Aranui V
Fodor’s Expert Review
Ship Overview
Sai...ok Islands
Aranui Cruises has been operating mixed passenger/cargo service from Tahiti to the remote Marquesas Islands for four decades. Aranui V, launched in 2015, is the third of these extraordinary combined cruise-and-cargo ships to operate on the company’s routes. Read More
The experience is noteworthy for being one of the few oceangoing cruise ships in the world to be entirely staffed by residents of the region in which it sails. The All-Polynesian crew also mingles with passengers during their off hours, making phrase “ship’s company” especially meaningful. The culture of Polynesia also embarks right along with the passengers—there’s a dedicated tattoo artist who will create a design for passengers based on their life’s experience, while lecturers give an academic flavor to sea days.
Aranui V allows travelers to see parts of French Polynesia virtually untouched by mass tourism—some of the islands are even without airports. Transfers to shore at many ports are in front-loading barges reminiscent of WWII troop carriers, and the island welcome feels straight out of a novel about the South Seas.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
What to expect on board
Staterooms & Cabins
Cabins range from standard singles, doubles, or quads (outfitted with a queen bed plus two single bunk beds). Standard cabins have a porthole or window; deluxe and superior deluxe cabins have balconies. Cabins have Polynesian décor and twenty channels of mostly French television programming. Bathrooms are generously sized and have hair dryers and Aranui-branded bath amenities incorporating Tiki Tahiti monoï oil. Given the length of Aranui’s itineraries, there’s also a generous amount of closet and drawer space. All cabins face the outside, with at least a porthole for viewing.
Suites start at the Junior Suite category, which come with or without balconies. Premium Suites have a sitting area with a sofa and a balcony, while Royal and Presidential Suites are the two- and three-room suites, with large sitting areas, walk-in closets, and expansive views.
Aranui V is also extraordinary for having dormitory cabins with accommodations for four or eight passengers with a shared bathroom for every four passengers. Per person rates are substantially lower than for cabins, but on a per night basis still cost significantly more than mass market cruises in North America.
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Food & Drink
Passengers take meals in a single dining room in one or two seatings, depending on the passenger count. Breakfasts are buffet-style with fresh fruit, cold cuts, cheeses, bakery items, breakfast meats, and a chef’s station serving fried eggs or pancakes on alternate days. Lunches and dinners are served serially in three courses. There is no entrée choice, but dietary restrictions are accommodated if Aranui is informed in advance of sailing. Menus are often posted during the day; the kitchen has the ability to make last-minute accommodations based on passengers’ preferences, though it may seem limited to those accustomed to mainstream cruise options.
Dining room meals (which include a shared bottle of wine with lunch and dinner) are included in the cruise fare. Passengers can order soft drinks, bottled water, beer and premium wines at additional charge.
The Pool Bar also has a grill serving up cheeseburgers, fish sandwiches, steak frites, and other grill favorites for an additional charge. Portions at the pool bar are significant, reminiscent of the popular roulottes (food trucks) in French Polynesia, which are famed for generous portions.
Aranui V has three bars: the Verandah Bar (which is the main bar on board), Sky Bar, underneath the bridge with views forward, and the Pool Bar, next to the pool. The bar menu is similar at each. In the Verandah Bar, free coffee and water are available, and there’s a daily happy hour when drinks are half off.
The cocktail menu has standard fruity island cocktails along with some onboard creations for between $14 – $15.
Entertainment
Entertainment onboard Aranui V is generally light. Small troupes of local musicians often provide background music for an hour or two in the bar during the evenings or during special buffet lunches. Some nights are designated karaoke nights in the Verandah Bar. The pinnacle of each voyage’s entertainment calendar is the dance show, where passengers who have availed themselves of the periodic Tahitian dance and ukulele classes offered onboard show off their stylings for their sympathetic shipmates.
A highlight of the onboard programming is the lectures provided by a rotating group of academics including anthropologists, ethnologists, historians, political scientists, and cultural experts offering detail on the rich heritage and culture of the island groups in each itinerary.
The ship also has a lending library with titles primarily in French, English, and German; a selection of table games is also stocked here. Stateroom television is also available, primarily with French news and entertainment channels.
Aranui V also has an open bridge, and passengers are welcome to visit, as long as the ship isn’t in the midst of a difficult maneuver (usually arriving and departing from ports).
Spa & Fitness
The spa, which also doubles as the tattoo parlor, offers a modest selection of well-priced massages—a good antidote to a day of hiking onshore. The fitness center is similarly modest, as most passengers will get the bulk of their exercise on shore or up on the open decks.
Key cruising tips
Health & Safety
Aranui V only embarks fully vaccinated cruisers; the entire crew complement has also been vaccinated. Beginning November 1, 2022, passengers will no longer be required to present a negative PCR-RT test prior to embarkation.
Because of the strenuous nature of the excursions, and the limited accommodations with passengers who limited mobility, Aranui requires a detailed health form from each passenger, which is reviewed by a company medical officer prior to the voyage.
There is a French doctor and nurse assigned to each voyage who also accompany passengers during shore excursions with a comprehensive first aid kit. Although the doctor and nurse can provide a high level of care, full-service hospitals are rarely closer than 48 hours away once the ship has left Tahiti.
Dress Code
Utterly casual. Aranui prescribes no dress code while onboard, although it’s generally advisable to wear a shirt and shoes in the dining room.
Junior Cruisers
Cruisers on Aranui are generally adult—most aged 50 or older, but children do sail, often as part of multi-generational family groups. There is no separate programming or menus for children, so travelers with younger children will want to pack plenty of entertainment options.
Service
Service onboard Aranui mirrors that in French Polynesia writ large—genuine and heartfelt, but not particularly speedy or polished. Aranui’s emphasis on mingling between crewmembers and passengers means the atmosphere onboard is largely informal—it’s a primary draw for many repeat cruisers.
Tipping
Tipping is uncommon in French Polynesia, it’s similarly neither expected nor solicited onboard Aranui. Passengers who do feel compelled to recognize crewmembers for their service should deposit tips into the designated box at reception.