French Polynesia to limit cruise ships by size starting Jan 2022

[kangforpres]

Hal should switch it out with the Zandam or Volendam and limit capacity to 1200, I think they can only carry about 1450 anyway.

 

-Paul

[Daniel A]

1 minute ago, kangforpres said:

Hal should switch it out with the Zandam or Volendam and limit capacity to 1200, I think they can only carry about 1450 anyway.

That sounds too logical.  Two questions please:

 

How does HAL decide who gets bumped from the cruise when they downsize from Zuiderdam?

 

Are enough people willing to pay an upcharge to compensate HAL for the loss of 250 paying passengers on Zandam or Volendam if they limit those sips to 1200?

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

That sounds too logical.  Two questions please:

 

How does HAL decide who gets bumped from the cruise when they downsize from Zuiderdam?

 

Are enough people willing to pay an upcharge to compensate HAL for the loss of 250 paying passengers on Zandam or Volendam if they limit those sips to 1200?

 

Our cruise was switched from Zuiderdam to Volendam (one of many switches which has ended up being the Eurodam and sadly, while we are no longer on it  we went through all the switches and itinerary changes.

 

Switchover can be done if the ship has not sold well but it is fairly well sold then it can be a real mess.  There are fewer verandahs on the R class ships than the Vistas, no Signature suites and many fewer Neptunes.

 

There are bound to be unhappy campers between not getting what is deemed to be the “equivalent”. And the frustration of having carefully chosen a cabin and ending up with a cabin chosen for you and possibly one you would never book.

 

It’s not a pretty picture when this happens as in many cases, there are no other cabins available in the category to choose.

 

Our Hawaii, Tahiti, Marquesas cruise was on the Westerdam (another Vista ship) and it was pricey as it’s a bucket list cruise.  We ended up missing islands and having to change itinerary mid cruise due to weather and tender challenges but the one port we did do which was truly a highlight was Bora Bora.

 

I’m not sure there is an easy solution to this predicament.

 

 

[dchip]

3 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Patrick’s tour is fabulous.  I would happily do it again 👍 

I’ve done it three times. Nothing compares to this experience. 

[nocl]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

Our cruise was switched from Zuiderdam to Volendam (one of many switches which has ended up being the Eurodam and sadly, while we are no longer on it  we went through all the switches and itinerary changes.

 

Switchover can be done if the ship has not sold well but it is fairly well sold then it can be a real mess.  There are fewer verandahs on the R class ships than the Vistas, no Signature suites and many fewer Neptunes.

 

There are bound to be unhappy campers between not getting what is deemed to be the “equivalent”. And the frustration of having carefully chosen a cabin and ending up with a cabin chosen for you and possibly one you would never book.

 

It’s not a pretty picture when this happens as in many cases, there are no other cabins available in the category to choose.

 

Our Hawaii, Tahiti, Marquesas cruise was on the Westerdam (another Vista ship) and it was pricey as it’s a bucket list cruise.  We ended up missing islands and having to change itinerary mid cruise due to weather and tender challenges but the one port we did do which was truly a highlight was Bora Bora.

 

I’m not sure there is an easy solution to this predicament.

 

 

The easiest way for those really want a day in Bora Bora would be for the cruise line to sell a full day excursion from Taha'a to Bora Bora which is 10 miles away.

[zelker]

15 minutes ago, nocl said:

The easiest way for those really want a day in Bora Bora would be for the cruise line to sell a full day excursion from Taha'a to Bora Bora which is 10 miles away.

I don't think that's even a remote possibility. 

[KarefreeKaren]

5 minutes ago, nocl said:

The easiest way for those really want a day in Bora Bora would be for the cruise line to sell a full day excursion from Taha'a to Bora Bora which is 10 miles away.

Another thought, there is a possibility to fly from Papeete to Bora Bora (approximately 50 minute flight, lands on motu, with a water taxi to BB— stay all night in an incredible over the water bungalow— fly back to Papeete, rejoining the ship in Moorea. (Easy ferry from PPT to Moorea).  Yep, expensive, but I think it could be done.  Also, a thought— it appears the Feb 2022 cruise is scheduled to arrive at 2 pm in Bora Bora and depart the next day at 11pm if that schedule I’m looking at is correct(?)— they could anchor outside the lagoon and tender in 1/2 the ship one day, and the others the next. I doesn’t take long to see the island — my first visit , years ago, I rode a bike around the island— one visit I remember the captain jogged around it! 
 

I just hope they work something out! 

[Daniel A]

I am hoping they don't put Patrick out of business.  Maybe he can work out an arrangement where he does his lagoon tours without stopping at the main island.  As I understand it, Patrick has a private motu.  

