Upcoming Cruise ... freaking out a little ...

[VisionaryJax]

3 hours ago, jdm said:

You will love being in paradise.  As a fellow dog lover, I was so saddened in the back areas of Papettee to see so many stray dogs, super skinny just lying in the roads.  In hindsight I wish I had taken a small baggie of dry dog food to give them some nourishment, especially those that were nursing.  They come right up to you when you get out of the car.  Our spoiled 14 1/2 year old german shorthaired pointer and our cat don't have a clue how spoiled they are. 

Enjoy your  cruise!

 

 

9 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

I share your concern as we are dog lovers as well.

A word of caution as we encountered this in the past. While traveling in rural South America we brought some food with us to do just what you wanted to do and it caused a terrible fight among the dogs fighting for the food. We never tried that again (unless there is only 1 dog).

Thank you both for this information! I thought the dog food sounded like a great idea, but now I will know to be careful and not start a fight!

[Paulchili]

19 minutes ago, VisionaryJax said:

 

Thank you both for this information! I thought the dog food sounded like a great idea, but now I will know to be careful and not start a fight!

In addition, while they may be malnourished they are not domesticated and not accustomed to all human foods. Think meat products over things like bread or dry dog food.

On one occasion the dog ate only the slice of ham out of a ham sandwich, leaving most of the food uneaten.

Sorry for OT post.

Edited January 21, 2019 by Paulchili

[VisionaryJax]

2 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

In addition, while they may be malnourished they are not domesticated and not accustomed to all human foods. Think meat products over things like bread or dry dog food.

On one occasion the dog ate only the slice of ham out of a ham sandwich, leaving most of the food uneaten.

Sorry for OT post.

Thanks, good point.

 

What does "OT post" mean?

[Paulchili]

1 minute ago, VisionaryJax said:

 

What does "OT post" mean?

Off topic (from the topic of this thread).

[GeorgesGal]

On 1/11/2019 at 5:30 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

OP: if nothing else, book a tour on Bora Bora with Patrick ASAP: http://www.maohinui.net/en/lagon-et-festin-polynesien

 

you will not be disappointed!

 

Absolutely Patrik is THE BEST!!!  We took his tour last year in January from Lima to Papeete.  Also if you are lucky enough to get ashore on Easter Island, James Grant-Peterkin has a tour company there.   His comfy name is Easter Island Spirit, e-mail info@easterislandspirit.com.  

 

If you are interested in either of the two tours, Patrick's or James', I suggest contacting them asap as they are extremely popular and fill up quickly.  Here's hoping you aren't too late to snag either or both of them!

 

Enjoy your trip, we certainly did!

[pinotlover]

We’re planning on taking Paulchili’s route to Easter Island. Take the cruise from BA around the end of South America into the Chilean Fjords and to Santiago. Then fly over on a land package. Oceania has to high of a missed port rate in the EI to risk going with them to get there imo.

[Paulchili]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

We’re planning on taking Paulchili’s route to Easter Island. Take the cruise from BA around the end of South America into the Chilean Fjords and to Santiago. Then fly over on a land package. Oceania has to high of a missed port rate in the EI to risk going with them to get there imo.

Plus you’ll have more time to explore leisurely, have local food and entertainment (& Chilean wine 🙂).

Enjoy!

Edited January 21, 2019 by Paulchili

[VisionaryJax]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

We’re planning on taking Paulchili’s route to Easter Island. Take the cruise from BA around the end of South America into the Chilean Fjords and to Santiago. Then fly over on a land package. Oceania has to high of a missed port rate in the EI to risk going with them to get there imo.

 

9 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Plus you’ll have more time to explore leisurely, have local food and entertainment.

Enjoy!

That's so great. We have just this one shot, so I hope we make it! This is our "trip of a lifetime" so I don't know if we'll get back to Easter Island again if we don't get there this time. Fingers crossed!

[Paulchili]

9 minutes ago, VisionaryJax said:

 

We have just this one shot, so I hope we make it! This is our "trip of a lifetime" so I don't know if we'll get back to Easter Island again if we don't get there this time. Fingers crossed!

Good luck - I do hope all will go well.

