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The Best Way to Visit the Remote Marquesas Islands Is on This Hybrid Cargo Cruise Ship

A single cargo-cruise ship provides a lifeline to the Marquesas Islands, one of the remote archipelagoes that make up French Polynesia.

"This trip is cursed," I said to the woman from the Aranui 5, a Polynesian hybrid cargo-cruise ship, when she called to confirm that, yes, I had COVID, and no, I would not be sailing for the Marquesas Islands the next day. I would be staying where I was: quarantined in a hotel room in Papeete , the capital of French Polynesia .

She laughed. "When I feel that way, I send out good energy, and I say, 'Hey! Curse! Go away!' "

The next evening, I watched from my balcony as the Aranui 5 glided out of the harbor and into the sunset.

The Aranui 5 — its name translates to "the Great Path" — has an unusual silhouette. Its bow deck is low and flat, stacked with shipping containers and surmounted by two yellow cranes. Its stern half holds the white superstructure of a cruise ship, honeycombed with balconies. Business in the front, party in the back. As the name suggests, there have been four previous versions of the Aranui ; this iteration is the fifth family-owned freighter to bear the name since 1960. Sometimes it sails to the Austral or Gambier Islands or to the Cook Islands or to far-flung Pitcairn, but the ship's most frequent and important route is to the rugged, remote, culturally proud Marquesas Islands — a French Polynesian archipelago nearly a thousand miles northeast of Tahiti that famously enchanted Herman Melville, Paul Gauguin, and the Belgian singer Jacques Brel.

Twice monthly the Aranui 5 is an ark that bears the stuff of daily existence to the Marquesas: pallets of food, drums of gasoline, building materials, Toyota trucks, cases of Tahitian Hinano beer, and whatever else is needed. The crew members are Polynesians, including some from the Marquesas, and locals traveling to or from school or work often sleep in dedicated dormitory cabins. The ship has a sense of homecoming.

My first attempt to visit the Marquesas on the Aranui 's 11-night voyage had been thwarted in March 2020 by the COVID shutdown. My second try fizzled in November 2021 for scheduling reasons. Surely the third time, in February 2022, would be the charm. My friend Bailey, exhausted by a pandemic spent running a microbrewery in Nashville and tending to her toddler daughter, was coming along. "WE'RE GOING TO TAHITIIIII!" I had texted after our predeparture PCR tests both came back negative.

So imagine my dismay when, 30 hours later, while waiting at the baggage claim, I learned my arrival test was positive. "You will need to quarantine for seven days," an official said as he photographed my passport and slid a serious-looking French-language document across the table for me to sign. "Go to your hotel, and do not leave."

Twice monthly the Aranui 5 is an ark that bears the stuff of daily existence to the Marquesas: pallets of food, drums of gasoline, building materials, Toyota trucks, cases of Tahitian Hinano beer. The ship has a sense of homecoming.

Fortunately, one of the many perks of being a travel journalist is that you get help with curses and logistics, and within a day, the endlessly patient professionals who'd been working on this trip since 2019 had cobbled together a plan. I would send Bailey off to the neighboring island of Moorea while I quarantined (my case was mild — thanks, booster shot), and then we would travel together for a week, flying to the islands of Taha'a and Bora-Bora. After that, Bailey would go home, and I would catch the Aranui 's next sailing. My two-week trip had ballooned into a month.

The first night after my quarantine ended, Bailey and I found ourselves on a sublimely peaceful islet near the island of Taha'a, sitting on the deck of an overwater bungalow at Pearl Resorts' Le Taha'a, drinking Hinanos and watching a pastel sunset turn the ocean to mother-of-pearl. Hey! Curse! Go away! We swam with rays and reef sharks. We toured a pearl farm, a rum distillery, and a vanilla farm.

At the freshly renovated Le Bora Bora, another property from the Polynesian-owned Pearl Resorts, we snorkeled and kayaked and lounged and watched sheets of rain sweep across the lagoon, the clouds clearing to reveal a full moon over the jutting, toothlike summit of Mount Otemanu, Bora-Bora's iconic peak.

Then Bailey went home, and, finally, almost unbelievably, I boarded the Aranui .

We sailed in the late afternoon and made our first landing the next day on Kauehi, in the Tuamotu Archipelago. The Tuamotus form the largest chain of atolls in the world. From airplanes and satellites, they resemble turquoise amoebas;from the ship, they were low, bright lines of sand that barely breached the water, all crowded with coconut palms.

As the Aranui entered Kauehi's 123-square-mile lagoon, the roll of the ocean ceased. Once the ship was at anchor, the 68 passengers and many of the 83 crew members motored to the atoll's only village, Tearavero. The gathering felt like a relaxed beach party. Local guys hacked open young coconuts and handed them out with paper straws. Women sat in plastic chairs in the shade, watching children play. The crew set up an awning, and a casual ukulele band formed.

I snorkeled over rippled white sand in warm, shallow water, and then I sat in the shade, listening to the crew and the villagers sing. Before this trip, I had not fully appreciated how lovely ordinary voices can be, offered unselfconsciously, just for the pleasure of singing.

"All French Polynesian people know how to sing," said Lehi Tehiva, one of our guides. "It doesn't matter what island they are from. They are all singers."

I've always felt odd about recommending destinations based on "the people," when people are by definition a mixed bag, no matter where they live. Pretending otherwise, even in praise, can seem reductive. But it's true that French Polynesia's warm, relaxed vibe comes as much from its residents as from its natural tropical splendor. People are welcoming and proud of their islands. And everyone can sing.

