Pre cruise stay in Tahiti, Moorea or Bora Bora?

[lovetotravel68]

Hello fellow cruisers,

 

My fiance and I are looking for somewhere to stay for 3-4 nights pre cruise in October next year. We are doing the 10 night PG cruise so will be spending 2 days in Bora Bora and 2 days in Moorea while on the cruise.

 

Do you think it would be worth going to Bora Bora or Moorea for our pre cruise stay if we are going there already on the PG? Or should we just stay in Tahiti? We can stay anywhere from 3-4 nights before the cruise departs.

 

We will be on our honeymoon so we are wanting to experience the OWB's that are famous in Tahiti! Is it worth the extra $$ to do this in Bora Bora or Moorea?

 

Thanks for your help! :)

[markser]

When we did our cruise recently, we stayed at the IC Tahiti rather than go to another island because it was easier. However, we were not on our honeymoon.

The IC is a very nice hotel with beautiful grounds but, from what I have read, its OWBs are not as nice as those on other islands. Also, the IC has only a small man-made beach adjacent to a swimming pool -- not to the ocean. It does have the Lotus, one of the best restaurants in French Polynesia.

In addition, Tahiti does not have the beauty of Moorea or Bora Bora. It does have a large city, Papeete, which is good for shopping. However, Papeete stuck us as crowded and a little on the dirty side -- worth only a half day visit.

The snorkeling will be better on the other islands as well.

More experienced visitors will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that one advantage to Moorea vs. Bora Bora is that you can get there by ferry rather than plane and that as a result you can have 50 lbs. of luggage vs. 40 if you transfer to a smaller plane. I know that most people say you don't need a lot of clothes so that doesn't matter, but we had no problem taking almost 50 lbs. of luggage each and wore everything that we took.

More important would be whether there are more ferries at convenient times than there are flights.

We spoke to several honeymoon couples on our cruise and all of them stayed at islands other than Tahiti prior to or after their cruise.

[paulmichael]

When we did our cruise recently, we stayed at the IC Tahiti rather than go to another island because it was easier. However, we were not on our honeymoon.

The IC is a very nice hotel with beautiful grounds but, from what I have read, its OWBs are not as nice as those on other islands. Also, the IC has only a small man-made beach adjacent to a swimming pool -- not to the ocean. It does have the Lotus, one of the best restaurants in French Polynesia.

In addition, Tahiti does not have the beauty of Moorea or Bora Bora. It does have a large city, Papeete, which is good for shopping. However, Papeete stuck us as crowded and a little on the dirty side -- worth only a half day visit.

The snorkeling will be better on the other islands as well.

More experienced visitors will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that one advantage to Moorea vs. Bora Bora is that you can get there by ferry rather than plane and that as a result you can have 50 lbs. of luggage vs. 40 if you transfer to a smaller plane. I know that most people say you don't need a lot of clothes so that doesn't matter, but we had no problem taking almost 50 lbs. of luggage each and wore everything that we took.

More important would be whether there are more ferries at convenient times than there are flights.

We spoke to several honeymoon couples on our cruise and all of them stayed at islands other than Tahiti prior to or after their cruise.

 

I agree, while I like staying at the IC in tahiti, the OWB are a little tired at the IC Tahiti, but if your just looking to lay at the pool and enjoy the IC is great. Also agree that the Lotus is one of the best restaurants. I would say Moorea would be your best place as noted it's easy to get to and the OWB are better, have fun.

[Tikiintahiti]

This is an easy recommendation. Moorea is the the right choice. Close by, no airfare added, better prices than Bora Bora. Moorea also has more things to do. I've stayed at all the major resorts on Moorea, I would recommend the Hilton for a honeymoon adventure.

[kathy16]

Before our 1st PG cruise, we flew to Rangiroa and stayed 2 nights in an OWB at the Kia Ora resort and 2 nights at the Kia Ora Sauvage (a few cottages on the beach) What an experience! We had to stay at the Kia Ora resort for the 1st and last night and the Sauvage for the 2 nights in the middle, because of flights and transport arrangements. But-we didn't stop there on our cruise as you will be doing. We also had a 3 night post cruise in an OWB in Huahine- which was very nice too- and at that time-less developed than the other islands

[MotuIslander]

Moorea is our favorite as well!

