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July 15th Cook and Society Islands Review


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Ia orana! Well, now that I have been home for a couple days and the photo sorting is nearing completion... I would like to share with you my story. If you have seen any of my other reviews, I will be following the same pattern of written review then slideshow of each day (technology willing of course). With that said maeva and please feel free to hit the subscribe button and regularly check back for a detailed day-by-day review of this adventure.

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Alrighty...everyone grab your popcorn and soft drinks ready because here we go.

 

My name is Brandon (25) and this was a family vacation that has been in the works for a long time (back story coming soon)...

 

July 12th (LAX bound):

 

The story begins with heading out the door to Cleveland Hopkins Airport at the refreshing hour of 3:00am. We get to the airport no problem and board our 5:45 flight. The lights are dimmed and it is time to pull out of the gate... the lights then come back on. The pilot announces that there will be a one hour ground stop delay. It probably only lasts 30-40 minutes and we start to move... at least until there are two more planes in front of us waiting on the tarmac also going to Chicago. At 7:30 am we were on the way finally and landed at 7:40am central time. I guess this would be a good time to mention that our flight in Chicago is scheduled to leave at 7:45am.... that is correct five minutes to make the connecting flight. We had a "leisurely stroll" through the Chicago airport and made the flight with the gate basically closing behind us. We made it and we are off on our second flight!

 

Well that was a nice thought for about five minutes.... The pilot of this plane once again announces that there will be a ground stop delay for yet another round of storms. Another two hours sitting on the plane waiting for something to happen. We finally start moving but this is short lived... the pilot stops, turns around and goes to another runway. This happens probably three times due to the other Chicago airport having too many planes in the air. By now one side of the sky was looking very ominous. We did manage to take off then which was the most turbulent take off that I can ever remember getting through the clouds. The pilot comes on and says that we were the second to last plane to leave Midway before the airport completely closed down ten minutes later that day.

 

A true lesson to NEVER fly the day of the cruise and get to LAX at least a day before your all-important flight to Tahiti. We were very thankful to have this peace of mind with all the chaos happening. We arrived in LAX at 12:15pm... only a little over an hour late after this soap opera.

 

We booked a free night at Crowne Plaza with the IHG credit card and we were upgraded to the club access rooms... this IHG card would also prove to be extremely helpful much later on but more on that later. The hotel is nice for an airport hotel. It offers a free shuttle to and from the airport that comes around every 30 minutes or so and we had free breakfast, dinner, and drinks through the club on our floor.

 

It was 1:30 after checking in and dropping luggage off in the room. We decided to use this opportunity to tour L.A. The stops of this tour were the Farmers Market, Hollywood, and Venice Beach. The Farmers Market was a fun place to shop and eat. Hollywood was the highlight with its shops, studios, the stars, and the ever-known opportunity to take a photo with the Hollywood sign. Venice Beach was not my cup of tea... it appeared a little run down and I was already worn out from a long day. I guess I can say that I saw muscle beach there though. The guide pointed out where many stars lived along the way which the movie buffs would probably enjoy.

 

Well that is opening day... slideshow to follow in the next day or so hopefully.

Edited by Notion_of_the_Ocean
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Slideshow Series:

 

Photos go in chronological order in which they were taken to the best of my knowledge. When a setting changes or there is something significant to add, there will be a caption but these will be kept to a minimum in this series to keep the focus of these presentations on the beauty of the islands.

 

With that said here is the first installment in the series:

 

July 12th: Los Angeles (Reach for the Stars):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k65ffqq5trxg12n/July%2012th%3A%20LAX%20%28Reach%20for%20the%20Stars%29.mp4?dl=0

 

PS: Please let me know at any time if there is a problem viewing the presentations.

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July 13th: Los Angeles - "The Midnight Flight"

 

I was up and running at 6am. We had breakfast in the lounge this morning thanks to the upgrade we received yesterday. There was a great spread which included egg sandwhich, eggs, hashbrowns, cereal, muffins, danishes, coffee, and juices among other things and best of all... it was at no extra cost!

