Ocean Princess French Polynesia Review Jan. 24-Feb. 6, 2015

[ROWSE]

We headed back to the hotel. After my husband had a quick nap, and I watched the goings on over at the cruise ship, it was time to check out.

I would not hesitate to stay here again if we came back.

This is a last picture back at our hotel from the ship.

 

We used our muscles well as we rolled our suitcases on over to the ship. Check in was so easy. Drop of suitcases, and get your cruise card, and on the ship. There was basically very few people getting on at that time. It was probably 11:20 when we stepped onboard. It is quite a high staired ramp to get on in Tahiti. It would be challenging to some. It looked like the crew was ready to help.

 

We had booked an inside guarantee, but were upgraded to a beautiful ocean view, so we were very happy campers!!!

 

We had room 4020, which was one of the quietest rooms to date we have had on a ship.

 

 

This ship is a tiny classy little lady. The promenade does not go around, but it is wide...

 

Many ornate fireplaces can be seen through the ship. This is the library.

 

[ROWSE]

We headed to lunch in the dining room and for a few minutes we were actually alone. At this time we checked on our request for a table for two at the early dining. We had been assigned a table for four. Later we met with the Matradee, and to have a table for two we had to change to the 8:15, late dining. We decided to do this. We love to visit and socialize, but at dinner we just like to be the two of us.

 

Some of our lunch photos:

 

[ROWSE]

After lunch, we continued our tour of the ship. She may be small, but she packs a lot in. The best part was getting anywhere very quickly, and not ever feeling crowded.

 

We had appetizers and wine at 5:00 in the elite lounge, which on this ship was one of the little specialty restaurants as only one is in use per night as a specialty restaurant and the other is the elite lounge. I was rather hungry as we usually eat dinner early, so I ate a bit too much and was not very hungry at dinner, but what does that have to do with eating on a cruise, I still managed to eat quite a lot at dinner.

 

Some of our dinner photos:

 

 

We enjoyed an amazing Tahitian Folkloric show in the Caberet Lounge and called it a day! We seem to sleep incredibly well on cruise ships. I suppose it could be the huge amount of activity we put in to the day, or that we just eat ourselves into a stupor.

[ROWSE]

This is the first time we have ever been on a ship that stayed the overnight in a port when you embarked. We did a morning stretch up in the fitness center with Pia at 7:00. This is a free class, but they do charge for yoga, which is our exercise of choice at home. We did not fit it in although we had intended to. Best laid plans....

 

We ate and then headed out into Papeete again checking out a different area than yesterday. We walked to the left of the cruise ship heading toward the ferry docks. It was very run down in this area and after awhile we headed back more towards the cruise ship. We saw Papeete's City Hall. All government areas are immaculate.

 

 

Several buildings display beautiful murals.

 

 

We had seen enough for the day so headed back to the ship. Ate a lovely lunch at the buffet and watched a movie called Begin Again in the Caberet Lounge. So nice to be out of that intense heat for awhile. Then it was time for muster drill.

 

We enjoyed sail-away up in the elite lounge and it took our breath away.

 

 

[ROWSE]

More sail away photos...

 

During my viewing of this beautiful spectacle, my husband ran down to the spa as they were giving $500 away of spa treatments in a raffle you must be present to win. Well, in our imagination one person was winning $500, but in reality it was several small gift certificates of about $50 each, which of course would only give you part of a spa treatment. Live and learn.

 

We are finding it a bit hard to stay up after the late seating, but we will eventually learn to pace ourselves. A couple times they had the entertainment early for the late diners, and that worked out great. Staying up for the late show at around 10:30 was hard for us early risers.

[Bimmer09]

I love the Ocean Princess and this itinerary must be on everyone's bucket list.

 

Thanks for bringing us along. The photos really make the trip come alive.

 

Keep it coming!

 

Norris

[ROWSE]

I love the Ocean Princess and this itinerary must be on everyone's bucket list.

 

Thanks for bringing us along. The photos really make the trip come alive.

 

Keep it coming!

 

Norris

 

 

Thank you Norris, I ready every post on your review of the Ocean Princess, and it made me so excited to experience her. Now I am reading your wonderful Ruby review and as coincidence would have it, we are booked on the Ruby for an Alaskan cruise in August. Thank you for getting me excited about that ship as well.

 

What is the next ship we will be sailing on? LOL

[Bimmer09]

Thank you Norris, I ready every post on your review of the Ocean Princess, and it made me so excited to experience her. Now I am reading your wonderful Ruby review and as coincidence would have it, we are booked on the Ruby for an Alaskan cruise in August. Thank you for getting me excited about that ship as well.

 

What is the next ship we will be sailing on? LOL

 

Next ship for me is Emerald, Rome to Barcelona September 26th, inspired by last year's Ocean P Venice to Rome. We had originally booked the CB to the Baltic 7day but Carol is itching to get back to Rome. Warmer is good for me too.

 

The Ocean is a little gem of a ship.

