“Freighter to Paradise” Aranui 3 To Have Guest Accommodations Upgraded This Winter; 2012 Program Announced

The Aranui 3 was the first ship to bear the Aranui name that was built with passenger comfort in mind. This well-appointed “Freighter to Paradise” will soon receive further enhancements including new carpeting for guest cabins and new and re-upholstered dining room chairs. This will occur during her 2011/2012 winter drydocking, when her main engine will be overhauled, her hull scraped and recoated and her lifeboats overhauled as well.

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The 2012 Aranui 3 schedule includes sixteen departures from February 4 to December 15, 2012. She departs from Papéeté, Tahiti, on a regularly-scheduled 14-day voyage. Next year’s schedule includes the following travel dates:

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2012 Departures from Papéeté:

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February 4 – February 17
February 25 – March 9
March 17 – March 30
April 7 – April 20
April 28 – May 11
May 19 – June 1
June 9 – June 22
June 30 – July 13
July 21 – August 3
August 11 – August 24
September 1 – September 14
September 22 – October 5
October 13 – October 26
November 3 – November 16
November 24 – December 7
December 15 – December 28
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Travellers joining the Aranui 3 will receive a complete holiday experience,  following in the footsteps of such famous figures as Treasure Island author Robert Louis Stevenson and journeying through 800 miles of the most spectacular and remote islands in exotic French Polynesia, including Tahiti, the Tuamotus and the Marquesas.

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Highlights include Nuka Hiva, where 23-year-old Herman Melville jumped a whaling ship for an adventure that ultimately inspired highly regarded literary works such as Typee and Moby Dick, and Hiva Oa, where artist Paul Gauguin’s search for an unspoiled paradise came to an end. The ship also visits the Marquesan islands of Tahuata, Ua Pou, Ua Huka and Fatu Hiva, as well as Fakarava and Rangiroa in the Tuamotu Islands.

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The Tuamotu Islands provide a relaxing respite during the journey between Tahiti and the secluded Marquesas

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The Aranui 3 is a mixed passenger-cargo vessel operating between Tahiti and the Marquesas, offering comfortable, air-conditioned accommodation for about two hundred passengers. The ship features 63 tastefully designed standard cabins, nine deluxe staterooms and 14 elegantly appointed private balcony suites.Featuring a crew primarily from French Polynesia and the Marquesas Islands, the Aranui 3 combines her hospitality with top-notch amenities and stunning scenery for an unforgettable experience.

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Fares for 2012 start from £3,175 (€3511) per person sharing a standard twin bedded outside cabin with private facilities including all meals with wine, all land-based guided sightseeing excursions, picnic and meals ashore, plus taxes.  Optional excursions such as scuba diving, horseback riding, fishing and helicopter tours are additional. The operator reserves the right to charge a nominal fuel surcharge. For a detailed deck plan of the vessel and cabin layout click here. Flights to/from Papéeté, Tahiti, are not included but Air France and Air Tahiti Nui fly to Papéeté (via Paris and Los Angeles), with prices from around £1,750 pp return.

European bookings for the Aranui 3 can be made through The Cruise People Ltd in London www.cruisepeople.co.uk on 020 7723 2450 or by e-mail at cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk.