was out in their pickup trucks in their Sunday-going-to-church best.

 

On Nuku Hiva there were a couple of options. We too the 4x4 trip across the island thru the Taipivai valley. This was important to me because I had read Herman Melville's book Taipee before the trip. Again, beautiful views of the valley, and a stop at a cove on the far side of the island with some arts and crafts shopping ops. We also visited the beautiful cathedral in town.

 

You can see my pictures if you like, here:

I've made the Marquesas my Featured Gallery so it's right at the top of the page. The Marquesas photos start on about page 3 of this gallery I think.

[shorton]

Wonderful pics, Wendy! Thanks so much for the link! Only about six weeks until the Marquesas trip; we are very excited! After the first PG trip in 2008, never thought we would be lucky enough to be back so soon. It's that darn flu...:)

[Emdee]

Great pics Wendy! Brings back the memories and now looking forward to next year.

[Semolina]

Wendy, loved the photos, and for all the ideas from everyone. I see you and Emdee are both from Canada. Me too, but I don't live there anymore.

 

Wendy, enjoy your Dec cruise. You must be leaving soon.

 

I have been reading all the posts about excursions.

 

thanks

[Emdee]

There is a blanket of snow outside tonite Semolina! I am sure you do not miss it!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Thanks Semolina, yes I can't wait to be somewhere warm! Not sure how many more winters I can stand.

 

We are surrounded by blankets of snow, but here in downtown Toronto we have perhaps an inch. It's snowing right now, however so who knows. When I leave on Thursday at 7 a.m. I hear it's going to be -12C. Yikes!

[Emdee]

Have a great trip Wendy!

 

We are going to Mexico for a brief four days around Christmas just to get away from the cold!

[shorton]

Wendy, safe travels. Really appreciate your great info (and pics!).

[Texed]

Wendy,

Great pictures.

[Semolina]

I didn't live in the cold part of Canada. Was mostly in Vancouver although I did have a few years in Quebec when I was much younger. These days I feel cold in Vancouver when I visit my family. We generally pick cruises that are warm, like Mediterranean in the summer and Australia in our winter. We are looking forward to this PG cruise and we now have everything all set. The staff have been super nice making everything comfortable for us after all the mess up with the flights.

 

Everyone enjoy your warm weather cruises and Mr Stan Shorton, maybe we will meet you on the ship.

 

Merry Christmas everybody or whatever you may celebrate.

 

Jennifer

[shorton]

We look forward to meeting you, too. Should be another amazing PG cruise. By the way, we have signed up with Claude Gerard for a private island tour on Nuku Hiva on Jan. 22. If you are interested in the details, you can contact him at claudepua@mail.pf

 

He came highly recommended from other CCers.

 

Stan

[Semolina]

We look forward to meeting you, too. Should be another amazing PG cruise. By the way, we have signed up with Claude Gerard for a private island tour on Nuku Hiva on Jan. 22. If you are interested in the details, you can contact him at claudepua@mail.pf

 

He came highly recommended from other CCers.

 

Stan

Hi Stan

I have emailed for information on the Claude trip. We may very well be interested in this. Thanks. I also spoke to a friend of mine who has been on PG 3 times and she was so ecstatic about their cruises that I am now feeling even more excited.

Jennifer

[shorton]

Jan. 15 can't get here fast enough! I know I'm repeating myself, but I never thought we'd get back to French Polynesia so soon after our first PG cruise in 2008. We are very excited, too.

[MightyQuinn]

So the big 2-week sale ends today. There were some excellent deals on selected sailings. It seems to me that PG runs quite a lot of promotions on a fairly regular basis, so I guess they must work to help fill the ship.

[Semolina]

I hope I spelled that right. Stan, we think we will probably join you on the private tour. If we can get 12 to go it will cost a bit less. Do you think this tour is longer and or better than the tour offerred by the ship?. I looked in Frommers and there is someone who will do a similar trip for $92 but of course it may not be as good. Have you or anyone else heard any comparisons?.

Just as a point of interest, I found out that Mark Eddowes will be on our cruise. Does he ever go on the tours and act as guide?. Does anyone know?

Thanks

Jennifer

[shorton]

I think it will be a better tour and cheaper. Plus, you do not have to pay in advance (not fond of that PG policy). Mark Eddowes was on our last PG cruise in 2008. Very informative. Did the "Mutiny on the Bounty" tour with him then. If this is your first trip to French Polynesia, I would highly recommend him. He gives great lectures, too.

And to anyone else out there going on Jan. 15 cruise, still looking for folks to join us on Patrick's excursion on Bora Bora. Very reasonable if we can fill the boat with 12.

[Semolina]

I will contact the Claude tour again and book. As for the Mutiny of the Bounty. Which island is that on and should I book now? I really like history.

[shorton]

I can't recall the island, but I'm fairly sure it's not an island we stop at on the Jan. 15 sailing. :( Check the ship tours to be sure.

[Semolina]

I took a look and I couldn't see anything that matched. That's ok, I'm sure there will be other good things. However, we have booked with Claude and so now hope a few others will end up joining the group. Also, I have emailed Patrick 3 times now and have had no reply. How did you get in touch with him?

 

If we go on a tour in Bora Bora will that mean we miss out on the Motu. Do you know?.

Have you booked anything on any other islands. What about Moorea?

[shorton]

On our sailing (Jan. 15), the voyage includes the private motu on Tahaa, but not on Bora Bora. So nothing to be missed by taking a Bora Bora excursion. We are only doing Claude's excursion and Patrick's (since this is our second PG cruise). I would expect you would hear from Patrick's people very soon. The more people we get for that excursion, the cheaper it gets.

[Emdee]

Shorten,

Is this something new? The Bora Bora Motu is always included... in fact its my most favourite place in all of FP.

[shorton]

On our last 14-day PG cruise in 2007, there was no motu stop in

BB. Assume it's included with the 7- and 10-day cruises.

[Emdee]

Hi Shorten,

There is no particular stop at the BB motu. The tender leaves from the ship at select times - some times on the hour and sometimes on the half hour. At one time it used to be open only during the afternoons but when I was last on the PG in 2008 Nov - 16 days FP to Fiji it was all day both days. I have been on 7x2, 10, 12 and 16 days so that covers the whole gamut.

 

Maybe you were really busy in BB and missed out on this. Or maybe the time you went there was a problem and it was closed. If the winds are high then the tender doesnt go to the Motu.

 

Hope its open for your current trip. I love the view of BB from it, the lovely soft sand and water, the fact that its relatively private though now they have kayaking etc so its more busy. They have a bar there and some fruit and nuts but no other food or facilities.

 

Miriam

[shorton]

Funny, we didn't even realize there was a motu on Bora Bora in 2007. We were probably preoccupied by our excursions and the gorgeous setting.

[Semolina]

Thanks Emdee for clarifying about the motu on Bora Bora. Can you or anyone clarify where the PG anchors off Moorea. We have looked at Albert's tours and also the tour that Mark Eddowes is going on with the hike but we are inclining towards renting a car and driving around the island and up to the Belvedere lookout. I was thinking that we need to know where we pick up a car near the ship. I have Frommer's book and he mentions 3 different areas where ships anchor. One of them is at Vaiare. Would that be the place?

Thanks

Jennifer