Princess or Radisson?

[Mypka]

I am considering booking a cruise in French Polynesia, and torn between Princess and Radisson. I'd really appreciate your input, dear fellow cruisers, especially from the ones, who have sampled the best from both worlds.

Regards.

[laurieb]

I have never cruised on Raddison though I would love to, but the one thing I like about Princess is 10 days cruising instead of 7. FP is a long way to travel for such a short period of time.

[Aussie Gal]

I agree with Laurie, we chose the 10 day because of the length and if we ever did it again we would do a B/B as it is a long way to go and the time goes by so quickly.

 

We loved the TP and found the size of the ship ideal for where we went. There were no lines for tendering and at the buffet etc. It is a very well run ship with good staff.

 

Friends of ours were on the Paul Gaugain and did love the experience but 7 days is far too short a time in paradise!!

 

Jennie

[thulewx]

I was on the Gauguin in June and did a 4-day pre-cruise on Bora Bora at the Le Meridien hotel. Both were incredible! I strongly endorse the Gauguin - flawless service, incredible food, all casual, almost all-inclusive (free wine/beer for lunch dinner, 2 bottles of booze in room, unlimited free soda & bottled water, no tipping allowed).

I'm going back in a week, with a 4-day pre-cruise this time on Tahiti.

With either one, I would advise a pre- or post-cruise stay of at least 3 days on one island...

[laurieb]

have a great trip! i would love to know about the hotel you stay in on Tahiti.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I've done the PG (twice), and plan on doing a back to back again next spring, if I can swing it.

 

I have no experience on Princess, but we met a couple on our last PG cruise that did. They said there was "no comparison"; they were completely blown away by Radisson.

 

That being said, the destination is so wonderful, that if you can't afford the PG, then go for Princess. It's worth going no matter what cruise ship you are on!

[Toto2Kansas]

We also choose the TP because of the 10 day itinerary, along with a pre-cruise stay. I think for as far as we have to travel, if we ever did the PG it would have to be on a back to back or stay an extra week in Tahiti. Just too far to fly for only a one weeks cruise. (After 4 cruises to Tahiti, we are booked again in October which will make it #5)

[Kiwi Kruzer]

T P offers the best value

But if you really want class ......

forget Paul Gaugan and go for

Bora Bora cruises on Tu Moana and Tia Moana

they go where no other ship can go

private bays

and they have the deck that lowers into the water

for private snorkelling

and private bays...........

[laurieb]

I got some info from them, they do look wonderful!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

They look wonderful,and I have heard they are wonderful,

They also have wonderful prices,especially when one considers that you have to travel to Bora Bora to join them,enjoy 1 week on board ,and then travel back from Bora Bora.

For me ,Tahitian Princess, still offers the best value in French Polynesia.

[1dolphinblue]

Hi:

 

My husband and I went on the Paul Gauguin from August 21 to 28. Was our first cruise and it was absolutely wonderful. The ship is small enough that you really feel like you get to know other people and the staff on the ship. Also, service is top notch and anything you could possibly need or want they have and are ready to accomodate you. Dollar for dollar I think that the PG is a better deal than the TP. I researched this quite a bit before I booked and with the PG you pay for almost nothing once you board. All drinks during lunch and dinner are paid for, they give you two quarts of your favorite alcohol to choose from when you arrive and they have endless champagne cocktail parties. On the TP I have heard that you will end up paying a lot for your drinks and gratuity. Not so on the PG. Also when we booked we got free airfare and I have not heard of this happening much with the TP. I think if you consider all of these things you will find that the PG is a much better value.

[Toto2Kansas]

I totally see your point as I know that the PG does not nickle and dime you to the point that Princess does, BUT................I guarantee you that for the 10 day cruise, all of our drinks and shipboard purchases, including shore excursions that the cost of the Tahitian Princess will still be a lot less then the PG. Plus it is a 10 day cruise vs. a 7 day. 2 QUARTS of free booze? OMG there is no way we could drink that much in 7 days time plus all the free drinks they offer. Just a bit over the top for us I am afraid where the alcohol is concerned.

