Review : Paul Gauguin - Papeete to Fiji - 8th May 2010

[bandt]

We travelled Air France from Paris to Los Angeles and onward to Papeete. On the Los Angeles to Papeete flight, the air hostesses change from their regular uniform to the typical Polynesian“Purotu” dress...... you feel straight away that you are in French Polynesia.

 

 

We arrived in Papeete at dawn the day before our sailing and made straight for our hotel for a few hours rest before taking “le Truck” to explore the town.

 

We have Polynesian friends in Papeete who suggested meeting for dinner at the port. The “roulottes” are outdoor mobile restaurants which fill the Place Vaiete in the port area at evening time and offer local cuisine at great prices (Pacific Franc cash only – there are ATM’s nearby). We had a lot of fun and a super meal ..... the sudden tropical downpour and the reactivity of the owners of the “roulotte” (tarpaulins and umbrellas deployed within minutes so we could finish our meal without getting wet) only added to our enjoyment.

 

Just across the way, the Paul Gauguin had already docked....... we were able to admire the ship and locate our cabin onboard. We had a sympathetic thought for the passengers who would be leaving the ship the next day and a surge of anticipation and excitement for our cruise.

 

Back to our hotel and a spectacular sunset over Moorea :

 

The next day was embarkation day, May 8th which is a public holiday in French Polynesia, so some shops and businesses were closed. Even so, the Market was in full swing and we had a great time taking in the local colour and atmosphere. However, we found the best value for Polynesian shirts (100% cotton) and other souvenirs in one of the boutiques on the sea front so it pays to shop around.

 

Our hotel gave us late check-out so we were able to take a taxi directly to the pier.

 

Our Polynesian adventure was about to begin............... :)

[AnglerGirl]

Ohhhhhhh, I love your writing Brian and Tony. Can't wait to read (and see) more! Thanks again for answering all our questions while on board. We're a demanding and troubled group because of the withdrawls. :D

[DrmnOfMaui]

Woo Hoo!! Ahh.... I can feel a bit of the islands already. :) Thank you so much for posting for us. It takes a while to get back into real life, doesn't it? I think I'm still feeling a bit of the Post Vacation Blues. Looking forward to hearing more!

[bandt]

Papeete Cruise Pier - 8th May 2010 2.55p.m

 

(Sounds more like a detective novel than a cruise review but, as you will see, the time frame is important).

 

 

We presented our boarding passes at the gate and were immediately transported to the magical world of the Paul Gauguin.

 

Our luggage was whisked away - (for information, it is possible to check luggage earlier but no passenger boarding before 3.00p.m.) and we savoured the moment of the embarkation of our cruise.

 

We were personally greeted by the Cruise Director, Michael Shapiro and the Hotel Manager, Freddie Strohmeier - Freddie is the guarantor of quality for all the guest services onboard and does a wonderful job! There was also a musical welcome by the Gauguines.

 

We were accompanied to the Grand Salon for the check-in procedure and were offered a glass of nicely-chilled sparkling wine (no, it’s not Champagne, but good quality French sparkling wine – Crémant de Bourgogne).

 

The check-in process was painless and before we knew it we were given another glass of “Crémant” and accompanied to our stateroom. We arrived there at 3.08p.m. (check the time frame !) and our luggage was delivered simultaneously. Our cabin stewardess Herlin came to introduce herself and make sure that everything was to our satisfaction.

 

We had a wonderful surprise in our cabin – my Mum, Sister and Brother-in-law had contacted PGC and pre-ordered a sailaway gift – a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne and a plate of chocolate-coated strawberries.

 

Can living get better than this?

 

 

 

There were two copies of the Paul Gauguin Daily “Ia Orana” which were personalised with each of our names. We have kept copies of all of the dailies and also the menus of l’Etoile...... obviously we cannot post all of them here but if there is a particular port of call you would like, I can e-mail it to you.

 

We unpacked our cases and prepared to explore the ship. First of all we picked up our snorkelling gear from the Marina, left it in our stateroom and then went to the Excursion desk to confirm our reservation for Dr Michael Poole’s Dolphin Expedition in Moorea.

 

As we wandered around the ship we were impressed and surprised by the subdued elegance of the décor and..... the silence - no pervasive piped elevator music - just calm and tranquillity.

 

Afternoon tea was being served in La Veranda ...... freshly baked English scones (US – biscuits) a “dollop” of whipped cream and strawberry jam :)

 

Also, the Palette was open for al fresco cocktails......... hmmm, what time is it in Paris anway? :confused:

 

We were a little disappointed with the floral arrangement in our stateroom (a lonely anthurium with one leaf – “zen” I’m sure, but we wanted something more vibrant for our two weeks on board). We decided to return to the Market in Papeete and treated ourselves to a lovely tropical floral arrangement which was to last till our disembarkation in Fiji.

