Pre-Cruise stay in Moorea

[aururab]

We are taking the Feb 8 Tahiti Iti and Society Islands Cruise and I have a few details I am struggling with.

 

First, we arrive Feb 6 at 8:30pm, and will spend the night at IC Tahiti.

 

The next day, from everything I have read it doesn't sound like I really want to stay around Tahiti. Would it be crazy to take a morning ferry to Moorea, and spend one night at a OWB at Hilton Moorea? Then take an afternoon ferry back to the ship the next day?

 

Second, in Tahiti Iti does anyone have feedback or reviews of the excursions, there is very little info online (that I can find).

 

Thanks!

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

1 hour ago, aururab said:

We are taking the Feb 8 Tahiti Iti and Society Islands Cruise and I have a few details I am struggling with.

 

First, we arrive Feb 6 at 8:30pm, and will spend the night at IC Tahiti.

 

The next day, from everything I have read it doesn't sound like I really want to stay around Tahiti. Would it be crazy to take a morning ferry to Moorea, and spend one night at a OWB at Hilton Moorea? Then take an afternoon ferry back to the ship the next day?

 

Second, in Tahiti Iti does anyone have feedback or reviews of the excursions, there is very little info online (that I can find).

 

Thanks!

Spend two nights at the IC Tahiti  .... a very nice resort. IMO it's a waste to only spend one night at the Hilton, a lot of traveling, unpacking and then packing for only one night.

[aururab]

Hmm... I was so hesitant on booking this cruise just because of the way the flights work out. 

 

I have to arrive at 8:30pm on a Thursday, and leave at 8:00pm on a Saturday. Leaves me with 3 full days in Tahiti when I expect I would rather be nearly anywhere else along the way. 

 

 

[SWFLAOK]

19 minutes ago, aururab said:

Hmm... I was so hesitant on booking this cruise just because of the way the flights work out. 

 

I have to arrive at 8:30pm on a Thursday, and leave at 8:00pm on a Saturday. Leaves me with 3 full days in Tahiti when I expect I would rather be nearly anywhere else along the way. 

 

 

I'm not quite sure what your timeline is. From your first post you arrive at 8:30 PM on Feb 6th, which is a  better arrival time than we've ever had at PPT from LAX on our 4 trips there.

The IC Continental is a very nice hotel. It's a short drive from the airport, but with very few flights so not a lot of noise. All of the rooms have been renovated over the past few years. There is no real beach, but there are 2 great pools, and the lagoonarium where you can snorkel with fish who are small enough to swim in and out (unless they stay too long inside). There's some coral, and we even saw a few future giant clams growing in there last month.

It's easy to hang out there for the day and stay there for a second night, especially after a travel day with a long flight. On Friday, they have a free Polynesian dance show between the main restaurant and the larger pool. You might be lucky enough to see it from your room, but otherwise you can sit in the bar area, either next to the main restaurant, or at the bar behind the reception area. Bar snacks are substantial, and much cheaper than the buffet.

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean by spending 3 full days on Tahiti. Do you mean that you will be spending 2 days before you embark on the first Saturday at 3 PM, and 1 day at the end of the cruise after disembarking, and before an 8 PM flight on the second Saturday? It won't be hard on the front end. I would not bother rushing off to Moorea for the night. If your 8 PM departure is on the way back, you will need to find a way to kill quite a bit of time no matter what you do pre-cruise.

It would seem that you are booking your own flights and hotels rather than doing it through Paul Gauguin. We don't do that because the amount of money saved is not worth the inconvenience to us. If you book air and transfers through PG, and ask for 2 nights pre, you get 2 nights at the IC Tahiti, a bus waiting at the airport to take you to the hotel, a great full buffet breakfast each morning, lunch at the hotel on Saturday, a bus to the PG at the dock for your 3 PM embarkation. At disembarkation, you're taken on an optional excursion of the highlights of Papeete, and dropped at the IC for a few hours at a day room until you're returned to the airport in time for your fllght.

At the end of the trip, you can ask to stay as long as possible onboard. You need to leave the cabin at 830 AM, and I think the latest departure last month was 10. After that you wouldn't need to be at the airport until 6, so you would have 8 hours. You could rent a car and drive around the island. There are a number of interesting places to stop (a museum, a botanical garden, blow holes, waterfalls, scenic lookouts (and some that are still mentioned on Trip Advisor but haven't existed in years). With a stop for lunch, you should be able to fill 8 hours from the port to the airport, and you'll have a convenient place to keep the luggage. There could be some traffic in Papeete,  but on Saturday, there won't be rush hour/school traffic to deal with.

