I cannot tell you all how much I appreciate the wealth of information available here. I have a few last (hopefully) questions that have been nagging me.


1. I have phone (Mobal GSM World Phone - Nokia 1100) that I purchased through Mobal phone before our last trip to europe. Is the service strong in FP?? How sad are the rates, or actually, are the following rates accurate? ( http://www.mobalrental.com/gsm/charges.asp ). Can I take the SIM card out of the phone, and purchase one in FP to use while there for a lot less that the Mobal phone service? I assume there is no point in bringing my little Verizon phone that I use here, right??


2. We are flying in to PPT, flying on to Moorea, staying at the Sheraton, ferrying back to PPT, then cruising on the PG and flying home. When we travel locally or even in mexico, we like to bring $2 bills for tipping. Is tipping customary in the regions we are travelling? Is it way better in FP to use their local currency?


3. We have been trying to find out more about the Sheraton Moorea's meal plan. I have called Sheraton and they don't even have any info, emailed as well... We are staying there using our Starwood points for 5 nights. Can we purchase a meal plan for a few of the days that we are there? What options are available? Full days only or breakfast and dinner maybe etc.? What is the expected costs?


4. How available (and how expensive) is internet access at the Sheraton Moorea and also on the Paul Gauguin? I thought using AOL instant messenger might be a great way to stay in contact with our kiddo's at home. It might be a great alternative to that expensive cell phone.


Thank you all! I am posting this a couple of places - sorry for the duplicates...


Babs
:app: yay! we are going soon!!

Babs - Cell phones are very common in FP and the signal was good. I paid $2.99 per minute because I did not have an unlocked phone. The local provider is called Vini and you can buy Sim Chips in the airport. I used my AOL instant messenger there without a problem. Internet if I recall had packages like 100 minutes for $35.00 You iwll love the PG and Moorea is the most beautiful of the islands. Oh - and you can use the internet for free at the Black Gem Pearl Co.

Regarding tipping ...

Five years ago, the first (of 3) times we've been in FP, we did a pre-cruise on Manihi. We had a couple of drinks in the bar, and I naturally left a tip. The barmaid was insulted and angry: tipping is not done. In fact, the only way we could make it up to her was to allow her to buy us a drink after she got off her shift.

Based on what I saw in the Spring of this year, Papete has perhaps become more "normal", but even there I would be a bit circumspect about tipping. Elsewhere I would be even more cautious.

As an aside, tipping didn't come into use in North American until after the Civil War, and there was considerable resistance: it seemed to be a reversion to a upper/lower class society. At one point six states had passed laws outlawing tipping.

-- David