You haven't seen turquoise blue water until you have been to French Polynesia. The opportunities for water related activities are boundless. The m/s Paul Gauguin is an intimate ship with a very attentive and friendly staff who are warm and welcoming. Since the itinerary is so port intensive, with no sea days, most people are off on the varied shore excursions. There is a lot of emphasis on the Tahitian culture with programs on dancing, singing, and craft programs such as lei making or making shell bracelets. Food on board is very good. Do not miss the Molten Lava Cake with vanilla ice cream. The nighttime entertainment is mostly Tahitian singing and dancing.

I enjoyed the tours to the Vanilla Farm and also to the Black Pearl Farm. Both were very interesting. Our highlight was the boat tour to see the Spinner dolphins with the naturalist who was both funny and very informative. We were fortunate enough to also see a few humpback whales which actually breached a few times!  It was a wonderful vacation.

The crew on board were exceptional. It did not take them a long time to get to know everyone's name. Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands, Tahiti all so nice! Menus diverse with something for everyone. Two specialty restaurants with equally delicious food. Guest lecturers were very interesting and entertaining.

The air getting to this area is rather difficult and the major carrier not the greatest. So it is very worthwhile to take more than a seven day cruise. Those travelers who are into water sports have the best time. The divers on this cruise had the rare opportunity to dive with probably the best known diver in the world,Jean-Michel Cousteau. In fact, he added to the enjoyment of the cruise for even non-divers, for he made himself accessible to all. It was an extremely rewarding experience to be with him. The ship's choice of several dining venues is very welcome. As before, I find the main dining room a space that is not terribly welcoming. It and the rest of the ship--especially the staterooms--could have a more Polynesian feel. Somehow the ship lacks a sense of place.

The Paul Gauguin is a beautifully appointed ship. The water sports platform was a real treat, as we were able to go kayaking and windsurfing right off the back of the ship! They had great fitness facilities, and it was wonderful to be able to anchor so close to the beautiful islands of the French Polynesia and enjoy the relaxed, tranquil beaches on each island. The music entertainment and dancing each night on the back of the ship under the southern hemisphere stars was most memorable.

Everybody from the most attentive entire staff, to the beautiful cabins, the delicious food, the size of the ship, the ambiance of the ship, the entertainment and the shore excursions....it was all just perfect!  The Gauguins on board were the very best !  I was very impressed with their ability to multi-task for 16 hours per day. Loved them all!

 

My group was just wonderful and reflected the quality of people that choose to sail on PG.  Very upscale, extremely well traveled and very friendly. I only had two couples that opted to remain to themselves, but I didn't mind,,,they were on vacation.  The Captain's Cocktail party turned out to be quite lovely.

 

Special commendations should be made to the guest lecturers, the front desk staff and Jean Paul, who were all extremely nice and helpful. Our cabin stewardess, Herlin, was a delight.  And I felt that the photographer, Jan, was one of the best that we had ever had on a cruise ship.

 

 

 

Weather: Despite it being rainy season, our weather was very good. We had one afternoon of heavy rain which cancelled the later excursions in Bora Bora, but other than that, it rained every day, but not enough to be a bother. In fact, the overcast skies kept us cool. When the sun was fully out, it was very hot and humid. It should be noted, however, that the sailing prior to ours had rain every single day with many excursions cancelled. When sailing during this season it is a risk, but it worked out very well for us as the price was extremely reasonable.

 

Ship: It is definitely an older ship and showing some wear (rust around joints, old tv cabinet in rooms, etc.) but extremely comfortable, clean and bright. Air conditioning worked well (although one of my client's room never cooled down, so they were upgraded). Unfortunately, however, the stabilizers broke during the previous sailing. We were told that they would try to fix them while in Bora Bora, but the parts did not arrive on time, and the seas were rough due to an earlier storm, and the ship movement was very rough. Some clients complained that they almost fell out of bed during the night. I've sailed the Drake Passage, and this was worse, to be honest. However, the alternative would have been to cancel the sailing, so most people took meds and didn't complain. The captain did change the departure schedule one night so that we wouldn't be rocking during dinner. Communication regarding this matter was open and honest.

 

Crew/Staff: Absolutely the best I've experienced among all luxury lines I've sailed. They were friendly, funny, kind, and extremely competent. Nothing seemed to be a bother - but rather a pleasure. Food: Outstanding! Fresh, creative, focusing on local and French cuisine. The variety was impressive.

