My email sent to Paul Gauguin reviewing our onboard experience & MUCH more

[WaggesAZ]

You may have or have had a different experience, but I wanted to share our most recent experience.  This is long so hopefully you get something out of our feedback.

 

We have arrived home and wanted to let you know how genuinely disappointed we were in the overall experience on Paul Gaugin.  Following are the experience as encountered by us.

 

Pros:

• • • • Wonderful boarding experience, appreciated the towels, and organization on the pier and inside.  Our stewardess showed us to our room and we LOVED Eleanor
      • The ability to order breakfast prior to a 6 am delivery.  Breakfast room service was great
      • The staff EVERYWHERE except the Marina Supervisor were all incredible
      • Le Gaugins were also such a warm and welcoming entertaining group.  The different performances were wonderful and the hula dancer with the small troup that came into the dining area was wonderful to watch
      • The Picnic Tour operator on Huahine was also just wonderful.  They were funny and lunch was delicious.
      • The drift snorkel operators Taha'a were excellent - pouring rain so the 2nd pass was not much of a drift as a swim, but they kept us safe and did a wonderful job
      • The red wine selections were fantastic
      • Disembarkation was seamless as well

 

Cons:

• Linens - sheets, pillows and towels were all discolored and felt worn
• The lack of a stabilizer on the ship.  After all my research I saw no complaints about this, which is mind blowing.  It made sleeping impossible on travel evenings between ports.  The staff were all having trouble walking, and were very gracious assisting the passengers in the dining room.
• The Marina Supervisor/Manager (Arthur?) was less than empathic.  While I didn't expect him to do anything for us, an apology would have gone a long way.  My husband's snorkel didn't have a clip to keep it attached to the mask.  We discovered that while on our drift snorkel in Taha'a.  Because of that, it made the drift snorkel a struggle, as he couldn't keep his arms to the side, as he had to hold the snorkel out of the water.  Because of the weather and the difficulty while snorkeling, he elected to not go on the second pass.  When I spoke to the excursions desk, they said they would ask him to contact me.  He sent a letter and gave us the time it would be best to speak with him.  When we did, he basically had no empathy for the situation and stated that he is only responsible for the satisfaction of divers, and as a courtesy supply, they free snorkel equipment.  He handed us a mask with a clip and said are we good?  REALLY?  No apology, empathy goes a long way in that type of situation.  We were offered $60 which is 1/2 of the excursion cost from the excursions desk when I expressed our disappointment in Arthur's reaction.  It was very kind of them to do that.
• Our room did not have hot water in the early mornings.  When maintenance came (after 11) we would have hot water so they couldn't ever replicate the issue
• Most mixed drinks were not to our taste, nor was the beer selection.  The furthest aft bar on deck 8 did offer a wonderful lemon drop martini.
• Our BIGGEST disappointment was food.  Every dining room experience with the exception of our final dinner at Le Grille was disappointing at best, as most items completely lacked any flavor, including Le Veranda. We talked to SEVERAL of our fellow passengers and that was also their experience/complaint.  To be frank, our Airline food on United as well as Air Tahiti Nui were both much better tasting than our meals on PG.

 

In summation, we expected luxury, as that is what your website states.  That expectation was noted in the price that was paid. Shockingly, we had a far better experience on a Princess cruise last year in Alaska at approximately the same time.  We paid less money for 11 days days (4 days on land/7 at sea) and their food was superb in comparison to yours.  We also had an aft cabin on the Majestic, and our room and balcony size were comparable. We had an all inclusive package for alcohol, crew gratuities, photos, 2 specialty dinings and still paid less than this experience.  That is a complete shame.

 

I have never returned from a vacation where I was excited to go home and had no desire to do that experience again.  That has now changed.  After reading about the many, many passengers and meeting a few passengers who return year after year, I can only think it is due to your amazing crew.  

If you managed to get through all of that, I would like to offer more information about our time before, during and post cruise.  I am fully aware PG is not responsible for weather and/or how it affects our voyage, so if I talk about how weather impacted us, that is without any blame directed at PG.

 

We flew SFO to PPT on United in Premium Economy.  They had a small amenity kit, great service and food was served on proper dishes.  They also offered free alcoholic drinks during the flight.  We sat in bulk head, and with the additional pitch and leg rests taking a nap was easy.  We arrived at 7:00pm or so and were at the hotel around 8 or so.  The taxi was easy and close to 2000 XPF.  