Unlike on most cruise ships, the Aranui' s crew and passengers hang out together on the stern decks and in the lounges. The arrangement, like the ship itself, is comfortable, inclusive, and lively.

When the ship was at sea, I divided my time between my simple, pleasant suite and a shaded chaise overlooking the pool, where I read Paul Theroux's 1992 book, The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific, which has a chapter about his voyage on an earlier Aranui. ("The Marquesas were a world apart," he wrote, and so it seemed, as we rolled onward and onward into the empty blue sea.) Unlike on most cruise ships, the Aranui 's crew and passengers hang out together on the stern decks and in the lounges. The arrangement, like the ship itself, is comfortable, inclusive, and lively. "We are a family here," more than one guide told me.

The next morning, as I stood on the top deck in the early light, I could see Nuku Hiva's striated coastal cliffs, which were reddish and stippled with dry vegetation. The island rose up to a mountainous ridgeline, its peaks topped with basalt spires and its flanks cut through with deep, jungled valleys. The administrative center of the Marquesas, Nuku Hiva is the archipelago's largest and most populous island, with almost 3,000 residents. When the Aranui docked and the bustle of unloading Nuku Hiva's share of the cargo began, islanders in Toyota pickups queued for their deliveries. Drivers with 4 x 4s were waiting to take the passengers on a tour of the island.

Our convoy went first to Notre-Dame, a Catholic cathedral built of volcanic stone in the main village, Taiohae. At the front, near the baptismal font, a wooden statue of a lei-wearing Virgin Mary held baby Jesus, who, in one arm, cradled a breadfruit. Historically, breadfruit was the essential food source of the Marquesas, especially valued because it could be fermented and preserved in specially dug pits for years as insurance against drought.

Behind the church was the grave of Bishop Hervé Marie Le Cléac'h, a French clergyman who'd been sent to the Marquesas in 1977 after stirring up trouble in Quebec. Le Cléac'h was the first to translate Mass into Marquesan, which had become a taboo language, forcibly supplanted by French and Tahitian. The year after Le Cléac'h arrived, an association called Motu Haka was formed to resurrect traditions that missionaries and colonizers had nearly eradicated: song, dance, tattooing, sculpture, tapa (a textile made from tree fibers that was once used for garments and now for decoration), farming, fishing, and traditional medicine. Le Cléac'h lent crucial support to the organization, which still exists today. "The missionaries stopped the culture, but a bishop rebirthed it," said Benjamin Teikitutoua, a retired Marquesan teacher and vice president of Motu Haka, who was a guest lecturer on the Aranui. "Some Marquesans thought the old ways were bad and pagan, so it was helpful that a priest said, 'No, this is okay. It's good.' "

Motu Haka's task was monumental. Not only had traditional practices been purposefully discouraged, and even banned, but the generations that could have passed down cultural knowledge had been decimated by disease. The population of the Marquesas is estimated to have been between 70,000 and 100,000 when Captain James Cook visited in 1774. In the 1920s, it was as low as 1,200. Today a little more than 9,000 people live across the archipelago's six inhabited islands. In rebuilding their culture, Marquesans salvaged what oral history they could and utilized decades-old ethnographies written by outsiders.

Related : French Polynesia Is Known for Its Stunning Beaches and Resorts — but a Younger Generation Is Working to Highlight Its Rich Traditions

Take, for instance, tattooing. In 1922, an American woman named (delightfully) Willowdean Chatterson Handy compiled and published a painstaking record of all the Marquesan tattoos she could find, designs that had been evolving over probably 2,000 years. (The Marquesas were the likely jumping-off point for the habitation of Hawaii and Rapa Nui, or Easter Island.) At the time, Handy knew she was documenting a dying art but could not possibly have guessed that, a century later, not only would tattoos in the Marquesas have come roaring back but artists on the islands would still be referring to her diagrams. There was even a tattoo parlor on the Aranui. A small, tantalizing sidebar on our daily schedules said, "Make a tattoo appointment with Moana at the restaurant."

Moana turned out to be a stocky, friendly Marquesan waiter who wore a necklace of huge, curving boar's teeth. I was curious how many takers he would have. The passengers didn't necessarily seem like the inking type, unlike the crew, who almost universally had gorgeous Polynesian tattoos: geometric patterns, Marquesan crosses, thick black bands of stylized manta rays.

Our next stop on Nuku Hiva was an archaeological site. Thirty thousand people had once inhabited Tohua Kamuihei, an extensive settlement of terraced stone platforms now mostly swallowed by the jungle. Here and there were ancient petroglyphs; wide-mouthed, lichen-fuzzed stone tikis; and pristine reconstructions of thatched shelters. There were pits for storing breadfruit and sacred sites where cannibalistic rituals had once taken place. Under a towering banyan tree said to be up to 600 years old, drummers and dancers performed, chanting and calling, their mostly bare bodies adorned with swishing fronds; the men wore necklaces of animal teeth. The sensation that we were watching something timeless was only dispelled when the applause ended and the dancers pulled their surgical masks back on. (The mask requirement has since been dropped.)

Lunch was at Chez Mamie Yvonne, a restaurant in the village of Hatiheu, where we filled our plates with breadfruit, pork, and smoky little red bananas that had been slow-roasted for hours in an umu, an underground oven. There was raw fish in coconut milk, too, and chicken stir-fried in a sweet soy sauce. Po'e, a chewy banana-and-coconut pudding, was dessert. A band played near the bar — guitars and ukuleles and pahus (drums carved from single pieces of wood) — and it took me a while to realize the musicians were the same performers who had danced under Tohua Kamuihei's banyan tree, only they were now in baseball caps and board shorts, singing so easily.