 

We decided to purchase tickets for the Hop-on-hop-off bus. The overview is that this is an inexpensive way to see the Manhattan Beach area with some fancy shoreside homes. The pier offers some nice views. There is shopping one block up the hill from the beach and Von's market where we got some food for lunch and ate it at some outdoor tables next door.

 

We caught the bus when it came back around and made another stop at a mall for some last minute supplies. Stay on the bus here if you do this tour as this stop is terrible and it took a while to catch the bus again (more than the every hour that they publish). Overall, the tour is worthwhile but only for Manhattan Beach.

 

We had late checkout at 4pm which was very helpful with the midnight flight on Air France. They actually let us keep the room until we left for LAX which was amazing. Another impressive thing was that they opened the lounge earlier knowing that we would be leaving on an international flight. I would like to give Kudos to Tony who works in the lounge and Crowne Plaza as a whole for outstanding service this day. I give this hotel my highest recommendation for LA stopovers based on this experience.

 

All was well until a message came through that the Air France flight was two hours delayed. We got to TBIT at 7pm but the counter was now not opening until 8pm with this delay so we stood in the line for an hour. This is where we met Mike and Tish who we would run into for the rest of the trip and have some dinners with. While we were waiting I went over to get some Pacific Francs. My mom apparently snapped a picture of my confusion about a hidden fee at the counter. It was 80 francs for 1 usd when it was all said and done there... they take right around 20% in fees if you exchange there. We had plans to use our united passes however the united club was in terminal #7 so that obviously was not happening. We had a drink at the bar in the terminal with Mike and Tish. It was a long night waiting to get on the plane right around 2am. By 2am or shortly after we were on the way. I remember seeing the safety video and then a snack was served but I couldn't tell you what it was because I off in dreamland before it hit my tray table. I woke up several hours later with my tray picked over... well I am glad someone enjoyed it at least.

 

This was my first time on Air France and my impression is that they were very good. The movies that they had in flight were pretty recent releases... I wasn't expecting to be able to watch Beauty and The Beast in flight. There also is a pretty neat interactive program that gives details on the flight. The food they served was also edible which for airline food.... what's up with that? :')

 

On that low note... slideshow and day three not far behind.

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New Slideshow:

 

July 13th: Los Angeles (Midnight Flight):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dh0ovv5h21bsno4/July%2013th%3A%20LAX%20%28The%20Midnight%20Flight%29.mp4?dl=0

 

Previously Posted:

 

July 12th: Los Angeles (Reach for the Stars):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k65ffqq5trxg12n/July%2012th%3A%20LAX%20%28Reach%20for%20the%20Stars%29.mp4?dl=0

 

PS: Please let me know at any time if there is a problem viewing the presentations.

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July 14th: Tahiti (Ia Orana Tahiti)

 

We were woken up at 5am on our Air France flight and served breakfast before landing. We all went with the applesauce pancakes. I had my doubts about this dish but it was actually pretty good. Landing was at 6:30am.

 

Tahiti's airport has a classic feel to it with walking down the steps and outside to customs. Everything went very fast with it being only an hour from plane to InterContinental Resort. Taxis are plentiful and can be flagged down right outside the airport. The ride to IC is around 2000 francs + 100 francs per bag ($20 and $1 per bag).

 

We checked in at around 7:30am and were given a key to one of their transit rooms. I don't remember actually making it down to the pool deck though before the room was ready. We dropped off our luggage in the room around 8am. The room is rather spacious with a bed, a convertible sofa, balcony, three closets for storage, and the bathroom is rather spacious as well.