[KirkNC]

7 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I am hoping they don't put Patrick out of business.  Maybe he can work out an arrangement where he does his lagoon tours without stopping at the main island.  As I understand it, Patrick has a private motu.  

He does but picks you up at the tender dock.

[Storylady]

So sad that HAL decided to accommodate everyone on the Zuiderdam. No one is happy due to lack of storage for long cruises, smaller rooms except for the inside J’s and I’s. And now we lost Bora Bora. Usually, with every room occupied, the Amsterdam carried 1000-1200 people due to the number of solo travelers. If we had used the Zaandam, we would have been able to visit Bira Bora if no other ship was in port.

[FBM1963]

Just confirming HAL has not confirmed that we have lost Bora Bora have they.  Are we assuming it is gone?

[zelker]

42 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I am hoping they don't put Patrick out of business.  Maybe he can work out an arrangement where he does his lagoon tours without stopping at the main island.  As I understand it, Patrick has a private motu.  

From what I've read, cruises make up a fraction of the Islands' tourist dollars plus there are still the small ships that sail there year-round.  IF this comes to fruition (it doesn't appear to be definite yet and certainly not announced by HAL yet), I don't think it's going to put them out of business.

[zelker]

3 minutes ago, FBM1963 said:

Just confirming HAL has not confirmed that we have lost Bora Bora have they.  Are we assuming it is gone?

They have NOT confirmed it.  DH & I are not assuming anything yet.

[nocl]

1 hour ago, zelker said:

I don't think that's even a remote possibility. 

It would be the only way for some passengers to visit, with the number of openings limited by the passenger limit for thst day.

 

I had a tour operator that I liked in Bora Bora. The ship was going to be in Taha'a the next he. He suggested and we agreed that he would come over to Taha'a the next day and show us a number of snorkeling spots around that Island. So the physical mechanics would not be difficult 

[nocl]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

I am hoping they don't put Patrick out of business.  Maybe he can work out an arrangement where he does his lagoon tours without stopping at the main island.  As I understand it, Patrick has a private motu.  

Patrick does a lot of business with the major resorts around the Island 

 

You can do everything that Patrick does with other tours. The major advantage with Patrick is the combination of everything in his full day tours. The combination of the 4 wheel drive portion with the water and snorkeling portion, with the meal all in one package. The snorkeling spots are pretty the same ones others stop at as well. Have done Patrick one day and another tour the next and we stopped at exactly the same places.

 

 To do the same thing, at least at the time I was there last, you would need to book 2 to 3 shorter tours to get the same thing as Patrick's all day tour. 4 wheel drive with one, snorkelingwith another, and dinner on a private motu with another. That may have changed today with more visitors.

 

 

 

[nocl]

22 minutes ago, nocl said:

Patrick does a lot of business with the major resorts around the Island 

 

You can do everything that Patrick does with other tours. The major advantage with Patrick is the combination of everything in his full day tours. The combination of the 4 wheel drive portion with the water and snorkeling portion, with the meal all in one package. The snorkeling spots are pretty the same ones others stop at as well. Have done Patrick one day and another tour the next and we stopped at exactly the same places.

 

 To do the same thing, at least at the time I was there last, you would need to book 2 to 3 shorter tours to get the same thing as Patrick's all day tour. 4 wheel drive with one, snorkelingwith another, and dinner on a private motu with another. That may have changed today with more visitors.

 

 

 

Just did some checking there are now several companies doing full day tours with 4 wheel drive and snorkeling combined.

 

 If the ship stopped at the neighboring island long enough it should be possible to find one that would put together a bora bora tour from there. Would take some work but possible.

[kazu]

21 minutes ago, nocl said:

Patrick does a lot of business with the major resorts around the Island 

 

You can do everything that Patrick does with other tours. The major advantage with Patrick is the combination of everything in his full day tours. The combination of the 4 wheel drive portion with the water and snorkeling portion, with the meal all in one package. The snorkeling spots are pretty the same ones others stop at as well. Have done Patrick one day and another tour the next and we stopped at exactly the same places.

 

 To do the same thing, at least at the time I was there last, you would need to book 2 to 3 shorter tours to get the same thing as Patrick's all day tour. 4 wheel drive with one, snorkelingwith another, and dinner on a private motu with another. That may have changed today with more visitors.

 

 

 

 

We had no 4 wheel drive on Patrick’s tour.  We met at his “boats” (I forget the right name, apologies) and sailed away.  It was really a fabulous day.

I was going to stay on the boat when we got to the swim with the sharks and other creatures of the deep due to a recovering elbow surgery at the time.  But I had my bathing suit on.  And everyone else was in the water.

