Cruising to Somewhere Exotic

What Does Exotic 

Mean to You 

Last week we shared photos on the theme of “exotic,” on #travelpics Twitter chat. We included exotic birds, animals, and destinations from our photo archives. It was difficult to pick just a few to share.

This Blue-Footed Booby was one of our favorite exotic bird species inhabiting the Galapagos Islands. 

  A Land Beyond Xpectations

Over one hundred fifty years ago, a man wrote about his quest that took him to a place where he would discover how life evolved thousands of years ago.

Our ultimate exotic destination is an archipelago of volcanic islands near the equator in the Pacific Ocean.  We were met by a team of naturalists who transported us by Zodiacs to our waiting ship, Celebrity Xpedition. 


You can see Celebrity Xpedition in the distance from our beach vantage point on  Fernandina Island in this photograph.  This isn't your typical beach as you can see.

We've written an entire series of articles, Diary of Celebrity Xpeditions Galapagos, on our journey to exotic Galapagos.  When #travelpics posted the theme for this past week, that destination was the first thing that came to mind.

Looking at the questions below, we bet that you already know our answer for Q6.

Tahiti - French Polynesia 

Our second choice for exotic destinations was Tahiti (French Polynesia & Cook Islands).  We were fortunate to cruise the Tahitian Islands on Tahitian Princess before it was renamed.   That ship is perfect for traversing the island chain.

In this image, the crew on our catamaran treated us to some fresh tropical coconut.  Exotic food, flowers and scenery made this our number two pick for this week's travel photo chat.

How Would You 
Answer These Questions



[RECAP] Questions for last Monday’s “exotic”-themed #travelpics chat: 

(3:05) Q1: What’s an exotic location that you’ve never been to, but are eager to visit?
(3:10) Q2: When you think of the word “exotic,” what do you think of? Share your travel photo interpretation.
(3:20) Q3: Share a photo of something exotic you found in the natural world!
(3:30) Q4: What is it you like most about exotic locations? Scenery, weather, people, cuisine, customs…?
(3:40) Q5: Scenery often makes a spot exotic. Tweet a shot of a stunning location.
(3:50) Q6: What’s the most exotic place you’ve ever seen? What made it incredible?

See our answers and those of other posters:  #Travelpics 2014-07-28 Recap


Do you have an exotic cruise adventure to share with our readers?  We'd love to hear about it and see your travel pictures.   Contact us for an opportunity to share your story.

The next #travelpics will take place Monday, August 4th, 2014, from 3-4pm Eastern time (8-9pm UK time). This week’s theme is “quickfire,” so get ready for a dozen fast-paced questions on photography, travel, and more!

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc for more ideas.

Each week we post images from our trips and participate in several travel chats on Twitter.

Take advantage of these resources to assist in you in planning your dream vacations.  Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you might have about travel and the industry.

Around the World with Regent

Regent Seven Seas Cruising Around the World

2010 World Cruise
Regent Seven Seas Cruises takes you on a 119-night adventure from exotic locales to lands that transcend time. Discover the rarely visited, including west African treasures Ghana, The Gambia and Cape Verde. Explore the great cities, from Sydney to Singapore and Hong Kong to Shanghai. Each step of this magnificent voyage unfolds new ways of seeing the world aboard Seven Seas Voyager.

San Diego to Fort Lauderdale, 119 nights (Full World Cruise) January 13, 2010

Your world voyage begins with a Gala evening and overnight on board January 13th featuring Jay Leno and The Beach Boys.

Special Offers:

• 2-FOR-1 Fares

• Save an additional $5,000 per guest when booked by September 30, 2009

• FREE Unlimited Shore Excursions

• Seven Seas Society savings available

• $2,000 per suite Shipboard Credit (categories MS-C) or

• $1,000 per suite Shipboard Credit (categories D-H)

Inclusions:

• Gala evening and overnight on board January 13th featuring Jay Leno and The Beach Boys

• Visas for U.S. and Canadian citizens residing in the U.S.