The performances I saw were joyful, triumphant, even defiant. This was something outsiders had tried and failed to suppress. This was something that belonged to the islands.

The next day, at the island of Ua Pou, where there was a school right on the beach, children swam out to the ship to play on the ropes. In the afternoon, they stayed for hours, splashing and shouting.

And so we continued on. "Pay attention to which island talks to you," Tehiva told us. Ua Huka was red and dry, populated by wild horses. Hiva Oa, lush and green, greeted us with a rainbow. This was the island made famous by Paul Gauguin, who spent his final two years there suffering from morphine addiction, spreading syphilis to young girls, and creating indelible artworks. I asked Tehiva what French Polynesians made of Gauguin. "Of his art, they are proud," he said, and seamlessly changed the subject to Jacques Brel, who is buried near Gauguin. Brel used his own small plane, Jojo, to help out locals, and so, Tehiva said a little pointedly, he is remembered fondly. Hiking from the ship to the cemetery, I fell into conversation with a German woman whose lifelong dream had been to come to the Marquesas. After surviving breast cancer, she'd taken the plunge, and she pulled up her pant leg to show me a fresh tattoo on her calf. "Everything about it felt right," she said. "For me it was a profound experience."

By the end of the trip, by my count, Moana had given tattoos to at least 10 passengers. I asked him if there were any tattoos that were reserved for Marquesans, deemed too special for outsiders. He furrowed his brow and shook his head. No. Later, when I mentioned this to Tehiva, he said, "It is because they are a giving people. They give."

Fortunately, they also sell. No landing was complete without a trip to a handicraft market. Tahuata, which resembles Kauai with its fluted green cliffs, is known for bone carvings. I bought a silky white pendant in the shape of a whale for my mother. On Fatu Hiva, where the specialty is tapa, I found a small version depicting an octopus. It now hangs in my office. On Ua Huka, which is known for its woodwork, I got my boyfriend a ukulele.

Related : 8 Cruises to Celebrate Your Retirement

Just as I hadn't expected to fall in love with the music in French Polynesia, I didn't know that I would also be moved by the dancing. Male dancers grimaced ferociously as they chanted and pounded their feet. The women took small, graceful steps, swiveling their hips and singing. The movements referenced pigs, birds, the ocean. Dancers regaled us as we left Papeete; they performed on the ship in Nuku Hiva and at the handicraft market in Ua Pou; crew members hosted regular classes for passengers. Unlike, say, ballet, Marquesan dance doesn't require superhuman flexibility or a fatless body. It asks for stamina, spirit, commitment. The performances I saw were joyful, triumphant, even defiant. This was something outsiders had tried and failed to suppress. This was something that belonged to the islands.

On the seventh night, I woke at 3 a.m. in an ominous sweat. What followed felt a lot like food poisoning but, since the other 67 passengers seemed fine, I am left with no choice but to blame the curse. So it was the fault of the curse that I didn't get to see the archaeological site at Te I'ipona, on Hiva Oa, with its nearly eight-foot-tall tiki, the largest in Polynesia. It was thanks to the curse that, still dehydrated and ill, I didn't get to do the nine-mile hike on Fatu Hiva that I'd been looking forward to. Instead, I sat on my balcony and watched the sun and clouds play over the island's green cliffs, and that had to be good enough.

The gods of travel are capricious. Sometimes they let you slide onto your flight with seconds to spare or nudge you down an unpromising alley where you find the best meal of your life. Sometimes they give you both COVID and a stomach bug in the space of one trip. The travel gods giveth, and the travel gods taketh away.

When you strike out for a vision of an imaginary paradise — Gauguin's paintings, brochure photos of palms on an atoll — it's easy to forget that you must take your body with you, that you will remain yourself no matter where you are, that you will always be vulnerable. In the Marquesas they know that, even if our voices aren't perfect, we are all singers. We're singers because we sing. And in that same way, perfect trips don't make us travelers. Traveling does.

Aranui offers 12-day itineraries from $3,572, all-inclusive.

A version of this story first appeared in the August 2022 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline Special Delivery.

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Review: Aranui V

What is the line? Aranui Cruises

Name of ship? Aranui V

Passenger occupancy? 230 passengers

Itinerary? Aranui V sails from Tahiti to the Marquesas on a mixed cruise-passenger-and-cargo mission year-round. The ship also takes special voyages to French Polynesia’s Austral Islands and Pitcairn Island without cargo.

Start out with the big picture—what is this cruise line known for? Aranui is known for its distinctive cargo/passenger setup—it’s all the romance of hopping a freighter to the South Pacific, but with comfortable cruise-line cabins, dining, and amenities. The sailings are adventure focused, and designed for curious, active travelers. Some of the islands on Aranui V ’s itinerary also do not have airports or tourism infrastructure, putting the guests who land on them in rarified territory—the number of tourists who can say they’ve been to the tiny island if Fatu Hiva is small—and virtually all of them arrived onboard Aranui V .

Tell us about the ship in general Outfitted with cabins ranging from deluxe suites with balconies to dormitory-style accommodations, Aranui V is well-equipped with plenty of indoor and outdoor public space for guests to take in some of the spectacular vistas of the islands the ship calls at. There aren’t a huge number of onboard amenities, but many of the guests are adept at that time-honored tradition of seagoing: finding ways to pass the time.

