On our way to Moorea

[Cruise Junky]

Thanks for the wonderful review. We’re doing a land trip in April starting with a week in Hawaii. One night at the Hilton Tahiti and six at the Hilton Moorea. Can’t wait.  

[chubbypiggy]

On 2/21/2022 at 10:30 PM, Mercruiser said:

 

We then headed back to Papeete to have dinner at Place Vai'ete, the site of the food trucks, next to the cruise ship pier. My wife and I shared a plate of grilled Mahi Mahi and fries. It was very good and plenty of food for the $20 dinner.

 

 

$20 is USD?  Did you pay with U.S. cash?  If not, the food trucks accept credit card?  Or must have local cash currency?   We will be there in April 2023.

 

Thank you.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

1 minute ago, chubbypiggy said:

$20 is USD?  Did you pay with U.S. cash?  If not, the food trucks accept credit card?  Or must have local cash currency?   We will be there in April 2023.

 

Thank you.

I would have local currency

 

doing a livestream shortly to my group

[Mercruiser]

14 hours ago, chubbypiggy said:

$20 is USD?  Did you pay with U.S. cash?  If not, the food trucks accept credit card?  Or must have local cash currency?   We will be there in April 2023.

 

Thank you.

We paid with local cash, with dinner costing the equivalent of $20 USD.  I don't know if they take cards, I didn't ask because it was the end of our trip and I wanted to use my local currency.

 

There is an ATM at the PPT airport.  The ATM is in the public area, outside of baggage claim, not far from the rental car desks, as I recall. I always get cash there after landing. There are also ATMs in Papeete and Moorea.

 

Travel hint: Get a Schwab Investor checking account for international travel. You'll never have to pay ATM fees again. It basically allows you to use any ATM in the world, just as if you were a local. I keep money in this Schwab checking account specifically for international travel.

https://www.schwab.com/checking

 

If you use an ATM card from a normal bank, you'll probably get hit with a $5 (+/-) fee every time you use a foreign ATM.

 

 

[Mercruiser]

I'm re-reading this thread. It brings back very happy memories. It's making me want to book my next trip to French Polynesia.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

1 minute ago, Mercruiser said:

I'm re-reading this thread. It brings back very happy memories. It's making me want to book my next trip to French Polynesia.

 

3 trips to FP this year

4 trips in 2024 to FP

 

It never gets old 🙂

[chubbypiggy]

33 minutes ago, Mercruiser said:

We paid with local cash, with dinner costing the equivalent of $20 USD.  I don't know if they take cards, I didn't ask because it was the end of our trip and I wanted to use my local currency.

 

There is an ATM at the PPT airport.  The ATM is in the public area, outside of baggage claim, not far from the rental car desks, as I recall. I always get cash there after landing. There are also ATMs in Papeete and Moorea.

 

Travel hint: Get a Schwab Investor checking account for international travel. You'll never have to pay ATM fees again. It basically allows you to use any ATM in the world, just as if you were a local. I keep money in this Schwab checking account specifically for international travel.

https://www.schwab.com/checking

 

If you use an ATM card from a normal bank, you'll probably get hit with a $5 (+/-) fee every time you use a foreign ATM.

 

 

I checked out the site.  It appears there is no monthly fee if the checking account is linked to the brokerage account.  That mean I need to open a checking acct and a brokerage acct?  Currently, I use Capital One for international travel.  There is no monthly service fee and no foreign fee and no Capital One ATM fee.  But if the local ATM charges a fee for ATM, then I will have to pay.  Of all years of my international travels, only twice I was charged an ATM fee by the local banks, and that was from my recent travel to Mexico. 

[Mercruiser]

2 hours ago, chubbypiggy said:

I checked out the site.  It appears there is no monthly fee if the checking account is linked to the brokerage account.  That mean I need to open a checking acct and a brokerage acct?  Currently, I use Capital One for international travel.  There is no monthly service fee and no foreign fee and no Capital One ATM fee.  But if the local ATM charges a fee for ATM, then I will have to pay.  Of all years of my international travels, only twice I was charged an ATM fee by the local banks, and that was from my recent travel to Mexico. 