 

Shortly after 8am, it was off to explore the grounds. We started with the dive center. The first hour of kayaking, tennis, or volleyball is free there. We checked out the tennis courts but they are in the least scenic part of the resort and decided to give it a pass. There are two pool areas. The main pool area consists of a shallow and deep water area as well as a snorkeling pool. The Le Lotus pool is a sand bottom pool and has a neat bridge to a little island and a swim up bar. This area is great for pictures. The Grand Motu is out in front of the main pool and there are several shows there. Past the Le Lotus Pool is two sets of overwater bungalows and a lookout towards the bay on the far side of the resort. This resort is big and great for taking walks from end to end or doing laps around the main pool and Grand Motu. The bars and restaurants are Lobby Bar, Tiki Bar, Te Tiare, Le Lotus.

 

There were many July 15th cruisers on the grounds in the afternoon and it was essentially a party day. Mike seemed to know just about everyone from his many cruises so it was my chance to get introduced to some fellow cruisers before the cruise.

 

Sunsets come earlier in this part of the world. At 5pm we went up to the lobby bar for a drink and to watch the sunset. This is not to be missed with the sun sinking behind Moorea's mountain. After the sunset we met a few friends at their bungalow and we all rode to the food trucks for dinner. The (Les Roulottes) food trucks have a nice setup that is reminiscent of those at North Shore, Oahu. Each one has their tables set up and you pick which one you like and sit down and order. We ordered a shrimp dish but there was a bit of a language barrier I suppose and was actually given a wok that more expensive. There was local entertainment that sounded like they were from the Cook Islands which we enjoyed. During dinner we could see the Paul Gauguin ship pull into to port and I quickly took off from the table to get a picture of it... this part was amazing. Comparison wise, if we are talking food only... advantage North Shore... but as soon as the overall atmosphere and cruise ship arrival are factored in.... advantage Les Roulottes.

 

By 9pm we were back at the IC Tahiti and watched the Polynesian Show from the third floor balcony. It had the fire dancers and I would consider it standard Luau fare. By 10:30pm or so all that is heard is the ocean waves on the resort and it is time to call it a night.

 

Slideshow coming shortly and the next segment is embarkation. :D

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New Slideshow:

 

July 14th: Tahiti (Ia Orana Tahiti):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x07vm60g08rtxg4/July%2014th%3A%20Tahiti%20%28Ia%20Orana%20Tahiti%29.mp4?dl=0

 

Previously Posted:

 

July 12th: Los Angeles (Reach for the Stars):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k65ffqq5tr...rs%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 13th: Los Angeles (Midnight Flight):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dh0ovv5h21...ht%29.mp4?dl=0

 

PS: Please let me know at any time if there is a problem viewing the presentations.

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July 15th: Paul Gauguin Embarkation

 

I was up at 6am (as was everyday) and headed to the lobby to begin my morning walk around the grounds at the intercontinental. This resort has a coffee stand set up right outside Te Tiare in the morning and best of all it is free. Spent morning by the main pool and it is was a very festive morning on the grounds with many other cruisers waiting to board. We had late checkout at noon and we took our luggage to storage at that time. It is very busy in the lobby on cruise turnaround day so it is recommended that you arrange your transfers beforehand if you are cruise only. We had lunch at Te Tiare and then I took one last lap of the grounds...(The scene of me walking to the end of the wooden path in the upcoming slideshow). I heard "The Green" playing off in the distance in the bay... interesting that they play Hawaiian music as much as they do here (at least I know most of it lol).

 

After the lap and one last swim in the pool, we all waited in the lobby for our transfers to the ship. You can probably board the ship early around 2:30ish but this is only if you have your own means of getting there as their transportation is 3pm or later. Taxi will run the equivalent of $25-$30 if going independently and it is about a 15 minute ride.

 

Once onboard we checked in at Le Grand Salon. The famous glass of champagne was given and within five minutes we were off to our cabin 418. 418 is very convenient as it is right next to reception and the staircase. There is a heavy door that blocks off noise from the public area so it is very quiet.

 

We went to make our dining reservations. Here is my two cents on this... make sure you go once in the first half of the cruise and once in the second half of the cruise to get both menus in Le Grill and Le Verandah.

