FlightMedic555

PG will arrange a taxi for you. There will not be others available. Last time they charged $10 for this. Well worth it as our privately arranged taxi never showed up at 4 am

We have been to most of these places and we have been on the Paul Gauguin 7 times. The only downside to the Cooks is that the ship stops outside of the lagoon and you lender in to Aitutaki and Rarotonga. At times the water is too rough for the tender and they cancel that port. We love the Tuamotu trip and agree that the focus is on the water in those two ports Larger ships are no longer allowed to stop on Bora Bora which would be a shame to miss

Your best option would be at the Kia Ora Hotel, if they offer a day pass. I know you can go there for a cocktail but I’m not sure if you can then access the beach. It is about a 20 minute walk from the tender location. Easy walk but it can be very hot. We stayed there for 4 nights a few years ago.

hope this opens for you. Tender will be right near Snack Chez Lili. You may have to enlarge the map to see it. The best snorkeling is at the Aquarium which is a 5 minute (at most) boat ride from the tender location. You will need to reserve this in advance. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hotel+Kia+Ora+Resort+%26+Spa/@-14.9633767,-147.6367076,15z/data=!4m9!3m8!1s0x768c4cb112c57fe9:0x3324a72356efbfa8!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d-14.9633767!4d-147.6367076!16s%2Fg%2F1tdr3j0f?hl=en-us&entry=ttu

Pure Snorkeling on Bora Bora does not feed the fish. TeKing on Aitutaki does. I don’t remember the ship snorkeling excursion on Aitutaki feeding the fish. The drift snorkel on Taha’a does not feed the fish either. The snorkeling at the PG motu on Taha’a has decent snorkeling and no fish feeding. I have found that those excursions that list snorkeling with rays and sharks commonly feed them.

Any piece of nylon rope is fine. You tie it to the steps of your overwater bungalow and the other end to your float. Don’t overthink it.

What ports are you visiting ?

I received my paperwork today. Voucher (which is just a confirmation of the sailing with cabin number), reminder that boarding is between 3pm and 5pm, and the health forms. If you don't have the health forms in advance they have always provided them to us at the pier. Nothing else is needed (obviously passport).

Wise or worth it are subjective. IMHO it is nowhere near worth it. You are already paying at least $500 per person per night to be on the ship. To pay another 1k - 2k per person for the OWB is mind boggling. Is there any way you can get to Tahiti a day or two early or stay a day or two after??? You can easily then go to Moorea for the OWB experience. If your heart is set on an OWB I would do it on your last day on Moorea. Leave the ship (check out-they allow for this) after breakfast, head to the Hilton (you can make the reservation independently if it saves some $$), enjoy their beach and pool and check in to your room by 3pm. Enjoy the OWB and the next day enjoy the morning and hopefully the afternoon and take the ferry back to Papeete for your flight home (presuming you don't have an early morning flight.

Pure Snorkeling is spectacular. We have done that 7 times. You can reserve either privately with them or through the ship. If you do it privately they can drop you off at Matira Beach or at Bloody Mary's (but check in advance). Both are iconic but for different reasons. On one of your Bora Bora days I would consider wandering around the town for an hour or so, if you have any interest in shopping. If you really want to visit the motu I would do that after a morning jet ski. The Pure Snorkeling trip will get you back to the dock at about noon or a little later. You would be back on the ship around 1, maybe a little earlier. In any event you could then take the boat to the motu which operates hourly and I believe on the half hour. You would get to the motu at around 2 and have about 90 minutes there. If you stopped for lunch on the ship that would further reduce your time. So.....going to the motu after the snorkeling trip is really tight for time.

The boat to the Bora Bora motu only runs every hour. This doesn’t give you a lot of time there after an excursion. Depending upon whether you book an excursion privately you may be able to be dropped off at Matilda Beach. on Huahine the children of Huahine has an on board show at 3 pm. If you want to make that you really don’t have time to do anything after an excursion. I also do not recollect that there is a beach at Fare. There is a beach about a 10 minute walk from there (facing the water walk to your right past the Huahine Yacht Club)

Taxi from the pier to either the Intercontinental, the Hilton or the Airport will be about $25 for the car (not per person) give or take $5.

Most places will take a credit card. If they want local currency you can get it at the ATM at the Tahiti airport. The rate there is about 10% better than the staffed currency exchange counter at the airport. Wells Fargo in the US can get XPF but the exchange rate is not great.

