Cruise from Papeete (Tahiti, French Polynesia)

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Cruise terminal and visitor information in Papeete

TE ANUANUA is Papeete’s international cruise terminal. Tahiti’s official tourism office operates a tourist information desk directly in the Terminal de croisière de Papeete, 98714 Papeete; the desk is open when cruise ships are in port. Guests can get information there for their time ashore. The time you arrive at the port and return to the ship depends on the individual port call.

Waterfront promenade between the ferry terminal and Place To’ata

A 1.5-kilometer waterfront promenade runs from the ferry terminal to Place To’ata. Along the way are the Protestant temple and the Paofai Gardens. Place Vaiete has food stalls, as well as food trucks in the evening. The market takes place on Sunday mornings. The city center is also home to the town hall, the gardens of the Polynesian Assembly, the presidential palace and the Pearl Museum.

Notre-Dame Cathedral and its construction history

Notre-Dame Cathedral is located in the center of Papeete. Construction began in 1856; from 1856 to 1857, the bishop oversaw work carried out by workers from Mangareva. Construction was halted from 1857 to 1870. During this time, the workers took three portals back to Mangareva to carve them there. The colony resumed work from 1870 to 1875. Bishop Tepano Jaussen consecrated the cathedral on December 23, 1875. Three bells had already been blessed on December 19, 1875: Marie Charlotte commemorates the French president and Marshal Mac-Mahon, who was in office at the time. Emilie Octavie bears the names of the then-commandant of Tahiti, Octave Gilbert Pierre, and his wife, Emilie Gilbert Pierre, who donated the bell; Admiral and Madame Anne Fourichon were godparents to Anne Martin. Over the course of its history, the cathedral has survived tidal waves, a cyclone, a bombardment and unrest. The historic building serves residents and visitors alike as a place of worship and a place to visit.

Your personal all-aboard time is the return deadline announced on board and is before departure. If you’re exploring independently, allow time to get back to the port, reboard and leave a buffer. If you need to get to the port before or after your cruise, you can plan your journey to the cruise port with a transfer and extra time.