 

We arrived 2 days before and stayed at the Hilton.  Nice property, great pool!  Breakfast was $50/person but a very nice presentation.  Our room had no hot water when we got there but we were exhausted and just quickly showered off.  When we woke up and had no hot water again, I called.  We went fishing with a local captain and it was a beautiful day on the water, the ocean was calm and we saw 2 humpbacks, a new born calf and mom, the baby was riding on her nose and it was a wonderful surprise.  We went back to the hotel, and maintenance said it wasn't good news, they had to call an outside contractor.  We went to the pool and enjoyed the afternoon.  Finally enjoyed a hot shower before heading to bed.  We walked to the Carrefour the next morning and bought a couple refillable bottles for our cruise, which were not needed as Paul Gaugin provides them.  We went to Papeete Market and bought a few things, and I found the best selection and prettiest set pearls with guarantees to be sold upstairs.  We went to the ship around 1:30 and were able to be in boarding group one.  They actually starting boarding a little earlier, around 2:30.

We boarded in intermittent rain, and sailed away during a downpour.  The ride to Huahine was rough, however the day there was overall very nice.  We had to book a last minute excursion through PG and were able to enjoy a Motu Picnic lunch.  We had booked a shared combo tour with Huahine Nautique, who cancelled the day prior as the other guests cancelled.  They didn't offer to move my booking to the picnic, or go private, so when I asked about the option to do just the picnic, I was told it was full.  My husband said what if we do private, so I asked again, and had no response for hours so I called using WhatsApp.  I spoke to Marc directly, who said they had already booked a private tour for the combo tour, and that was done after my cancellation.  VERY disappointing, as we requested our reservation in March and they confirmed it in May.  VERY grateful PG was able to save our day!

On the Motu Picnic, the day didn't look promising as we boarded our Drift Snorkel booked through PG.  While it rained as we drifted, the snorkeling was beautiful and we saw so many things - a giant anemone that was host to a family of clown fish, black tip and white tip reef sharks, beautiful corals, giant clams and the list goes on.  It was also warmer in the water than on land, so that was a plus.  To our dismay, we had to go straight to the Motu, rather than the ship to shower off and/or get warmed up.  Since we were soaking wet, and it was raining and windy, we grabbed lunch and eagerly awaited the next tender to the ship.

 

On to Bora Bora, there were numerous things were cancelled both days.  We had booked with H20 Bora Bora directly for our first day, and sadly it was cancelled as was our sunset sail with PG.  The first day had no tours available and the excursions desk suggested that we take a taxi tour.  We took the tender over and then found the awaiting taxis.  Our driver was Danny had a very strong accent and we don't speak enough French to make it easy for us to understand one another from time to time.  It was a nice way to see the island and he was SO kind.  He took our photos at different sites.  The next day we had booked a private fishing charter and gave it a valiant effort but the swells were WAY too much to be able to enjoy the day as we were being overcome by the water of the bow for a solid hour, we returned to the harbor.  Bora Bora Fishing Charters did their best to give us the day we hoped for, Carter was great to work with as was our Captain Tau.  Tau was a great fisherman and very experienced, so again weather was out of their control and absolutely no complaints.  We ended up having lunch on the ship and enjoying a relaxing afternoon poolside chatting with our fellow passengers.

 

The reason we initially booked this trip was the opportunity to swim with humpbacks on Moorea. Because it's nature, I booked a whale swim for both days.  I booked a trip the first day with Pacifik Attitude.  They did a great job trying to get us an encounter with the whales, but unfortunately we only experienced their beauty from the boat.  However the second day was ABSOLUTELY the MOST amazing day and encounters were BEYOND incredible.  We went out with Moorea Moana Tours.  We had a group of 4 check us out on our first entry and they were so close we had to back up.  The second encounter was with 2 whales, and we were the only boat there.  We spent 45 minutes with them checking us out, swimming around and I am left without words to accurately describe this experience.  I don't know if I have cried while doing anything else besides getting married or giving birth.  It was next level special.

