Disembark Time Question - Tahiti

[Carol From California]

I booked a Tahiti cruise for March, 2015. Does anyone know the earliest time you can disembark the ship? I was noticing that flights on Air France depart at around 8:30 AM on the day of disembarkation. Would we be able to disembark early enough to make that flight? Other option would be to stay a couple of nights after the cruise and fly back then or fly with Air Tahiti Nui. I hope to get seats with mileage and want to plan ahead.

[rogfam]

We will boarding the Marina this week, ending our cruise in Papeete. When we first booked the disembarkation time was 8AM. However a few months ago Oceania changed it to 3AM to allow for the earlier flight.

[ronrick1943]

Unless you plan on coach, mileage seats are very hard to get on Air Tahiti Nui and Last I looked Air France only had Business Class & Coach, no First Class on this plane. And seats didn't come easy. So if your looking for a mileage seat better book the day they open up those seats. You may have to check a lot, if you don't get them early.

[Carol From California]

ronrick1943 I do plan on looking for award seats early (as soon as they are available to book) so that is why I was wondering if the ship will allow disembarking early enough to catch those early flight times. I am looking for business class. I can use American miles to book Air Tahiti Nui and I can use Delta miles to book Air France. Has anyone had success with getting business class award seats?

 

Thanks Rogfam for letting me know they are allowing disembarking as early as 3 AM. Have fun on your cruise! Ours is a long way off!

[ronrick1943]

We didn't, we just had to buy the tickets. I think because of the limited flights they just don't come up that easy.

Rick

[Hawaiidan]

I think the ship spends the day prior in Moorea.. a quick ferry ride to Papeete

 

In the past some passengers got off in Moorea the after letting company know ( it can be done with permission) and a taxi and ferry later ....your there

Then by late afternoon you are at the airport hotel across checkin the night before... No 4 am hassle and a restful transfer

 

Make sure the Air france is not a "code share wit Air Tahiti Nui as many are !

[Hawaiidan]

ronrick1943 I do plan on looking for award seats early (as soon as they are available to book) so that is why I was wondering if the ship will allow disembarking early enough to catch those early flight times. I am looking for business class. I can use American miles to book Air Tahiti Nui and I can use Delta miles to book Air France. Has anyone had success with getting business class award seats?

 

Thanks Rogfam for letting me know they are allowing disembarking as early as 3 AM. Have fun on your cruise! Ours is a long way off!

 

Carol, I hope you are aware that awards booked after feb 1 and again June 1 with American and especialy Delta are going to increase the miles ( decrease the value) needed for partner flights. Too a number of cooperating partners are being dropped from the award program.....

 

United is doing this too !!!!

 

In many cases flights on code share or other carriers will increase by 60% to 100%

[Carol From California]

I think the ship spends the day prior in Moorea.. a quick ferry ride to Papeete

 

In the past some passengers got off in Moorea the after letting company know ( it can be done with permission) and a taxi and ferry later ....your there

Then by late afternoon you are at the airport hotel across checkin the night before... No 4 am hassle and a restful transfer

 

Make sure the Air france is not a "code share wit Air Tahiti Nui as many are !

 

What's wrong with Air Tahiti Nui? Which is the better one to try to get award seats on? (Business class).

[Carol From California]

Carol, I hope you are aware that awards booked after feb 1 and again June 1 with American and especialy Delta are going to increase the miles ( decrease the value) needed for partner flights. Too a number of cooperating partners are being dropped from the award program.....

 

United is doing this too !!!!

 

In many cases flights on code share or other carriers will increase by 60% to 100%

 

I am aware that the mileage required for award seats is going up a lot. I have a lot of miles so I'll see what I can find when the time comes. Thanks!

[Hawaiidan]

What's wrong with Air Tahiti Nui? Which is the better one to try to get award seats on? (Business class).

 

I was pointing out that the Air France plane and the Delta and the American and the Tahiti Nui might in fact all be the same airplane! This means that 4 different groups of folks with miles will all be fighting for the same few seats.

 

Too, be aware that the Business class are not true lie flat seats... they are the dreaded angle seats that go 180 degrees but at a 15% angle . ( read reviews) and fine for relaxing but terrible to sleep in as you slide down to the base slowly.... its a 8.5 hour flight

 

Merry Christmas

[kiawahdon]

Air France flies at least 2 times a week to PPE. It is a triple 7 that originates in Paris and arrives at LAX around 9 :30pm and continues on to Papeete at 11:55pm arriving around 6:30am. We are booked on this flight next month.

[Hawaiidan]

Air France flies at least 2 times a week to PPE. It is a triple 7 that originates in Paris and arrives at LAX around 9 :30pm and continues on to Papeete at 11:55pm arriving around 6:30am. We are booked on this flight next month.

 

AirTahiti Nui would be my choice for business seats because while angle seats they are arranged 2-2-2 in a A340-300

 

The Air france seats are the same angle tilt seats. However they are arranged 2-3-2 The center section being horrible for the mid seat person.

In the 777-200.

Air France would be my very last choice because of this rotten seat arrangement. I would take their economy plus seat instead and not waste my miles on an inferior business seat ( the angle) with the pack-em-in 2-3-2 get as many in business as possible.

 

Choose wisely...

[Carol From California]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have to wait a few months to see what I can get with miles. Too early to book.

[Hawaiidan]

If you can not get Business then I would go with whatever Oceania offers as it is one heck of a deal. Why waste miles on Business for the 8.5 hour ride. I could understand it if you were coming from the east coast however from LAX its not that bad ( I commute Hawaii to LA regularly at 5.5 hrs each way)

 

If you want to use miles... or better yet make a deviation for the air France flight that might be the best of both worlds

 

Air France is 4 classes While Tahiti Nui is only 2

 

On Air France you could up-grade to a economy plus coach seat . if just in coach you should know that the arms on Air France coach seats can be swung up giving you more room and in the center section you might score several seats to nest in with the arms up.

Tahiti Nui is more restrictive and wants to sell you Business so in their coach there is no "economy plus" AND the seat arms are fixed so that you can not spread out if there are empty seats..