Is it better to arrive in PPT at 10:00 pm or 5:20am?

[D-ma]

I have a 10 day cruise on hold and I am having a little trouble with the air portion of my trip. PG cruises pays for the LAX to PPT part of my airfare but I was told that the flight that is included is the one leaving LAX at 4:30 ish on the day of the cruise and arriving in PPT at 10 pm. I was told that they hold the ship. This makes me very nervous so I want to change my flight for the day before. If anyone has any suggestions as to the best way to fly into Tahiti please let me know. I am flying in from the east coast so that adds to the equation. All I have to do is figure this out and my DH says that we can go for my 30th anniversary in May. TIA

[Emdee]

I would take the same flight but the night before - then you will have a day to decompress at the IC Tahiti and arrive on board at 3 pm. Its a bit more in cost but well worth it. The first day of the 10 day cruise is in the beautiful island of Huahine and you will be too tired to enjoy it if you arrive the night before.

 

Dont bother overnighting in LAX unless you want to. With time advantages take an early morning flight to LAX and you should be in good time for the 4.30 flight.

 

We also celebrated our 30th on board and had the Captain renew our vows on the bridge. We had actually wanted to have the function at Motu Mahana but it was a wet and rainy day. It was really a occasion to remember very well done by PG cruises and a present from DD.

[D-ma]

Thanks Emdee. I was worried about being tired for the first part of the trip. Congrats on your 30th anniversary. Did you upgrade your airfare or did you fly in the one that the PG provided?

[Emdee]

D-Ma,

Thanks for your wishes - we completed 31 this year!

 

We have upgraded our flight in the past but didnt last year. There are two ways to upgrade-- with PG cruises or at the airport. If you go real early and stand in line you may be able to get the cheaper upgrade of $800 per person but it isnt a guaranteed upgrade. The ATN Business seats are like the old lufthanza ones ie not too comfortable and not flatbed.

 

If you go the day earlier you will be quite relaxed in spite of the long flight. The Panoramic rooms at the IC are very comfortable. Following Huahine is Bora Bora ( usually) and you have two days there so can take it somewhat easier.

 

Enjoy your cruise and beware the FP/PG Flu. Once you have it the only way to make it better is to go back. We will be back for our 7th trip on the PG in Jan 2013.

[FlightMedic555]

We are also on the east coast and returned last week. You can contact me at flightmedic555@gmail.com as I have some more info.

[markser]

We also advocate going at least a day early -- not just for the rest, which is a good enough reason -- but to make sure your luggage arrives in time. We have been on cruises where the people made it but the luggage didn't.

[Emdee]

No luggage! That would be tough in FP.

I would have go to the Papeete market and buy a collection of Mumus or an extra large pareo and dress like the gauguins do!!

 

We always carry a collection of clothing and all meds in our carry ons. Just in case.

So far the only time we didnt get our luggage was after a cruise but having always received our luggage for our 47 cruises we are statistically likely to lose luggage! I pack each suitcase with clothes of each kind ( casual/dressy/ swimwear) for each person so if we lose 1 suitcase not one person will be out of luck. Also we check the tagging of the bags at the airport. That is often what causes bags to be lost.

[IslandRetrievers]

I have a 10 day cruise on hold and I am having a little trouble with the air portion of my trip. PG cruises pays for the LAX to PPT part of my airfare but I was told that the flight that is included is the one leaving LAX at 4:30 ish on the day of the cruise and arriving in PPT at 10 pm. I was told that they hold the ship. This makes me very nervous so I want to change my flight for the day before. If anyone has any suggestions as to the best way to fly into Tahiti please let me know. I am flying in from the east coast so that adds to the equation. All I have to do is figure this out and my DH says that we can go for my 30th anniversary in May. TIA

 

We're going this April and were told the only flight we could take was the one arriving at 5AM the morning of the cruise. I originally preferred arriving and getting directly on the ship but was told that PG doesn't charter that flight anymore.

[D-ma]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice. I am still finalizing my booking. Thus far I am going to arrive a day early and book a room at the Ic Tahiti. I will post my air arrangements when I finalize them. I am dealing with PG cruises directly. Is this a good idea??? They have been really helpful.

[Emdee]

Thats good D-Ma. Nothing wrong with dealing with them. Ask them for an OBC. Most agents give $200 or 300$.

 

I love the ICTahiti early in the morning when everyone is asleep.

[Gardening Girl]

Hi D-ma,

 

I don't know if you are interested in purchasing trip insurance for your PG cruise, but if you are, we discovered a bit of a glitch caused by booking directly with PG.

 

We just booked a cruise for 2013 directly with PG last week. Then my husband shopped around for trip insurance (not the policy offered through PG) and realized that because we booked directly with the tour operator (PG) the trip insurance will not cover financial default. The only way to insure against PG financial default is to purchase a PG cruise through a travel agent. If you buy trip insurance through PG, their policy doesn't protect you against financial default either.

 

I just wanted to give you a heads up as to what we just encountered.

 

Hope this is helpful info. GG

[caa]

Are you sure about that exclusion? I read several policies before we booked and then purchased insurance and I don't recall seeing that anywhere. Do you have one you could quote?

 

I ended up going with Global Travelshield purchased from American Express for travelers living in California. Their policy covers:

Unforeseeable, unexpected or unintended Financial Default or bankruptcy of any tour operator, hotel, resort,

rental car company, other travel supplier or Common Carrier Conveyance, whose services or products constitute

all or part of the Covered Person's Covered Trip. Financial Default occurring on, before or less than seven days

after the Coverage Effective Date of Trip Cancellation is not covered;

They do have this exclusion:

Benefits will not be paid if the loss for which coverage is sought was directly or indirectly, wholly or partially, contributed to or caused by any of the following:

[...]

