Status of Paul Gauguin?

[murphysmum]

:confused: Hello...

 

I'm wondering if someone has been on the Paul Gauguin recently and what condition the ship is in. I've not been on the PG before and have heard that it's a great ship; I've booked a cruise for next May...before reading these boards.

 

My reason for asking about ship condition is that a few years ago my husband and I cruised on the Raddisson (sp?) Diamond shortly before it was taken out of service.

 

I had expected a 5 star experience and what we had was a great ship but WAY past it's prime....huge paint/metal blisters, rust, etc....tired cabins....average food but excellent service. We had a great time anyway, but were dismayed at the ship's condition and noted that it was sold three months later.

 

Can someone assure me that the reason for discontinuing use of the PG is not due to deterioration of the ship? Thanks so very much for any information you can provide.

 

Happy sailing!!!

[catmommy]

:confused: Hello...

 

I'm wondering if someone has been on the Paul Gauguin recently and what condition the ship is in. I've not been on the PG before and have heard that it's a great ship; I've booked a cruise for next May...before reading these boards.

 

My reason for asking about ship condition is that a few years ago my husband and I cruised on the Raddisson (sp?) Diamond shortly before it was taken out of service.

 

I had expected a 5 star experience and what we had was a great ship but WAY past it's prime....huge paint/metal blisters, rust, etc....tired cabins....average food but excellent service. We had a great time anyway, but were dismayed at the ship's condition and noted that it was sold three months later.

 

Can someone assure me that the reason for discontinuing use of the PG is not due to deterioration of the ship? Thanks so very much for any information you can provide.

 

Happy sailing!!!

 

Well I was just on her only a few days ago and she was in great shape. Clean carpets, nice upholstry (sp?) I think most folks are worried that she will be placed under Grand Circle Travel management or pulled out of FP totally or some of the time but this has not much to do with the state of the ship herself.

 

I guess my questions would be is she running full or close to it? Are all parties making money? (And are they satisfied with that amount?)

 

I thought she was very well cared for based on the public rooms and my cabin.

 

Caroline

[Iamboatman]

The PG had a major interior renovation/rejuvenation in 2006. Also, I have not heard of there being any such issues.

 

Also, one difference between the possible end of the PG being associated with Regent and the wonderful Diamond is that there are no plans to take the PG out of cruise ship service while the Diamond was essentially relegated to being a gambling venue.

[murphysmum]

Catmommy and Iamboatman....

 

Thank you both for the information. I can now look forward to the trip without concerns...

 

Happy sailing...

 

Murphysmum;)

[mikenbob]

I spoke with our travel agent yesterday and she told me that her Regent sales rep. confirmed that they were definitely negotating an extension to the contract and that the sales reps. had been told that Regent would definitely be operating PG through 2010. Now this may just be corporate hype, but that is the story from Atlanta...a pretty big Regent market.

[catmommy]

I spoke with our travel agent yesterday and she told me that her Regent sales rep. confirmed that they were definitely negotating an extension to the contract and that the sales reps. had been told that Regent would definitely be operating PG through 2010. Now this may just be corporate hype, but that is the story from Atlanta...a pretty big Regent market.

 

My TA reminded me that the PG was designed for FP specifically so while they might want to pull it out of FP the shallow draft would make it rocky in other waters. At least that is what she said.

 

I know that even on our trip, which wasn't bad to me at all, some folks, a small number but vocal, complained about movement. (I think that this might also be a factor in the up sizing of ships; bigger ships = less movement in general.)

 

Could they retrofit? Sound like that might be too expensive but if they can stretch other ships who knows?

 

But for the TAs in the crowd, is she sailing full? The prices I see don't seem like a fire sale to me.

 

And of course the rumors did prompt me to sign on for next year. :)

 

Caroline

[Dolebludger]

Here a are a couple of points, for what they may be worth. We cruised the PG last September, and felt the ship was in better condition than when we first cruised her in '02. We have also cruised all ships now in Regent's fleet, plus the Diamond. We agree that the Diamond got "past her prime" before she was sold. In exchange for that, RSSC offered "mass market fares" or below during her last year of service or so. But we found the PG to still be up to Regent's standards.

 

A couple of years back, when GCT bought the PG, there were some announcements and some talk about GCT changing the itinerary to South America -- including "around the horn." The horn of South America has some of the roughest seas in the world, and it ws almost laughable to think of someone sailing the PG, with her draft of only 15 feet, into those waters! It would have been exciting, to put it mildly.