 

 

 

To save time, I also took the opportunity of purchasing all stamps and postcards for French Polynesia....... this also gave us a deadline for posting them before we left Bora Bora. (Yes, I did cheat a little and bought postcards of Moorea and Bora Bora before we had been there). Stamps are available at the tobacconists.

 

Back on board in plenty of time to get ready for our first dinner at l’Etoile and the Welcome aboard party by the pool.

 

We were greeted at l’Etoile by the Maître d’hôtel Miki Kovacevic – he has an eagle eye and a phenomenal memory – it was always a pleasure to talk to him and service was consistently excellent.

 

There was a plethora of choice on this first evening (and during the rest of our cruise)... how about the “Fresh New Zealand Rock Oysters” followed by “Grilled Yellow Fin Tuna with Diced Vegetables in Sherry” ? Executive Chef, Grant Chilcott delighted our palates for two weeks and we were never disappointed.

 

The menu options were accompanied by good quality wines...... some we preferred more than others (that is a matter of personal taste and you could request your preferred wine if it wasn’t offered that evening). There was also a selection of premium wines on offer at extra cost and a knowledgeable Sommelier to guide you in your choice. We were very pleased with the included wines and did not purchase the premium offers.

I am a cheese lover and the ever-changing International Cheese board was a delight.

 

Not too much time to linger till we went to the sailaway pool party !

 

A long trip, an exciting day and now we were about to set sail from Papeete. Rendezvous was by the Pool for the Welcome Aboard party with our Cruise Director, Michael Shapiro. And what a wonderful Cruise Director he is! Michael was ever present, but never obtrusive, for the whole cruise. His natural good humour, warmth and friendliness really added to our cruise experience. We were later to discover that he is also an excellent showman!

 

The Welcome Aboard party was a great success. Everyone was in good spirits with our two-week cruise ahead. Friendships were just beginning and the sense of well-being as we saw the lights of Papeete fade into the distance was palpable.

 

A quick night-cap in La Palette and we returned to the haven of our stateroom for a gentle slumber awaiting the magic of Moorea and the dolphins...........:)

[Emdee]

Bandt,

 

Wonderful.... does assuage a little bit of the Flu.

 

Miki is wonderful isnt he. I was hoping to see him on Mariner but I guess he jsut stayed on.

 

Keep it coming.

 

Miriam

[mariah27]

Love your insight as this is my first cruise and leaving SATURDAY!

 

I have scoured the boards and unable to find answer to mundane questions about money. Did you bring traveller's checks or are there places to get money on ship or in port. Does everyone take Traveller's checks:confused: or is it better to charge (VISA??) So used to pervasive ATM's. Where is the best place to exchange dollars to FP's???

 

Thanks so much for the pics and any advice from anyone......

 

phoenix

[bandt]

Miriam - thanks for the encouragement! Yes Miki is a great guy. I saw him in a department store in Suva - he was shopping for soccer gear ! The crew organises soccer matches at some of the stops.

 

Mariah - We took credit cards and some emergency cash just in case the ATMs got nasty and swallowed our cards. You could change USD to Pacific Francs and vice versa on board. We did not use a lot of local cash except for sundries. For larger purchases we used our credit cards. For Europeans there is a fixed rate of exchange between EUR and XPF - you may want to check with your Bank to see which would be the best option for you. Hope this helps

 

Brian & Tony

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I have scoured the boards and unable to find answer to mundane questions about money. Did you bring traveller's checks or are there places to get money on ship or in port. Does everyone take Traveller's checks:confused: or is it better to charge (VISA??) So used to pervasive ATM's. Where is the best place to exchange dollars to FP's???

 

Thanks so much for the pics and any advice from anyone......

 

phoenix

 

Phoenix, you will have a great time! Nobody uses traveller's checks any more. There is an ATM in the airport in Papeete (as well as a currency exchange booth), several near the dock in Papeete as well. Also you can get local currency on board.

 

The best place is the airport when you land--you won't need a lot. If you go shopping for pearls anywhere (including Motu Mahana), take a credit card!

[DrmnOfMaui]

LOVE your first installment!! I almost feel like I was there with you. Reading a review after you have been somewhere is somehow so much more fun as I can picture everything in my mind. The only thing I would have to take exception to is the choice of jam with the scone... I always went for apricot! ;)

[Friscorays]

Thank you bandt! Love it.:D

[bandt]

Hi folks

 

Sorry for the "hiatus" in our review.

