#16627 - 04/11/05 06:09 PM
If you could do it over.
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CalBerry
Member
Registered: 04/08/05
Posts: 178
Loc: San Francisco
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OK, so you did the TP cruise to FP (or maybe even the PG), and you booked everything through a travel agent, or you did it all yourself from advice and insight you received from this marvelous board.
Now the trip is over, you have written a trip report and posted lots of great pictures, but in hind sight there are some things you would have done differently if you got a 'do over' card. What are those things?
We are now preparing for next year's adventure, and doing the TP with 4 days on land before is currently our leading choice (The PG is appealing as well, but the TP cruise is longer, and we have done Princess before and enjoyed it). Snorkling is a priority (actually I like to swim and explore as opposed to just sticking my head in the water and looking at fish, so reefs, currents, coves, etc. are better than plane sand). We think we want to spend at least one one night in an overwater unit just to say we have done it, but staying in a beach bungalow the other nights really does have a certain appeal (and our own spa/pool would even make it cozier.)
Although this is not a honeymoon, we have treated each of our 35 anniversaries as if they were. So we would like a romantic location isolated enough to feel like we are truly in a tropical paradise, but close enough to activities so we can keep busy if the mood strikes (renting a car is not out of the question if needed to make the puzzle pieces fit).
Any thoughts or recommendations?
Thanks,
Steve
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TahitiTravel offers excellent deals for cruising the magnificent lagoons of French Polynesia.
We highly recommend the Bora Bora Cruises for luxurious intimacy (actually a v.good value compared to the cost of a stay at a 5 star resort) or the Regent Seven Seas Cruises Paul Gaugin for a deluxe but more traditional cruise experience.
Check our Cruises page for more information
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#16628 - 04/12/05 06:16 AM
Re: If you could do it over.
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Wendy the Wanderer
Member
Registered: 02/26/03
Posts: 181
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Well, as someone who is about to take my third trip on the PG, there are lots of things that I would do again, or differently.
- a land stay on Moorea. It is a stunning island, as you know, and I would choose a pre-cruise there (altho' I'm not doing that this time--2 days at the Radisson on Tahiti)
- a stay on one of the quieter islands again. We did a 3-day on Manihi the first time, and it was heaven. Really great snorkelling, wonderfully relaxing stress-relieving place. Beach bungalows are wonderful.
- Explore the island of Tahiti. Hope to get over to Tahiti Iti this time, don't know if we will.
- rent a car and drive around one or more islands, instead of taking a tour. Looking forward to this.
We have always done the PG-arranged excursions, and have been very happy with them, so can't comment on privately arranged excursions.
Have fun planning--it's almost the most fun part!
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#16629 - 04/12/05 08:02 AM
Re: If you could do it over.
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CalBerry
Member
Registered: 04/08/05
Posts: 178
Loc: San Francisco
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Thanks for feedback...very insightful.
I agree about the fun of planning part. We did the same thing last year as we prepared for your two week cruise on the Windjammer Mandalay. There is a VERY active forum, so there was LOTS of sharing of info!
So many things to see/do and SO little time.
Thanks again,
Steve
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#16630 - 04/12/05 10:28 AM
Re: If you could do it over.
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Jim B
Member
Registered: 08/15/02
Posts: 275
Loc: Montana
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If we could go again.
1. Would try and fly in to Papeete the day before.
2. Would try and go when it is more than 7 day cruise.
3. Would pack less than we took.
4. Would take a cheap blow up mattress instead of the high quality one we took for use at Tahaa and Bora Bora.
5. We did a one day post stay in LAX when we returned. We would do 2 days next time.
Would defiantly go on the Radisson Paul Gauguin.
At maximum 320 people on board it is the only way to see Tahiti.
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#16631 - 04/12/05 12:32 PM
Re: If you could do it over.
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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For my fourth trip to FP, I would like to do a 1 night pre-stay at the Tahiti Beachcomber and a 3 night post stay either in Moorea or Bora Bora. I especially like the post-stay, because I'm never ready to come back to reality and it's a great way to make the transition to coming home.
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#16632 - 04/12/05 02:08 PM
Re: If you could do it over.
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Wendy the Wanderer
Member
Registered: 02/26/03
Posts: 181
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Well, for my third trip back on the Paul Gauguin, I have fixed the problem of the 7-day cruise. We're doing a back-to-back this time, plus a two-day pre-cruise at the Radisson.
I concur about packing light. But this time we are flying straight back home to the east, through LAX. I would rather be tired out in my own bed that in a hotel in LA.
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#16633 - 04/13/05 07:22 AM
Re: If you could do it over.
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Kathy Z
Member
Registered: 03/02/04
Posts: 234
Loc: Southeast MI
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We are doing it again this year (last year was our first) and we have booked the 10 day itinerary on the PG in order to experience and snorkel Huahine and Rangiroa. Last year we spent 1 night pre-cruise in Tahiti and this year we will spend 2 nights pre-cruise in Tahiti. Definitely fly over at least the day before you board the ship. Last year we did a 3 day post-cruise on Manihi after a back to back (14 days) on the PG. We loved Manihi but wanted to spend more time on Moorea this year so we're doing a 3 day post-cruise at the Moorea Pearl Resort. We checked it out on the day we rented a car on Moorea last year.
I agree with Wendy about flying straight home. I'd rather go through jet lag in my own (paid for) home than in a hotel in LA.
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#16634 - 04/13/05 07:48 AM
Re: If you could do it over.
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Jim B
Member
Registered: 08/15/02
Posts: 275
Loc: Montana
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We just wish we had an extra day to play tourist in LA. Had a blast. Rented a car and saw some sights and wish we had another day.
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#16635 - 06/27/05 04:26 PM
Re: If you could do it over.
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CalBerry
Member
Registered: 04/08/05
Posts: 178
Loc: San Francisco
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I started a new thread on this, but we have just booked the 11 day PG cruise for next June 10. Timing wise (work related) that date works best for us, but since it leaves on a Sat., that means we will have to fly in the same day as we depart, and will have to do a 3 night post-cruise stay somewhere instead of doing a preferred pre-stay. (Hmmm, maybe we should consider flying in on Friday instead of Sat.)
We won't be able to confirm land arrangements for a couple of months, so now the research on that will get hot and heavy.
Seve
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#16636 - 06/27/05 07:03 PM
Re: If you could do it over.
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franco
Member
Registered: 04/10/05
Posts: 477
Loc: illinois
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we have just recently confirmed the june 21 10 night on the pg, although I am still really trying to decide betwen that and the june 22 tah. prin.--nice choices to make, but not easy by any means; we are going through very similar decision problems; are you going to do their air?
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