Yes, Wendy - all the appointments are booked for the pre-cruise beauty treatments. I got some Loreal Self Tanner (Karen's kind) today at the store. I now have to try on clothes to see what's going and what's not and then go shopping to fill in. Still did not order my snorkel mask. Work was really crazy before and I have to start preparing to leave and do the work that I need to do when I am gone.

I just got a call from American Express that my documents are in. She is FEDEX'ing them to me today. What exactly are "the documents"? I know everyone is excited to get them.

By the way, thanks for the warm welcome on this board. I've learned so much already. I've booked some excursions online after getting some great advice over on the cruise talk threads.

John aka FFMilesJunkie

Oh wow, what good news, John! I guess that means our can't be far behind. I'm sure Ngaire will tell us when they get them.

The documents come in a nice folder, usually leatherette, with all of the vouchers, e-ticket information if you have air included, booklets about the cruise, luggage tags for embarkation.

We can start the warm up for our docs dance now... (like we weren't already doing that dance!)
Okay everybody, practice those Fed X signatures!

This is all just too exciting!!! It's even more fun to share all of this with all of you. We're almost there now!!!

Wow, now I see why everyone is so excited. Now I'm excited about "the documents". I hope Amex got the FEDEX out today!!

I finally received the documents this morning after missing the FEDEX delivery guy twice yesterday.

I've been reading through everything this morning, and I have a couple questions. First, we booked our own air and hotel, so there are no transfers to/from the airport, hotel, or ship. Should we arrange our own transfers ahead of time or just rely on taxis?

Also, I think I read that boarding starts at 3pm. Do most people try to get there right on time? The American Express brochure mentions an early or "special" boarding for Amex Platinum & Centurion. Does anyone know exactly what that consists of?

Thanks again for everyone's help!!

John - aren't you at the ICB on Papeete?

I think they have transfer service. At least that is on my plan. There are a bunch of us there and we are all going the same place - the PG!

John - the main reason I've heard that people try to get to the PG as soon as possible is to make sure they are able to get the excursions booked that they especially want. But now with us being able to book on-line that may not be an issue anymore.

Yes, we are staying at the Intercontinental. I guess Tonya and I will hitch a ride with everyone else. Sounds like fun!!

By the way, the document package is really nice. It definately gets you ready for the trip. We cannot wait!!

John, you might of the PG'ers, but a cab may be the way to go. It depends on how the Tahiti Nui Travel staff are feeling that day. They are the ground agents, and their service is sometimes a little, ahem, "rough" or spotty. They do tend to check for vouchers though, so I would not count on this.

And the cab, even if it costs a few bucks, will be a little less stressful, plus you could get there ahead of everybody else by a few minutes! The shuttle buses are always a little chaotic and annoying, frankly.

John, i think you need a vouncher (all the PG
cruisers with a pre stay at IBC had them) to get on the bus...if I were u, I would tell the concierge you want a taxi to take you to where
the PG is docked about 1445--you will be one of the first on board!...maybe you can recruit fellow non vouncher travelers too...you find you gravitate towards your fellow future PG cruisers and past PG cruisers..have fun...r/wes

The "early" AMX boarding thing really is nothing. It may be if you are with cruise lines with more passengers and big lines for embarkation but with RSSC it is really a joke. They do have a separate line for AMX at some embarkation ports but since there is seldom a line it really does not matter.

There are often vans meeting the planes and you just pile in and share the ride to the Intercontinental. No need to pre-reserve anything.

Thanks for the advice. We'll just play it by ear and check w/ the concierge at the ICB on the cruise day. We leave 3 weeks from today!! Can't wait!!

Cheers!!

I know of there are at least 10-12 of us there (or more) pre-cruise and many of us are there independent of RSSC.

Maybe we want to get a van to take several of us to the ship at 14:30 on Sat and we can all board together early so we can go up and have our pre-sailing meeting? I think we are among the first to arrive there on Tuesday.

If I know who is interested, I can get the details and arrange it.

Freddie and Pat?
Marc and Arlene?
Sheri and Suzanne?
Kathy and Frank?
Kimmi and John?
John and Tonya?

Anyone else that is arriving for Pre-cruise at the ICB Papeete?

Also, shall we meet everyone on Friday night about an hour or so before the show (included with the dinner) for dinner?

We've been guaranteed an upgraded Suite OWB (we think). I will try to do a Cosmo Party in our room another hour before that. If that works we can have drinks there. I am packing a "water bottle" of Grey Goose in my carry on for the occasion. We can always get some kind of juice to make something worth sipping!

Kathy, like your style & creativity...they will have to carry you onboard the PG!..r/wes

Kathy - Tom & would love to come to the party. But I don't know if we'll be able to tear ourselves away from the deck of our OWB in Bora Bora. :) You'll have to save some of the partying for when we board the PG. Something tells me that will be no problem. ;)

Kathy, what dinner? What show? Is this something included? Is it in French? As for drinks, always count me in.

As for the van, we might be interested. Need to check out our transfers.

At the ICB on Friday night in the main dining room is a seafood dinner. It's supposed to be the best meal of the week. Don't look at the price - it's about $100 pp pre-fixe. Since it's the only place to eat dinner at the hotel, I thought we'd try to get a group. Those who don't want to have dinner can at least join us for drinks in our OWB if we get the suite. Better than $15.00 for a cocktail in the lounge each.