[Sea42]

Just now, VisionaryJax said:

 

That's so great. We have just this one shot, so I hope we make it! This is our "trip of a lifetime" so I don't know if we'll get back to Easter Island again if we don't get there this time. Fingers crossed!

We were able to visit both days on our Marina cruise that ended today. It was pretty choppy the first day but the second day was an easy tender. Best of luck to you!

[Hoopster95]

On 1/11/2019 at 9:38 AM, VisionaryJax said:

.... and I want to do scuba diving on the FP islands, which Oceania doesn't even offer ...

.... And I want to pick up black pearls for our grown-up girls and know nothing about choosing nice ones and not spendig a bundle ... Not that the girls would know the dif as long as the pearls looked pretty.

 

On 1/11/2019 at 4:09 PM, VisionaryJax said:

The main thing I want to say to everyone is THANK YOU! What a lovely community of cruisers to respond so quickly and so positively. Y'all are terrific! I promise I will try to keep detailed notes and do a review, too.

 

YAY! Another FP thread... your 2nd post above hits the nail on the head, I got so much great advice before I went from so many awesome people here on this Forum. 

 

Regarding your first post, Fakarava will be best bet for diving. Google "Fakarava Diving"... plenty of options to make inquiries.

"Less expensive" pearls? Papeete would be my guess. Papeete has a flee market.. I don't know days and hours, google it and it should help. Papeete also has a large "Pearl Market" (we never went, however we were told about it and the GF googled it) store so I assume you can find something there. However note, in shopping with my gf for pearls, the "cheap" ones are not cheap at all.

 

Denise!!!!.... when are we going back?!?!?!   ** sigh ** 

 

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Glad people have figured out for you that it's the Intercontinental you're staying at.  Very nice resort, many people love it.

 

As others have said, taking the ferry over to Moorea is a piece of cake, just make sure you get back before dark (ferries only run in daylight hours.)  Albert's  rents cars and does excursions, so if you just want to do some snorkeling, or ATV'ing, or 4x4 tripping, you can book an excursion (there are many operators there--go to Tripadvisor and see.)  If you'd rather rent a car, Avis is apparently near the ferry dock, Albert's will pick you up there and take you to the rental office--on return they'll drive you back to the ferry.  

 

If you drive, try for lunch at Snack Mahana or on the beach at the hotel Les Tipaniers (latter place you could also have a swim).  Make sure to drive up to the Belvedere for fabulous views, and stop at the Agricultural Research station on the way.  Just driving around the island and stopping is fun.

 

I've bought pearls on Moorea and Bora Bora--the latter has lots of shops in all price ranges.  Prices for beautiful, but less than perfect, pearls has come down over the years since I bought my first pearls in 2000.

[VisionaryJax]

22 hours ago, GeorgesGal said:

 

Absolutely Patrik is THE BEST!!!  We took his tour last year in January from Lima to Papeete.  Also if you are lucky enough to get ashore on Easter Island, James Grant-Peterkin has a tour company there.   His comfy name is Easter Island Spirit, e-mail info@easterislandspirit.com.  

 

If you are interested in either of the two tours, Patrick's or James', I suggest contacting them asap as they are extremely popular and fill up quickly.  Here's hoping you aren't too late to snag either or both of them!

 

Enjoy your trip, we certainly did!

Thank you for this information. I emailed Easter Island Spirit, and they responded very quickly; now we are booked on a tour with James Grant, and it was much more economical than the shore excursions Oceania was offering. I am going to post this information in our role call as people are looking for things to do for Easter Island. I sure hope we make it there!

14 hours ago, Sea42 said:

We were able to visit both days on our Marina cruise that ended today. It was pretty choppy the first day but the second day was an easy tender. Best of luck to you!

That is good news. We only have one shot, but I am very hopeful.

14 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

 

YAY! Another FP thread... your 2nd post above hits the nail on the head, I got so much great advice before I went from so many awesome people here on this Forum. 

 

Regarding your first post, Fakarava will be best bet for diving. Google "Fakarava Diving"... plenty of options to make inquiries.

"Less expensive" pearls? Papeete would be my guess. Papeete has a flee market.. I don't know days and hours, google it and it should help. Papeete also has a large "Pearl Market" (we never went, however we were told about it and the GF googled it) store so I assume you can find something there. However note, in shopping with my gf for pearls, the "cheap" ones are not cheap at all.