When I opened the Schwab account, they automatically created both  brokerage account and the checking account. I never funded the brokerage account (zero balance).

 

I have never had any fees ever on this account with the exception of some ATM fees that were not automatically rebated.  As they describe in footnote 2 of the linked web page (red emphasis mine):

 

"2 Unlimited ATM surcharge rebates apply to cash withdrawals using the Schwab Bank Visa^® Platinum Debit Card ...  Schwab Bank makes its best effort to identify those ATM surcharges eligible for rebate, based on information it receives from Visa and ATM operators. In the event that you have not received a rebate for an eligible surcharge, please call a Schwab Bank Client Service Specialist for assistance at ..."
 

A couple years ago, I had some ATM fees, in Europe, that were not automatically rebated. I called the phone number and Schwab took care of it with no hassle. Schwab has been very good to work with.

 

Note to Europe traveller: Avoid "Euronet" ATMs. They charge exorbitant fees. Their ATMs are conveniently located next to tourist sites all over Europe.

Edited January 18, 2023 by Mercruiser

[Mercruiser]

Rick Steves has this note about ATM fees in Europe:

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/cash-machine-atm-tips

 

[chubbypiggy]

1 hour ago, Mercruiser said:

When I opened the Schwab account, they automatically created both  brokerage account and the checking account. I never funded the brokerage account (zero balance).

 

I have never had any fees ever on this account with the exception of some ATM fees that were not automatically rebated.  As they describe in footnote 2 of the linked web page (red emphasis mine):

 

"2 Unlimited ATM surcharge rebates apply to cash withdrawals using the Schwab Bank Visa^® Platinum Debit Card ...  Schwab Bank makes its best effort to identify those ATM surcharges eligible for rebate, based on information it receives from Visa and ATM operators. In the event that you have not received a rebate for an eligible surcharge, please call a Schwab Bank Client Service Specialist for assistance at ..."
 

A couple years ago, I had some ATM fees, in Europe, that were not automatically rebated. I called the phone number and Schwab took care of it with no hassle. Schwab has been very good to work with.

 

Note to Europe traveller: Avoid "Euronet" ATMs. They charge exorbitant fees. Their ATMs are conveniently located next to tourist sites all over Europe.

Thank you for the information.

[minidonuts85]

@Mercruiser We are getting closer to our trip in August on the PG and made myself a note to revisit this wonderful thread. 

 

Question about the Avis rental car. Is there a fuel station nearby the ferry dock to fill up before returning the car? Did you have manual or automatic transmisson? Thanks! 

[Mercruiser]

1 hour ago, minidonuts85 said:

@Mercruiser We are getting closer to our trip in August on the PG and made myself a note to revisit this wonderful thread. 

 

Question about the Avis rental car. Is there a fuel station nearby the ferry dock to fill up before returning the car? Did you have manual or automatic transmisson? Thanks! 

Yes, there is a Shell station right next door to the Avis Pacificar office. You can see it here:

https://goo.gl/maps/VoKwF7Ya4ELc5kdy9

 

I have always had a manual tranny in FP.  

[SNUBES]

Mer, thank you for this detailed review. We are booked on O cruise for next March and staying at Moorea Hilton for four nights afterwards. As a first timer to FP I got so much valuable information from your review and definitely appreciate your effort taking time to write it. Thank you again. 

[daydreamer16]

On 1/18/2023 at 11:18 AM, Mercruiser said:

I'm re-reading this thread. It brings back very happy memories. It's making me want to book my next trip to French Polynesia.

Hi  I just read through this thread & all about your visit to the Hilton Moorea. We are planning to use a day pass there in April when we have a port stop on the Grand Princess. The hotel suggests booking a taxi in advance. We will be arriving via a tender, but not sure where it will dock, help? I'd like to know how far I am from the hotel before I make a commitment.    Thanks!