 

For a day or maybe two the IC is fine as a rest stop while waiting to board the PG, but for two or more days; definitely Moorea.

[hrprof]

I agree with others - Moorea is the place to go. Have stayed at IC Tahiti, Hotel Bora Bora and IC Moorea. OWBs are very nice at IC Moorea - Ferry transportation offers advantages noted by others and lots of things to do on the island.

[clairesmom]

Moorea is my favorite hands down and the ferry is much easier than the flight to Bora Bora. Lots of things to do as well.

[lovetotravel68]

Thank you for all your input! It looks like Moorea is the clear winner! :)

[Darcy15]

Another vote for Moorea - stunning! :D

[Tikiintahiti]

As I stated before I've stayed at al of the major resorts on Moorea. IMO the Hilton is the clear winner for honeymooners. Well kept, true OWB experience (IC only has 4 completely OWB's), great snorkeling, romantic sunsets.

 

Cheap eats close to the Hilton Moorea -http://idx-images.cisdata.net/acnt/images/708/AR408708/file_manager/Cheap_eats_close_to_the_Moorea_Hilton.pdf

 

Hilton Moorea resort map - http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc242/zero350/resort%20maps/HiltonMoorea.jpg

[Gardening Girl]

At IC Moorea what room category did you stay in & what were the pros & cons??? Thanks, GG

[Tikiintahiti]

At the IC Moorea I've stayed in a beach front room, I believe it was 409. Snorkeling is not good in the inner lagoon right out front of the beach front rooms.

 

Iif your not going to stay at the Hilton which I recommend but stay at the IC Moorea I would grab 604, 612, 614 as they give you the sunset view, partial OWB, private.

 

[lovetotravel68]

Thank you so much everybody! And thank you Tikiintahiti for the info on the cheap places to eat & map of Hilton I think both will come in very handy!!

 

:D

[Tikiintahiti]

Here to help :cool:

[mako2992]

I also vote for Moorea. And the OWB at the Hilton are magically. Some of our pictures taken from our balcony appear to be taken underwater. And the snorkling there is unbelievable.

[Familygoboston]

Sounds like you've decided, and have some been given some great advice, but I wanted to add that IC Tahiti feels very frenetic and transitional, with lots of day rooms, people transferring day and night to and from other places. Since Papeete is populous its used for local weddings and community events (like a boisterous televised Mr Tahiti contest one night- really!) It's lovely and certainly you could find a quiet spot to relax, but the overall resort was pretty bustling for a honeymoon, IMO.

Should I mention one honeymoon couple who had two loungers and were canoodling on a lovely little 10 foot square "island" connected by a bridge to the pool, very romantic... till an Olympian showed up in her dojo with her silver medal, stylist, editor and photographer for a photo shoot who proceeded to run the shoot on their little island!

[Tikiintahiti]

I would agree, a bit busy at times though it is a great place to use for a day room or over night, plus the show there is very good.

[niksirs]

We stayed at le meridian for 2 days before our cruise. We had a overwater bungalow. It was fantastic. There was more fish there ran on anywhere on the cruise. It included breakfast which was a beautiful spread. Everyone that worked there were gracious. They even let us do a late check out the day of the cruise departing. I would consider staying there again. It is a smaller hotel and was a highlight of our trip

[Emdee]

At one point PG used to use Le Meridien as a post cruise hotel.

 

Did you book it on your own?

[Wendy The Wanderer]

If you don't have time or money to go to one of the more "desolate" islands, Moorea is the ticket, for sure. It is stunningly beautiful. As for the IC Tahiti, myself I don't like it. It's very ersatz, to me.

 

If you want to break the bank, go to Manihi or Huahine. I'm not up on the far-flung resorts now, but you can do research on the forums at tahiti-explorer.com.

 

Bora Bora is overpriced, to my mind, and a bit spoiled. Not that the lagoon isn't lovely, but the mainland is a bit too touristy.