 

Denise!!!!.... when are we going back?!?!?!   ** sigh ** 

 

 

Thank you! We found one scuba shop, TopDive, that seems to have operations on all the islands where we're going. I would like to dive on each island; my husband is less keen, but he is a bit older than I am and never was as passionate about scuba as I am. I hope to drag him along though. This is why I haven't booked any other shore excursions in FP yet; I would like to dive everywhere. We will probably only be there once, and I don't want to miss the underwater world. Although your snorkeling photos from your review were awesome; I love free diving, too, so that would be fun too.

1 hour ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Glad people have figured out for you that it's the Intercontinental you're staying at.  Very nice resort, many people love it.

 

As others have said, taking the ferry over to Moorea is a piece of cake, just make sure you get back before dark (ferries only run in daylight hours.)  Albert's  rents cars and does excursions, so if you just want to do some snorkeling, or ATV'ing, or 4x4 tripping, you can book an excursion (there are many operators there--go to Tripadvisor and see.)  If you'd rather rent a car, Avis is apparently near the ferry dock, Albert's will pick you up there and take you to the rental office--on return they'll drive you back to the ferry.  

 

If you drive, try for lunch at Snack Mahana or on the beach at the hotel Les Tipaniers (latter place you could also have a swim).  Make sure to drive up to the Belvedere for fabulous views, and stop at the Agricultural Research station on the way.  Just driving around the island and stopping is fun.

 

I've bought pearls on Moorea and Bora Bora--the latter has lots of shops in all price ranges.  Prices for beautiful, but less than perfect, pearls has come down over the years since I bought my first pearls in 2000.

Thank you for the recommendations! I will check out Albert's. I would like to have something booked before we go.

 

I appreciate all the thoughtful responses y'all. Thank you! If I can figure out how to post as we go, I will do a review like Hoopster did and hopefully post some scuba photos, too.

[GeorgesGal]

I'm so happy you were able to book with James.  His guides are great and the vehicles comfy.

[Petoonya]

Hi there. I was the one who started the roll call for Marina PPT to Lima in March. But we switched gears and did the 17 day Wind Spirit cruise last month instead. I hate using superlatives but it really was incredible. We had 4 days in Bora Bora and did Pure Snorkeling, Lagoon Service and Tohora Bora Bora. They were all excellent but Tohora was the best. In Raiatea we did Bruno's Le Excursion Bleue and enjoyed. He took us to a place where there was no one else, just the boat, my husband and I and about 50 reef sharks and many manta rays. Also did the Coral Garden with him as well as doing that independently on another day. That's a do not miss excursion. I know that you want to dive everywhere so these are a "just in case," your husband wins and you end up snorkeling 🙂

 

We also did Nuku Hiva on an Oceania PPT to LA in May 2017 and did a 4x4 island tour with Temarama Tours (no diving or snorkeling in Marquesas as you prob already know). We're going back and doing Oceania PPT to SFO April 2020 we love it so.

 

Used the Terevau Ferry to go to Moorea on a day we were docked in Papeete. Dock #2, best departure times and you can buy tickets online. Spent the day at the Hilton Moorea- $90pp use of all facilities and a fabulous lunch. Used Torea Transport to the Hilton. But if it were me I'd do jet skiing/snorkeling with Moorea Activities Center- they'll pick you up right where the ferry docks.

 

Sounds like you've already figured out Fakarava.

 

We've stayed at the Intercontinental in Papeete. The pool is wonderful and you have a gorgeous view of Moorea. But doing a day in Moorea is ideal while you're there as not as much to do on the island of Tahiti. Moorea gets voted number 1 by a lot of people.

 

The dogs in Tahiti really do break your heart. There were many right at the dock in Bora Bora, but all those were well fed. Not so on all the other islands, Huahine, Moorea, Tahaa, Rangiroa, Raiatea, Fakarava doggies were borderline starving. We bought dog food at supermarkets and fed dogs everywhere. It's particularly bad on Moorea. The locals take in puppies and release them as they get older- spay/neuter is virtually unknown. (The government even makes it terribly difficult to adopt dogs too!)

