maltasr

We've booked a 10 day Princess Cruise (Ocean Princess) for a fairly comprehensive tour of French Polynesia. Cruise departs on Jan 28, 2012. In order to secure three award seats on Air Tahiti Nui (LAX-PPT-LAX), we'll be required to spend three nights pre-cruise in Papeete, Tahiti, and one night after the cruise back in Papeete. We haven't heard great things about the city of Papeete. Could someone who is familiar with the city share a few worthwhile activities we could engage in while we're there? We're staying at the Radisson Plaza Resort. Should I rent a car? We know we want to visit the Gaugin Museum and have dinner at the night market (Le Roulette). Other than these two items, what else can we do? Any particularly good and reasonably priced restaurants to try? Anyone familiar with Papeete or the the cruise - please comment. My wife is fluent in French, so we're hoping this makes getting around a bit easier.

tcook052

Since this hotel provides a free shutle getting into Papeete won't be an issue.

Being an Impressionist buff I'd certainly visit the Gauguin Museum, though note won't feature the big, colourful oil on canvas seen in the big Paris museums. Also it isn't in Papeete and is on the south shore and most often is included in circle island tours as the botanical garden is next door. You can drive yourself if you want to forgo the rigid tour bus sightseeing option as there is a Europcar rental location at the airport IIRC though your hotel conceierge might be able to arrange one from there.

I'd recommend an island hop to neighboring Moorea for some stunning vistas and drop dead gorgeous sights like Cook's Bay.

clacko

moorea is worth a day....there's a ferry that goes there, but it may also be a stop for your boat....golf is available....

clacko

you might get some ideas in the australia, nz & sp forum below....a search on tahiti will turn up some threads...

maltasr

Excellent suggestion. However, it is a full day's stop on the cruise itinerary. Is there anything in particular you'd recommend seeing, doing or eating? We haven't seen the list of excursions yet, but we'd prefer doing as much as we can on our own. Would it be prohibitively expensive to rent a taxi for half a day? Will the drivers conduct their own mini-tours?

flightmedic

Last year we did an 11 night cruise out of Tahiti on the Paul Gauguin visiting a few FP islands as well as the Cook Islands. We loved it and we are booked on a 17 night PG cruise out of Australia, back to Tahiti, this coming January.

We did 5 nights precruise on Moorea at the Hilton. Staying in an overwater bungalow was spectacular and the snorkeling was world class. IMHO I would head straight to Moorea when you arrive in Tahiti (or overnight for one night is you have to in Tahiti). The ferry to Moorea only takes 30 minutes and costs about $30 round trip. Moorea is a whole different world then Tahiti.

When the ship gets to Moorea I would do an on island tour and when you are there at the hotel focus on water based activities.

Traveltalker

We stayed at the Intercontinental for a couple of days before our Paul Gaugin cruise in order to get rid of our jetlag. One of the things they did at our hotel was advertise tours, etc that they were sponsoring that day. So, we took a tour of the opposite side of the island and enjoyed it so much! We also included a trip to the big market area in downtown. Lots of shopping and finished it off with visiting the microbrewery across from the cruise pier. What a great experience. It was what visiting another country is all about. A local came and sat with us and we talked for a long time over some really great beer. You may also want to spend a day at the pool/beach at the hotel.
Remember, the best part is that you are following your heart and going on a wonderful cruise afterwards. You will be exploring exciting new places. Trust me that your cruise will be absolutely extrordinary in ways you never imagined. Enjoy...

rlb

We also took the a Princess cruise- while in Moorea, we took thier snorkeling tour- and had a wonderful day- would highly recommend.

BurBunny

4 nights is way too much in Papeete/Tahiti. I always recommend at least going to Moorea, even though it's a stop on your itinerary, or one of the other out islands if you want something different. Papeete is a city, and not a particularly attractive one at that. The market is interesting, and a drive around the island is fine, but there are so many other wonderful places in French Polynesia to spend your pre-cruise.

