June 15 2013 Society and Cook Islands review

[ALB0711]

Great review.

 

Sometimes us repeaters are out of touch as we see things differently. A fresh perspective is wonderful.

 

Also glad to know you had a great time.

 

Miriam

 

Someday I want to be a repeater just like you! We are planning to take the Marquesas cruise in 2015. Is it too early to start a countdown? :rolleyes:

[hrprof]

Great review.

 

Sometimes us repeaters are out of touch as we see things differently. A fresh perspective is wonderful.

 

Also glad to know you had a great time.

 

Miriam

 

Allen

 

Joan and I are delighted to see that our prediction of sadness was right on. Will think of you on 9/15 - we will be on our way to Trinidad to start a 42 day.

voyage on National Geographic Exolorer.

 

Ted

[dexddd]

I know they had to pay PG a deviation fee - which seems a little unfair because they didn't get a few meals and a day at the hotel before flying home. I saw them get into a cab as soon as the ship was cleared and presume they paid for the cab. I believe the Concierge arranged for the cab for them, but they arranged the air deviation long before they boarded.

 

At one point before we drove around Tahiti after we disembarked we were thinking that getting off the last night like they did would be a good way to "ease the pain" of leaving, but we had a really great day touring the island of Tahiti before our plane left the next day. We decided we'd always take advantage of the last day, you are still in paradise - why cut it short?

 

Thanks. The air deviation fee is $100/person. We arranged it awhile ago. Schedules and such drove the decision and I agree it was tough to cut vacation a day short.

[Emdee]

Someday I want to be a repeater just like you! We are planning to take the Marquesas cruise in 2015. Is it too early to start a countdown? :rolleyes:

 

Never too early....

 

Why don't you come on the Croatia repeaters cruise in 2015?

[Familygoboston]

Goboston - But wait...... you are making the same mistake I made the last night on the ship. We still have 24 hours in Tahiti. The trip isn't over until we get back to the airport... more to come!

 

Ah, ha! You are so right...after disembarking I was so prepared to just have a disappointing day "waiting" for the long flights, but we had an incredible day in Tahiti and then our trip ended with the most amazing sunset! Hopefully, you had a great last day too...can't wait to hear about it

[ALB0711]

We took the advice of fellow cruise critic member Tikinthaiti and rented a car for our last day in Tahiti. We had purchased our own air, so we didn’t have the day room or transfers like the PG air passengers. I had checked prices with both Avis and Hertz and scoured the internet for coupons that could be used for the two companies. The best prices I could find gave me a car with unlimited miles at Avis for roughly the same price for a car from Hertz that charged for miles (actually kilometers) after adding the estimated mileage charge. We knew we wanted to drive all the way around Tahiti Nui and as far down each side of Tahiti Iti as possible, so we opted for the unlimited option from Avis.

With our independent air, we were supposed to disembark at 10AM. We had finished breakfast early and for the first time on the entire cruise we ate breakfast in the restaurant instead of room service because I wanted to try the breakfast lamb chops. Glad I didn't miss them!

After eating, we went back to our room to grab our carry-on bags and disembarked at 9:30. Being a little early, we missed our chance to say goodbye to the crew, but our bags were out and ready to go and one of the stewards was there in the baggage area to help us pull them out of the proper color tagged rows.

DW waited near the dock gate with our bags while I took a 5-10 minute walk into Papeete to the Avis office. Things move slow in Tahiti, and Avis is no exception. After completing a multipage form on a typewriter with honest to god real carbon paper, I inspected the car and using a trick I learned from a rental car passenger in Rarotonga and I used my Iphone to film the damage on the car.

Private cars were not allowed to enter the area near the port gate where DW was waiting, so I found some public parking between the Moorea Ferry dock and the PG dock. Loaded up the little Renault and off we went.

We decided to drive counterclockwise around Tahiti so we headed in a direction that took us by the airport on the “Tahiti Freeway”. I think every driver in Tahiti uses this stretch of road to try out their car. My little rental Renault was no match for the Peugeots and Citroens. 10-15 minutes past the airport the road shrinks down to 2 lanes and all memories of the mad dash through the Papeete roundabouts has vanished.

