PG-- Regent Air arrangments or independent arrangements

[lonestartor]

Is it a better deal overall to go with Regent Air arrangements or is it better to make arrangements by oneself/travel agent to Tahiti?

I live in Toronto Canada. Perhaps some Canadians could relay their experiences? Of course American views are welcome too :)

 

I'd appreciate any comments.

 

Thanks

Brian

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Hi,

 

We have always gone with Regent air. We've done this three times from Toronto. The hassle of arranging the ATN flights (or Air France if you prefer), and orchestrating the flights to and from LA is just too much. Several advantages of doing the Regent air: you have a "forced overnight" in L.A., and they pick up the tab for the hotel (unless you "deviate"); transfers are included to and from the ship; you get a day-room at the Radisson Tahiti on disembarkation day, which is a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon before the flight home. Oh, and if something happens and you have to cancel, you don't have to worry about losing money on the plane flights.

[Dreps]

Tahiti is one of the few places where it seldom pays to arrange your own flights unless you have points to upgrade or, perhaps, if you live in LA or NY and can take advantage of ATN specials. By the way, you don't necessarily have to stay overnight in LA. In February, we chose to fly all the way through from the East Coast to Papeete (via LAX). (We did not pay a deviation fee.) We preferred to recover at the Radisson in Tahiti for a few days before the cruise. The first time we went, we stayed overnight in LA and did not have a very good night's sleep by the airport and felt the next day was a waste.

[cul8tr]

Ditto everything Wendy said re: the "perks" going with Regent Air. Also, you can stay on board until 12+ which is nice. In addition, we went 7/12 and prior to booking we found the price thru Regent almost 1/2 ATN's web price. So, I'd check it all out first. The day room at Radisson the day your leave is a lovely way to spend a long afternoon.

Whatever you decide,

Enjoy!

Carol

[Kathy Z]

Our experience with the forced (free) overnight at the LAX Hilton was the opposite of Dreps. We've done it twice and gotten a great nights' sleep. For me, I'd much rather have 2 days of travel with a 3 hour time change than one day with a 6 hour change. We're (relatively young) retired so the number of days away was no problem and we still had a pre-cruise stay in Tahiti before our cruise and a 3-day post-cruise on another island.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Yep, it depends on your constitution, I don't think I would be up to travel NY-PPT non-stop, especially in economy class, which is what we usually fly. The overnight in LA gives us a chance to recover. We don't usually bother staying over on the way back, just connect straight through.

[flyerdreamer]

I'd do everything you can to avoid flying Tahiti Nui IN COACH, including forgoing the "perks" you get with Regent for going with their air. Coach in TN is wretched, just horrible. and you are last in line off the airplane when you get to Papeete which is a unpleasant airport, with long lines in a steamy "terminal" with no places to eat what I'd call food. The onboard service in coach was awful--the flight attendants acted lobotomized, and the food was disgusting and cooked until whatever it was was stuck to the bottom of the tray. I wouldn't feed it to my dog. If you can upgrade to Business, then ignore this note. If not, do not subject yourself to this torture. My teens and I are healthy, in good shape, and the experience exhausted us. My seat hardly reclined, and I was stuck in a middle with no way to change to a window row. Don't believe the folks who tell you you can change when you get to the airports if your seats suck. If it's high season, forget it.

 

Air France is no better in coach, so don't consider them, but good news: Air New Zealand! They fly to FP, too. They are superior in all ways to TN.

 

The so-called Regent perks are not as perky as you think. I'd long looked forward to my "afternoon" at the Raddisson. It was no afternoon but maybe 3 hours max. The PG debarkation was suprisingly slow for such a small ship and we weren't off and on the buses until nearly 1:30. Hotel arrival at around 2. Check in. Down on beach/pool by 3. Back to the room to shower by 4:45-5 and hurry to the airport bus by 5:30. Going later won't help you avoid the hellishly long lines. A number of fellow passengers tried this and ended up increasing their wait time exponentially. For 50 bucks (25 each way) you can buy your own rides to the hotel/airport. On the last day they (the PG tour desk) even offered the day room package for the Raddisson (Loved this property by the way, just no time to enjoy it!) and the price was VERY reasonable. I see no reason why you can't do it this way and not be obligated to doing their air.

