Booking Patrick in Bora Bora 11/21

[sandandsea lovers]

Wow. Hearing all these reports of so many people at once doing Patrick's excursion, makes me realise how very fortunate we were with a group of 8! I do not think the serene experience of beauty and space would be able to be appreciated the same way. Such a tragedy to this unique experience he is thinking of enlarging his groups.

[Kansas Farm Girl]

Have taken several cruises but just today joined Cruise Critic and trying to learn the ropes. My husband and I would be interested in possibly joining a tour if space is still available.

[Bucky3]

Kansas Farm Girl - Welcome to Cruise Critic! If you find the roll call for your cruise, you will no doubt find that a group has signed up for Patrick's tour and if there is still space available you can ask to be included. What ship are you on and what is the sailing date?

[snowbird1]

Barry, we were shocked at how Patrick could 'supply' to tell you the truth. Normally right now he has 3 boats that hold 12 passengers each, and sometimes he borrows a 4th boat that holds 12 also. From what I understand he has not gotten his new larger boat yet. But he made arrangements to 'borrow or rent' a larger boat that holds 60 to accomodate the almost 100 on our roll call that want to take this tour. Now, admittedly, I am waiting to see how he plans to take care of 100 people on his motu, as it normally is large enough to handle at the most 48 (last year he used four 12 passenger boats as there were two groups booked and we had lunch at two different times). But it will be very interesting to see how he accomodates close to 100 this fall.

 

I hope he does well, as it is not worth risking a great repuation to accomodate larger groups if you aren't set up to handle that many. I have faith in him though, as after several of his tours.............they have all worked out well (rain or shine).

 

Wow, didn't know he was thinking of expanding by so much. I am sure he knows what he is doing and will have the help but at least for now I am so happy I was able to experience it with the small crowd. Oh we had so much fun, as I said my favorite tour while on that cruise.

[bazzaw]

I would be pleased if he expanded so much that he took business away from some of the other operators in Bora Bora.

 

We witnessed some bad actions on the part of some operators in regard to "handling" of the rays. It was obvious that Patrick was not happy with these operators - but he said nothing to them.

 

Patrick is to be commended for not only what he does - but how he does it.

 

Barry

[Guest zafra63]

Here is a blog post for a tour we have very recently completed with Patrick - it was the highlight of our cruise http://pacificpearltotahiti.blogspot.com/2011/07/bora-bora-french-polynesia.html

 

Barry

 

Hello Barry. I enjoyed reading your blog about Patrick. We are booked as well for next year Dawn princess Sydney to Hawaii return. Now I have a question. Are there any cushions on the seats in the outrtigger?? :) If not, how did you experience the seating arrangements? I really would love your response to this. Thanks so much, Netty :cool:

[bazzaw]

Netty

 

The outrigger is just a small boat - wooden if I recall correctly. It is very stable (with the outrigger) and gets along very fast and smoothly inside the calm waters of the lagoon. The seating is simple wooden seating that you find in small boats - running lengthwise along the sides of the boat , with thinnish vinyl covered foam cushions. Comfortable enough for the short boatrides around the lagoon.

 

I am interested to know why you would ask this particular and very specific question - if I knew, perhaps I could answer it more clearly?? Do you have some physical disability - if so, will you be getting into the water from the boat?

 

Barry

[Kinkacruiser]

I was about to ask the same question, so "thinnish vinyl covered foam cushions"has answered it, Barry.(Netty and I are on the same cruise). Just wonder how much of the 5 hr tour is spent in the outrigger and how much on the beautiful motu? Half and half?

[bazzaw]

Anna

 

I use the word "thinnish" in the same way that I would describe the seat cushions of any small boat - perfectly adequate for what we were doing (unless somebody has some personal physical problem - eg I have seen people sitting on blow up cushions inside the theatre of a cruiseship , for reasons unknown to me) You are only sitting down while transiting to the diving/snorkelling sites

 

Barry

[bazzaw]

At the front of our boat , there was this "laying down" area

 

 

which, you can see, I commandeered for one leg of the trip :)

 

 

Barry

[Guest zafra63]

Netty

 

The outrigger is just a small boat - wooden if I recall correctly. It is very stable (with the outrigger) and gets along very fast and smoothly inside the calm waters of the lagoon. The seating is simple wooden seating that you find in small boats - running lengthwise along the sides of the boat , with thinnish vinyl covered foam cushions. Comfortable enough for the short boatrides around the lagoon.