 

The PG does very poorly in rough seas. That is fine for her present itinerary, as rough seas are very, very rare. But I can think of few other itineraries where she could successfully cruise.

[JMARINER]

My sources (sometime not so good) tell me that this is less of an issue about Regent & GCT and more about politics in Tahiti (read France). I find it hard to know who is in charge in Tahiti, the locals or Paris. But based on a conversation I had with someone in the tourism bureau last year, ships and flights into and out of Tahiti are subject to getting and paying concessions to the French government.(Tahiti Nui is controlled by the French) None of the internal workings of what goes on, how much, or terms, seems to make it to the light of day. And rumor has it the they are a pain in the----- to deal with.

 

Part of this can been seen in the recent Princess decision to take the TP to Alaska for part of the year. When they bought the ship, they had to have it pretty much stay or be based in Tahiti for 5 years, a prior commitment from Renaissance. The five years are up so Princess I assume made a new deal. Alaska is a hot market right now. I would not be surprised to see the PG end up there either. Just speculating out loud.

 

J

[Travelcat2]

Here a are a couple of points, for what they may be worth. We cruised the PG last September, and felt the ship was in better condition than when we first cruised her in '02. We have also cruised all ships now in Regent's fleet, plus the Diamond. We agree that the Diamond got "past her prime" before she was sold. In exchange for that, RSSC offered "mass market fares" or below during her last year of service or so. But we found the PG to still be up to Regent's standards.

Although we were on the PG in 2004, we thought that she was a beautiful ship - just needed a bit of refinishing on the balcony rails, etc. I would imagine that she looks terrific after the multi-million dollar upgrade in 2005 (when GCT purchased her, and the service went way down -- temporarily, etc).

 

It is my understanding that GCT wants/wanted to take the PG out of Tahiti -- not Regent. Also, Regent would love to continue managing the PG and has taken the major role in negotiating the extensions (through 2006 -- now through 2008). Although the majority of the "rumors" state that Regent will not manage the PG after 2008 -- it's always possible that they can Regent could pull it off.

 

Quickie regarding Tahiti -- if I remember correctly, the government won't allow passengers (at least on the PG) to play slot machines while in their waters. They are definitely a strong force in what goes on there. The latest ship to enter Tahiti's beautiful waters is owned by a company in Monacco (aka a "French" company)!:confused:

[fozzy]

Yes, it will be my first time. I wanted to cruise her before she left Tahiti. (Better safe than sorry.)

 

BTW, the ship is also marketed through Vantage Travel, so it is branded/marketed many ways.

 

I think one of the biggest issues is the cost and logistics to get to Tahiti is a big distraction.

 

Obviously Princess thinks it can make more money and there will be higher demand elsewhere for the TP (wonder if she will be renamed?).

 

 

Hi

 

Did you ever notice that Vantage is owned by the brother of GCT? I'm in Boston. I'll try to see if there is any "scoop" on this end on the PG.

[Dolebludger]

Fozzy:

 

Were I to book the PG again (and I probably will, as we've had five weeks on her so far) I sure would book through Regent and not through GCT or Vantage. There have been far too many negative reports on details of booking through GCT and Vantage. On one occasion, they advertised a "package" with cruise, land stay, and air at a certain price, and then (at the last minute) demanded more money, claiming that the price quoted was an error. The Better Business Bureau was unable to resolve this (and other complaints) and does not rate these two companies very highly. Of course, the quality of the cruise was not effected by this fraudulent practice, but the price for the rest of the "package" was.

 

Regent, on the other hand, has never to our experience participated in such unscrupulous sales tactics, but instead have honored their advertised prices for all services purchased through them and (as is the best way to go) through a TA that does business with them. If you don't believe me about GCT and Vantage, check with the BBB. When the PG was purchased by the likes of GCT, I was very sad to see the likes of Regent 'in bed with" a bunch like that. Fortunately, the cruise experience remained at its former high level.

 

Thanks,

Richard

[Travelcat2]

Really agree with you about GCT. Have tried not to bash them on CruiseCritic -- I'll just say that the way people booked on their tours were treated during and after "9/11" was disgusting. . . that was something no one should forget.