 

Norris

[ROWSE]

Nothing like being rocked gently to sleep on a cruise ship. Our beds on this little lady are wonderful. We got up just before 6 a.m. to get up on deck and watch our arrival in Huahine.

 

Douglas Pearson is our onboard island lecturer, and he has so many wonderful stories about each island! I hope if any of you are traveling in the near future to French Polynesia, you will have Douglas on board.

 

Our views as we approach, and despite the look of rain, it came and passed without us getting very disrupted by it.

 

[ROWSE]

There is something in the water as we approach. Dolphins come out to welcome us and then go on their way. This was our only siting of dolphins, but I am told they often come out to greet the ships.

 

 

This is a picture of the paddle and fish hook of Hiro, the most famous god.

 

 

Now this is a picture of something that is said to be another part of Hiro. I bet you can guess.

 

 

After watching us sail in, we grabbed a quick breakfast and all our stuff and headed to the tender ticket distribution. Look what we received...

 

[ROWSE]

We were off. This is the distance here from ship to tender dock.

 

 

We found a sign for our tour. I also liked seeing all the phone booths that they have on these islands. I guess cell phones are not the only thing to use here like the US.

 

 

We were picked up along with 3 other couples so a total of 8 people on our tour. That is what I love about private tours, they are usually small and intimate.

 

 

Our outrigger glided along the beautiful waters and we were taken to a Pearl Farm first. This was the token shopping stop I guess, and it was a quick lesson in how they manipulate the oysters to produce the black pearl, which is a huge market in French Polynesia.

 

 

The best part of this stop was seeing this amazing bench from driftwood.

 

[ROWSE]

Now it was off to a coral garden area to snorkel. I do love snorkeling!

 

Can you see Little Nemo?

 

 

Beautiful colors of the clams or at least I think they are clams.

[ROWSE]

We had worked up quite an appetite, and we were taken to a lovely little motu for some lunch. We saw another ceviche presentation, a little different than the first, but still tasted wonderful!

 

 

Beer and some lovely rum punch was served. I am pretty sure it was to help us be brave for our next part of the tour....

[ROWSE]

We had a lovely time sailing way around the island to get to a big dock out in the waters. It was shark time!!!

This was the closest encounter that we have had.

 

 

There was also beautiful fish to see and a flying fish.

 

The current was quite fierce so we hung on to a thick rope from the docking area to a rock area. How the sharks know we are not food but friend is beyond me. They ranged in size from about 5 foot to 7 feet long.

 

[ROWSE]

Instead of sailing back the way we came, we pulled in to what was probably their tour office and after making our payments we rode in a 4 X 4 with bench seats in the back through the town back to the tender dock.

 

This gave us a little view of inner Huahine.

 

That night we had a little sushi and wonderful meal.

 

We watched the production show Do You Want to Dance. It was wonderful.

Since this is a little ship, they have a small production company. Two singers and four dancers I believe it was. The productions are little longer than what they have gone to on the bigger ships which is now 30 minute shows. I am very happy seeing longer shows. I have am one of those that rebel against the 30 minute shows.

In the theater on these little ships, which is the Cabaret Lounge, it is rather hard to see the show unless you are in the first few rows. The seating does not rise higher but is rather level. Still, it isn't crowded especially for the late show.

[ROWSE]

We enjoyed breakfast in the dining room today and the service on all

counts has been exemplary. Our room steward is wonderful and our dining room waiters for the evening, Vanialson and Chester have been the best!

 

It was our Cruise Critic Meet and Greet today in the Tahitian Lounge, and I was excited to meet all the people I had been chatting with. Several officers came to talk with us and we met the Captain who would be leaving us tomorrow and the new Captain who would be taking over. They were all so friendly and all seem to love this ship.

 

We followed the meet and greet with some trivia. We loved all the trivia they had on this cruise. We may not have known many answers, but it was fun learning things just the same. One winner took pity on me and gave me a wonderful Princess water bottle.

 

Then it was on to line dancing for me, and then my husband and I took a Merengue dance class. My husband claims to have two left feet but he did wonderful with this dance. Maybe it is easy, but I won't tell him that.

 

This was followed by my husband playing volleyball with fellow passengers.

 

I was a happy spectator with my little pina colada.

 

 

Later that night we had a wonderful meal, followed by a game of Jeopardy up in the Tahitian Lounge. Was it a full day? YES!!!!

 

This dessert was part of the signature desserts for the Princess 50th Anniversary. It was almost to pretty to eat. NOT!!!

[toberman]

Thanks I missed that. edited. I see why I missed it. my screen is only showing half the post. But this seems to be the only thread it is doing it on.

 

As much as I'm loving this review... I'm having the same problem - I have to scroll across the screen to see the total post. Trying to figure out why??

I have noticed that some pics (up to 3) are posted side-by-side instead of below each other. Anybody have a solution?

 

Not a complaint to you ROWSE - I'm just trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong... Do love your posts.