Our first stop, The Fern Grotto where small waterfalls cascade into pools set inside lava cliffs. Great place to spend 15 minutes walking and exploring several pools.

We proceeded to the ruins of Arahurahu Marea. It was one of the largest Marea’s in Tahiti in its' day. Not much left here now except jumbled rocks and jungle, but the black sand beach and crashing surf made the side trip worth it.

Next stop, the botanic gardens and the very beautiful Mataiea waterfall. We spent a good hour walking around the gardens looking at the tropical plants and trees.

Our teenage sons really enjoy the surfing movie “Riding with Giants” where one of the scenes is filmed at Teahupoo near the end of the road on the southern side of Tahiti Iti. We made the drive along an ever smaller two lane road on the southern side of Tahiti Iti to the end at Teahupoo. We were hoping we could get a photo of the giant waves and a t-shirt for out teenage “wannabe” surfer sons.

The surf wasn’t up as it occurs during the Tahitian summer when cyclones are blowing around the South Pacific and there were no t-shirt shops! We decided if we can figure out a way to live in Tahiti we’ll move here and open up the first ever Teahupoo surf souvenir shop. We did have a nice lunch at the small café at the end of the road.

Proceeding back where we came from we took the road dividing Tahiti Nui from Tahiti Iti across the island and drove up the north cost of Tahiti Iti. The road ended on this side of the island at a small village. There were a few Taro farms around and spectacular valleys with tropical rivers flowing into the ocean. Reminded me a little of the “road to Hana” on Maui.

 

Backtracking once again we continued now along the north coast of Tahiti Nui. I had hoped to stop at the Hitaa lava tubes, but didn’t see the turnoff. The guide we had made a lava tube trip sound like a lot of fun, but a guide and a wetsuit were needed as the water in the tubes is very cold. We’ll put this one on our to-do list next time we are here.

We then drove up the valley to the Faarumia waterfall, this was the only place we ran into mosquitoes and our repellent was packed away in one of our suitcases. We didn’t spend as much time here as we would have liked to because the mosquitoes were hungry. Next time we visit this place, we’ll have the repellent and a pair of hiking boots to go up the trail to see the upper waterfalls.

After exiting the valley we went around a short curve and arrived at the blow hole. I’ve seen a few of these, but this one was unique because you could literally stand right over it if you wanted. At some point in the past the highway went around the bluff where the blowhole is located, but now goes through a tunnel. Access to the blowhole is via the long closed highway.

[ALB0711]

I had hoped to drive up the Papenoo valley, but our guide book made it pretty clear that it was a 4 wheel drive road only. I did a quick look as we drove by and decided the little Renault we were driving probably couldn’t handle even the gravel we saw at the beginning of the road. We also added this side trip to our next visit to-do list. I know the Intercontinental offered a tour here and having a guide is probably the best way to experience the valley.

Continuing along the coastal road we made a right at the roundabout that took us to Point Venus. There is a lot of history at this point and several historical makers along with a 150 year old lighthouse make for a very interesting stop.

We stayed here long enough to see our last Tahitian sunset.

From here we continued back to Papeete, it was getting dark and there aren’t a lot of streetlights here. Fortunately we didn’t have to go too far before reaching the cruise dock and the roulettes where we enjoyed our last dinner. I parked in the same area I picked up DW and the baggage earlier that day.

We ordered a couple of dishes from one of the many Roulettes serving Chinese food. The food was very good, and freshly cooked right in front of us. The servings we much larger then what I had expected, order one main dish and some rice and you’ll have enough food for two. I had hoped to have a glass of wine here with dinner, but no alcohol is served at the Roulettes. Where is Elmo? Where is Effren? Francesco? Help!!!

One last look at the Paul Gauguin with the secret deck all lit up and we headed back to the airport.