The day we left PG we booked a private tour with Tahiti Eden Tours and Fabrice is the owner and was our guide.  He shared GREAT information and it was a wonderful tour, and our luggage accompanied us on the tour.  We ended our time with a room I had independently booked outside of PG, at the Intercontinental.  We arrived around 1:15, checked in and went to lunch.  They told us to check back in around 2, and our room was ready.  It was nice to relax by the pool and have a shower before going to the airport.  While there was a reported security strike at PPT, the lines moved efficiently and we enjoyed having time in the Air Tahiti Nui Lounge before boarding.  We flew Poerava Business Class and ATN offered wonderful service on our flight to LAX and their food was fantastic.  We only ate breakfast but heard dinner was good as well.  Our experience once we landed at LAX was a *****$how and please believe me when I say you NEED 3 hours, regardless of what the airlines tell you or allow you to book.  We have Global Entry and were the first people off the plane.  We were through customs in less than 10 minutes from walking off the plane.  We waited for over an hour for our luggage, after the plane leaving PPT was delayed.  Our connecting flight was boarding at 12:25, and we did not receive our bags until close to 12:40, and were still in the Tom Bradley Terminal.  I will not talk about that experience any further, as I knew better and should have required them to change our connecting flight to a later time.

AGAIN, you may have a different experience, but this is ours.  Since I read how amazing everything is on PG, we were disappointed as our expectations were clearly higher than they should have been.  I am not wanting to debate, as it is our perception which is our reality.  I am happy to answer questions

[MrBill923]

Thanks for posting. We are leaving in a few weeks for our first PG Tahiti trip. Like you, we are expecting a perfect full service, excellent food trip, with delightful scenery trip. 

I hope your disappointment will not be ours as well.

Please post if you get a response from PG. 

 

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

I've been on the PG 16 times ... some with groups and several just on our own. Our experiences have always been good if not great. Sure there have been a few issues over the years but nothing like you mention.

 

Would agree the crew is top notch  ....

 

I've been on 4 smaller ships in FP waters ... the PG is one of the best. Again I'm not hear to debate ... simply stating our experiences on this wonderful ship. Sorry yours wasn't like any one of the 16 we've enjoyed on the PG.

 

Edited August 6 by Tahitianbigkahuna

[WaggesAZ]

8 hours ago, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

I've been on the PG 16 times ... some with groups and several just on our own. Our experiences have always been good if not great. Sure there have been a few issues over the years but nothing like you mention.

 

Would agree the crew is top notch  ....

 

I've been on 4 smaller ships in FP waters ... the PG is one of the best. Again I'm not hear to debate ... simply stating our experiences on this wonderful ship. Sorry yours wasn't like any one of the 16 we've enjoyed on the PG.

 

I would say your posts and FB page definitely helped my expectations to be set pretty high.  Out of respect to your page I chose not to put any feedback there since you organize group tours there too.

All things considered, the food is our biggest complaint/disappointment and the lack of a stabilizer was definitely the most unwelcome surprise.  I had not read that anywhere and I planned this since 2021.  I had PLENTY of time to research, as we had to postpone our original booking.  

 

I spoke with others who mentioned the linens to us and as I said numerous passengers we spoke with agreed about the food lacking in taste.  Maybe we had a 1 off experience with the food, I don't know.  I do know you are fortunate to have not had that experience in 16 previous voyages.

[WaggesAZ]

20 hours ago, MrBill923 said:

Thanks for posting. We are leaving in a few weeks for our first PG Tahiti trip. Like you, we are expecting a perfect full service, excellent food trip, with delightful scenery trip. 

I hope your disappointment will not be ours as well.

Please post if you get a response from PG. 

 

I will definitely update any response I receive.

 

The scenery, even in less than stellar weather, was incredible.  You can't imagine that it is prettier in person than the numerous photos you have seen, but I assure you it is magical and majestic in person.  The crew on board is beyond wonderful and truly are kind, fun and definitely committed to enhancing your experience.  The pastry chef was fantastic, so if you have a sweet tooth like me, you will not be disappointed-HA!!  I genuinely hope that we just had a one off occurrence, as it wasn't just us, we spoke to likely 10+ other couples who were disappointed in the lunch and dinner entrees.  I wish you a wonderful trip!

[WaggesAZ]

45 minutes ago, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

 

Interestingly I have dozens who go with me time after time. My next group I'm taking on the PG over half the group are returnees ... If they had had a bad experience I think they would not go again with me. FYI ... the ship does have stabilizers though the ship has a rounded bottom to keep the draft short as possible to enter areas where larger ships can not go. Possible that there was a problem with the stabilizers but just keeping it factual  ... the ship does have stabilizers. 

 

The ship's best head chef is Paul ... Ponant will bring in a chef usually from France or another one of the fleets ships. I've noticed the food not as good when Paul is not on-board though not bad, just not as good. 

