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Arrival time vs actual shore time


FLbeachbaby
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Would some former PG cruisers please let me know what time we can expect to hit the shore after anchoring ? My itinerary lists our arrival time but unsure how long it takes to actually get to the docks. I'm trying to plan excursions but don't have a handle on when I can expect to hit land. Perhaps different travel times at different spots ? A general idea would be helpful. 10 day Society cruise. Thank you

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Each island will very a bit but usually the PG comes into the reef opening early, around 7 am. Takes 90 minutes until the tenders are ready to go.

 

On Motu Mahana the tenders don't run until around 10 am but there will be tenders to the the main island prior.

 

On Rangiroa the ship doesn't arrive until later in the morning unless if the times have recently changes.

 

A safe way to plan is to look at the excursions offered by the ship on each island. This will give you a time in the morning when they figure the morning tenders will be available. If a morning ship's excursion starts at 9 am you can figure the tenders start around 8:30 am.

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Thank you TBK. My question really is, if it says arrival time 8:00 is that just when the ship arrives at the location or the time we can expect to get off the ship ? Then what is the approximate travel time to shore ? I'm 90 days out so I'm unable to look at excursion times. Perhaps someone who has arranged their own escapades can comment on tender/arrival times. Thank you kindly.

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Thank you TBK. My question really is, if it says arrival time 8:00 is that just when the ship arrives at the location or the time we can expect to get off the ship ? Then what is the approximate travel time to shore ? I'm 90 days out so I'm unable to look at excursion times. Perhaps someone who has arranged their own escapades can comment on tender/arrival times. Thank you kindly.

 

I've done this numerous times ........

 

Though the arrival time says 8 am the ship may very well arrive earlier but that does not change the time of the first tender. Tenders usually will be ready within 1 hour after the official arrival time. So if the ship says 8 am you can figure around 9 am. The tender takes no more than 5 minutes from ship to drop off location. If your booking your own private excursions you may need to wait until the 2nd tender, usually a few minutes after the first, this rarely happens but still consider it when you are booking your own private tours. In our previous 5 PG trips it only happened once.

Edited by Tahitianbigkahuna
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Thank you TBK. My question really is, if it says arrival time 8:00 is that just when the ship arrives at the location or the time we can expect to get off the ship ? Then what is the approximate travel time to shore ? I'm 90 days out so I'm unable to look at excursion times. Perhaps someone who has arranged their own escapades can comment on tender/arrival times. Thank you kindly.

 

Well, you can wait until 60 days prior and see, or you can phone PG Cruises and ask.

 

As I remember, it seems that perhaps you should budget an hour or maybe an hour and a half. If Emdee chimes in, she can probably tell you more precisely, since she is an expert at booking non-ship excursions.

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On the Tuamotu cruise we reached Huahine around 8 the first passenger tender was scheduled to leave around 10. However some of us were down by 9 and took the first tender out which contained PG excursion staff etc.

Motu Mahana first tender is usually 10. As TBK said in BB the tenders to Vaitape begin before the tender to the motu.

 

The local vendors will guide you regarding the times. If someone has the daily compasses handy they could give you a more accurate time. I am renovating so too helter skelter to find anything under the cloth shrouds. I will scrounge around and let you know if i have the time next week.

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Each of the major islands have updated information letting them know when a ship will arrive, if there is a change most vendors know. Most private vendors adapt to the change in scheduled arrivals, I say most as there are no guarantees when you book a private excursion though there are seldom any problems.

Edited by Tahitianbigkahuna
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Generally the PG is the only show in town and the vendors adapt to the arrival time/dock. One asked us to be on the first tender and we were, but we waited another 15 minutes until the second one since one family didn't get the word. Have a great cruise.

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  • 2 weeks later...

PG arrival time in Port and our ability to get on an early tender is a concern. We have several private excursions booked that start at 8:45A or 9A., per the PG schedule we arrive into Port at 8am. What is the likelihood we will be able to get ashore on early tender so we do not miss our tours??

Any past PG passengers can weigh in on this. My main concern is for Huahine and Aitutaki.

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PG arrival time in Port and our ability to get on an early tender is a concern. We have several private excursions booked that start at 8:45A or 9A., per the PG schedule we arrive into Port at 8am. What is the likelihood we will be able to get ashore on early tender so we do not miss our tours??

