Paul Gauguin Cruise Pinch Me, I Must be Dreaming
Written: Jul 17 '02 (Updated Jul 17 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Freestyle cruising that is not all-inclusive but more-inclusive than typical mass market cruises.
Cons: Cruise too short, pre and post cruise packages are not well controlled.
The Bottom Line: If you want a hassle-free, luxury, nearly all-inclusive vacation, you will not be disappointed with the Paul Gauguin.
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| colleenmf's Full Review: Radisson Paul Gauguin |
This year (2002) is a special one for my husband and me. We will be married 10 years in August and he received tenure at Texas Tech University. I wanted to plan a very special, exotic vacation to celebrate.
We have several friends who are regular cruisers. For years, they have been trying to get us to join them on a cruise. But the cruises they have described have just not interested me. I have certain requirements of a vacation that just would not be met on any of the cruise ships they had traveled.
My Requirements
If I have to wear an evening gown, a cocktail dress, or pantyhose (even once) it is NOT a vacation. I do not want to be told when and where to eat and do not want to be told with whom I must eat. I can handle crowds but only in small doses. I don’t want to have to wait for hours while tenders shuttle people back and forth to the shore. I absolutely hate being nickled and dimed to death, paying $3.00 for every coke, $2.00 for a bottled water, or $5 for a cocktail.
We are veterans of Club Med and Sandals and enjoy the relaxed, casual atmosphere, the all-inclusive pricing, and the variety of activities. I was looking for a similar vacation in a location that was new to both of us. This would eliminate most of Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Oh, and we are both “beach people.”
What I Don’t Need
I have been going to Broadway plays since I was 13. I don’t NEED a vacation with Broadway style reviews unless I actually go to Broadway. If they are available fine, but if not, that’s fine, too. I don’t need a nightclub or casino to have a good time. I much prefer a quiet bar with romantic views.
The cruises I had heard about just would not serve my needs. After Renaissance Cruises filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations I was pretty sure we’d end up at Sandals again.
Finding the Paul Gauguin
Since we had our heart set on the Renaissance Cruise to Tahiti, I started frequenting some cruise web sites and bulletin boards, signing up for newsletters, and reading as much as I could. It didn’t take long for me to realize that Radisson Seven Seas was not like the mass market cruise lines. Although, they are far more expensive than the cruises to the Caribbean and even more expensive than Renaissance I became convinced this was the cruise line for us.
I read glowing reviews of the Radisson cruises and especially of the Paul Gauguin which cruises exclusively in Tahiti. I couldn’t find a complaint anywhere on the bulletin boards. The Paul Gauguin has only 160 cabins, no assigned seating for meals (eat when and with whomever you choose – or eat at a romantic table for two). The strictest dress code is for dinner, country club casual, defined as polo shirts and Dockers for men, sundresses and sandals for women. There are no formal nights, no tuxedos, and no pantyhose. Every cabin is an outside cabin and half have balconies. I knew right away I NEEDED a balcony.
The icing on the cake is that just about everything (except excursions) is included. Tips are included in the price. Wine and beer are included with lunch and dinner. There is at least one cocktail hour most days with an open bar. Each cabin has a refrigerator stocked with beer, soft drinks, water, and a bottle of booze of your choice, one bottle per person not per cabin. Water and soft drinks are included and always available. Take a few bottles of water each day for your excursions, no extra charge.
I was convinced that this was the vacation for us. The Paul Gauguin sails weekly to five islands in French Polynesia. This seems like a safe part of the world, that welcomes American tourists, would be new to both my husband and me, and a great way to celebrate our anniversary and his promotion to tenured faculty.
The Package
I had asked my travel agent to watch for a sale on this ship. After several months of looking she finally found a few dates with free airfare from 83 gateway cities. (Some of the Radisson ships offer “buy one get on free” or “buy one get one 50% off” but I have not seen that kind of pricing for the Paul Gauguin.) Of course, Lubbock, TX is not a gateway city so we would have to fly from Dallas. Based on a suggestion from an Oklahoma cruiser on a cruise board, we asked Radisson about airfare from Lubbock and were given a quote of $50 per person. Considering that the usual roundtrip airfare from Lubbock to Dallas is over $100 per person we took advantage of Radisson’s offer.
By paying our deposit the same day we booked our reservation, we received $200 in shipboard credit – enough for about 2 excursions each. (This offer ended in May.) Within a week, we had our first set of documents, including receipts and airline schedule. With three months to go, I was ready to start packing. My husband was pretty sure that if I did, I would have to unpack at least once before our departure.
