Small boat luxury cruises are they worth the cost? Part 2: Aranui 5

2017: 13 nights Aranui 5. Marquesas Islands returning via Bora Bora.

In part one, I shared our small ship cruising experiences with Australian company APT on the European waterways, Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. Read this first if you want to found why I was I took to the high seas. These reviews are entirely independent.

The French Pacific was an entirely new territory for me, with a novel cruising opportunity. The Aranui 5, a dual-purpose cargo and passenger ship, is quite different from other cruises. It’s become so popular over the decades that the latest Aranui expanded its passenger capacity to just over 250.

Cruising with a purpose

Unlike classic small ship luxury cruising, on the Aranui 5 there’s a much wider diversity of cabin classes and berths, from palatial balcony suites (which we stayed in, due booking late these were the only berths on offer) to dormitories. While our suite was roomy with a rather odd shaped deck, the four bed dorms are windowless and very tiny, but it does make for a more egalitarian passenger list. It also allows locals to island hop for a few days and sleep in a separate 8 person dorm. But all passengers eat meals together in the communal dining room.

The route takes you as far as the Marquesas, a remote group of islands. via an idyllic atolls, where snorkelling and observing the tropical sea life was an option.  This was quite extraordinary, though for those not into beach life, these tiny islands had little to offer.

There was a day at sea in each direction, with was a lot of rocking and rolling in the open water, making my sister quite ill. We usually sleep in cabins lower down, and found being so high up in the vessel (with no stabilisers) meant I was almost tossed out of bed a few times.

Once in the Marquesas there was no swimming (“too sharky” was how one of the crew described it) but included some great 4×4 excursions put on by the locals, with traditional food and handcrafts. Gauguin’s Tahitian home and Jacque Brel’s grave on Hiva-Oa were also quite interesting, how either men ever made it to this remote part of the world is extraordinary.

This is a unique cruise experience, as essentially it’s a cargo run with a side line in tourism. I loved watching the cranes and small tenders expertly manoeuvre cars and other large goods from the deck to the land (rarely was there a jetty to tie up). One of the drop offs involved an incredibly tight cove to get in and out of. It was thrilling to observe the skill involved. The cargo crew were multitalented, many doubled as entertainers at night with both local attire and songs, and more contemporary crooning and strumming in the bar late at night.

Unlike the APT small ship cruises we’d been on, there were a couple of entertainment officers who lead a variety of activities including traditional dance classes, a fashion show, cooking and wreath making. They were fun! There were regular briefings but the couple of cultural lectures that were offered onboard were only in French.

Meals were not quite so lavish, nor the wine as free flowing as other ‘luxury’ cruises. A lot of other luxury cruising extras weren’t included (like a free bar or wifi, and some of the additional excursions incurred a fee). Breakfasts in particular could be hit and miss with some items running out long before the breakfast dining hours came to an end. There were pre-opened bottles of red and white wine on the tables at lunch and dinner (causing the staff some annoyance if passengers took the leftovers to their cabin, it appears these fine French wines came in bulk and the bottles refilled each day).

Dining was also a little more utilitarian. You elected the (not so) early or later dining time and had to stick to it. Seating was at long communal tables and passengers tended to naturally group into languages spoken. There was a large English speaking contingent, then  theFrench. A few passengers were Swiss, German and a smattering of other nationalities including Italian and one valiant Japanese guy who Google translated every mealtime ‘conversation’.

While service and food were a little haphazard the desserts were not (and worth the long wait). This cruise had a pastry chef and she was extremely talented and generous. This was one of the few cruising experiences where our dairy allergy was well catered for. No boring fruit platters night after night, instead there were sabayon, chocolate mousse and other dairy-free delights.

Your cruise mates on the Aranui

I found it refreshing to have such a diversity of ages, backgrounds and nationalities on board, and amusingly inevitably there was some English/French friction, especially when hapless Aussies dared to sit at the table that an extended French family and friends had earmarked as their own! There were family groups, including children of all ages. The Pacifica crew and locals island hopping really added to the authenticity of the experience.

Best bits

Those desserts!

Our own little island on Bora Bora for a day, swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing in the most beautiful water I’ve ever experienced.

Deck barbecue nights.

Marquesas Islands, their remote beauty and people (and I thought at Maori haka was fierce!) Delightful to be immersed in some Pasifika culture again.

Spectacular sunsets and more relaxed travelling.

Not so good

Everything in French Polynesia is very expensive, from local souvenirs (absolutely no bargains) to the bar prices on board the ship. Timing of flights meant it was necessary to stay in Papeete before and after the cruise, which wasn’t too exciting and also expensive. 

Was this small ship luxury cruises worth it?

Price-wise this was a luxury cruise (remember the previous comment that nothing is cheap in this part of the world), unless you travel in the dorms. Many aspects of the cruise don’t fit the luxury tag, nor do the company claim that it is.    

Being a passenger on a dual-purpose ship is sometimes dubbed ‘cruising with a purpose’. The cargo run is vital for the islanders and the primary reason it sails. There are plenty of shore excursions, mostly cultural and scenic in nature, though there are some good opportunities to hike at some of the stops.

All in all this was a very relaxing trip, that takes you to some difficult to otherwise visit Pacific islands. This is not the cruise for you if you want a butler and free bar, but is inclusive for those travelling alone or with families, who would like to experience Polynesian culture and rub shoulders with a more diverse array of passengers. Speaking of diversity, it was delightful to have a couple of Māhū hospitality crew members.

Read my reviews of small boat cruises:
Part 1: APT river and ocean cruising in Europe
Part 3: Silversea across the Indian Ocean
Part 4: Silversea Europe gourmet