About Tahiti

Currency

The official currency of Tahiti is the French Polynesian Franc (XFP). Most of the tourist venues will accept US bills and Euros, as well as major credit cards, but may give change in Polynesian Francs. We recommend that you use the ATM to get a few Polynesian Francs while there, or exchange a few with a hotel if staying there a day or two prior. Taxis will accept US dollars.

If traveling from any other country than the U.S., we recommend that you convert your local denomination to US currency or Euro before you leave, as these are both widely accepted.

Languages

French, Tahitian, English

Destinations

• September 22 – Papeete – 10PM
• September 23 – 11AM to 6PM
• September 24 – Taha'a (Motu Mahana) – 9AM to 5PM
• September 25 – Bora Bora – 9AM
• September 26 – Bora Bora – 6PM
• September 27 – Moorea – 9AM
• September 28 – Moorea / Papeete (Overnight in Papeete) – 5PM
• September 29 – Papeete – 9AM

Before Your Trip

What’s Included and What’s Not

What is included?

• Accommodations for 8 days/7 nights on the elegant 6-star Paul Gauguin
• All meals onboard the ship’s restaurant
• 24 hour room Service
• Bottled water
• All beverages (soft drinks and alcoholic beverages)
• Gratuity to ship’s staff
• All port changes and service taxes
• Olivia’s signature entertainment and programming
• Olivia staff assistance throughout

What’s not included?

• Ship services and incidentals such as Spa services, Internet café, Casino, Photos
• Airfare to/from Papeete
• Transfers from/to airport
• Optional excursions offered in each ports

Travel documentation and identification

You will need a passport that is valid for six months past the date of the trip. If you are not a US citizen, please check with both your country’s consulate and the consulates of the country we will be visiting to make sure that you do not need an entry visa or other additional documentation.

Visa

US citizens DO NOT need to get a visa ahead of time. If you are not from the U.S., please check with your consulate for proper Visa requirements.

Vaccinations

Please check with your local Public Heath Department or personal physician regarding immunization requirements for all countries on your itinerary. You may also check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site at: www.cdc.gov. Just click on “Traveler’s Health” and then “Vaccinations.”

Travel insurance

We encourage all guests to purchase travel insurance. Olivia has recently partnered with Travel Guard to make things easier for you; you can now add your travel insurance when you book your trip, all in one call. In order to receive the most comprehensive coverage, please purchase your insurance within 15 days of your initial invoice. If you have questions about Olivia’s travel insurance, call (800) 631-6277 option 1 to talk to one of our travel consultants.

Joining the Olivia.com trip group

If you’d like to chat with people who are going on the trip, sign up for the official Olivia trip group.

Travel and arrival

Where to fly into/out of

You will need to fly in and out of Papeete, Tahiti (PPT). We encourage all passengers to arrive early on our stretcher 2 night package or on the day room package to avoid the stress of unexpected delays.

Suggested arrival/departure times

The ship departs at 10:00pm. They are used to the 10:00 pm arrivals on the day of embarkation each week. Your departing flight on September 29, 2012 can be at anytime, as we arrive in Papeete the night prior (Sept. 28) at approximately 7:00pm. However, most of the flights to the U.S. depart in the late evening. For this reason we propose two options:

1. You CAN depart the night of September 28, 2012 and not miss any of the programming or meals. On board, we will offer optional transfers from the ship to the airport directly after dinner to make your late night flight. The entertainment will be held earlier that evening, so you will not miss anything. We recommend this to people for 2 reasons:

a. It gives you an extra day at home. Some people appreciate this extra day to unpack, do laundry, and relax before going back to work on Monday.

b. If you depart on Sept. 29, you will need something to do for the day, and a place to store your luggage. The only real option is to purchase a day room at a local hotel through the ship as you wait until the evening for your flight. Day rooms are not inexpensive in Tahiti. The option of departing the night prior saves you money.

2. Depart on the evening of September 29, 2012 and purchase a day room package through the ship on board. Day room package will include a transfer to the hotel, dayroom and use of hotel facilities, and transfer to the airport

Group Air on Air Tahiti Nui

We are pleased to offer direct flights on Tahiti Nui Airlines departing from LAX to Papeete, Tahiti. You can mix and match arrival and departure flights based on your desired arrival and departure days. Please see the flight times below:

Flights direct from LAX (Los Angeles) to Papeete

September 20, 2012
Departs LAX at 2:30 p.m. Arrives in Papeete at 8:00 p.m.
This flight goes perfectly with our 2 night pre-trip stretcher.

