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Great bath amenities wish all cabins had separate shower stall but most are tub/shower combo. Lots of storage space for luggage under the bed so you don't consume closet space for that. Laundry service was same day for no extra cost most days so we sent out the laundry bag every morning.
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The Destinations & Activities
For those who are novice divers or looking for refresher courses, PADI certification is offered onboard. Passengers can also borrow snorkel equipment and water toys such as kayaks and stand-up paddleboards that launch from the ship. We took advantage of this for a delightful kayak paddle off Huahine.
Definitely Not a 5 Star Experience
That pays off in an outstanding shore excursion program with lots of choices and the best guides. The 330-passenger ship, owned by the French cruise line Ponant since 2019, is purpose-built for the region, with a shallow draft that allows it to visit smaller atolls and ports. The ship has been around for 25 years, offering relaxed luxury with island flair.
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10 of 314 Paul Gauguin Cruise Reviews
The ship’s local shore excursion team offers advice so that you can plot out your choices over the course of the cruise. Prices start at less than $50 per person for an island driving tour. The ship offers two private Islet beach days that all the guests onboard rave about, us included. Or, if you want to skip down to it, it’s under “Ports of Call”. Many reviewers on Cruise Critic have praised the Paul Gauguin dining experience, stating that the cuisine is delectable and expertly prepared. People often remark on the great service and the waitstaff’s consistent friendliness and care.
Food on Paul Gauguin is Outstanding, with French Flair and Polynesian Flavors
Many reviewers on Cruise Critic have praised the excursions and activities, stating that they are well-planned and fun. People often comment on how nice and informed the instructors are, which enhances the experience. Another favorable trait of the tours is the chance for travelers to thoroughly immerse themselves in the places they go, with many saying that they offer a singular and unforgettable experience. A significant component of the total experience is dining on the Paul Gauguin.
The ship’s three restaurants offer menus that appeal to a wide variety of palates, while highlighting local ingredients such as mahi mahi and yellow fin tuna in both Tahitian and French preparations. Many travelers, in search of white-sand beaches, clear seas rich in marine life, and beautiful island culture—the calling cards of French Polynesia—head for the resorts when they visit this region. At the high end, there’s the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, or the completely over-the-top the Brando on its own private atoll. But for those who want to see more, a sailing on Paul Gauguin Cruises’ classic m/s Paul Gauguin avoids the logistical hassles of local flights and ferries, while still allowing for a variety of quintessential island experiences. Investment from Ponant has transformed the ship, both literally – a 2021 refurbishment touched almost every aspect of the 25-year-old vessel – and culturally. There’s a slightly more pronounced French vibe that comes through in the food, the wine and the passenger mix (although the ship is primarily full of Americans on its seven-day itineraries).
Fellow Passengers
Taxis take cash only, and you can pay with USD, Euros, or CFP Francs. We walked a quiet road, stopping to sip coconut milk from a stand and exchanging greetings with locals we passed, before returning to the ship. The Tahitian ambassadors also offer classes in crafts such as making roses from bark and necklaces from shells.
The Dining Experience
You had to be vaccinated and have a COVID test 24 hours prior to departure. The crew wore masks, and masks were recommended onboard the ship (about 15% did). It is a short taxi ride to the business center in Papeete and the marina where the ship docks.
About Paul Gauguin CruisesThis cruise line is good for...
During the day, you'll need bathing suits, cover-ups, shorts, shoes that are comfortable for walking or hiking, and reef shoes, a must for the private island experiences, where rocks, broken bits of coral and sea cucumbers can make for an uncomfortable walk. Bug spray with DEET is also a necessity in the lush, tropical environment. We have read many reviews of M/s Paul Gaugin and wanted to cruise in Tahiti to maximize our trip.
We have just finished the Paul Gauguin 7 day Society Islands cruise. Firstly, the ship is old, and although the public areas have had a tasteful refit, the cabins, and specifically the bathrooms are dreadful. Replacing a shower curtain over a bath with a static glass panel, so that you have to lean right in to turn on and adjust the water was unpleasant at best, and quite dangerous at worst. Further, supplying an old fashioned rubber suction mat for the bathtub on a 5 Star cruise is ridiculous. If a bath’s non slip surface is too worn to be safe, replace it.
The Paul Gauguin is a luxurious cruise ship that provides its passengers with a distinctive experience. The South Pacific and the Society Islands are only a couple of the far-flung and exotic places our ship travels. Those seeking an opulent and personal experience can get what they’re looking for at The Paul Gauguin.
To see the island of Tahiti and properly recover from jet lag, I highly recommend you arrive a day or two before your cruise. Activities include creating your own temporary tattoo and naturalist-led beach hikes. The reservations-required (but for no added fee) Le Veranda has an over-the-top degustation menu that includes dishes such as seared foie gras and tuna sashimi with apple and pear and a duo of escargot and mushrooms on a poached egg topped with potato foam. You can indulge in Tahiti’s famous poisson cru (raw tuna in coconut milk) at the open-air Le Grill restaurant on the pool deck, where you can dine casually in your shorts. And you won’t go hungry at Restaurant L’Etoile, the classy main dining room, where crowd-pleasing international menu items, including Asian and vegetarian selections, are followed by a parade of petit fours for dessert. Most staterooms, and the ship’s 27 butler-service suites, are outfitted with balconies that deliver astonishingly beautiful views of the sea and sky and of the vegetation and dark volcanic peaks ashore.
The staterooms are sumptuous and spotless, and each one has a panoramic view of the endless Pacific scenery. The Paul Gauguin offers a variety of services and entertainment for visitors to take advantage of, giving them a choice of ways to unwind and enjoy themselves. Everyone may find something to enjoy on the ship, from lounges and swimming pools to live music and shows. The Paul Gauguin provides a variety of excursions and activities so that visitors can fully experience the places they travel to. These tours are supervised by qualified and skilled guides, and they are created to give visitors a distinctive and immersive experience. The food is great and expertly prepared, and the eating experience is intended to be opulent and enjoyable.
The beach tours go to a local hotel, where a towel and lounge chair are waiting – along with lunch! The whale watching tour brought us to a location near Mo’orea, where the humpback whales keep their young protected until they grow. We were able to view whales, dolphins, reef sharks, and stingrays. We rode in small boats and were able to view the wildlife while snorkeling. The ship has a small pool, fitness center, spa, library, non-motorized marina, showroom, main restaurant, and two specialty restaurants.
The ship’s spa is also a cultural experience of sorts, with the therapists being specially trained in some of the local wellness treatments. My Romanian therapist turned me to mush using oil scented with gardenias and a combination of touching and pressing based on traditional Polynesian Taurumi mind-and-body massage techniques. Fresh from a refurbishment in 2021, the iconic French-flagged m/s Paul Gauguin delivers laid-back luxury and island-influenced decor that perfectly matches the scenery and experiences on shore. The ship was first introduced in 1998 as a vessel specifically built to cruise in the shallow lagoons of these islands.
The move was better for the crew, too, we’ve been told – and as a result, Paul Gauguin is a happy ship, with veteran staff that go out of their way to make your trip fun and enjoyable, never stuffy. We had a small issue upon boarding with the temperature in our first suite. Two hours later it was no cooler and were perspiring just from unpacking. To make a long story short after two phone calls and one trip to the Guest Manager's office, and, two trips by the service guy to our cabin they admitted they couldn't fix it and moved us to another suite on the same deck. My only feedback there is that they knew the cabin A/C was broken before they put us in the room they should have moved us to to the other suite up front. Anyway, the issue was solved with the suite move that same day so our trip continued pleasurably.
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