Sirena Tahiti cruise Feb 2017

We are interested in going to Tahiti on Sirena next February. I just got off the phone with Oceania cruises and were told that the transfers from the airport to the cruise ship is $129.00 per person each way. Seems pretty high to me so I asked how far is the cruise ship from the airport and he said 7 miles! 7 miles for $129.00 per person seems pretty darn high to me. Has anyone bought these transfers through Oceania and can tell me why the price is so high? Is there no taxi service in Tahiti? This would cost us $516.00 to travel 14 miles.

Hi Linda, My husband and I are on that cruise but we are going in a couple of days early. I think that the transfer is very expensive. You will arrive very early in the morning and not be able to board right away so you will need to think about where to go during that time if you just take a taxi. I think that Oceania takes you somewhere to wait - others can confirm that.

You will have to wait for those more experienced to chime in. If you do book, please join the roll call.

We are interested in going to Tahiti on Sirena next February. I just got off the phone with Oceania cruises and were told that the transfers from the airport to the cruise ship is $129.00 per person each way. Seems pretty high to me so I asked how far is the cruise ship from the airport and he said 7 miles! 7 miles for $129.00 per person seems pretty darn high to me. Has anyone bought these transfers through Oceania and can tell me why the price is so high? Is there no taxi service in Tahiti? This would cost us $516.00 to travel 14 miles.

Good catch, the transfers are expensive, but you are not going to like the solution. The flights to Tahiti are wildly out of sync with Cruise ship schedules, so it's usually necessary to arrange for day facilities of some kind on the island before boarding the ship, unless you're fine with sitting and waiting with your luggage all day

Incidentally, if your group is four adults, please tell me that the four of you are not planning on sharing a stateroom! :eek: Those cabins for four are exceptionally tight, as are their bathrooms.

Taxi is about $25 USD

If you decide to stay overnight pre/post cruise, join Intercontinental's loyalty program beforehand for no/low cost upgrades.

Wherever you stay, be prepared for outrageous booze prices anywhere: $20+ for the simplest cocktails.

We are interested in going to Tahiti on Sirena next February. I just got off the phone with Oceania cruises and were told that the transfers from the airport to the cruise ship is $129.00 per person each way. Seems pretty high to me so I asked how far is the cruise ship from the airport and he said 7 miles! 7 miles for $129.00 per person seems pretty darn high to me. Has anyone bought these transfers through Oceania and can tell me why the price is so high? Is there no taxi service in Tahiti? This would cost us $516.00 to travel 14 miles.

Linda

I agree with you 100% that O's transfers are way too expensive. When we took this trip on the Marina in Jan 2015 we took a private taxi to the pier and it was much cheaper. Even though our flight arrived very early on a Sunday morning Oceania had a tent where we could drop off our luggage. The bigger problem was that being a Sunday Papeete what almost completely shut down. The local Sunday market and Mcdonalds were the only places open. We had arranged for a tour so it wasn't that much of a problem for us. Others on our ship arranged for a day room at a hotel so they could rest after the long flight or even arrived a couple of days early to adjust to the time change. I never really found out why O's charter flights arrive so early in the day. Perhaps others on this board could explain.

Charlie

This is where a good travel agent can help you. Ours handles a lot of O business and since we are new to O she has been very helpful. We are sailing Sirena out of Tahiti next May and she said to "forget about the transfers the price is ridiculous!" Can you come in a few days earlier that seems to be a better option.

I never really found out why O's charter flights arrive so early in the day. Perhaps others on this board could explain.

The people who own the equipment, naturally want to maximize the use of it.

In order to get a round trip to North America out of the Airplane in any three day period, they must schedule the flights as they are scheduled.

We used O's business air for the evening flight. Arrived shortly before sailing and paid $30.00 total for a cab to get 3 of us to the ship. Do look into private transfers.

Those are ridiculous prices.

We were in French Polynesia 2 weeks ago. We had a fantastic cab driver named Marie-Laure. She owns her own air conditioned taxi van and speaks perfect English. Her email is taxi.marielaure@gmail.com. She met us at the airport, took us to our hotel, and came back the next morning at 5am to take us to our Air France flight back to LAX. Night rates from airport to central PPT (and the port) is approx $30 plus $1 per bag. Daytime rate is approx $25.

We stayed at Hotel Tahiti Nui downtown. No, it's not on the beach but it's only +/-$200 a night including taxes. The staff is very hospitable and our room was clean and quiet. Not flash but comfortable. We had to wait for the 1 pm check-in time before we could go to our room but we went to Lou Pescadou's for lunch to pass the time. There is a secure, locked area to keep your luggage. Wifi is free in the lobby. The room has free internet but one needs to use a cable.