 

I am interested to know why you would ask this particular and very specific question - if I knew, perhaps I could answer it more clearly?? Do you have some physical disability - if so, will you be getting into the water from the boat?

 

Barry

Thanks Barry. No we have no disabilities. I asked the question because a CC member posted a very negative review of Patrick's boat, re: seating, guide etc. We have only 11 CC members for this Tour and we all have decided to pay the extra and keep it at 11 persons, so we will have a bit more space. How did you experience this with 12 persons? I noticed that Anna and I are both on the same wavelength. We have decided to have a great tour with Patrick, negative comments are always there, you can't please anybody. Thanks again for your help with this.

Netty :D

[bazzaw]

Netty

 

It was fine with us for 12 passengers onboard. In fact we had two boats for our group (of 23) - we were fortunate to have Patrick himself guiding our boat, but the others had a young NZ man who appeared to me to be very good as well. (Part of Patricks' team) . Patrick plays the ukelele and sings while he is sterring the boat - the other bloke tells lame NZ jokes !! :D:D Just kidding !!

 

Barry

[Guest zafra63]

Netty

 

It was fine with us for 12 passengers onboard. In fact we had two boats for our group (of 23) - we were fortunate to have Patrick himself guiding our boat, but the others had a young NZ man who appeared to me to be very good as well. (Part of Patricks' team) . Patrick plays the ukelele and sings while he is sterring the boat - the other bloke tells lame NZ jokes !! :D:D Just kidding !!

 

Barry

Thanks Barry for your reassurance. We hope that we will have Patrick himself, but if not, it will be still a beautiful adventure. I haven't been in that part of the world and I am really so looking forward to it. Looking at your future cruises, how wonderfull, wishing you a fantastic time next year, and will be reading your posts/blogs about it. Take care and thanks again, Netty :)

[Trend]

Has anyone compared the tour that Christopher does as he is rated #1 on trip advisor.

Looking to book for end of Nov.2012 and getting concerned as you have said booking is already done into 2013.

[Emdee]

Mighty Quinn I believe did both christophe and Patrick last year so you may want to see her postings on the PG board as well as on the PG reviews.

[Kinkacruiser]

What are the 2012 prices for the 3/4 day tour with motu picnic...still USD 115 pp for 11 passengers?

 

I only have the 2011 prices and wonder if Patrick has increased them.

[lithlith]

What are the 2012 prices for the 3/4 day tour with motu picnic...still USD 115 pp for 11 passengers?

 

I only have the 2011 prices and wonder if Patrick has increased them.

 

I recently booked my excursion for 2012 and according to the price sheet that was sent - the cheapest is with 12 passengers if you pay in CFP for 10,500 per person. If you pay in USD it is listed as $130 per person.

[catsforkids]

Just beware...we had a group going and several couples cancelled the cruise and we were left with only 6 for the full day at $200+ per person.

 

As with everything, just beware that if your travel "companions" back out of the cruise, you are left in an expensive spot or have to change what you want to do!

 

And Patrick will not budge on prices...business is business.

 

We did Patrick's tour last year so we cancelled and am trying Reef Discovery instead. No super meal but more snorkeling in less touristy spots. Good TripAdvisor ratings too. www.reefdiscovery.pf/us/index.html

[hawklady]

After our fantastic experience with Patrick on his 3/4 day lagoon trip in Bora Bora, I thought I should post some comments about how great he is. Turns out the whole world knows already. Seriously, that excursion was the highlight of our trip on the Ocean Princess, and that's saying a lot, since the whole thing was fantastic. We were lucky in having just twelve of us with Patrick personally. I can't imagine 100 people on the motu! It would not be the same. But anyway, I just had to add my voice to the chorus singing Patrick's praises. It doesn't hurt that he's also a hunk and looks great in nothing but a pareu. :)

[Seal]

Patrick is great !!!! While staying at the La Moana in Bora Bora he was to pick us up for the excursion--the night before we needed to cancel--the reception desk at the hotel knew his phone number from memory since they always recommend him--no one was charged a higher price since we cancelled. We've gone with him on many of our cruises--very nice day an motu.

 

Nancy:D:D