 

Le Grill: Only go here if you are in port late/overnight as it is outdoors.

 

Le Verandah:

I would recommend this on any sea days if you have them to be able to relax and enjoy the elegant atmosphere. If prone to motion then perhaps disregard and schedule on one of the short sailings (i.e. Bora Bora to Taha'a) or when in port and enjoy the outside tables.

 

Le Etoile:

Best choice on busy days when you do not want to commit to a reservation.

 

We confirmed our excursions and ate at Le Verandah for an afternoon snack. After some exploring of the ship it was time to "ketchup" with the "mustard drill" at 5:30. It is a dual language presentation so it does take longer. The sunset view was the part to "relish" from the drill.

 

Tip: I would suggest going immediately (seriously take off running as fast as you can for it) from muster drill to get your snorkel gear if you need your snorkel gear for the next morning. The line will get long and it is unbearably hot in line on the stairs.

 

We were first in line and this was still a 10-minute process in what felt like 95+ degrees in the marina. Anyone that took more than a few minutes after muster probably waited an hour or more on the stairs.

 

There was a Huahine port talk going on after this which can help if you have not already made your decision what to do here.

 

7pm this is the golden hour to have dinner as it is after most sail aways, all sunsets, pre-dinner piano bar cocktails, and still early enough to get to the show every night and possibly catch the early set of Santa Rosa. If these things matter to you, consider this your dinner time for the entire cruise.

 

I had Consomme soup, Tuna, NY Strip Steak, and Chocolate Marquise. I do not think you can really go wrong with food on this ship. It is all spectacular.

 

The welcome show was at 9:45 and this is where they do the signature welcome tune. This is a do not miss. Santa Rosa played many tunes as well (they mainly cover oldies and disco tunes). We ended our evening by listening to them every night.

 

Late night options are disco in La Palette which will be deserted on the first night and hit or miss from there on out. I would usually just find my way down to the piano bar and have a conversation with Rey and the other bartenders there while writing notes that I am using for this review. It really was just me and the bartenders and sometimes Alex playing some tunes for the fun of it at that time of night though.

 

On the first night though especially for night owls, go up on deck and watch the sail away from Tahiti at midnight.

 

All the magic of embarkation was here and then some on this cruise. This day is truly special. Next up slideshow and Huahine.

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New Slideshow:

 

July 15th: M/S Paul Gauguin Embarkation

https://www.dropbox.com/s/23uirhpq20bt6n2/July%2015th%3A%20Paul%20Gauguin%20Cruise%20Embarkation.mp4?dl=0

 

 

Previously Posted:

 

July 12th: Los Angeles (Reach for the Stars):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k65ffqq5tr...rs%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 13th: Los Angeles (Midnight Flight):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dh0ovv5h21...ht%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 14th: Tahiti (Ia Orana Tahiti):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x07vm60g08...ti%29.mp4?dl=0

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I'm really enjoying your review and videos!! We set sail on Sept. 16th for our first trip on Paul Gauguin and our first time to Tahiti and Society Islands so your comments and videos are much appreciated!!

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I'm really enjoying your review and videos!! We set sail on Sept. 16th for our first trip on Paul Gauguin and our first time to Tahiti and Society Islands so your comments and videos are much appreciated!!

 

I am glad to offer my experiences and comments to help future cruisers. Please feel free to add any questions that you may have at any time. The next day's review should be up shortly.

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July 16th: Huahine (Picturesque Picnic)

 

I answered the 6am call to get ready and go to La Palette. We were greeted by a fantastic sunrise accompanied by a latte in La Palette (which I would have every morning). We went to Le Grille at 7am when it opens for the breakfast buffet. Shortly after this time we were entering Maroe Bay. Breakfast is basically finished with a half full plate at that point because the scenery pulled me away from the plate. The ship was in position by 8am and we waited by the pool until 9:45 am for our Motu Picnic tour to begin.

 

I'll give you the short version of the story first. We absolutely LOVED this port. It does not get enough credit in my opinion. With that said, there are probably a few things you should know.