September 21, 2012
Departs LAX at 11:30 p.m. Arrives in Papeete +1 Day, on Sept. 22 at 5:20 a.m.
We suggest you purchase our day-room package due to the early arrival and to have a place to rest before boarding the ship at approximately 2:00 p.m.

September 22, 2012 – Transfers to the ship are included in the cost of this flight
Departs LAX at 4:30 p.m. Arrives in Papeete at 10:00 p.m.
The ship will wait for these arrivals before departing. This is perfect for those who cannot take additional days off to come in early

Flights direct from Papeete to LAX (Los Angeles)

September 28, 2012
Departs Papeete at 11:59 p.m. Arrives in LAX at 11:10 a.m. on September 29, 2012
If you take this flight, you will not miss any programming on board the ship the last evening. You will see the final show and have dinner before being transferred to the airport. Transfers are available for purchase on board the ship. This is a perfect flight for those who want to get home on Saturday and have Sunday to do laundry and go through mail before work on Monday. It is also for those prefer not to have the added expense of a dayroom on Sept. 29, which is available for purchase on board the ship. Note the very late departure of the flight, and the ship disembarkation is at 9:00 a.m. You will need to purchase a day-room option for a place to go and to store your luggage before going to the airport that evening.

September 29, 2012
Departs Papeete at 11:15 p.m. Arrives in LAX at 10:25 a.m. on September 30, 2012
Exact flight cannot be confirmed until 30 days out. Disembarkation on Sept. 29 is 9:00 a.m. The ship will offer a dayroom package at a beachfront hotel in Tahiti with all your transfers included to make this late night flight. This is only available to book while on board. Or you may choose to rent a car for the day and explore the island. This can also be arranged while on board the ship.

October 2 , 2012
Departs Papeete at 11:45 p.m. Arrives in LAX at 10:55 a.m. on October 3, 20122
This flight has been set up to coincide with our post 3 night package in Bora Bora.

We are offering the following classes of service:

Departures from LAX-PPT on September 20 and 21, 2012 (with any return date listed)
NO TRANSFER
Economy: $1299
Business Class: $4,399
Plus $404* for fuel, taxes and ticketing fees

Departures from LAX-PPT on September 22, 2012 (with any return date listed)
TRANSER TO SHIP INCLUDED
Economy: $1299
Business Class: $4,399
Plus $434* for fuel, taxes, ticketing fees and flower lei greeting with transfer to the ship
*Prices for the fuel, taxes and ticketing fees are based on 2011 fees and are subject to change. Any increase on these charges from the airline will be charged at time of ticketing.

Be sure to reserve your seat today. See the attached reservation form to make your reservation or call 800-631-6277 or 415-962-5700 option #1. Please note the deadline for booking is February 15, 2012 but it may sell out earlier.

American Airlines 7% Discount

We are proud to partner with American Airlines. The AA discount code 5692AZ applies to flights in and out of Los Angeles (LAX), Burbank (BUR), Ontario (ONT) and San Diego (SAN). Dates of travel are September 15 - October 5, 2012. Airfare can be booked no earlier than 11 months before the trip. This reservation can be booked by calling (800) 433-1790 ($25 booking fee applies) or visiting AA.com/rainbow (no booking fee).

Luggage allowances

While there is no luggage limit on the cruise itself, airlines often restrict (or charge) for excess baggage. Because each airline is different, and the regulations change over time, please check with your airline for baggage allowances.

Transfers and Meeting up with Olivia

Getting to your ship

The transfer to the ship from the airport will run approximately 1700 XFP ($30 US) for the base fare, and an additional 203 XFP (Approx. $2.25 USD) per piece of luggage. In the evenings, you may be charged an extra $10- - %15 USD.

Address:

The Paul Gauguin will be docked at the port of Papeete, Tahiti. The port is located in downtown Papeete and is just 20 minutes away from the international airport of Papeete.

Ship Check-in

Embarkation and check in will be available after 3 pm. However, if you have an early morning flight arrival, you can drop off your luggage at the ship and be able to rest in the Main lounge of the ship before check-in officially begins. Your rooms will not be available until 3:00pm..

