Shore Excursions and Ports of Call
Click here to link to an example of a shore excursion form 

7 day cruises
 Papeete - Raitatea -Taha -Bora Bora - Moorea

Plus  10 - 14 day cruises including
Tuamotus and Marquesas Islands
Huahine - Rangiroa - Omoa, Fatu Hiva - Atuona, Hiva Oa - Vaipaee, Ua Huka, Taiohae, Nuku Hiva

NEW FOR 2007
14-day cruises including
Aitutaki - Rarotonga - Nukualofa - Savusavu - Yasawa - Lautoka

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The following is a short synopsis of our personal experience and comments from other passengers as to what each excursion is really like.  There are some excursions that I have not covered and have no knowledge of.  As far as the diving excursions go, you need to rely on the dive master although we do have a section diving on this web.  A motu is a small island in the middle of a lagoon around the major islands of Taha'a, Raiatea, Bora Bora or Moorea. 

Shore Excursions can be requested online 60 days prior to your sailing date.  Please note: This is a request, not a confirmation, so check with the Tour Desk upon embarkation to make sure you’re on the list.  Excursions will be added directly to your shipboard account, not your Brown & Keene invoice, so there is no need to submit payment prior to embarkation.  Once requested, excursions can only be cancelled onboard.
 

  The shore excursion desk opens at 9:00 p.m. the day of embarkation.  If you are interested in the more popular shore excursions, drop off your completed form at that time.  There are some shore excursions that are not listed that can be organized upon request.  A popular excursion is horseback riding in Bora Bora or Moorea.  Price is usually about $50 an hour – same price as a cab.  Also right on shore are a lot of local tour operators that can do various tours for you.  All you have to do is go in and see what is offered.
 

Instructions follow for requesting shore excursions online:

• Go to Regent’s homepage: www.rssc.com.  Click “My Cruises” at the top of the screen.

• The next page will ask you either to Sign In or Create a New Account.  You must have an account to request shore excursions.

• If you DO have an account, enter your login information and click “Sign In.”  This will take you to the “My Cruises” screen.

• If you DO NOT have an account, click “Create Account,” complete the required information, and then click “Submit.”  On the next screen, click “Continue to My Cruises.”

• From the “My Cruises” screen, click “Find My Booked Cruises.”  Complete the required information and click “Find.” 

• From the “My Booked Cruises” screen, click “Request Shore Excursions.”

• This will bring up a list of all available shore excursions for your sailing.  Find the shore excursion you want, select the appropriate number of tickets, and click “Continue” at the bottom of the screen.

• From the “Review Your Shore Excursion Request” screen, enter your Cabin Number, click the checkbox in the “Guest Acknowledgment” section, and then click “Submit.”

FAXING YOUR SHORE EXCURSIONS REQUEST

There is also a form in your tickets that you can fill in and fax to Regent to pre-reserve your shore excursions.

RAIATEA
 

In Raiatea the children come aboard and do a dance show.  It is delightful and I would suggest fitting this into your schedule if you can.  On the last trip they did before anyone could disembark so that everyone could have the opportunity of seeing the show. They also sell trinkets, etc.  The town of Raiatea is not much – it looks like a small Mexican town.  You arrive on a Sunday at a new pier in the "heart" of Raiatea and most stores are closed.  There is a nice restaurant and although I did not eat there, the food looked quite nice.  There is a very small man-made beach if you walk to your right after reaching the main road – it is not much but you can get wet and take your first "dip."

Car rental phone numbers: Europcar 689 66-34-06; Hertz 689-66-15-59.  The cost is about $65 for four hours.  They appeared to be closed on my last trip and this island is not really worth driving yourself.  I have done it – took two hours – a lot of dirt road and not that interesting.  Pre-arrange this if you can or get the ship to help you organize this.

The Raiatea shore excursions always sell out.
There is limited availability so don’t hesitate – book right away.