We're not fans of the Intercontinental....waaaaaaay overpriced for everything. Our suggestion: fly in the day before and stay at the Hotel Tahiti Nui to be refreshed for the cruise the next day. If you have the $$ for it, take the ferry over to Moorea and spend a few days there. The ferry port is right next to the cruise ship dock.

If you do fly in early (which is what we always do because we don't want to miss the ship!) and have already paid the air deviation fee, take Air France back to LAX. They depart at 0730-ish which negates the need to a day room.....as long as the AF schedule corresponds to your disembarkation date.

 

Incidentally, if your group is four adults, please tell me that the four of you are not planning on sharing a stateroom! :eek: Those cabins for four are exceptionally tight, as are their bathrooms.

2 people travelling 7 miles to ship = $258, 2 people travelling 7 miles from ship = $258

$258 + $258 = $516 for 14 miles :)

Go in a few days early and you will have a great time. Stay in the over the water rooms. Just wonderful. Using local taxi will pay the difference in the cost of The Oceania transfers.

You have been given great advice on the taxi and hotel room in one of the downtown Papeete hotels. Also check out the Fare Suisse B&B. The owner picks you up at the airport.

Even better if you can arrive a few days earlier and stay in Moorea. When you return from Moorea with the ferry, you will be right on the cruise pier.

Just addressing the transfer cost charged my Oceania which I do think has been answered but not as completely as I might have said. Okay, I can be verbose, I admit it.

But it's not just the transfer costs in Tahiti. It's O's transfer costs EVERYWHERE. It may be more justified to pay O's fees in Tahiti because of arrival and departure times (if you don't want to come in early or get a day room or whatever) ... but just about anywhere else you are better off finding a taxi or car service.

Of course, if you are doing your own air you won't have the option of O's transfer anyway. At least we never have!

I remember with pleasure our flight to Athens for our second Renaissance cruise in February 2000. We had booked our own air because they wouldn't give us nonstop flights to Athens and back from Istanbul. But our flight to Athens happened to have MANY of our fellow passengers on board ... so we just joined the shuttle to the hotel and no one ever asked for proof that we were entitled to the transfer.

(Maybe that's why they went bankrupt? Well, certainly not entirely!)

But that was our only free transfer ever ...

Mura

Thanks so much to everyone for their feedback on this EXPENSIVE transfer issue. I guess the answer is to come in a day early and use a taxi to get to the ship. If Oceania is offering "free" airfare for this cruise will they allow you to come in early or would they charge you some outrageous fee to change your flights? What's the thought about just sitting in the airport until it's time to get to the ship and then taking a taxi? I Googled the Tahiti airport and it doesn't seem to have very many amenities. I think it said something about metal chairs. LOL

Thanks again for everyone's help. You guys are great!

Thanks so much to everyone for their feedback on this EXPENSIVE transfer issue. I guess the answer is to come in a day early and use a taxi to get to the ship. If Oceania is offering "free" airfare for this cruise will they allow you to come in early or would they charge you some outrageous fee to change your flights? What's the thought about just sitting in the airport until it's time to get to the ship and then taking a taxi? I Googled the Tahiti airport and it doesn't seem to have very many amenities. I think it said something about metal chairs. LOL

Thanks again for everyone's help. You guys are great!

PPT airport is fairly basic and as I recall isn't air conditioned. However there is a lounge that we used when departing Tahiti that was much more comfortable and air conditioned.

I don't know if it is available to arriving passengers.

https://www.prioritypass.com/loungesearch?entity=12b794c3-a795-4556-b067-3aa734d545c6

We have Priority Pass from our Amex Platinum card and that gave us access.

Charlie

Thanks so much to everyone for their feedback on this EXPENSIVE transfer issue. I guess the answer is to come in a day early and use a taxi to get to the ship. If Oceania is offering "free" airfare for this cruise will they allow you to come in early or would they charge you some outrageous fee to change your flights? What's the thought about just sitting in the airport until it's time to get to the ship and then taking a taxi? I Googled the Tahiti airport and it doesn't seem to have very many amenities. I think it said something about metal chairs. LOL

Thanks again for everyone's help. You guys are great!

To answer the first question, if you come in a day early you pay a deviation fee of $350 ($175pp). I believe that if you only take the deviation in one direction you pay half that fee. Stan/Jim, correct me if I'm wrong!

You can come in even earlier than that if you wish. We opted for O's air flying to Copenhagen in June, returning from LHR in July BUT we don't get O's transfers with that. Not that we want them ...

OTOH, if you are using O's hotels (horrendously overpriced) they don't charge the transfer fee. Or so I have heard ... we haven't ever used their hotels pre- or post-cruise.

When we were using an O hotel in London a couple of years ago on our own (a Marriott) we met a couple who were platinum Marriott members but had no idea the hotel was a Marriott. So they could have stayed for free instead of paying something like $300pp per night on O's package. They were NOT happy.

