Tahiti Day #5: Boarding Oceania Marina in Papeete

Mom and I boarding Oceania Marina in Papeete

February 10, 2019

TAHITI ISLAND, French Polynesia – Mom and I are aboard Oceania Marina for a 12-night “Pure Polynesia” cruise to seven other islands in this French territory that covers a huge swath of the South Pacific Ocean. Oceania made a bad first impression after we embarked, not keeping the lunch buffet open later than usual and setting up our cabin with only one bed instead of the two instructed by our travel agent.

Our balcony cabin, 8071, is a massive disappointment. We were expecting a much more spacious stateroom but instead found a room of similar size to lower-class cruiselines such as MSC, Costa, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean. Oceania is a semi-luxury cruiseline – not quite on par with the likes of Seabourn and Regent Seven Seas but a notch or two above most American and European mainstream oceanliners.

Got up at 10:26 a.m. at our villa in the Afaahiti area of Tahiti Iti (Small Tahiti), where we spent four days since arriving on Tahiti on my 42nd birthday (Feb. 5). Ate breakfast and packed.

We departed Villa Mitirapa at 12:55 p.m. for the 36-mile drive counter-clockwise around Tahiti Nui (Big Tahiti) to the Port of Papeete. Just short of an hour on the road, we pulled into Point Venus (where we had visited two days ago) so Mom could take a second look at a few shops there. She purchased a long dress and a headdress, which she plans to use as a Tahitian Halloween costume this October. While Mom shopped, I went to a nearby gas station to fuel up our rental SUV. Gas cost PF140 per liter ($5.05 per gallon). Our tab was PF5,761 for 41 liters.

I picked Mom up from the Point Venus shops and we drove the rest of the way to the port, arriving about 2:35. There’s a free parking lot right there by the pier where I was able to leave the SUV for a few hours while we boarded Oceania Marina, checked in in the theater, and headed up to Deck 12 for lunch.

The time was a bit after 3:00 when we reached Deck 12. I was disappointed to find the buffet, Terrace Cafe, already closed. We were told it closes daily at 2:30. But passengers embark at various times on the first day. I’d expect the buffet to keep extended hours.

Fortunately the adjacent outdoor Waves Grill was still open. I ordered a Cajun chicken breast with french fries while Mom ate a Cuban sandwich.

I was pleased to find Coca-Cola products served aboard Marina. (I am not a fan of Pepsi.) Sodas, juices, lemonade, teas, and coffee are all included in the fare – unlike on lower-class cruiselines where you have to pay for most of those except for juices and coffee at breakfast. What’s terrible about Oceania is that liquor is not included in your fare – not a single drop. Nor are staff gratuities. These is among the items that place Oceania below true luxury lines such as Seabourn.

We stepped into Cabin 8071 at 3:45 p.m. This being our first voyage with Oceania, we were anxious to see what our stateroom looks like. And boy are we not happy! Oceania screwed up by setting up one bed for a couple instead of the proper two for a mother and her son.

Oceania incorrectly set up our cabin with 1 bed

We also scratched our heads at the location of the closet, which is adjacent to the bed. Mom was disappointed there’s no walk-in closet as we enjoyed on our Seabourn Odyssey cruise from Barbados to Portugal last year. And we were befuddled how the housekeeper was going to be able to separate the beds and still provide access to the closet.

This is my 20th cruise; Oceania is the 12th cruiseline I have sailed with. I have never seen such a poorly designed closet as the one in our stateroom right next to the beds.

Oceania Marina Cabin 8071 – terrible placement of closet

We immediately called housekeeping to ask for the beds to be separated. Mom and I both looked at how we could rearrange the furniture in the cabin to provide for better closet access – but we could not come up with a solution.

Our bathroom is larger than a standard cruiseship cabin, primarily because of a bathtub separate from the shower. We would rather have that space used for a walk-in closet as who really needs a bathtub on a cruiseship?

Oceania Marina Cabin 8071 – bathtub
Oceania Marina Cabin 8071 – bathroom

Until our beds were properly configured, we could not start unpacking, which was frustrating. Mom used the idle time to return to the pier, where about eight vendors had set up shop. She purchased one necklace.

Upon returning to the ship, she decided she wanted a second one and asked me to pick it up as I disembarked at 5:15 to return our rental car to PPT airport. I picked up the necklace Mom wanted and took a short stroll around the harbor and adjacent Place Vaiete, where a few food trucks were starting to set up for dinner.

Food truck setting up at Place Vaiete outside Port of Papeete

I was stunned to see a United States Coast Guard cutter at the Port of Papeete. What in the world is that doing all the way out here?!

Why is a U.S. Coast Guard cutter docked at Papeete?!

Departed the Port of Papeete at 5:45 for the four-mile drive to the airport, where I returned the SUV to Avis. I drove 69 km (43 miles) today and a total of 512 km (317 miles) during our five days here.

The Avis staff was kind enough to give me a ride back to the port free of charge – what excellent service!

Reboarded Oceania Marina at 6:30. Joined Mom up top to watch a gorgeous sunset over Moorea Island, just 14 miles to the west – our first port of call tomorrow.

Sunset over Papeete and Moorea Island viewed from aboard Oceania Marina
Sunset over Moorea Island viewed from aboard Oceania Marina

Then walked around the open decks to stretch my legs and get a look at the ship that will be our home for the next 12 nights.

Returned to our cabin at 7:05 p.m. While I was away, our stewardess had separated the beds.

Our cabin with beds separated
Our cabin with beds separated – left bed extremely close to the closet

There is now an insane one foot – I am not making this up; exactly 12 inches – between Mom’s bed and the closet. We’ve never seen anything like it, and we are appalled. What crazy person designed this dysfunctional cabin?!

I can barely get my foot in the tiny space between closet and left bed

Did some unpacking, then at 8:35 went up to Deck 14 (really 13, as Oceania skips #13 as part of some stupid superstition) for our reservation at Polo Grill.

Dinner at Polo Grill aboard Oceania Marina

Polo Grill is one of four specialty restaurants aboard Marina. One nice part about Oceania is it doesn’t charge guests anything to eat in the specialty dining rooms unlike most cruiselines. They are included in your fare, and you are guaranteed to eat in each restaurant at least once on your voyage (more if you are staying in a suite).

Since Mom and I flew from San Francisco (SFO) to Papeete (PPT) on my birthday, this served as my nice birthday celebration dinner. To start, I had Cajun-style blackened salmon with peach-saffron chutney. Delicious!

Next we had Caesar salad prepared tableside.

Caesar salad cart at Polo Grill
Mom enjoying Caesar salad at Polo Grill

For the main course, I ate a 12-ounce ribeye steak with pepper sauce, and onion rings on the side. It was good, though I’ve had better ribeyes in my life.

For dessert, the wait staff brought me a piece of chocolate cake with two candles and all sung “Happy Birthday” to me.

I added a scoop of ice cream to go with the cake.

Our first dinner on Oceania overall was fantastic, and this helped lessen the aggravation of the bad first impressions we gained upon boarding.

Returned to our cabin at 10:20 to continue unpacking. In bed at 11:44 to read the cruise newsletter, “Currents.” Sorted and posted today’s photos before bed at 1:48 a.m.

We are scheduled to depart at 5 a.m. for the short jaunt over to Moorea Island, the first of our seven ports of call during the next dozen days.