 

For a first time visit, book a tour.

 

Here's why:

There is only one makeshift shop at the pier. I never saw a taxi. No clue where you would rent cars even after being there. Finding washrooms will basically be a quest to find locals to guide you to ones on their property. You get the picture... this is the "live like a local" island at its finest and going with this expectation, Huahine will be one beloved island on this trip.

 

Our tour began on a motorized outrigger canoe which made passage under the bridge and to the other side of the island for a snorkeling stop. This is fairly easy snorkeling for the less experienced and everyone was out in the water having a great time.

 

About a half-hour later the canoe went back through the passage, back under the bridge and past the ship to the other side of the island with a long narrow motu. Our picnic took place on Marua's land and her family was out doing their rounds on their field and having a conversation with them was something really memorable. There was a demonstration of how to make Poisson Cru which the guy writing this review gets volunteered for. It was a fun demonstration filled with laughs. Lunch is a buffet with picnic tables in the water and the surrounding scenery is worth some pictures. There was live music being played by the family there which was pretty unique. I recorded part of them playing "Fakateretere" for my slideshow.

 

Tip: Make sure you have a Water Camera and comfortable Reef Shoes for this tour along with towels, sunscreen and other beach stuff.

 

After lunch we walked through their field to the ocean side of their property. There were two houses which I believe are rentals (I might be penciling myself in at one in the future haha). I got to see the interior of one, it was dark and heavy window glare for pictures but it is nice to have one to remember... I enjoyed this little piece of local experience. We did more swimming and relaxing to the sound of the waves breaking out on the reef on this side. We spent a little over two hours total for the picnic and swimming on the property. Marua made a bag out of leaves there and leaf crowns (for a lack of the official name) for everyone before we left. At 2pm we started our return on the canoe which took about an hour. There was music and dancing on the canoe on the return. After we were dropped off she shouted farewell "nana" which I recorded and they were off. We looked at the one shop which was mostly pareos but don't expect to find much in the way of tourist souvenirs on this island.

 

"The memories with the locals is the souvenir to be had here and it is a day I will revisit in my mind until I can return again. "

 

We were back on board with minutes to spare before the Children of Huahine show and it is yet another very special local experience that is not to be missed. Following this is the Moonfish Presentation. This was an interesting presentation that was held on the pool deck showing the carving of this gigantic fish. Do not miss this either. While on the topic of do not miss things, the sail away with the sunset over the mountain is magnificent. We sailed right past the ocean side of the motu we were at that day. We had dinner at our favorite time and had shrimp x2, papaya soup, moonfish, prime rib, and "Gauguin's favorite dessert" (shown in slideshow).

 

Shows were always at 9:30. We went to almost all of them. They last about 45 minutes and then we would finish with Santa Rosa at 10:30 to 11:15. I would continue to stay up another hour when the ship was totally quiet to make my notes for this review.

 

Well that is Huahine... Next up slideshow followed by the sea day written review.

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New Slideshow:

 

July 16th: Huahine (Picturesque Picnic)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqthdc9mv3zvk75/July%2016th%3A%20Huahine%20Picturesque%20Picnic.mp4?dl=0

 

Previously Posted:

 

July 12th: Los Angeles (Reach for the Stars):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k65ffqq5tr...rs%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 13th: Los Angeles (Midnight Flight):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dh0ovv5h21...ht%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 14th: Tahiti (Ia Orana Tahiti):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x07vm60g08...ti%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 15th: Paul Gauguin Embarkation

https://www.dropbox.com/s/23uirhpq20bt6n2/July%2015th%3A%20Paul%20Gauguin%20Cruise%20Embarkation.mp4?dl=0

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July 17th: Sea Day (Rhythm of the Ocean)

 