• Ground transfers

• Luggage delivery service between ship and shore

• Commemorative gift

Complimentary events: In addition to the complimentary events on the individual segments, full World Cruise guests also enjoy an Ethnic Fashion Show at Three on the Bund in Shanghai on March 6, a Sunset Cocktail Reception on the Chao Praya River in Bangkok on March 20, and a Vintage Fair at Blaauwklippen Estate in Cape Town on April 15.

2010 World Cruise Segments

San Diego to Sydney, 23 nights (Segment 1)
January 14, 2010

Sydney to Singapore, 19 nights (Segment 2) February 6, 2010

Singapore to Hong Kong, 14 nights (Segment 3) February 25, 2010

Hong Kong to Cape Town, 35 nights (Segment 4) March 11, 2010

Cape Town to Ft. Lauderdale, 27 nights (Segment 5) April 15, 2010

Special Offers on Segments:

• 2-FOR-1 Fares

• Save an additional $1,000 per guest when booked by September 30, 2009

• FREE Unlimited Shore Excursions

• Seven Seas Society savings available

• $200 per suite Shipboard Credit (categories MS-C) or

• $100 per suite Shipboard Credit (categories D-H)

Take advantage of the special offers by selecting your cabin for the Full World Cruise or One or More of the Segments before the offer expires on September 30th. This cruise will be an experience for you to remember for many years to come.

Call me for complete details of the 119 night World Cruise which ends in Fort Lauderdale, FL on May 12, 2010.

Tahiti On Sale - Paul Gauguin

Summer on "Sail" by Paul Gauguin

Regent Seven Seas has announced two special offers for sailings to Tahiti aboard Paul Gauguin.

This is the final season that the ship will be sailing under the Regent flag. In January, 2010, Paul Gauguin Cruises will begin sailing in Tahiti.

See my previous posts for more details about Paul Gauguin Cruises: Luxury Tahiti Cruises at Special Savings and Paul Gauguin Cruises Joins CLIA

Speical Offers Available
Bookings by August 15, 2009

French Polynesia is made up of several series of islands, atolls, and archipelagos, independently surrounded by lagoons and barrier reefs that create unique eco-systems and divine respites for the traveler weary of the usual getaway.

Explore the Society Islands aboard Paul Gauguin this summer with up to 74% savings, third guest sails FREE; BOOK by August 15, 2009.

7 Nights Roundtrip Papeete

Fares from $1,995 per guest: September 12, September 19 and September 26

Itinerary: Papeete, French Polynesia * Raiatea, French Polynesia * Taha'a (Motu Mahana)French Polynesia * Bora Bora, French Polynesia (Overnight) * Moorea, French Polynesia(Overnight) * Papeete, French Polynesia (Overnight)

Society & Cook Islands

14 Nights Roundtrip Papeete

Fares from $4,995 per guest & FREE AIR from LAX August 29

Itinerary: Papeete, French Polynesia * Huahine, French Polynesia * Cruise the Pacific Ocean, Int' Waters * Aitutaki, Cook Islands * Rarotonga, Cook Islands * Cruise the Pacific Ocean, Int'l Waters * Tubuai, Tuamotu Archipelago * Cruise the Pacific Ocean, Int'l Waters * Taha'a (Motu Mahana), French Polynesia * Bora Bora, French Polynesia * Rangiroa, French Polynesia (Overnight) * Moorea, French Polynesia (Overnight) * Papeete, French Polynesia (Overnight)

Special One Week Sale by Paul Gauguin

July 27 - August 2, 2009

Explore the Society Islands aboard Paul Gauguin this fall with up to 67% savings, Select Balcony & upper suite categories only; Valid from July 27, 2009 to August 2, 2009.