If I have a head count, I will make a reservation when I arrive. But it includes a Tahitian dance show. You may also be able to order alacarte so the price will be lower.

Oops!

I should have posted this sooner as Sheri and I have been talking about it for a couple of months...

Since we know we are in the OWB junior suite, we were going to invite all the PiPsters over for wine in our suite early evening Friday night. I see no reason why we can't have a progressive cocktail party!! :pass:

I think we will pass on the dinner and show at the hotel, knowing we will have numerous chances to enjoy Tahitian dance shows on the PG. We will probably opt to venture into Papeete and find a good street cafe, or buy from the roulettes (sp. ?) to enjoy some good local color before what we know will be fine dining on the PG.

I don't know if I have anything to add to this progressive cocktail party....

....any scotch drinkers? I have an unopened bottle of Johhny Wallker Blue. Just worried about breakage along the way.

Bubble wrap it!

More for you, as it is one of the few things Sheri and I don't drink! ;)

Mark,

Buy a plastic water bottle and empty it. Empty the scotch into the water bottle - keep the oroginal scotch bottle at home to refill it if you bring it back home.

I premix my cosmos with Grey Goose and Cointreau (no juice) when we go to the Hollywood Bowl and freeze them. Then I use the shaker and the juice. I will take the GG and Cointreau that way to Papeete for our party and maybe a single serve boxes of cran juice.

I presume you guys carry all this open liquor with you in your carry-on luggage, eh? We put a open bottle of scotch in our checked luggage last time on the way home--big mistake. Not only was lots of it missing (it was closed very tightly), but all of our (thankfully dirty) clothes reeked of it. Someone had a nice drink on us.

I didn't think you were allowed to carry open bottles of liquor with you--or maybe I'm just used to the restrictive liquor laws up here??

Mine looks just like water. I have been told to take a sip of water before going through security but never of my cosmo mix. I used to use a flask a few times and stopped because it was obvious that it was not water. And the flask did leak all my Cointreau - but I put everything I pack in ziplocs.

So, are you counting on getting cranberry juice and fresh limes in your room on the ship? I'm sure you could--I thought of bringing the cocktail shaker, and all the fixings for cosmos, but I think I'll stick to gin and tonic-alot easier to manage!

I have always been able to get Cranberry Juice and Limes in the room (or other mixings as well)

Marc, as Suzanne said bubble wrap it, but first we always put electrical tape around the cap several times. My brother & husband have never had a bottle break or leak. They have had a lot of experience too!! :bv:

Kathy, I talked with Arlene. We are going to skip dinner, too. We are going to join S & S in grabbing something cheap in town. AFter all, the great (free) food, wine, and entertainment starts the next day. Feel sort of foolish paying $200+ the night before.

We're not against going out somewhere cheaper either - we will already have been there a few days. We can all decide at cocktails and then go in whichever direction.

Juat a test:

Party in photo number one May 20th!!

Come one and all...OWB junior suite number TBA!

In the 2nd photo you can just make out Sheri reclining on the swim up bar.

Last year we arrived at the Beachcomber a few hours before the show and found that we could watch it from the bar area. It really is a great show. It includes dancing with fire which, of course, can't be done on the ship. And I loved it when a group of dancers were up on top of the waterfall near where we were seated.

Hey Pipsters, now we can finally say that we are cruising this month! <img border="0" alt="[hula]" title="" src="graemlins/hula.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[hula]" title="" src="graemlins/hula.gif" />

I guess Kathy/Frank and Cyndi/Tom are the lucky ones who are arriving first! You have barely more than 2 weeks to go!

We Depart in 16 days! I am pretty ready with clothes and all now. I will make another foray into the mall this afternoon and then I think I am done. Only need insect repellent now.

Kathy:

We leave just 15 hours after you! Alas, since you are on west coast, you get there 36 hours before us (we have a long lay over in LA visiting family).

We will see everyone soon!

Hey you guys that are going into Papeete early. Think about going up to the Belevedere for dinner one night. They come and pick you up at your hotel in Le Truck and take you up the mountain to the restaurant which is on the highest point on the island. The food at the restaurant isn't that great, but the view is spectacular and the truck ride is a real kick! Try it if you have time. It sounds like all of your are going to have a great time!

Peggy, I was thinking about doing that on Friday night maybe. We're closer to the restaurant, over at the Radisson.

PIP'sters in Papeete - We will be arriving on the ATN flight at about 6:30 pm and coming straight to the ICB after customs, etc. Please keep the progressive cocktail party going late so that we can meet you all. We will probably then go to the Tahitian dance show at the ICB, watching from the bar, since we will have had a meal quite recently on ATN (we intend to get our $$ worth on ATN for the price of that upgrade to Business). Then we will have nightcaps with Kathy and Frank at the Tahitian dance show. Lordie, this all sounds like fun, does it not??!! We truly are not in Kansas anymore, are we, Dorothy?? Cheers, Fred

Oops, I got so wrapped up in arrangements for the Friday night festivities that I forgot to ask my principal question, which is: What is the current roll call? I have printed about four of them but am not sure whether the last one is accurate. Kathy or someone, please clarify. Merci bien. (We have to start practicing our tourist French, do we not?)

Salut, Fred