First Oceania Cruise and South Pacific

[dst]

We are cruising 10 days on Oceania and looking for advise on just about everything 🙂  We are seasoned cruisers but both the cruise line and ports are new to us:

Want to spend a few nights prior to boarding the ship in Papeete; any suggestions

Moorea 

Fakarava

Nuku Hiva

Rangiroa

Bora Bora

Raiatea

Any advice or tips are greatly appreciated 🙂

 

[CaptainR]

On 6/25/2024 at 11:45 AM, dst said:

We are cruising 10 days on Oceania and looking for advise on just about everything 🙂  We are seasoned cruisers but both the cruise line and ports are new to us:

Want to spend a few nights prior to boarding the ship in Papeete; any suggestions

Moorea 

Fakarava

Nuku Hiva

Rangiroa

Bora Bora

Raiatea

Any advice or tips are greatly appreciated 🙂

 

For Papeete, many cruisers stay at the Inter-Continental Hotel as the rates for Tahiti are reasonable and the property is nice. Additionally, if you intend to return home on the date of disembarkation but have a late flight, the Inter-Continental has day rooms available. A couple of years ago we stayed at the new Hilton property which was nice and provided good service. Not sure if it is still applicable but all rooms came with free buffet breakfast which was first rate. One last note is that there was a nice pool area which had a great view of the neighboring island of Moorea.

 

Some ramblings on excursions:

 

Papeete – We have done a half day excursion with Tours Iaorana Tahiti Expeditions | Cultural and 4x4 safari tours. It was a fun excursion as he takes you to some wonderful sites, a nice swimming hole, and provides some great snacks.

 

Bora Bora – A default for many cruisers is Mahi Nui (Group/Cruise Ship Tours - Maohi Nui Bora Bora) formerly known as Patrick Tours. A really great way to experience the island of Bora Bora. If you don’t mind being bounced around a bunch, 4x4 excursions of the island are a great way to see Bora Bora.  Sunset cruises offered by Oceania are also provide a pleasant way to view Bora Bora.

 

Moorea – Not sure when you are sailing but Humpback whales from Antarctica migrate to Tahiti from July to November. If wanting to get up close and personal to them, book a swim with the whales excursion.

 

Raiatea – If you like to snorkel, this is the excursion for you which is L' Excursion Bleue Day Tours. Even if you do not like snorkeling the boat ride around the islands is a nice experience as well as the lunch on the motu. Watch out for falling coconuts.

 

One last item is that the day we docked at Nuku Hiva, the staff went fishing and then the chef and his staff had a terrific cookout on the patio deck. It was a wonderful dining experience. Of course, not sure if the same will occur on your cruise but I would not make special dining reservations for the night in Nuku Hiva in the event they go fishing again.

 

Hope this helps.

CaptainR

[Acrusa]

The Intercontinental does not offer a day room rate anymore. We had one in 2017 but for our upcoming cruise in January they offer a Lotus pool package with lunch from 10 am to 5 pm I think they let you use the spa to shower and change but not sure

[Acrusa]

On 6/25/2024 at 12:45 PM, dst said:

We are cruising 10 days on Oceania and looking for advise on just about everything 🙂  We are seasoned cruisers but both the cruise line and ports are new to us:

Want to spend a few nights prior to boarding the ship in Papeete; any suggestions

Moorea 

Fakarava

Nuku Hiva

Rangiroa

Bora Bora

Raiatea

Any advice or tips are greatly appreciated 🙂

 

 

On 6/25/2024 at 12:45 PM, dst said:

We are cruising 10 days on Oceania and looking for advise on just about everything 🙂  We are seasoned cruisers but both the cruise line and ports are new to us:

Want to spend a few nights prior to boarding the ship in Papeete; any suggestions

Moorea 

Fakarava

Nuku Hiva

Rangiroa

Bora Bora

Raiatea

Any advice or tips are greatly appreciated 🙂

 

We have been sailing Oceania past 15 years In 2014 we cruised from Papetti to Sydney and Nuku Hiva was a fantastic tour by 4x4 jeeps don't miss it 

[Heartfelttraveler]

H2O Bora Bora was great.  We did a half day morning.  We went to four fabulous places to snorkel.  We were picked up right at the pier.

 

Also, loved the drift snorkel offered by Oceania.

 

We loved our French Polynesia cruise on Oceania and the time spent in Tahiti that we are doing it again (on Windstar).  We tried a few years ago but got canceled by covid.

[Acrusa]

16 hours ago, Heartfelttraveler said:

H2O Bora Bora was great.  We did a half day morning.  We went to four fabulous places to snorkel.  We were picked up right at the pier.

 

Also, loved the drift snorkel offered by Oceania.

 

We loved our French Polynesia cruise on Oceania and the time spent in Tahiti that we are doing it again (on Windstar).  We tried a few years ago but got canceled by covid.

We did a 7 day cruise on the Windsong in 1993. First time in Tahiti. Fantastic only 110 passengers  and men wore sport jackets  to dinner every evening. We tendered on a Motu for lunch and the captain set all the sails up and cruised so we all could take pictures with our cameras  as she sailed around. No cell phones LOL

[CruisingIGo]

Specifically, which O tour in Bora Bora includes "Drift Snorkeling"?  So fun!