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Tahiti’s cruise industry survives pandemic, confident for the future

'The Islands of Tahiti,’ the destination brand of French Polynesia, maintained cruise activity during the pandemic, with small ships turning around in Papeete and strict health protocols.

Helen Hutcheon, Australasia correspondent

March 6, 2022

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

Passenger/cargo ship Aranui 5, Ponant’s Paul Gauguin and Windstar’s Wind Spirit sailed from Papeete during 2020 and 2021 and continue to do so this year.

140 round cruises

A total of 140 round cruises from Papeete are scheduled for 2022, including Windstar’s Star Breeze, Lindblad’s National Geographic Orion, Oceania’s Regatta and Insignia, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Spirit and The World, Residences at Sea.

Other regular visitors are Silversea, Princess Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Swan Hellenic, Royal Caribbean International, Viking and Holland America.

Variety launch

Variety Cruises has launched French Polynesia itineraries commencing in May that go through until December 2023.

Bud Gilroy, chairman of the Tahiti Cruise Club, an association of public and private members of the local cruise industry, highlighted the growing interconnection between Auckland, Nadi and Papeete.

Gilroy said ‘this vast triangle’ offers a wide range of itineraries and experiences and is ideally located between the source markets of North America and Australia and South America and Asia.

Seatrade Cruise Global 2022

He said the South Pacific Cruise Alliance, which he also chairs and is made up of Samoa and American Samoa, the Cook Islands, the Kingdom of Tonga, Pitcairn, Wallis & Futuna and French Polynesia and acts in partnership with the South Pacific Tourism Organisation and the New Zealand Cruise Association, will exhibit at Seatrade Cruise Global 2022 in Miami next month.

The Islands of Tahiti will share a common booth.

‘We are going to Seatrade Cruise Global with confidence and determination,’ Gilroy said.

‘We have demonstrated our reliability and commitment to an industry known to be resilient,’ he said.

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Variety Cruises

About the Author

Helen Hutcheon

Australasia correspondent

Helen Hutcheon did her cadetship on a shipping magazine and worked in P&O’s Sydney office for seven years as a public relations journalist.

For 19 years she was deputy editor of Travel Week, which was Australia’s leading trade newspaper that covered major local and international industry events.

In 2008 the late legendary Rama Rebbapragada presented her with an award from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd ‘in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the cruising industry.’

In 2010 she won the Neil Frazer Award for ‘outstanding contribution to the cruise industry,’ elevating her to CLIA Australasia’s hall of fame.

She has been the Australasia correspondent for Seatrade Cruise Review since 1997 and for Seatrade Insider (now Seatrade Cruise News) since its launch in 2000.

 

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