Tahiti w/Oceania - what 'sold' you with them over PG or Windstar?

This was in the news recently and might be a factor (e.g. older ship) for some:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7182

 

I have no personal experience on these ships, nor in Polynesia, but I think I would go with the two Goldilocks ships - Marina and Riviera. They are not too big, nor are they too small.

We were on Marina from FP all the way to Sydney and loved the whole trip. We would go again in a few years if they put the Marina back in the South Pacific. :):):)

as I just started to compare the two for 2018(wish list). Read LOTS of PG reviews and many seemed to love it.But try to avoid the smaller ships like that due to excess motion(seems to be a problem on the 1,and only,PG ship. Also, quite a few said entertainment can be a little hokey,poor coffee thru out ,etc.Since those are ALL important,among loads of other things.,,may pick O .

Have 2 /O trips booked already,may decide on the Jan.cruise and book on it to get OBC,etc.

Love Marina since I can book veranda cabin and get a tub,not have to upgrade to PH like I do on R ships. That s one of the reasons I won t go on Sirena,no tubs. Small point for many,but deal breaker due to medical probs for us.

Also many on PG said sort of "clubby",dealt with that on SeaDream and not for us.We tend to be laid back and sort of private,not try to FIT in,if you get my drift.

We have sailed on luxury and mass market cruise ships and have found ALL coffee served is uniformly bad except for express coffee drinks due to the fact ALL cruise lines use coffee syrup to make the large "pots" of coffee.

PG is a special ship without pretense but having lots of have one would expect of a luxury ship. It may not be for all but it works for us.

as I just started to compare the two for 2018(wish list). Read LOTS of PG reviews and many seemed to love it.But try to avoid the smaller ships like that due to excess motion(seems to be a problem on the 1,and only,PG ship. Also, quite a few said entertainment can be a little hokey,poor coffee thru out ,etc.Since those are ALL important,among loads of other things.,,may pick O .

Have 2 /O trips booked already,may decide on the Jan.cruise and book on it to get OBC,etc.

Love Marina since I can book veranda cabin and get a tub,not have to upgrade to PH like I do on R ships. That s one of the reasons I won t go on Sirena,no tubs. Small point for many,but deal breaker due to medical probs for us.

Also many on PG said sort of "clubby",dealt with that on SeaDream and not for us.We tend to be laid back and sort of private,not try to FIT in,if you get my drift.

Clubby? No way. Yes you will see a few repeaters who know each pother, a group or two; but unless you are on the reunion cruise no way is the PG "clubby". You will find however by the end of the cruise more people handing over personal info than any other cruise ship I have ever been on. It's funny - I HATE bathtubs on cruise ships.

Love Marina since I can book veranda cabin and get a tub,not have to upgrade to PH like I do on R ships. That s one of the reasons I won t go on Sirena,no tubs. Small point for many,but deal breaker due to medical probs for us.

I'm not trying to change your mind here, and am sure you will have a lovely time.

However, with the exception of a couple of cabins, on the PG they all have a tub/shower.

While I'm at it, I will concur with twin*: I've never seen a "clubby" atmosphere. Even on the one repeater's cruise I was on I've never seen any signs of it.

I once did a Rio-Ft. Lauderdale segment of a world cruise on Regent. When I first got on board, the continuing passengers had naturally formed relationships with each other. But I never felt excluded in any way and made many new friends. Similarly from my observation for the newbies on a repeater's cruise, which was roughly 1/2 of the people. And a lot of the repeaters didn't actually know each other except perhaps from Cruise Critic.

Passengers on the PG and Regent are in general extremely friendly, unpretentious, and tolerant of each other. That's one reason why I like both. Please note that I am not saying people on other lines are not any or all of the above.

Enjoy your cruise!

as I just started to compare the two for 2018(wish list). Read LOTS of PG reviews and many seemed to love it.But try to avoid the smaller ships like that due to excess motion(seems to be a problem on the 1,and only,PG ship. Also, quite a few said entertainment can be a little hokey,poor coffee thru out ,etc.Since those are ALL important,among loads of other things.,,may pick O .

Have 2 /O trips booked already,may decide on the Jan.cruise and book on it to get OBC,etc.

Love Marina since I can book veranda cabin and get a tub,not have to upgrade to PH like I do on R ships. That s one of the reasons I won t go on Sirena,no tubs. Small point for many,but deal breaker due to medical probs for us.

Also many on PG said sort of "clubby",dealt with that on SeaDream and not for us.We tend to be laid back and sort of private,not try to FIT in,if you get my drift.

January is extremely humid in FP. Better to go in our summer (FP's far-less- humid winter). The average daily temperature doesn't change that much, but the humidity sure does -- and it makes a big difference in your comfort.

January is extremely humid in FP. Better to go in our summer (FP's far-less- humid winter). The average daily temperature doesn't change that much, but the humidity sure does -- and it makes a big difference in your comfort.

I have also had to deal with cyclones twice in January in FP. Once was only the last day and day after the cruise. But it is the season.....

and will continue to check ea.line.

The Marina cruise in 2018 is in Feb. But heat and humidity not a prob.since I live in FL.and sadly,used to it.

