Just back never again

[Capri73]

We are back home after 11 very disappointing days on PG.The only good part of the cruise were the staff.

Food was below par,wines were awful,no marina told it just broke we found out later was a lie.We and many others made appointments with the Hotman.So many people were so upset.

The wedding ceremony was a joke.Read a poem took a photo champagne&cake.No big deal not worth the money.So glad we got there late.They lied about the laundry package.You most definitely can book on board and use your shipboard credits.They would rather you use your charge card ahead of time.

This was suppose to be a trip of a lifetime.It was an expensive upgrade to Carnival.People were writing comments throughout the trip to try and get some action.

If you are considering this trip wait until year when Windstar will be doing the same itinerary.

[twin123185]

Wow this certainly is an unusual review. It is rare we see negative comments. By the way I have the laundry package reserved for my upcoming trip and I was not charged ahead of time and will be using my credit. What is the hotman?

[Tikiintahiti]

I take a review like this with a grain of salt. I always say a bad day in paradise (French Polynesia) is better than most good days back home. ;)

 

How can one have 11 disappointing days while your in paradise? Not to say there may have been disappointments but this summary write up would suggest one was miserable for 11 straight days .............. :eek:

 

A review is only valid when one writes with a un-biased vantage point. Maybe this was the 'vent' summary review and the more detailed review will share some 'good' stuff as well as the disappointments :)

[Capri73]

The Hotman is the cruise Hotel Manager.We did enjoy the Islands they were beautiful.

You can choose not to believe my review but at least 20 people who were on board will be writing the same to their travel agent.At the airport talking about the trip numerous people had the same experience.

Maybe you consider not have the Marina,very poor and wine selection acceptable we do not.People were holding chairs in the shade and a fight erupted on the pool deck.

As I stated the Staff were excellent so I will take your comments with a grain of salt.I was there you were not.

[Tikiintahiti]

Cool down there ................

 

In all my years in French Polynesia (18) I have yet to experience a 'fight' .............. you obviously had an experience that 99% of the people on this forum have never seen or been part of.

 

When you weigh reviews you look for the common denominators. A fight, marina not working, bad wine, bad food ........ very rare on this fine ship.

 

I do many valuations on homes for a living. When I look at comp properties if I have 10 to choose I toss out the ones that don't fit the majority, another words to want use 'normal' comps. Same thing applies here, a review that is way out of the norm doesn't get much weight in my book.

 

no where did I discount your experience, just pointing out it's a bit unusual from what the vast majority of people experience. I implore you to give the good ...... and yes the bad and ugly.

[twin123185]

My last trip many thought the wine selection poor and many thought it was great as it flowed freely and free. there are better wines that they have that you can pay for. However poor food is inexcusable - we had that problem a bit on the Brisbane to Papeete trip but I attributed it to the fact that the supplies they got in Australia just weren't up to par with those they get within French Polynesia. Everything was certainly better once we got into the PG comfort zone of Tahiti. Tiki is right - a bad day on Tahit is still better than any day here at home! (at least this year - what a f...ed up year)

[herenthere]

Wow! An expensive cruise to a gorgeous (I hope) location like the south pacific that deserves this kind of a posting, has to be extremely disappointing. My husband and I aren't huge cruisers, but that said, we did go on a cruise last winter (not with PG). There were some posts for the ship where cruisers had some specific complaints. We made sure we read them while we were planning our trip. So, we weren't surprised at some of the more wonky things (like the shower) and we booked our touring privately online and avoided the entertainment. We had a great time and those on cruise critic that booked private tours together with us did too. But we did overhear complaining onboard. It's interesting how differently people can see the same situation. It's hard to learn anything or change plans from this post. Was all the food bad? Every meal, every restaurant? More specifics would help us out. This is the 2nd time I've read about the marina being closed and that concerns me. PG advertises the marina as a very big amenity, and we will not be happy if it is closed. I hope to hear from others on your trip, and more specifics so that I can try to do what I can to make sure our Feb. trip isn't disappointing.

[RZ3]

It's of course disappointing to hear that someone had such a bad experience considering that we are planning a trip on the PG in 2014. I, too, do not discount your experience since you were there, but Tikiintahiti is correct. If the vast majority of reviews are good, then your experience is unusual. There could be a number of reasons why.

 

I went to a little place in the Bahamas called Staniel Cay this year that had great reviews. I was very excited to go when I booked the trip. Then I saw a review from someone that couldn't say enough negative things about the place. It was unsanitary. The bartenders were rude and picked fights. The boats were unsafe. The staff was rude. We were using a limo service they recommended to get to our charter flight that was "the worst ever". I admit that I was concerned.

 

It turned out to be one of the best vacations my family has ever taken. We had no TV for a week and our only entertainment was the boats in the marina, beaches everywhere, the pool, and sharks we could swim with. My kids never complained even once that they were bored or wanted to go home. The limo service was top notch (even though my son had to sit in the seat Miley Cyrus just vacated on the previous ride! Ewww... :)) It was simply an amazing trip end to end.

 

The point being that not everyone has the same tastes or sees things the same way. If there were a lot of reviews like this, I would be more concerned. You had a bad experience. The trip was not to your liking. That's unfortunate, but it doesn't mean other people will have the same experience.

