Need Advice for cruise/air w/ precruise

[sunydays]

Hi Everyone,

 

This is my first time on this site, so I guess that makes me a newbie. I am booking the August 13th cruise tomorrow for my honeymoon. I'm so excited!:p

 

I was wondering if anyone can tell me more about the limitations on the air/cruise package. Can I move my date to fly in up and book my own hotel reservations (while still being eligible for the Radisson air/cruise price)? Or, do I have to go with one of their plans?

 

I'm trying to save money by staying at the Morea Pearl in lagoon view room but it seems like they only have over the water bunglows through Radisson.

 

Any advice?

Thanks! and Happy travels... :D

KC

[sunydays]

This is for the PG in Tahiti. It's my first night on here and I'm still a bit clueless on the board...Sorry! :confused:

[WesW]

KC, Congrats on your upcoming wedding and honeymoon. Will try to answer your ?, you can make your own hotel reservations using RSSC air but you will pay an air deviation fee of $100 pp (pls see below):

 

For a non-refundable custom air fee of $100 per person you can request to customize your air itinerary

Choice of carrier is limited to those with whom Radisson has current contracts. Not all airlines are available and can vary by cruise date

You may leave early or stay over in the embarkation and debarkation cities.

Radisson Air cannot be scheduled in or out of any city other than the embarkation and debarkation cities.

Once itinerary is arranged you have 24 hours to approve the arrangements

After 24 hours any further changes will be an additional $100 per person custom air fee

Advantages are earlier arrangements often mean better connections, early seat assignments and possibly the carrier of you choice.

And yes you can book your own hotel plans.

 

We leave in six weeks for two weeks on the PG and lots of diving!

 

Have a blast.

 

r/wes

[dougburns]

If you're going on the PG, I'd do the RSSC air and pre-cruise hotel package. You'll be far better off in the long run. They really take care of you.

[hrprof]

Would appreciate some feedback on your diving experience on PG. Are you taking your own gear, or using PG? Mixing and matching, i.e., taking mask and regulator and using their BCD? Signing up for dives in advance or waiting until you get on board? We'll be on PG for three weeks in the fall with diving being a big plus.

 

Thanks.

 

Ted

[WesW]

Ted, pls call me Wes...here is the dive plan.

 

Six dives with the PG based on the recommendation of divediva (my T/A) from the

other board...four dives with Bora Bora Dive Center. Anna Condesse replies promptly

to all my emails and came highly recommended from Ken (who spent two weeks

there (pre/post/PG) in Sept and who has taKen the best looking dive photos

I have seen & wrote a 30 pp review on the other board--just click on passanger

reviews...Ken would be a better point of contact for dive recommendations as

a FP veteran diver...his email is on the other board too. I have asked BBDC based

on Ken's recommendation to dive with the focus on Giant Manta Rays..

 

Equipment...only taking my mask (got to pack for two weeks) and am not such

a dive veteran where my personal gear makes a difference to me..plus, all the reviews

of the dive Equipment and Dive Masters on the PG are simply extraordinary.

 

We go for 16 days in six weeks on the wake up...you too will have a blast.

 

r/wes

[WesW]

ted, forgot to add, you can go online o/a 60 days prior to your cruise and sign up

for any dives on the PG you want (cost is normally $80/dive, one dive is $90) and

they do offer a night dive (am not doing it based on recommendations I have received, plus want to do food/wine diving on the PG at night)...and you can go to the FP dive

websites and sign up ahead of time too...http://www.boradiving.com or www.topdive.com

r/wes

[hrprof]

Your advice and input are great - hope you will be posting your reactions to PG diving on this or the other site. I'm with you on night diving - after so many years, its luster is dulled compared to dinner, a few glasses of wine and staying dry! Will follow up on your references to other sites. Have had e-mail contact with a Normand Pichon on the PG re diving, specifically about a 50 CF tank for my wife - he was very responsive.

 

Have a great trip.

 

Ted

[Wendy The Wanderer]

KC,

 

I've heard that the Moorea Beachcomber is very nice, and they have lanai rooms available through Radisson. If you book your own deviation, and it affects the date you leave the States, you also lose any free hotel accommodation you might have included in L.A.

 

So it is probably worth going with Radisson. The Moorea pre-cruise looks really nice. We're going in May, but we're just doing a 2-nighter on Tahiti.

 

You could also check out http://www.tahiti-explorer.com for opinions about the different hotels on Moorea.