We arrived in Opunohu Bay on Moorea around 8am (viewed from Deck 11 forward with the FODs). After breakfast in the Club Restaurant, we boarded a tender about 9:30am; we had a driver meeting us on the tender pier at 10am to take us to the Hilton Moorea, located between Opunohu Bay where the Pacific Princess was at anchor, and Cooks Bay to the east. A day pass is available for cruisers at the Hilton Moorea for $80pp that includes use of the facilities and watersports (snorkel gear; kayaks and stand up paddleboards), lunch and one drink; but we were guests of the resort which meant we spent $9 for a bottle of Hinano beer and $6 for a Perrier ('cause I am just Hinano-ed out already since it's about all we can afford to drink to get free wifi on the islands). We spent the entire day on the beach, snorkeling in their lagoon, kayaking out by where the waves (I say 20 feet high and G says 30) were crashing on the barrier reef, and stand up paddle boarding (G; I was the videographer) before we moved to the pool. The resort was beautiful,but I think I preferred the Hilton Bora Bora Nui yesterday (G feels differently). The taxi was 2500 XPF (about US$ 30) each way and took less than 15 minutes (taxis in Moorea are expensive, which is why doing the Lagoonarium from the cruise ship tender in Opunohu Bay is so difficult), and it's a really beautiful drive (see photos from Moorea Circle Island Tour on October 28).
We were back on the Pacific Princess about 4:15pm, and quickly showered and washed our gear and were up on deck for sailaway. Sailaway from Moorea to Papeete is incredibly beautiful, as the Pacific Princess cruises along the northern coast of Moorea past Cooks Bay. We went up to the terrace behind the buffet for a quick snack about 5pm and ended up staying for sunset at 6:15pm, repeatedly getting just "one more snack" from the Panorama Buffet to keep us going until our "real dinner" and even having our bottle of wine retrieved from the dining room until we finally just admitted that we were actually having dinner in the buffet and wouldn't make it to the dining room tonight at all.
We went to the 7pm performance of production show Motor City (love it!!) and exited that to go out on the Promenade Deck to watch our arrival. The lights of Papeete are so pretty at night, and we looked over at Le Tiare Tahiti hotel wondering if that will be our home for 10 nights starting December 28th (still no news on that). I will try to publish this post and photos tonight before we get off the ship for crepes...photos may or may not accompany the post tonight, but will follow tomorrow.
We are 30 days into this incredible adventure, which is half of our originally planned stay. I asked G today if he would have been ready to go home in 30 days and he vehemently stated he would not. He thinks we're just hitting our stride, and there is some truth to that. I've said before: we are slow learners when it comes to this cruising stuff. It takes us longer than most people to fit everything in. These islands are starting to feel familiar- not as familiar as the Caribbean; of course, but better every cruise- and we are increasingly comfortable here, and the Pacific Princess is definitely feeling like home.
30 days down; 66 more to go. Life is definitely good. :-)