Rise and shine at 6am, La Palette for my first latte at 6:30. Today was cloudy most of the day but not before an amazing sunrise shot that is the cover photo of this slideshow. There is a little tongue-in-cheek humor here with calling this day "Rhythm of the Ocean"... We had wind 20-30mph, rain, and swells in excess of 10 feet. There was some Polynesian crafts in La Palette in the morning. I was there about 90 minutes before leaving to have to take seasickness medications (I have been on ten cruises or so and have never been sick). I grabbed a lounge chair somewhat out of the wind on the pool deck and a towel because it was cold. I will say it helped that the pool deck was functional today with the chairs set up by lunch time and the pool ready to go though no one swam. A little music would have been nice there rather than just wind and wave sounds. Lunch was moved indoors to Le Etoile due to winds. There was a nice lunch buffet set up there. The clouds gave way to a decent sunset and then it was off to meet some friends in the piano bar. We had dinner in Le Verandah. I ordered Yellowfin Tuna, Caesar Salad, Shrimp, Steak, Creme Brulee, Fruit with Chocolate Sorbet. There was a magic show Que Bola... I always am up for a good illusionist show but sadly this did not catch my interest. I had my fill of the quick change concept within ten minutes and walked out.

 

Santa Rosa was ole reliable though. We thoroughly enjoyed another one of their sets to end our evening.

 

Tip: Seasickness meds are offered free at the reception desk. There was a decent size line for them today.

 

That wraps up the better of the two sea days. Slideshow to follow shortly.

Edited by Notion_of_the_Ocean
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New Slideshow:

 

July 18th: Sea Day (Rhythm of the Ocean)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/iesznff4af22kqm/July%2017th%3A%20Sea%20Day%20%28Rhythm%20of%20the%20Ocean%29.mp4?dl=0

 

Previously Posted:

 

July 12th: Los Angeles (Reach for the Stars):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k65ffqq5tr...rs%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 13th: Los Angeles (Midnight Flight):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dh0ovv5h21...ht%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 14th: Tahiti (Ia Orana Tahiti):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x07vm60g08...ti%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 15th: Paul Gauguin Embarkation

https://www.dropbox.com/s/23uirhpq20...ation.mp4?dl=0

 

July 16th: Huahine (Picturesque Picnic)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqthdc9mv3...icnic.mp4?dl=0

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July 16th: Huahine (Picturesque Picnic)

 

I answered the 6am call to get ready and go to La Palette. We were greeted by a fantastic sunrise accompanied by a latte in La Palette (which I would have every morning). We went to Le Grille at 7am when it opens for the breakfast buffet. Shortly after this time we were entering Maroe Bay. Breakfast is basically finished with a half full plate at that point because the scenery pulled me away from the plate. The ship was in position by 8am and we waited by the pool until 9:45 am for our Motu Picnic tour to begin.

 

I'll give you the short version of the story first. We absolutely LOVED this port. It does not get enough credit in my opinion. With that said, there are probably a few things you should know.

 

For a first time visit, book a tour.

 

Here's why:

There is only one makeshift shop at the pier. I never saw a taxi. No clue where you would rent cars even after being there. Finding washrooms will basically be a quest to find locals to guide you to ones on their property. You get the picture... this is the "live like a local" island at its finest and going with this expectation, Huahine will be one beloved island on this trip.

 

Our tour began on a motorized outrigger canoe which made passage under the bridge and to the other side of the island for a snorkeling stop. This is fairly easy snorkeling for the less experienced and everyone was out in the water having a great time.

 

About a half-hour later the canoe went back through the passage, back under the bridge and past the ship to the other side of the island with a long narrow motu. Our picnic took place on Marua's land and her family was out doing their rounds on their field and having a conversation with them was something really memorable. There was a demonstration of how to make Poisson Cru which the guy writing this review gets volunteered for. It was a fun demonstration filled with laughs. Lunch is a buffet with picnic tables in the water and the surrounding scenery is worth some pictures. There was live music being played by the family there which was pretty unique. I recorded part of them playing "Fakateretere" for my slideshow.

