Bruno's on Raiatea or Marc's on Huahine?

[laurieb]

the 4 X4 tour does not do any snorkeling.

[Eric and Sandy]

Just for the info Brunos is Booked for the April 2,05 cruise if anyone is out there thats interested i have another couple over on roll call looking to go. Maybe if we get more people he will open something up, i believe the date is April 8,05.

Thanks

PS Anyone have alternate 4x4 for Patricks on Papeete, hes booked also.

Thanks

Eric

[maygoddess]

Hi all! I am going in September 1st sailing. I am already booked with Marc and I entered the reservation on Bruno's website over a week ago but have not heard. Anyone know how long he takes to check his reservation system? Maybe I should email. Also, maybe I should have a backup? That sucks that he cancels..I hope he does have a good reason other than it is just "island time"

 

Also..a suggestion to anyone going soon to Tahiti and they are meeting up with Stephane...ask him if he is able to set up an email account so we can better communicate with him.Perhaps he just prefers to work on the dock and get what he gets..but if we were able to prebook with him and not have to call..he could quickly fill up his calendar. Perhaps he is in aplace where he does not have internet access...but has anyone asked? Maybe when he boats off to Bora Bora, he can find an internet cafe or something..just a thought..

I will try and call him soon.

[laurieb]

I do know that he was on holiday until the 9th, you might want to resend your email.

[chamima]

Patti (and anyone else)

We are hopefully going with Stephane the end of Feb. I called him on his cell phone and his English is just ok and my college French is pretty much a memory so that's why I say hopefully. Anyways, I would be happy to give him a list of dates and times that you guys want to tour with him.

Respond here with numbers in your group and dates and I'll take it with me.

Karen

[Eric and Sandy]

Laurieb

 

Are you sure theres no snorkel with the 4x4 with Marcs, do you know any more details on exactly what they do. I kind of got the opinon you would still get to do some snorkeling! Did you take this particular Tour with him or know someone i could talk to?

Thanks

Eric

[Eric and Sandy]

Chamina:

 

I only know one other couple looking for a snorkel Motu picnic,so far. Appears Bruno is full, but we are making appeal, this would be for cruise on April 2,05. When are you leaving, Did you have success with Stephan on Phone , will he book over the phone, or do you have to wait to see him on the pier? Not sure how long we are willing to wait to see if this will work out. I do appreciate the other and may still yet be able to take you up on it. Thanks again!

Eric and Sandy

[laurieb]

Eric-

yes I am sure. we had people in our group do the 4 X 4, there was a tour of thi island and no snorkeling. only time in the water is swimming at the picnic.

[chamima]

Eric,

We are leaving Feb. 20. I think I had success with Stephane on the phone. He kept saying yes, yes and he did repeat the date back to me so I do expect to see him.

Just let me know by Feb. 18 or so. We are Platinum and get free email from the ship, so as long as the internet works I can let you know right away. We return March 13 and even that would give you plenty of time to make decisions.

[artichokes]

I contacted Marc about the 4x4 trip in Huahine, since we are signed up for this trip & definately want to go snorkeling...This is the reply...

Ia orana

On the 4x4 we always do snorkeling

Some tours we didn't it's the passengers that decided not to go snorkeling

Can you get the word around please on the cruise critics

See you in Huahine

Marc

[Guest CoolerByAMile]

Eric and Sandy

Laurieb

 

I just received a reply back from Marc about his 4X4 tour concerning the snorkeling. To quote Marc, "On the 4X4 we always do snorkeling. Some of the tours we didn't it's the passengers that decided not to go."

Hope this clarifies his tour. He also asked me to let the cruise critics know!

[maygoddess]

Hi Karen (Chamima)! Thanks for the offer to talk to Stephane when you go next month.

 

My date is not until Sept 7th. I have not heard back from bruno at all and am nervous now that I hear he has flaked a few times..

 

Does anyone knew if Stephane also includes a tour of Vanilla farm like Bruno does? I see he does a pearl farm..I would really like a chance to se ethe vanilla and buy some..but hopefully I can find some vanilla beans elsewhere as well?

 

Karen..I am sure he is probably not yet booked up for September 7th, but if you can pass on to hold 2 spaces for September 7th for Patty and Gene. I need to ask my parents if they want to go with him. He is cheaper than Bruno so perhaps they will consider it. I am torn on which to go on now..I don't like flakiness!

 

Also ask Stephane if he does have any way to get internet access for an email so we all can better communicate with him. I wonder if he is aware of Cruise Critics and how much word of mouth goes around here..he probably wouldn't have to be doing a "monkey show" at the dock to get passengers..he probably would be totally pre-booked for each cruise if folks had an easier time getting a hold of him! Good way to count on future income too!!

 

 

 

Just my thoughts...

[laurieb]

there is a grocery store in town, 2 streets up from the dock( not the champion market) where I bought vanilla beans( my #1 reason to go there :) ). they had them for 2100f for 9 very large ones, the best price I found. they were most expensive at the marche in Papeete. I guess there is a vanille shop but is was closed when we were there.

