Experience the vibrant natural landscapes and relaxing pace of French Polynesia.
It might sound like a cliché, but the crystal blue waters, colourful coral and lush green islands of French Polynesia are anything but boring. Snorkelers and swimmers will be in their element, with abundant marine life, stunning lagoons and pristine coral reefs just begging to be explored. On dry land, learning about the fascinating ancient culture of the French Polynesian people is an experience, with temples and archaeological sites abound. From your base on the Panaroma II, a comfortable small ship and an expert crew to show you the way, you’ll embrace the island life in no time.
Snorkel with sting rays and sharks in beautiful Bora Bora.
Take a tour of a local pearl farm on the lush island of Taha'a.
Enjoy a canoe tour down Faaroa River in Raiatea.
Visit an ancient marae (temple) at Taputapuatea, which was recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This trip is operated by our partners at Variety Cruises and is best suited to independent travellers who want flexibility from their itinerary. On Variety Cruises, all shore excursions are optional, so you don’t have to pay for an activity you’re not interested in. Trips operated by Variety begin at port, do not include tips and require solo travellers to pay a mandatory single supplement.
This is a small ship Adventure Cruise, which means you’ll be sailing on a motorised yacht with 30–50 other people. The boat is spacious and comfortable, but this cruise focuses more on the destination than on-board activities. Instead of a pool, we have the sea itself. Instead of a casino, we’ve got board games and a good book. There’s also no formal dress code to worry about. Wi-Fi is available for a small charge.
Our ship moves under engine power, rather than sailing, so all cabins will experience light engine noise when the ship is moving (and occasionally when we drop anchor). It’s probably worth packing earplugs if you’re a light sleeper.
The ship will experience some roll and pitch in choppy conditions, however all of our ships come equipped with stabilisers to minimise movement. There will be seasickness tablets on board and your crew will do all they can to minimise any discomfort.
This trip is very much focused around marine activities so confidence in the water will allow you to make the most of the snorkelling opportunities. Flotation aids will be available on board as well as kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.
There are no lifts (elevators) on board our ships, so you’ll have to navigate a few steep flights of stairs (fitted with handrails) to access all the decks.
French Polynesia is a tropical climate, so while the weather is normally quite warm in some parts of the year you might experience a heavy downpour of rain that lasts around 30 minutes or so.
None of the activities on the trip are included, they are all optional extras.
For all our cruises in Asia and select departures in Greece, your home at sea is the M/S Panorama II.
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our Tahiti & the Pearls of French Polynesia trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
Your voyage is operated by our partner company, Variety Cruises.
SPECIAL BOOKING CONDITIONS
You are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of AUD600, USD600, EUR450, NZD600, GBP300, CAD600, CHF450 or ZAR6,000 per person per trip for your booking to be confirmed. Full payment is required 60 days prior to departure.
Please refer to our “Booking and Conditions” section on our website including the special conditions that apply to Adventure Cruising (Variety) trips for further information.
SHORE EXCURSIONS
On this itinerary, shore excursions are optional and are paid on board the ship in Euro’s. The approximate price and a description of these excursions are listed in the day to day itinerary. Please note all activities are subject to availability and require minimum numbers of customers to operate.
SINGLE TRAVELLERS
It is not possible to share with a stranger on a Variety Cruises voyage and single travellers must pay the Single Occupancy rate.
FELLOW TRAVELLERS
Your group will be a mixture of Intrepid booked passengers and other international like-minded travellers from Variety Cruises.
HEALTH SCREENING
Variety Cruises have implemented Health screening measures prior to embarkation and during the cruise for all guests and crew. This includes:
Mandatory pre-boarding health reporting and screening questionnaire.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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