Early Disembarkation Papeete

[Verokaren]

I need some help from any experienced past Oceana cruisers to Papeete! I was told we would be able to do an early disembarkation to catch the 8:00 AM flight out, but yesterday heard from Oceana that the ship does not arrive until 5:00 AM, and we may not get off until 9:00 AM. This is completely counter to what I had been told before. Should I rebook all of my flights back??

[sitraveler]

If your stop before Papeete is Moorea you can disembark there and make your own way to Papeete to catch the flight.

[Verokaren]

Unfortunately, the Oceania route has us going to Moorea on Day 2 :(.  

[Andee]

We spent several days on Tahiti before the cruise and had a wonderful time, so I'd recommend adding on days after your cruise.

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, Verokaren said:

I need some help from any experienced past Oceana cruisers to Papeete! I was told we would be able to do an early disembarkation to catch the 8:00 AM flight out, but yesterday heard from Oceana that the ship does not arrive until 5:00 AM, and we may not get off until 9:00 AM. This is completely counter to what I had been told before. Should I rebook all of my flights back??

No....Get off in Moorea the afternoon before,  spend the night and grab the 0600 ferry which gets in at 0640.. and runs like a clock....Baggage come off in seconds  and beats you.  It is then a 15 min cab ride to the airport   There are plenty of cabs.    Plenty of time to get to the gate  0800?     aIR fRANCE   leaves at 0830 last I checked.... what carrier?

Edited January 22, 2020 by Hawaiidan

[pinotlover]

Last February, our ship the Marina got back into port around 6:00. 
 

I don’t know why over and over and over people keep trying to cut their flights out so closely! If I had a flight out of Papeete at 8:00 a.m. on disembarkment day I would definitely get it changed! FWIW, Papeete’s airport is not an example of efficiency. We encountered long slow moving lines both getting checked in and going through security. 
 

when Oceania ran chartered flights for their cruisers, the planes never left before 11:00 ish. 

Edited January 22, 2020 by pinotlover

[Verokaren]

Thank you all for your input so far.  We actually have scheduled several days PRIOR to the cruise to come in early and enjoy Moorea and Papeete.  I did book the close call flight out due to work obligations.  I don't think we'll be in Moorea the day before.  We are in Raiatea the day before. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

57 minutes ago, Verokaren said:

Thank you all for your input so far.  We actually have scheduled several days PRIOR to the cruise to come in early and enjoy Moorea and Papeete.  I did book the close call flight out due to work obligations.  I don't think we'll be in Moorea the day before.  We are in Raiatea the day before. 

And, if you keep that flight out at that "way too early" time, work will be the least of your concerns.

 

[Verokaren]

Ha!  Duly noted. 

[StanandJim]

26 minutes ago, Verokaren said:

Ha!  Duly noted. 

 

Not kicking you while you are down, Verokaren, but it is worth noting in this situation that despite the advantages and cost savings which the Pundits here never tire of extolling, there are often pitfalls to booking private air.

 

I hope that changing that flight does not cost you.........bit it may-  😨

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, StanandJim said:

 

Not kicking you while you are down, Verokaren, but it is worth noting in this situation that despite the advantages and cost savings which the Pundits here never tire of extolling, there are often pitfalls to booking private air.

 

I hope that changing that flight does not cost you.........bit it may-  😨

Tahiti  is a special breed....with only a few carriers in the market.    Most carriers will charge you around $200pp depending on your status    So 2 tickets is going to hit you for $400 to change or cancel like if you decided to go with O's air

[YoHoHo]

Verokaren, I do sympathize. Glad you are keeping a sense of humour and seem calm over this.

 

As Flatbush Flyer points out, missing the flight has consequences that could well affect that reason for trying to make this flight in the first place. 

 

And from the well experienced good advice on making / missing it.

 

Hawaiidan, who I think has flown in and out of here so very, many times and knows the airlines,  said the change fee could be $200 pp. So I was thinking for *me* switching to O's air as StandandJim allude to and paying a cancel fee might be better than missing the flight. And maybe be late for that work commitment.