Oh, and include our 2 nights pre-stay from Princess in that total price too, it will still be a thousand less than the PG when all is said and done.

 

Don't get me wrong, I would love to try Radisson sometime. But for Tahiti, I want time and 7 days is just not enough. :( Too far to go for only a week.

[1dolphinblue]

I think no matter which ship you choose you will have a great time, that's for sure! I did not mean to put down the TP because I'm sure it's a great ship. Also, we are not big boozers at all. Actually we left our free bottles of liquor in our state room unopened because we could not drink them. I was just trying to point out things they do that will not cost you any extra money. Also, I think the PG gets a bad rap for being stuffy but I did not find that at all. We are in our late thirties and I was a little worried about that but it was not that way at all! I still don't think the TP could beat the price we paid for a free balcony upgrade and free air. Have a wonderful trip, you will love it!

[Toto2Kansas]

Stuffy? Our friend sailed on the PG to Tahiti last spring and loved it, she said it was fantastic. But she mainly took the PG as she could not get the time off to do a longer cruise plus arrive a day early. She said it was not stuffy one tiny bit and it was love at first site for her and the PG.

Now, this summer she did Radisson to the Med and she said that was a horse of a different color, totally stuffy (not exactly the words she used but wouldn't take the chance of posting the exact words here lol). So it seems that the PG is great for Tahiti but more stuffy over on the other side of the world.

 

Sorry if I came across harshly, didn't mean to at all. Guess I was hurrying as dinner was cooking.

 

I am sure no matter which line anyone takes, Tahiti will be one of their most memorable cruises.

[Kathy Z]

Bill & I were on the PG the same week (8/21-8/28) as Diane & Ted. We were very fortunate because we were able to stay onboard for a second week, having booked what they call back to back. The second week is discounted somewhat in addition to the cost savings for airfare. Did we get bored doing the same ports a second week? No way! Most of our in cabin liquor was given to the crew the night before we disembarked. It is true that there is so much free alcohol that one would be hard pressed to also drink what is available for your cabin. But the free soft drinks and bottled water are quite a savings in FP. They're always reminding you to take along bottles of water whenever you tender off to some activity. We also had custom order box lunches for two of the days that we would be away from the ship at lunch time. If you want lobster or filet on a day it is not a menu choice, just ask the day ahead and you will have it.

 

Recognizing that many passengers would like a longer itinerary (RSSC already offers these in Nov. & Dec.) they have substituted 6 weeks next summer with 2 ten day and 2 eleven day itineraries. Those begin on June 11, 2005. They currently have a special price offer on those. (Not sure when the special ends.)

 

We've never cruised with Princess. All I can say is that Radisson has definately spoiled us and we have been in the lowest price cabin on the Mariner and the second lowest on the PG. They crew treats you like a VIP whether you're paying the higher price or not. In fact, it is nice to be close to Reception, Excursions etc. We did not spring for the balcony on the PG, we went for the second week onboard instead. At our sail away party on August 28th, as we pulled away from the Tahitian Princess at the dock, young folks on board the Princess were enjoying our band's music and waved good-bye to us.

[Toto2Kansas]

I do have a question about Radisson. How do they handle the last day before flying home. We have not flown out of FAA for over 10 years (we normally have sailed out of Tahiti to another port) and I remember last time it wasn't too nice that last day and evening waiting for our flights. But since security is so much tighter these days, how is all of this being handled? Arrival at the airport still 3 hours before the flights? How does Radisson handle the final day on the ship? Thanks!

