South Pacific, Including Hawaii, Cruise

[Rebels82]

We are looking into a South Pacific, including Hawaii, cruise. We have plenty of time. What advice do you have as far as:

1. Which ports are a “must see”?
2. Suggested length of cruise.

3. Is there a better time of the year to do this cruise?

4. Any other advice/suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!

[jagoffee]

Are you just interested in Hawaii or did you want to include the French Polynesia area?   Bora Bora and Moorea are our two favorite ports in the French Polynesia.  
 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2021 by jagoffee

[Rebels82]

Hawaii is not a priority. It happened to be on some itineraries that started or ended in California. We are interested in Bora Bora and other French Polynesian islands. We are not looking at Australia. Ideally we would like to cruise in and out of the West U.S. coast but Holland America is the only line we have found that does that. We are trying to avoid the long flight to or from Tahiti but we know that will be hard.

[tropicalkerry2002]

My favourite port excursion EVER was on Rangiroa!!! Wading between motus, snorkelling, fabulous lunch, fresh coconut. It was a dream!

Also love Bora Bora and Raiatea.

 

[jagoffee]

48 minutes ago, Rebels82 said:

Hawaii is not a priority. It happened to be on some itineraries that started or ended in California. We are interested in Bora Bora and other French Polynesian islands. We are not looking at Australia. Ideally we would like to cruise in and out of the West U.S. coast but Holland America is the only line we have found that does that. We are trying to avoid the long flight to or from Tahiti but we know that will be hard.

Princess has a 28 day return cruise from the West coast, Hawaii and the French Polynesia that we enjoyed.  No long flights, but a lot of sea days.  
 

IMO flying from Papeete, Tahiti is a terrible experience.  (Leave at night, long lines, and no AC) Flying into Papeete is no problem.  So a one way flight might not be bad). You might be able to connect in Hawaii.  You can find some cruises that reposition from there to Hawaii.  If lucky you should be able to do a FP cruise and then the reposition cruise as a B2B.  We have done this a few times.  
 

The bottom line is the French Polynesia experience is worth some hassle IMO.  The first time I cruised in the French Polynesia was on the Renaissance Cruise line (the lost father of Oceania).  It was a dream come true for us.  The flights were charter flights, so it was much easier.  Some others might be able to share some good examples with Oceania.

 

The bottom line is that it is worth the effort and some compromise.

[Silver Sweethearts]

12 hours ago, Rebels82 said:

Hawaii is not a priority. It happened to be on some itineraries that started or ended in California. We are interested in Bora Bora and other French Polynesian islands. We are not looking at Australia. Ideally we would like to cruise in and out of the West U.S. coast but Holland America is the only line we have found that does that. We are trying to avoid the long flight to or from Tahiti but we know that will be hard.

 

Unless they have changed, Hawaiian has a weekly (Saturday) non-stop (only six hour) flight from Honolulu to Papeete if that would work with your ship's schedule.

[Silver Sweethearts]

26 minutes ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

 

Unless they have changed, Hawaiian has a weekly (Saturday) non-stop (only six hour) flight from Honolulu to Papeete if that would work with your ship's schedule.

 

Have you given any thought to the Paul Gauguin to cover the French Polynesian area?  It sails out of Papeete.

[Jockocruiser]

8 hours ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

 

Have you given any thought to the Paul Gauguin to cover the French Polynesian area?  It sails out of Papeete.

Old, way past it’s prime 

[EasyGoingGuy]

PG is just a year older than Insignia/Regatta (and I suppose there are those that would argue that I/R are past their primes).  Never been on it so can't speak to it's upkeep or current condition.

[Silver Sweethearts]

17 hours ago, Jockocruiser said:

Old, way past it’s prime 

 

Perhaps, but they seem to be able to command big bucks for their sailings.  We did a two-week cruise with them and were less than impressed, but there isn't much competition in the area.  We also got Kama'aina rates or whatever they called it, which made it worth trying.

[Petoonya]

I'm far from a fan of PG but it's just been refurbished and probably pretty spiffy. But their whole cruise atmosphere to me is a bit forced and hokey- bleah.

 

I've done Wind Spirit four times however and a HUGE fan, last the 18 day Twice the Tahiti. Repeating that again next August COVID permitting. There is nothing like experiencing French Polynesia with the breeze in your face, the water so close you can nearly touch it and the wind billowing in the sails. 148 passengers- ahhhhh. This winter, Nov-March, you can sail the all new Star Breeze, only 300 passengers. The 11 day Tuamotu cruise is the ideal way to experience all that FP has to offer- Bora Bora, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Rangiroa,  Fakarava and Tahaa. The more intimate in experiencing the heaven that FP is, the better. Regatta is pretty damn nice in FP, but if you want true Tahiti, it's Windstar.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by Petoonya

[Mercruiser]

19 hours ago, Petoonya said:

I'm far from a fan of PG but it's just been refurbished and probably pretty spiffy. But their whole cruise atmosphere to me is a bit forced and hokey- bleah.

 

TBK would be appalled 😏

[Petoonya]

@Mercruiser

hee-hee!!!!!

[CintiPam]

On 10/30/2021 at 1:38 AM, Petoonya said:

I'm far from a fan of PG but it's just been refurbished and probably pretty spiffy. But their whole cruise atmosphere to me is a bit forced and hokey- bleah.

 

I've done Wind Spirit four times however and a HUGE fan, last the 18 day Twice the Tahiti. Repeating that again next August COVID permitting. There is nothing like experiencing French Polynesia with the breeze in your face, the water so close you can nearly touch it and the wind billowing in the sails. 148 passengers- ahhhhh. This winter, Nov-March, you can sail the all new Star Breeze, only 300 passengers. The 11 day Tuamotu cruise is the ideal way to experience all that FP has to offer- Bora Bora, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Rangiroa,  Fakarava and Tahaa. The more intimate in experiencing the heaven that FP is, the better. Regatta is pretty damn nice in FP, but if you want true Tahiti, it's Windstar.

