Background: First cruise- S.S. Monterey Honolulu to LA 1971, many after that-most since 1990. We go for the service and relaxation on the ship and the destinations, not all the hype onboard. We prefer small ships.

Booked our own flights. Flew from Florida to LA and stayed several days. Major storms in midwest raised havoc with the airlines. ATN moved us up to flight @130PM because many passengers missed it. Many people missed both ATN flights that day and had to spend big bucks to get to Papeete by the next (sail) day. Many found the Princess emergency number is not 24 hours! We met people who went up to 6 days without their luggage. Get to either LA or Papeete early! ---ATN-good service, decent food, seats a little narrower than normal, but you have more leg room. No air controls, hot and cold during flight. Layer clothes. Free drinks, lots of movies. Around 8.5 hour flight. ---Papeete Airport--hot and humid. Long lines--they have to type in info on each person. Plenty of taxis to dock-USD $30. ---Papeete--port town. Nice around quai, but then turns grungy. Market is OK, great flowers $15-20. Lasted whole cruise. Champion supermarket nearby for water, wine, etc. Use VISA, Mastercard. ---Nice size ship (R type). Clean, good layout, great service overall. Food was average. Ice cream 230-430 in buffet. No panni bar at lunch.

Sundeck (with wind screen) too hot for this locale. Temperatures averaged 82 to 86 degrees day AND night. It was very hot and humid. However, we saw blue skies everyday, and only had a few passing showers the whole trip! ---Huahine--small lush island. Took Le Truck to village and beach. $10/PP RT charged to ship account. Pretty laid back. ---Rarotonga, Cook Islands--made it in. Turns out this was the island that most people liked best (that we talked to). A reef surrounds the island and provides plenty of protected water to play in. It is a very CLEAN island! 5 minute walk to nice "town". Internet cafe near tourist office was good--but the only place on the WHOLE trip that did not take USD. It was 6 NZD for 30 minutes--dial-up, but fairly fast. Get there early, the locals crowd in from noon on. Hint: just buy a drink or t-shirt and get change in NZD. Banks charge 7 NZD to change $$. Took bus (padded seats) around island for 4 NZD (or small USD). Took 55 minutes. Beautiful island!!!!!! Recommend buying day bus pass for 10 NZD--go around island in AM, to ship for lunch, then take bus to beach in PM. Beers were 3 NZD at Trader Jack's in town. What a great day--but hot! ---Raiatea--Quiet island, nice. Walked to Mooring's Marina for lunch at a French cafe on waters edge(taxi back $10). Kid's show on ship was fun. ---Bora Bora--the draw here is the lagoon and water sports. Most people fly in, take a water shuttle to there OTWB and stay put except for the beach/water sports. Not much on the island and it is a trashy island. Read more