Who is onboard? The passenger complement is typically split 50:50 between French-speaking and English-speaking guests, and programming both onboard and ashore is separated by language. A good number of the French-speaking passengers are residents of French Polynesia on vacation, adding to the very “local” atmosphere onboard. School-aged children and teenagers are also in the mix, especially as part of multi-generational groups, but they’re not as common as on most cruises.

Describe the cabins Cabins are a range of standard cruise-ship options, from cozy single occupancy staterooms with a porthole (just 100 square feet!) to more expansive mini-suites with sitting areas and balconies. There are also a healthy number of full suites onboard, with separate sitting areas and expansive balconies. As the voyages are longer, all cabins have a good amount of stowage. Satellite TV is mostly French-language programming. Bathrooms are marble-accented with amenities made from local monoï coconut oil.

Dormitory rooms with bunk beds for four or eight passengers are also available, the larger of which is sold on a mixed-gender basis.

Tell us about the crew With the exception of the ship’s officers, who are mostly from Metropolitan France, Aranui’s crew is almost entirely Polynesian; many of them are Marquesan, from the very islands the ship sails to. Passenger-facing crew such as servers and activity staff all speak French and English at minimum—most also speak Tahitian or Marquesan. There are typically also German-speaking activity staff when needed. The atmosphere onboard is very informal—passengers and crew mingle after dinner in the ship’s bar.

What food and drink options are available on board? Fares include three meals a day served in the dining room. Breakfast is buffet-style, while lunches and dinners are à la carte and plated. There’s typically a choice between two entrees at lunch and dinner, and dietary restrictions can be accommodated if the kitchen is aware in advance. Breakfasts feature fresh local fruit, French pastries baked onboard, and eggs or pancakes to order. Lunches and dinners usually have a choice between two meats or a meat and a fish. Menus are posted by midday so diners can request alternatives. There’s also a daytime snack bar on the pool deck offering burgers, sandwiches, and Tahitian specialties like poisson cru (raw fish salad), for an additional charge.

The main bar and lounge is a popular gathering place—particularly in the open-air seating with views over the stern. In the evenings before and after dinner there will often be live music or karaoke. A range of tropical and classic cocktails is available, and there’s even a discount during the pre-dinner happy hour.

Is there a spa on board and is it worth visiting? There is a small spa onboard. Facials, body scrubs, manicures, pedicures, and massages using monoï oils are available with pre-booking. The spa is in a converted stateroom without any facilities to speak of, but a massage is particularly nice after a day spent hiking volcanic islands.

Activities and entertainment Entertainment onboard is old-school. There are Tahitian dance, music, and craft classes offered, and the results are put together into a variety show on one of the last evenings of the voyage. There are also dedicated music staff onboard who perform in the bar and lounge during the afternoons and evenings. At some of the island calls, local dance troupes come onboard to entertain. For readers, there’s a lending library with a variety of books in English, French, or German.

An amenity unique to Aranui V is the tattoo parlor, which is available in the spa area by appointment. A local tattoo artist will interview the guest, get a feel for their personal history and personality, and recommend a traditional Marquesan tattoo design. The tattoo artist is licensed in French Polynesia and works with modern sterile equipment.

How was the experience for families? There aren’t dedicated kids’ clubs onboard, as children can be sparse on many sailings, but when they do come along, the ship’s staff helps keep them entertained—many children take particular delight in joining the onboard classes and participating in the passenger variety show. The kitchen usually has a supply of chicken nuggets and other kid-friendly foods on hand, as many of the entrées served, particularly at dinner, are generally sophisticated or rich.

Where did it sail and how were the excursions? Did anything stand out? Many of Aranui’s ports are visited regularly only by Aranui, although some expedition voyages stop in once or twice a year. Aranui’s ground game in the Marquesas is unmatched—the company often keeps equipment like e-bikes or vehicles in some of the ports to support excursions. On many islands, bus or walking tours to cultural sites are common options, while more intensive hikes are offered for passengers who are up to them. On our voyage to the Australs, the villagers went all out—making flower leis for all the passengers and crew, serving lunches, and organizing tours on shore. At many ports, Aranui anchors offshore and passengers are shuttled to the beaches using front-loading tenders—often to a welcome from local musicians and dancers.

Are there any stand out sustainability or green initiatives about this cruise? The ship follows French environmental protocols, which are extensive, but the remote islands have always engaged in sustainable practices. Guests are likely to get lunches onshore in bamboo trenches or on a banana leaf, and Aranui faithfully follows “leave no trace” principles.

Anything we missed? A highlight of Aranui sailings are the onboard lectures by a local expert. On our voyage to the Australs, we traveled with a Tahitian doctorate-level ethnologist who had lived on several of the islands in our voyage and had written extensively about the cultural practices of their people. Her fascinating lectures and warm presence on shore excursions added a certain depth to an already soul-fueling journey.

Finally, give a sentence or two on why the cruise is worth booking. Aranui V offers a cruise like few others in the world—not just a leisure trip, but an authentic glimpse into the lifeline for these remote islands and a deep dive into the fascinating, ancient culture of the people who inhabit them.

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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Aranui AraMana

Former name: aranui 6.

Cruise line Aranui Cruises (Small Cruise Lines)

Specifications of Aranui AraMana

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Aranui AraMana Review

Review of aranui aramana.

The 2024-built MS AraMana (initially named "Aranui 6") is a cruise ship currently under construction in China and originally planned to start cargo and passenger shipping operations in 2022-Q2. The vessel class and design are untraditional for Aranui Cruises (CPTM-owned subsidiary and travel brand) as the shipowner company (CPTM) specializes in "cargo cruises" in French Polynesia, on the itinerary route between Tahiti Island (homeport Papeete) and the Marquesas Islands.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the vessel's construction was delayed and the inauguration was postponed twice - first to 2023 and later to 2024.