 

A piece of advice :)

 

Always set your "wonderful-fully-automatic-digital-camera" to local time as you go!

 

Our itinerary, with a 12 hour time difference from Paris plus several time changes in between, and also crossing the international date line had strange photos of Dinner at 7.00 a.m. and ghost photos of a day that we had never lived!!! We got it all sorted out this evening and will be up and running tomorrow !

 

All the best

 

B&T

[mariah27]

Thank you B&T... I haven't done any international travel in 15 years and that was third world (Paraguay) so it's great to have the help.

 

Absolutely can't wait... 3 days to go... ready to count down the hours instead of the days!

 

mariah

[south seas sue]

We are leaving in 3 weeks, and I am really enjoying your review of your experience - especially the photos.! My anticipation is growing.....:D

[bandt]

Arrival in Moorea was scheduled at 8.00 a.m.

 

We awoke early and had breakfast on the balcony. The scenery as we anchored was incredible.

 

Our dolphin expedition with Dr Michael Poole was not until the afternoon so we decided to take the tender to the pier and explore by ourselves.

 

 

There is not a lot to see near the pier unless you hire a car or a buggy to tour the island. There were car rental agencies available but we wanted to be sure of returning in time for our excursion. Several vendors had set up stalls and were selling jewellery, souvenirs and tee-shirts at reasonable prices. Since it was Sunday, other shops nearby were closed.

 

:)

 

On board, we had made friends with Marie-Christine, a French lady who has lived in French Polynesia for several years. We happened to meet her at the pier and she was going to ‘Eva Perles’ – a pearl store with, apparently, a very good reputation in FP.

We accompanied her and admired the quality and the settings of the pearls. There was no pressure to buy. 'Eva Perles'does not work with tour-operators, taxi-drivers etc. so you are not paying for their commission. Prices are fixed.

 

It was my birthday the day we left Paris so........ I came away with a lovely pendant – a beautiful green-hued pearl with a dolphin.

 

Prices are duty free, or to be more precise, the duty is refunded to your credit card when the paperwork is completed. I just had to give the form to the Chief Purser on the Paul Gauguin. Two weeks later my Amex was credited with the tax refund. Shop around at your various stops in the islands, and if Moorea is your last port of call, you know that you will always have the opportunity to visit Eva.

 

The heat was quite oppressive so we decided to return to the ship for lunch at La Veranda. This was where we first met Arnold, the head waiter - an elegant gentleman who always gave us first-rate service. Even when the restaurant was full he never got flustered and always remembered our drink choices and my cheese plate !

 

Lunch in La Veranda is a casual affair – shorts are permitted. There is a theme buffet which changes every day and a short menu served by the waiters. We had lunch most days in La Veranda – we preferred the comfort of the air-conditioning but some guests preferred to eat outside (I wouldn’t say “al fresco”). The other lunch option was Le Grill by the pool which offered a simple menu in a relaxed atmosphere. Light snacks were also served there from 2.30 – 4.30.

 

Our meeting point for the Dolphin Expedition was the Grand Salon. We were very surprised to find so few people for the tours. It was then that we found out that on this wonderful itinerary there were only 120 guests on board. (I’m sorry to see that this itinerary is not featured in the 2011 sailings).

 

Having so few passengers on board gave you the impression of having the ship to yourself but there was also a downside. On most nights only one of the “alternative restaurants” was open and on one evening l’Etoile was the only option. Also, several of the proposed excursions were cancelled due to minimum participation levels not being reached. There were only six of us on the dolphin tour – we would have been really disappointed had it been cancelled. Dr Poole told us that the minimum was usually eight so I think that our excursion was subsidised by the ship.

 

We took the tender to the pier and embarked on Michael Poole’s boat. He gave us a safety drill so we would not all scramble to one side of the boat if we spotted dolphins. His commentary was most interesting and he has a wry sense of humour. He is a man with a passion! He said that, given the direction of the wind that afternoon, the dolphins would probably be away on the other side of the island. However, we entered each of the passes in the coral reef just to check. Dolphins are spotted in 95% of the tours but as we reached the last pass but one, we thought that we would be part of the remaining 5% ! Even so, all of us thought that the navigation around the island and Michael’s commentary had made the tour worthwhile.

It was then, that straight ahead, we saw several dorsal fins break the water.

 

 

 

(Sorry for the photo - Dolphins are hard creatures to capture on camera - at least for us! We had more success with video clips which we cannot post here.)