 

Sorry to post so frankly, but it's become a bit of urban legend here about that Raddisson "day room" and you need to know you're there only a few short hours. And y'all are way too easy on Tahiti Nui. Their economy service is the worst of any airline I've ever flown. And I've flown tons. Bus class, though, another story.

 

So don't be afraid of being independent! It doesn't cost that much more and it's worth the cost, IMO, if you can fly Air New Zealand and avoid ending your vacation on a sour note with a nasty experience on TN.

 

You will love the PG, however. The staff is phenomenal and the destination the most beautiful on the planet. (But, bring lots of seasick remedies if you're prone, because the ship she is little and moves with every swell.)

[flyerdreamer]

Don't believe the folks who tell you you can change when you get to the airports if your seats suck. If it's high season, forget it.

 

Editing to add that when I got to LAX, I was able to move us about 15 rows forward from row 39 where were were. But couldn't escape the middle seating situation. Same lousy seats but a little closer to the front. At Papeete, nothing, couldn't do anything. Regent buys the seats in a block and TN won't change those until you get to the airport. If the flight is full, you won't have much luck with improvement, so don't bank on that as I did. Keep in mind the season you are traveling. June-July is high season down there.

[LovinDivin]

We also thought the ATN coach seats were tight and terrible. However, the minute we got on the plane we took a sleeping pill and woke up in time to put our seats up for landing! It is a perfect Ambien flight.....8.5 hours. We never even saw the food or attendants! Did the same thing on the way home....for us easiest flights ever!

 

By the way, we were probably the last people at the ATN counter in LA (due to a very late crew out of SLC) and there was still Business Class available. Guess it just depends.

 

Have fun!

[flyerdreamer]

It is a perfect Ambien flight.....8.5 hours. We never even saw the food or attendants!

 

LOL! :D Well, there you go! Bonine for the cruise and Ambien for the flights and no pain or discomfort!

 

Too funny. I'll remember that if I ever get stuck in that situation again. We do want to revisit the PG for the diving, but I'll be taking a closer look on how I will get us there and back for sure!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

flyerdreamer, I kind of agree with you about the day-room "myth". But the Radisson hotel, despite the fact that they are (or were) administratively incompetent, was better than the ICB used to be--in 2003, we had open rebellion getting to the darned dayrooms, since they were not available when we actually arrived at the hotel after the bus tour. That was tooth-grinding, and the dayrooms at that hotel were pretty punk as well, with rotten a/c.

 

I did have a very relaxing time at the Rad, however, although I had been there pre-cruise, so I knew my way around. We got to witness one more stunning sunset, I had a swim and a walk on the beach, my husband slept. I found it very relaxing before the gruelling airport experience. Unfortunately, until they renovate that airport properly, it will continue to be gruelling, no matter what.

[flyerdreamer]

I did have a very relaxing time at the Rad, however, although I had been there pre-cruise, so I knew my way around. We got to witness one more stunning sunset, I had a swim and a walk on the beach, my husband slept.

 

I really, really liked this hotel. To the point that when I someday return, I'd do my pre-cruise there. I liked having a beach and being able to swim in the ocean. The IC, though gorgeous, has no beach.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Yep, I liked it too. Once you get over the fact that it's a bit isolated, and a cab is needed to to to Papeete (which is true in the other direction as well), it's good. Lower-keyed that the ICB, more locals around too, which makes it nice. I love the sound of the surf on that black beach!

[lborne]

I did not find the Air Tahiti Nui seats, food or service that bad. I had just flown Virgin to the UK not long before, and the ATN flight was just as good. We are young (30s), but still enjoyed staying in LAX one night. We paid extra to have specific flights from Orlando to LA, but still got to stay at the Hilton. Our room was facing the airport but I did not notice any airplane noise. But you can request a room not facing the airport. We liked having the flight broken up, and especially liked getting to meet many people who would be on our cruise. When we got to the ship, we still felt fresh.

 

Previosuly, we flew without staying over (UA to LAX, then AF to PPT), and we arrived completely beat.