Getting There
Radisson uses Air Tahiti Nui for all its Paul Gauguin customers. We flew coach class on the newest plane in the fleet. (I wish Epinions had a category for Air Tahiti Nui.) Let’s say it was well organized and uneventful.
Since we were not originating in California, Radisson flew us to Los Angeles a day before the cruise, put us up in the Airport Hilton, provided a breakfast buffet, and provided a representative at the Hilton to insure we stayed on schedule the next morning. (See my separate review of the Hilton – coming soon.)
Once we reached Papeete and cleared customs we boarded buses for the 10 minute ride to the ship. Unfortunately, the buses could only depart the airport 15 minutes apart. Since we were on the second bus we had to wait 10 minutes after our bus filled up before we could drive to the port. I think it took a total of 4 or 5 buses and I felt sorry for those on the last buses.
At the port, we cleared security, were handed a glass of champagne, had our picture taken, received our room keys, and were escorted to our cabin; all in under 10 minutes.
Our Cabin
From what I have heard and read, this is one of the nicest cabins afloat. (I’ve only been on two short cruises about 15 years ago so I really can’t compare our cabin to other modern ships.) We had a Category C, the lowest category with a balcony. The room was 202 square feet and the balcony was 37 square feet. The balcony had a small table and two chairs. (Plenty of room for a cocktail hour or even a room service meal.) Our cabin had a queen bed, small love seat, ottoman and table near the sliding door, a desk with another ottoman separating the two closets, an entertainment unit with a TV, VCR, refrigerator, plenty of shelves, and a safe, and a small alcove with a four small drawers guarded by our own Tiki god.
The TV had movies channels in English, French, and Spanish as well as two local French channels and a channel with information about the ship. The refrigerator was stocked with soda, beer, water, and ice. There were plenty of glasses, stirrers, and napkins should we decide to throw a party. There was a bowl of fruit that was restocked twice daily along with the soda, water, and ice. (The miniature bananas are the best!!!) Each person is given a choice of one bottle of booze to have in their cabin. We got a liter of bourbon and a liter of rum. Other choices included wine, vodka, gin, even more beer.
The cabin décor is rather nautical with lots of dark woods, light fabrics and strategically placed mirrors (to make the cabin look larger). The balcony had both a sheer curtain and a heavy curtain. Most nights we slept with the curtains completely open. The first night I was treated to school of dolphins playing off the starboard side at about 3:30 in the morning.
The bath was small but well planned and well lit. Actually, it isn’t much smaller than the baths of most houses built in the 1960’s. There was a shower/tub combo, a sink with 2 cabinets and a few shelves, a toilet, two towel racks, and a few hooks on the door. But we really couldn’t both be in the bathroom at the same time. In the bath, Radisson supplied 4 ounce bottles of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and hand cream along with two bars of soap, q-tips, and cotton balls, restocking them as needed.
The Ship and Its Activities
With only 160 cabins, the maximum number of guests on the Paul Gauguin is 320. During our trip, several cabins had singles in them, so even though we had a full house we only had 298 cruisers. The decks that guests needed to be concerned about were deck 4 for reception and tours, deck 5 for the grand salon, the casino, and one restaurant, deck 6 for the spa and fitness center, a restaurant and the gift shop, deck 7 for the cigar and cognac club, and deck 8 for the pool, one restaurant, and La Palette.
Since the Paul Gauguin only sails in Tahiti the ship décor is heavily French Polynesian. There are Gauguin prints and Society Island maps lining the promenades. There are plenty of common areas either on an open deck or inside with floor to ceiling windows for an excellent view.
There are three restaurants on the ship. L’Etoile is only open at dinner. This is the main restaurant with open seating and no reservations needed. La Veranda has open seating for breakfast and lunch with a buffet as well as an a la carte menu. They have two special French dinner menus that rotate each night and reservations are required for this. We tried each of these menus and were duly impressed. Le Grill has open seating for a buffet meal at breakfast and lunch. Le Grill also has a reservation only dinner menu which we tried. It seemed to be lighter, less food, and faster than the main restaurant. We found the food to be fabulous. All of it. But then, if I don’t have to cook and I don’t have to clean up, that just makes everything taste that much better.
