Category: Oceania Cruises

Mom and I spent a sixth day here on Tahiti after departing Oceania Marina, relaxing at a guesthouse and enjoying the local beach once the sun emerged this afternoon.

Mom forced me awake at 8:57 a.m. aboard Oceania Marina in the Port of Papeete, where the sky was dark gray. We had arrived late last night from Huahine Island, concluding our 12-night “Pure Polynesia” cruise that visited seven other islands and atolls in French Polynesia. The total distance sailed on our voyage was 2,106 nautical miles (2,422 miles).

Mom and I explored Huahine Island with a lousy tour guide during our seventh and final port of call on our 12-night “Pure Polynesia” voyage. We capped our cruise with a second delicious dinner at the Polo Grill steakhouse while sailing back to Tahiti.

Huahine has the oldest recorded date of human occupancy among the Society Islands. Europeans first arrived on Huahine in 1769, when James Cook and company landed. Today there are just eight villages scattered around the island. Huahine is known as “The Garden Island” due to its abundance of lush green tropical foliage and wild jungle-like scenery.

Stretched my legs on land this afternoon, then snorkeled for almost two hours here at French Polynesia’s biggest atoll (and #2 in the world). Rangiroa’s lagoon is so enormous the entire island of Tahiti could fit inside of it!

Rangiroa (rung-ee-roh-ah) lies in the western Tuamotus, one of five archipelagos that make up the territory of French Polynesia. With 2,567 residents, it’s the most populated atoll of the 77 in the chain. Rangiroa’s lagoon measures 47 miles (75 km) long and 16 miles (25 km) wide. That’s about 750 square miles!

After exploring five volcanic islands with rugged terrain and high mountains, Mom and I got a change of scene today as we visited a flat-as-a-pancake coral atoll. I had a lovely 20-mile bike ride and went snorkeling at two locations. This evening we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Oceania Marina’s Asian specialty restaurant.

This is the first port of call on any of my 20 cruises where the cruiseline did not offer any shore excursions! I rented a bicycle for PF2,000 (US$19.09). Set off about 1:35 p.m. and cycled south. Rotoava soon faded away and I continued along the flat paved road amidst palm trees and a few spread-out homesteads, searching for a beach to snorkel at.

Got lots of work done and enjoyed an amazing French Polynesian buffet dinner as we spent this Monday at sea sailing from Nuku Hiva Island, where we spent the last two days, to Fakarava Atoll, where we’ll arrive tomorrow.

I enjoyed a challenging two-hour snorkel swim this afternoon during our second day here in the remote Marquesas Islands. After a gorgeous sail-away and sunset, Mom and I experienced fine French dining at Oceania Marina’s Jacques specialty restaurant as we began the long voyage to the Tuamotu Islands.

The best weather yet on our trip, a 40-foot-tall tiki statue atop a hill that was the site of an early 1800s fort, an outstanding hike to a viewpoint overlooking a gorgeous bay, a delicious dinner aboard Oceania Marina, and an amazing local folkloric show by Nuku Hiva dancers and drummers – it all adds up to the best day so far on our cruise around French Polynesia.

Nuku Hiva, 127 square miles (a bit less than twice the size of the District of Columbia) is the largest of the Marquesas Islands, one of five archipelagos that make up the far-flung territory of French Polynesia. It has a population of 3,150. The island features Vaipol Waterfall, the tallest in French Polynesia at 1,148 feet.

After visiting four islands in the past five days, we got our first full day at sea today sailing from Bora Bora Island to Nuka Hiva in the remote Marquesas Islands. Spent most of the day working but took a two-hour break to swim and read.

This is the first time Mom and I have cruised with Oceania, which has a six-ship fleet. Oceania was formed in 2003 by cruise industry veterans Frank del Rio and Bob Binder, who continue at the helm today.

Oceania Marina sailed away from Bora Bora early this afternoon and we’re now en route to Nuka Hiva in the remote Marquesas Islands. Mom and I experienced a beautiful departure from Bora Bora, a quiet rest of the day at sea, and a fantastic Valentine’s Day dinner at the ship’s Italian specialty restaurant.

We had a wonderfully sunny early afternoon as we sailed shortly after 1:00 past Bora Bora’s outlying motus (islets), home of several world-famous five-star resorts with over-water bungalows. Mom and I sat on Deck 14 above the pool reading and taking in the scenery as Bora Bora faded from view.

Some call it the world’s most beautiful island. Hard to say if that’s really true, but I can express with certainty that Bora Bora failed to disappoint today as Mom and toured the entire main island by open-air truck; then I snorkeled a beautiful coral reef as well as swam with sharks and stingrays. A memorable day for sure.

Bora Bora, population 9,600, is known worldwide for its five-star resorts on islets surrounding the main island featuring hundreds of overwater bungalows. In the center of Bora Bora are the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu. The latter is the highest point on the island at 727 meters (2,385 feet).