South Pacific advice

[coo359a2]

Doing this cruise n 18 days....been to all the ports except Samoa ..big draw for me is long cruise, RT LA and no flight.....love sea days and looking forward to many relaxing times....plus our a Roll Call is over 200 people...so many events and crafts planned...no time to get bored ....

 

Hi Dolores

 

Tina here from Ocean Princess African cruise. We are doing this cruise in 2015 and would love to hear how your cruise turns out. This is first time for us to be in these ports. Ken really likes the sea days too. Have a great cruise.

[suzyed]

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=31448252&postcount=67

 

My review of this cruise :)

 

I would do it again in a heartbeat :D

 

Thanks for your review!! We are on the Crown in 17 days!! Can't wait!

I don't get how people are bored on a cruise? Lots of sea days? Well they knew that before cruising, didn't they? We are on a very active roll call with over 200 people and many activities planned!! If we have a down time day...we plan to just relax, nap, read a book...isn't that what vacations are for!

 

:D

[Darcy15]

Thanks for your review!! We are on the Crown in 17 days!! Can't wait!

I don't get how people are bored on a cruise? Lots of sea days? Well they knew that before cruising, didn't they? We are on a very active roll call with over 200 people and many activities planned!! If we have a down time day...we plan to just relax, nap, read a book...isn't that what vacations are for!

 

:D

 

There was so much negativity after this inaugural cruise :(

 

.....I just felt the need to give a different viewpoint :)

 

I was amazed at the moaning - it isn't like the itinerary was a big secret :rolleyes:

 

As for the people who moaned about no TV ...........I just don't get paying thousands of pounds to travel halfway round the world and then want to watch some junk on TV :confused:

 

If only I could join you this time round - so jealous! :D

[7leagueboots]

We did this cruise two years ago in October. I LOVE sea days and had been to Hawaii many times and had also done a 10 day F.P. cruise. So with that being said - I loved the cruise. However, I really don't like to fly anymore and at that time I lived in L.A.

 

The weather can be typically cold heading over to Hawaii and on the long sea days coming back. Gorgeous weather from Hawaii to F.P. - HOT HOT HOT in Samoa and crossing the dateline. Honestly if F.P. is a huge draw for the cruise, you don't really have enough time there, actually same with Hawaii. It all depends on the reasons you are considering it in the first place - love to cruise, don't like to fly - etc. Bored - no, I would take that cruise again in a heartbeat. Some people did seem to start to get grumpy on the sea days home, it's all what you make of it.

 

Tammy

 

We also took a round trip cruise out of LA and you nailed it about the flying. Where else can you get a great three or four week cruise and not have a long flight tied to it?

[Mommypig]

We did 51 days in the South Pacific on the Pacific Princess last winter and it was amazing. The long lazy sea days were awesome. The thing that is key is to bring some things you like to do. My husband brought a tapestry loom and wove two tapestries, and I did some knitting with a group of crafters every day. We read books, watched movies, and talked and talked to so many interesting people. There were lectures by other passengers and by various crew members. The library on the Pacific Princess is filled with a good assortment of books if you don't want to bring fully loaded electronics. The Internet is too slow to download new books.

 

We are now considering a world cruise.

 

Bora Bora is our favorite port ever. We have been there 3 times and every time do the famous Patricks tour. Moorea is also lovely and we toured twice with DammonATV. Once an ATV tour. And once a Jetski. The US park service does a great tour in Pago Pago. They will have a desk right in the market at the port.

 

Remember that Pago Pago is in American Samoa, which means there is a US post office just a block or so from the port. So you can ship all your souvenirs home priority mail.

 

Anyway, I would go in a heartbeat if I didn't have other cruises booked

 

Linda

 

 

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[BEFdoc]

Friends would like to take a South Pacific cruise. The Crown sails from LA to Hilo, Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, Samoa, Pago Pago, Bora Bora, Moorea, Tahiti and then back to Los Angeles.

It's 28 days and expensive. I've heard that it's not the greatest cruise and boring. I would appreciate your opinions and comments about the tours also.

 

We did a cruise years ago that started in Papeete Tahiti and hit 4 islands including Bora Bora, Raitea, Huahine and can't recall last one. Better itinerary I think because less cruise time more island time. Alas, the cruise line is no more Renaissance. But, there are similar version through Princess and other cruise lines.

[RetiredNTraveling]

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=31448252&postcount=67

 

My review of this cruise :)

 

I would do it again in a heartbeat :D

 

Darcy, we are scheduled on the Crown in Oct 2015 for the Hawaii, Samoa & Tahiti cruise. Just wanted to say that we really enjoyed reading your review of the cruise. We hope to have as great a time as it appears that you did.