 

We have two huge hard to manage Pyrenees that we worried about, and four cats, one who is 21 and insulin dependent. They were all in wonderful hands but despite that I called, texted and emailed home a LOT wondering about them.

 

We spend our cruise dollars judiciously like you and Tahiti and Oceania are things we can't get enough of when we can swing it. Sirena PPT to LA was superb. You are going to have the time of your life!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2019 by Petoonya

[pauon]

Wind Spirit is a great ship.  We were on the Wind Spirit last year and the Wind Song years ago.  Looks like you had a great time.

[Petoonya]

5 hours ago, pauon said:

Wind Spirit is a great ship.  We were on the Wind Spirit last year and the Wind Song years ago.  Looks like you had a great time.

Really is a dream of a ship and itinerary. We were on Wind Song many years ago too and still have our emblem t-shirts!

[VisionaryJax]

On 1/22/2019 at 8:38 PM, Petoonya said:

Hi there. I was the one who started the roll call for Marina PPT to Lima in March. But we switched gears and did the 17 day Wind Spirit cruise last month instead. I hate using superlatives but it really was incredible. We had 4 days in Bora Bora and did Pure Snorkeling, Lagoon Service and Tohora Bora Bora. They were all excellent but Tohora was the best. In Raiatea we did Bruno's Le Excursion Bleue and enjoyed. He took us to a place where there was no one else, just the boat, my husband and I and about 50 reef sharks and many manta rays. Also did the Coral Garden with him as well as doing that independently on another day. That's a do not miss excursion. I know that you want to dive everywhere so these are a "just in case," your husband wins and you end up snorkeling 🙂

 

We also did Nuku Hiva on an Oceania PPT to LA in May 2017 and did a 4x4 island tour with Temarama Tours (no diving or snorkeling in Marquesas as you prob already know). We're going back and doing Oceania PPT to SFO April 2020 we love it so.

 

Used the Terevau Ferry to go to Moorea on a day we were docked in Papeete. Dock #2, best departure times and you can buy tickets online. Spent the day at the Hilton Moorea- $90pp use of all facilities and a fabulous lunch. Used Torea Transport to the Hilton. But if it were me I'd do jet skiing/snorkeling with Moorea Activities Center- they'll pick you up right where the ferry docks.

 

Sounds like you've already figured out Fakarava.

 

We've stayed at the Intercontinental in Papeete. The pool is wonderful and you have a gorgeous view of Moorea. But doing a day in Moorea is ideal while you're there as not as much to do on the island of Tahiti. Moorea gets voted number 1 by a lot of people.

 

The dogs in Tahiti really do break your heart. There were many right at the dock in Bora Bora, but all those were well fed. Not so on all the other islands, Huahine, Moorea, Tahaa, Rangiroa, Raiatea, Fakarava doggies were borderline starving. We bought dog food at supermarkets and fed dogs everywhere. It's particularly bad on Moorea. The locals take in puppies and release them as they get older- spay/neuter is virtually unknown. (The government even makes it terribly difficult to adopt dogs too!)

 

We have two huge hard to manage Pyrenees that we worried about, and four cats, one who is 21 and insulin dependent. They were all in wonderful hands but despite that I called, texted and emailed home a LOT wondering about them.

 

We spend our cruise dollars judiciously like you and Tahiti and Oceania are things we can't get enough of when we can swing it. Sirena PPT to LA was superb. You are going to have the time of your life!

5

Wow! Thank you so much! Those pix are amazing! I will keep the snorkeling and excursion tips in mind, as you say, just in case. I looked at Wind Star, too, when we were planning, but my husband really wanted a balcony, a butler, and the most luxury we could afford. How would you say Wind Star stacked up?

 

It's impressive you've kept a diabetic kitty alive for 21 years (in a house with Great Pyrenes! LOL). I am sure I will be like  you and checking in on our Barney a lot.

 

We looked at the PPT to LA cruise ... what did you like about that? If we are lucky enough to be able to do a trip like this again (we just started saving for our 25th-anniversary trip!) that one looked like a lot of days for not as much money, if I recall. Plus it would be nice to be flying home to Houston from LA rather than Lima -- we have to wait all day in Lima until a midnight flight to head home after arrival. (We do have a tour lined up, which sounds fabulous -- and will probably get a hotel room to rest up in the evening until we have to be at the airport.)

