JVNYC Posted March 15, 2013 #1 Share Posted March 15, 2013 I live in NY and this time of year I always daydream about the tropics so I immediately think of an Oceania Cruise to the tropics. From the East Coast the Caribbean is so convenient (departure from Miami/non-stop flights, short travel time, etc) but I have this vision of the South Pacific being completely different. Is it in fact that different? I like the idea of going on land and exploring a bit. I hear that there really isn't much to do on land itself in Tahiti...it's much more water focused. What are your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaitape Posted March 15, 2013 #2 Share Posted March 15, 2013 RE Tahiti: yes, it's mostly a water activity kind of place, though most of the islands are just plain beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted March 15, 2013 #3 Share Posted March 15, 2013 If you can handle the lengthy travel to get to the South Pacific, then definitely do it. We just got back from our 2nd trip to the SP, and I imagine it will be our last as we just can't handle that lengthy of a trip anymore. We loved our trip, but we also love the Caribbean, which is much more convenient. It really depends on what you want to do. Perhaps the snorkeling is better in the SP, but we aren't real experts in that area either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted March 15, 2013 #4 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Yes, it's water-focused, but that means being *in* the water, not on a cruise ship! And the island themselves are very beautiful too, not be discounted. If you just want to get away and do a cruise somewhere warm, the Caribbean is obviously idea. But French Polynesia is really special--but not just an easy junket from NY! I'll be back on the Paul Gauguin cruise ship for the 5th time, I hope, next September--it's a memorable way to see the islands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genegri Posted March 15, 2013 #5 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Tahiti! The fact it is so remote makes it feel so much more exotic. The local culture is vastly different from Caribbean. And there are definitely mountains, hills, rainforest and waterfalls on land, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted March 15, 2013 #6 Share Posted March 15, 2013 The carribe is close, dense and highly commercial. There is a running joke that there is only one island in the carribe and they just change the signs and you come back. Too. there is the issue of unrest, crime and crowding like in St Thomas with 15,000 ship passengers. I have been and seen all I want. Yes there are little jewels like St John and Tortola ansd St Vincent. I have been traveling some 30+ years in the South Pacific, Tahiti, Fiji, Toumoutas,Marquseas, Cooks, Kirbatis, and Micronesa. This is where Melville, Stevenson, Maughn, Mitchner,and a slew of others came to explore and revel. Papeteete is the only Caribe like port and the largest it has all the pearl shops do-dad stores and tourist places. It is an industrial port with an exotic name. Once you depart from there it is like stepping into Disneyland...a true life adventure on nature and beauty. Turquois to azure seas crystal clear, the smell for frangapani and gardenia thick with ther rich earthy smell of exotic aromas you have never smelled. Watching beckabecka winging against a crimision sky with a gin tonic in hand. Sitting in a bar or restauraunt and discover it has a sand floor.. Sitting in cooks bay just looking and marveling at the un-wordly vista and who the hell you ever got here. It takes longer here for everything, to get here to travel about to enjoy. The delight of many cruises is that it is not port port port, you may have 2 to 3 days between ports to savor, anticipate and understand. In the process you discover you more than you ever thought. .Islands and cultures seeming lost in time with temples, and traditions and people who could care less about the rest of the world. A place where "internet" is just a word. Shopping means spending a day going to get supplies from real general stores or open air markets in you skiff of dugout canoe. Seeing another ship is a rairity. You will visit villages not cities not towns. Facilities will be few, their lack will be to your delight. Less will become so much more. Everything the caribe strives to become the South Pacific is. Free from strife and trauma........ And the good part.... its 10 times larger than the Caribe.. so you can come back and back And I have been since 1982 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JVNYC Posted March 15, 2013 Author #7 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Hawaiidan, thank you for the wonderful response...very enchanting. You almost brought me there! It's nice to hear from someone who has been to both locations and this sums it up. I do agree that there are jewels in the Caribbean...St. John, Tortola, St. Barths. It is nice is that Oceania does hit these spots. I continue to daydream... