Paul Gauguin is upscale but lesser in quality than Regent, Silver Seas, Crystal and other upper end cruise lines. The ship really is too small and too old. It is a great way to visit some of the outlying Tahitian islands, but is grossly overpriced. Would not recommend this cruise unless one could book a balcony cabin for about 1/3 less (i..e., $3-4k/person). It simply isn't worth more.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Drop-off wasn't well marked in a driving rain storm- easy once you find it.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The main dining room is elegant, service is excellent, food is very good. The smaller La Veranda (reservation only for dinners, "French", same menu nightly) and Le Grille (reservation only for dinner, outdoor dining by the pool) can each be skipped entirely- nothing memorable nor better than the main dining (5th floor).
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Very small ship, limited activities. Fitness center small but satisfactory. Very small casino (2 very part-time tables, ~10 slots). The pool is small and with very little shade- though didn't start to get crowded until about 1/2 way through the week. The 9th floor deck & bar went unused, with no lounge chairs setup, the entire week, without explanation.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
They tried. Amateur presentations.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Very friendly, content and attentive.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Cleanliness was excellent. Ship design very, very old, it appears a recycled ship that had been retired decades ago by another cruise line, with balconies added in a retrofit. Needs another retrofit- carpeting & other signs of age are apparent.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Size on the small size for price paid. The ship seems unusually unstable in moderate or heavier seas due to its age, technology and size. The 800 series cabins are in the bow and noticeably affected by even moderate waves. There was an unusually generous amount of storage for a room of its size. Furniture was comfortable, as was the bed & bathroom. The patio (balcony) furniture was sparse and cheap, consisted simply of two sitting chairs and a small glass table, no lounge chairs.
Ship tip
Cannot recommend it. Its a great idea but the ship is too old, too small, and far too expensive. Even though a small ship, the only dock it uses in the Tahiti itinerary is at Papeete.. tenders are used at every stop thereafter. They only run each 30 minutes. Only once did we see passengers turned away because it was too full- but we spent an awfully lot of time of our vacation waiting around for or riding tenders. Not pleasant.
Taxi that we'd paid the cruise line $15 fee to arrange didn't show up. We had to wait in the parking lot with luggage until another could be arranged. Taxis are not plentiful in Papeete.
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