[Mercruiser]

1 hour ago, daydreamer16 said:

Hi  I just read through this thread & all about your visit to the Hilton Moorea. We are planning to use a day pass there in April when we have a port stop on the Grand Princess. The hotel suggests booking a taxi in advance. We will be arriving via a tender, but not sure where it will dock, help? I'd like to know how far I am from the hotel before I make a commitment.    Thanks!

You will be a short taxi ride (8 km or so) for where the ship tender boats land. There are two bays that are used to anchor large ships. Both of them are a short taxi ride to the Moorea Hilton.

 

Here is a map showing the driving distance for the most common anchorage, Opunohu Bay:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/wcowj2KwDMe66YfMA

 

The other possible anchorage is nearby Cook's Bay.

 

Here is a picture, taken from our room at the Moorea Hilton, showing the Paul Paul Gauguin departing from it's anchorage in Opunohu Bay. This will give you an idea of the distance involved.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2830241-on-our-way-to-moorea/?do=findComment&comment=62672144

 

 

 

Edited January 9 by Mercruiser

[daydreamer16]

Thanks so much! This so helpful. Hopefully we’ll be able to arrange a taxi. Someone else on my cruise is reconsidering the day pass because they anre  afraid we won’t get picked up!

Denise

[Mercruiser]

You are welcome. A day at the Moorea Hilton sounds wonderful. The snorkeling is really good, and the setting is gorgeous. 

 

 

[Ski Mom 2]

We are on an Azamara cruise Auckland to Auckland in January 2025. We booked a Windstar cruise from Tahiti to Fiji ending in Auckland arriving 2 days before the Azamara cruise sets sail.

 

I'm attempting to sort out air and hotel and hoping to use my AA miles at some point. The cost of flights is crazy if you're wanting laydown seats whether you're paying or using miles/points. Part of the reason we booked the Tahiti - NZ cruise was to have a shorter flight over (and maybe catch a daytime flight) and potentially save the miles for the return from Auckland.

 

I'm also trying to decide where to land for what will most likely be 4 nights prior to the cruise. Papeete? Mooreau? Resort? AirBnB type?

 

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading through your posts! Thank you!

[macpam]

Mercruiser, thanks for all the info! Re: Belvedere, did you see anyone attempting to go up it on an e-bike? Anyone else on his thread? We are thinking of using them.  Thanks

[Mercruiser]

59 minutes ago, macpam said:

Mercruiser, thanks for all the info! Re: Belvedere, did you see anyone attempting to go up it on an e-bike? Anyone else on his thread? We are thinking of using them.  Thanks

We have seen several people up there on conventional bikes. But I did not notice any e-bikes. 

[FlightMedic555]

I did see ebike tours up to Belevedere this past July.  They were part of a group.  Not sure if you can rent independently.  

[macpam]

Thanks! It looks like we can take the e-bikes then. Will report back after our trip.

[IndyCapt]

We booked an ATV tour for our stop in Moorea later this month. When I inquired with the tour operator about payment/currency, I asked about ATMs nearby to get local currency for payment on the day of. They said no ATMs were nearby and that USD would be no problem for payment. I then asked them to reconfirm the tour price. They said 21,000cfp or $210 USD. When I googled the comparison of the two currencies those figures don't add up. Am I missing something on this conversion from USD to cfp?

I did ask if the $210 included a tip and they said no....

Thanks

[oakridger]

8 hours ago, IndyCapt said:

They said 21,000cfp or $210 USD. When I googled the comparison of the two currencies those figures don't add up. Am I missing something on this conversion from USD to cfp?

 

When I Googled the conversion just now 21000 cfp = $187.74    I would pay them in cfp rather than USD and save $22.26.

 

~Nancy

[IndyCapt]

7 hours ago, oakridger said:

 

When I Googled the conversion just now 21000 cfp = $187.74    I would pay them in cfp rather than USD and save $22.26.

 

~Nancy

That's what I was coming up with too. Thanks!