 

But, can you knowledgeable folks tell me, say they stayed with the current plan and it looked like they would not be able to disembark in time (I cant imagine the anxious hours waiting for the gangway to open) to catch the flight, what would you do?

 

Perhaps phone the airline and tell them you are not going to make it so they do not list you as a no show and lose the tickets value entirely? And then hope they can get you on a next flight out. As there are not so many flights I suspect it could be hard to get on the "next one" and so could be even a longer delay to make that work commitment.

 

 

Edited January 22, 2020 by YoHoHo

[Verokaren]

Hmm. . . .not too many options to change, at this point, and not sure if I can switch to the "O" flight for just one way back.  I was advised by Oceania that they recommend not booking any flight PRIOR to 9:00am, and ours is 8:20am.  I may just roll the dice with those 40 minutes. . . . thoughts much appreciated!

[Hawaiidan]

56 minutes ago, Verokaren said:

Hmm. . . .not too many options to change, at this point, and not sure if I can switch to the "O" flight for just one way back.  I was advised by Oceania that they recommend not booking any flight PRIOR to 9:00am, and ours is 8:20am.  I may just roll the dice with those 40 minutes. . . . thoughts much appreciated!

Yes...Oceania  will do a 0ne way back  .    I have done that.    Financially, you might consider cancelling the whole ticket as it will also only be $ 200 and just let Oceania do all the  leg work    Unless you got  the ticket with miles,  cancel the whole thing would be the best stress free option..   At this point, going with a variation to arrive eariler is going to  increase the cost to almost $800  for 2.

 I have flown Air France in 2017 it was the only day time departure.    I took Oceania's  flight from  LAX  to PPT departing at 1530 and It arrived at 2045 ( scheduled for 2150) and took a cab to the ship  I was on the ship 40 min after we landed..   while all the people who booked the overpriced O transfer  were still waiting to get on buses........

As I said  flights to the US from Tahiti is a captive market... You have United, Hawaiian Air France  , Tahiti Nui and a super discount airline...Bumbel Bee    American, Delta Quantas, Air NZ   are all code shared with the above .  Only Tahiti Nui flies daily  the rest only  1 to 4 days of the week like every other day   Only Air France, to my knowledge, has a day time flight ot LAX 

With the exception of the Moorea ferry, Polynesia all runs at 33 -1/3 speed. No one is interested in moving fast.....     Think this through.... You will miss the flight as you have booked.    Sorry but there are only so many options in this part of the world

[pinotlover]

Airlines normally charge 1. A change fee  plus (2) Any difference in ticket prices. We don’t know what you originally paid for your tickets compared to the current price. Therefore, we don’t know what your charges for changes will be. Call the airlines and discuss the issue. Get real numbers from them.

[Hawaiidan]

10 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Airlines normally charge 1. A change fee  plus (2) Any difference in ticket prices. We don’t know what you originally paid for your tickets compared to the current price. Therefore, we don’t know what your charges for changes will be. Call the airlines and discuss the issue. Get real numbers from them.

I agree....but with AirFrance if you miss the flight.. the next flight out is normally 2 days later. as they fly every other day.  Only Tahiti Nui does daily and at night

Edited January 22, 2020 by Hawaiidan

[pinotlover]

Dan;

 

She needs to talk with AF to know what her actual costs and options are! Another point is, she hasn’t told us how close to sailing/ flying she is! That may affect outcomes!!

[Flatbush Flyer]

OP: Religious person? Pray for a monster air schedule change and ask to have your ticket assigned to a different airline.

(may not work in this limited equipment location, but good to know for the future).

[Verokaren]

I did actually talk at length with Delta today, as I am booked on that Air France flight at 8:20am.  I am booked for business class, and did purchase insurance for this trip (which I rarely do).  HOWEVER, as HawaiiDan mentioned, Delta will not cooperate and rebook on Tahiti Nui, and the next flight out will be two days later on Friday.  I am rather distraught over this, as I was assured from the person that I booked with at Oceania as well as some people here on the boards that the ship would be in early enough to clear customs and make that 8:20 flight.  I will call Oceania and see if I can perhaps jump on one of their flights, as was suggested here.  Other than that, I am tempted to just have our bags packed and ready to go at 6:00am the day of arrival back into Papeete.  Keep any thoughts or ideas coming, and again, thank you, thank you!!

