TP Excursions

[Polecat]

We are about 100 days out from out TP cruise in October. I have been trying to book the Aqua Safari on the Princess web site, but they will not let me, saying that the excursions for this cruise are not yet available. My TA said that we can't book excursions until after the final payment is made to Princess. Has this been your experience, and if not, how did you book sooner?

[BigGuy25]

For our July 19th sailing, shore excursions were available around 110 days before sailing ... well ahead of final payment dates.

[AZbeachboy]

we just returned from the 12 day trip. They were extemely late posting our excursions as well. I do not think it has anything to do with final payment because you can sign up in by viewing your booking number. They seem to be in continious negotiations on with excursions on that tour.

[holidayhelen]

Our cruise is the 19th Sept and we have been booking for some weeks now - they did not all appear together - we had some available and then more were added as time went on.

[Degas]

Sorry to hear that TP is in ongoing negotiations with the shore excursion providers.

Paul Gauguins shore excursions were available on line now for awhile. We too are sailing in Oct.

[Ojaian]

I called Princess as their website states the shore excusrions post 120 days ahead and I made my final payment a week ago and as of now- July 2nd- no excursions posted. They said in the South Pacific, shore excusion operators come and go far quicker than in the caribbean and thus they are constantly in negotions and setting up the ones that are available. They indictaed to me they should be posted 85 days ahead, but wouldn't the excursions for my TP 10/1 sailing be the same as the ones they are using now anyway??????

Hey Dwight1

Thanks for your post. Have been checking daily wondering when the shore excursions would be open ,as we are going on 10/01 also and I have noticed other cruises opening up alot sooner. at least now if they are right 85 days out is in only 5 more days.

[laurieb]

have you tried looking up private tours on the web? we have been twice and going a third time in January and have booked all privately. there are lots of better, longer, less expensive ones available.

[Pammie poo]

Dwight1 great question, would love to know that answer as well.:confused:

[laurieb]

If you don't have it already, pick up the Tahiti guide by Jan Prince, best book ever for fp info. if you do a search of this forum, you should find lots of info. http://www.huahine-nautique.com is Marc's on Huahine, most fun we had! you can check out http://www.thetahititraveler.com and http://www.tahitiexplorer.com . for most of the private tours, you don't pay until you actually do your tour so refunds shouldn't be a problem. we picked up lots of tours right at the dock which were great.

[cruiselvrs]

We just returned from the TP. We did tours on our own at each of the French Polynesia ports. If you prefer to wait until you're there to book a tour there are a lot of tour operators waiting right on the dock. We're planners so we booked ours ahead of time. We can recommend the following 2 companies:

 

1) Bora Bora - We used Moana Adventure. http://www.moanatours.com

 

2) Moorea - We used Moorea Boat Tours. http://www.mooreaboattours.com

 

Both tours were outstanding. We hope to have all our pictures and reviews up on our website soon.

 

No matter what you choose to do you'll have a great time. We're already dreaming of returning.

[laurieb]

could you tell me more about Moorea Boat Tours please? we have done Albert's twice and won't do it again. did you snorkel and picnic?

[kattom]

Hi Laurieb--

could you please tell me why you won't do Albert's Tours again? I read several reveiws that said their 4x4 tours were good and I have made a reservation--should I reconsider?

 

Any advice you can offer will be great.

 

Thanks.---Kathy

[cruiselvrs]

Laurieb:

Heifara is the owner/guide for Moorea Boat Tours. He is very knowledgable about Moorea and the sea life. He and his wife have studied marine life for years and met on a research vessel. Heifara took us on a boat tour of Moorea and her bays. We looked for dolphins, but didn't see any that day. The people we were traveling with took his tour on a previous trip and had the opportunity of swimming with dolphins on his tour. He took us to several great snorkeling spots and pointed out many interesting sites on the island as well as explaining the history.

On the boat he prepared a snack of fresh cocunut, pineapples, papya, and grapefruit from his garden and it was delicious. He told us that he also gives tours in late July-November that under the right conditions gives you the opportunity to swim with whales. Heifara is passionate about the ocean and marine life. He's very safety conscious and knows all the great snorkeling spots.

He took us to a small motu for lunch. On the motu is a cafe that serves a lunch menu. Lunch is not included in the price of the tour. Prices were around $20-$25 per plate, and was very good. We had the shrimp curry. Yum!

[laurieb]

sorry, I should have clarified, we did the snorkel/motu picnic with Albert's. I felt they had way too many people on the tour, it is a large boat and there were people standing because there were so many people. I will choose a smaller or private tour next time.

 

Cruiselvrs, thankyou for the info.

[kattom]

Thanks Laurieb, that explains it.

I mainly heard good things about Albert's 4x4 tours--not the water tours. Does anyone else have any feedback on Albert's?

 

--Kathy