Advice Needed on Excursions

[elmwood]

Everything is finally nailed down now for our over Christmas Cruise, and a four day stay in Moorea afterwards, even the flights to Los Angeles from Canada (I was shocked to find how booked up already these were!). Moorea's excursions are not an issue as we can explore that island post cruise, but I am wondering what people would say were the must do excursions on other islands - Fakarava, Ta'ha, Huahine and Bora Bora? We are not particularly athletic, but like to swim and snorkel and are also very interested in the history of the region, and we will have our fit, active, fifteen year old son with us. The wave runner tour of Bora Bora sounds a good fit, but any advice would be appreciated.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I've not done the waverunners but have heard they are great fun. They are two-people machines, so you will pay more for the 3 of you unless one of you doesn't mind sharing.

 

But if you like history, and are in Bora Bora for two days, the 4x4 trip around the island is great, and you learn lots of history about the WWII connection there. Seeing the lagoon from up high is great as well.

 

Oh, and if you have an afternoon left over on BB, you can take a tender over to the private beach on a motu. The beach there is very nice, quite empty, and the water lovely. Snorkeling is further out there, but there are coral heads. Just watch the current.

 

Taha'a--go to the motu. Period. If you are tempted to do the drift snorkel as well, find out whether you can go to the motu afterwards. It's really fun and it's free.

[elmwood]

Thanks, Wendy.

 

Probably only two of us would do the the wave runner. I've checked the age limit and at fifteen our son could be the driver. I would like th.e other tour you described! The motu on Ta'ha sounds idyllic

[Talisker92]

We have been on the PG twice. Our story of the first time is on our website

http://home.mindspring.com/~highlandpark/

We can e-mail you the second story. Our e-mail address is:

highlandpark@mindspring.com

[elmwood]

Thanks, SJGoch, I read your account and it really made me look forward to our trip even more!

[fayruz]

But if you like history, and are in Bora Bora for two days, the 4x4 trip around the island is great, and you learn lots of history about the WWII connection there. Seeing the lagoon from up high is great as well.

 

Hello :) I will be doing the Bora Bora tour byu myself to explore WWII sites :) and since the ship stops in Lahaina, I would like to go and see Linbergh's tomb : do you know if there are private tours in port?

The ship's tour is 172 $ and included a lot of stops I don't care to see.

[Emdee]

Everybody enjoys Mark Eddowes lectures and tours and we did too. All the 4x4 are worth it as they give you a nice overview of the island.

 

Many people rent a car in Moorea - we have never done it previously but may do so the next time.

 

I am reminded of a funny incident that happened last November. We had gone up to La Palette for one of Mark's lectures and were a tad early. This was the time reserved for Meet your officers. The officers were milling about with not too many guests so when we arrived they were happy to pounce and ask if we had come to meet them. They took my response that we had actually come for Mark Eddowes talk quite good naturedly and we spent the next 15 minutes chatting with Michael Shapiro and Sophia.

[elmwood]

It just occurred to me that perhaps the choice of excursions on Christmas day when we are I believe in Moorea might be limited or non existant - something I will have to check with Paul Gauguin's tour department.

[sandandsea lovers]

Just arrived back from PG 14 August cruise. 4 Of us PG couples did Patrick's 3/4 day excursion and had a real blast. Feed the stingrays..........., drift snorkel at an amzaing coral garden and a beautiful quiet motu for a picnic lunch of BBQ chicken, mahi mahi (tahitian fish) and lobster. Plenty of drinks included. Travelled completley around the island of Bora Bora. A fabulous day, and by far our best excursion of the cruise.

[elmwood]

Sandandsealover, is that one offered by the ship or one you arranged privately? It sounds ideal - something for everyone in our family.

[sandandsea lovers]

I arranged off the ship. Go to Patrick Tairua [patrick@maohinui.net] and ask if there are any others from the ship as the price decreases with more people. I t really is a worthwhile excursion and yes, great for all ages. Make sure Patrick is going to do the excursion with you too. It would not be the same without him.

[mariah27]

We did the wave runners around Bora Bora which was probably the SO's favorite. The guide took us to a motu and made us Tahiti Hot Dogs... Pulled a cocunut off a tree and shredded it and grabbed some of the small bananas they and cut them in half...put the shredded cocunut between the bananas and VOIla! LOTS of fun... I got a little nervous when we were going through a choppy area to get to the resorts... glad I drove some after the second stop as I hadn't.

 

Liked Michael Poole's (probably not loved) saw some spinner dolphins.