[Adidas4fun]

Sailed on August 3rd. Yes I was disappointed the marina wasnt working, but I had excursions almost every day and was busy having fun so didnt miss it that much.

 

Yes the wine selection (included) was adequate but not OMG, but thats been my experience anywhere when the price is all inclusive; the premium wine list was a bit more expensive than I was lead to believe from the reviews on here - or just maybe its my tastes that are too expensive.

 

Yes I had issues with the food, I have a thread about that. But overall I would describe the food as being of a high standard. I did put on almost 3kg so I certainly didnt starve.

 

And as I had a grand suite I had a private deck with my own loungers and no one fought me for them, and I moved them at will into and out of he shade.

 

Was it worth it? As a friend reminded me when my other half lost yet another significant sum on yet another failed business - I'd spend the money somewhere else anyway so what does it matter?

[sita]

please do not let the responses to your post prevent you from posting your detailed review. I admit to being a longtime fan of the PG and am planing our 7th trip but that affection does not prevent acknowledgement that things can change; and, more importantly your comments are important feedback to both fellow cruisers and the cruise line itself.

 

From your posts over the past months, it is clear that you were really looking forward to this trip and must be disappointed that it didn't measure up to your expectations. Please consider sharing more details in a full review.

[Capri73]

I will when I settle in again.All I can say for the moment is from what we heard PG has changed.Meet quite a few repeaters who were very disappointment.I asked all to post on this site,most never heard of it and choose to contact their travel agent.One couple from Australia who had sailed 5 times before said they would not return.They said cutbacks were very noticeable.

I will give you one quick story.We had room service every morning and ordered the same.One morning breakfast arrived on time as usual.We sat down and took the cover off one tray.No food just a cut of tomato and slice of cucumber.We called and said you forgot one breakfast.They said we did not forget we did not know what you ordered.No call but to just send an empty plate.Now if anyone out there can comment on this please do.It is funny now but not at the time.

This is just a fraction of things that happened.

[wishIweretravelling]

I guess we all have different experiences. I'm just off the 11-day cruise, and had done a 7-day on the PG in 2007 (when it was under Regent/Radisson). I found the experience a bit improved this time, but that may be because in 2007 I was on with a large sales reward group who spent much of the time aboard "overserved." This time out was just a regular mix of passengers. Plus, we had a lot of rain that time. This time, the weather was perfect!

 

With only one or two rather amusing blips, service was excellent. The wait staff in all the bars and restaurants is superb. The food in L'Etoile, the main restaurant, was excellent most nights. Fish is their strength. Red meat, not so much. The alternative restaurants were not as strong, particularly La Veranda. I guess I was a little disappointed in the Tahitian vanilla creme brulee, which I remembered fondly from my last PG cruise. It came out ice cold this time out. But, again, the main restaurant is the place to be.

 

The wines were fine. Not outstanding, but good, serviceable pours. The liquors at the bars were fine as well. Whatever your spirit, there was at least one quality option for it, in addition to rail and medium rail options. The bartenders went out of their way to invent delicious concoctions, and I have the extra pounds to prove it.

 

I did a mix of ship and privately-arranged excursions, and enjoyed them all. Do look outside what the ship offers. It's in each port long enough that you can do independent options and still run no risk of missing all aboard. Do be aware, however, that the islands operate at a leisurely pace, and most tours run longer--sometimes significantly longer--than advertised, particularly if the group is clearly having fun. The operators--whether through the ship or independents--seem to thrive on your good time.

 

I have to say I entirely missed the referenced dramas. Must have been elsewhere at the time.

 

There are not a lot of pool-side lounges in the shade, but there's plenty of other comfy seating in the shade, particularly on the upper deck where Bar du Soleil is located. You just need to move the lounge into the shade during the day (or get one of the bar waiters to help you do so).

 

The tenders are extremely well-run. I have some minor mobility problems, and the guys running the tenders could not have been more helpful. They really know how to move you safely, and like the rest of the crew are unfailingly gracious. Officially, the tenders run every 30 minutes, but really they run more or less continuously. Yes, all the ports other than Papeete are tendered. But that's because even a ship with a low draft like the PG would disrupt the beautiful lagoons, and that would be a sin.

 

I would highly recommend the PG. I've been on Regent and Silversea, and find it comparable. It's a smaller ship. The benefit is it's much more intimate and easy to get to know the crew and the other passengers. The disadvantage is that the cabins are smaller, and rocky waters are felt a bit more (due also to the low draft).

 

One thing I did miss from 2007 was the band. It was something like Siglo or Silgo. No more--I'm told they are on Oceania now. The band that was playing was obviously trying to be Siglo, which was much-loved, but not pulling it off. Nevertheless, the dancing and music opportunities were there. But this was not the strong suit.

 

And, yes, the water platform was out of order. As you cannot dive or snorkel from it anyway, it made no difference to me, but I know that the kayak fans were disapointed.

 

Oh, and the Motu Mahana was just as wonderful as before.