 

We were treated to a magnificent “ballet” near our boat. Many dolphins came really close and others including a calf were very playful with their acrobatics. It was a joy to watch these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. Even Michael was excited – he reckoned that we saw about 80 dolphins out of a population of approximately 160 in Moorea – apparently a very rare occurrence.

 

I have included the following photo because you can just see the dolphins under the surface of the water with Moorea in the background.

 

 

It was time to head back to the Paul Gauguin and, reluctantly, we took leave of our dolphin friends.

 

On our way back Michael and the skipper were wary of the shallow waters but despite their vigilance we struck some coral and damaged a motor and a propeller. The skipper donned mask and snorkel to repair the propeller (there was a spare on board). Michael was most placid and told us to have a swim during the repair. The repair took about half an hour and we still had a long way to go. We were very glad to have taken a ship-organised tour. Michael contacted the ship to let them know about our delay. We got back in time for the last tender. This is an excursion that is a “must” for everyone. When we recounted our experience to other passengers, they were very sorry that they had not taken part.

 

The mandatory lifeboat drill was one of the best-organised we have had on any cruise ship. It took a little longer for our muster station because one surly couple (every ship has one) arrived late.

 

Mark Eddowes was the resident lecturer for the enrichment programme and his first lecture was in the Grand Salon “The Human settlement of Oceania”.

 

We decided to have an apéritif in La Palette to watch the sunset as we left Moorea. We were blessed with some exquisite sunsets on this cruise but the “green flash” always eluded us.

 

Dinner at l’Etoile was exceptional, and, no, we did not opt for the diet chocolate ice-cream !

 

We took our time over dinner and so missed Hal Fraser’s showtime performance in Le Grand Salon.

(Hal is an excellent pianist and we enjoyed his music in the piano bar. However, we thought he lacked the charisma of pianists we have met on other cruises.)

 

We were in for a real treat at the piano bar when Ura, one of the Gauguines, serenaded us with Polynesian songs.

 

Time to retire to our stateroom with wonderful memories. The dolphins would accompany us in our dreams........

 

 

P.S. I hope that I am not getting too long-winded. Let me know.

[bandt]

Thanks Mariah & South Seas Sue.

 

It would be ungracious of us to say we are jealous since we had such a wonderful time :)

 

Have a fabulous vacation and let us know how it went.

 

Mariah, if you have any last minute questions send us a quick mail :

brianandtony at free dot fr

 

All the best

B&T

[DrmnOfMaui]

I don't think you could be too long winded!!! We are all hanging on every word. :D

 

We didn't have a chance to do the dolphin tour, but it is definitely on my list to do next time.

 

Love the photos... and your pendant is gorgeous!!

[AnglerGirl]

Great photos and review. I loved Mark Eddowes lectures!

[Friscorays]

Nice to see that spinner dolphins actually exist. Our tour with Dr Poole in 2008 was one of the rare days when not a single dolphin or whale was seen.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Too bad there were so few on the ship, not a good sign.

 

Yes, Arnold is great--he goes back to the Radisson ship Song of Flower. But he obviously decided to stick with the PG.

 

Glad you got to do the Dolphins--looking forward to more installments.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

BTW, I love Hal Fraser, I've been on 3 cruises with him. He's such a nice guy and a great piano player. But he's a quiet guy, so I can imagine it being tough for him to do the Grand Salon shows.

[MtnDriver]

BTW, I love Hal Fraser, I've been on 3 cruises with him. He's such a nice guy and a great piano player. But he's a quiet guy, so I can imagine it being tough for him to do the Grand Salon shows.

 

Hal is a HOOT! I am so glad to hear that he is still on the PG!

 

[Cruisedreamer1]

I can't wait. Was Laksman aboard? He makes great lattes! I have really enjoyed your reviews. Did you go to any shows?

[bandt]

Sorry cruisedreamer, I cannot tell you if Laksman was onboard.

 

Yes, we did go to the shows. We were apprehensive before sailing that maybe on a "smaller ship" the entertainment choices might be limited......

 

There were so many options that sometimes it was difficult to make a decision. :)

[cmstraf]

I am enjoying your review tremendously; it's providing both vicarious pleasure and inspiration. The photos are great--I loved the one of the dolphins under water. We were supposed to be on today's departure, but had to cancel for health reason. Please everybody, KEEP PG IN BUSINESS! We have to go next year. Mariah, bon voyage and please write a review of your trip when you return.

[marelind]

Your review is outstanding. Please do not cut back on the detail. DH and I are considering taking a PG cruise and we would like as much detail as possible to know what PG is like. We've cruised one Crystal cruise and several NCL, so it is fun to hear the differences.