[fozzy]

Fozzy:

 

Were I to book the PG again (and I probably will, as we've had five weeks on her so far) I sure would book through Regent and not through GCT or Vantage. There have been far too many negative reports on details of booking through GCT and Vantage. On one occasion, they advertised a "package" with cruise, land stay, and air at a certain price, and then (at the last minute) demanded more money, claiming that the price quoted was an error. The Better Business Bureau was unable to resolve this (and other complaints) and does not rate these two companies very highly. Of course, the quality of the cruise was not effected by this fraudulent practice, but the price for the rest of the "package" was.

 

Regent, on the other hand, has never to our experience participated in such unscrupulous sales tactics, but instead have honored their advertised prices for all services purchased through them and (as is the best way to go) through a TA that does business with them. If you don't believe me about GCT and Vantage, check with the BBB. When the PG was purchased by the likes of GCT, I was very sad to see the likes of Regent 'in bed with" a bunch like that. Fortunately, the cruise experience remained at its former high level.

 

Thanks,

Richard

 

I agree, I would never book with them. ( I'm too young anyways) I've heard too many stories from a top agent that worked for Vantage for years. In no way was I advocating booking with them. Just making a statement in reply to an earlier post. I would definately book with a reliable TA or Regent direct.

 

Looking forward to my first Regent cruise.

[Dolebludger]

All I know is that there is a travel website and forum that also has a consumer advocate who attempts to help posters there with travel-related problems. I won't identify that forum due to the rules of THIS forum! But I will say that this consumer advocate reports many posters there with unresolved problems with GCT and Vantage. He also reports that these companies are not in very good standing with the Better Business Bureau. There have also been complaints posted here on CC about these companies.

 

I have no personal experience to report with these companies, and all these accounts are hearsay. But there is enough "hearsay" like this around to make it advisable to check with the BBB before booking through them. Indeed, a check with the BBB wouldn't be a bad idea before booking through any of the travel packagers.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I just put in a request to book the PG again, December 2008, for the 14-day Marquesas trip! So let's hope the ship is still in good shape then.

[JMARINER]

.............

 

I have no personal experience to report with these companies, and all these accounts are hearsay. But there is enough "hearsay" like this around to make it advisable to check with the BBB before booking through them. Indeed, a check with the BBB wouldn't be a bad idea before booking through any of the travel packagers.

 

Here is no hearsay:

 

Link to Better Business Bureau Boston Grand Circle Travel

 

http://www.bosbbb.org/reports/reliability_report.asp?FirmId=3848

 

J (Does volunteer work for local BBB)

[fozzy]

Here is no hearsay:

 

Link to Better Business Bureau Boston Grand Circle Travel

 

http://www.bosbbb.org/reports/reliability_report.asp?FirmId=3848

 

J (Does volunteer work for local BBB)

 

Thanks so much. That pretty much says it all.

 

Long live PG under Regent management!!!

[Tika]

Wendy, You are absolutely right with your comments and observations!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We first cruised on the PG in 2006.........a most fantastic luxury experience.......destination,ambiance, staff, meals, our balcony stateroom etc. etc. just every moment was a treasure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We again booked the PG for the 14 day Sepember 23 cruise last year 2006.

Much was missing from our first cruise. Our stateroom.......I can't remember category A or B, balcony was one of the newly added staterooms right next to the Captains accommodations. We had the shower overflow into the stateroom.......water pooling ........mop and pail crew in there cleaning up the mess..twice....cramped quarters considering what we knew the staterooms next to us for the same amount of $$$$$$$$$$! We requested to be moved ........LOL! Dining was not the same..........Compass Rose was lacking service, ambiance and the food was just OK not to mention seating for two was undesirabe unless you don't mind DINING by a service station or the main entrance to the dining room................ There is much more.........we were just so sad...........thinking that maybe we should not have gone back a second time.............! If it wasn't for the Gauguines, the Children of Riata and the motu days and some wonderful new friends my memories of this cruise would be a blurr.

[Tika]

Wendy......and all.........I meant we first cruised on the PG in 2000 not 2006!

Sorry.............:<(!

[Tika]

Wendy......and all.........I meant we first cruised on the PG in 2000 not 2006!

Sorry.............:<(!

[vaitape]

Last September was our 3rd PG cruise. We felt that the ship had improved from the previous year with new linens and carpeting, etc. Even the 3 days of lousy weather and the disappointment of not putting into Tubuai didn't dim our fun....what a rocking time we had! The staff was very attentive and the service was super in our opinion.

 

We plan to book our 4th cruise for the December 2008 Marquesas cruise. We are very excited and wish we could do a B2B with the Tubuai cruise preceding the Marquesas. Maybe if we win the Lotto......