 

 

Lovely to see you back on this board, Petoonya. Hopefully when you are cruising next August, we will be on our first visit ever to Hawaii, a trip we first talked about four years ago but postponed due to other travel destinations we prioritized.

 

Thanks for the advice regarding the right ship to book for cruising FP. I just need to convince Legaleaglegreen that the FP experience is worth the long flight. Perhaps I need to check the flight times from Hawaii! 😉

Edited October 31, 2021 by CintiPam

[LouChamp]

We divide our time between New York and Honolulu.   We took a princess cruise from honolulu around hawaii and then sailed to tahiti and its islands.   Totally magical.   Stayed in tahiti afterwards for a few days and then nonstop air tahiti nui to NY.   They no longer have that flight.  We dont mind the long flights so for us it was excellent.   Smooth sailing!

[ORV]

On 10/28/2021 at 9:00 AM, Rebels82 said:

We are trying to avoid the long flight to or from Tahiti but we know that will be hard.

I guess I look at it a little different, but I don't consider an 8.5 hour flight that long. Well if you're cramped up with no leg room it's a bit to deal with. But the length is really no more or less than a flight to Europe. This is assuming you depart from the West Coast, so if you are anywhere other than there, you should take a flight into LAX a day early. 

[KS&JW]

36 minutes ago, ORV said:

I guess I look at it a little different, but I don't consider an 8.5 hour flight that long. Well if you're cramped up with no leg room it's a bit to deal with. But the length is really no more or less than a flight to Europe. This is assuming you depart from the West Coast, so if you are anywhere other than there, you should take a flight into LAX a day early. 

Exactly, it is a 12+ hour flight from SFO to Europe. But that certainly does not stop me from going. 

[Petoonya]

@CintiPam

Thanks for the welcome back ❤️ CintiPam. We're headed for Maui at the end of the month.

 

The Tahiti and Hawaii flights are much more grueling for you than west coasters. But if you tolerate the trip to Hawaii, just think that Papeete is only 3 hours more- couple'a cocktails and several hundred more snores for Mr. Petoonya. And the reward is seeing how Hawaii was 70-100 years ago.

[gwenmarie]

I am booked for the 18 day cruise next April from FP to Los Angeles. We are flying from portland, or to Honolulu (5 Hrs) spending the night and taking Hawaiian Air to FP (6 hrs). Taking a 10 day land trip on Moorea prior to the cruise. 

[Silver Sweethearts]

2 hours ago, gwenmarie said:

I am booked for the 18 day cruise next April from FP to Los Angeles. We are flying from portland, or to Honolulu (5 Hrs) spending the night and taking Hawaiian Air to FP (6 hrs). Taking a 10 day land trip on Moorea prior to the cruise. 

 

Just curious about what all there is to do for a 10 day land trip on Moorea?

[Petoonya]

@Silver Sweethearts

Can think of a bunch of stuff to keep me busy on Moorea for 10 days! Not the same expense as Bora Bora either. I'd even be happy with a car to explore for 2 of the days. And if it's the Hilton Moorea just hanging out at the (small but nice) beach and snorkel is lovely for a few days. Then jetski around the island, or take a private boat tour day with Mermaid Moorea Private tours, do the Lagoonarium, Temae Beach, hike around Belvedere, 4x4 back country tour, and the biggest deal if you go May-October....swim with whales! I could be happy 20 days in Moorea if I had a sugar daddy to pay for it 😉

 

@gwenmarie We did that in 2019. Amazing- loved it. Doing again 2023. Till then doing 18 day Wind Spirit FP next summer.

The PPT-HNL-LAX is ideal. Enough run around play time; enough relax time. Regatta is just right to sail across the Pacific 🙂

[gwenmarie]

On 11/6/2021 at 7:21 PM, Petoonya said:

@Silver Sweethearts

Can think of a bunch of stuff to keep me busy on Moorea for 10 days! Not the same expense as Bora Bora either. I'd even be happy with a car to explore for 2 of the days. And if it's the Hilton Moorea just hanging out at the (small but nice) beach and snorkel is lovely for a few days. Then jetski around the island, or take a private boat tour day with Mermaid Moorea Private tours, do the Lagoonarium, Temae Beach, hike around Belvedere, 4x4 back country tour, and the biggest deal if you go May-October....swim with whales! I could be happy 20 days in Moorea if I had a sugar daddy to pay for it 😉

 

@gwenmarie We did that in 2019. Amazing- loved it. Doing again 2023. Till then doing 18 day Wind Spirit FP next summer.

The PPT-HNL-LAX is ideal. Enough run around play time; enough relax time. Regatta is just right to sail across the Pacific 🙂

I am happy to spend the 10 days land portion on Moorea at the Sheraton. Our accommodation is a unit with private small pool. I love being in the pool and ocean play. We are happy relaxing and reading and enjoying the water. The cruise back to LAX Is icing on the cake.

[Jancruz]

On 10/29/2021 at 5:11 AM, Jockocruiser said:

Old, way past it’s prime 

Plus 1

Jancruz1

[DrHemlock]

On 10/29/2021 at 5:11 AM, Jockocruiser said:

Old, way past it’s prime 

 

On 11/18/2021 at 6:11 PM, Jancruz said:

Plus 1

Jancruz1

True perhaps, but then ... so are we.  Ergo: a perfect fit.

[Petoonya]

Reported earlier that, while I'm not a fan of the PG cruise experience, the ship has been refurbished and looks nice in photos.

No sagging verandas or bags under the bowsprit.