[RetiredNTraveling]

Thanks for your review!! We are on the Crown in 17 days!! Can't wait!

I don't get how people are bored on a cruise? Lots of sea days? Well they knew that before cruising, didn't they? We are on a very active roll call with over 200 people and many activities planned!! If we have a down time day...we plan to just relax, nap, read a book...isn't that what vacations are for!

 

:D

 

 

Suzyed, we have been following your Roll Call and can't wait to read the reviews when the Crown gets back. We are booked on the Crown in 2015 for the same cruise. Enjoy, relax and please post your review! Thanks!

[west coast cruiser]

We did this cruise on the Sapphire the first time Princess did it. I loved the cruise and would do it again. However, the last 8 days at sea got to be a bit much for me after about the 5th or 6th day. I think a lot of it was because of the lack of activities/good lectures. I had seen all the movies and had read nine books on my kindle. Having said that, I would still do it again.

WCC

[Widebay]

We originally cruised the Hawaiian Islands some years ago on POA & loved the islands & the ship.

Then last year we flew back to Hawaii for a few days,then cruised via the Tahitian Islands, Papeete, Bora Bora & Moorea, and loved the Tahitian Islands & the people. Remember to say Orana (hello) or Maruru (thank you) to the native people, and see the smile on their face. After Tahiti, the Celebrity Millenium cruised via Suva & Noumea (which we have visited many times) then berthed in Sydney, then a short flight home to Queensland.

[dfields1814]

IMHO I would not recommend this cruise if you have not been to these places. It takes more than one night to fully experience these islands. However you might want to consider this cruise if you have been to the majority of these islands and/or don't really care about getting the full experience of the South Pacific. For me the cruise was pretty good because I have been to these places before.

 

I also like sea days. From Tahiti to LA there are nine straight sea days. For me these first 6 or 7 were fine. Then I starred to get cabin fever. This is the only cruise I have been on that I wanted to get off the ship at the end of the cruise. (You have absolutely no news for about 8 straight days unless you are on the internet. That is if they have internet connections.) It would be better if the 9 sea days were at the beginning instead of the end the cruise.

 

On our cruise the demographics was way,, way older than other cruises with older passengers. I would say the average age was in the 80's.( The oldest man I met was 102 or something. He was assisted by two men in their 80's.)

 

There were some real highlights - namely cruising into Bora Bora and sailing from Moorea to Tahiti.

 

Although it was not close to being my favorite cruise it is up there on my list.

Edited October 4, 2014 by dfields1814

[catergirl]

another thought might be as another posted mentioned, fly into Tahiti and do the islands around there, amazing. we did princess small ship, Tahitian(now ocean) 2 10 day cruises btb, marqueses and cook islands. that is one cruise I would do again:D

[falkirk]

Off on a tangent here but here goes done the round trip from Papeete with princess a couple of years ago, loved the whole experience. I also collect Hard Rock Cafe pins and t shirts from my travels now there's a hard rock in Papeete just, opened would anyone be so kind as to purchase a xl shirt and two pins for me I will obviously transfer the money too you before you leave and the postage s I stay in Scotland thanks . Tony

[suzyed]

Friends would like to take a South Pacific cruise. The Crown sails from LA to Hilo, Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, Samoa, Pago Pago, Bora Bora, Moorea, Tahiti and then back to Los Angeles.

It's 28 days and expensive. I've heard that it's not the greatest cruise and boring. I would appreciate your opinions and comments about the tours also.

 

If you get a deal like we did, it's not really all that expensive considering how many days it is! We are under $3000/pp for 28 days...hard to find anything that compares to that.

[suzyed]

We are booked on the Crown South Pacific cruise next October. We do not expect to be bored. We have been on longer cruises where half or more of the days were at sea. We already have a very active Roll Call with nearly 150 people. Tell your friends to join us.

 

We are leaving for ours in two weeks!!!! Whoo hoo! We have over 240 people on our Roll Call, many onboard activities planned and lots of private tours!

Can't wait!!

Now excuse me, while I get started on that packing!!! :D

[suzyed]

We did this voyage in the spring of 2013 on the Star. If you enjoy sea days you will enjoy this cruise. We liked it. Do your homework on the ports. Here is some information. Apia, Samoa: the town is a local business district, not really a tourist center. There is a cultural center there that put on a free show. The walk into town is quite long, and it was very hot and humid. American Samoa: Right at the dock are local buses that can take you around the island. They are very small, maybe 20 pax. Also there was a U.S. National Park table where you could sign up for a guided tour of the National Park, I think it was $25pp. Moorea, a tender port: Take a tour, or make arrangements to go to a hotel for a beach day. The port area is very small with just a few vendors, one local store a short distance up the street and a 2nd general store a little further away, all walking distance. Nothing else there. Bora Bora, suggest making arrangements for a private lagoon tour with Patrick's Tour. We did it and the tour was the highlight of the voyage. Check it out on line.