We did the Marquesas cruise in November of 2005 and just can't say enough about the experience.............AWESOME!!!

 

Wendy, have you made a decision yet?

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Vaitape, I just booked that cruise to the Marquesas! Or at least my TA will be booking it today, I emailed her last night about 10 o'clock. It just seems right, and we have wanted to do the Marquesas ever since we first did the Societies on the PG, and met some of the Gauguines from the Marquesas and heard about the islands. We will probably do a couple of days pre-cruise in Papeete. If we can swing it and it's available, we'll go for the business class air, but TA says it's iffy, and can't book it yet anyways.

 

I'll try not to get excited about it for quite a while, since there's a fair chance that we will cancel. But wanted to have it booked, and I can now stop worrying about 2008 travel plans, at least until next spring! :o

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Vaitape, maybe we should start a new thread on this at some point. I'm a water and outdoor person, but a (somewhat) amateur anthropologist as well, so I like to explore cultures as well as beautiful scenery. I know the Marquesas is not a water destination--are there any opportunities in the water at all, like a beach or a waterfall? I'm aware that the time in each island (yeh, there are 4 different islands on this itin!) is very limited.

 

I'm going to have to re-read Fatu Hiva, Thor Heyerdahl's first book. He lived there for something like a year, when he was very young and just starting out as an adventurer. This is a book I read when I was about 16 year old and started my fascination with that part of the world.

 

Tika, I think we were both privileged to have been on the PG in 2000. I'm not sure that cruise could ever be topped. Although I have gotten a lot more relaxed since then--it was our first ever cruise of any kind, and I found Franco a bit intimidating! (BTW, he was on the Navigator last December, also as maitre'd.)

[DrHemlock]

Must point out some additional information regarding Tika's mention of seating for two in the main dining room. (Not called "Compass Rose," by the way.) Perhaps the room has been rearranged since September 2006 when he/she was there, but as of March 2007 when we were aboard, the entire section by the windows on the port side is now two-tops. There must be ten of them, and it's a great location for those of us who prefer a more intimate setting because it's the farthest location from the main entrance. Yes, it's closer to the kitchen door, but when the waiters enter the room with laden trays, they turn left immediately and head to wherever they're headed rather than parading back and forth through that two-seater area.

 

Plus, they still have all those twos near the maitre d' stand for those who like to see who's coming and going, and a few scattered around near the service stations as mentioned. All in all, we found the number of two-tops had nearly doubled since our previous PG cruise in 2005.

 

Wendy, as you say, the Marquesas aren't really a beach or watersports destination. They don't even bother opening the aft marina. However, on Fatu Hiva, there is a waterfall to which you can hike. It's at Hana Vave, a.k.a. Baie des Vierges or Bay of Virgins, which will be your second stop on the island. (In our case, it was the only stop, as the water was too rough at Omo'a for them to shuttle us ashore.) The trail isn't marked, but it's not hard to find. We didn't go there, but we could see the waterfall from the mountain road on which we hiked and it looked tall and wonderful.

 

Hiva Oa had a beach by the little town to which you can be shuttled, visiting the Gauguin cemetery along the way. While the beach was long and beautiful, I didn't see anyone swimming there and would, therefore, approach it with caution.

 

Nothing at all on Ua Huka. You can see a few coves with inviting-looking beaches from the ship, but you can't get reach them without your own boat.

 

Nuku Hiva also has a sort of municipal beach. It's in a well-protected harbor without any surf, so currents shouldn't be a problem. But the sand isn't great and the water's a bit brown, so it might not be worth the trouble. I believe I read that there is at least one fabulous beach on the other side of the island, but that requires a long taxi ride (if taxis are even available...we didn't see any) over bumpy dirt roads. That's hearsay, however, so do your own due diligence.

 

I'm a watersports person like you, Wendy, and even without any real opportunities to jump in, I never missed it. The Marquesas are worth every minute regardless. And if you're an amateur anthropologist, you'll be in heaven. What a place!

[TraceyB]

Looking to book the Sept 2008 14 night sailing.

After checking through all the posts it is starting to worry me.

We had finaly decided on our 2008 trip, but after reading all the posts think maybe we would be better to try Princess.

The Paul Gaugin has such a great itinerary and would hate get on the ship and be disapointed.

We have never cruised with Regent, we were booked on the Cancelled cruise with them in December.

Appreciate all of your comments as you all seem to really know the ship.

Tracey