Outrigger Canoe and Jeep Trip.  I took this trip and quite enjoyed it.  The jeep ride is not as good as the one in Bora Bora.  The jeep is very bumpy and windy – ladies should wear a scarf or bandana, men will need a “tight” hat.  It goes through the middle of the island, showing the native bush, and then visits the Polynesian religious sites.  You then board an outrigger canoe and go down a river, once again seeing the mangrove swamps, etc.  It is entertaining, as you go from the jeep to the canoe and see a lot of the island.  This is the excursion I would recommend and it usually sells out so book early –  the night you board.

Raiatea Island Tour.  Okay if you want to see all the island. 

Snorkeling and Black Pearl Farm Adventure.  Also sells out.  Most people seemed to enjoy this trip.

Beach Transfer to the Motu.  This is not anywhere near as nice a motu as the others later on in the trip. It is a public motu so has locals there and the beach is not as tidy, more driftwood etc on the beach. 

TAHA'A
 

Basically a day at a beautiful motu.  The island belongs to Regent and the facilities are excellent.  Deck chairs and umbrellas line the beach. If you go further back into the motu where the trees are or away from the water, there are mosquitoes.  At the water's edge you will not be bothered.  The lunch is wonderful and the fresh grilled fish, usually Mahi Mahi, is excellent.  There are plenty of tables and space.  There is a couple that stay on the island and then play host one day a week when the ship calls.  All drinks are complimentary at the bar during the day.  They have a floating bar in the water that is really fun.  A waiter pulls it along and serves drinks in the water.  Also massages are available on the beach along with dance lessons, pareo tying, etc. See the MOTU MAHANA link for more details.

CAR RENTAL IN BORA BORA AND MOOREA
 

Car or private driver rental.  Renting a car and driving around the islands is a very good way to go.  If four share a car, it can cost less than the organized “Le Truck” excursions and be much more enjoyable.  The “air conditioned coaches” are not quite the “air conditioning” we are used to; they do not work very well.  There are not that many rental cars available so do not wait too long to get off the ship.  Do not expect Lexus-type cars – functional transportation is all you need.  They do have little three-wheeler scooter-type vehicles in Bora Bora about $50 for four hours.  These are a little hard on the body, so you might put a towel underneath you to cushion the impact.  They try to rent you the three-wheelers first but if you persist, there are often cars available.  The rental car places are very close to where the ship lets us off, just at the rear of the little town.  Passengers got together and rented drivers with vans or cars for less than the organized excursions and had a much better day.  Both Bora Bora and Moorea are very easy to drive around – not much traffic and difficult to get lost.  The primary roads are pretty good.

BORA BORA
 

Bora Bora Off-Road Adventure.  I LOVED this excursion.  There truly is limited space.  The warning that there are rough roads is no joke.  Depending on past rains, etc., these dirt roads are VERY bouncy.  If you have a bad back, or are nervous in a 4-wheeler environment, do not do this trip.  If these are not concerns I think you will really enjoy it. They drive up the old roads built by the US Army during World War 2 is great fun and the views are spectacular. Be aware that getting to the mountains is VERY windy. 

Land and Sea Safari.  A shorter Off-Road Adventure coupled with snorkeling.  This is VERY popular; however, you can snorkel almost everywhere and I think you miss a lot of the Off-Road Adventure this way.

Shark and Ray Feeding.  Not my bag but those that went loved this trip.  The passengers are behind a rope that they hold on to and the natives attract the sharks with bait.  They then feed the sharks right in front of you and the sharks do come very close.  This also includes regular and stingray snorkeling.  It was a popular excursion for those who like this sort of thing.

Sail and Snorkel Feast.  My past passengers did not like this shore excursion at all.  The snorkeling was in fairly deep water with strong currents and the operators of the tour were not the best.  I highly advise against this trip.

Helicopter Flight.  Short and expensive but really spectacular.  We saw schools of sharks and the flight really gives you a sense of Bora Bora and the lagoon when you see it from the air.  The colors in the lagoon are breathtaking.  The flight is very gentle – no wild swooping down or anything of that sort.  You fly low in most areas over the lagoon, but do fly up and over the major peak of Bora Bora.  If you were ever going to experience a helicopter ride, this must be one of the best places in the world to experience such a flight.

