first time to F.P.

[mikepaul]

We've cruised a few times but never to Tahiti and was planning to go in early 2015, maybe March or April. I'd like to get some feedback on which cruise line to take. I'm thinking either Princess or Oceania for 10 days. Most of their ships that go through there are about the same size I believe about 12-1300 passengers which sounds like a good number. My wife and I aren't partyers but we would like some good entertainment and of course food is a priority and service. We have cruised Princess before to Alaska and liked that ship but it was about 13 or 14 years ago. I've ruled out Paul Gaugain, probably too small for our liking and honestly too expensive when air is factored in.

I know both those lines are limited in their sailings to F.P. but I'll work around that.

[dorisis]

We've cruised a few times but never to Tahiti and was planning to go in early 2015, maybe March or April. I'd like to get some feedback on which cruise line to take. I'm thinking either Princess or Oceania for 10 days. Most of their ships that go through there are about the same size I believe about 12-1300 passengers which sounds like a good number. My wife and I aren't partyers but we would like some good entertainment and of course food is a priority and service. We have cruised Princess before to Alaska and liked that ship but it was about 13 or 14 years ago. I've ruled out Paul Gaugain, probably too small for our liking and honestly too expensive when air is factored in.

I know both those lines are limited in their sailings to F.P. but I'll work around that.

 

Food is better on Oceania and entertainment is better on Princess. Just my opinion. I have done it on both lines and felt Princess did a better overall cruise.

[paul929207]

I believe both use the R class ships in FP. These hold about 680 passengers. We have not been on Oceana, but loved the FP cruise on Princess.

[BridgeMates]

There's definitely disagreement about the size of ship from veteran posters on the South Pacific board. Do go there for lots of information.

Personally, we have been very happy with both of our trips to FP....first time we did a B2B 20 days on a smaller Princess ship and then again on the much larger Holland America's Westerdam. We got such a great fairly last minute deal on that one, there's no way you could compare the Paul Gaugin pricing plus no air involved as it was RT from the U.S.

Absolutely LOVED both of our cruises. The snorkeling tours and the rental car drives around Moorea and Huahine were so much fun. Just sitting out on deck and seeing the sunrise or sunset from the ship is incredible. I want to go again but time's running out and we do have a couple of other places on our bucket list.

[flamomo]

Did the 10 day Princess cruise roundtrip Papeete on the Tahitian Princess (now the Ocean Princess) a few years ago and it was wonderful. A couple of years ago I did the 28 day roundtrip LA-Hawaii-Samoa-Tahiti-LA on the Sapphire Princess, and it too was wonderful.

 

The small ship cruise is a very different (in a positive way) cruise experience, and I would not hesitate to do it again, especially in the South Pacific.

 

FP is amazing!!