Thread: Cruise to Paradise on the Aranui 3 Passenger Freighter

Tahiti to the Marquesas - South Pacific Adventure on the Aranui 3

Cruise to Paradise on the Aranui 3 Passenger Freighter
By Linda Garrison, About.com Guide

Cruising Tahiti and some of the other 118 islands in French Polynesia is a dream vacation for travelers. I first sailed from Tahiti a few years ago, visiting the Society Islands of Bora Bora, Moorea, Raiatea, and Huahine. Like most visitors to this tropical paradise, I left Tahiti wanting to see and to learn much more about this part of the world. After all, there were still over 100 islands and thousands of miles of the South Pacific left to explore!

French Polynesia has five groups of islands, spread over an area as large as Europe or the eastern United States. Each of these five archipelagos has a distinctive look and unique characteristics. When I was researching my first Tahiti cruise, I was fascinated by a story I read of a ship that served both as the primary supply link to the far flung Marquesas Islands and as a passenger ship for adventure-minded tourists. When I read that this passenger freighter, the Aranui 2, was being replaced with a brand-new ship, the Aranui 3, I couldn't wait to sail on her. I was not disappointed.

If you have an adventurous spirit and are not a timid traveler, you will love the Aranui experience. However, it is important to adjust your expectations and remember that the Aranui 3 is a cruise freighter, not a mainstream cruise ship. Although the Aranui has many traditional cruise ship characteristics, this ship is different. Passengers on an Aranui French Polynesian cruise from Tahiti to the Marquesas will find aspects that make it seem like a cruise ship such as --

• clean, spacious cabins with terrific showers and plenty of storage
• good food served family style
• complimentary French table wines at lunch and dinner
• freshwater swimming pool and plenty of deck chairs
• free washer and dryer for passenger use
• interesting lectures from knowledgeable experts and guides
• exercise room with bicycles and treadmill
• wonderful sunset vistas, refreshing breezes, and the thrill of cruising

Polynesian cruise passengers on the Aranui will not find these "standard" cruise amenities --

• spacious carpeted hallways and stairs
• gourmet food with a variety of selections at every meal
• a printed daily schedule or newsletter that details the next day's events
• show lounge entertainment
• informal or formal nights - every night is casual
• organized onboard activities such as bingo
• a spa or beauty salon

The Aranui 3 embarks from Papeete, Tahiti 16 times a year, sailing for 16 days each voyage to the remote, northernmost islands in French Polynesia, the Marquesas. The ship usually sails "sometime after 6:00 pm", which means that most passengers will spend the night in Tahiti before joining the ship in the afternoon of embarkation day. Enroute, the ship visits two islands in the Tuamotu archipelago by anchoring offshore the island of Takapoto northbound and in the lagoon at Fakarava on the southbound return to Papeete, Tahiti. The journey has three sea days, the first day, the third day, and the next-to-last day. Otherwise, the ship is making its supply stops at numerous villages on the six main islands of the Marquesas -- Ua Pou, Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa, Fatu Hiva, Ua Huka, and Tahuata. The Aranui often delivers supplies to more than one village or town on each island, so passengers get an opportunity to easily see more of the Marquesas than with any other ship or on an independent tour of the archipelago.

Since most of the passengers on our Aranui French Polynesian voyage were from Europe or the Americas, many people were up and about early in the morning because of the time difference. (Three hours from Tahiti to Los Angeles, six to the eastern U.S., and twelve to Paris.) We usually only had three things scheduled on sea days -- a presentation by the guest lecturer, a cocktail hour meeting to discuss the next day's activities, and meals. The rest of the day was free for reading, sunning, swimming in the pool, napping, or just relaxing and enjoying the views of the South Pacific.

The day started with a buffet breakfast served from 6:30 to 8:30 each morning. Many of us lingered over breakfast, enjoying a sea day with few planned events. Sometimes while at sea it seemed that we were moving from one meal to the next, with wonderful time to just enjoy cruising in between feeding periods! Lunch was served at noon, followed by more free time. Since we always drank the complimentary wine for lunch and love the gentle rocking and rolling of the ship, I usually got an afternoon nap.

On our sea days, we were lucky enough to have a guest lecturer, Dr. Charlie Love, who educated and enthused us with information about the geology, archaeology, and anthropology of the South Pacific. Although Charlie was from Wyoming and a well-known expert on Easter Island far to the east of Tahiti and the Marquesas, he was quite knowledgeable about French Polynesia. The Aranui 3 also had four multi-lingual guides (Sylvie, Vi, Michael and DiDi) and a cruise director (Francis) who briefed us the day before each trip ashore and led the shore excursions. The guides held a group meeting each evening (6:00 for the English-speakers and 6:30 for the French-speakers), which was used to discuss the activities for the next day.

Since almost all shore excursions are included in the fare, everyone usually does the same activities ashore. The Aranui does not have a daily printed schedule, so we took paper and pen to the evening meeting and made notes. Michael had some wonderful stories of the South Pacific, and he would spend 10-15 minutes talking about a relevant topic such as Captain Bligh, the Mutiny on the Bounty, Pitcairn Island, Paul Gauguin, or French Polynesian economy, history, religion, or education. It was very enlightening, and we came home better educated than when we left. Dinner was at 7:00 and often stretched for a couple of hours. The passengers were a diverse, educated, well-traveled group. This made mealtimes especially interesting, with lively conversations.

Sometimes at night a small band entertained by the pool and the pool bar. Another night we had a very interesting discussion on "Aspects of Marquesan Culture" led by Charlie Love and three professors who were on board for a few days in the Marquesas. Most of the discussion centered around the disappearance of traditional languages around the world such as Marquesan. They also debated the pros and cons of the French influence on the Polynesian schools. Several of the passengers got into the discussion, making for a stimulating, intellectual evening.

One other element contributed to the interesting evening. Since many of the passengers and two of the three professors were more comfortable speaking in French, everything had to be translated. Although the guides were all multi-lingual, none of them were comfortable translating French into English. So one of the passengers from Belgium, who just happened to work as an interpreter for the European Union in Brussels, was happily "drafted" to do the French into English translation. She did an admirable job, but told us later that it was her first time translating into something other than French. That's what you call a working vacation!
Learning, leisure, and food. Time at sea seemed simultaneously to fly by and to drift along magnificently. Life at sea was delightful.

We were pleasantly surprised by the cabins on the passenger freighter the Aranui 3. In addition to the many tons of cargo, the 386-foot ship can accommodate 200 passengers in four cabin levels. All of the cabins are air conditioned. The lowest level are the Class C, which are 3 cabins configured dormitory-style, with 20 upper and lower berths and shared baths. Normally, I would think a Class C cabin would be attractive to single travelers or small groups of budget-minded, same-sex friends. However, on our cruise, a French couple with five children used one of the dormitory cabins. It was perfect for them!

The predominant type of cabin is the Standard A class, which is what my husband Ronnie and I had. Sixty-three of the cabins fall into this category, and they are all outside cabins with two lower berths and a private bath. These cabins look much like the basic lowest class on many cruise ships, with a porthole between the two beds, a night table, small desk and closet, and shower bath. The electricity is 220 volts, with a French-style plug, so you will need a voltage converter and a plug adaptor to run 110 volt items. Women should check the voltage on their hair dryer and curling iron before leaving home. Many newer hair appliances can run on either voltage, and you might just need an adaptor, but not a voltage converter.

The water pressure in the shower was very good, but we were told not to drink the water from the bathroom sink. We kept bottled water in the bathroom and just poured it into the plastic glasses that were supplied. Each deck had a drinking fountain and we just kept refilling our water bottles there. Passengers may want to take a large bar of their favorite soap, since the Aranui provides only those tiny hotel-sized bars.

Thirteen of the standard cabins are on the main reception deck, which is also the deck where you board the tenders. Passengers on the main deck could return to their cabins for forgotten items easily and were closer to the dining room and lounge on the decks above. The rest of the standard cabins are on A Deck and B Deck. Ronnie and I were on the lowest B deck, and after just a short time at sea, we began referring to our cabin as the "washing machine" cabin. The porthole was only a couple of feet above the water, so when sailing we constantly got a splashing action, much like a front-loading washer. If you are prone to seasickness, a cabin on B Deck is definitely the smoothest ride. We actually got where we enjoyed the sound of the waves beating against the porthole. Since the ship had exterior lights on at night, we often could see fish swimming around just a few inches outside the porthole when we were anchored. The passenger laundry was also on B deck, as was the fitness room.

The Aranui has 12 deluxe cabins and 10 suites, which are the nicest accommodations on the ship. These two categories are quite a bit larger, and have a queen-sized bed, refrigerator, TV, bathroom with tub and shower combination, and large windows rather than just a porthole. The suites also have a balcony. These cabins are significantly better than the standard stateroom, and if you love a balconied cabin as I do, you will miss it on this voyage if you don't book a suite. The deluxe cabins and suites are located above the main deck on the Star and Sun Deck. You will get more wave action in these cabins, so it is really a toss up as to whether you want calmer seas to sleep in versus nicer views and a balcony! Some of the suites have a balcony overlooking the pool and the aft area of the ship, others are located on either the port or starboard side.

For more on this facinating freighter cruise, cllick on this link -->Tahiti and French Polynesia Cruise - Aranui 3 Cruise Freighter