I decided I would try to do the ladder with one arm and when Patrick saw me he came swimming quickly over to help guide me through the sharks.

A fantastic guide and yes, I lit his fire at the motu.  The pictures are not what they look like 😉 

[nocl]

2 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

We had no 4 wheel drive on Patrick’s tour.  We met at his “boats” (I forget the right name, apologies) and sailed away.  It was really a fabulous day.

I was going to stay on the boat when we got to the swim with the sharks and other creatures of the deep due to a recovering elbow surgery at the time.  But I had my bathing suit on.  And everyone else was in the water.

I decided I would try to do the ladder with one arm and when Patrick saw me he came swimming quickly over to help guide me through the sharks.

A fantastic guide and yes, I lit his fire at the motu.  The pictures are not what they look like 😉 

He used to (and suspect he still does) offer a full day tour with both 4 wheel drive and snorkeling, as well as half day tours with one or the other, with the meal included with the snorkel tour for those that only did half.

 

To be honest I would do the snorkeling portion again, but would pass on the 4 wheel drive in trucks portion (to much sliding around on loose cushions on metal benches on both side of the truck bed.)

[nocl]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

I am hoping they don't put Patrick out of business.  Maybe he can work out an arrangement where he does his lagoon tours without stopping at the main island.  As I understand it, Patrick has a private motu.  

The issue isn't the main island, as much as it is total number in the lagoon.

 

 

[kazu]

14 minutes ago, nocl said:

He used to (and suspect he still does) offer a full day tour with both 4 wheel drive and snorkeling, as well as half day tours with one or the other, with the meal included with the snorkel tour for those that only did half.

 

To be honest I would do the snorkeling portion again, but would pass on the 4 wheel drive in trucks portion (to much sliding around on loose cushions on metal benches on both side of the truck bed.)

 

Our day was a full day tour and fantastic - the sharks and other marine life - scenery - then snorkelling - then the private island - meal (wonderful) and fire dance and then scenic tour back.

No interest in a 4 wheel drive - we saw plenty of stuff on the other islands.

Our tour with Patrick was great and it was a full day.

[nocl]

2 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Our day was a full day tour and fantastic - the sharks and other marine life - scenery - then snorkelling - then the private island - meal (wonderful) and fire dance and then scenic tour back.

No interest in a 4 wheel drive - we saw plenty of stuff on the other islands.

Our tour with Patrick was great and it was a full day.

All I know is the optio s presented to us. We did everything you mentioned, as well as the 4 wheel drive which was offered in addition to the boat portion.

[kazu]

7 minutes ago, nocl said:

All I know is the optio s presented to us. We did everything you mentioned, as well as the 4 wheel drive which was offered in addition to the boat portion.

I can only guess our boat portion was longer - no idea - but it was definitely  a full day and a great one. 🙂.  

a 4 wheel drive would have not have been on my list of things to do 😉 

[StLouisCruisers]

33 minutes ago, kazu said:

I can only guess our boat portion was longer - no idea - but it was definitely  a full day and a great one. 🙂.  

a 4 wheel drive would have not have been on my list of things to do 😉 

 

Like you, we've done his full day tours with no 4 x 4 drive.  They also had a 3/4 day or 1/2 day, don't know which it was.  So you are correct.  DId it twice actually.

[Daniel A]

12 hours ago, nocl said:

If the ship stopped at the neighboring island long enough it should be possible to find one that would put together a bora bora tour from there. Would take some work but possible.

That is exactly what I was thinking would be as an option for Patrick.

[nocl]

20 hours ago, FBM1963 said:

Just confirming HAL has not confirmed that we have lost Bora Bora have they.  Are we assuming it is gone?

If the cruise line operates as in the past, they will not change their schedule until the law actually goes into effect.  Even then maybe not until they are officially notified by the port that the call will not be allowed.  In these cases since they are port stops and not embarkation or disembarkation locations I would not expect the cruise lines to recognize it until last minute.  At that time they will probably adjust the schedule for later cruises as well.

 

For example the Venice law was changed, notice that it was going to change was known for weeks and cruise lines did not change schedules on the first few ships impacted until a few days before the cruises were to leave from Venice.

 

As long as they have not been officially denied the port call, they can always claim that there might have been a chance to call so no reason to change. Especially if they expect a number of people will cancel before full payment date if the change is announced.

 

I would like to be wrong and for the cruise lines to take the high road, be proactive in contacting the ports and let passengers know as soon a change like this is made. But unfortunately too often they do not.

 

I would guess which do you trust more, the FP government and their statements about port restrictions or the cruise lines still having the calls on their schedule.

 

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by nocl