OlsSalt Posted June 10, 2023 #76 Share Posted June 10, 2023 43 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said: Question we already know that this walker can go on tenders ,From your rxoerience how would it be on dirt & gravel paths on these islands ? Iy has large wheels Here is apicture of the walker: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Drive-Medical-Nitro-Euro-Style-Rollator-Rolling-Walker-Red/1001864310 Thank you for your input Cliff Memory hazy, but I am thinking these few roads in Fakarava were a hardened coral material - flat but gritty, if anything. How long between Rotoava Harbor and the restaurant/beach area? Again, can't remember but certainly less than a mile. Here is what the travel site says about island roads: Getting Around Fakarava Transport to and from the airport should be arranged by your Preferred Travel Professional or by your hotel. With only a few miles of road on each atoll, there is little need for public transportation and walking is enjoyable. For venturing around the most populated parts of the atolls, open-air cars and bicycles can be rented. For exploring the lagoon and surrounding motu, motorboat, canoe, and sailboat rentals are available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrcruiser Posted June 10, 2023 #77 Share Posted June 10, 2023 11 hours ago, OlsSalt said: Memory hazy, but I am thinking these few roads in Fakarava were a hardened coral material - flat but gritty, if anything. How long between Rotoava Harbor and the restaurant/beach area? Again, can't remember but certainly less than a mile. Here is what the travel site says about island roads: Getting Around Fakarava Transport to and from the airport should be arranged by your Preferred Travel Professional or by your hotel. With only a few miles of road on each atoll, there is little need for public transportation and walking is enjoyable. For venturing around the most populated parts of the atolls, open-air cars and bicycles can be rented. For exploring the lagoon and surrounding motu, motorboat, canoe, and sailboat rentals are available. Thanks that is very helpful Mahalo Dliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD2974 Posted July 11 #78 Share Posted July 11 Booked the 51-night South Pacific (Hawaii - Fiji - Samoa - Tonga - Cook Islands - French Polynesia - Tuamotus - Marquesas) Cruise in and out of San Diego for Sep-Nov 2024. About a month ago we received notice from Holland America that the two days on Moorea was shortened to one and one day on Bora Bora was added. We were thrilled but surprised because we always thought that Holland America ships were too large to tender at Bora Bora. As previously mentioned in this link the Zaandam has 1,432 passengers and the limit for Bora Bora is 1,200. Again we are thrilled and the Bora Bora excursions are already on the HAL website for purchase. Aloha! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaSSF Posted July 12 #79 Share Posted July 12 On 6/9/2023 at 10:48 PM, mcrcruiser said: Question we already know that this walker can go on tenders ,From your rxoerience how would it be on dirt & gravel paths on these islands ? Iy has large wheels Here is apicture of the walker: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Drive-Medical-Nitro-Euro-Style-Rollator-Rolling-Walker-Red/1001864310 Thank you for your input Cliff My husband uses that walker and really likes it. The basket tends to slip off when gate checked for flights, so we pack it in luggage until we get to where we are going. it would be fine on dirt or packed shell paths. It does not do well on coarse gravel. I hope this is helpful. linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmoo here Posted July 12 #80 Share Posted July 12 19 minutes ago, LindaSSF said: My husband uses that walker and really likes it. The basket tends to slip off when gate checked for flights, so we pack it in luggage until we get to where we are going. it would be fine on dirt or packed shell paths. It does not do well on coarse gravel. I hope this is helpful. linda Since you're answering a question asked 2 years ago, I would think they figured it out already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaSSF Posted July 12 #81 Share Posted July 12 15 minutes ago, Shmoo here said: Since you're answering a question asked 2 years ago, I would think they figured it out already. But others read the thread and may be interested. if it is of no interest to you at this point, then just keep on going. 🙄 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BermudaBound2014 Posted July 12 #82 Share Posted July 12 Since we are adding to an older thread, I did this 35 day cruise last year (and am doing it again next year if that says anything). Regarding people with walking difficulties, you are warned not to get off the ship in Nuka Hiva as there are very narrow sideways steps to navigate off the tender, and you are also warned not to get off the tender in Fakarava. Although the steps there aren't as steep and narrow, there is no pavement. It's gritty gravel and sand. The warning is posted in the daily and made orally at the tenders. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmaanne7 Posted July 13 #83 Share Posted July 13 Thanks for all the great information on this thread. Very helpful for planning my upcoming cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bopster Posted July 14 #84 Share Posted July 14 On 6/3/2023 at 3:55 PM, 57redbird said: We did this past Feb/March....hubby was in the Navy & loves sea days, of which there are a lot on this cruise. I'm more of a port person -- I like seeing/experiencing things at various ports &, for me, this cruise didn't have that --- not enough time to do/see a lot on any island except Oahu (where we had an unscheduled 2nd overnight due to the weather not permitting us to dock on Kauai). It gave us just a taste of every island - enough to say if we were to explore again, we'd pick 1 or 2 islands & visit each for 2-3 days if not more. Didn't do any ship excursions -- did all private ones that we arranged ourselves or found through our roll call here on Cruise Critic so can't speak to those. If you can purchase Club Orange, I suggest you do it -- more pleasant than the MDR for breakfast & dinner. We did a paid upgrade to a Neptune suite so it was included as was unlimited laundry - glad we had both. Even though the ship was full-ish, it never seemed to be crowded except for some talks in the World Stage - after suggestions to offer a 2nd time &/or show them on the room tvs, that was done. The Lido at lunch was a little busy but if you avoided 'opening' times it was manageable. Hubby liked the NY Pizza/deli - I wasn't impressed & the only time I tried the Dive In for a brat, the brat wasn't even warm in the middle - YUCK! but he liked the cheeseburgers. Underwhelmed by the