We noticed a gas station on the “Tahiti Freeway” just before the airport exit and wished we had stopped there. We drove around the airport and back out and along another road and finally found another gas station where I filled the car up before returning it. We had spent almost all of our local currency and when I tried to use my credit card to pay for the gas, the attendant told me they would only accept credit cards for purchases over some amount that was higher than what my gas cost. I explained in my best French that we were out of Francs and after muttering something about a tourist she took my credit card. We returned the car to Avis without issue and got in line at the airport.

I was a little nervous about the process for the car return and we found ourselves at the airport much earlier then needed. Our plane wasn’t scheduled to leave until 11:30 and apparently there were no other planes leaving that night so the airport was basically locked up. At exactly 8:15 they opened up the check-in line and at exactly 8:30 the check-in counters opened. Once through these we waited for security to open. Around 9:15 the security line finally opened and we were allowed access to the airport terminal.

Once through this line we waited out our final hour in the first class lounge where we met many of our friends from the Gauguin and exchanged stories of our day. The couple we had met in Los Angeles when we boarded were also able to get a same day upgrade to first class in Papeete. They shared that the upgrade was a big exercise in bureaucracy that took a lot longer than it did in the states. Apparently they got the upgrade on one counter but then had to go to another counter to pay for it.

While waiting for our plane, I turned on my Ipad, enabled wifi and read the first news I had seen in 2 weeks. Amazingly enough, the world was still there.

We boarded our plane, enjoyed a small meal and slept for a few hours before landing in LAX. After clearing customs we hiked with our bags over to the Untied terminal where the noise and bustle of the city really hit us. The level of background noise here compared to anyplace we has seen the last 2 weeks was amazing.

We’ve been back a month now….. my review is complete, but the memory will always live!

Happy to answer any questions and can’t wait to get back the Paul Gauguin and French Polynesia.

[ALB0711]

Never too early....

 

Why don't you come on the Croatia repeaters cruise in 2015?

 

We are really a "tropical" cruisers, I'm sure Croatia is beautiful - but we've still got a lot of the South Pacific on our bucket list!

[Tiki_Man]

Allen, thank you for the excellent review. We leave in 33 days and reading your review makes us even more excited about the upcoming cruise. Lots of excellent tips and hints.

 

Mark

[cruisefun27]

Allen, I also want to thank you for a great review. We have 98 days to go before our cruise. I just hope we have as nice as weather as you did. Just keep your fingers cross. I am sorry to see you review is at a close. I hope someone else that has just came back ,will write another review to keep us that have a little while to go full of excitment. Thanks again for all your hard work, Janine

[ALB0711]

Allen, thank you for the excellent review. We leave in 33 days and reading your review makes us even more excited about the upcoming cruise. Lots of excellent tips and hints.

 

Mark

 

Allen, I also want to thank you for a great review. We have 98 days to go before our cruise. I just hope we have as nice as weather as you did. Just keep your fingers cross. I am sorry to see you review is at a close. I hope someone else that has just came back ,will write another review to keep us that have a little while to go full of excitment. Thanks again for all your hard work, Janine

 

 

33 days and 98 days - you are so lucky! 2 years and a month or two before we go again. Please share your experiences and photos so we can dream....

[Familygoboston]

Thanks Alan! Great review, especially your details of your on-your-own Tahiti, it comes up a lot on these boards about how to manage that! I did the tour of the Papenoo Valley, and I wouldn't have attempted it in my own SUV either; unless you have extensive experience 4x4 ing, and all the tools you need to get out of a jam! The roads are beyond " rough" and I would not want to have a problem in there, it's so remote!:eek:

 

Thanks for your whole review! Sounds like you had a wonderful time!

[ALB0711]

Goboston - I'm curious, did the 4x4 trip you took go all the way across the island and through Papeeno or up Papeeno and back down the same way?

 

Our last day on Tahiti was wonderful, there is so much to see there. I think next time we'll do the same thing and rent a car to explore on our last day. Will probably do the 4x4 trip pre-cruise.