 

 

[aururab]

Thanks for the feedback! Perhaps there is more to do in Papeete than I thought. It sounds like you have done more than one trip yourself, have you stayed at the Hilton Moorea or More Sofitel? How do they compare?

 

Our flights are departing SFO 2:00pm - arriving PPT 8:40pm on Unite. We booked ourselves because they were only $635pp and PG doesn't contract with United. 

 

As for timing, I meant 3 days total over the course of the trip. 

 

Option A:

Feb 6 - 8:40pm arrive in PPT - night at IC Tahiti

Feb 7 - Full day in Tahiti 

Feb 8 - Tahiti for day until boarding ship around 3pm

 

Option B:

Feb 6 - 8:40pm arrive in PPT - night at IC Tahiti

Feb 7 - 11am Ferry to Moorea

              12am arrive Hilton Moorea

              3pm check into into hotel

Feb 8 - (incidentally my birthday) morning in bungalow

           - 2pm late check out (gold member)

           - 3:30 Ferry

           - board PG at 4pm

 

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

Option A

 

But to answer your other question Both the Hilton & Sofitel are very nice, I've stayed at both. We prefer the Hilton as it isn't as isolated for other eating options and the snorkeling might be a tad better.

[FlightMedic555]

Option B gets my vote.  Although a pain to move around so much having an OWB experience is not to be missed.  You may be able to get into your OWB a little earlier but just be prepared to hang on the beach and snorkel until the room is ready.

[SWFLAOK]

We spent a week on Moorea in an overwater bungalow many years ago at what is now the IC Moorea, but was then the Beachcomber. They were still being renovated when we were there in September, and the employees were on strike once again (a Moorea only strike, and not their first one).  We haven't stayed at the Hilton on Moorea, but from what I've read, it would be my choice. Since it's your Birthday, you should go for an overwater bungalow. We haven't stayed at the overwater bungalows at the IC Tahiti, but spoke to others who did. The best overwater bungalows at the IC Tahiti are the ones out in the water to the left as you enter the resort. The bungalows along the shore are noisy with the wave action under the bungalow.

[Ag82]

We just spent 2 nights in early October pre-cruise at The HIlton Moorea in an OWB and it was great!!! We took the 8:10 ferry to Mo’orea from Papeete and had our room by noon. 

In my opinion, The Hilton has the best OWB on Moorea.

[aururab]

Have you been to Sofitel? Reading the reviews it seems like everyone who has been to Sofitel feels it is the best, and everyone who has been to Hilton feels it is the best! 😉

 

I could get a superior Lagoon (end of Pontoon) OWB at Sofitel for the same price as the standard at Hilton - only the Hilton rate is non refundable.... 

[Ag82]

I have not been to the Sofitel, but my friend who is a Travel Agent, was with us on our trip and based in her knowledge,  we chose the Hilton.

[JIMinNC]

We basically did Option A back in June, but we purchased the pre-cruise package from Paul Gauguin so had transfers from the airport and to the ship (we arranged our own flights, though). Our ATN flight arrived at like 9:30pm, PG met us in baggage claim, and we we very quickly on our way to the IC. We spent the next day, Friday, just relaxing for a few hours by the IC pool adjusting to the time change, took a taxi into Papeete to spend an hour or so at the market, then came back to the IC for dinner. On Saturday, we ate breakfast, turned over our luggage to transfer to PG, then spent a couple more hours at the pool before time to meet the transfers to the ship around 3pm.

 

That worked great for us, but then we had also planned three nights post-cruise at the Hilton Moorea. The Hilton Moorea is fabulous and I would strongly recommend it, but just one night pre-cruise almost seems too short. It would seem really hard to enjoy the property if you can't at least settle in for a couple nights.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

On 10/23/2019 at 7:41 PM, aururab said:

Have you been to Sofitel? Reading the reviews it seems like everyone who has been to Sofitel feels it is the best, and everyone who has been to Hilton feels it is the best! 😉

 

I could get a superior Lagoon (end of Pontoon) OWB at Sofitel for the same price as the standard at Hilton - only the Hilton rate is non refundable.... 

I've stayed at all the 4 major resorts on Moorea. Heck, we even went to the Sofitel for our honeymoon but our favorite is the Hilton. There is no right answer here, it comes down to preference. Both have wonderful bungalows. The Sofitel has a great view of Tahiti and a expensive beach but it's isolated. The Hilton has better sunsets and is located close to other eating options plus the snorkeling might be a tad better. Again it comes down to preferences.