Aquascope.  I tried this on my last trip.  For those of us who do not snorkel, it is a wonderful opportunity to see the coral and fish.  You descend a fairly steep little stairway and sit on a bench below the water line.  They feed the fish from above, so they come right up to the glass and you can see really well.  The best side to be on is the left when entering.  However, even though they had a small air conditioner running, it is very hot inside, cramped and quite confining.  I was glad to get out of the aquascope.

Circle Island by Waverunner.  Mixed reviews.  It is not cheap.  Some loved it, some felt it was not worth it.

These are always popular.  You cannot go “on your own” as the reefs require following the guide, but there is a lot of room between the wave runners.

Lagoonarium Experience.  I liked this excursion.  Most passenger’s rave about this trip, even those who think “controlled snorkeling” is not their bag. Basically, it is controlled environment snorkeling, including small sharks and stingrays coupled with a beautiful beach.  You walk right off the beach to snorkel.  The fish are inside a net, so you are extremely comfortable, the water is not deep, and the setting is magnificent.  The guides can make a difference, and ours were so colorful that it added a lot to the experience.  The trip over the lagoon by canoe is really wonderful and you see a great deal of the island from the water.  There is a brand new, very attractive hotel, Le Meridien, right next to this area.  This is an absolutely beautiful setting with guaranteed good snorkeling.

Not an official excursion but offered while in port in Bora Bora by the ship.  The tender will be taking those who wish to go to a motu in the Bora Bora lagoon.  This is a beautiful little spot – will not serve the big buffet lunch etc, but to just go somewhere, snorkel, take a canoe ride and basically just relax this is a great spot. Complimentary beer and punch and bottled water is set up for the day.  This whole excursion is complimentary.

MOOREA
 

Where we dock is the most spectacular harbor, Cooks Bay – it is awe-inspiring.

Car Rental.  Moorea is the best place to rent a car and just drive the island.  There is a rental car agent right on the pier – just pass through the vendors and the taxi area and the cars are right near the tour buses.  There is no office, just a person sitting in a chair waiting for people to rent cars.  They take credit cards.  There is a very limited number of vehicles so do not delay – be on the first tender.  Follow the tour buses up the mountain for the views and then just go and explore.  There are often two companies.  Note that the company that is a little cheaper with the shorter line – these cars do not have air conditioning!  There is a nice back road up to the mountain lookout – the jeeps take this road but it is fine for a normal car.  When leaving the pier, turn right and then about one mile down there is a bridge.  Take the first road to the left – it is just a dirt road with no sign posted.  It ends up joining the main road to the mountain lookout.  If you miss this turnoff, you can take the main road up to Belvedere and then on the way back you will see the dirt road and can come back that way.  This takes you through a nice plantation area and is very pretty.

Transportation.  Many of the Black Pearl shops have transportation to their stores.  You can take this go to the shopping areas – spend time in ALL the shops and then get transportation back again.  They are right on the pier offering free transportation. No sense in taking a taxi just use these if you want to shop.

Island Drive and Belvedere.  I would not recommend this trip.  The buses are not air conditioned.  It is a slow trip and they leave you to shop at this tiny place with nothing to buy.  Choose something else.

Explore Moorea – Jeep Trip.  With the exception of one or two roads you can go in your rental car everywhere the Jeep goes. 

Lagoon Discovery with Snorkeling.  Those that went on this trip enjoyed themselves.  A nice lagoon with a nice sail to the Lagoon itself. Snorkeling can change from trip to trip but this normally gets very high reviews. If you are going on the Dolphin Watch, you usually will have time to snorkel after watching the dolphins.

Dolphin Watching Expedition.  Very limited participation available.  If you want to do this excursion, book immediately.  Basically, you go with an expert, Dr. Michael Poole, and see the dolphins in open water.  It was a great trip.  There is also a chance of seeing humpback whales at certain times of the year, primarily July through December.  There are only three trips with limited participation are available during your time in Moorea.  The morning and afternoon trips both seem to have an equal chance of seeing the dolphins jumping and giving a show.  Whether the morning or afternoon is better is not an issue.  It all depends on the day and every trip is different.  After watching the dolphins, they take you to an area in the lagoon and you can snorkel for about 15-20 minutes.  If it is windy it can get rough, so you need to be comfortable in a small boat to take the excursion.