 

One of my regrets was not doing something the first day at Raitea...it is nice not having to do something after the travel day but wish we'd done a Patrick one (few shops were closed)...

 

We also like the ATV's on Moorea... We went to the Jus place which was neat...went through the orchards that feed the island etc. It was run out of the Hilton on Moorea...

 

.02

 

mariah

[elmwood]

Thanks, Mariah, all that info is useful. We are staying for four nights in Moorea post crusie, so will have a lot of time to do some of the things that we didn't when on the cruise. Our son is keen to play golf at the Green Pearl course, so we will arrange that through the ship for him, but will definitely explore some of the other things you suggested once we are off the ship.

[Talisker92]

Thanks, SJGoch, I read your account and it really made me look forward to our trip even more!

We have a new website and the story of our second trip "Back to Tahiti" is on it

[Vacationv]

Marquesas Islands: Forget snorkeling. Just not good snorkeling here. I would focus on excursions with the on board historian who can show you ancient celebration grounds, sacrifice areas, etc. These are very interesting tours and you can't go wrong. Frankly. not that much to see on some of these islands so you could also consider sharing a cab or 4-wheel truck with another couple, making sure your guide is FLUENT in English, which might be a challenge.

 

In Bora Bora I highly recommend booking with Patrick and his company- you will read about them on these message boards. Patrick has a tour that will cost $140 per person for two couples in Bora Bora that leaves at 9:00AM and last until about noon. It is amazing as it will do the following three activities-

1. Snorkel with sharks and Dracula fish

2. Swim, pet and feed wild Rays. AMAZING EXPERIENCE

3. Snorkel over a beautiful reef

This tour is called the Blue Lagoon Tour and will for sure be everything and much more that you could be looking for...A full day would likely really tire you out. The price goes down per person if you get another couple or two. We loved this tour with our English speaking guide while we watched the same tour organized by the ship with a tour boat packed with 50 people who paid even more $$.

 

In the afternoon in Bora Bora, you might consider renting a car with another couple for only $90 for three hours and drive around the island. Make sure you stop at Bloody Mary's for pictures, a drink and some amazing tee shirts. The place is a local legend and lots of fun.

 

In Moorea- you MUST book the ship's Dolphin and Whale watching 3-hour excursion. We saw a Hump Back whale and her calf PLUS dolphins. The guide spoke great English.

 

Watch your shopping dollars as you can SAVE BIG if you wait to purchase most of the same things you see on the small islands in the street market in Papeete. I think the small island vendors come to Papeete and buy the goods they sell in the same market, then mark the stuff up on their islands.

 

Finally, I heard great things about the wave runner tours. They are quite expensive and since we own two at home, we could not justify spending $250 for something we can do for free at home :)

 

Have fun.

[Alberta Couple]

Did you post a review of your cruise? I would love to see more reviews of the Marquesas itinerary as there are not many out there.

[Vacationv]

Sure thing- Please find my review below:

 

My wife & I have cruised extensively, mostly on mass market brands like Celebrity, Holland America, Princess, NCL & RCL. On September 4, 2010, we embarked on a two week cruise experience on the Paul Gauguin and now for us, cruising will never be the same. Our itinerary included both the Marquesas and Society Islands. No more big ships- no more same old- same old for us. Yes, our bank account may still be feeling the sting as we enjoy the “after- glow” of a five star cruise experience, but some things in life are worth truly worth the extra dollars. We only go around once and we are true believers in occasionally spoiling ourselves. Here are just some of the reasons we will likely never go back to the mega ships again:

 

 

· - Only 260 passengers for 14 days: No problem finding pool chairs and no waiting for anything. Embarkation in Papeete took seconds, not hours!

· A small but highly practical ship- no glitz but very passenger friendly & functional. We experienced 14 foot swells on several days but we felt like we were on a ship three times her size. Great stabilizers and beautiful and spacious cabins. I highly recommend a regimen of Bonnie, Ginger capsules and the pressure point wrist bands for any concerns about motion sickness. It worked well for us.

 

 

 

· - EVERY MEAL was INCREDIBLE. I’m a very picky eater and not usually impressed by gourmet fare, but the chefs on the Paul Gauguin know how to make guests ecstatic over the thought of each dining opportunity. We were pleased with truly remarkable meals, including a nice inclusion of Asian fare mixed in almost nightly. No real need for the specialty dining experiences as the main dining room is special within itself. The food on Paul Gauguin is truly one of the defining differences from other cruise lines. It was truly “memorable”.