 

I've taken groups on 4 small ships in French Polynesia so it isn't like have have a love affair with only one ship ... next year have have one on the PG and two on another small ship. I can book on several small ships but the PG is still high on my list and all the return business that goes with me on the PG speaks volumes ... again ... sorry to hear your trip wasn't up to your expectations .... maybe it was because you didn't go with me 🙂

Oh, that is interesting because I was speaking with someone who had organized a group tour and was a host for a travel agency. She is the one who mentioned to me there was not stabilizers. I assumed since she had booked PG for years, she knew that to be true. 
 Assumptions...You know what they say, ha!

I do know that the captain came on and made announcements about how rough it was going to be and apologized, so perhaps they were not working efficiently. 


Unfortunately, your group tours have not aligned with my ability to travel, I have tried. Your group next year will be right as I’m returning from the Mediterranean so there was no way I could do a back-to-back as I’m still working and being away for five weeks is not optimal at this point. 
 

Edited August 7 by WaggesAZ

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

16 minutes ago, WaggesAZ said:

Oh, that is interesting because I was speaking with someone who had organized a group tour and was a host for a travel agency. She is the one who mentioned to me there was not stabilizers. I assumed since she had booked PG for years, she knew that to be true. 
 Assumptions...You know what they say, ha!

I do know that the captain came on and made announcements about how rough it was going to be and apologized, so perhaps they were not working efficiently. 


Unfortunately, your group tours have not aligned with my ability to travel, I have tried. Your group next year will be right as I’m returning from the Mediterranean so there was no way I could do a back-to-back as I’m still working and being away for five weeks is not optimal at this point. 
 

 

I've been on-board when it was rocking due to the weather ... due to the rounded hull the ship will move around a bit more than many other ships but remember the ship was built for zipping between islands that are usually close together ... she does not like open seas. Went to med with a group last year (late September/early October) ... was surprised how busy it was though we still had a great time. 

[Trend]

Have to say first time 20 +years ago we had rough seas leaving Tahiti, fell out of bed at night..

We did know that the ship had no stabilizers.

The next time 11 years ago we did Fiji to Tahiti and no problems.

[JinxyB]

We went on the PG for the first time in June- I was horribly seasick the first few days and was shocked how much the ship was rocking and rolling. I used a scopolamine patch and was fine after a few days- were on a 14 day cruise and got used to it. Sorry your experience was sub optimal- we had a great time. Agree about the linens though. We also had problems with our A/C that were not solved to our satisfaction.

[AllisonJames]

Thank you for this. A South Pacific cruise is on my bucket list and over several years I keep looking at, pricing out and then hesitating to book the Paul Gauguin as I have found the photos of the ship a little underwhelming; also having to go pretty high up in cabin category/price to get a balcony makes it seem quite expensive at more than $1,500+ a day for a couple for a non-AI cruise. We don’t mind paying for a high quality/high value experience but reports such as yours continue to encourage me to look at other options. And we are good sailors on ships with stabilizers so the stabilizer issue also is concerning. 

[WaggesAZ]

35 minutes ago, AllisonJames said:

Thank you for this. A South Pacific cruise is on my bucket list and over several years I keep looking at, pricing out and then hesitating to book the Paul Gauguin as I have found the photos of the ship a little underwhelming; also having to go pretty high up in cabin category/price to get a balcony makes it seem quite expensive at more than $1,500+ a day for a couple for a non-AI cruise. We don’t mind paying for a high quality/high value experience but reports such as yours continue to encourage me to look at other options. And we are good sailors on ships with stabilizers so the stabilizer issue also is concerning. 

We are good sailors as well.  We are very grateful to not experience motion sickness.  However the fact that the bed was one direction and the waves caused the rocking to be the opposite, it was not as if we were being lulled to sleep.  And to your point, yes, we paid approximately $1825/night for this cruise.  We were in C - 767 The middle of the 5 aft cabins, with the flag immediately off our balcony.  The views were LOVELY - I attached a sunset photo I snapped.

 

On 8/5/2024 at 7:24 PM, MrBill923 said:

Thanks for posting. We are leaving in a few weeks for our first PG Tahiti trip. Like you, we are expecting a perfect full service, excellent food trip, with delightful scenery trip. 

I hope your disappointment will not be ours as well.

Please post if you get a response from PG. 

 

 Hi Bill, 

Here is the PG response:

 

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback regarding your recent cruise experience with us. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we assure you that we take it very seriously as we continuously strive to improve and enhance our services.

