The Big 60......What to do.....

Good morning folks, I am turning 60 next year and am researching new cruises. I have been on close to 50 Ocean

Cruises and last year I took my first River Cruise (LOVED IT):)......this year I am trying my first "Luxury Line".....going

on Silverseas in August,,,,,,,Barcelona to Rome.

I am now researching cruises for the BIG 60.........I was looking at several options...........Tahiti being one of them. It looks

like Paul Gauguin and Windstar are the 2 main cruise lines who go there..........

Please give me your thoughts/insights on this line and why you love them. I sail solo and am guessing I would be

welcomed without any issues?

Thanks for the help:)

Can't comment on WIndstar, but have been on the Paul Gauguin multiple times. Although most passengers are in couples, singles don't seem to have a problem, especially if you're sociable. Dining seating is open, so you can sit with others and mingle, and there may be a singles table (not sure.)

As for the destination, it is a wonderful choice for your special birthday. We spent our 20th and 25th anniversaries there, and will be back this October for our 6th visit. Make sure to try to spend a few days, or overnight at least, pre-cruise. If you can afford 3-4 days extra, spend them on Moorea rather than Tahiti.

Hi Wendy, thanks for the reply.:)....I am very outgoing and it is quite easy for me to meet other people. I will continue

to do my research:)

We will be returning for our 9th PG cruise, while French Polynesia is beautiful, it is the crew and their friendliness and great customer service that brings us back. The ship does not have all the bells and whistles that some of the newer and larger ships have and you need to be aware of that. Try to select the longest PG itinerary you can afford in cost and time, you won't regret it! If time is short, take the longer cruise over going early or staying longer after the cruise.

Thanks for the reply.:) Ships having "all the bells and whistles" are not a priority for me....good food and service are

more important to me.:D

9 times? You must REALLY LOVE IT!!!

I'm going to chime in also. We are leaving Thursday for our 4th trip on the PG. love the crew and the ports. You will not have a problem with being a solo passenger. We always invite them to sit with us if they would like some company. You can go wrong on the Paul Gauguin. [emoji16][emoji16][emoji16]

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You CAN'T go wrong

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I thought that was what you meant;p

Good morning folks, I am turning 60 next year and am researching new cruises. I have been on close to 50 Ocean

Cruises and last year I took my first River Cruise (LOVED IT):)......this year I am trying my first "Luxury Line".....going

on Silverseas in August,,,,,,,Barcelona to Rome.

 

I am now researching cruises for the BIG 60.........I was looking at several options...........Tahiti being one of them. It looks

like Paul Gauguin and Windstar are the 2 main cruise lines who go there..........

 

Please give me your thoughts/insights on this line and why you love them. I sail solo and am guessing I would be

welcomed without any issues?

 

Thanks for the help:)

Hi Lois! I remember you following along on my review from my solo cruise on the Celebrity Summit back in 2010, so I'm glad to see we still share similar tastes in cruising :p I can't be much help to you right now since I haven't been on the PG yet, but I do plan to write a detailed review of my experiences after my cruise in September. You will likely have already made your travel plans by then, so hopefully you do go with PG and can find some useful info in my review! The people in this forum have been incredibly helpful in my planning for this cruise, and it sounds like an amazing experience, so I can't wait to see it first-hand :) Happy early birthday!

Hi Lois! I remember you following along on my review from my solo cruise on the Celebrity Summit back in 2010, so I'm glad to see we still share similar tastes in cruising :p I can't be much help to you right now since I haven't been on the PG yet, but I do plan to write a detailed review of my experiences after my cruise in September. You will likely have already made your travel plans by then, so hopefully you do go with PG and can find some useful info in my review! The people in this forum have been incredibly helpful in my planning for this cruise, and it sounds like an amazing experience, so I can't wait to see it first-hand :) Happy early birthday!

Oh yes, I remember you wrote a a wonderful detailed review:D.....I hope you have a great cruise~:)

Welcome to the PG Board. We are also veteran cruisers 55 plus with about half on luxury and premium lines and 12 on PG cruises including 10 in Tahiti.

The word luxury raises many expectations and I see that some of those are not fulfilled from reviews of the PG. I think you have to make a list of your own expectations and then check them against the PG and what it provides.

If you are looking for superb food go Crystal.

If you are looking for the best regular suites go Regent.

If you are looking for an amazing overall experience and don't have a problem with an older ship and smaller cabins and want to feel intimately connected with FP then go on the PG.

The PG brings the feeling of FP into the ship so you are viewing it intimately. If you spend the time talking to the Gauguinnes, PG 's Tahitian ambassadors, cum entertainers cum general factotums they will tell you of life in the islands, about their matriarchal societies and local experiences. This makes your experience more authentic. My feeling about the people who don't enjoy the PG are either those whose expectations are not real or those who want to view the trip from the outside.

The entertainment on board consists of excellent lecturers ( love you Mark Eddowes!) some assorted magicians, soloists and other performers and local entertainment who come on board. The children of Huahine will charm you with their fledgling dancing and ready smiles. In Moorea you can sit down with the mamas amidst piles of flowers and learn to make Leis and Heis. On the final night a group of professional dancers come onboard to enthrall. Some of the groups who come on board can be a bit hokey but still fun. I enjoyed preventing a male dancer's intimidation tactics in January by holding my iPad protectively in front of me. The closer he inched to my face the further my iPad went out. I managed some awesome photos!

I cannot say too much about our beloved PG crew. They are what draws us to the PG time after time. Ex Maitre Ivan when he knew I was returning to the PG quietly wrote to the current Maitre to make sure that they stocked my all time favourite bread fruit. This is why you will see some of us call them our PG family! Now this is from the repeaters experience but I think the warmth of the PG staff to all is a given.

Do all your research and read all the posts on this board as well as the reviews. Do see some of the PG videos on the net. Come back if you have any questions.

French Polynesia is certainly one of the most beautiful places in the world. Some say it is the most beautiful place period. So going there is certain to be wonderful.

Lots of folks have rightly said that the crew is one of the things that makes the PG special.

However, the social ambience of the ship is also fueled by the passengers, who in general are super-friendly and many have fascinating backgrounds and knowledge of things that they are happy to share.

It is common a few days into a PG cruise for the passengers to begin greeting each other with "Welcome to paradise."

Thank you for all the kind, informative replies.:) I will continue to do research and figure out what I want to do:)