 

Thanks again everyone for all your recommendations and kind words! It's getting close now ...

[Petoonya]

Comparing W/S and Oceania is a tough one because they really are worlds apart. W/S is intense Tahiti and we'd been before and that's what we wanted. It was 17 days of snorkeling a new island every day. Much more active trip and even though the ship is gorgeous, the only things to really do in the evening are read and relax in the sun- it's a small ship. Lots more to do in afternoon and evening on O. So during the day we snorkeled and ran around and afternoons and evenings we relaxed and enjoyed the views and the lovely ship. Dining was equivalent but I'd give W/S maybe a slight edge. The cabins on W/S have no balcony but nicely laid out. Service equal. If I had to place side by side even with a penthouse I'd flip a coin. But we LOVE Tahiti- go every 5 years so that adds a bit of weight to W/S Tahiti.

 

I'd have been VERY happy keeping our booking the penthouse on Marina though, if we hadn't done it the previous year. Would have loved to do Easter Island (hope you make it!) and Machu Picchu. We'd just done O from PPT the year before and it was time to return to W/S. O is amazing- service, ambiance, dining, just right size ship. We've already booked next years cruise and that's PPT to LA again on O because we loved it so much. Whoa, the penthouses are fabulous and having a butler to celebrate a special occasion really is SPECIAL. AS I say the cabins on W/S are lovely but certainly don't compare to O penthouse. I think you made the right choice if husband was set on balcony and butler.

 

But if you get a wild hair and decide to go for the brass ring again, do a 17 day, even an 11 day on W/S. You'll fall in love with Tahiti. Once you're in that water things are never the same.

Edited January 24, 2019 by Petoonya

[vaitape]

VisionaryJax, Remember the traffic in Lima is amazingly awful and scary, worse than Saigon on it's worst day. Plan to leave your hotel EARLY to allow time to get the airport. If you have the chance, go to CALA for dinner....get there in time for sunset....magic! We can recommend Lima Mentor for tours and transport in Lima....we had them for 2 days and can't say enough about them.

 

We did the PPT-LAX cruise on Sirena last year. The food and service on the ship was the worst we'd ever experienced on O and we've had 16 cruises so that's saying something. To be fair, most of the food and beverage staff was new and believe me, it showed. BUT, that was then and this is now so am sure things have improved.

 

We loved the PPT-LAX itinerary. Beautiful way to see Hawaii too. It was rather cool for the last 3 days but we were prepared.  So you might consider that itinerary as an alternative. Remember, landing in Easter Island is not guaranteed. We were lucky to do so on a Valparaiso-PPT cruise but if we wanted to visit Easter Island again, we'd do a land trip instead, as suggested.

 

Happy Planning!

[Petoonya]

It's interesting that Vaitape wasn't impressed with the dining on Sirena on PPT-LAX (we did it May 2017 so Vaitape did different cruise last year) as we thought it was fabulous on our cruise. We all have different tastes and experience and ours was very different- and maybe different chef on Vaitape's cruise. I think you are going to think Marina is out of this world.

[VisionaryJax]

5 minutes ago, Petoonya said:

Comparing W/S and Oceania is a tough one because they really are worlds apart. W/S is intense Tahiti and we'd been before and that's what we wanted. It was 17 days of snorkeling a new island every day. Much more active trip and even though the ship is gorgeous, the only things to really do are read and relax in the sun- it's a small ship. So during the day we snorkeled and ran around and afternoons and evenings we relaxed and enjoyed the views and the lovely ship. Dining was equivalent but I'd give W/S maybe a slight edge. The cabins on W/S have no balcony but nicely laid out. Service equal. If I had to place side by side even with a penthouse I'd flip a coin. But we LOVE Tahiti- go every 5 years so that adds a bit of weight to W/S Tahiti.

 

I'd have been VERY happy keeping our booking the penthouse on Marina though, if we hadn't done it the previous year. Would have loved to do Easter Island (hope you make it!) and Machu Picchu. We'd just done O from PPT the year before and it was time to return to W/S. O is amazing- service, ambiance, dining, just right size ship. We've already booked next years cruise and that's PPT to LA again on O because we loved it so much. Whoa, the penthouses are fabulous and having a butler to celebrate a special occasion really is SPECIAL. AS I say the cabins on W/S are lovely but certainly don't compare to O penthouse. I think you definitely might the right choice.