To answer the first question, if you come in a day early you pay a deviation fee of $350 ($175pp). I believe that if you only take the deviation in one direction you pay half that fee. Stan/Jim, correct me if I'm wrong!

 

Not Jim but you pay the fee & can come in early & stay longer after the cruise for the same fee IF you book pre & post flights at the same time

If you book to come in a day early but fly home on debarkation day then later decide to stay a few days longer you will pay the fee again

The airport is open air. I remember a very basic lounge upstairs, open to everyone with some sort of coffee bar. But it has been a while since we wee there.

Ask the owner of Fare Swiss or another hotel whether he has a room available immediately for the entire day. You will have to pay a full day.

PPT airport is fairly basic and as I recall isn't air conditioned. However there is a lounge that we used when departing Tahiti that was much more comfortable and air conditioned.

I don't know if it is available to arriving passengers.

https://www.prioritypass.com/loungesearch?entity=12b794c3-a795-4556-b067-3aa734d545c6

We have Priority Pass from our Amex Platinum card and that gave us access.

 

Charlie

Tahiti airport is open air....you must be booked as a Business class or first class to get into the AC lounge... It is not open except for a few hours prior to departure... There isnt "jack" around the airport.

The intercontinental is old, worn, over priced ( even for Tahiti),,, the Tahiti Nui Hotel is about 300 yards from the pier.. you can walk. Half the price of Inter cont.

If you want to come in early or take air france you have to pay $175 pp for a deviation, + the difference in air fare.. For what O charges for business ups + deviation, you can do better by taking the $1000-1200 air credit and buying your own. I got Business for $1900 and Prem coach for $1560. with air france

Getting a free FF flight is considered a small miracle...

Some times O will do charters that arrive at about 9 pm and you can go direct to the ship. Thats great.

All departures except Air France leave PPT around midnight... Ait france leaces 7-8 in the morning 3 days a week

If you arrive at 0500-0600. be wise enough to NOT try to tour... grab a shower and some sleep and enjoy the cruise... 25-30 USD cash.. they perfer USD not CPF If coming from east coast its 5 hours diff. 10 hrs from Europe. sleep...dont tour its not a contest

Tahiti is in the same time zone as Hawaii...+2 hours

You dont have to book a transfer...or a cab in advance... there are tons of them that show up..its no problem

O charges are they way they are for people who dont want to plan, and or are too worried and want someone to hold their hand.....You pay for that $$$$

Torture can be defined as waiting on the pier side tent in 90% 85 degrees at 7 am +++ humidity in a folding chair with nothing to do...

Planes come in and depart in the middle of the night because the airport is small, has limited parking, one runway and during the day has very heavy commuter traffic that precludes the arrival of heavy aircraft. Too departures and arrivals have to connect in LAX to europe etc.

I would also like to recommend Marama Tours for transfer service.

4 of us traveled in a private Mercedes van, seemed brand new, for around $75. They also have a shared service for less.

To the OP, Tahiti is much like Venice in that traveling there requires a special set of circumstances. It requires a lot of information and research to not make costly mistakes. You are being given good advice on this thread. Instead of focusing on Oceania's "ridiculous" pricing, focus on the workarounds that many of the regulars understand.

I would also search here for discussions in the past concerning embarking and disembarking there, as well as the Ports of Call section.

Knowledge is Power, or in your case cash in the pocket and a more enjoyable and stress free vacation.

We were in Papeete in early April. We booked our own air and arrived four days early. The cab from the airport to a downtown hotel was $29. The hotel offers a free airport pickup that we didn't use. We stayed one night and then ferried to Moorea for three days.

My advice is to take the air credit and book your own flights to be in control of the schedule. For us it is a better option than air deviation.

Try to book the mid afternoon departure from LAX, you arrive 9 to 10 pm Tahiti time. Take a cab to your hotel. There is no need to pre reserve, cabs are lined up waiting for you.

Whatever you do do not book the flight that arrives 5 am.

We were in Papeete in early April. We booked our own air and arrived four days early. The cab from the airport to a downtown hotel was $29. The hotel offers a free airport pickup that we didn't use. We stayed one night and then ferried to Moorea for three days.

My advice is to take the air credit and book your own flights to be in control of the schedule. For us it is a better option than air deviation.

Try to book the mid afternoon departure from LAX, you arrive 9 to 10 pm Tahiti time. Take a cab to your hotel. There is no need to pre reserve, cabs are lined up waiting for you.

 

Whatever you do do not book the flight that arrives 5 am.

Sorry Sammy ole' pal Except for O's tahiti nui charters that get in at about 10pm or Hawaiian air that gets in at 11pm everything comes in at 5-6 am

Now as to take the credit or not.....can you do it?