[luvhanalei]

Wow! I'm sorry to hear you had such a negative experience. I never used the marina on our last cruise, I drink Two Buck Chuck, and my favorite restaurant is Denny's ;), so I should be fine on our cruise in March. If it doesn't meet my high expectations, maybe our post-stay at Vahine Island will:).

[Capri73]

I am sorry and do not been to be negative but if you like 2 buck chuck and Denny's you are a happy camper.I did not spend over $15,000 to eat Denny's and drink 2 buck chuck.I would have gone on Carnival.

To the person who was on our trip you did not want the Marina and yes the staff were beyond wonderful.They were the highlight of the trip.We did not eat in the French restaurant but the quality of food was sub par in the rest of the dining rooms.This does not reflect on the crew they did the best they could with what they were working with.

I guess if you have no expectations in life this was your cruise.

[luvhanalei]

I guess my attempt at being facetious failed, but I can guarantee I'm not as high maintenance as you. I've only been on three cruises--Paul Gauguin and Regent, and while I've had a great time on both and look forward to our trip in March, I'll never give up the little cottage I rent every summer on Hanalei Bay.

[Capri73]

We are not high maintenance.Work very hard for our money and this was a splurge for us.

I am getting tired of defending myself so I am ending this conversation.Happy for all of you to accept sub par vacations.I cannot nor will I .The rest will be taken up with PG personally.

For the rest of you who are thinking about taking this cruise think hard and do not expect much.

Goodnight all.

[wishIweretravelling]

Wow. So the rest of us are pedestrian hoi poloi if we don't share your view of the experience. It was not perfection, but i did not experience the disaster you did.

[ALB0711]

Capri - sorry to hear about bad experience. Looking forward to hearing more detail.

[KirkNC]

Sorry you had such a bad time.

[Icecat]

negatively breeds negatively

 

On our cruise the toilets backed up on our deck several times during our 14 days. We just dealt with it, and the staff reacted in a prompt manner to fix the issues. Traveling isn't perfect.

 

Of course we had 332 nudists on board. Nudists that travel on these cruises are some of the most laid back, fun people you would ever would want to meet. Perhaps if the ship was sinking, we might get upset, on second thought, it would just be another adventure.

 

Anyways, Carpi 73 it's to bad you didn't have a great cruise.

[poolechick]

Capri it seems you're very upset about the marina not working. Are you a diver or kayaker? I mean, it's a cool feature but honestly unless you're in one of those 2 categories I don't understand how a working marina matters that much. IME food is always subjective and we lean more to the $2 Buck Chuck demographic ourselves, so we don't really judge the wine. Their 'free' pours are almost always a hit with us.

It's unfortunate you feel you didn't get your money's worth. That must be a terrible feeling. However, your responses have been somewhat arbitrary and obtuse. I hope eventually you will post a full detailed review.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

We are not high maintenance.Work very hard for our money and this was a splurge for us.

I am getting tired of defending myself so I am ending this conversation.Happy for all of you to accept sub par vacations.I cannot nor will I .The rest will be taken up with PG personally.

For the rest of you who are thinking about taking this cruise think hard and do not expect much.

Goodnight all.

 

I also would like details. I'm booked a year from now on our 6th PG cruise. One was a blooper (2005, when Regent was fighting with the owners about per pax cost of food, etc.), but even that 14 days was terrific. Ship was in great shape last time I sailed in 2008, right at the end of Regent's tenure. I have read so many glowing reports since then, and definitely am looking forward to a return next year. But I will be scrutinizing reviews even more closely, since if the ship is really going downhill I don't want to be part of it. So thanks for the heads-up.

 

Oh, and we don't care a fig for the marina.

[twin123185]

My last PG cruise was great but there were many who had a terrible time. A lot of it was due to weather and lack of communication from the Captain on down. It doesn't matter what ship you are on there will always be people at each end of the spectrum.

A long time ago I learned to go on a trip with zero expectations. That way it's hard to ever be disappointed too much.

Let Capri have his say folks. We all want to hear the good the bad and the ugly. $15000 on Carnival? Is that even possible?!!!

 

 

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[twin123185]

By the way, don't make fun of two buck Chuck. They are very good wines that are the same as some other labels that sell for more. I have had $50 bottles that are not as good.

I am a single malt scotch lover and though I never buy the ones available on the PG I am happy that they have some on board. After a few who really cares?!

 

 

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[Familygoboston]

Wow! I'm not going to deny that someone had a bad experience, but wowza, what happened? This ship is at the top of everyones list for years and then ....bam....straight downhill? I was on it less than a year ago and with the exception of a witchy travel concierge, (and shes not new:rolleyes:) and a brand new blow dryer bursting into flames, it was fantastic! The only explanation I can think of is the expansion and maybe they are stretched too thin now. :confused:

 

I do really hope you come back, Capri, and give more details. If in fact your experience was bad it is helpful for all of us to hear about it and why it was bad. In this day and age there are so many who will "bad mouth" on social media in order to get a refund/deal from the business, so for a negative review to have credibility, it needs specifics about what went wrong and more importantly, how your complaints were handled on board. I do hope you will share those details with us all, so those of us who have enjoyed PG can make up our minds about what has happened, and decide about future travel plans.