[aururab]

I suppose if it is only one night then being isolated isn't an issue! ha

 

After much debate, we are going with Option B! I know it is crazy, and if someone asked me I would probably suggest option A, but it is my birthday and I just wanted to wake up in an overwater villa so.... 🙂

 

We will only be adjusting to a 3 hour time difference , and an 8.5 hr flight so in that regard we should be fine. We regularly stay in an airport hotel after a long flight and then get up and go onto our a main destination, so it doesn't seem too crazy. 

I am Hilton Gold and would get a late check out at Hilton (contingent on availability) but Sofitel has 48 hour cancellation policy, so I am tempted to book there as that way if there was some truly bad weather (it is Feb) we could cancel last min.... 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

4 hours ago, aururab said:

I suppose if it is only one night then being isolated isn't an issue! ha

 

After much debate, we are going with Option B! I know it is crazy, and if someone asked me I would probably suggest option A, but it is my birthday and I just wanted to wake up in an overwater villa so.... 🙂

 

We will only be adjusting to a 3 hour time difference , and an 8.5 hr flight so in that regard we should be fine. We regularly stay in an airport hotel after a long flight and then get up and go onto our a main destination, so it doesn't seem too crazy. 

I am Hilton Gold and would get a late check out at Hilton (contingent on availability) but Sofitel has 48 hour cancellation policy, so I am tempted to book there as that way if there was some truly bad weather (it is Feb) we could cancel last min.... 

 

Sounds great.  As someone above said, you might be able to check in early, so I'd say get an earlier ferry if you can.  The worst that could happen is that the front desk will keep your bags and you can go sit around the pool. 

[aururab]

I just realized with Day Light savings it will only be a 2 hr time difference! 🙂

 

I think we may even stay at the Fare Suisse in downtown Papette, no point spending the extra $200 on the intercontinental with Fare Suisse will shuttle us around for free and it will be so close to the ferry in the morning. 

 

[aururab]

Only now I see that the Hilton has construction going on over my travel dates - waiting to see the extend of the renovations... 

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

46 minutes ago, aururab said:

I just realized with Day Light savings it will only be a 2 hr time difference! 🙂

 

I think we may even stay at the Fare Suisse in downtown Papette, no point spending the extra $200 on the intercontinental with Fare Suisse will shuttle us around for free and it will be so close to the ferry in the morning. 

 

Fare Suisse is not close to downtown but you can walk it 😉

Edited October 25, 2019 by Tahitianbigkahuna

[aururab]

Walking distance is close enough for me 🙂 I meant in comparison to the big resort's locations. 

 

[sita]

We loved the Sofitel... felt it had more of a Polynesian feel than the IC. Haven’t been to the Hilton. Much closer to the ferry dock  which seems like would be a consideration in a one night stay. Wherever you stay, like plan b as I think will be worth the effort. Probably not a popular opinion but have always felt the IC properties to feel a little like Disney’s view of FP. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I've heard the Sofitel has the best snorkeling (haven't been there myself.)  But yes, it is close to the ferry dock.  And remember, just because you can board the PG at 3 p.m. doesn't mean you have to.  If the sailaway is at the usual time in late evening, you could spend the afternoon on Moorea as well.

[aururab]

Wendy, that is what I am thinking! The last ferry that day is 6:30 - but I am a bit worried about last min cancellations and changes, the one before that is 4:00pm, at the earliest we would take that one.

 

I was able to get a fabulous deal on the highest ended OWB at Sofitel - same rate as the entry OWB at Hilton. I figure with one day we will just be in the Bungalow and in the water around it so it is more about that than the rest of the resort. 

 

[Emdee]

I love the Sofitel...has the best beach and doesn't feel crowded. Take the meal deal it is convenient.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

As mentioned before there is no right or wrong answer. The Sofitel may be a better fit simply because it's only for a day and it's closer to the ferry plus it sounds like your getting a great price. Go for it  .....

[Wendy The Wanderer]

15 hours ago, aururab said:

Wendy, that is what I am thinking! The last ferry that day is 6:30 - but I am a bit worried about last min cancellations and changes, the one before that is 4:00pm, at the earliest we would take that one.

 

I was able to get a fabulous deal on the highest ended OWB at Sofitel - same rate as the entry OWB at Hilton. I figure with one day we will just be in the Bungalow and in the water around it so it is more about that than the rest of the resort. 

 

Yes, I was kind of worried about taking the last ferry too, but you can kind of tell by the weather when you're there.  No need to book the ferry in advance, at least not in my experience.  Just remember that they don't sail at night, hence the last ferry time being around sunset (which could be a bonus.)