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Help with Flights to Tahiti


ldparker
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Hi Everybody:

 

Please help me out here, I need some advice.

 

I currently have air arrangements through Princess for the TP on Sept 1. We are not doing any pre or post stay so we will fly in on a Thursday and out on a Sunday.

 

I have heard on these boards that the Princess air arrangements from the West Coast leave LAX about 4:00 PM and arrive PPT at about 9:00 or 10:00 PM. The return flight leaves about 11:45 PM and gets back to LAX about 11:15 AM.

 

I'm not concerned about the return flight but coming in we seem to lose the entire 1st day. We wouldn't even get to the ship until about 11:00 PM at best.

 

I can purchase an air deviation (about $100) and arrive around 5:00 AM on Thursday morning instaed of 9:00 PM on Thursday night. I figure we would just find a place to hangout until Princess allows us to board. This way we have most of the day on the ship to unwind from the trip and get to know our way around.

 

I need you input here. Good idea or not? How early do you think Princess would let us board?

 

Thanks, David

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hi David....

 

Actually that first day is viewed as a travel day so it is not like you are missing out on anything...it is a 10 day cruise...think of it this way they are puting everyone up in a hotel(the ship) the night before....because there are few flights that go direct to Tahiti from LAX ........ I am going on the 8-22-05 cruise and checked

all flight possibilities....from my investigation the am flight is on air france and the return flight is leaving in the am...so if you used air deviation wouldn't you have to leave early missing that last day, I mean I don't think they would let you come in on Air France and leave on ATN Or would they...just food for thought...

Around 11-12 is when you board.

Lori

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if you can, I would suggest that you change your plans and do at least one night pre and post cruise. first time we went, we did air through Princess, no pre or post stay. though we had ATN both ways, we were really disappointed with the onground air experience, and we weren't going to do the cruise again. Well, FP is so beautiful, we couldn't stay away, but this time we arranged our own air with pre and post stays. Wow! what a difference it made for us! We were able to board early, and there was no huge line at the airport( this was the worst part of leaving with so many Princess people). We will be going back in January 2007!

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I would never go that far and not arrive at least one day ahead, especially when you are going to such a lovely part of the world. The only plus to arriving that late on the ship is that you are ready to go to bed; but you might not feel like getting up early the next morning to start touring. It is way too long a flight to not squeeze in every hour possible experiencing this paradise.

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  • 9 years later...

We are planing a 7 day cruise on Paul Gauguin from Dec. 16 through Dec. 23 and can book through Air Tahiti Nui with the PG Cruise line or find a better alternative. We are flying out of LAX and live nearby so there are no connecting flights to consider. Unfortunately, we can't go there earlier and want to be back home just in time for Christmas, so we are pretty well locked into our two travel days. If we elect to book our air travel on our own they will allow us $1,350 per person. Does anyone have any suggestions for alternate flights or any personal experiences re Air Tahiti Nui. Thank you.

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Your options are Air Tahiti Nui and Air France from LAX. Nothing else unless you want to connect through Honolulu and fly Hawaiian on Saturday.

 

I also highly recommend arriving at least one day in advance. If you don't you will lose a day or so of the cruise adapting to the time. For the poster considering the air deviation fee, I would do it and fly in a day earlier. Enjoy Tahiti for a day. My wife and I flew in a day early and took the 30 minute ferry ride over to Moorea. I thoroughly enjoyed it despite the short time over there.

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Hi Everybody:

 

Please help me out here, I need some advice.

 

I currently have air arrangements through Princess for the TP on Sept 1. We are not doing any pre or post stay so we will fly in on a Thursday and out on a Sunday.

 

I have heard on these boards that the Princess air arrangements from the West Coast leave LAX about 4:00 PM and arrive PPT at about 9:00 or 10:00 PM. The return flight leaves about 11:45 PM and gets back to LAX about 11:15 AM.

 

I'm not concerned about the return flight but coming in we seem to lose the entire 1st day. We wouldn't even get to the ship until about 11:00 PM at best.

 

I can purchase an air deviation (about $100) and arrive around 5:00 AM on Thursday morning instaed of 9:00 PM on Thursday night. I figure we would just find a place to hangout until Princess allows us to board. This way we have most of the day on the ship to unwind from the trip and get to know our way around.

 

I need you input here. Good idea or not? How early do you think Princess would let us board?

 

Thanks, David

I had a similar day time flight out of LAX and found it perfect. The alternative redeye from LAX leaves people passing several hours waiting before they can board ship, plus they are exhausted after very little sleep. The day is a right off. There is a similar situation of killing time for the 11PM flight out from PPT. If you were to purchase a deviation, I suggest you extend your trip a few days precruise.

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We are planing a 7 day cruise on Paul Gauguin from Dec. 16 through Dec. 23 and can book through Air Tahiti Nui with the PG Cruise line or find a better alternative. We are flying out of LAX and live nearby so there are no connecting flights to consider. Unfortunately, we can't go there earlier and want to be back home just in time for Christmas, so we are pretty well locked into our two travel days. If we elect to book our air travel on our own they will allow us $1,350 per person. Does anyone have any suggestions for alternate flights or any personal experiences re Air Tahiti Nui. Thank you.

 

Interesting to see a thread revived after 10 years.

 

Anyway, yes the two alternatives are Air Tahiti Nui and Air France, although there is a third. ATN is fine, at least in my experience, and I doubt if you can do better than just taking their included flights.

 

We like to take Air France, because they do a Premium Economy which we like. But they don't fly every day, so you would probably be out of luck in any case.

 

The third would probably not work for you, which is to fly through Hawaii, getting there by any means you like, then flying to Papeete from there on Hawaiian Air. But that involves extra days for sure.

 

So ATN is your best bet. As I said, I doubt if you can better price on your own, but you can try.

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We flew ATN a few years back & were quite satisfied with their flights. We also cruised on the TP and they provided a room for a group of us on the day of departure since most flights depart late at night. I'm not sure but when we flew there Air New Zeeland or Quantas also had flights that stopped in Papapete. I agree, if you are making your own flight arrangements, flying in a day early is much better and safer in case there are delays, etc. Besides you can sight see or just unwind and lay by a pool or beach. We thought the water in the lagoons and beaches were the most beautiful in the world, especially in Bora Bora and Moorea.

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  • 3 months later...

We flew from LAX to Papeete as part of a land trip about 3-4 years ago. We found the service on ATN to be outstanding. I would advise anyone who has the chance to be in Tahiti for any length of time to go for it!!

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One other "unusual" routing is the Air New Zealand flight from LAX to Rarotonga, followed by the relatively short Air Tahiti flight from RAR back to Tahiti. (We did this in 2011.) Probably no more roundabout than the route via Honolulu. However, these ANZ and Air Tahiti flights (like the Honolulu-Tahiti flight) operate infrequently, so would not be suitable for people on a tight schedule who are unable to take advantage of a stopover in Rarotonga.

 

John

Edited by J-D
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  • 2 weeks later...

We are taking an air inclusive Oceania cruise next March and wonder if anyone know what possible flight schedule Oceania would give us. We shall be flying from Toronto to Auckland then returning from Papeete to Toronto. Our cruise will leave Auckland on March 9 and ends in Papeete March 25, 2016.

Just wonder whether we need any air deviation.

Thanks in advance

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