By the fourth day I noticed that Le Grill was advertising a light lunch. Since this is where we had been eating and I thought the buffet was rather extensive I couldn’t imagine what was considered a “not light” lunch. The light lunch had a salad bar, bread and cheese bar, a cook to order station (could be pasta, could be soup, could be fried rice), a hot bar of at least 2 meats plus hamburgers and hot dogs, two fish items, vegetables, and a desert bar. Well, we went to La Veranda for the “not light” lunch and found the exact same food as at Le Grill plus another dozen items that were different. Who eats coq au vin at lunch?
I’m still not sure I found all the bars. I certainly found all the bars that hosted complimentary cocktail parties. There was at least one complimentary cocktail party each day. Some were on the pool deck, others in the Grand Salon, still others in La Palette which is also where we went for high tea on two occasions. I believe there was a bar in the casino but since they did not have slots (French Polynesian requirement) we never even set foot in the place. I noticed on several nights they offered gambling lessons such as black jack before dinner.
At the end of deck 4, down one level, is the drop down marina. They offer snorkeling, kayaking, waterskiing, windsurfing, and scuba diving. We each checked out snorkeling equipment and kept it for the entire week in our cabin. I never really had time to water ski or kayak. I was too busy exploring the islands.
The evening entertainment started about 9:45 most nights. I am sorry to report I never made it to one show. They just kept refilling my wine at dinner and we sat and talked with newfound friends and then we crashed. We did get to see most of the entertainers at other times, though. The entertainment included the house band called Siglo. They were a pop rock type of band. There was a group of 9 young ladies called Les Gauguines and they sang and danced the traditional Tahitian songs. We heard the pianist during tea at La Palette but I did miss hearing the harpist and the cruise director and social hostesses who all sing. One night they even showed the movie Scary Movie 2.
On mornings when we were cruising and not docked, they offered entertainment such as lectures on the history and geology of French Polynesia, musical performances, or Tahitian craft lessons. One morning we watched a group of young dancers called “The Children of Raiatea.” They ranged in age from 3 years old to young teens. The star of the show was a girl about 6 years old whom we all wanted to adopt.
Excursions
At each port of call (except Papeete, Tahiti), there were several excursions to choose from. On Raiatea, Moorea, and Bora Bora , we had the choice of an Circle Island Tour (usually on the only paved road around the island), an off road adventure in a 4 X 4 (up in the mountains and not a paved road for miles), and a snorkeling tour. Both Moorea and Bora Bora offer helicopter trips and wave runners. Other excursions included shark feeding, dolphin watching, glass bottom boat ride, parasailing, deep sea fishing, and a hiking tour. On certain excursions you could visit a vanilla plantation, the agriculture school, botanical gardens, a black pearl farm, and WWII bunkers. Every island offers some scuba diving.
We enjoyed the circle island tours to get a feel for the local atmosphere. My husband found that the off road adventures gave him major motion sickness. Our hiking tour was led by a professor of anthropology and was quite fascinating and not at all strenuous. We even took a tour that had us traveling in a motorized outrigger canoe. Oh, and out here in the desert south plains were we get 18” of rain year, we both now want to buy wave runners. I could have ridden on them all day long. Most of the excursions we took included a stop for some of the islands’ fresh fruits like coconuts and bananas, even the wave runner trip.
One day I rented a bike and rode a bit on Bora Bora. The circle island road was flat and safe if you were alert. Many people rented cars and toured the islands on their own. I generally like being chauffeured but my husband was suffering from motion sickness that day and I didn’t want to take a tour without him. The bike ride gave me an excuse to eat a bigger lunch.
The best excursion for me wasn’t even really an excursion at all. One day, we visited a small private island called a motu. The ship’s staff cooked a glorious grilled lunch while we indulged at the open bar. The island had chairs, umbrellas, restrooms, and picnic tables. I did some snorkeling and kayaking off the beach and both my husband and I had massages to start out the day. We took the second tender over to the motu (missed the first because they started running half hour earlier than advertised) and took the last tender back to the ship.
On the day we disembarked in Papeete we had to leave the ship at 9:00 am. Since the flight was not until 10:00 pm or so, Radisson arranges to have day rooms at either Le Meridien (a review is coming as we stayed here for 3 days) or the Beachcomber on Tahiti. But those rooms are not ready until after lunch so Radisson provides a tour around the island of Tahiti. In three hours, we stopped at 2 small museums and a grotto. The museum of Tahiti is interesting from an archeological standpoint but we only had half an hour. The Paul Gauguin museum has none of his original works. The grotto was gorgeous and all together we killed three hours. Take this tour if you have nothing else to do but I would have rather spent 3 hours in downtown Papeete at the market or exploring the shops.
