Seven days into cruise #3, and we are still getting up early enough to watch as the Pacific Princess arrives into port every day. Part of it is simply that these islands are so beautiful but very different from each other, too, especially as viewed from the water. Sometimes (as with Rangiroa), the pass through the lagoon is surrounded by land on both sides. Sometimes, as with Raiatea today, it's simply a break in the reef. Either way, the scenery is remarkable.
Our weather this cruise continues to be perfect. I was a little concerned with extending our cruise...the rainy season starts in November and I was imagining day after day of relentless rain. Not so. It's been spectacular, and today was no different.
Raiatea is one of only two ports we actually dock at, so getting off and on the ship is easy. And, in both Raiatea and Papeete (the other docking port), the center of the city, or the village, is right where we dock; we are not stuck out at some freight dock. It's a very good thing. G and I were off the ship as soon the gangway was set, hoping to get some early, and fast internet at La Cubana before the crew got there. However, we were a little too early...it's the islands, man. Chill! They were open but wifi wasn't yet turned on. We walked over to the Champion Supermarché and bough more mouthwash; it only comes in what would be a medium sized bottle at home, but that's fine. We're back every 10 days.
Since we were so early, we took a few minutes to further look into the excursion options available right at the pier, where the visitors information center is located. And there are several...
The one on the left is the one that most intrigues us. Basically, it's a boat transfer to the motu in the first photo (above) for US$ 25pp. The boat runs back and forth all day long, and I can definitely see us enjoying a day on that motu with our floats and snorkel equipment. For $40, the boat will first stop at a second motu to do a drift snorkel in the pass through which the Pacific Princess enters the lagoon. This sounds good, too, but we'd probably only do it one time. The transfer to the motu will likely become a "go-to" activity.
We are almost always greeted by musicians and sometimes by dancers when we arrive at a port
We returned to the ship for breakfast in the Club Restaurant, and were once again seated with Smith from Thailand. I had a dream last night about a stack of fluffy blueberry pancakes. It was so funny...I wasn't hungry, and I have not had pancakes even one time since we've been on the Pacific Princess. But I saw some served yesterday, and they looked incredible, and the thought must have been formed at that moment. So, even though it wasn't 'blueberry pancake' day in the dining room, head waiter Mehei made the dream a reality and G and I both enjoyed blueberry pancakes. Meanwhile, Smith added to our collection of origami animals with a penguin and a puppy made out of a tea bag. Every time we turn to our cabin, steward Bianca has posed them in different places in our cabin and made finding them into a game.
The puppy is made from a tea bag wrapper
We walked back off the ship to find wifi that would allow us to check the webcams at home (we can't do that from the Pacific Princess) and also to finalize our travel plans for January and February. It's fairly certain now that we will not be on the Royal Princess during those months; and probably not at all this winter. We knew that was likely when we extended our stay on the Pacific Princess. Our reasoning is that the Royal Princess will be in the Caribbean for years to come; we are not likely to return to French Polynesia on the Pacific Princess after this winter. We need to enjoy it while we can!
La Cubana where we get wifi in Raiatea...30 minutes for free but more as long as we're drinking or eating something. Early in the day it's decently fast.
The top of Mount Tapioi, nearly 1000 feet tall; is reachable via a 2.2 mile 4WD road. Yep, climbing it is on our list of things to do while we're in Frendh Polynesia.
Motu Ofetaro as seen from the ship
We skipped lunch altogether today, because we had reservations to eine in the specialty steakhouse again at 6pm tonight. We first watched the Children of Raiatea folkloric show on the pool deck; and then made a quick pass through the Elite Lounge. We were given a wonderful table in the steakhouse at the very back of the ship. The views of Tahaa and Bora Bora were spectacula; and our filets were perfect; but service was slow tonight, quite a change from our last visit. I was also a bit disappointed in the new chocolate peanut butter dessert on the menu that is part of Princess' Chocolate Journeys marketing program. Honestly, the flourless chocolate cake we get once a cruise is much, much better.
The show tonight is magician Greg Moreland whom we've already seen twice. The Pacific Princess is staying in Raiatea until 11pm, and it was a good night to walk back off the ship and take a few photos of the ship after dark. We wandered back over to La Cubana where a live band was playing; not that we don't have live bands on the ship, but it was nice to party a bit with the locals. We're going to go back up to the pool deck for the adult folkloric show at 9:45pm and then call it a day. We have one of the biggest days of our cruise planned tomorrow in Bora Bora. I hope our weather luck continues!