Ordered a brochure from PG, so will look more closely.

Just mentioning the above complaints that were on member review section.

Also, guess I tend to lean towards slightly larger ship for less motion, better amenities(some complained about small workout room ,etc).

Just had bad experience on SeaDream.Too small.

Still open to both lines at this point and have a lot of time.

We were on Marina from FP all the way to Sydney and loved the whole trip. We would go again in a few years if they put the Marina back in the South Pacific. :):):)

I have been to Tahiti on the R ships, The Marina and the Regent 7 sea Mariner.

600 to 1200 pax, Jan, December, April November. Never ever had a problem getting into Cooks bay on Moorea, In fact on Marina did the pass at Rangroa and Farkarava which is no mean feat for any one. The tidal range in the area is less than 3 feet normaly.

And in talking about the sice of these ships none has any advantage except that Paul Gauguin has a cool stern that turns into a dock for water sports. If she has a flat not deep v like a LST then yes she will rock n roll. The ships discussed are about equal for access except for the water sports platform on Gaugin.

I do feel from a pure aesthetic view point, that your first experience in viviting these or any other island is enhanced by discovering any island by sea. The days of anticipation and feeling of the vastness of the ocean enhances the experience.... Your discovering these by sea like the first people did..... Arriving in a metal tube in the night may be efficient but I feel short changes your experience... Whether Hawaii, Nuka Hiva, Bora Bora all become more interesting and satisfying to first visit by sea .

For this reason sailing from Tahiti to anywhere like Lima, or Lima to Tahiti or LA to Hawaii, or La to Tahiti or Australia to Tahiti are Marina routes and filled with excitement and feeling your actually discovering them instead of visiting them.

Remember the excitement as a child when you discovered something for the first time? Many said they seek the real or authentic experience.... well the Polynesians who discovered the islands first did not use a Boeing 767 !!!

Dont short change your life now your an adult... A circle Tahiti to Tahiti is not going to give you half the experience that arrival by ship is for the first time......and your only going to get to experience Tahiti for the first time ONCE in your life !!!

In comparing Hawaii to Tahiti one has to look in perspective that Hawaii is 20 times the land mass, But both places are totally focused on tourism as the cash cow. Both beautiful, South Kona and Tahiti both have the same crystal water and corals. I wont disagree Dave....except the Mariana Trench is off the Philippines /Guam other side of the Ocean.

I wont disagree Dave....except the Mariana Trench is off the Philippines /Guam other side of the Ocean.

Dan is correct. Whatever the trench is named between the Marquesas and Bora Bora, I remember the captain saying it was something like a zillion miles deep. ("zillion" is a technical nautical term meaning "lots of" I think) But Google confirms that it is not the Mariana.

l also have some understanding of Dan's position on cruising there instead of arriving in a "metal tube" (a lovely phrase). I remember the first time I flew into Papete and looking out the window of the plane during the approach early in the morning and being gob-smacked. That thrill still happens for me but is now a little less intense. I can imagine coming into view of those magnificent islands by boat for the first time after a few sea days and not being jet lagged: it must be an incredible experience.

Don't always agree with you Dan, but spot on with these comments:)

I too found your take on Tahiti, Hawaii and Fiji interesting, but IMHO a bit too broad. As with every port, there are exceptions to generalizations.

Hawaii. If you live on Oahu, other than perhaps Lai'e or North Shore, my only question would be why? Better roads and just as much traffic in LA. If you want true Hawaii, skip Maui (LA light), spend a few days on south shore or north shore Kauai, then relax and feel what's left of Hawaii on the Big Island.

Tahiti. Again, it depends on your choices. If by Tahiti you meant French Polynesia, there are many islands where everything is as it should be. Even on Tahiti island, Papeete has a certain charm beneath the trash on the streets. Le Gran Marche, food trucks on Saturday at the pier, the Gauguin Museum, and beautiful Tahiti Iti are all worth it.

Fiji. My eyes popped. My gastronomy soured. I was spellbound by a few days on Tokoriki island paddle boarding, snorkeling, fishing and eating Chef Kim's truly amazing food. The dollar buys you about two bucks worth of Fiji currency, so it's super reasonable, and the people are as lovely as the Polynesians.

 

Fiji. My eyes popped. My gastronomy soured. I was spellbound by a few days on Tokoriki island paddle boarding, snorkeling, fishing and eating Chef Kim's truly amazing food. The dollar buys you about two bucks worth of Fiji currency, so it's super reasonable, and the people are as lovely as the Polynesians.

I hope you meant soared:)

If you want true Hawaii, skip Maui (LA light)

With all due respect, there is far more to Maui than most visitors will realize, but few will take time to go discover what is beyond their "LA light" mindset, and that is a shame.

With all due respect, there is far more to Maui than most visitors will realize, but few will take time to go discover what is beyond their "LA light" mindset, and that is a shame.

It is true there are places in Hawaii, Maui left alone and untouched by the California beach set who do their best to turn Maui and other places into carbon copies of Redondo , Santa Monica and Huntington beaches in CA... What they seek is a California beach experience in Hawaii !!! Like for shure man, do you have like good Karma Fax me we will do sushi at El Paseo