aerobee

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We are considering the Explorer for Norway in the summer of 2019, so we look forward to hearing what you decide Wendy.

And also us!

The moon sets at a different time every day so what my be great for you early may not be the case for someone else on a different day.

True, and there's a website that tells you when the moon will be rising/setting on any date, local time, anywhere in the world.

For example, November 2017 in Tahiti:

https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/france/papeete?month=11&year=2017

https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/france/papeete

So for the November 4, 2017 cruise week, a near-full moon will be rising in early evening in the east-northeast (opposite the setting sun) and will cross the night sky and set in the west-northwest in the morning.

For the November 11, 2017 cruise week, a shrinking sliver of moon (third quarter November 10 to new moon = no moon November 18) will be rising in the east after midnight. You won't see moon-set this week because the mid-morning sky will be too bright. A great week for star-gazing!

We are considering a PG cruise of Tahiti for our 35th anniversary sometime around our anniversary date of May 21, 2018. We are looking at Tahiti & Society Islands, Cook Islands, Tuamotus Islands etc. on a 7-11 day cruise.

Hello

We've reserved the 11-night Cook Islands and Society Islands cruise on the Paul Gauguin, May 26-June 6 2018. They haven't released the pre-cruise information yet, but we expect to fly LAX-PPT on May 22 (arriving May 23) and stay three nights pre-cruise at the Intercontinental Thalasso in Bora Bora. The included air uses the low-rated Air Tahiti Nui but we'll probably keep it rather than take the credit to book air on our own, mainly because PG takes care of the transfers, offers a good rate at the Intercontinental, and provides a bargain price day room for the time between when you leave the ship in the morning at the end of the cruise and when you head to the airport late in the evening for the flight home.

I'm a newbie cruiser, but I've been reading this board and the TripAdvisor French Polynesia board closely for the last few months. You'll find that most of the experienced folk here have found that the extra cost of a balcony (or better) cabin isn't worthwhile, so they mostly book Category E window staterooms on deck 4 or thereabouts. We haven't learned that lesson yet, so we paid the upcharge for one of the stern-facing Category C balcony staterooms on deck 7.

We don't dive, but we love to snorkel and have high hopes for this itinerary. Maybe we'll see you there!

We've booked Cabin 767 for Society and Cook Islands, May 26, 2018.

I'm a little nervous about the sea days between the two sections, and still thinking of changing the cabin. Maybe the upcoming refurb will reduce vibration/increase stabilization?

If we stay with it, I do feel I'm in good company here!

OP here -- Thanks for the replies and new thoughts/issues.

One of the replies said there's a risk of sea sickness if we go with the stern-facing cabin. On our one prior cruise, Alaska glaciers on Holland America's Statendam, we enjoyed a rear-view cabin. But as noted that's a bigger boat and not an open-sea route. One of us does tend to sea-sickness that we experienced on ferrying to Capri and especially a horrendous day-trip to Delos in the Aegean.

Part of the appeal of the PG stern was the extra large cabin in that class. What alternative locations should we consider?

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We're novice cruisers, but we do travel quite a bit, love to snorkel, and enjoy planning far, far ahead. We decided on a first time visit to Polynesia for 2018 and we've already reserved a rear-facing cabin on PG Deck 7.

The May 26, 2018 trip is 11 nights: Papeete and Huahine, then Aitutaki and Rarotonga (Cook Islands), and back to Bora Bora, Taha'a, Moorea and Papeete. Let's hope the coral is alive when we get there!

Thinking now about what to see pre-cruise. We might fly out Saturday the week before, Air France Premium Economy. It's been suggested we split the pre-cruise time between Moorea and Rangiroa. Does that make sense or should we be looking elsewhere?

What hotels have the nicest surroundings and snorkel opportunities? We're willing to pay premium, but not super-premium, prices.

Is there any risk of missing the boat if we stay in Rangiroa through the 26th and island hop to Papeete on departure day?

Please excuse the barrage of questions, and thanks for any help you can offer!