Guest Lecturers On Board Aranui 3 Offer Insightful Glimpses Into The World’s Most Remote Culture
The culture responsible for inspiring the greatest works of profound artists and novelists such as Paul Gauguin and 
Herman Melville would be more popular were it not so isolated in a remote corner of French Polynesia. But then the secluded nature of the Marquesas Islands is part of its draw for anthropologists, archeologists, historians and anyone looking for an off-the-beaten-path vacation that is anything but typical. Guest lecturers sailing on the Aranui 3 represent a wide range of experts, helping passengers immerse themselves in the world’s most unique culture.
“Almost everyone has read Moby Dick and Treasure Island, but few are aware that Herman Melville and Robert Louis Stevenson were influenced by their experiences sailing through the Marquesas Islands,” says Jules Wong, marketing director for the Aranui 3. “Marquesan history is actually quite remarkable and studied by academics worldwide due to its distinct traditions and isolation from other Polynesian cultures. As a result, experts from variety of fields and disciplines are constantly requesting passage aboard the Aranui 3, most of whom are happy to lecture for our guests,” noted Wong. The following guest lecturers are scheduled to participate in upcoming voyage:
August 11 – August 24: Dr Jennifer Kahn, Associate Anthropologist, Bishop Museum
Dr Kahn received her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, for her archaeological research on prehistoric household and community organization in the Society Islands (East Polynesia). Over the last eighteen years, she has conducted archaeological field research in Polynesia (Hawa’i, Marquesas, Society Islands) and Melanesia (New Caledonia). Her research interests include studies of the political economy and lithic technology, household archaeology and monumental architecture.
Hiva Oa seduced artist Paul Gauguin with its undisturbed natural beauty (photo: Alain Marcouli)
While the ship serves dual purposes as a passenger cruise and cargo freighter, it is designed for passenger comfort with two bar/lounges, a swimming pool, gym and several additional amenities. Fares for the 14-day sailing range from €2,242 – €5,312 per person, based on double occupancy, including port tax, cruise tax and tourism tax, as well as a €68 fuel surcharge. The cruise includes three meals daily with complimentary wine, guided excursions as outlined in the itinerary, picnic and meals on shore. Optional excursions such as scuba diving, horseback riding, fishing and helicopter tours are additional.
Aranui 3
The Aranui 3 is a mixed passenger-cargo ship operating between Tahiti and the Marquesas, offering comfortable, air-conditioned accommodations for about two hundred passengers. The ship features 63 tastefully designed standard cabins, nine deluxe staterooms and 14 well-appointed private balcony suites. Featuring a crew primarily composed of inhabitants of French Polynesia and the Marquesas Islands, the Aranui 3 combines world-class hospitality with top notch amenities and fascinating scenery for an unforgettable sailing experience.
The cruise departs from Papéeté, Tahiti, visiting the seldomly explored lush, tropical islands of Tahuata, Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou, Hiva Oa, Ua Huka and Fatu Hiva, as well as Fakarava and Rangiroa in the Tuamotu Islands, before returning to Papéeté. Shore experiences include hikes past majestic waterfalls and translucent lagoons, jungle ruins and sacred ritual sites, and encounters with local artisans.
For more information or to book the Aranui 3 “freighter to paradise,” please call Miri Lopusna at The Cruise People Ltd in London or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk.
Compagnie Polynésienne de Transport Maritime (CPTM) has ordered a new cargo-passenger ship to run from Papéeté, Tahiti, to the Marquesas and Tuamotu Islands of French Polynesia. The Aranui 5 will replace the Aranui 3 and when she arrives it is reported that Bora Bora may be added to the itinerary on the return passage.
