10 Nights Polynesia Paradise Cruise: Tahiti, Tuamotu, and the Society Islands

Panorama II will be waiting for you in the port at Pape’ete, with embarkation between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. If you have extra time, we suggest shopping for souvenirs or any last-minute items you might need. Many visitors like to pick up some of the locally handcrafted items or black pearls often sold in the markets. After boarding the ship you’ll be introduced to the captain, crew and your fellow passengers, get a brief overview of what to expect, and a safety briefing. Get settled into your cabin and then join us for dinner. We’ll depart for Bora Bora, overnighting at sea.

Our arrival into Bora Bora this morning is sure to thrill as one of the world’s most photogenic islands. We’ll cruise into its dreamy lagoon with hues in nearly every colour of the rainbow, backed by emerald forest-covered peaks and encircled by tiny islets. You’ll have two days here with a variety of activities to choose from. You might snorkel among stingrays and sharks, head out on the open-air Lagoon Aquarium Experience, tour the island via Le Truck, or hop on a 4X4 to tour a historic landmark and take in spectacular panoramic views from Mount Popoti.

• Optional Excursions Snorkeling, Island Tour, 4x4 Tour

While we’ll continue our cruise this evening, you’ll have more time to discover Bora Bora on your own or your choice of excursion as outlined above. If you explored the island and its lush, green mountains yesterday you might want to head underwater to discover the abundant marine life. This afternoon we’ll sail the Bora Bora lagoon to the botanical paradise of Taha’a. The fertile land and climate are ideal for growing the exotic Tahitian vanilla orchid and it’s filled with banana, watermelon, and coconut groves. An optional half-day tour can bring you to explore it all by 4X4.

• Optional Excursions Snorkeling, island tour, 4x4 tour

This morning we’ll cruise across the lagoon to what experts believe is the original birthplace of Polynesia, Raiatea, or “faraway heaven” as it translates to. An optional morning tour will introduce you to this island and its cultural center. Enjoy views of Mount Temehani and a visit to the ancient temple of Taputapuatea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your knowledgeable guide will reveal the history behind this iconic landmark. In the afternoon you can head out on another optional excursion: an expert-led kayaking trip along the Faaroa River. French Polynesia’s only navigable river, it winds through the dense, lush greenery of the island’s interior.

• Optional Excursion Tour of Raiatea

We’ll reach Huahine this morning so that you can take an optional full-day 4 X 4 excursion. This jungle-covered isle is home to beautiful vanilla orchids and all sorts of exotic fruit. It was also once home to Tahitian royalty, referred to as the “cradle of Polynesian culture,” with some of its interesting past still standing today. In fact, it has more ancient temples than anywhere else in the region, dating back over 1,300 years. You’ll also hop on a boat to a pearl farm and enjoy a picnic. Alternatively, take a half-day 4X4 tour that visits an archaeological site, vanilla plantation, and small villages.

• Optional Excursion 4x4 Tour of Huahine

Waking up at the island of Makatea this morning, you’ll be awed by its limestone cliffs which soar over the coastline. A serene island filled with unspoiled beauty, it’s a birdwatcher’s paradise, home to three threatened endemic bird species, the reed warbler, Makatea fruit dove, and imperial pigeon. Join an optional half-day excursion to explore, heading across the island to an idyllic beach and grotto. You can swim inside this underwater cave system to marvel at the stalactites and stalagmites before making your way back to the ship for a late afternoon sail to Rangiroa.

• Optional Excursion Tour of Makatea

We’ll spend the day and night in the Tuamotu archipelago’s largest atoll, Rangiroa. Made up of 240 islets that stretch for over 110 miles, it’s also one of the world’s top destinations for scuba diving with a deep lagoon. You can visit the Blue Lagoon on an optional full-day tour to experience this natural pool in the central lagoon, formed by reefs and islets. While it’s just 16 feet deep, it’s ideal for snorkeling with its wide range of impressive marine life. Before heading back to the ship, a traditional Polynesian picnic will be served.

• Optional Excursion Tour of the Blue Lagoon

Cruising early, we’ll sail to Tikehau, the “Pink Sand Island.” A small atoll made up of many tiny islets with white and pink sands, hidden alcoves, and coconut groves. It’s all about peace and serenity here, with its lagoon home to more fish than any other in French Polynesia. It was formed by a nearly unbroken circle of coral, giving it the appearance of a huge natural swimming pool. An optional walking tour includes a visit to a fish farm and Tuherahera, where most of the island’s inhabitants live. One of the prettiest villages in the area, it’s adorned with colorful flowers like bougainvillea and hibiscus.

• Optional Excursion Walking Tour of Tikehau

While we’ll spend the evening in Moorea, we’ll explore the sacred island of Tetiaroa with its white sandy beaches, coconut trees, and crystal-clear blue lagoon. “Mutiny on the Bounty” with Marlon Brando was filmed here and the actor fell so head over heels that he ultimately purchased the island and created an eco-resort here. You’ll get to snorkel in the lagoon and then join an optional guided tour on foot to the Birds’ Island, an islet known for Tahiti’s largest colony of birds. Officially Tahuna Iti islet, it’s a national reserve for brown gannets, frigates, sterns, and more. This afternoon we’ll continue to Moorea.

• Optional Excursion Tour of Birds' Island

The stunning island of Moorea looks like a massive star-shaped garden that branches out into eight valleys. It’s home to one of the most breath-taking lagoons with its turquoise waters drawing divers and snorkelers from around the world to encounter everything from leopard rays and turtles to scorpionfish and a multitude of other fish that inhabit a vibrant reef. Two optional tours are available today, one that explores culture and nature, complete with gorgeous views of the island’s interior, with the other a guided ray feeding and snorkeling tour. Back on the ship, a farewell dinner will be hosted tonight.

• Optional Excursions Nature Tour of Moorea or Ray Feeding and Snorkeling Tour

We’ll cruise back to Tahiti, just 12 miles from Moorea, early this morning. Enjoy the final leg of your enchanting journey along with breakfast and farewells. Disembarkation will be at 9 a.m. Of course, you’re welcome to extend your time in Tahiti or add to this itinerary with another trip. Our travel experts will be happy to help, if not now, there’s always next time.