Ok....here is a little example Bob and wife decide to come in early using O's Tahiti Nui. They pay 175 each and get row 39 middle seats for the 8 hour flight arriving at 5 am. and returning at 11 pm after the cruise

BOB gets lucky and O offers him and wife a one way up grade for $700

Total spent $875 or if luck holds for a business seat on Tahiti Nui ( only reclines 155 degrees) so now that $1575pp rt

Joe and wife decide to take the air credit and O offers then $1000. each

Joe goes to Air France and for $1646 gets a prem reclining prem econ seat about the equal of the Tahiti Nui. It actually cost Joe and wife $646 each over the Tahiti up grade and deviation. out of pocket for RT Prem seats an

Joe and his wife are happy sipping mai tais at 10 pm watching the throngs of exhausted passengers heading to the airport lines for their mid night red eye flight to LAX. Hot, tired pushing and shoving.... How sad to see.

The next day Joe and wife take a cab after breakfast to the airport for a 8 am flight to LAX, They skip the crowds and walk to the business/first class check in....in 15 min they are sitting in the AC business class lounge ...and munching on snacks and free liquor waiting for their boarding call.

They get window seats while sipping wine and seeing the views of the other islands... They arrive after a good meal and more french wine in LAX at about 6pm and relax in a nice hotel before heading home.

Who would you rather travel with or like???

We are interested in going to Tahiti on Sirena next February. I just got off the phone with Oceania cruises and were told that the transfers from the airport to the cruise ship is $129.00 per person each way. Seems pretty high to me so I asked how far is the cruise ship from the airport and he said 7 miles! 7 miles for $129.00 per person seems pretty darn high to me. Has anyone bought these transfers through Oceania and can tell me why the price is so high? Is there no taxi service in Tahiti? This would cost us $516.00 to travel 14 miles.

In 2014 my wife and I disembarked Silver Spirit...

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2015/02/12/silver-spirit-to-tahiti/

We had arranged our own 3 day post cruise extension on Tahiti: a studio apartment which gave us views back across to the island of Moorea.

There were ample taxis in Papeete and while I cannot remember the exact fare to the airport it certainly wasn't anywhere in the region that you have been quoted.

Just a word of warning though. The airport opens 'as and when' and not round the clock.

PS. We did a whole private round the island tour for €108.00.

Hope that all helps.

Sorry Sammy ole' pal Except for O's tahiti nui charters that get in at about 10pm or Hawaiian air that gets in at 11pm everything comes in at 5-6 am

 

Now as to take the credit or not.....can you do it?

 

Ok....here is a little example Bob and wife decide to come in early using O's Tahiti Nui. They pay 175 each and get row 39 middle seats for the 8 hour flight arriving at 5 am. and returning at 11 pm after the cruise

BOB gets lucky and O offers him and wife a one way up grade for $700

Total spent $875 or if luck holds for a business seat on Tahiti Nui ( only reclines 155 degrees) so now that $1575pp rt

 

Joe and wife decide to take the air credit and O offers then $1000. each

Joe goes to Air France and for $1646 gets a prem reclining prem econ seat about the equal of the Tahiti Nui. It actually cost Joe and wife $646 each over the Tahiti up grade and deviation. out of pocket for RT Prem seats an

 

Joe and his wife are happy sipping mai tais at 10 pm watching the throngs of exhausted passengers heading to the airport lines for their mid night red eye flight to LAX. Hot, tired pushing and shoving.... How sad to see.

The next day Joe and wife take a cab after breakfast to the airport for a 8 am flight to LAX, They skip the crowds and walk to the business/first class check in....in 15 min they are sitting in the AC business class lounge ...and munching on snacks and free liquor waiting for their boarding call.

They get window seats while sipping wine and seeing the views of the other islands... They arrive after a good meal and more french wine in LAX at about 6pm and relax in a nice hotel before heading home.

 

Who would you rather travel with or like???

Sorry to dispute what you are saying about flights from LAX.

We were not in a charter. We booked independently.

Indeed there are flights that arrive in Papeete around 9 pm. We were on one April 7.

We left LAX at 3:30 pm, our scheduled arrival in Papeete was 8:50 pm. The flight got in a little early. We were in a cab a little after 9 pm, we were in our hotel room at 9:30 pm.

I booked through Quantas but it was a code share with Air Tahiti Nui.

Sorry to dispute what you are saying about flights from LAX.

We were not in a charter. We booked independently.

 

Indeed there are flights that arrive in Papeete around 9 pm. We were on one April 7.

We left LAX at 3:30 pm, our scheduled arrival in Papeete was 8:50 pm. The flight got in a little early. We were in a cab a little after 9 pm, we were in our hotel room at 9:30 pm.

I booked through Quantas but it was a code share with Air Tahiti Nui.

Interesting.

WE flew from Tahiti to LAX with Air Tahiti Nui (departed 23.59) as a code share with Air New Zealand (who then took us back to Heathrow).

What a dreadful airline Air Tahiti Nui was. To be avoided like the plague.