 

We are sorry to hear about the issues regarding the shore excursion. Please know that we have shared this feedback with our internal teams. To remediate your dissatisfaction, and as gesture of goodwill, our onboard team extended you a 50% discount on your Shore Excursion. (I had acknowledged that it was a kind gesture in my original email?)

 

Paul Gauguin offers three distinct restaurants, each providing a wide range of culinary choices to cater to various tastes and preferences. The selection includes high-quality ingredients and diverse menu options, designed to meet and exceed industry standards. We genuinely appreciate your insights regarding your culinary experience onboard. We are sorry to hear that your experience did not meet the high standards you had anticipated. We understand how important it is for every aspect of a vacation to be enjoyable, and we apologize for the disappointment you encountered with the food. Your feedback is instrumental in helping us improve, and we sincerely appreciate your honesty.

We ate at all 3 dining rooms, and with the evening at Le Grille, there was not a lot to compliment.  When they're feeding thousands, you adjust the expectation for quality.  PG's own website boasts "Paul Gauguin Cruises is proud to offer an extraordinary value in luxury cruising, thanks to our all-inclusive pricing. Spend more time enjoying your cruise vacation and less time worrying about every little detail when it’s all been taken care of—from gourmet dining"  Sadly, that was not our experience.

 

 

IMG_1050.HEIC

Edited August 15 by WaggesAZ

[MrBill923]

WaggesAZ: Thanks for posting PG response. It's a typical polite response. I'll find out this weekend first hand about the ship....if the PPT strike doesn't cancel my flight in. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

13 hours ago, MrBill923 said:

WaggesAZ: Thanks for posting PG response. It's a typical polite response. I'll find out this weekend first hand about the ship....if the PPT strike doesn't cancel my flight in. 

We're counting on your review, bon voyage!

[agj_h]

On 8/16/2024 at 9:46 AM, WaggesAZ said:

We were in C - 767 The middle of the 5 aft cabins, with the flag immediately off our balcony.  The views were LOVELY - I attached a sunset photo I snapped.

Thank you for the view.  I've got my first PG trip coming up in October as a solo traveller, located in C - 763 - so one of those 5 aft cabins you mentioned (but off to one side).  

 

I'm not an experienced cruiser so will be looking at this with fresh eyes so-to-speak.  Appreciate you publishing the feedback, and response.  

[WaggesAZ]

On 8/15/2024 at 9:44 PM, MrBill923 said:

WaggesAZ: Thanks for posting PG response. It's a typical polite response. I'll find out this weekend first hand about the ship....if the PPT strike doesn't cancel my flight in. 

I wish you wonderful weather and a great experience!!!

[MrBill923]

Onboard now. Airport Strike was cancelled. So far poor communication with transfers and hotel meal vouchers. Staff very friendly. First dinner was tasty and hot. Wifi works but can't send picture txt messages. More later....if this posts.? 

[SuperSwimmer22]

My DH and I were on the PG Aug. 17th 2024 sailing (7-night More Society Islands & Tahiti itinerary) so thought I could contribute to the conversation on this topic. Thankfully, I had read this thread before leaving on the trip which made me get right on Amazon to order the motion sickness wristbands, ear patches and gravol ginger and some other homeopathic pills that don't cause drowsiness. We were in one of the aft cabins (766) and although I know the forward and aft can move more than the mid-ship locations, I too was disappointed by just how poor the stabilizers ( or no stabilizers??) on this ship were. Ultimately, it did impact the enjoyment of the cruise and the ability to take full advantage of the evening entertainment and lounges. My hubby was seasick two nights which was very unpleasant for him. There was a third night where we both pre-emptively took real medication (the drowsy stuff) because the ship was really rocking and rolling.

 

I had thought that July-August were ideal times to visit FP (I had been there 21 years prior in July, staying on land, splitting my time between Bora Bora and Moorea and dreaming of one day being able to afford to go on the glitzy Paul Gaugin cruise!) So I was hopeful that we would be gliding over calm waters for our August cruise... but the wind was really strong for most of our trip, while cruising between islands, when docked/anchored, and when touring around each island. On that note, I'd suggest booking shore excursions privately. There was a day in Raiatea when the PG cancelled its shore excursions due to strong winds, but we were still able to enjoy a glorious day going around sister island Taha'a (we booked on ARE Tours - highly recommended!!) 