 

 

· - No need to wear formal wear or sports jackets. It’s country club casual every evening which makes total sense as we were cruising in one of the most casual and laid back regions of the world- French Polynesia. We sailed below the equator, an area not known for tuxes and ties- thank Goodness! Best of all, each evening was open dining in the Main Dining Room so we could eat anytime between 7-9PM. LOVED IT!

· The all inclusive concept at sea is simply brilliant! Forget the usual nickel constantly signing bar tabs for drinks by the pool or wine or cola with meals. No tips and no hassles. No cash or credit cards needed.

 

 

· - While the mega ships are focusing on becoming destination of their own, Paul Gauguin is simply a first class means of getting to some of the most drop dead gorgeous scenery anywhere in the world. With lovely people on each island and outstanding tender service in each port, excursions, while a bit expensive, are all memorable and many times downright “life changing”. Experiences included petting Rays in the wild, snorkeling with over a dozen Black Fin sharks and watching a mother Humpback whale and her baby from only a few yards away. These are images that will stay with us forever.

· We are in our mid fifties and while most of our fellow passengers were a generation older, they were clearly an upscale and highly educated demographic who we enjoyed mingling with. We made new friendships which will likely last well into the future. It is so much easier to get to know fellow travelers when there are less than 300 passengers on board.

· The nightly shows were targeted for an older demographic than ours. We would have enjoyed some entertainment aimed for a younger crowd that appreciated Crosby Stills & Nash rather than Frank Sinatra and Broadway. Guest lecturers on the other hand were informative and enjoyable. We were so tired and full from exceptional food and invigorating excursions that we almost always turned in early. Thank goodness for the gym that had an ample number of treadmills and cross trainers to combat the high calorie intake that fine food inevitably produces. I actually managed to maintain my pre-cruise weight thanks to a strict walking regimen on the ship’s treadmills.

 

 

 

· - Another key difference from more mainstream ships is how the crew strives to make passengers happy. No special request goes unfulfilled. For instance, I mentioned to the chef how much I enjoyed the cold vichyssoise at dinner. The next day he had a special order of the remarkable soup waiting for me at lunch. Mention to a waiter how much you enjoyed a particular dish and you will likely find the recipe sent to your cabin the next morning. FRESH food is purchased at each island so the chefs are always preparing surprises based on local specialties. While on the subject of crew, we could tell the mostly Philippine crew is well compensated and truly enjoy their jobs. They smiled, laughed and spoke of their longevity with the ship. This speaks volumes.

On numerous occasions, random crew members addressed us by our last names, a courtesy more prevalent at a Ritz Carlton property than on a cruise ship. Such a refreshing change!

 

 

- We made sure we spent several days in Papeete prior to sailing to help us adjust to jet lag and get acclimated to the climate and surroundings. We also booked one hotel day after disembarking in Tahiti which gave one final “chill day” before making the long trek back home to Tennessee.

We would sail Paul Gauguin again in a heartbeat. I hope the relatively new owners of the cruise line consider adding another small ship to their fleet so returning passengers can experience even more beautiful places. From the talk we overheard, many passengers on our sailing were repeat customers. Now we know why.

[Talisker92]

Did you post a review of your cruise? I would love to see more reviews of the Marquesas itinerary as there are not many out there.

 

The "Back to Tahiti" story on our website has some details of our Marquesas tour

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Did you post a review of your cruise? I would love to see more reviews of the Marquesas itinerary as there are not many out there.

 

Here's my review of this itinerary from December 2008:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=894706

 

Note you'll have better luck searching for info if you include the Regent forum, since until very recently Regent managed this ship.

[elmwood]

Thank you for posting those reviews - they were both very helpful indeed. I am wondering how full this Christmas cruise will be as it seems to be being advertised very heavily - yesterday came the offer of the children's ambassador of the seas programme for free.

[pittsburgh.joe]

Hello :) I will be doing the Bora Bora tour byu myself to explore WWII sites :) and since the ship stops in Lahaina, I would like to go and see Linbergh's tomb : do you know if there are private tours in port?

The ship's tour is 172 $ and included a lot of stops I don't care to see.

 

Trip to gravesite is the famous winding road with many one-way bridges to Hana. The churchyard is another good distance on dirt roads. The drive is spectacular - but if you're by yourself I'd recommend just taking the tour! Most commercial tours stop at the same sites - if you really just want to get to the churchyard you may be stuck renting a car.