Cruise news
Aranoa arrives in Tahiti; passenger voyages planned for late 2026 and 2027
Aranoa has been delivered from China to French Polynesia and arrived in Papeete on November 2. The new passenger-and-freight vessel is expected to carry cruise guests to the Austral Islands while also transporting essential supplies. Three separate milestones matter to travelers: the handover to the owner in September, the completed delivery voyage, and the guest trips that are still to come.
The handover took place on September 28
OSM Thome, the project supervision and technical coordination company, announced on October 13 that Aranoa had been completed and handed over to its owner. The ship was built at Huanghai Shipyard in China. According to OSM Thome, its team oversaw the construction, commissioning, and sea-trial phases. The handover followed construction, commissioning, and sea trials.
The new vessel’s role also differs from that of a conventional cruise ship. OSM Thome describes Aranoa as designed for passenger and freight operations among the remote islands of French Polynesia. Cruise Industry News reports that the planned voyages from Papeete will combine passengers and cargo. This combination links tourism with the supply of remote island communities.
The delivery voyage ran from China to Papeete
According to maritime publication Riviera News, Aranoa left China bound for French Polynesia. Seatrade Cruise News put the delivery voyage from Huanghai Shipyard in Shandong to Papeete at 25 days. Local broadcaster Tahiti Nui Télévision confirmed in an update on November 2 that the vessel had arrived in Papeete harbor that morning.
The first planned voyages begin in late December
TNTV initially lists a planned mini-cruise through the Tuamotu Islands from December 29, 2026, to January 3, 2027. The trip offers guests an early opportunity to come aboard, before the first major voyage to the Austral Islands. The broadcaster announces the maiden voyage to Rapa for March 6–18, 2027. Seatrade Cruise News also gives March 6 as the planned departure date for the maiden voyage from Papeete.
According to TNTV, Aranoa is expected to operate regular voyages to Rimatara, Rurutu, Tubuai, Raivavae, and Rapa. For travel planning, the departure date is therefore key: the December trip heads to the Tuamotu, while the March voyage launches the planned Austral Islands service. With these trips, Aranui Cruises is expanding its offering beyond the established Aranui 5 to another island archipelago.
