Compare French Polynesia with Carribean

[Lollypupon]

My husband have been on one Carribean cruise--the Royal Clipper, one of 3 ships in the Star Clipper fleet. We loved this smaller mostly sailing ship and loved the Carribean. I'm not so much interested in comparing the Royal Clipper with the PG but I am interested in how the two locations compare. Is the scenery similar? How about sea life seen when snorkeling? On the Royal Clipper we were able to go into smaller ports and beaches with tender landings ( islands were Dominica, St. Lucia, Martinique, Antigua, Ille de Saints (part of Guadeloupe I think). Would island ambiance be similar? What I wonder, since for us living on the US East Coast, cost of the FP cruise is expensive compared to Carribean. Is it enough different to be worth it?

 

Thanks, Lolly

[Emdee]

Cannot compare as FP is priceless!

 

Take the plunge you will only go back to the Caribbean for convenience and ease of travel. We fly from Canada and yes the flight is horrid but when you get there you forget the flight real fast!

[Tikiintahiti]

I've done both many times ............... FP wins though some of the lesser/smaller islands in the Carib are pretty nice. Remember that PG Cruises now operates a 90 passanger ship in the Carib going to the smaller, less traveled islands.

[coldweathergirl]

We've been to most islands in the Caribbean many many times but only once to FP. There is no comparison. It is so tranquil in FP. The people are never aggressive like I've often encountered in the Caribbean, it's not crowded and the scenery and water is gorgeous.

 

We have to drive for 5 hours to an airport then fly from Northern Ontario in Canada before we can even get anywhere. It's worth it.

[Ahab10]

Been to both and even sailed and did Scuba in the Caribbean. There is no comparison, The water is clearer, has more sealife and the islands are much more picturesque in FP.:):):)

[Cruisedreamer1]

FP is much, much better and worth the time and expense to visit it. The color of the water is every shade of blue. Just look at the water as you board the ship for the 1st time, you can see right to the bottom! Clear!

It is the one place where the travel photos do not lie! Our travel agent advised us of this the 1st time we booked for FP.

[Familygoboston]

It is the one place where the travel photos do not lie! Our travel agent advised us of this the 1st time we booked for FP.

 

This must be true! I look at the photos in the reviews and think- why it's just like the brochure!:D

[caa]

I don't mean this in a negative way at all, but one difference I really noticed between the Caribbean and FP ports is the greater similarity among the FP islands.

 

In the Caribbean, you can feel the influence of the Dutch, French and British colonists as you move from island to island. You're really moving from country to country. There's also a difference in climate and vegetation between the northern and southern Caribbean, where Aruba is a desert while many of the other islands are much wetter. You also have volcanic islands like St Lucia and coral islands like Barbados on the same cruise.

 

The islands of FP, on the other hand, are more similar than different. Each one is beautiful, but the culture, the climate and the vegetation have a lot less variation than you seen in the Caribbean. Most cruises around FP are covering a much smaller distance than Caribbean cruises, so maybe if you go further to Fiji or Easter Island, you would see a greater difference between ports.

 

I loved our trip to FP and the Cooks, and I'd happily go back; but I also enjoy the Caribbean for the variety it provides and I will definitely be checking out Tere Moana's itineraries when we're ready to do another big cruise trip.

[sunsetme]

the scenery and water is exquisite in FP. However the Caribbean has better beaches.

[Emdee]

Except Temae which is a lovely long beach.

[twin123185]

Yes Temae beach on Moorea is spectacular and almost no one knows it exists! I spent an hour there in Feruary and there was ONE other person there!

[Emdee]

We tend to go to the beach from the Sofitel. The Sofitel croque monsieur is to die for!

 

Last year we drove to Temae and there were a number of local families enjoying a day at the beach.

[Trend]

This is a magnificent part of the world some same some different. The dance music and culture may be similar in each island but is far different than the Caribbean.

The water here is the clearest I have snorkeled in and will match even the Great Barrier Reef.

The people are warm and welcoming without their hand out and you are not swarmed by beach sellers.

[FlightMedic555]

We have been to many islands (Tobago, St. Kitts, Jamaica, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Aruba, Curaçao, Grand Cayman and Turks and Caicos). Of these only Turks and Caicos comes close to French Polynesia as the water was crystal clear and the small islands gorgeous.

 

Our ideal island with crystal clear water, palm trees growing down to the beach, spectacular color of the water and great snorkeling is common in French Polynesia but as of yet we have not found this total combination in the Carribean. The Yasawa Islands in Fiji are similar to French Polynesia.

[Lollypupon]

Thanks so much to all for your input. We do have a PG cruise scheduled to Society Islands, Tuamotus and Marquesas so I will be able to see for myself the beauty and allure of FP.

 

Maybe because of the small ship and going into smaller ports and more isolated beaches we did not experience any of the less appealing things about the Carribean. The water and islands were georgeous and not crowded. Our island guides were warm and friendly and we did not fine people to be aggressive and with their hands out.

 

I am expecting to love the PG and FP (113 days to go)!

[cruiseyj]

a lot of the ports are also tender ports in FP vs docked locations in the Caribbean, which may be more difficult for someone who is in a wheelchair, etc., which could be a consideration.

 

Also these are SMALL ports in FP, where you get off the tender and are "there". no port security lines/officials to show key cards to etc (you show them to get on tender) but some islands in FP are such remote places with such small populations there are no real crowds at the port. That = no massive shopping centres or diamonds internationals LOL that have made a lot of Caribbean ports lose their local "charm". Some (like Rangiroa and Fakarava) had one local with a jewellery stand set up, but that was it. No taxi's, no crowd at the port. It is so refreshing :).