 

Tip: Make sure you have a Water Camera and comfortable Reef Shoes for this tour along with towels, sunscreen and other beach stuff.

 

After lunch we walked through their field to the ocean side of their property. There were two houses which I believe are rentals (I might be penciling myself in at one in the future haha). I got to see the interior of one, it was dark and heavy window glare for pictures but it is nice to have one to remember... I enjoyed this little piece of local experience. We did more swimming and relaxing to the sound of the waves breaking out on the reef on this side. We spent a little over two hours total for the picnic and swimming on the property. Marua made a bag out of leaves there and leaf crowns (for a lack of the official name) for everyone before we left. At 2pm we started our return on the canoe which took about an hour. There was music and dancing on the canoe on the return. After we were dropped off she shouted farewell "nana" which I recorded and they were off. We looked at the one shop which was mostly pareos but don't expect to find much in the way of tourist souvenirs on this island.

 

"The memories with the locals is the souvenir to be had here and it is a day I will revisit in my mind until I can return again. "

 

We were back on board with minutes to spare before the Children of Huahine show and it is yet another very special local experience that is not to be missed. Following this is the Moonfish Presentation. This was an interesting presentation that was held on the pool deck showing the carving of this gigantic fish. Do not miss this either. While on the topic of do not miss things, the sail away with the sunset over the mountain is magnificent. We sailed right past the ocean side of the motu we were at that day. We had dinner at our favorite time and had shrimp x2, papaya soup, moonfish, prime rib, and "Gauguin's favorite dessert" (shown in slideshow).

 

Shows were always at 9:30. We went to almost all of them. They last about 45 minutes and then we would finish with Santa Rosa at 10:30 to 11:15. I would continue to stay up another hour when the ship was totally quiet to make my notes for this review.

 

Well that is Huahine... Next up slideshow followed by the sea day written review.

 

Thanks for writing up this review. Do you remember what time they did the Children of Huahine show? I want to make sure we get back from our excursion in time to see it!

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Thanks for writing up this review. Do you remember what time they did the Children of Huahine show? I want to make sure we get back from our excursion in time to see it!

 

It's 3:30... Since I am the use every possible minute of the cruise kind of person I will also share my plan for catching everything for this particular evening...

 

Tender back at 3pm (Most excursions end by then anyways), Children of Huahine 3:30pm, Moonfish 4:30 pm, Sail away and Sunset 5-6:15, Piano Bar 6:30pm, Dinner 7-8:30ish, Alex Piano/Santa Rosa until 9:30, Show at 9:30, Santa Rosa/Alex night set 10:30-11:15.

11:15 Hang out with the crew in the piano bar because they are the only ones there LOL... or the disco.

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July 18th: Aitutaki (One Foot Island)

 

The morning routine continues, La Palette at 6:30 for sunrise and lattes, Le Grille at 7 for breakfast. The wait staff there was automatically placing my order for Chocolate Chip pancakes as soon as I walk in by now... tremendous service!

 

We arrived in Aitutaki about 8am. The ship does not anchor in Aitutaki... it constantly moves. Tendering in this port can be quite an adventure and this port can sometimes be missed. Fortunately, mother nature cooperated for this island gem. It was tough loading the tenders... it took probably took 30 minutes to get the tender loaded and off. We were off at 9:15 for the Lagoon Cruise Excursion. We boarded a two-story boat near the tender dock and started sailing to Honeymoon Island. The water is shallow for miles here and we waded and snorkeled offshore for probably 20 minutes. The guide gave us a bonus and worked hard to get the ship in closer to Honeymoon Island for us. We had 20 minutes to water walk to and explore the island. This was a very nice touch! We then sailed to Heaven sandbar. This is very impressive and I recommend being on the top deck to watch this portion of the sailing. There is one point where the ship goes through the smallest of coral clearings which is a thrill as well. We got off at the sandbar, took some photos, and then began our water walk to One Foot Island. This was a really neat experience. It is probably somewhere north of a half a mile though on uneven terrain in the water, so have good reef shoes. There is an option to stay on the boat and ride to one foot island if you do not care to walk it. There is a small pavilion at One Foot Island where lunch is put on. This is a buffet style lunch with fish and chicken among other dishes. There is a post office here and this is where you can get the stamp if you have your passport for $2. There is also shirts, post cards, books, and other One Foot Island souvenirs. They only take cash I believe though which leads into my next tip.