I would head over to Moorea for your pre-cruise, stay at one of the lovely resorts (overwater bungalow if it is doable in your budget), then ferry back to Papeete, check into your cabin, then go to the market and pick up an arrangement of fresh flowers for your cabin for the cruise and whatever other shopping you'd like. Staying on Tahiti post-cruise at the IC is just fine, and a nice way to ease back off vacation.

maltasr

I like your idea of going to Moorea pre-cruise although I do have reservations at the Radisson near Papeete in a berg called Arule. The hotel looks quite nice on their web site and the TripAdvisor reviews are generally good. What would it cost to take the ferry to Moorea and where would you recommend we stay? We're a bit too old for anything too strenuous. My wife is a former French teacher so I figure we'll make the most of it wherever we stay. She does want to take in the Gauguin Museum in Papeete and eat at the "Roulette." Thanks for your recommendation; I'm sure we couldn't go wrong on Moorea even if we only take in the scenery.

6rugrats

Don't expect too much from the Gauguin museum, unless it's been greatly improved since I was there. There are no Gauguin paintings there. Have a great trip.

Traveltalker

I thought you said in order to secure three award seats on Air Tahiti Nui, you would be required to spend three nights pre-cruise in Papeete, Tahiti?
You can take a catamaran to Moorea in about 30 minutes. However, are you required to pay for the nights in Tahiti?

maltasr

That's correct. The award seats on AA/TN were only available three days prior to the cruise. I booked the Radisson in a place called Arule. I reserved the hotel, but we aren't required to stay there. We arrive at 11:00 PM on #407 from LAX so it would be too late to catch the ferry to Moorea. But we could go the following day. If we could arrange it, when could we take the ferry to Moorea and how long would it take? Where would you recommend we stay there and what would you recommend we do? Moorea is on the cruise itinerary although the shore excursions have not yet been released. I'd like to hear your suggestions. Thank you.

flightmedic

The ferry is about $30 US roundtrip per person and takes 30 minutes. The ferry leave from the dock adjacent to the cruise ship pier.

We loved the Hilton on Moorea but it was pricey.

JDiver

Three days in Papeete? Ugh!

But here are some things to do:

1) Take the comfortable Aremiti Vfast ferry (30 minutes, 35 knots,) to Moorea for an entire day. You can rent a car in advance from Europcar for your arrival at the Moorea ferry port, Vaiare, or ride "Le Truck" - but it's schedule is erratic. Try not doing this on a weekend, and Sunday afternoon will be a mob scene returning to Tahiti.

2) Go south, and visit the Musée de Tahiti et de Iles (near Punaauia, just before Km 15, get off at the shopping centre after crossing the bridge, closed Sunday and Monday) to get a good idea of Polynesian culture (including how it was suppressed for a long time under French rule), with a visit to the kind of funky but interesting Lagoonarium to become familiar with some of the undersea life. If you use Le Truck, you will have to walk a bit to the Museum, but it's not a bad walk - perhaps ten or fifteen minutes.

3) Go visit Papeete - hit the marche (market), wander around. If possible try to hit the ferry port about 6:00 Pm for the big show - Les Roulottes, a group of perhaps thirty coaches, trucks etc. that unfold into a group of restaurants, You can eat at one, or better, wander and have different courses. The prices are reasonable (for French Polynesia!), the people are real (locals) and the food is good and well prepared.

4) Take a tour - visit the rather so-so display of Gaugin's home / Musée Gaugin, etc.

Here are Lonely Planet's list of 19 things to do in Tahiti (sensu sricto - Tahiti is the island, not the islands).

OTOH, if you want to stay in Moorea, the Hilton is quite nice, and for a smaller, more intimate place try Les Tipaniers on the northwest part of the island. Ahh, now we're in French Polynesia!

Be aware - everywhere you go you will be solicited to buy the beautiful (but not cheap) black pearls.