The Aranui 6 vessel (IMO number 9878759), just like the fleetmate Aranui 5 , will be French Polynesia- flagged (MMSI tba) and registered as "passenger vessel" under the SOLAS Convention (Safety of Life at Sea), which allows the liner to operate international passenger shipping services.

During the inaugural cruise season, AraMana will be homeported in Hong Kong China . When deployed in the South Pacific Ocean, the ship is homeported in Papeete and visiting Pitcairn Island (UK) and Cook Islands.

The shipowner CPTM is a 3rd generation maritime shipping company that operates in French Polynesia exclusively. Established in 1954 by the Wong family (Tahiti), initially, the company was named "Wing Man Hing". its cargo vessels serve French Polynesia for over 6 decades. Originally, the company serviced Tuamotus and Gambiers Archipelagos, conducting freight shipping between the islands and Tahiti.

In 2016, the shipowner CPTM officially replaced the old Aranui 3 (freight-passenger ship launched in 2002) with Aranui 5 (2015-built cargo cruise ship). The ship names "Aranui 2" and "Aranui 4" were never used due to superstitious reasons. The new AraMana cruise ship is bigger (as size and GT-tonnage) and differently designed in comparison to Aranui 5. Aranui 6 is designed as cruise liner" - without the fore-located cargo decks, with a large Sun Deck (with retractable roof cover, swimming pool, 2 jacuzzis, grill-bar, shaded seating and sunbathing areas) and Helideck (midship-topdeck located helipad used in cases of emergency). Both Aranui ships are smaller sized (in comparison to most South Pacific Ocean-based cruise liners) and with smaller draught (just 5,2 m / 17 ft) which allows them to safely navigate in smaller ports and shallow harbor waters.

The builder is Huanghai Shipbuilding Co Ltd (1944-founded as Shandong Huanghai Shipyard) at the company's shipyard in Weihai (China's Shandong Province).

Shipboard facilities and amenities

AraMana's signature shipboard facilities include an outdoor theatre (with an open-air stage for live performances), main dining room (full-capacity complimentary restaurant with plush booths), steakhouse (specialty BBQ restaurant), swimming pool with 2 whirlpools and poolside bar-grill, tax-free shopping mall, conference centre (group meeting room), indoor children's playground, library, wellness complex (indoor fitness/gym room, spa treatment rooms for massages, beauty salon, tattoo studio), indoor Observation Lounge, Bar Lounge (Disco Nightclub with dance floor), Amphitheatre (indoor theatre / main show lounge / Cinema), Piano Bar, Casino (gaming lounge with bar). The cruise ship has 4 elevators (passenger lifts) and provides a 5-star luxury level of hotel services.

Public areas are highlighted by a sweeping grand staircase (in the Atrium), spacious walkways, signature Polynesian decorations.

Over 50% of all cruise staterooms (cabins and suites) are with private step-out balconies (accessed from the cabin via floor-ceiling sliding door windows). In-cabin amenities and furniture include large HDTV, double bed (most convertible to twins), headboard, premium bedding, bedside tables (2-door nightstands), wall-mounted reading lamps, pillow menu, LED lighting (ceiling-mounted lights), mirrored vanity (writing desk with chair), lounge area (with sofabed for 3rd/4th passenger), coffee table, sideboard, en-suite bathroom (toilet, glass-enclosed shower, large mirror, single-sink vanity with under-sink storage), individually controlled air-conditioning. The larger-sized suites additionally have a 4-seat dining table.

All balcony staterooms (including all suites) are fitted with deck chairs and tables. The number of cabin categories is 11. For the first time, on AraMana Aranui Cruises introduces the category Grand Suite with Balcony.

Itineraries

Aranui AraMana cruise itineraries vary between 10-12-days and visit new for the company destinations. The ship is all Polynesian-crewed and visits islands not included in Aranui's cargo cruise itineraries - French Polynesia's archipelagos Austral, Gambier , Society and Tuamotus , as well as to Pitcairn Island and Cook Islands.

In the Australs Islands (French Polynesia's southernmost archipelago), AraMana stops at the islands Rapa Iti, Raivavae and Rurutu as part of Aranui's new Cook Islands itinerary. Ship's Society Islands itinerary visits French Polynesia ( Bora Bora , Huahine , Moorea , Rangiroa , Tahaa ) and Tuamotus ( Makatea Atoll ).

Aranui's new "Pitcairn Itinerary" was introduced on April 11, 2020, on Aranui 5.

• Day 1 - Papeete Tahiti (embarkation/boarding between 7-9 am), departure
• Day 2 - Anaa Atoll (Tuamotus)
• Day 3 - Amanu Atoll (Tuamotus)
• Day 4 (sea day)
• Day 5 - port Rikitea (Mangareva Island, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia)
• Day 6 - port Adamstown (Pitcairn Island)
• Day 7 - Bounty Bay (Pitcairn Island)
• Day 8 - Aukena Island (Gambier Islands, French Polynesia)
• Day 9 (sea day)
• Days 10-11 - Rapa Iti Island (Bass Islands, Austral Islands, French Polynesia)
• Day 12 - Raivavae Island (Austral Islands, French Polynesia)
• Day 13 - Papeete Tahiti (arrival at ~5 pm), debarkation

Apart from supplying cargo to the 6 ports in the Marquesas Islands, the Aranui company also operates passenger shipping ( cruiseferry ) and land excursions/tour service as part of a 14-day roundtrip Papeete itinerary. Aranui ships also stop in Tuamotus (at the islands Takapoto and Rangiroa ) before returning to Bora Bora Island on Day 13.