Any past PG passengers can weigh in on this. My main concern is for Huahine and Aitutaki.

 

Two very different situations. Huahine if anchored in the bay is a quick turnaround for the tenders. Aitutaki there is no mooring and anchoring, the ship is moving while the tenders are trying to shuttle people off and on. The ship can not get in a sheltered lagoon so if the weather is a bit windy it is unsafe for the tender to operate. Though it seldom happens it is possible for the ship not to be able to tender and when that happens the ship takes off for Bora Bora with an extra day there. Never less the time to load the tender in good weather takes longer on Aitutaki.

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Two very different situations. Huahine if anchored in the bay is a quick turnaround for the tenders. Aitutaki there is no mooring and anchoring, the ship is moving while the tenders are trying to shuttle people off and on. The ship can not get in a sheltered lagoon so if the weather is a bit windy it is unsafe for the tender to operate. Though it seldom happens it is possible for the ship not to be able to tender and when that happens the ship takes off for Bora Bora with an extra day there. Never less the time to load the tender in good weather takes longer on Aitutaki.

 

 

 

Thanks Tahitian, I could certainly live with an extra day in BB if we could not tender into Aitutaki as we only pay for the excursion if ship can get in.

However, my bigger concern is the time frame to get a tender to shore in Huahine and Aitutaki so the excursion does not leave without us.

Do you know if the local tour companies such as Marc's Motu in Huahine and Teking Tours in Aitutaki are accustomed to the time frame it takes PG to get it's passengers ashore on the tenders. Certainly hoping they are patient and don't leave us on the dock if PG makes us wait to get on a tender after the ships excursions passengers get off first.....

I have emailed both companies to ask if they will wait for us.

 

 

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Thanks Tahitian, I could certainly live with an extra day in BB if we could not tender into Aitutaki as we only pay for the excursion if ship can get in.

However, my bigger concern is the time frame to get a tender to shore in Huahine and Aitutaki so the excursion does not leave without us.

Do you know if the local tour companies such as Marc's Motu in Huahine and Teking Tours in Aitutaki are accustomed to the time frame it takes PG to get it's passengers ashore on the tenders. Certainly hoping they are patient and don't leave us on the dock if PG makes us wait to get on a tender after the ships excursions passengers get off first.....

I have emailed both companies to ask if they will wait for us.

 

Well, except we go to Rarotonga after Aitutaki. Presumably that means that we wouldn't have an extra day in Raro, but in BB. As you said, not bad.

 

In Huahine I wouldn't worry about it. The local operators are very familiar with the way the ship operates and will usually wait. And if you're going with Teking and haven't paid in advance, I'm betting that a large part of his revenue for the day will come from our ship, so he'll wait.

 

I also have private in Aitutaki, Vaka Cruise. We're meeting at the dock at 9:15-9:45 so there's apparently latitude, especially with the unusual tendering situation. (Let's just hope we get to tender in.)

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Well, except we go to Rarotonga after Aitutaki. Presumably that means that we wouldn't have an extra day in Raro, but in BB. As you said, not bad.

 

In Huahine I wouldn't worry about it. The local operators are very familiar with the way the ship operates and will usually wait. And if you're going with Teking and haven't paid in advance, I'm betting that a large part of his revenue for the day will come from our ship, so he'll wait.

 

I also have private in Aitutaki, Vaka Cruise. We're meeting at the dock at 9:15-9:45 so there's apparently latitude, especially with the unusual tendering situation. (Let's just hope we get to tender in.)

 

 

 

Certainly hope so Wendy. We are really looking forward to the excursions in both ports.

 

 

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Generally the PG is the only show in town and the vendors adapt to the arrival time/dock. One asked us to be on the first tender and we were, but we waited another 15 minutes until the second one since one family didn't get the word. Have a great cruise.

 

 

 

It would be ideal to be able to get on first tender but since this is our 1st PG cruise, I am not familiar how restrictive or strict PG is with getting the cruise ship excursion passengers off 1st vs. the independents.

Can anyone comment on this regarding their experience with PG in the past and getting on 1st tenders out if you are an independent?

 

 

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Good news today from Marc's Motu today. There are currently 8 from our ship currently booked on this excursion so they said they would wait for us to get to shore on tenders.

 

 

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