7 Nights Roundtrip Papeete
Balcony & Upper Suite Fares from $2,995 per guest: October 24, October 31

Itinerary: Papeete, French Polynesia Raiatea, French Polynesia Taha'a (Motu Mahana), French Polynesia Bora Bora, French Polynesia (Overnight) Moorea, French Polynesia (Overnight) Papeete, French Polynesia (Overnight)

Society & Marquesas Islands
14 Nights Roundtrip Papeete
Fares from $3,195 per guest Cruise Only December 5

Itinerary: Papeete, French Polynesia * Cruise the Pacific Ocean, Int' Waters * Fakarava, French Polynesia * Cruise the Pacific Ocean, Int' Waters * Fatu Hiva/Hanavave, Marquesas * Atuona, French Polynesia * Vaipaee, French Polynesia * Taiohae, French Polynesia * Cruise the Pacific Ocean, Int' Waters * Cruise the Pacific Ocean, Int' Waters * Huahine, French Polynesia * Bora Bora, French Polynesia * Taha'a (Motu Mahana), French Polynesia * Moorea, French Polynesia * Papeete, French Polynesia (Overnight)

For more information about Paul Gauguin or these French Polynesian itineraries, call or email me. You can also visit my website.

Paul Gauguin Cruises Joins CLIA

Introducing Paul Gauguin Cruises

Paul Gauguin Cruises just became the 24th member of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). You probably already know Paul Gauguin Cruises as the operator of the highest-rated and longest continually sailing luxury cruise ship in the South Pacific. Since 1998, the m/s Paul Gauguin has completed more than 500 South Pacific cruises and served more than 140,000 guests.

Reservations are now open for Paul Gauguin's 2010 season, which features 38 luxury cruises to Tahiti, French Polynesia, and the South Pacific. Customers who have sailed previously on Paul Gauguin Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea, The Yachts of Seabourn, Crystal Cruises, SeaDream Yacht Club, or Windstar Cruises will enjoy additional savings of 5 percent and exclusive recognition benefits with membership in the m/s Paul Gauguin Society.

To learn more about Paul Gauguin Cruises, send me an email or give me a call. Don't miss exciting information like this. Make sure you take advantage of all my communications: weekly eSaver newsletter, my Facebook page, and this blog.

Moorea, French Polynesia

I hope you have been enjoying our Tahitian Princess - 10 Day Polynesia/Cook Islands cruise.

Our next port of call was Moorea in French Polynesia. This island is the "sister island of Tahiti". It's hard to believe but this was our last port of call before returning to our starting port of Papeete.

We arrived in Moorea around 8 am and sailed around 5 pm. This gave us a full day to see the sights. After breakfast, we took a tender to the pier and did some shopping in the tents that were setup near the tender dock. We could have hired a local driver to take us to a shopping area, but we really didn't need to do that. If you haven't booked an organized tour, there are several vendors to help you dockside. 

Our final shore excursion, Moorea 4wd Safari, went from from 12:45 pm to 4:15 pm.

We boarded our 4WD vehicle and drove through the Paopao Valley, passing pineapple plantations. Our driver stopped our vehicle a few times so that we could take pictures of the pineapples growing alongside the trail. The tour continued across the Paopao Opunohu trail to Le Belvedere Lookout for views of Cook's (or Paopao) and Opunohu Bays. It was an overcast day, but the scenery from the lookout was still pretty amazing. We looked down and saw our ship comfortably resting in the bay, waiting for us to return.

Our guide then drove us to the top of Magic Mountain where we hiked the last 300 feet to its summit for a stunning view of Moorea's north shore. It was so lovely up there, we hated to climb back down to our vehicle, but we still had one more stop to make before returning to the ship.

The final stop was at the Jus De Fruits De Moorea (Fruit Juice Factory of Moorea) where we sampled the various fruit drinks and had some time to purchase souvenirs. Keep in mind that this trip was before the 3-1-1 days of air traveling, so we didn't have to contend with those limitations. I believe they will also ship to any destination, so that would probably be the way to go these days.

As usual, we've posted some Moorea 4WD Safari pictures on Shutterfly for you to enjoy. If you want to explore on your own, the following guide will give you some ideas of what to do around Moorea.