 

Tip: Take at least $50 cash to One Foot Island for souvenirs there.

 

Following lunch we had about two hours on the island to explore. I suggest walking to the right for nice pictures with the sandbar, palm tress, and shades of blue in the water. We met Daniel, a professional photographer, on this tour. She was flying her drone on One Foot Island. At around 2:30 it is time to board the boat and sail back to the ship. This is quite a ways as it was close to 4pm when we got back to the tender dock. While sailing, they tell the story of One Foot Island which in short is a father and son walking to the island in the same footsteps as they were being hunted and wanted them to believe there was only one person. The child hid in the trees and survived while the father was caught. There is more to the story but who new this island got its name off of deception? Pretty neat. A coconut demonstration followed this explanation. We were back on the ship shortly after 4pm. I watched the sail away at 5pm which for whatever reason was an hour earlier I believe? Next was the piano bar for drinks and canapes. We had dinner at 7. I ordered Yellow Fin Tuna, Tropical Fruit Soup, Antipasta, Shrimp and Scallop Wok, and Vanilla Profiteroles. Santa Rosa did an extended 1 1/2 hour set since there was no show tonight. I wish there was more of this... La Palette rocked this evening! I grabbed a map and some information for Rarotonga in my late night quest for something to do.

 

Tip: I would recommend doing the same if you plan on going out on your own here. Rarotonga is pretty easy to navigate but it helps to know what you want to see since they drive on the opposite side of the road here.

 

Aitutaki is a gem and has a lagoon that rivals Bora Bora. Whatever you do here think water. One couple we met on this trip decided to travel into town on the recommendation of their butler and was sorely disappointed.

 

The Lagoon Cruise is one of the best tours there though and is something that I will remember for years to come.

 

Slideshow coming soon followed by Rarotonga.

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New Slideshow:

 

July 18th: Aitutaki (One Foot Island)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4pvhhrgy706fpar/July%2018th%3A%20Aitutaki%20%28One%20Foot%20Island%29.mp4?dl=0

 

Previously Posted:

 

July 12th: Los Angeles (Reach for the Stars):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k65ffqq5tr...rs%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 13th: Los Angeles (Midnight Flight):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dh0ovv5h21...ht%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 14th: Tahiti (Ia Orana Tahiti):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x07vm60g08...ti%29.mp4?dl=0

 

July 15th: Paul Gauguin Embarkation

https://www.dropbox.com/s/23uirhpq20...ation.mp4?dl=0

 

July 16th: Huahine (Picturesque Picnic)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqthdc9mv3...icnic.mp4?dl=0

 

July 17th: Sea Day (Rhythm of the Ocean)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/iesznff4af...an%29.mp4?dl=0

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Hi Brandon, really enjoying your trip report/photos/videos. I believe you said that the Huahine anchor location was in Maroe Bay. That differs from previous times we have been there so wanted to make sure; also which side of the bay was the pier on (Huanhine or Huahini-Iti?); Many thanks!

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Hi Brandon, really enjoying your trip report/photos/videos. I believe you said that the Huahine anchor location was in Maroe Bay. That differs from previous times we have been there so wanted to make sure; also which side of the bay was the pier on (Huanhine or Huahini-Iti?); Many thanks!

 

Yes, the ship anchored in Maroe Bay for this particular cruise. I'm not sure if that is out of the norm but I'm glad they anchored there as it made for a fantastic arrival and sail away with all of the nearby cliffs. I could not keep my camera away from my face long enough to eat that morning. I recognize from the map that the tenders took us to Maroe on Huahine-Iti.

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