South Pacific: Bora Bora, Bali Hai, & beyond on Princess Cruises' new "love boats"

Cruise Travel, Sept-Oct, 2004 by Laurel Doherty, Charles Doherty

A match made in heaven: Princess Cruises and the South Pacific; the "Love Boats aid the Islands of Love." Polynesia, the world's most romantic cruise destination, inspiration for Michener, musicals, and mutineers; Princess, the world's most romantic cruise line, inspiration for paperbacks, TV shows, and honeymooners. And now Princess sails its most intimate ships on inventive itineraries to the islands of Tahiti and beyond.

The gleaming Tahitian Princess and Pacific Princess perfectly complement the sunny skies, translucent waters, white-powder beaches, and verdant volcanic peaks of this tropical paradise. The 670-passenger cruise liners recall the charming old 640-passenger sisters Island Princess and Pacific Princess of The Love Boat TV fame, but at 30,277 gross register tons the new sisters are half again larger, chockablock with balconied cabins, and filled with the features and amenities today's cruise travelers expect.

Our check-in aboard the Tahitian Princess was short and sweet, a pleasant end to a grueling eight-hour charter flight from Los Angeles to Papeete, Tahiti. Passengers trickle in throughout embarkation day as various flights arrive. The "lei'd-back" welcome reset our inner clocks to island time, reminding us that we were--literally and figuratively--thousands of miles from the rush-hour mob scene of a megaship check-in.

Quickly rejuvenated, we stepped back ashore to catch the cosmopolitan capital in full Saturday night swing. Vaiete Square, at the foot of the pier, was packed with les roulottes (rolling restaurants)--mini-bus-type vehicles that unfold into eateries dishing up everything from barbecued surf & turf to flaming crepes. A traditional Tahitian combo commanded the bandstand as couples young and old swayed in the plaza while children played in the park. We wandered past the moored yachts to To'ata Square on the other side of the harbor, where pop-music performers held sway at an arts & crafts fair we'd spotted earlier from our airport bus. On the stroll back to the ship we felt the culture clash of the trip: a Japanese guitarist growling out Chicago blues at a Greek restaurant in French Polynesia--have mercy?

Princess cleverly book ends its itineraries with full days in Papeete, allowing ample time for a good look at Tahiti, largest island in the Society Islands archipelago. Sunday's all-day tour around the hourglasss-haped isle was a great antidote for our jetlag and a perfect introduction to 10 days of island life on the horizon. The knowledgeable and good-humored guide briefed us on the history and customs of his homeland. We learned about the flora, fauna, and natural wonders during frequent stops at the mountains, by the shore, and in the rain forest; we crawled in caves, dodged spray at the blowholes, marveled at the botanic gardens, wondered at the ancient temples, stretched our legs at an artists colony. After sharing a Tahitian luncheon buffet with locals in their Sunday best, we led the polychromatic fish attracted to the restaurant's pier. The Paul Gauguin museum provided insight into the famous artist's love for the islands and the people. In less than a day we, too, shared his love. Setting sail that evening was bittersweet, bidding adieu to our new favorite island.

Arriving in Huahine, we were delighted to have been elevated from the wait-list for the horseback-ride excursion along the rugged north-shore beach. The mounts are of sturdy Marquesan stock, but the owners impose weight limits, which had been overlooked by some passengers. (To avoid disappointments, book your "Adventures Ashore" tours online with Princess as early as possible.) But our afternoon outing was even more exhilarating. A transplanted Hawaiian archaeologist helped us climb Matairea hill to the 200 stone structures in the royal village of Maeva, one of Oceania's most important archaeological sites. Fantastic historical secrets were revealed, nicely complemented by in depth descriptions of the flora seen on our nature walk to the village. Rounding out the trip were visits at a vanilla-bean farm (the island's major cash crop) and at a river pool filled with rare, freshwater, blue-eyed eels (hand-fed by a few brave souls). Huahine--the remote, contrarian "Wild Island--was now our new favorite.

The 550-mile voyage to the Cook Islands allowed leisurely exploration of the charming Tahitian Princess. She and her sister are the mid-size we prefer but which seems to be out of vogue in these megaship days of economies of scale. In fact, the Pacific Princess and Tahitian Princess were built in 1999 for Renaissance Cruises as the R3 and R4, respectively, in a class of eight vessels virtually identical down to the decor. They came to Princess in late 2002 and early 2003 in the wake of Renaissance's post-9/11 demise. As RI veterans, we instantly recognized the graceful lines of the Tahitian Princess, now with a sparkling white hull and the company's "sea witch" logo on the stack. We wondered how her traditional, European-style, dark-wood interiors would tare in the South Pacific. Very nicely, it turns out, thanks to the Princess touch. The ships arrived in like-new condition, with layouts well suited to the line's "Personal Choice" concept. Soft furnishings were refreshed and a few spaces modified in form and function.