You can’t arrange for early check in but last June we arrived at about 11 and our room was available. They have a transit room where you can shower and change. In prior visits we just hung out at the beach. If you get there early they have some pastries and coffee set up outside of the restaurant which is no charge.

Have not done it but the entire road is flat. Not really a lot to see

In the past you could not drop your luggage at the ship early. I don't think that has changed.

Only thing I would add is that if you are staying at a Hilton and the breakfast is not included in your rate (any Hilton or Conrad on Bora Bora), consider opening the appropriate HHonors credit card. Choose one that includes automatic HHonors Gold Status. That provides breakfast for 2 every day, a huge savings.

All of the published guidelines seem very clear that any ship with more than 1200 passengers cannot stop in Bora Bora. That would mean your ship would not stop there. Bora Bora is a great stop for the smaller ships and you can look at Paul Gauguin which specializes in French Polynesia

Click on see more cabins after those that are displayed. You should be able to see all of them. Obviously you can also call PG

While I agree that the first policy is fine, it can be much more expensive for a evacuation from some far flugh areas of the world. A few years ago we organized a transfer from NY to India. A very sick patient whose family wanted the plane to fly non stop. It was $250k. A one stop would have been about $200k. From the Caribbean I would find it had to think it could ever be more than $100k.

We have done that. The ship can arrange a taxi for you. They are not always readily available.

Both the IC and the Hilton reportedly have day passes. Getting one is another story as many have been unsuccessful in getting one (I could not get one). Fare Suisse is a very simple pension with a clean room, that is it. As a day room it is really a poor choice as there is nothing to do there other than stay in your room or leave your luggage and wander around (it is about a 15 minute walk from the cruise dock). You will need to contact the IC and the Hilton directly to try and secure a day room. You could arrange for an island tour rather than a day room if that appeals to you. The tour operators will secure your luggage during your tour.

I do not suggest the balcony. The standard balcony rooms are the same size as the E level cabins (200 square feet) but of course have a small balcony. Tons of great areas on the ship to enjoy the view. For the approximate $2k per person difference I would not do it. We have done Moorea both pre cruise and also post cruise. I personally prefer post cruise and then add in the day or so before the cruise on Tahiti. I prefer this if you international flight leaves in the evening. In this way you stay on Moorea until the last ferry and head to the airport. If your flight is an early flight (usually around 7:00 am) prefer Moorea first. In this way you get off the ship at around 4:30 am and head to the airport. You need to leave the ship by about 10:00 am on your last day. If you do Moorea first you have to figure out what to do on the last day, with your luggage, if you have a late evening flight. Options include trying to get a day room at a hotel (very iffy if you can get one), take a tour on Tahiti and have the tour operator keep your luggage for you, or rent a car and explore).

we are on the same itinerary in July, below is the ships excursion on Rangiroa. It does sell out quickly. Snorkelling Rangiroa's 'aquarium' RANGIROA, TUAMOTU ISLANDS Duration: 1 h 30 Total : $85 the PG motu is the highlight of the trip. First tender is at about 10 am. Tons of lounge chairs, bar, barbecue lunch, kayaks and decent snorkeling in a gorgeous setting. If you take the coral garden tour you get to the motu at about 12-1.

On Huahine Marc's Tour (Huahine Nautique) is very good. You can do the half land/half lagoon tour to see some of the land based sites. A very good tour but not a ton of snorkeling. The lunch at the motu is very good. We love Reef Discovery on Bora Bora (did that 7 times already). I believe that this is now an excursion offered by the PG but we have in the past reserved it privately. If you reserve it privately (if they will allow that) they can drop you off at Bloody Mary's or at the beach if you don't want to head back. Their tour is usually over by about 1:00 pm. On Rangiroa do the ships aquarium snorkel. We tried to book independently on Rangiroa and it did not work out. There really are very few other options there and the snorkel is great. On Fakarava we have always gone with Ato. It is a great trip with some great snorkeling. The only down side to the drift snorkel on Taha'a is that you miss some time at the PG motu. If you really like snorkeling I would do the drift snorkel. You are then dropped off at the motu by about 12-1 pm in time for the lunch. On Moorea we have usually rented a car and explored on our own. I have seen the e-bikes going up to Belvedere and if that is something that interests you I would go for it. It is a really steep bike ride and never having been on an e-bike I don't know how much effort you need to put in.