With Aranui 5 in 2021 were introduced the company's first Cook Islands cruise, first Society Islands cruise and a revamped (expanded with the Marquesas) Pitcairn Itinerary. These voyages were also included in AraMana's/Aranui 6's schedule.

• The 13-day Cook Islands itinerary (Papeete roundtrip) is planned for September 4, 2021, and visits Aitutaki, Rarotonga, Rurutu, Rapa, Raivave and Anaa. The revamped with Tuamotus Pitcairn itinerary visits Hikueru Atoll, Pitcairn Island (Adamstown overnight) and Oeno Island (Pitcairn).
• The 12-day Society Islands itinerary is also Papeete roundtrip (planned departure May 8, 2021) and visits Rangiroa-Fakarava-Makatea (Tuamotus) and Raiatea-Tahaa-Maupiti-Huahine-Moorea-Bora Bora (Society Islands).

Photos of Aranui AraMana

Aranui AraMana ship related cruise news

Scenic, Aqua, and Aranui join Expedition Cruise Network

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Aqua Expeditions, and Aranui Cruises recently became members of the Expedition Cruise Network (ECN), elevating the...

Aranui Introduces New Cruise Ship

The company Aranui Cruises will be building a new cruise ship for Tahiti's southern part. The newbuild (Aranui 6 / AraMana) is planned for launch in...

Aranui Cruises Unveils the “Aranui 6” Project

On January 14, 2019, on the event of the cruise line’s first visit to Pitcairn Island, Aranui Cruises (Compagnie Polynesienne de Transport...

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Other Aranui Cruises cruise ships

Aranui aramana wiki.

Unlike the fleetmate Aranui 5 (cargo-passenger vessel), the new AraMana (Aranui 6) is a modern cruise ship designed by SDARI and currently built in China (by Huanghai Shipbuilding Co Ltd). SDARI (Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute, 1964-founded) is one of CSSC's (China State Shipbuilding Corporation) three R&D (research and development) companies specializing in marine and offshore engineering projects - together with MARIC (Marine Design and Research Institute of China, 1950-founded) and GUMECO (Guangzhou Marine Engineering Corporation, 1974-founded).

CSSC is one of China's two largest shipbuilding corporations - together with CSIC (China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation). Both were founded in 1999 and headquartered in Beijing China . While CSSC's shipbuilding activities are in eastern and southern China, CSIC's shipbuilding operations are in northern and western China.

The Aranui 6 shipbuilding order was officially signed on August 22, 2019. The newbuild will be classed by Bureau Veritas SA (1828-founded international marine certification agency headquartered in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Paris City, France ). Aranui 6 is registered as "passenger vessel" under the SOLAS Convention ( Safety of Life at Sea), allowing it to operate international cruise shipping services. The vessel also complies with the SOLAS regulation SRtP (Safe Return to Port) which was adopted by IMO (International Maritime Organization) in 2010.

CPTM's AraMana, like the 2015-launched Aranui 5, will be French Polynesia- flagged . The cruise ship has endurance 6000 nautical miles (6900 mi / 11100 km), max passenger capacity 280 (plus 119 crew), electric propulsion system based on 4 diesel-generator sets (driving 2 full-slewing propellers). The vessel is equipped with a fully submerged cabin water mist system - a technology that replaces the traditional CO2 firefighting and stationary water mist systems.

Vessel's shipbuilding cost is ~XPF 7 billion (French Pacific Francs), or ~USD 64,5 million (~EUR 58 million). On July 31, 2019, French Polynesia's council of ministers granted local tax exemption for XPF 3,3 billion (USD 30,4 M / EUR 27,3 M) to the Aranu 6 project.

On January 21, 2020, Aranui Cruises officially changed the cruise ship's name from "Aranui 6" to "AraMana". Company's decision was explained with the vessel design - being a typical cruise liner rather than cargo-passenger vessel - like the fleetmates Aranui 3 and Aranui 5.

Olympics Closing Ceremony: All the Highlights as Paris Hands Over Games to L.A., From Phoenix Rocking Out to Tom Cruise’s Epic Stunts

The Paris Olympics set a high bar for itself after an opening ceremony that showcased Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and a scenic backdrop involving virtually every Parisian landmark along the Seine. But the closing ceremony — taking place on a blistering hot day in stark contrast to the pouring rain of its kickoff — also delivered a blockbuster show with a Hollywood twist.

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Unfolding days after a thwarted terrorist attack that targeted a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, the Paris Olympics closing ceremony took place under a beefed up security protocol involving thousands of police forces, including nearly 2,000 agents coming from overseas. Over 70,000 spectators attended in addition to 8,200 athletes from over 200 delegations and 270 artists. In an interview with Variety , Reboul said he and the rest of the organizers spent an “incalculable” amount of time to prepare an airtight security plan with local authorities. The country has already been on high alert since the start of the war in Gaza last October.

Below, see all the best moments from the Paris Olympics closing ceremony.

Zaho de Sagazan Kicks Things Off From the Jardin des Tuileries

French singer-songwriter Zaho de Sagazan, who sang “Modern Love” to Greta Gerwig at the Cannes Film Festival, kicked off the closing ceremony with a performance of French music legend Édith Piaf’s “Sous le Ciel de Paris” at the lush Jardin des Tuileries, where the Olympic Cauldron — an air balloon lit by the Olympic Flame — is located. She was accompanied by the choir of the Académie Haendel-Hendrix.