[Familygoboston]

The Marama tour went in and back out the same way again. I think it would be very rough to go all the way through! And the part we did was rough riding- but really fun. The road was largely built to access a hydro power station, but there are water falls and maraes and the mountains are just spectacular! This was also our only experience with Mosquitos- luckily we did have bug spray. Also, anyone traveling there should be prepared for a fairly large temperature change between the coast just a few miles away and the interior valley elevation!

[avalong]

The Marama tour went in and back out the same way again. I think it would be very rough to go all the way through! And the part we did was rough riding- but really fun. The road was largely built to access a hydro power station, but there are water falls and maraes and the mountains are just spectacular! This was also our only experience with Mosquitos- luckily we did have bug spray. Also, anyone traveling there should be prepared for a fairly large temperature change between the coast just a few miles away and the interior valley elevation!

 

Hotter or colder? When you say "interior valley" I immediately think it's going to be hotter there. But when you throw in "elevation" I think colder. Can you clarify, please? Thanks!

[Familygoboston]

Hotter or colder? When you say "interior valley" I immediately think it's going to be hotter there. But when you throw in "elevation" I think colder. Can you clarify, please? Thanks!

 

Cooler and mistier, especially since on a 4x4 you are traveling in an open jeep. If you arrive early (morning tour) or leave late (evening tour) the sun sinks below the mountains and casts a long shadow as well as traveling in an open vehicle...brr! Add to that if you chose to go in for a swim in the bracingly cool waterfall pool; you'll be in a wet suit for a little while. DH and I wore our bathing suits under quick dry shorts and shirts, and amphibious sandals and packed a rain jacket/windbreakers as well, we wore it all home from the tour! We wrapped our towels around our legs on the way home. The actual middle of the tour was warm, and we were comfortable in shorts and a tee shirt.

 

The tour instructions tell you to pack a towel and water, and to wear your suit under your clothes if you choose to swim. I'd also recommend bug stuff, sunscreen and a warmer outer layer for after your swim and the ride on the main roads at 60-80 kph early in the AM or late PM.

[equusvilla]

I know this is the most 'impolite' question to ever ask, but aside from your air fare, how much should a couple save up to take a 'like' cruise with PG? If you could just suggest a range, that would help so much. I know they are more $$ than the others, but I have never heard anyone say it was not worth it.

 

This is my husbands dream cruise.

[Emdee]

Equus, the pg website has the costs. The additional spending money would be a minimum of 1500 for excursions. You can even calculate those looking at the website.

 

The included air fare is from lax so you will have to add those cots in.

[Familygoboston]

I know this is the most 'impolite' question to ever ask, but aside from your air fare, how much should a couple save up to take a 'like' cruise with PG? If you could just suggest a range, that would help so much. I know they are more $$ than the others, but I have never heard anyone say it was not worth it.

 

This is my husbands dream cruise.

 

I don't have my FP folder with me but I know we had 700 OBC from our travel agent. Most agents give generous OBCs for booking these luxury cruises- you can definitely shop around to find one!

 

We were atypical, as we rented bikes one day which were the equivalent of only 16 USD, and had 2 very expensive excursions canceled due to weather (therefore about 500 not billed to us) but if you look at the excursion prices on the web, you will see that a PG excursion (and really most private excursions) average about $100-125 per person per day. ( So this is similar to Emdees estimate) I found it was a good number to use for budgeting. Of course you won't be paying for excursions on sea days and are unlikely to need one on the private PG Motu at Tahaa, where everything is already included, so that's more like a sea day in that respect.

 

You can do it cheaper on your own, say renting a car or bikes like we did, but even a stop for day use and lunch at one of the resorts, will put you pretty close to that number. Unless you are a repeat visitor, I would caution against doing everything on your own, it's not that it's unsafe, or you will get lost (not likely!) but the guides are so wonderful about explaining all that you see, that you do miss some things when you go it alone to a place where you've never been before.

[equusvilla]

Thank you all for being so gracious. I actually braced myself for possibly getting an ugly response.

 

My husband has been fighting an illness now for several years and for the sake of financial responsibility, we buy everything on a "save first and then buy" basis.