Now that our tour was over, it was time to pack our suitcases and get ready to disembark the ship for our flight home. In my final post on this cruise, I'll tell you how our final day in Papette went. Disembarkation day on this cruise is quite different than on other cruises, so you'll definitely want to read about our final day aboard the Tahitian Princess.

10 Day Polynesia / Cook Islands Cruise on Tahitian Princess

Click on image to the left for more blog posts about our Tahiti adventure

For more images, see our Shutterfly Photo Page.

Connect With Us On

        

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers


Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat  

Each week we post images from our trips and participate in several travel chats on Twitter.

Take advantage of these resources to assist in you in planning your dream vacations.  Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you might have about travel and the industry.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Our next port of call was Bora Bora in French Polynesia. This island in the middle of a beautiful lagoon is known as "the Pearl of Polynesia". I'm sure you'll agree this was one of the highlights of the cruise.

Before clicking on the picture to the left (to get an enlarged image) close your eyes and try to picture the beautiful waters and majestic mountains that took our breath away as the Tahitian Princess sailed into Bora Bora mid-day.

The waters were every shade of blue and green imaginable including emerald, turquoise, powder blue, dark blue, and sky blue. The green vegetation, thatched huts, and billowy white clouds completed the canvas that was unfolding before our eyes as the ship arrived at our destination.

After the ship dropped anchor, we took a tender ashore. We decided to just walk around the village for awhile. Our little walk took us past an old church, quiet streets, and a few local shops. We purchased a few items from the local market and returned to the ship to get ready for our evening excursion - a champagne sail. which started at 4:30 and ended at 7:30 PM.

There were two catamarans that took our group on the sunset sail. The weather was beautiful. The crystal blue sky was decorated with the same billowing clouds that had been in the sky all day long. We knew we were in for a treat when the sun would begin to set. Timing the shot perfectly, the second catamaran was backlit by the setting sun, casting it's shadow onto the water between the two sail boats. We were able to get many more photos before the sun completely set and it was time to return to our ship. The catamaran served as our private tender boat that night, depositing us back where we had begun this fantastic evening.

Our first day in Bora Bora was almost over, but we were not done exploring Bora Bora. In the morning, we continued with two shore excursions . From 8:30 am to 10:30 am, we donned yellow helmets for the Bora Bora Aqua Safari. We then took the Tupuna Mountain Safari And Island Tour from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. We have enjoyed 4WD excursions on other cruises, so that's why we decided to book this tour.

One of our favorite things to do on a cruise is explore under the water. When reviewing the various shore excursions for this cruise, we decided to get a little more adventurous than we had in the past. The Aqua Safari sounded amazing and it truly exceeded our expectations. I should tell you that this was my idea and I'm not a good swimmer. My husband thought I'd lost my marbles when I suggested it, but he went along with the idea and he is extremely glad he did.

We sailed from our ship to a diving platform where we were greeted by the rest of our excursion crew. After a brief safety instruction, we donned yellow helmets that were hooked up to an air supply. The helmets weighed about 75 pounds, but you would not know it because in the salt water, it didn't feel heavy at all. You can keep your glasses on (which was great for both of us). We walked down the ladder and were immersed in 10 feet of water surrounded by schools of tropical fish that came to greet us.

Armed with our individual supply of bread, we were able to keep the fish coming right up to us as we walked along the bottom of the lagoon. Don't worry, we were not alone down there. An experienced scuba diver was keeping a watchful eye on us the whole time. The only time my husband was scared was when they had to switch air tanks. For a brief moment, he didn't hear the comforting sound of air rushing into his helmet, but all was well.

This was the most amazing experience we've had in the more than 20 years of cruising. We both highly recommend this tour - especially in the crystal clear waters of Bora Bora.

Our day in Bora Bora concluded with a 4WD safari which took us to the top of Tupuna Mountain where we got a view of the entire lagoon, our ship, and were able to see the sights of the WWII guns of Bora Bora. We ended our tour at Bloody Mary's which is probably the most famous tourist spot on the island.