French Breakout Star Léon Marchand Carries the Olympic Lantern

Dressed elegantly in a suit, French swimmer and Olympic breakout star Léon Marchand — who won four gold medals and one silver at the Games — then removed the lantern containing the flame from the cauldron and began carrying it to the Stade de France. Nicknamed “the dolphin” by his French supporters, Marchand was welcomed with “Léon, Léon” chants. He moved to Arizona three years ago to train with Bob Bowman, the coach of 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps.

Athletes Band Together — and Sing Karaoke?

After parading in boats under pouring rain during the opening ceremony, the athletes — who all stuck around the City of Light for the closing bash — entered the futuristic stage together and moved to the beat of French electro tracks, including by Justice and M83.

After all the teams had entered, it was announced that it was time for “athlete karaoke,” where all competitors were expected to sing along to various songs. First up were some French anthems, including “Emmenez-moi” by Charles Aznavour, “Les Champs-Elysées” by Joe Dassin and “Freed From Desire” by Gala. Naturally, “We Are the Champions” by Queen was also part of the playlist, and resulted in the biggest sing-along of the night.

Tom Cruise Has Arrived

The actor waved to fans as he arrived to the VIP section of the closing ceremony ahead of his stunt performance to hand over the Games to 2028 host Los Angeles.

A Golden Voyager Descends on the Games

Dressed in a glittering costume, the voyager rappelled down from the top of the stadium and performed an acrobatic piece as two more mysterious figures attached the flag of Greece to a pole and waved it in the air. Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory who appears on every Olympic medal, was also portrayed as a swarm of acrobats descended upon the stadium from the sky and erected the five Olympic rings. A piano then emerged from underneath the set, dangling vertically as Alain Roche played the instrument suspended in midair while French lyric tenor Benjamin Bernheim sang “Hymn to Apollo.” As the acrobats danced and flipped, the rings were raised into the air to symbolize the rebirth of the Games.

Francophone Musicians Take Over

After the dancers had been cleared off the futuristic stage, French indie band Phoenix delivered a rousing rendition of their hit “Lisztomania” surrounded by athletes. DJ Kavinsky and Belgian singer Angèle then joined the band to play “Nightcall,” the breakout song from Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Drive,” before launching into “If I Ever Feel Better” featuring a verse from Cambodian rapper VannDa. Fellow French rockers Air then showed up to play “Playground Love,” the band’s collaboration with Phoenix frontman Thomas Mars that was featured in “The Virgin Suicides,” directed by Mars’ wife Sofia Coppola. The surprise guests continued with Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig hopping on stage to sing “Tonight,” his duet with the band. Phoenix closed out its set with “1901,” which saw Mars jump into the crowd of moshing Olympians.

Paris Sets a Record in Olympic Marriage Proposals

Tony Estanguet, the dashing gold medal-winning French slalom canoeist who presided over of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee for the Olympics, delivered a moving speech highlighting the records broken during the event, which not only included the 64 medals won by the French team, but also the number of wedding proposals that happened through the last 11 days. Hosted in the city of Love, the Paris Olympics saw seven wedding proposals, two of which happened in Marseille during the sailing competitions. 

“To you, athletes, what can I say? We knew you would be brilliant, but you were magic,” Estanguet said. “You made us happy, you made us feel alive,” he continued, drawing a parallel with the exhilarating feelings triggered by a coup de foudre.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Is Handed the Olympic Flag

H.E.R. Performs the U.S. National Anthem

Is there anything Grammy-award winning superstar H.E.R. can’t do? As the American flag was raised into the sky to symbolize L.A. taking on the 2028 Summer Games, award-winning musician H.E.R. sang the U.S. National Anthem with gusto.

H.E.R. was dressed in an all-white look and also had a matching custom Fender Stratocaster. After belting out the final notes of the “Star Spangled Banner,” she paused and began strumming the “Mission: Impossible” theme song as Tom Cruise descended from the roof of the stadium.

Tom Cruise Delivers “Mission: Impossible”-Worthy Stunts

Tom Cruise jumped off the top of the Stade de France to mark the handover from the Paris Olympics to the L.A. Games in 2028, and landed on the stage of the stadium.

He was welcomed like a rockstar at the Stade de France and joined Team USA champion Biles along with L.A. mayor Bass, who handed the Olympic flag to him. He then hopped on to a motorcycle with the flag in tow and rode out of the stadium to make the symbolic delivery to L.A. In a pre-recorded segment, Cruise dove out of a plane over the Hollywood sign and positioned the Olympic rings over it before the artist performances in L.A. began.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg Welcome Games to L.A.

L.A. natives the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg represented the City of Angels after the handoff of the Olympic flag was made. On a beachside stage, the Red Hot Chili Peppers played “Can’t Stop” before Eilish sang her most recent hit “Birds of a Feather.” Snoop Dogg, who has been contributing commentary to this year’s Games on NBC, brought his Long Beach style to the screen as he rapped “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and even brought out Dr. Dre for their anthem “The Next Episode.”

Yseult and Paris Say “Au Revoir” With “My Way”

The broadcast shifted back to the Stade de France for the closing ceremony’s final segment: an enchanting version of “My Way” belted by French singer Yseult. As the final notes rang out, an impressive amount of fireworks exploded over the stadium — ensuring that the Paris Olympics went out with a bang.