While You’re There

Accommodations

Paul Gauguin

Now in its 12th year of cruising the Tahitian islands, and the 4th time Olivia has chartered her, this ship has undergone a multi-million dollar upgrade. Recently awarded one of the “World’s Top Rated Small Ships” and “Highest Rated Small Luxury Cruise Ship” by Conde Naste Magazine, the Paul Gauguin is a beautifully-designed, intimate 332-passenger ship and boasts the following:

• One of the best crew-to-guest ratios at sea – 1:1.5
• La Boutique Duty-Free shop, specializing in beautiful Tahitian pearls
• Luxurious onboard spa
• Fitness Center
• Guest Lecturers (Mammal expert and Tahitian History expert)
• Onboard watersports marina for complimentary kayaking, windsurfing and waterskiiing
• Zodiac for optional Dive excursions
• Optional PADI dive program and certification
• Les Gauguines – Paul Gauguin’s signature Polynesian women entertainers
• Le Grand Salon Lounge with stage for nightly entertainment
• La Palette lounge and DiscoWhirl pool
• Casino
• Piano Bar
• Pool
• Deck with Premium Lounge Chairs
• Non smoking interior

All cabins include upscale amenities

All cabins are comfortably appointed with:

• Luxury European Linens
• Feather-down Duvets
• Robes and cotton slippers
• LCD flat-screen satellite television
• DVD player
• Hair dryer
• Personal safe
• Refrigerator replenished daily with soft drinks, beer and bottled water
• Mini-bar
• International direct dial phones
• Private bathrooms with shower
• Luxurious bath products
• Spacious bath with full-size tub (select staterooms offer shower only)

Dining

Enjoy the finest fare in your choice of two elegant restaurants and an outdoor grill, each featuring single, open-seating dining so you have the option of dining when and with whom you choose. To enhance your dining experience, Olivia has created tables specifically for those guests who prefer to dine alcohol-free or with other solo travelers.

Electricity

All staterooms are equipped with 110 and 220 volt electricity. These outlets are provided beside the dressing table mirror in your stateroom. Should you have several items to plug in at once, you may consider bringing a power strip.

Elevator

There are two elevators located forward and two elevators located on the aft of the ship. Please note the Water sports Marina is not accessible by Elevator.

Excursions

In each port we visit, an array of optional excursions are available from snorkeling, scuba diving, jet skiing in Bora Bora, swimming with sting rays and sharks to 4 wheel driving in Moorea and much more. You will be able to PRE-BOOK THESE IN ADAVANCE. More information on these will be in your final documents.

Gratuities

Gratuities are included in the cost of the cruise. Gratuities are provided for your cabin steward, dining room steward, bus person, maître d’ and other-behind-the-scenes crew members. Tips to your local guides on excursions are not included, and are recommended. Below is a suggested guideline:

• Local Guide – ½ day - $2-$3 or full day $4-$5
• Bus driver -½ day - $1 full day - $2

Internet / e-mail / fax

There is an Internet center onboard; minute plans are available. Pricing will be posted onboard. Guests may also bring their own laptops and purchase an Internet wireless plan onboard.

Laundry and dry cleaning

Laundry and pressing service is available onboard. Dry cleaning is also available. Check onboard for pricing.

Medical services

The ship has an infirmary and a medical Doctor on board for an additional charge.

Money: Paying for things on board

All purchases made on the ship will be charged to your onboard account, which you create when you first check in. Please check with the front office onboard for further details. .

Phone

Each cabin has a phone. There is an additional fee to use this phone; cost is available onboard.

Room Service

24-Hour Room Service is available at no extra charge. Room service menus are in each cabin. If you prefer, you can have your Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner served in the privacy of your stateroom during operating hours of the restaurants.

Smoking policy

2nd hand smoke has been proven to cause lung cancer. All indoor areas onboard, including cabins and verandas, are non-smoking. Smoking areas in a few different public outdoor areas will be posted. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation to stay within the designated smoking areas for everyone’s comfort.

Spa services

There is a wonderful spa onboard, offering you facials, massages and many other services. There is a salon as well for hair appointments, manicures and pedicures. All are available for an additional fee.

Solo travelers

We will have a solos coordinator who will ensure you have a great time. We designate areas for solo to eat meals together, have dance classes together, sit together during evening shows and much more. Though you may travel solo, you will make lots of new friends.

After Your Trip

Disembarkation

All guests will be asked to disembark the ship by 9:00am on September 29, 2012.

Transfers to the airport

Transfers to the Papeete Airport can be arranged on board for the night of September 28, 2012 for the flights departing the evening of September 28. If your flight departs the evening of September 29, the ship will have optional day room and airport transfer packages to purchase.

Vacation Extenders

Pre-trip 2 night and day room packages are available so you may explore Papeete, Tahiti in more depth before the trip. A post 3 night stretcher package in Bora Bora is also available to our guests. Please check the Vacation Stretcher page for more information.

Didn’t find what you are looking for? Check out our Olivia travel FAQ. Or call us at 800.631.6277