Hiking Trails of the Ancients.  This receives mixed reviews – anything from “fantastic” to “OK”.  I think it all depends on how much you like to walk.  It is always muddy (it is a rain forest) and you need some serious mosquito repellant.  They take you to the top of Belvedere and you stop at the agriculture center on the way. Then you walk down and see many ancient sites and the guide gives a great deal of information about Tahitians and their culture.  The best part of this is the guide, Mark Eddowes – he makes it very interesting.

Dolphin Experience – get in the water in a pool environment and touch and learn about dolphins.  This is not a shore excursion sponsored by the ship.  The Beachcomber Parkroyal is home to Dolphin Quest.  Shallow and deep-water experiences are available.  I have to say I really enjoyed this.  Basically, just take a cab ($25-$30 each way), hire a driver for the day or rent a car and go to the hotel.  Last time I checked they ran the programs as follows:  Shallow water 9:30 a.m. (too early to make it), 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.; Deep water 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.  They only take 12 people for each time frame.  If you really want to do this, I suggest you call the hotel and make a reservation (telephone 55 19 48) or you may be disappointed.  You will need to put it on a credit card and be there 30 minutes prior the actual time stated.  The hotel is lovely and the pool with the dolphins is on the grounds, with the ocean right behind the pool.  You can also just go and watch and that is a very pleasant experience.  You get in the water with the dolphins and they teach you the commands and the dolphins react to your commands.  It is very interesting – you learn a lot that you probably do not know.  You can feed them, hold and touch them.  In the shallow water you are only in about 3-4 feet of water and stand the whole time.  No actual swimming is allowed.

Tahitian Dance Show on Friday Night.  On Friday night the ship picks up a very professional dance troupe in Moorea and they do a show while sailing across to Papeete.  Depending on the cruise, the times could change.  I highly recommend fitting this show into your schedule.  The dancers are usually the group that are the winners of the Bastille Day dance contest, which is held every July – in essence, the best in the islands of Tahiti.  This is as good as it gets to see a quality Tahitian Dance group.

PAPEETE – ISLAND OF TAHITI
 

This is the big city of Tahiti and as such has all the same traits as any major city.  It is busy, commercial, dirty in places.  You cannot compare Papeete to thrty in places.  You cannot compare Papeete to thrty in places.  You cannot compare Papeete to the y in places.  You cannot compare Papeete to the beautiful islands yoompare Papeete to the y in places.  You cannot compare Papeete to the beautiful islands yoompare Papeete to the y in places.  You cannot compare Papeete to the beautiful islands yoompare Papeete to the y in places.  You cannot compare Papeete to the beautiful islands yoompare Papeete to the y in places.  You cannot compare Papeete to the beautiful islands yoompare Papeete to the y in places.  You cannot compare Papeete to the beautiful islands you will have just visited.  To be fair, I did not spend any time tourinbeautiful islands you will have just visited.  To be fair, I did not spend any time tourinbeautiful islands you will have just visited.  To be fair, I did not spend any time tourinbeautiful islands you will have just visited.  To be fair, I did not spend any time touring or looking at Tahiti and I am sure there are some beautiful spots outside the actual city.

You are now able to stay on the Paul Guaguin until after lunch when you are transferred to the Radisson Hotel and stay on the Paul Guaguin until after lunch when you are transferred to the Radisson Hotel and given a day room until it is time to llunch when you are transferred to the Radisson Hotel and given a day room until it is time to leave for the airport.
 

CLICK HERE FOR THE MARQUESAS AND TUAMOTU PORTS OF CALL
 

GOLF

If anyone wants to try that by themselves, the name of the course is Olivier Breaud International Golf Course.  A tour company called Hui Popo caters to golfers and their telephone number is Papara: 57-40-32