 

The ship itself is lovely enough considering its age. I think they have done a really nice job of renovating it, though you can tell that it not a new ship and could use some more extensive renovations to the pool area. Like on most cruise ships (other than the newest ones), the pool itself is tiny and uninviting and there is no hot tub. I think the only one who swam in the pool was a tweenager. On the other hand, the pool deck furniture was stylish and comfy and we were always able to find a nice place to sit. The adjacent bar was the perfect place to get a drink to elevate the experience, although the wait staff also came around to take drink orders. I think this ship is lacking in having common areas to enjoy the view, like an observation lounge type room. The Library is essentially in a hallway and not very inspiring. The piano bar feels similar, not enough natural light to make you want to spend time there during the day although it is probably the largest common area with seating. But at the end of the day, this cruise is about the islands you're visiting and not the ship itself.

 

About our cabin: Most of the cabins on the PG are the same small size, the love seat is tiny and faces the wall, not the TV hence didn't use either (the love seat or the TV). I was pleasantly surprised by the bathroom in our aft cabin. It looked like it had been renovated more recently than the others, with a large, walk-in shower and tiled floor that looked like dark hardwood. The other advantage of the aft cabins is of course their larger balcony sizes. Some people say they don't need a balcony and that the ship is their balcony. On this, I respectfully disagree. This cruise ship does not have a lot of outdoor sitting areas to lounge. There is the pool deck, but most of the furniture is put away in the evening, especially when it is windy. There is also La Palette on the 8th floor aft, which has some outdoor furniture and tables, but it is also quite windy and is the smoking area of the ship so only half of it is pleasant for non-smokers. Our balcony was the perfect spot, shielded from the wind, and was such a peaceful place to watch the sunset. 

 

The food was overall very good. We ate in the main dining room L'Etoile most nights. Twice we ate at Le Grill. The first time I got the steak which was undercooked and bland. The second time was on Polynesian night and was a better experience. We didn't eat in La Veranda. The night we had reservations there was one of the nights my hubby was feeling sick. Plus the food there is a little more fussy (lots of truffle and foie gras on the menu - not for DH). I heard from a fellow traveller that it was amazing though and very gourmet. I loved the breakfasts in La Veranda. The variety of jams (pineapple-passion fruit, papaya-vanilla, guava, banana, mango...) were my favourite part and so delicious with French baguette and brie. Plus you can order omelettes, French toast, chocolate chip pancakes and so much more from your waiter. We ate lunch at Le Grill on the ship about half the time and there were always plenty of tasty options. The tea time was also one of our favourites. Tasty scones with cream and jam, cookies, sandwiches, ice cream, etc. 

 

The crown jewel of this ship are the staff. They are the most friendly, delightful, service-oriented, and seemingly happy people who work so hard to make your vacation an absolute pleasure. They are mostly from the Philippines and of course Les Gaugines are phenomenal. So talented, and so beautiful inside and out, generously sharing their culture with us.

 

 

[MrBill923]

SuperSwimmer22 -- you should post your review as a new topic so everyone can read your great review. That is what I did thinking it would be more helpful as well. 

[SuperSwimmer22]

Good idea! I might to add to it in that case 😇

[Michael_A]

The PG does indeed have stabilizers. As other have reported, they seem to be inoperative at the moment (or significantly reduced effectiveness). I believe it goes into drydock later in the year when touring southeast Asia. Hopefully then a repair can be made (if not sooner)! I suspect it is unlikely to conduct such a repair while in Tahiti (involves pretty heavy hydraulics, pumps, etc.) and almost necessitates pulling it out of the water to get to everything.

[MrBill923]

One of our very rough nights we were having dinner and kept hearing this roaring - moaning noise every few minutes. I asked the Head Waiter, and he said they were the two stabilizers, and they were directly under us. Annoying, especially as they weren't helping much! 