[Kathy Z]

I'll answer your second question first. Your last full day on the ship is Friday. You are in Moorea until dinner time. The ship moves back to Papeete (short distance) around 8-9pm for passengers taking the Friday night Air France flight home. Everyone else may stay stay on board and enjoy a full evening program of activities. Your luggage (except carry-on) must be in the hallway outside your cabin between 9pm Fri. & 1am Sat. (Bring along some locks for this as they advise you to have this luggage locked.) Earlier in the week you will have been supplied with luggage tags depending on where you are going after leaving the ship. You'll also be notified what time to meet in the Grand Salon for disembarking. Upon disembarking you claim your luggage in the tent on the pier and get into your ground transportation. If you're flying home Saturday night you have a choice of taking a free 1/2 day tour or going directly to your day room at a hotel. In these days of security worries your luggage must always travel with you. If you want to skip the tour you can go directly to your hotel and either relax there, or, after stowing your luggage get on the local transportation "Le Truck" to go back into Papeete to the market place for shopping etc. You will need CPF for "Le Truck" as that seems to be one of the few places that American dollars can not be used in some fashion. So you would want to get a small amount of currency exchanged. (Also, the baggage carts at Faa Airport only work with a 100 CPF coin.)

 

We went on a post-cruise trip to Manihi so we needed to be on the dock to meet a Tahiti Nui Travel driver at 6:15am. This meant that we needed to eat breakfast earlier than their 6am starting time on Saturday. Again, no problem. One cook got up a half hour early and we had complete room service at 5:30am.

 

When we flew back from Manihi on Tuesday we arrived at FAA around 6pm. Our flight to LAX was at 10pm. We could have gone to the IC Beachcomber for slightly less than 1 hour but that seemed silly. The Tahiti Nui Travel agent agreed with us. It was comfortable and breezy in the terminal that evening. We were able to check in for our flight by 7pm. The groups from the hotels arrive at the airport around 8pm, I believe.

[Toto2Kansas]

Kathy Z, thank you so much, you totally and completely answered my questions. Appreciate you taking the time. Sounds wonderful, we just might have to try Radisson next time.

[nancy m]

just got back from the cruise and I think the extra 3 days that Princess does maybe a waste of time... the sea days were very rough and Rarotonga in my opinion is not worth the trip. I think the Paul Gauguin if you can afford it has a better itinerary and 10 days on the ship was quite long for all of us!!! It would be great to do 3 extra days on land and the 7 days cruise...Just my opinion..

Loved the overwater bungalows at the Sheraton Moorea!!

[richnot]

It seems to me that the issue is not length of the cruise, but rather quality of the cruise experience. Length can be dealth with by pre- or post-cruise resort stays, and pre-cruise stays have the advantage of helping to overcome jet lag before plunging into the cruise activities.

 

The real issue is the risk inherent in being exposed to the luxury experience, because once exposed it is very dificult to go back. There are a number of postings on these boards attesting to that fact. We know that we sacrifice length for the quality of the cruise experience, but know from experience that we would be unhappy otherwise. So stick with teh Tahitian Princess of you wnt quantity, but go with the Paul Gauguin if you want quality.

[laurieb]

there really is nothing wrong with the quality of the Tahitian Princess. Just because it is not 5 star doesn't mean it is not good. Though I would love to try Radisson some day, I would rather spend less money for ten days than more money for 7. The destination is still the same, and theat is really the reason for going.

[TraceyB]

Has anyone done say, Princess, gotten off and done the Paul Gaugin?

That way wouldn't you get the best of both worlds.

Seems that the land holidays are so pricey this way you would get to see the cook island or Marcesses and then enjoy the Paul Gaugin.

We are thinking of it that is why I am asking.

Thanks for any info.

Tracey

[Wendy The Wanderer]

To add to Kathy Z's reply, if you are flying out on Saturday after the PG cruise, you have the option of taking a morning bus tour of part of the island, and then having a day-room at one of the resort hotels, with lunch, and then a transfer to Faa'a airport in time for your flight. Not sure Princess does this for you.

 

If I could just say one more word, 7 days on the Paul Gauguin outweighs 10 days on the Tahitian Princess. Sorry, I can't defend that statement, but I am sure it's true. Fill in the gaps with a pre-cruise, or a back to back, but do the Paul Gauguin, if you can afford it, while you have the chance. You will never regret it.