 

But if you get a wild hair and decide to go for the brass ring again, do a 17 day, even an 11 day on W/S. You'll fall in love with Tahiti. Once you're in that water things are never the same.

Thank you for all this info! I expect after this coming trip, we will feel the same as you and want to return to Tahiti. We are planning on our 25th anniversary if we can save some dough and acquire some travel miles, so hopefully in 5 years we could be able to do this again ...

2 minutes ago, vaitape said:

VisionaryJax, Remember the traffic in Lima is amazingly awful and scary, worse than Saigon on it's worst day. Plan to leave your hotel EARLY to allow time to get the airport. If you have the chance, go to CALA for dinner....get there in time for sunset....magic! We can recommend Lima Mentor for tours and transport in Lima....we had them for 2 days and can't say enough about them.

 

We did the PPT-LAX cruise on Sirena last year. The food and service on the ship was the worst we'd ever experienced on O and we've had 16 cruises so that's saying something. To be fair, most of the food and beverage staff was new and believe me, it showed. BUT, that was then and this is now so am sure things have improved.

 

We loved the PPT-LAX itinerary. Beautiful way to see Hawaii too. It was rather cool for the last 3 days but we were prepared.  So you might consider that itinerary as an alternative. Remember, landing in Easter Island is not guaranteed. We were lucky to do so on a Valparaiso-PPT cruise but if we wanted to visit Easter Island again, we'd do a land trip instead, as suggested.

 

Happy Planning!

Wow that is very interesting about Sirena and the service! I haven't read much about anyone having bad service on Oceania! Or bad food.

 

Yes, one thing I liked about the PPT to LA itinerary was the visit to the Hawaiian islands. I have been to Hawaii and Oahu but no others; that seemed idyllic.

 

And yes, we've been hearing that Easter Island isn't a guarantee; I didn't know that when we booked the cruise, but have heard it on this forum. Hoopster's review of a similar itinerary from a year or two ago mentioned that they had 2 days for Easter island, I believe; I wish we did as well, it would give us a better chance to make the landing. Oh well, hoping for the best. I don't know if we'll ever get back there, so I would surely love to see the moai (sp?).

 

Thanks for the tip about Lima traffic! I will keep that in mind. We booked through LocalTours.com I believe; the young woman was very responsive to emails and gave us an itinerary that includes getting us checked into our hotel if we decide to book one, and then seeing Miraflores, Barranco and ... is there a city center or city square, historic place ... I am probably getting it all wrong, but we were able to customize the half-day tour, which was really nice. She got good reviews on the site, so I hope that will be OK.

[vaitape]

VisionaryJax, sounds like a well-recommended tour company for Lima so you are set there. Yes, there is an historic plaza which is interesting and a cathedral that's worth a look.

 

Petooyna, I checked with DH and it was 2017, not last year... we were on the same cruise as you. Actually we started in AKL and got off in PPT while the ship did the island circle. We spent those 10 days on Moorea....heaven! and then re-embarked to head to LA.

 

Food and service are of course among the most subjective opinions.  Glad your experience was different from ours. We still had a great time despite the amazingly disappointing food....found we couldn't go wrong with the pasta or most of the soups...and of course the burgers. We didn't lose any weight, that's for sure! We had a cruise from Southampton to Iceland last year (for certain!) on Nautica and the food and service were 5 star....in our opinion anyway. We continue to cruise O and recommend it wholeheartedly. 

 

We too have been to Hawaii many times but seeing it from the sea was really great....loved it!

 

 

[Petoonya]

Pretty amazing Vaitape that we enjoyed the same cruise but the food differently. We cruise O frequently too and thought the dining on that cruise was exceptional, from specialty to MDR to Veranda. Shows to go ya doesn't it? We visit Maui and Kauai every 6 months but still love visiting from the ocean too, especially trying to fit all we possibly can into 8-12 hours!

 

[cayman09]

Vaitape, can I ask where you stayed for 10 days in Moorea? We're doing a Regatta PPT to San Francisco and looking at a  pre cruise stay.