 

We are doing several private tours....with Patrick, with Tisa, with Hiro, 3 Princess tours and a few others. In Apia, we are even visiting the School of Hope to drop off some school supplies! The director of the school heard we were collecting supplies for the children and invited us to come and visit and meet some of the kids!! I am really excited about this part of the tour since I feel this will really give us a glimpse of the true French Samoa and some of it's people!

Edited October 5, 2014 by suzyed

[suzyed]

Doing this cruise n 18 days....been to all the ports except Samoa ..big draw for me is long cruise, RT LA and no flight.....love sea days and looking forward to many relaxing times....plus our a Roll Call is over 200 people...so many events and crafts planned...no time to get bored ....

 

Yes!! We are over 240 on the Roll Call now!!

 

Can't wait!!

[suzyed]

There was so much negativity after this inaugural cruise :(

 

.....I just felt the need to give a different viewpoint :)

 

I was amazed at the moaning - it isn't like the itinerary was a big secret :rolleyes:

 

As for the people who moaned about no TV ...........I just don't get paying thousands of pounds to travel halfway round the world and then want to watch some junk on TV :confused:

 

If only I could join you this time round - so jealous! :D

 

Haha! There are still cabins available....unless you want a suite which are sold out at over $10,000/pp!!! Hop aboard!!

:D

Edited October 5, 2014 by suzyed

[Loreni]

DH and I did this last year. Planned to do it again this year, but had to cancel. Will try for it next year.

 

We were several decades younger than most of the other passengers. This made no difference in our enjoyment. We were never bored. We rarely attended the shows, lectures or other organized activities. We spent our time enjoying the views of the sea, the sky, the rainbows, and the stars. We walked several times per day on the promenad for exercise and enjoyment, listened to the string quartet at the International Cafe. And we were able to see wonderful exotic places without flying.

 

The price per diem was not bad. And we only paid for airfare once. Had we taken two or three shorter cruises instead, the per diem would have been higher because we would have had to pay for airfare several times. Had we tried to fly to French Polynesia, Hawaii, and Samoa, the airfare alone would have cost more than the cruise.

 

We read all the reviews we could find and my parents had taken this trip the year before we went. Some of the reviews were scary. In one case a woman said she was quitting cruise critic because of how bad this cruise was. She had basically set herself up as a tour organizer and became upset when she was treated like one. Disregard her review, and most of the remaining views a positive.

 

I would not attempt to discourage your friends from trying this. Bora Bora is a bucket list destination for many and this is a convenient and economical way to see that island (we did Patrick's tour it was one of our best days ever). I view the sea days like being at an oceanfront resort. We don't need organized entertainment from Princess, which is probably a good thing because we did not find the entertainment to be very good. Lot's of trivia games. The lectures were about Ancient Greece and Rome and were quite dull. But really we had no time for these things anyway. We rarely attended the main shows. Watching Movies Under the Stars at night in the balmy South Pacific was a treat.

 

Some folks from California complain about the weather the first few days out of LA and the last few days. We have done the Hawaii roundtrip from LA several times and never had an issue with the weather. After my parents moved to California from the East Coast, they complain that it is too cold when it goes below 72 and too hot if it goes above 78. I would bring a light jacket and not worry. Also, some complain there is nothing to look at but the sea and that this is boring. We like to look at the sea. Some people buy oceanfront homes so they can look out at the sea. For us this is such a nice treat and we loved our mini suite on this trip. Having said that, now that only one ship a year is doing this cruise, the prices have gone up a bit. We would gladly do this again in an inside.

[waltd]

If you get a deal like we did, it's not really all that expensive considering how many days it is! We are under $3000/pp for 28 days...hard to find anything that compares to that.

 

Just curious was this for an inside?

Thanks

[Loreni]

Just curious was this for an inside?

Thanks

 

 

I believe insides were offered for 1800 a few days before the April 2014 sailing. Last I checked, there were around 70 cabins left for this month's sailings. They had been less expensive last week, but yesterday the prices jumped. You just have to keep checking, but insides were usually less than 3000.

[janacin]

Friends would like to take a South Pacific cruise. The Crown sails from LA to Hilo, Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, Samoa, Pago Pago, Bora Bora, Moorea, Tahiti and then back to Los Angeles.

It's 28 days and expensive. I've heard that it's not the greatest cruise and boring. I would appreciate your opinions and comments about the tours also.

 

WE will be on that cruise in 12 days. When we get back I'll let you know if what you've heard is true or not.