Pinnacle Grill but did Tamarind twice, Rudi's was good....somehow missed Canaletto & did the Ethan Stowell chef's dinner in the Pinnacle - wish we could have saved our $ on that one. Entertainment was good --- usually SRO in BB Kings & Rolling Stone RR. We aren't trivia players, or coloring for adult types. Depending on which bar you went to, drinks were either very good or 'is this what I ordered'? Some wines/spirits were in short supply from mid-to end of the cruise. More info? -- just ask. Do you have a list of the independent tour operators are used for this trip? I would love to know that. I looked on Viator and they really didn’t have that much for these islands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuolumne couple Posted July 14 #85 Share Posted July 14 (edited) On 7/12/2024 at 6:01 AM, BermudaBound2014 said: you are warned not to get off the ship in Nuka Hiva as there are very narrow sideways steps to navigate off the tender, and you are also warned not to get off the tender in Fakarava. Although the steps there aren't as steep and narrow, there is no pavement. It's gritty gravel and sand. The warning is posted in the daily and made orally at the tenders. I loved Nuka Hiva and Fakarava. Been there twice. To me, easy to walk, although warm. Take water. And Fakarava is a very narrow island. You can swim once you reach the beach, an easy walk from the boat, or walk to bike to the airport or other end of the island. In fact, I think we were on the same cruise. There were no such warnings. Sorry you missed all the fun! Edited July 14 by tuolumne couple . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuolumne couple Posted July 14 #86 Share Posted July 14 On 6/3/2023 at 11:21 AM, danogg said: I am interested in taking this cruise in 2025 . The ship is the Koningsdam . Has anybody taken this cruise? Would you recommend it? we took this cruise in Feb of this year, meeting up with friends who took this cruise with us in 2022 as well on a different ship. Yes, recommend it. seeing the southern cross is amazing. crossing the equator is amazing. book the Raiatea coral garden snorkel, both days if possible. eat at the tamarind sushi bar if that is your thing. say hi to Lester for us. go to the show early, seating is very limited. rooms are smaller unless you are in a Neptune or other suite but the public spaces are great. if this is your bucket list, just do it. plus we are birders, so seeing black terns, red tailed tropic birds at sea and so many other new birds... killer! dont wait. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BermudaBound2014 Posted July 14 #87 Share Posted July 14 (edited) 2 hours ago, tuolumne couple said: I loved Nuka Hiva and Fakarava. Been there twice. To me, easy to walk, although warm. Take water. And Fakarava is a very narrow island. You can swim once you reach the beach, an easy walk from the boat, or walk to bike to the airport or other end of the island. In fact, I think we were on the same cruise. There were no such warnings. Sorry you missed all the fun! I think you misunderstood me. Those with physical difficulties were warned not to get off the ship in both of those tender ports. I’m sure the warning is posted in the dailies in my live thread. In fact, there was a lady who fell on those horizontal sideways steps exiting the tender in nuka hiva and that’s why the ambulance was there. That also contributed to the 5 hour tender process to get off the ship. I was off the ship snorkeling on Fakarava and it was also one of my favorites. The 5 hour tender process cut my time short in nuka hiva but I did get to walk up to the huge tiki and explore the town. Next year Nuka Hiva is the only island im doing a ship excursion on so I am guaranteed an early tender. That was a total cluster last year. Edited July 14 by BermudaBound2014 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57redbird Posted July 14 #88 Share Posted July 14 11 hours ago, Bopster said: Do you have a list of the independent tour operators are used for this trip? I would love to know that. I looked on Viator and they really didn’t have that much for these islands. Afraid I don't - people on our roll call arranged most of them. The only ones I booked were on Tahiti & Nuka Hiva. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petronillus Posted July 14 #89 Share Posted July 14 Many thanks to the OP. I harbor a long-standing grudge against Midwest winters and try to get away during the month of February. After trying the Caribbean out of FLL and the Mexican Riviera out of SD, DW & I have expanded to a Panama Canal transit, to a circle around Hawaii, and most recently to a very eye-opening 28-day cruise of Asia. Next on the wintertime cruise docket is a trip from Buenos Aires to Santiago via the Falklands and Antartica. I am delighted to learn about extending the Hawaii cruise to French Polynesia and other destinations south of the equator. I don't know why this 35-day warm-weather getaway didn't catch my eye earlier, but I'm checking with my PCC tomorrow. This thread has been wonderfully helpful. Thanks to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57redbird Posted July 14 #90 Share Posted July 14 6 hours ago, 57redbird said: Afraid I don't - people on our roll call arranged most of them. The only ones I booked were on Tahiti & Nuka Hiva. You might check TripAdvisor.com - I think that's where I found the ones I booked. Wasn't impressed with TemaramaTours on Nuku Hiva. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BermudaBound2014 Posted July 14 #91 Share Posted July 14 20 hours ago, Bopster said: Do you have a list of the independent tour operators are used for this trip? I would love to know that. I looked on Viator and they really didn’t have that much for these islands. You should take a peak at the roll call for 2024. We had lots of group tours organized on that trip. It's a long read (234 pages), but probably worth it as there is a plethoria of tour information posted. I am also booked on the 2025 version and we are well on our way to having sold out excursions already. If you are planning for this cruise 2025 you will probably find the 2025 roll call helpful. It's only 35 pages right now so not THAT much to catch up on. One of the problems with CC roll calls is that they can end up being many pages long to sift thru but you are early enough to still grab some great tours. I would not wait much longer. Finally, I did a live thread from the 35 night Tahiti in 2024 and lots of people on the cruise contributed to it so it wasn't just my opinions on things (which tend to be unique when it comes to HAL). The live thread includes all my tours, photos of the tours, and pdf files for how to book them. You'll need wine for this one 🙂 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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