Photo Albums:

Arriving in Bora Bora, Bora Bora (Shopping) , Bora Bora - Sunset Sail, Bora Bora - Aqua Safari

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to Bora Bora with me. Make sure you visit our photo albums for more pictures. Words just don't do justice to this "Pearl of Polynesia". Next time we visit our last port of call, Moorea, before returning to our disembarkation port of Papette.

10 Day Polynesia / Cook Islands Cruise on Tahitian Princess

Click on image to the left for more blog posts about our Tahiti adventure

For more images, see our Shutterfly Photo Page.

Connect With Us On

        

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers


Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat  

Each week we post images from our trips and participate in several travel chats on Twitter.

Take advantage of these resources to assist in you in planning your dream vacations.  Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you might have about travel and the industry.

Raiatea & Tahaa, French Polynesia

Tahitian Princess arrived in Raiatea, French Polynesia 6:00 AM in the morning. It would remain there until 6:00 AM the following morning giving us plenty of time to explore Raiatea and Tahaa. Raiatea is known as the "Sacred Island" and Tahaa, the "Vanilla Island". but for us, this was Black Pearl country.

After breakfast it was off on our shore excursion, Tahaa Pearl Farm Visit And Motu Mahaea Beach, which went from 8:30 am - 12:00 pm. We were able to visit a Black Pearl Farm and then spend some free time on Motu Mahaea. Since we didn't have time to shop for black pearls in Papette, this was our next choice.

We arrived at the Motu Pearl Farm where we were greeted by a guitar player and several Polynesian singers. The owner's daughter provided a short talk about black pearls explaining the entire process and allowing us to get our first look at black pearls close up.

For more information about Black Pearls and the industry, check out the following websites:

• Guide to Buyinhg Tahitian Pearls - learn about their colors, sizes, shapes and more
• History of Tahitian Black Pearls - behind the jewelry
• Black Pearl Farm Markets- Tahitian Pearl information
• Polynesian Legends - Tahitian pearls were the first cases of light

Just like most other precious gems, the color and quality is very important, so if you go shopping for a black pearl in Tahiti, make sure you get the quality that matches your budget. It is best to purchase the loose gems and have them set back home.

After our Pearl Farm tour, we returned to the ship to relax before our evening entertainment. No visit to Polynesia is complete without a Motu Ofetaro Feast & Traditional Polynesian Show. We booked this dinner show, which went from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. When we arrived at the motu we were greeted with a traditional flower welcome by a Polynesian woman in traditional dress.

Preparation was underway for the entertainment and dinner. We had time to explore the motu before the buffet dinner. The main entree was a pig which was being prepared in a pit. The sun was starting to set. We could see our ship glowing in the sunset in the distance.

The dinner was excellent and the entertainment was fantastic. There were even a group of Polynesian children that performed for us. Part of the show was performed outside prior to dinner, and the conclusion were Polynesian dancers performing as we finished our meal indoors.

Note: I recently checked to see if Princess Cruises still offered this excursion, and noticed that it was not listed. I hope that the dinner show is still being performed because it was a very enjoyable evening. You might want to research alternative evening entertainment if this tour is not available on your cruise.

The next morning it was time to say an early good-bye to Raiatea and Tahaa. The Tahitian Princess set sail past Tahaa towards Bora Bora as the sun was rising, making for some incredible sunrise pictures. Check out the following photo albums for more pictures of these two ports of call.

Raiatea - Motu Feast , Tahaa Pearl Farm & Motu

Tahaa Underwater Pics , Tahaa Scenic Cruising

Next time, we arrive in Bora Bora to continue our Tahitian adventure.

10 Day Polynesia / Cook Islands Cruise on Tahitian Princess

Click on image to the left for more blog posts about our Tahiti adventure

For more images, see our Shutterfly Photo Page.

Connect With Us On

        

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers


Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat  

Each week we post images from our trips and participate in several travel chats on Twitter.

Take advantage of these resources to assist in you in planning your dream vacations.  Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you might have about travel and the industry.