Regent VS Oceania for Tahiti

[Caroldoll]

Paul Gaugain,   Hands down.

[paratrooper69]

On 8/14/2019 at 4:39 PM, Travelcat2 said:

 

Think that you need to check the Regent website regarding Business Class air to or from Tahiti. I seem to remember that it was economy air and posters were not happy.  Having been to Tahiti about 5 times (only once via cruise ship), the flights are very limited and therefore, so are Business Class seats.  We have done Economy Air to Tahiti and will never do it again!

It is now business class from LAX on Air Tahiti Nui.  The route is now flying Boeing 787-9.  Decent business class for a 8.5 hr flight.

[ronrick1943]

1 hour ago, paratrooper69 said:

It is now business class from LAX on Air Tahiti Nui.  The route is now flying Boeing 787-9.  Decent business class for a 8.5 hr flight.

 

United has flight out of San Francisco (now 2 flights a week with more coming).  Nice Business Class and lounge before flight.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

14 hours ago, paratrooper69 said:

It is now business class from LAX on Air Tahiti Nui.  The route is now flying Boeing 787-9.  Decent business class for a 8.5 hr flight.

 

But how do they accommodate all of the pax in Biz?  There are two flights a day I believe, but still only one Dreamliner I think.  Do they spread the arrivals over several days?  (I guess they can do that if Concierge and above gets the pre-cruise night.)

[jessandarnie]

Hi all I am back again.   one reason for asking about Regent VS Oceania,  is they BOTH do a 10 -11 night itinerary

thru Tahiti in March 2020.  This is an ideal time for us to do this cruise, and the weather is pretty good too.

 

Windstar nor PG are doing 10  nights, they are both cruising elsewhere. Besides one does pay for all the extras on both ( from my research)  I think costings are certainly set up differently dependant on where one looks from.  I have previously booked all our cruises on U.S. websites, but our exchange rate at the moment is awful.  Great rate if you are coming here from the U.S. !!

(Note I am from Australia, so we do not get any significant airfare deals on cruise costs from AUS. So this is not a consideration)

 

Oceania do have the 4 O Life inclusions, but, again, there are 200 more PAX on the ship. Cabins are much smaller, and with more cruisers that is  enough for me to decide on Regent.

 

I am now looking forward to cruising with them!

 

Thank you for all your opinions, 

 

Jane

 

[Hokapontas]

Hi,  my hubby and I took the Marina to Tahiti in March 2016. It was great. You don't notice any large amount of people in the ship, as there are many areas to get away to. Except maybe the pool. Concierge and higher have a second spa deck to help. 

 

We organised excursions through cruise critic, and not the ship. Our faves were jetskiing around Bora Bora and going out with a female captain to hang with rays, and another where we snorkelled long distance right above a massive pod of rays. Fabulous. 

The flight wasn't bad from Aus and yes, the flights meet American flights better, so we were in Papeete overnight in the beginning and 4 nights in Moorea (the best place!) at the end. 

You will love it, no matter who you go with. We didn't go with PG in the end because it was a small ship, and I thought it might be tossed with rough weather. We didn't have any though! 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I've never been in March, but I don't believe it is the 'ideal' time to go. We did April once and it was very hot and humid. Summer in Tahiti is thus, stretching from December until April. Still nice, but

stormier, hotter, more humid.

[Hokapontas]

9 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I've never been in March, but I don't believe it is the 'ideal' time to go. We did April once and it was very hot and humid. Summer in Tahiti is thus, stretching from December until April. Still nice, but

stormier, hotter, more humid.

For us, anyway, it was warm like body temperature, and only humid on some days. I loved the climate and wasn't allergic to anything! So I would go again in March. 

We avoided cheap hotels because I had already guessed they might be mouldy in that atmosphere. 

[paratrooper69]

On 8/16/2019 at 8:24 AM, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

But how do they accommodate all of the pax in Biz?  There are two flights a day I believe, but still only one Dreamliner I think.  Do they spread the arrivals over several days?  (I guess they can do that if Concierge and above gets the pre-cruise night.)

I am in backwoods Alaska, so connectivity is tough, therefore the delayed response.  I should clarify, Regent booked my wife and I, with deviation to Papeete on the Air Tahiti flight from LAX.  We were more concerned about1st class from MIA.  My statement about the flight only applies to us.  They may hook up others from SFO or a charter.  We are in a concierge suite.  Sorry for the confusion.

[alwaysonaship]

On 8/14/2019 at 3:30 PM, ronrick1943 said:

Economy Air????That's an 8 hour flight.  Regent is Business Class or a big credit.

We have done it once in economy.. Horrible. I highly recommend business class. Worth the money for sure.

[Caroldoll]

On 8/14/2019 at 5:04 AM, DavidTheWonderer said:

For once, I completely agree with Travelcat2.  The Paul Gauguin is a better choice than either Regent or Oceania to experience French Polynesia. And if you calculate the "all in" cost comparing Oceania and Regent, depending on the particular cruise you can end up surprised at how little difference in cost there is.

And the PG gives you so much insight on each port.  They are there permanently, so get all the perks.  Very hospitable ship.

[Fletcher]

I have just booked up back-to-back cruises on Ponant's Le Soleal - two weeks in the Tuamotus and Marquesas followed by ten days cruising down to the Austral Islands.  Basic stops in Bora Bora and Moorea are also on the itineraries.  The ship looks great with less than 300 pax and zodiac landing craft.  Fully all-inclusive on board.  The first sector is under the auspices of National Geographic.

 

Ponant, by the way, has just bought the Paul Gauguin operation.

Edited August 29, 2019 by Fletcher