 

Excursions: They were perfectly organized, and high quality. I tried to book a private excursion outside of Paul Gauguin but couldn't, because all the best tour operators had already been booked by Paul Gauguin. They use the best of the best and it is very apparent when seeing other excursions used by the hotels or other lines. Private Island on Taha'a: Fantastic! Beautiful, clean, ample chairs for everyone, great BBQ, great drinks and activities without being overwhelming. Plenty of relaxation and activity base on what you were looking for. We had a wedding in the afternoon that everyone was invited to, and it was beautifully conducted by the captain and cruise director.  Excursions can be booked ahead of time by calling in which is recommended as many were sold out quickly, especially the EBikes - which were absolutely a must-do!  Cancellation policies are adhered to - one of my clients had to cancel an excursion due to illness and they mandated that she visit the doctor before being granted a refund. 

 

Entertainment: Excellent variety for a smaller ship. The shows were late, however, with most beginning after 9pm. A highlight was beautiful fresh flower leis and crowns being handmade in front of us for everyone to have on Polynesian night. They were beautiful!

 

Photographer: Excellent - we were surprised how many photos were taken of us without even knowing! There was also a videographer on board who made a video of the cruise that was for sale at the end of the sailing for $85.

 

Shopping: The boutique was nice with a good selection of quality black pearls and clothing. Unfortunately, their supply of sundries could be better. There was plenty of sunscreen, but items like contact lense solution were not available.

 

Passenger Attire: Most dressed in comfortable sundresses and tropical prints. Slacks are mandatory for evenings. Do bring something extra tropical for Polynesian night.  

 

Additional: The snorkeling equipment was complimentary and very good quality. Be sure to get yours on the first day as the available hours for the rest of the week are limited. Don't forget that you can kayak and paddle board off the back of the ship for free in good weather. 

 

Finally, my group of 14 travelers, who are used to luxury lines, all raved about this experience. They all agreed that they would rather spend 7 nights on this ship, experiencing a variety of islands, rather than staying on land.  The value is incredible!  Most of our group arrived three nights early and stayed at a resort (La Taha'a), which is highly recommended so that you arrive on time to the ship, well rested and ready for a trip of a lifetime.  I organized these arrangements, and day rooms for those who were flying out after disembarkation through a DS (Tahiti Legends), rather than using Paul Gauguin's offerings which were pricey. 

It is quite good shape and going into dry dock in Singapore after the next segment.

Overnights in Bora Bora and Moorea give you enough time to tour both islands or just relax at the beach if you wish. 

The Day at the Beach on Motu Mahana off Taha'a was a great experience with the activities offered, the barbecue, the beach, and water sports. 

The shore excursions offered were well run and I heard great reviews from many of the passengers.  There is nothing like seeing the colorful fish in clear waters and petting the sting rays in the lagoon.  The Les Gauguines represented the Polynesian Culture and were a great addition to the cruise.

The attention to detail was superb. Coordinating flights, transfers, hotels & cruise was all handled seamlessly. The staff onboard knew our names after the first introduction and greeted us by name throughout the cruise.

