New Paul Gauguin pricing and different ship

[Supertuscan99]

New pricing attached below 

[SWFLAOK]

21 hours ago, Supertuscan99 said:

New pricing attached below 

Those are really small, unattractive staterooms, and the layout is terrible. We have a future cruise credit of 125% for a Veranda B for the 16 night cruise from Fiji to Bali , with 4 nights pre in Fiji and 2 nights post in Bali, and an upgrade on the flights, for our cruise cruise on the PG back in April that Ponant cancelled with only a few weeks notice. With those inflated cruise costs on Ponant, we will probably only be able to afford a short cruise around the Society Islands in a small cabin, with no pre or post, and have to pay again for an upgrade for our flights. We already lost money on car rentals and hotel rooms that were too late to cancel without a penalty or total loss, getting to LAX from  Florida and back.

The 193 square foot Le Soleal cabin appears to have only 1 chair. Will one of us need to sit on the bed, or on the little vanity stool if we decide to dine in?  Where is the desk that we need in our cabin to do online communications from our laptop? I would rather have 2 chairs in the main cabin than have a separate room for the toilet. We have one of those in our condo, and have never closed the door.

This isn't what we expect to get for the very large amount of money that we have already paid. If we have to be on Le Soleal, we want everything else we have already paid for.

[Jared Purdy]

So glad I filed a 3rd party default claim with my credit card company back in early April.  Got back 100% of my money, and we had paid up in full.  Roughly $24K.

[Dolebludger]

Different ship? What ship is the replacement for the PG?

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

Different ship? What ship is the replacement for the PG?

 

Ponant Le Soleal:

https://us.ponant.com/le-soleal

[susiesan]

Wow, do those of you who are PG fans really pay this much for cruising with them? It can't be worth it. These cruises are more than 3x of what Windstar charges.

[Jared Purdy]

12 hours ago, susiesan said:

Wow, do those of you who are PG fans really pay this much for cruising with them? It can't be worth it. These cruises are more than 3x of what Windstar charges.

And Windstar might just get my money next time.  I've never taken a cruise with PG.  I signed up last January on the advise of a cousin who's done two, and she booked a third only to have to cancel due to some health issues her husband was having.  They both raved about the experience. At that time, it was still American owned, and there was no issue at all in getting all but $100 of their money back.  I gather that when they cruised with PG, the prices were basically the same: expensive (and like me, they're Canadian and we get hit with steep exchange rates).

 

And then some things changed.  PG was sold to Ponant, which is a French own company based in France.  It would appear that their customer relations skills need some honing.  When the pandemic stuck, I contacted my TA and he advised me to cancel as it was looking like there was going to be a halt to cruises as borders started to close.  I cancelled on March 23rd (our cruise was booked for the middle of July) and was told at the time that I'd be getting my money back, but 10% would be held back but that I could use it towards a future cruise credit.  I was fine with that.  Our cruise, including air fare from LA to Tahiti, and three extra nights on Moorea was roughly $24K CDN.  Ya, a lot of money for an 11 night cruise.

 

In the first week of April, I contacted PG directly to inquire as to how long it would take for the refund to come through, and I was told that all refunds had been cancelled as of March 30th, and that only future cruise credits were being issued for up to two years.  When I told PG that I had cancelled on March 23rd, a full week before the change in policy, I was told it didn't matter!!! I was livid.  

 

I contacted my TA and told them the news, and they were equally as shocked. They told me they'd get back to me in a few days, and they did, only to reiterate the same thing.  Their hands were tied, and so they suggested that I file a third party default claim with my credit card.  I followed their advise, and got back 100% of my money, but that is what it took.  

 

Ponant's word is useless.  I wouldn't sail with them for anything.  Many loyal PG customers who had sailed with them multiple times were hit with the same change in refund policy.  Many stated publicly here that they'd never sail with PG again.  Travel agents chimed in here and said that they would not advise sailing with PG.

 

My cousin has also sailed with Windstar.  She said, as nice as it is, it's not the same as the PG ship.  The ship is smaller, and the cabins are not as nice (smaller), no balconies, and a much smaller deck.  However, they didn't behave the way Ponant did, and that is worth the price of admission. 

Edited September 28, 2020 by Jared Purdy
typos..

[FlightMedic555]

I'm not sure if all of the information that is being listed is correct, although it may be.  It looks to me like the PG is still listing cruises on the PG while Ponant is also listing cruises on their ship but they do not appear to be the same cruises.  I may be wrong but it is possible that both ships will be sailing in the Tahiti region for some period of time in 2021.  Ponant lists a few cruises as 9 night in 2021 and the PG does not offer any 9 night options.

 

Can anyone clarify??

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

The Paul Gauguin is still offering 7 night cruises including airfare for $4645 USD. Yes there are some switch ups on ship and itinerary's over the next few months but the PG should be back in December  ... I have not heard anything differently.

 

That is an inclusive price: airfare from LAX, transfers, bar tab, tips and specialty restaurants 😉

 

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by Tahitianbigkahuna

[susiesan]

If my Wind Spirit cruise goes in January, 7 days for $1692 pp, $600 OBC, to cover drinks & tips, free airfare with airline miles. No comparison with PG.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

3 hours ago, susiesan said:

If my Wind Spirit cruise goes in January, 7 days for $1692 pp, $600 OBC, to cover drinks & tips, free airfare with airline miles. No comparison with PG.

Happy if you got one of those incredible deals that hung around for a few weeks ... heck if I got that price I'd nab it too ... but those prices are long gone ... enjoy your sweet deal, the stars aligned for you 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cruising cockroach]

On 9/24/2020 at 3:53 PM, Dolebludger said:

Different ship? What ship is the replacement for the PG?

 

On 9/24/2020 at 6:45 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Ponant Le Soleal:

https://us.ponant.com/le-soleal

 

Funny thing but I cruised on Le Soléal last year leaving Papeete for Japan.  1st day out of Papeete, the ship just sauntered over to Moorea, entered the lagoon at Opuhonu Bay, looped around the Paul Gauguin and went on to moor in Cook's Bay.

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

36 minutes ago, cruising cockroach said:

Funny thing but I cruised on Le Soléal last year leaving Papeete for Japan.  1st day out of Papeete, the ship just sauntered over to Moorea, entered the lagoon at Opuhonu Bay, looped around the Paul Gauguin and went on to moor in Cook's Bay.

 

Sounds like a guy at a used car lot, kicking the tires before signing the deal.

[cruising cockroach]

20 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Sounds like a guy at a used car lot, kicking the tires before signing the deal.

 

Good way of putting it.

[cruising cockroach]

I guess it's somewhat known but Le Soléal won't be the first Ponant ship used for a PG cruise.  Ponant sold its first non-sail ship, Le Levant to PG which operated briefly as Tere Moana.