sabrefan Posted October 26, 2013 #1 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Wife and I have just signed up for 16 day Auckland, NZ to Papeete, Tahiti for February 2015. Just wondering if others on this forum have taken a similar itinerary. If so what did you think of your trip to this part of the world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted October 26, 2013 #2 Share Posted October 26, 2013 If you like lots of sea days and non-commercial ports that seldom see more than a dozen ships a year. Not sure what ports or what you like but as a naturalist and diver here are my takes First, try to extend the cruise to start in Sydney as it is way more enjoyable. Melbourne, Tasmania, Duneedin and Milford sound and in Aukland get out of town to the Waitomo cave and karst region. The Trurauraga and Rotoroua areas touted for their geo-thermal stuff is a big let down and totally over the top commercial. ( all the geysers are are private in fenced arenas with stadimum seating and cheesy shows) Noumea is a small rusty port who exists to transport iron and nickel ore. Beaches so so... lots of stone fish Lutoka Fiji, will be the best snorkeling and water... get to an off shore island for the day like Dicks.. beaches only off shore Suva, a large seedy town... take a tour to the north get out of town as to stay in is not wise or safe Roatonga very primitae non developed take a drive as the lagoon was destroyed by years of industrial waste... nothing survived no beaches. Apia very interesting place..visit Robert Louis Stevinsons home and take land tour Pago Pago... go to the National park and skip town Bora Bora, the most commercial place..an Orlando of the pacific. Pick a water related activity. Snorkeling is so-so with marginal coral and few fish. Fiji will be way better and cheaper. Land tours not much to see few beaches Wae runner tours or go to a lagoon island for beaches main island has none. Beached are not public.. owned by resorts. Moorea; the most beautiful island take a wave runner tour land tours are not all that great... looking at the island better than looking on the island Papeetee; busy industrial port and large city... get out of town and its 300 pearl stores ( all over priced) No real beaches head to the Isthmus area. Inland Tahiti is very blah and it is overgrown with 1 plant miconia which has destroyed everything else. Gaugin museum is poor and small. Done this trip twice ocean is a lake, water sports are the attraction very few land ones worth $$$ or time I have taken most. Private tour arrangement is mandatory because these places with the exception of Bora all have very very limited resources.. no options that you can select on arrival... must be planned well in advance THe ideal trip would be Sydney to LA or Hawaii Or Sydney to Tahiti. Very hot and rainy Dec-Feb Nov/April best time for the region Have fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabrefan Posted October 27, 2013 Author #3 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Hawaiian. Thank you for your reply, your input is certainly appreciated. We did our first Oceania cruise last March in the Caribbean and really loved this cruise line. We have also cruised Princess and Celebrity. We chose this cruise because I always wanted to see Bora Bora and my wife wanted to spend some time in New Zealand. Photography is a hobby of mine and love wildlife and landscape photos. After reading your comments I read up on Oceania excursions for this cruise and they did not look that great. Will look at the possibility of cruising from Australia to New Zealand. Fiord land National Park in NZ sounds like a really nice spot, similar to Alaska on a smaller scale. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted October 27, 2013 #4 Share Posted October 27, 2013 ...Noumea is a small rusty port who exists to transport iron and nickel ore. Beaches so so... lots of stone fish ... And just to be clear, stone fish == very bad (i.e., deadly poison.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted October 27, 2013 #5 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Others may have a different take but from 3 visits here is my opinion;). With the exception of the Fox Glacier and Christchurch, you can pretty much do in depth and quality day excursions from the ports in a day. Fjord land and Millford sound are more like Norway and Chile than Alaska, no forests but wind blown low folage and stark granite/ gritstone mountains. No glaciers and few waterfalls except in Millford. Expect rain and clouds in this area. Lots of the activites in NZ are in the form of extreme-sports, with some bordering on the insane. Whereas the towns are very conservative and staid. Population is young and physically very active..activities refelect this The overnight in Auckland will give you enough time to see Hobbit country and Waitomo/ lost world Karst region. ( which is far more interesting than Auckland to people who like nature. Too you could jump ship for 2 to 3 