French Polynesia cruise.

At the beginning of December, my wife and I flew to Tahiti for a Windstar cruise on the Wind Spirit, a four masted modern sailing ship, to celebrate her 70th birthday (my wife’s, not the ship). The whole experience was amazing, wonderful crew, great food and we loved the ship. We flew to Papeete on an Air Tahiti Nui A340, great cabin attendants but the seats got quite uncomfortable after a few hours, maybe a sign of our age. Spent the night at the former Le Meridian in Papeete, very nice. A thoroughly enjoyable trip, the ship is quite small, about 150 passengers. We enjoyed it so much we signed up for a two week Caribbean cruise on the Wind Surf, a bit bigger and the fleet flagship. The snorkeling was wonderful, little blue fish quite inquisitive and we absolutely fried ourselves, despite living in Tucson where we know better. Delightful evening on a little islet at Bora Bora with a sunset and fire dancers.

Air Tahiti Nui Airbus A340, LAX

Good wine!

Margie celebrates her birthday early! Champagne and Bloody Mary.

Sunset over the Pacific

Half way there.

View from our hotel room

Hotel beach

Hotel pool

Papeete from the ship

Wind Spirit stern, spa and pool

Attending tug, departing Papeete

Pilot boat, sunset, Moorea in the background

We start sailing

Moorea

Tahiti from Moorea

Palm tree lovers?

MSY Wind Spirit, Moorea

Sailing at sunset

Polynesian dancer, on board demonstration

Local brew

Control panel for setting the sails

Wind Spirit, Taha'a

Bora Bora fruit stand

Rainbow, Bora Bora

Islet at Bora Bora

Sunset, islet at Bora Bora

Fire dance

MSY Wind Spirit, Bora Bora

Goodbye to the Wind Spirit, Papeete, Tahiti

Papeete, Moorea in the background

Sunset, Le Meridian beach

Goodby Tahiti!