[BeechMan]

I'm just going to chime in here.  We had an absolutely magical 14 day cruise on the PG in July.  Maybe a couple of misses on food issues over those two weeks, but the rest was fantastic.  The staff was gracious and friendly.  And, with every bit of respect because I don't know the circumstances, Arthur in the marina was one of the kindest, most thoughtful members of the crew we encountered.  My wife, 13 year old daughter, and I are all certified scuba divers, and our 9 year old son was not.  When our family was signing up for dives, Arthur saw how disappointed our son was that he couldn't join us, and he created a bespoke dive trip just for us, with Arthur helping our son with basic scuba - holding onto his BCD and taking him to six feet down.  You should have seen my son light up about it.  At the end of the cruise, Arthur hosted the reception for the guests who had done dives, and they called my son up and gave him a certificate of first dive.  It's now framed on his wall.  Arthur took our experience on board to a whole new level.  I don't know how you got cross-wise with him @WaggesAZ, or what other issues he might have been dealing with at the time (and he was remarkably good at addressing guests with ... powerful ... personalities), but I can only say it must have been something anomalous.  The entire trip was spectacular, and we cannot wait to be back on our home-away-from-home Gauguin and our next Ponant adventure.

[WaggesAZ]

@BeechMan the interaction was exactly as described.  We brought the equipment to show him, I explained that the clip was missing and because of the malfunction it made it difficult for him to snorkel so he elected not to do the second pass.  Arthur said "There's not much I can do, I am only responsible for dives and divers.  It's free equipment"  He then replaced the "free equipment" and he asked if we were good.  That was the extent of our exchange and interaction at the platform other than the original pick up and subsequent return.  There was no "cross-wise" to be had, as we hardly spoke, and were speechless when he handed us the equipment and quipped "We good?".  Kindness goes a LONG way in these situations, there was nothing to be powerful about on our end.  I accepted the equipment, thanked him and walked away, stunned. Perhaps because we weren't divers (that is his focus and dives are his responsibility) he didn't feel any further response was necessary.  Diminishing my experience by telling me of how wonderful yours was does not make my experience and perception any different.

 

I am truly grateful to hear of his treatment of your family, especially your son. That was an incredible thing for your son and a wonderful memory your family was able to create.  We traveled a lot when our kids were younger as a family, and I miss that now that they're grown.  Those memories are precious.

 

I have belonged to CC for 15 years and I challenge you to look at my posts.  You will see I am not a complainer. I can and do find the good in many things.  I did on this trip as well, despite rough weather and the mishaps.

 

This was by far the most disappointing time I have experienced aboard any cruise. I have mostly cruised mass market lines, however this was touted to be luxury and overall, the cost was not inline with the experience, in our opinion.  I dreamt of this trip for over 4 years, having originally booked in February 2020...

 

I have been to many fine hotels and restaurants and for me, this was not on par with any of those experiences. I have cruised Alaska in a better/larger cabin with a wonderful land tour for a total of 11 days for less money than 7 days on PG. Yet, I do not regret that we went, as the biggest reason for going was to swim with whales.  That experience was by far one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had in my life, outranked only by getting married and having our 2 sons. However, I could have done that by flying to Tahiti, and staying on Moorea.  

There are a lot of people like yourself who had me believing I would be wowed and amazed by Paul Gaugin, wanting to return again and again. Unfortunately for me, Paul Gaugin is definitely on my never again list.  Be grateful that wasn't your family's experience, I am for you.  

[BeechMan]

@WaggesAZ I did not mean to suggest that you were amongst the difficult, "powerful" people.  I was referring to a few of my fellow cruisers who were exceedingly entitled, self-centered, and demanding of Arthur, whom he handled, as I witnessed, kindly and deftly.  What I was suggesting was that Arthur, like any reasonable person, could be worn down by a bunch of interactions with such people, and simply be out of gas.  I am so happy you had a great experience with the whales.  I would not have even written, though I respectfully disagree with your assessment of the food, linens, and relative merits and tradeoffs of the PG's ability to handle the surf (the PG is specifically designed with a hull that compromises its ability to remain steady in rough seas in favor of its ability to cruise over shallow reefs - a trade off to be sure).  What drew my fingers to the keyboard was your negative comment about a person about whom I think very highly on the staff.  I'm not saying your interaction with him didn't happen.  As I said, I believe that it was an anomaly.  Different cruise experiences suit different people.  Speaking for people like me, whose experiences on the PG were better than great, I am sorry that what has sparked our love for this vessel and its people did not accord with your preferences.  But people are reading your reviews, too, which is why I believe some balance would be helpful.  Be grateful that there are other cruises and experiences that suit you better, and while I do wish that your PG experience had been better, I am so happy that different people have different preferences and find their happiness in unique places.  Each of us to our boats.

[TheDarkestBlue]

Well said @BeechMan Our PG cruise still stands as the best vacation we've ever taken 🧜🏻‍♀️ can't wait to go back next year!

 

I'm very sorry for your experience @WaggesAZ to each his own.