Interesting about the 4 X 4. makes sense though.

[chamima]

Laurie,

I see you respond to this thread so I will ask my question here. Did you do Bruno in Raiatea? I thought I booked him months ago for March 9. Now I get an email that 1)he has raised his price 2)he no longer includes the lagoonarium or the digital pictures (they are $60 extra!) 3) he wants a $100 deposit and the best 4) he only has 2 of us for March 9 and if he doesn't get 4 it's a no go (but of course he'll then destroy my check-sure he will!)

I'm tempted to let this go and decide on the dock.

What to do????

Karen :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Eric and Sandy]

Hey Karen : This is Eric , i dont know if you have seen my posts, but it appears Bruno probably goes with the best deal, that fills his quota, theres mixed thoughts about him, After the replies i got , he could get a big booking and cut you out anyway. Hes only so big, it appears he doesnt want to go without anyone or he wants to go completely booked. Others have expressed on these message boards that he actually didnt show for some tours, of course others came to his defense. At this point i would cancel and look for someone else, only because of what hes written to me and from what ive read. As far as other options there appears to be things you can get on the dock, but i havent actully gone yet, we go in April, and hes booked a big group on our date, so theres no room for anyone else. Iam also looking for someone else. Theres a guy called Stephan, but he can only be called or booked on dock, no email that ive seen. Look around you will find his number in some other threads.:(

 

Eric

[maygoddess]

Karen..after your reading your latest post about Bruno...I think I will just skip that one. What is his new price? Last I checked his website, it was like $110 and the photos were always extra(last price I saw was $40 for the photos)..so this tour is getting pricey!!

 

If you do decide to go with Stephane, please do see if you can book us for Sept 7th. What is STephane's latest pricing?

 

Too bad about Bruno..sounds like he may be getting greedy??

[artichokes]

It seems as though Bruno is changing his excursion a bit; it sounds as though it will be for the better...This is the reply that I received when I booked:

 

If the lagonarium becomes a place too much attended and badly maintained, if I promise to see tortoises and that there has been no tortoise for more than 6 months, which will react to my place?

Do you believe also that i forget how much sad for pourcent of you is the view of prisonners animals ?

I want to show further in better and natural conditions, a part of what we see still today at the lagonarium, is this a mistake ?

 

 

Let us wait which are the next program interests before criticizing the loss of old .

The future private meal is projected on other islet lost in the most marvellous and virgin landscape of North east side of Taha'a island, not overruned like a supermarket and divised by chiken fences, as is the last that we are leaving now on East side.

Yesterday, I spent my afternoon to organise the building of rooms on this spacious and virgin islet for our excursion. This is not free, this is not won, nothing is easy there, a dust of sand can stop all that but it's adventurous and this is my proudness of explorer.

The truth is that I have searched constantly and for more than 10 years finding the most beautiful and natural spots.

I do not have the tourist formula most profitable, that which consists in repeating ten times the same thing with a lot of of anonymous people. My visit proceeds in full day, with 12 people and often less, to see beautiful things, to explain, to organize meals on private islets those which looks like our dreams.

[maygoddess]

artichokes-thanks for posting this from Bruno..at least it has an explanation as to WHY he is dropping the lagoonarium..if I read his email right..it sounds like it is animals in captivity??I don't know much about what the lagoonarium is but if that's the case and he would rather find animals in a more natural environment (kinda like either going to Sea World to see dolphins or seeing them outin the ocean I suppose)

 

If he is raising his prices to help cover "upgrades" to his facilities/or tour..well..I suppose that is fine. Only thing that bothers me is if he flaked for no reason..and again..now that he is asking for deposits ahead of time, hopefully that also makes HIM less likely to just not show up or delay people. I can understand him asking for a deposit..that would be just plain rude as well to ask for a reservation and then just not show up assuming he will fill his boat at the last minute. Only excuse for EITHER party in my book would be a medical emergency..and even then you better find someone to go alert the other party if possible that you will be a no show.

 

Anyway..keep us posted everyone on the situation with Bruno and his tour. He still has not responded to my reservation request for the last week or so..I am also looking into Stephane's tour as an alternative..

[Toto2Kansas]

That is definitely wonderful news about the Lagoonairum. It was the one stop on Bruno's tour I didn't like. More like visiting a zoo.................and most of us don't visit Tahiti to see a zoo.

Mammals, fish and others in the wild are much more fun to watch then to jump in a confinement with stingrays and sharks.

[czarinahil]

A bunch of us will be taking Bruno's tour on Feb 18. We sent in the deposit (which my husband was not happy about) and we hope to have the wonderful time that those in the past have had. We will report back as soon as we get home!

 

Hilary

[laurieb]

we weren't able to book Bruno, he was just returning from holiday in France when we were there. there are many snorkel tours you can pick up inside the visitors center if you can't get ahold of Stephan. he was nowhere to be found when we were there. we booked with west coast charters since Princess didn't have them booked for the morning and had a great time.