Honolulu to Papeete
The Pacific Princess departed Honolulu on September 28, 2009 for 11 nights. Kauai, Maui, Big Island (Hilo) were the first ports, followed by 5 days at sea before visiting the ports of Bora Bora, Moorea, and Tahiti. At the conclusion of the day in Moorea, the ship set sail for Tahiti where it over-nighted in Papeete after arriving at 8:00 PM. Weather was warm and sunny on port and sea days.
The cruise was scheduled for 4 hours of scenic cruising around Christmas Island but the ship arrived late, leaving us time for a 1-hour drive-by. The ship was scheduled to be in Bora Bora 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (changed to 12:30 PM to 9:00 PM) because the ship arrived late. The Captain gave everyone $50 shipboard credit for the disappointment.
Our standard balcony (port-side) stateroom #7090 on Deck 7 was 184 square feet plus an 8' by 4' balcony. The layout was poor and we felt cramped and in each other's way. There was insufficient drawer and surface space. The bed was comfortable but the couch was not. The bathroom was so tiny that the micro-mini sink's faucet was off to the left side. While showering, a normal sized person will be against the wall and/or shower curtain. The side of the cabin leading to the balcony was floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door and window. In addition, the open balcony railing gave a natural view. The gaps in the balcony separating partitions however were too wide for any visual and voice privacy. We were really glad to have a balcony.