The ship is beautifully appointed, with just 332 passengers spread out over 8 decks. There is ample public space, I never felt crowded. There is a nice outdoor salt water pool, a piano bar and a lounge, a big theater, gift shop, spa and a water sports marina. The cabins are very nicely laid out. I would highly recommend to book into a balcony or veranda cabin (the veranda cabins on deck 8 come with butler service and offer the most privacy). We were located on deck 8, category B in cabin #806. The marina is located on deck 4, aft of the ship and opens in various ports of call when able to. Paddle board and kayaks are available during those times free of charge. The dive center on board is doing a fabulous job with keeping the dives in small groups and instructors are skilled and make divers feel at ease. We were fortunate enough to dive with a huge hawks-bill turtle, some black tip reef sharks and tons of colorful fish. There are 3 restaurants on board: The Grill, La Veranda and L’Etoile The Grill and La Veranda are buffet options for breakfast and lunch but turn into fine dining venues for dinner (reservations are recommended). L’Etoile is the main dining room, open for dinner only. While the Grill will offer Polynesian Inspired Cuisine, La Veranda offers a traditional French Menu. L’Etoile offers a mix as well as standard options. The line is doing an amazing job at facilitating passengers with food allergies and dietary restrictions. The head waiter met us for each meal to go over the dinner menu’s and make sure to review items with the chef. We had the most amazing meals on board! Also room service is available all day long free of charge! Make sure to order breakfast in bed during a sea day! Entertainment on board is very diverse: The line employs Gauguins and Gauguaines to teach traditional arts and crafts classes, talk about their local culture, pareo tying, ukulele classes and much more. We had various lectures on board about some of the local islands history, the story of Captain Bligh and enjoyed port talks and even pearl classes. The evening shows were well done and ranged from Polynesian Dance performances, to crew shows to musicians and dance parties. On Polynesian Night locals came on board to make us flower crowns and leis. The ship is truly like a floating over the water bungalow, taking you from island to island. It was amazing! Now for the itinerary: We cruised the Society and Cook Islands: Tahiti -> Huanine -> Day at Sea -> Aitutaki -> Rarotonga -> Day at Sea -> Bora Bora for 2 days -> Taha’a -> Moorea for 2 days -> Tahiti overnight. All ports, except Tahiti, are tender ports. The private beach in Bora Bora was the only wet landing on this trip. At the end of the cruise, we spend the day at the Pearl Beach Resort with an included day room. We loved the unique black sand beach here and were happy to enjoy a nice leisurely afternoon. The Society Islands are very lush, with thick forests covering the heart of the islands and mountains. Most of the islands only have one road, lending itself to easy exploration. While there is not a lot of wildlife on land, the waterways are full of colorful fish, rays, turtles, eels and small sharks. A snorkelers and divers paradise! Most snorkel adventures have to be done by boat, as the reefs are too shallow to explore from the beaches. In most places you can walk out into the ocean for 20-30 minutes and never get below knee-deep water. The Cook Islands are part of New Zealand and are very remote from everything. The islands are not quite as lush but the beaches and water-quality are jaw-droppingly beautiful. The photos really don’t do it justice… Tour options on all islands varied widely, but included ATV/4X4 Tours, Snorkeling, Pearl Farms, Vanilla Plantations, Drift Snorkeling, Diving, E-Bike Tours, Wave runners, Helicopter/Light Plane Tours and much more… Paul Gauguin also has access to a private beach on Bora Bora (wet landing via tender) as well as a private island in Taha’a. Most excursions run between $100-$180 per person, the flight tours are more of course. However, for the water based tours especially it's worth it to book with the cruise line to safe time and ensure a good experience. The private island was amazing! We enjoyed a Polynesian BBQ, huge coconut drinks, lots of snorkeling, a swim up bar, paddle boarding, kayaking and had the most amazing day exploring the small island. If you are interested in doing some shopping on this trip, here are a few tips: 1. No need to exchange money into local currency. US Dollars are accepted on all islands and are calculated 1:1 for hassle free shopping 2. Buy your vanilla in Taha’a! You must be booked on an island tour to get to the main island and do your shopping. The ships tender only runs to the private island, but vendors are on site to satisfy your shopping needs 3. For pearls, make sure they are certified! Pearls are qualified in categories A-D, with A being the best. Even street vendors can certify their pearls, but you have to ask. Most vendors (even jewelry stores) are willing to barter with you. Make a reasonable offer and most of them will be very wiling to accept it. For cheap pearls ($5-$30 range for gifts) buy them in Bora Bora. They look nice and come in many styles, but they are generally quality C and D. For nice pearls, category B and A, I would recommend to purchase them in Moorea. From what I saw, this is where we got the best prices on quality pearls. 4. You cannot bring fruits or flowers back to the US. 5. Pareos should cost you about $10 each, not more, and are a lovely gift to bring back home. 6. Pack plenty of sunscreen – a tube on board and in port costs about $35! And don’t forget your bug spray! ??

With a Culinary Institute trained chef,  the food in all venues was pretty spectacular, but the main dining room was the best!  Every evening offered something special and if you really enjoyed a dish from the night prior, they would do everything in their power to offer it to you again.  The crew was magnificent!

Lots of Paul Gauguin's beautiful artwork and history onboard.  The spa treatment was very good.  The common areas on the ship were refurbished and brand new.  The carpet in the cabins is new, although the cabins remain a little dated.  Wifi is now included for each quest and offered throughout the ship.  The wifi worked on and off and was frustrating at times.  Paul Gauguin installed smart tv's in all cabins and now require guests to access everything through the new system (daily planners, menus, excursions, etc.).  They have some work to do to make this system more user friendly; it simply didn't work very well.  PG discontinued putting a paper daily planner in the cabins at nights and are instead requiring guests to access that information through their tvs, or QR codes (not possible when the wifi is out) found around the ship.  No one liked this system and many quests made the trip to Guest Services each day to get the daily "paper" planner.  I heard several times guests remark that they felt very "uninformed" the entire trip.  I certainly would agree.

We had six covid tests from the time we left our homes to the time we flew back home.  

PG provides snorkels and fins for all guests, however, due to Covid, the Tahitian government required all guest to use their own personal equipment only.  No one was advised of this prior to arriving, so a rush to the gift shop to purchase snorkeling equipment ensued.  The gift shop manager never sold snorkeling equipment and suddenly was selling out.  She knew there was an issue and credited back all guests who purchased snorkeling gear onboard.  It was the right thing to do and was handled very professionally.

The Captain and Officers were very social and often mingled with the guests.  The excursions were good to very good.

This was a spectacular cruise in an unspoiled part of the world!  So glad I had the opportunity to visit!