Australia-South Pacific Itineraries Not For Us

[World20]

We would love to see French Polynesia. We would love to see more of Australia and New Zealand. As West Coast people, we have been to the Hawaiian Islands many times. We love trans-ocean sailing.

 

Here is why the new Oceania itineraries do not work for us. Oceania, we hope yopu are reading.

 

1) We would prefer these intermarries start and end in Honolulu, without days in other Hawaiian ports. We choose to not spend the number of days at the Oceania per diem sailing to/from Hawaii or in other Hawaiian ports. Now a West Coast one way to many Hawaiian ports and ending in Honolulu would be nice. But how about Honolulu, no other ports, then Tahiti and New Zealand.

 

2) The cruises to from Auckland/Sydney to/from Papeete would be nice, but the only reasonable way to Tahiti is a nonstop air 8 hour coach flight from LAX on an airline that does not let you earn mileage credit on any American carrier. It is not in my mentality to take such a flight and not accrue any miles.

 

3) It would be nice if Oceania included a reasonable cost business class air upgrade on these – and advertise it up front! Mrs.World20 will not fly that far unless it’s at least business class.

 

Celebrity has a sailing from Auckland to Tahiti to Hawaii – 18 days. Guess we will wait for the Oceania Summer 2012 catalog. I hope they repeat the Artistic Sojourn itinerary (Dover to Monaco). Or maybe we will do the Norwegian fjords next.

[digby]

Doesn't Quantas still fly from LAX to Tahiti? Their FF miles can go to AA.

[LAexNY]

We would love to see French Polynesia. We would love to see more of Australia and New Zealand. As West Coast people, we have been to the Hawaiian Islands many times. We love trans-ocean sailing.

 

Here is why the new Oceania itineraries do not work for us. Oceania, we hope yopu are reading.

 

1) We would prefer these intermarries start and end in Honolulu, without days in other Hawaiian ports. We choose to not spend the number of days at the Oceania per diem sailing to/from Hawaii or in other Hawaiian ports. Now a West Coast one way to many Hawaiian ports and ending in Honolulu would be nice. But how about Honolulu, no other ports, then Tahiti and New Zealand.

 

2) The cruises to from Auckland/Sydney to/from Papeete would be nice, but the only reasonable way to Tahiti is a nonstop air 8 hour coach flight from LAX on an airline that does not let you earn mileage credit on any American carrier. It is not in my mentality to take such a flight and not accrue any miles.

 

3) It would be nice if Oceania included a reasonable cost business class air upgrade on these – and advertise it up front! Mrs.World20 will not fly that far unless it’s at least business class.

 

Celebrity has a sailing from Auckland to Tahiti to Hawaii – 18 days. Guess we will wait for the Oceania Summer 2012 catalog. I hope they repeat the Artistic Sojourn itinerary (Dover to Monaco). Or maybe we will do the Norwegian fjords next.

 

Different strokes for different folks.

[threeedogmedia]

The points you bring up are very valid. I tend to agree with you but I'll have to leave the transit across the Pacific to you. I'm scared spit-less of rough water. It would be my luck that it would be the roughest seas in history! We (actually I) made the decision that we wouldn't travel more than 5 hours without being in Business Class. I haven't changed my mind and rather doubt that I ever will. Our next cruise is about a month away and we are going on Regent this time. I love their upgrade to business class for $999 each way per person. We did have to pay a bit extra for our return flights because they are on British Airways and they are not one of their preferred providers of air but they have direct flights to Seattle all the time so it just made it more convenient for us to just spring for the little bit more to get what we wanted. The total we're spending on air is less than we would have paid for one of us if I booked air myself so it's more than reasonable. I wish Oceania would do the same!

 

If you decide to try the Norwegian fjords, take a look at the cruise from Copenhagen to Dover beginning on July 1st. I've already made connections on the board with another couple traveling on that cruise so come along and join us! I might miss my lay by the pool and get a tan days on this cruise but the scenery will more than make up for the lack of hot days. We used to live in Alaska and the weather, scenery and plant life will be much the same as we experienced up there for 8 years.

 

Happy cruising.

Karen

[zoncom]

Are you speaking of Air France or ATN? Air France is the preferred carrier. I am on Regatta LA-Tahiti if I can find a cabinmate. Agent told me the best selling of the new cruises is 11N rt Tahiti, Insides all sold out.

[MightyQuinn]

Agent told me the best selling of the new cruises is 11N rt Tahiti, Insides all sold out.

We looked long & hard at the new South Pacific cruises. Those 11-nite Tahiti sailings have a great itinerary & are well priced. With insides from $2799 pp including air, I'm not surprised they're already sold out. Flights from LAX-PPT on ATN typically are in the range of $1200 pp and Oceania also includes domestic air from many gateways. So the value is certainly there, especially for a remote & exotic destination.

[Cruise Junky]

Are you speaking of Air France or ATN? Air France is the preferred carrier. I am on Regatta LA-Tahiti if I can find a cabinmate. Agent told me the best selling of the new cruises is 11N rt Tahiti, Insides all sold out.

 

Yep, thats what we were going to book, all gone.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Having flown to Papeete four times, I agree that lack of a decent Business class upgrade pretty well precludes these Oceania itineraries for us.

 

Air France schedules, I believe, are more restrictive LAX to PPT than ATN.

[Wildblue]

A South Pacific cruise would be a dream come true, for me. Unfortunately, I'm very quickly seeing that they're also very expensive. Just as soon as I can afford one, I'm doing it. Would be absolutely awesome.

[pacheco18]

Another perspective:

 

I am Platinum (soon to be Diamond) on Delta - I am in first class all the time domestically with free upgrades and book all my transatlantic flights in Business Elite for free with miles. I am spoiled as a flyer.

 

That being said, I took the included coach air on ATN with my PG cruise this past summer. Upgrades were prohibitive through PG and around 800 pp each way at the airport (if available). I preferred to spend my 3200 on pearls.

 

I bit the bullet and flew coach. We had seats on the two-seat side. It was not so bad. I would do it again. The destination is more important than the flight.

[Dreps]

Let me just add that in our opinion the PG is the way to do a French Polynesian cruise, not a transpacific cruise that merely stops at a couple of the islands.

[pacheco18]

Let me just add that in our opinion the PG is the way to do a French Polynesian cruise, not a transpacific cruise that merely stops at a couple of the islands.

 

 

There is an entire thread on this: PG v Oceania

[Kruzin Again !]

Let me just add that in our opinion the PG is the way to do a French Polynesian cruise, not a transpacific cruise that merely stops at a couple of the islands.

 

The Tahitian Breeze cruises on Oceania travel to (8) different French Polynesia islands in the Society and Marquesas groups. Its an (11) day cruise.