The Staff and Service
With a staff of 209 and only 298 guests we had excellent customer service all week. Room service was on time if we ordered the night before otherwise most items took about 10 minutes to arrive after ordering. Our cabin was cleaned and restocked twice a day. We got clean towels and fresh drinks in our refrigerator. Our fruit bowl was filled each time and our bedding was straightened out or turned down as appropriate. Each night we also received a Tahitian myth as a bed time story (and two chocolates). All seven stories folded neatly into a keepsake box.
At every meal someone held the chairs for us to sit, placed our napkins in our laps, and continually topped off our wine glasses as we took each sip. For the buffets, someone invariably carried our plate back from the buffet to our table. To quote another cruiser “I think these people would breathe for us if we asked.” If we were at the buffet near closing time, someone came by to see if we wanted another serving before they closed the buffet.
I feel I must specifically mention Les Gauguines. Besides providing musical entertainment, these young ladies acted as hostess at dinner, taught a Tahitian craft class, and generally socialized with anyone who looked like they might enjoy the company. One day, I went to tea while my husband took a nap. I brought a book and planned on reading while sipping my Russian tea and eating scones. One of the Gauguines noticed I was alone and immediately joined me so I wouldn’t be lonely. I can read anytime, but how often do I get to talk to a native French Polynesian? We had a wonderful chat.
The Other Cruisers
Just who will you meet on the Paul Gauguin? The average age of the Paul Gauguin cruiser is 48 (per the Discovery channel) so you will find active retirees along with well-educated professionals and a few young honeymooners. I only saw four teens and one child on our cruise. This is not a party boat with lots of drinking, dancing, and carousing. The teens were old enough to enjoy the scuba, snorkeling, and most excursions. I ate a few meals with two of them and they seemed like nice kids.
We met at least half the other cruisers either at meals, on excursions, or at a cocktail party. Everyone was friendly and open to new adventures. Most people work (or worked) for a living (we had no “idle rich” that I could find) but are at a stage in life where they enjoy the luxuries of an upscale vacation. We met a few people who were traveling alone and they were welcome into any group.
Most of the guests were Americans or Canadians but we met a few French couples, too. They did publish a daily newspaper in several languages so perhaps you may find a German or Spaniard on the ship.
Many of the cruisers (38 couples on our cruise) were celebrating an anniversary and we had a special party with a Tahitian wedding blessing one day before dinner. The newlyweds (I think they said 19 couples) had a similar party the next day.
Small Problem
After we booked our cruise and a post cruise package through Radisson we received our flight schedule. About a month later we received a new flight schedule and instead of leaving Tahiti on Wednesday morning we would now be leaving Tuesday night, cutting a whole evening of activities from our vacation. Radisson expected us to just meekly accept this change with no intention of giving us a partial refund or credit. After more than two weeks of back and forth with our travel agent and the Radisson representative, we were given the option of checking out of our hotel on Tuesday and saving the last night’s hotel bill. During the post cruise part of the vacation, several of the other couples also complained about losing a day in paradise. Apparently, in the end, everyone got a credit for the inconvenience.
Suggestions
Since it takes about 24 hours of traveling to get to Papeete (and 24 hours to get home), a seven day cruise is really too short. The pre cruise and the post cruise packages are not easily controlled by Radisson and they do not include meals and drinks like the cruise does. Many people find the service at the hotels to be sub par compared with the ship. (I felt that the hotel service at Le Meridien was fine but the service on the ship was superb.) I do wish Radisson would offer a 10 or 11 day cruise option. But the next best thing is to take a pre cruise or post cruise and extend the vacation by 3 days.
Note: Several times a year Radisson offers a 14 day cruise which includes not only the Society Islands where we cruised but also the Marquesas Islands. Guess I’d better start buying lottery tickets.
For more information visit
http://www.rssc.com/index.cfm
http://www.cruisecritic.com
http://www.cruisemates.com
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
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Epinions.com ID:
colleenmf
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 - Top 500 |
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Member: Colleen Farley
Location: Lubbock, TX
Reviews written: 146
Trusted by: 147 members
About Me:
Happily married, mostly retired, and addicted to the internet.
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