 

 

[Paulchili]

11 minutes ago, Verokaren said:

I did actually talk at length with Delta today, as I am booked on that Air France flight at 8:20am.  I am booked for business class, and did purchase insurance for this trip (which I rarely do).  HOWEVER, as HawaiiDan mentioned, Delta will not cooperate and rebook on Tahiti Nui, and the next flight out will be two days later on Friday.  I am rather distraught over this, as I was assured from the person that I booked with at Oceania as well as some people here on the boards that the ship would be in early enough to clear customs and make that 8:20 flight.  I will call Oceania and see if I can perhaps jump on one of their flights, as was suggested here.  Other than that, I am tempted to just have our bags packed and ready to go at 6:00am the day of arrival back into Papeete.  Keep any thoughts or ideas coming, and again, thank you, thank you!!

 

 

If all goes well, you'll be fine - although you'll have to get lucky. You should be able to get off the ship by 6 AM. Checking into business class will help as well.

May want to arrange for a private transfer to the airport for for 5:45 and carry your stuff off by yourself.

Good luck.

PS try to check in online 24 hours before - it may help.

Edited January 23, 2020 by Paulchili

[Flatbush Flyer]

8 minutes ago, Verokaren said:

I did actually talk at length with Delta today, as I am booked on that Air France flight at 8:20am.  I am booked for business class, and did purchase insurance for this trip (which I rarely do).  HOWEVER, as HawaiiDan mentioned, Delta will not cooperate and rebook on Tahiti Nui, and the next flight out will be two days later on Friday.  I am rather distraught over this, as I was assured from the person that I booked with at Oceania as well as some people here on the boards that the ship would be in early enough to clear customs and make that 8:20 flight.  I will call Oceania and see if I can perhaps jump on one of their flights, as was suggested here.  Other than that, I am tempted to just have our bags packed and ready to go at 6:00am the day of arrival back into Papeete.  Keep any thoughts or ideas coming, and again, thank you, thank you!!

 

 

I am betting that, whatever may be the nature of your professional endeavors, if you are a valued worker, your scheduled responsibilities could be rearranged with enough advanced notice.

 

Worth a discussion with whoever?

[Verokaren]

Thank you, Paulchili!  Do you know how/where I would arrange for a private transport from the dock to the airport in Tahiti?  I wonder if there are taxis around at that hour there?  And, Flatbush flyer, I am a self-employed business owner, so I do have a flexible schedule, but can't be on vacation and abandon my clients forever, sadly :)

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

If all goes well, you'll be fine - although you'll have to get lucky. You should be able to get off the ship by 6 AM. Checking into business class will help as well.

May want to arrange for a private transfer to the airport for for 5:45 and carry your stuff off by yourself.

Good luck.

PS try to check in online 24 hours before - it may help.

Scheduled for 6 AM, arriving at 6 AM and debarking at 6 AM are often very different things.

Depending on the itinerary (don't know where the cruise starts or order of ports), there might be a thin silver lining in that French Polynesia Border Patrol may Board and clear folks days before the ship reaches the islands. That would shave some time off getting to the airport. But, I still think that making that current AM flight faces too many "what ifs."

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 minutes ago, Verokaren said:

Thank you, Paulchili!  Do you know how/where I would arrange for a private transport from the dock to the airport in Tahiti?  I wonder if there are taxis around at that hour there?  And, Flatbush flyer, I am a self-employed business owner, so I do have a flexible schedule, but can't be on vacation and abandon my clients forever, sadly 🙂

 

Private transfer? Have the hotel you're staying st pre-cruise recommend/reserve one.

Taxis? Half a shipload of folks will be jockeying for far too few unreserved taxis.

Self-employed? With plenty of advanced notice, your clients will understand.

[Paulchili]

25 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Scheduled for 6 AM, arriving at 6 AM and debarking at 6 AM are often very different things.

I believe the original post states a 5 AM arrival. In that case a 6 AM disembarkation is certainly possible under normal circumstances.

 

Edited January 23, 2020 by Paulchili