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lrob Posted March 15, 2013 #8 Share Posted March 15, 2013 As you said you like to snorkel FP it should be. Some of the Caribbean's best snorkeling is in St. John. It does not compare to FP snorkeling which is simply spectacular. FP is not good for beaches it is wonderful for water activities. I have been by both land and cruise. You will not regret going. Tahiti is good in the interior - the rest not so much. It is the other islands like Moorea and Huahine that really shine. One of my favorite places in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lrob Posted March 15, 2013 #9 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Sorry I don't think you said you like to snorkel. I think I said that for you because I can't think of FP without remembering awesome snorkels. Giant clams everywhere with beautiful florescent mantles. Rays, sharks, fabulous eels. GO GO GO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisis Posted March 16, 2013 #10 Share Posted March 16, 2013 One need not have to fly to Tahiti. Princess offers a cruise of 28 days to Samoa, Tahiti and Hawaii that leaves and returns from California. ~Doris~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted March 16, 2013 #11 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Sorry I don't think you said you like to snorkel. I think I said that for you because I can't think of FP without remembering awesome snorkels. Giant clams everywhere with beautiful florescent mantles. Rays, sharks, fabulous eels. GO GO GO! Ah yes, I'd forgotten the clams! Thank you for reminding me--I'm hoping to get to see them again next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jancruz Posted March 16, 2013 #12 Share Posted March 16, 2013 I have been to both numerous times and the difference between the two is amazing..SP is calm, peaceful and not lined with big tourist stores..IMHO everyone that can should got to SP at least once.. Jancruz1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted March 16, 2013 #13 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Actualy, Autuki (sp) in the Cook isl group kicks Bora Bora, which has gone crazy with development ( like most all the once virgin lagoon is awash with hotel after hotel and hundreds of over water rooms. For snorkeling I suggest Fiji as the finest. Both the Cook and Fiji locations are even more laid back than Polynesia....and way less commercial. Holland America also does a 28-36 day from LA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JVNYC Posted March 16, 2013 Author #14 Share Posted March 16, 2013 So there actually is a place that is better than Bora Bora? Aitutaki? I did see that Oceania had a stop there in April, 2014 but it was eliminated and replaced with an overnight in Rarotonga. I didn't think there was a more beautiful lagoon than Bora Bora so this is interesting to hear. Do you know of any cruises that would go to the Cook Islands and Fiji? Doesn't look like Oceania goes to the Cook Islands other than Rarotonga. In intrigued to hear more about these places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceans&Rivers Posted March 17, 2013 #15 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Hapag-Lloyd stops at Aitutaki, Cook Islands several times in 2014. Silversea has at least one cruise that stops there and Phoenix-Reisen has two ships that stop there. There may be more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wp bob Posted March 17, 2013 #16 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Paul Gauguin goes to Aitutaki occasionally. their 2014 schedule has a lot of variations and new itineraries. ship holds 330 pax. I have been there 4 times to FP with Princess small ship and PG. The smaller the better. Would not go any larger than the Oceania R ships. Caribbean snorkel cannot begin to compare with FP and Fiji Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted March 17, 2013 #17 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Is a pretty dead lagoon owing to the heavy metal pollution of discharge from the copra works of the past into the harbor.... its all ney dead. Its not on my A list or even my D list THere is a yacht like cruise...Blue Lagoon out of Lautoka Fiji to the Yasawa group... pretty good 4 days. If one did a round Tahiti for a week or 10 days you could then slip over to Fiji and do the Blue Lagoon cruise, Nandi Fiji had good air connections to LAX and Honolulu Paul Gaugin has a cruise used to go to Fiji You want the west of Fiji not the east. However. 2 placesto stay in Fiji that are the ultimate for south seas get away Matangi Island resort...... and Nukumbati isl Resort. Astounding things and places on the Fijian group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamburg38 Posted March 17, 2013 #18 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I live in NY and this time of year I always daydream about the tropics so I immediately think of an Oceania Cruise to the tropics. From the East Coast the Caribbean is so convenient (departure from Miami/non-stop flights, short travel time, etc) but I have this vision of the South Pacific being completely different. Is it in fact that different? I like the idea of going on land and exploring a bit. I hear that there really isn't much to do on land itself in Tahiti...it's much more water focused. What are your thoughts? hi, tahiti is not a nice place, morea, bora bore and other outer islands are nice. the caribean isl. are very nice, and lots of choices, my next isl. trip will be again in the caribean. peter:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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