days and rent a car in Tauranga and explore 2 nights and 3 days because the ship returns to Turranga after leaving Auckland. As I said and reiterate, Rotaroua is nothing like a Yellowstone in the pacific, more like coney island with hot springs It was a big let down for me. An easy 6 hour tour driving from the port.... Bay of islands can be very windy and while cute is not much a place to do anything. Melbourne... popular is the fern canyon and puffing billy train. However, with careful planning driving the great coast road to the 7-12 apostles is outstanding drive... sort of like the Big Sur of OZ. Sydney, I choose the Marriott at the quay, get a 3 day ferry pass which includes a tour on land to Bondi, and jump on and off the ferry's which run everywhere....in this massive harbor... Plan to do ALL your own tours and rent a car in ports like Turranga, Auckland, Papeetee. Hobart, Read up and see what strikes your emotions... and go for that. The above is what strikes mine. If your the same fine..if not use them for reference and follow your heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabrefan Posted October 28, 2013 Author #6 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hawaii Dan, Thanks again for you further input. Plan on signing up for Sydney to Auckland cruise on Oceania Marina tomorrow which departs February 2015. Saw many ship excursions on this itinerary looking for various types of wildlife, both land and sea which is of great photographic interest to me. I too like Alaska and plan on going back in June 2014 on the Regatta, Vancouver to Seattle. Our first trip to Alaska was four years ago, cruised on Princess and did Denali and Mt McKinley plus two independent days in Seward. Resurrection Bay was a fantastic place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted October 28, 2013 #7 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hawaii Dan,Thanks again for you further input. Plan on signing up for Sydney to Auckland cruise on Oceania Marina tomorrow which departs February 2015. Saw many ship excursions on this itinerary looking for various types of wildlife, both land and sea which is of great photographic interest to me. I too like Alaska and plan on going back in June 2014 on the Regatta, Vancouver to Seattle. Our first trip to Alaska was four years ago, cruised on Princess and did Denali and Mt McKinley plus two independent days in Seward. Resurrection Bay was a fantastic place. For traveling that far making it last will bay dividends. Too, the 30 days will increase your absorption, and decrease the anxiety of having to do as much as possible. I now don't take cruises under 28 day. You may discover a whole new dimension.:rolleyes: I found out, at least for me that 14/16 day cruises were just a slight extension of the 7 day cruises. After 21 days you totally get into a new perspective of cruising. This 32 day lacks the port-port a day and gives you several days to focus on the next destination rather than be thrust into it The 3 days 2 nights in Auckland will give you enough time to see in depth NZ. Enjoy.... and read up on stuff.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie60 Posted October 28, 2013 #8 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hawaii Dan,Thanks again for you further input. Plan on signing up for Sydney to Auckland cruise on Oceania Marina tomorrow which departs February 2015. Saw many ship excursions on this itinerary looking for various types of wildlife, both land and sea which is of great photographic interest to me. I too like Alaska and plan on going back in June 2014 on the Regatta, Vancouver to Seattle. Our first trip to Alaska was four years ago, cruised on Princess and did Denali and Mt McKinley plus two independent days in Seward. Resurrection Bay was a fantastic place. We are also on the Sydney-Papeete trip in 2015. There is an active roll call for the portion Sydney-Auckland on the Marina Roll Call page. You should check it out as many small group tours are being put together already. Not much activity yet on the Auckland-Papeete portion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabrefan Posted October 30, 2013 Author #9 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Newbie60, Thanks for the advice but my wife and I signed up for the Sydney to Auckland trip in 2015 instead. We believe this one will have better ports to visit and will suit our interests more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie60 Posted October 30, 2013 #10 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Newbie60, Thanks for the advice but my wife and I signed up for the Sydney to Auckland trip in 2015 instead. We believe this one will have better ports to visit and will suit our interests more. Again, there is a very active roll call for that Sydney-Auckland cruise -- over five pages so far and many, many small group excursions being planned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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