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• DESTINATIONS – US

Austral islands

Cruise in the austral islands, the secret archipelagoe

Discovered by Europeans in the 18th Century, the Australs are located 373 miles (600 km) south of Tahiti’s capital city. The archipelago is made of seven islands, five of which are inhabited – Rimatara, Rurutu, Tubuai, Raivavae and Rapa – and four of which are accessible by air. 6,800 people live in the Austral islands, an off the beaten track archipelago of untouched and mysterious land where white sand clashes with the intense blue of the lagoons.

Breath-taking landscapes, from sheer mountains to valleys and high plains, these islands are famous for their farming activities. Several archaeological remains witness to a well organised, pre-European community of rich cultural and religious practices. The cliffs and caves of the Austral Islands were ancient burial grounds and now provide a platform from which visitors can watch Humpback Whales frolic in the water just offshore as they come here from August to October to give birth.

Passengers on board Aranui 5 will take a guided tour of the island’s colourful, picturesque villages and discover the handiwork of islanders who mainly live off their artwork. During their Polynesian cruise they will also enjoy watching fishermen, farmers and basket weavers at work and are unlikely to leave without purchasing a hat or a woven basket to remind them of their magical time in the Austral Islands.

The Austral islands guarantee a trip out of time, an immersion in Polynesia, far, very far from the beaten track.

THE STOPOVERS OF OUR CRUISES IN THE AUSTRAL ISLANDS

During its cruise to the Austral Islands, Aranui 5 will call at the five main islands of the archipelago.

Rapa, the fruit island

Located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Rapa Iti is the most isolated and southernmost inhabited island of the Austral archipelago. The particular shape of the island and its remoteness does not allow one to get there by plane: only ships have access. The island is home to a population of 507, described as «the happiest people in the world”. It is so isolated that the inhabitants speak reo rapa, a language that is different from the rest of the Austral Islands. Rapa registers the lowest temperature of the 5 archipelagos: a low of up to 8°C during the dry season (July-August, with records as cold as 4°C). Thanks to this climate, visitors will find a delicious flora, unique in Polynesia: including apples and pear trees, and nectarines… An orchard worthy of the Garden of Eden! As Aranui’s passengers approach Rapa, which is only accessible by sea, the Captain may announce: “Welcome to Rapa. Next stop Antarctica.” As the southernmost inhabited island, this crescent shaped island — with a fjord-like coastline deeply indented by 12 bays —is as remote as it gets in French Polynesia. Rapa-Iti —or “small Rapa”, as the island is also called —has a strong cultural connection to Easter Island, known as Rapa-Nui or big to the Polynesians. Legend tells of the settlement of Rapa-Nui by the people of Rapa-Iti. Once home to fierce warriors who lived in fortified settlements built on terraces among volcanic peaks, the islanders now live more peaceful lives by farming and fishing.

Rurutu, the nothern island of the Austral

The island formation of Rurutu is not what one expects to see in the South Pacific. Its basalt and limestone cliffs are dotted with caves where the islanders once lived close to its white sand beaches and beautiful bays, whilst its volcanic interior hides a lush tropical jungle. Both combining to create stunning visuals for Aranui’s passengers. Archaeological digs have uncovered ancient settlements, council platforms and marae temples in the village of Vitaria, showing man’s presence around 900 A.D. Rurutu is known throughout Polynesia for the exceptionally fine quality of its woven products. From August to October each year, humpback whales can be seen and heard in Rurutu, where they come south to mate and give birth.

Raivavae, the lagoon island of the Austral Islands

Known as the “Bora Bora of the Austral Islands”, Raivavae’s has earned this distinction of its white sand beaches, with a large emerald lagoon and 28 motus that encircle the lush green main island. The island has a number of giant stone tikis which resemble those found in the Marquesas and on Easter Island, including an unusual smiling tiki. During a circular tour of the island visitors will also discover wood sculptures, an open-air marae temple and a series of Polynesian canoes. After the tour passengers can take a speed boat excursion to relax on one of the motus and swim in the crystal-clear lagoon.

Tubuai, the island of Polynesian crafts

Tubuai is the largest island of this archipelago and hosts the main public and economic services for this island group. Its reef is scattered with fine motu (islands) of coral and volcanic rock. The huge lagoon, nearly twice as large as the island itself, offers 33 sq. mi. (85 km²) of pure aquatic fun. The mild climate also makes these islands ideal for farming. Lilies are grown around the islands for export and can be spotted in the fields as far as the eye can see.

The first explorers were struck by the island’s beauty. Toward the end of the 19th Century, explorers Wallis and Cook took a liking to the lush vegetation and crystal-clear water of the island. However, the area did not look appropriate for good anchorage given the large barrier reef around the coast. This disadvantage turned into an incredible advantage in the eyes of the famous mutineers of the HMS Bounty. Led by Christian Fletcher, they built Fort George, which no longer exists, before leaving for Pitcairn.

Rimatara, the island of the Lori

Rimatara was the last island of the Australs to be approached, in 1811. The narrowness of its only pass and the absence of an anchorage do not allow easy access, which helped to preserve it. When missionaries were sent to the island in 1821 the 300 inhabitants were all converted quickly. Rimatara was an independent kingdom until 1900, and the royal line of Temaeva ended following the death of the last chief in 1923. At the request of the inhabitants the island was formally annexed to France in 1901. Since then, life flows along to the rhythm of copra, basketry, plantations and fishing. In 2006 the airport was inaugurated, helping to gradually open up this haven of peace and biodiversity. Rimatara takes pride in being the home of a rare specimen of a magnificent endemic bird called the Lori Kuhl, a small colorful parrot.