[ROWSE]

We awoke and hurried up to watch our entrance into the Atoll of Rangiroa. There is a huge current here so the ship seems like it really had to push forward. The water was an incredible blue, it was all I dreamed French Polynesia to be.

 

 

 

We ate breakfast in the dining room. I just love all the fruit on board.

 

 

We gathered all our gear and headed to the tenders. This is a look back at our ship.

 

 

At this tender dock there are booths set up with local crafts to sell. I enjoyed checking it out while waiting for our tour.

 

Today we did a tour with a Rangiroa Plongee Snorkel Drift. We were met promptly and walked a little along the ocean front to their office. We were offered little rash guard weight type body suits, and we did not take it since we had our own rash guards. In hind site, I wish I would have taken it as I got a severe sunburn on my backside.

 

We divided in to groups of four and went out on zodiac type boats. We did three huge drift snorkels through that opening in the atoll that the ship had entered. The current was unbelievable and we all held hands in sort of a flying V. It was truly amazing, but no chance to take pictures as my hands were holding others. We saw a hammerhead shark and from the excitement of the guide, I don't think this is common.

 

Also saw two beautiful eagle rays and about 5 sitings of turtles. The fish were absolutely beautiful. It all again took our breath away. The current did all the work and we just hung on. Amazing experience. The only little part that was at all strenuous was getting back on the little zodiac. The ladder seemed to push back at you but they helped and it was fine.

[ROWSE]

We then headed over to what I think they call the Blue Lagoon area. This was calm water and the most amazing coral and fish.

 

[ROWSE]

With a last look at the blue water, we headed back to the ship. By the way, this amazing adventure was only $50 USD each.

 

 

That evening we went to a martini demonstration in the Casino Lounge. If you participate by shaking a martini, you earned that martini. I was all excited when the Cosmo was the one up. I did get picked and shook my little heart out. Here is a picture of my lovely drink.

 

 

Then the assistant cruise director pulled my husband up and he shook a green apple martini. YUM!

 

 

We were both amazed at how freezing cold that shaker became.

 

We had already had an alcoholic beverage before this, so by dinner we were pretty buzzed. After filling our selves to the usual over full line, we headed to bed exhausted.

[ROWSE]

As much as I'm loving this review... I'm having the same problem - I have to scroll across the screen to see the total post. Trying to figure out why??

I have noticed that some pics (up to 3) are posted side-by-side instead of below each other. Anybody have a solution?

 

Not a complaint to you ROWSE - I'm just trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong... Do love your posts.

 

Oh dang, I may be doing something wrong. When I do the preview before I actually post it, it is showing the pictures one on top of the other. Does anyone know what the problem is?

 

Bimmer: Do you know what is causing this for me?

 

I will take a break hoping someone can help!

 

Thanks

[Bimmer09]

Oh dang, I may be doing something wrong. When I do the preview before I actually post it, it is showing the pictures one on top of the other. Does anyone know what the problem is?

 

Bimmer: Do you know what is causing this for me?

 

I will take a break hoping someone can help!

 

Thanks

 

I think you need to change the size of the photos before uploading them. I have to do that in Flickr as otherwise they are too wide. I think it also helps to upload one at a time and create a space with the tab bar so the photos don't touch each other.

 

Norris

Edited February 17, 2015 by Bimmer09

[AZbeachboy]

I love your pics, ist sure brings back memories. Thanks.

[ROWSE]

I think you need to change the size of the photos before uploading them. I have to do that in Flickr as otherwise they are too wide. I think it also helps to upload one at a time and create a space with the tab bar so the photos don't touch each other.

 

Norris

 

Thanks!

My pictures are in Google/Picasa, and I had to ask my software engineer son for some guidance, but I think I can change the size to smaller, but not to small. At least I hope so. I will put a tab between as well. I have uploaded one at a time so don't think that was the problem. Hopefully this will help to make it more readable.

[ROWSE]

We were very excited for this day UNTIL, we learned that the Super Bowl would not be shown anywhere on the ship. BUMMER!

We are from Washington, so were so excited that our Seahawks were again the Super Bowl. We had our game shirts on anyway just to support our team.

 

One of our children kept us updated and we checked our e-mail frequently. Sadly, in the last seconds a play that will go down in history, lost us the game.

 

It was kind of one of THOSE days all in all. Our toilet wouldn't flush for hours, and there were 3 extra charges from the night before for the Cabaret Lounge. Someone had a really good time! We were not even in the lounge, we had gone to bed.

 

The three bills added up to about $85. It took quite a bit of time for them to check the receipts and of course this was not my husband's signature. They were all taken off by the next day and according to one of the servers in the lounge, they had gotten a little heat for not checking the card's number well enough.

 

We had a lovely Mexican Buffet for lunch, and even had the Afternoon tea which we enjoyed immensely. Having the late seating for dinner gives a lot of time to eat other things.

 

Enjoyed a beautiful sunset before dinner.

 

 

 

 

Dessert was delicious!

 

 

We watched a wonderful production show of What a Swell Party and off to bed.