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Aboard the Tahitian Princess
We
just returned from a cruise aboard the Tahitian Princess, a full-time
resident of French Polynesia and the waters of the South Pacific. The intimate
670-passenger ship offers the region’s only 10-day sailings and presents
a great scaled-down version of the Personal Choice Cruising from
Princess that we’ve grown
to love over the years.
Based in Papeete, the ship seems the perfect size for the region, offering
two unique 10-day itineraries: Polynesia & the Cook Islands (which is
what we did) and Polynesia & the Marquesas Islands. Both routes feature
scenic cruising along the picturesque coastline of Tahaa, plus calls in Moorea,
Raiatea, Huahine, and Bora Bora, with the itinerary either including Rarotonga
in the Cook Islands or the
remote
Marquesas.
Onboard highlights included: a spacious outside cabin with balcony (the ship features 92% outside staterooms, of which 2/3 have balconies); dining in both specialty restaurants (Sabatini’s Trattoria and Sterling Steakhouse); the ScholarShip@Sea program (including the very popular Princess Potter option); a wide array of entertainment options; and one of the best libraries afloat.
Highlights ashore included: Papeete’s famed market; dining on fresh
seafood (and the sand floor) at Bloody Mary’s on Bora Bora; the Cultural
Village on Rarotonga; scuba diving on Bora Bora and Raiatea; and more. The
shore excursions were a great value on this itinerary, furthering the
case
for a cruise being the best way to visit French Polynesia (where accommodations,
dining, and sightseeing can definitely be on the expensive side).
Tahitian Princess cruises are currently scheduled through April 12, 2005, at which point the ship will sail on a new 12-day Papeete to Hawaii cruise. Her sister ship, the Pacific Princess, currently operates on a unique split deployment, sailing the waters of the South Pacific for six months as a Sydney-based ship for P&O Cruises Australia and six months for Princess Cruises. This will change in 2004, when the Pacific Princess sails around the globe, with routes through the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Hawaii, West Africa, South America, and the Indian Ocean.
We returned from French Polynesia and the Tahitian Princess with a wide range of story angles and photography.