Financial Default of the entity from whom the Covered Person purchased this insurance or of the travel agent

through which the Covered Person made travel preparations, if the travel agent distributes this product for Us;

Since PG doesn't sell this insurance product, I think we're o.k. if they should happen to go out of business.

[D-ma]

Emdee.I asked if they would match another companies OBC and they said that they did not match prices and they did not offer anything. What shouldbe my next course of action? I also asked of the referral credit and they said if the person cruised when they owned the cruise line??? Do you know about that clause?

[Gardening Girl]

Are you sure about that exclusion? I read several policies before we booked and then purchased insurance and I don't recall seeing that anywhere. Do you have one you could quote?

 

I ended up going with Global Travelshield purchased from American Express for travelers living in California. Their policy covers:

Unforeseeable, unexpected or unintended Financial Default or bankruptcy of any tour operator, hotel, resort,

rental car company, other travel supplier or Common Carrier Conveyance, whose services or products constitute

all or part of the Covered Person's Covered Trip. Financial Default occurring on, before or less than seven days

after the Coverage Effective Date of Trip Cancellation is not covered;

They do have this exclusion:

Benefits will not be paid if the loss for which coverage is sought was directly or indirectly, wholly or partially, contributed to or caused by any of the following:

[...]

Financial Default of the entity from whom the Covered Person purchased this insurance or of the travel agent

through which the Covered Person made travel preparations, if the travel agent distributes this product for Us;

Since PG doesn't sell this insurance product, I think we're o.k. if they should happen to go out of business.

 

 

I'm the husband...it looks like you are OK. Most of the policies I looked at had an exclusion. This is what our policy said about covered reasons for cancelation:

 

"Bankruptcy or Default of an airline, cruise line, tour

operator or travel supplier (other than the tour operator

or travel agency from whom You purchased Your Travel

Arrangements) causing a complete cessation of travel

services more than 14 days following Your Effective

Date."

 

Others were the same or similar. I saw some policies that, in one place said default was covered, and then when you looked up the definition of default, they added the exclusion. Tricky writing by the lawyers. As a lawyer radio-talk-show host we listen to said, "insurance companies making payouts is an unnatural act!"

 

I looked at the policy you purchased but ruled it out because we wanted cancel for any reason, which was not offered with the AE policy you chose.

 

I'm not too worried, about PG going belly up, but for future travel, I may look at this clause in the policies before booking directly with a cruise line. Have a great trip -- & like any insurance, the best case is when you never need it!

[MotuIslander]

We arrived on an EARLY AM flight last summer (the same cruise as Emdee!) and I really liked it. It would have been better to be in a day or two early, but enough time to take a nap and a shower and still board at 3:00pm was REALLY nice.

[Emdee]

D-Ma,

If you want the referral credit you could put my name down. I did cruise when they owned the line. You will get $200 and so will I against my next cruise.

Send me an email to miriamdcunhaatyahoodotca and I will give you the details.

 

Miriam

[markser]

We just got approved for OBC credit based on the referral program (Hooray). My travel agent notified me that she had heard from PG. Will my referring friends hear back from PG or from their travel agent now or after we complete the cruise in September? I know that they can't use the credit until after we actually take the cruise.

[Emdee]

The referral just goes on your PG number and when you next cruise your cost is reduced by it. I had referred someone last year but she cancelled so not 100% sure. I guess your referrer can call PG cruises and confirm that it is against their number.

[macbest]

I have done this cruise several times before and the late night arrival was always a bummer as you were tired when you got on board and missed the first dinner.

 

They have changed this now with new arrival times. I'm heading out in July for our 4th time on the PG and this is what we learned:

 

Assuming you book your airfare through PG:

 

1) Paul Gauguin still offers the complimentary day room at the Radisson Plaza Papeete at the end of the cruise because of the late flight departures...

2) They also offer a complimentary day room at the Rad. Plaza pre-cruise because the flights come in early in the morning...

3) They also offer a 1-night precruise at the Intercontinental Papeete as follows...1 night in just an Oceanview Room - $10 per person (yes, $10 per person). You could pay also a little more for a better room, but given the late hour...

The latter is if you want to leave LAX at 4:40 arriving at 10p the night before. I mean, why wouldn't you so you can be well rested for $20!

 

These options are all available if you don't book your air through PG, but they charge quite a bit for each of these items; likely you won't be able to book lower fares and pay for these two items for less than what they have negotiated (unless you are flying on free tickets;)).

[D-ma]

Hi Miriam, I sent you an e-mail for your info. I am going to finalize my booking. Do you know how I can get any OBC's directly from the cruise line. TIA

[D-ma]

Miriam, I can not get the e-mail to send. Can you check if you typed the correct e-mail. Thanks, Donna

[Emdee]

D-Ma my email is miriamdcunhaatyahoodotca

 

the At is @ and the dot is a. I dont write it out as there are programs which pull the email up and you get all kinds of junk. This way it is not selected .

 

There is no reason why it does not work - got a ton of emails today. Alternatively if you give me yours I shall give you the details for the referral.

 

Miriam

[D-ma]

Hi Miriam, I tried both ways but I put com on the end. I tried again. We will see if I can get it right. They say that the 3rd time is a charm TIA

[D-ma]

Thanks Wayne. Are the Day rooms for your private use? When does pg cruises inform one of these benefits?

[macbest]

Thanks Wayne. Are the Day rooms for your private use? When does pg cruises inform one of these benefits?

 

Yes on private use. I am not sure why all this is a "secret" and that they don't tell you. My TA informed me.