 

We have thus far been on 2 Celebrity cruises - both basically costing the same. However, the Alaska cruise excursions were 2 to 3 times more expensive as each included either an airplane, boat or helicopter! Since the order for us was first to see if we could get the time off of work, then book the cruise and then book the excursions, and not willing to sacrifice those once in a life time experiences, we ended up breaking our rule for that cruise! No regrets - but just want to be more prepared this time!

[Escriteur]

I know this is the most 'impolite' question to ever ask, but aside from your air fare, how much should a couple save up to take a 'like' cruise with PG? If you could just suggest a range, that would help so much. I know they are more $$ than the others, but I have never heard anyone say it was not worth it.

 

This is my husbands dream cruise.

 

As Emdee and Familygoboston have noted, you can find the price of the cruises based on sail dates on the website. However, if you haven't already done so, I would advise that you sign up for their newsletters/specials. Every so often, they run a two-week sale, and you can save substantially on select sailings. We monitored the pricing for a while via those sale emails, so when we were finally ready to book, we were able to get a balcony cabin for a window-cabin price during one of their sales.

 

Keep in mind that PG pricing includes airfare from LAX. They also offer add-ons to fly out from other airports. We're in Florida, and they wanted $800 per person for add-on flights from southeast destinations. We were able to arrange our own airfare to LAX (flying out the day before and staying overnight an LAX airport hotel) for considerably less than that.

 

The cruise price also includes open bar and most on-board gratuities (apart from spa and excursion tips), so you'll only need money to pay for excursions, spa treatments, photos, souvenirs, and the like. If you opt to do a pre-cruise hotel stay, you'll also need to factor in lunch/dinner, drinks, and tips at the hotel.

 

If you want to get an idea of excursion prices, there's a tab on the cruise page where you can view available excursions - and if you expand to see the descriptions, you'll also find pricing. For example, here's the page for the 7-night society island sailing: http://www.pgcruises.com/destinations/itineraries/07-night - click the tabs for cruise prices and excursions.

 

While you'll pay more for excursions with jet skis, ATVs, scuba, and the like, some of the more basic sightseeing tours are less expensive. For example, Bora Bora by Le Truck was around $50 per person, while the Stingray Ballet & Snorkel Safari tour was a little over $100 pp. The highlights tours we did on Raiatea and Taha'a were less than $100 each. Of course, our visits to Motu Mahana and the PG's private beach on Bora Bora were free, and snorkel equipment loans are included. So take the time to poke around the excursion listings now and you'll get a better idea of how much you'll need to save for the type of excursions you're interested in.

 

Good luck saving up...and rest assured, a cruise on the Paul Gauguin is worth every penny! :)

[Familygoboston]

Thank you all for being so gracious. I actually braced myself for possibly getting an ugly response.

 

My husband has been fighting an illness now for several years and for the sake of financial responsibility, we buy everything on a "save first and then buy" basis.

!

Oh my...not on this board, it's such a lovely helpful group of people, I've been lurking and contributing for over 3 years now and have rarely seen a skirmish; much less outright rudeness, some good natured humor, but never anyone mean spirited. And PG themselves often weigh in with helpful info. It's probably why I like to "hang around" here:D

 

I think you'll also find the folks on this board to be very "fiscally responsible" no matter how they are situated- many cruise in a port hole cabin who could afford suites but would rather travel more frequently:D You will find plenty of good time and money saving advice if you read some of the older threads for research; but never so flinty that anyone suggests you miss out on the wonderful experience of FP!

Good luck with your DH's health and your trip! (Sorry to go OT a bit, Al:o)

[MrsSmith91739]

ALB0711/Allen I hadn't seen your review until yesterday, we are going on the same cruise in November. Your detailed information was just what I needed to get a clearer picture of the things to do on the other islands such as Huahine and Aitukai. Your pictures were great. The whole review gave me great insight as to what to expect. Thank you so much for taking the time for such a great review.

 

Thanks

 

Maria:)

[ALB0711]

Glad I could help Maria - I learned a lot from the reviews of others that sailed before me. Please write a review when you get back, while reading a review isn't even close to being there - it sure beats a day at the office!