3 cruise

[Trend]

Some had us concerned about quality as first time 32 years ago was Regent, 12 yrs ago was Beachcomber. Now it is Ponant.

Yes Regents food quality was tops, but that being said breakfasts in Veranda were excellent nothing lacking and service was great.Thanks Ryan for your attentiveness.

Dinners in Veranda were too French style for DH but Le Grill was outstanding and attention to detail by Mark was spot on.

Main dining not great just ok.

Service on ship great, cleanliness outstanding.

We were in 728 and only one day for a short period did we have motion.

First time on our 36 cruises all over world did we use cruise tours and they were great, very small numbers in group. Always booked independent but here companies we slow to respond and needed you to get a group which no one on CC responded to.

Our cruise did not go to Raitea 

 

[Dolebludger]

Yes, I cannot count the number of PG cruises we’ve had since 2002. It was Radisson (now Regent) back then. Our last PG cruise, the owner was Beachcomber in 2014, and it was great. Now, I am concerned about going on ANY cruise — even PG. it seems that, though fares are through the roof, inclusions are being reduced. And air travel to get to the cruise has increasingly become unreliable. And as a result of that travel insurance rates are also through the roof. On our first PG cruise in 2002, the fare for a window suite (?) was about $2500 pp, which included air from Oklahoma City and back. Of course, the air was what used to be “coach class”, but that was before the airlines reduced seat size and leg room (and changed the name to economy), forcing those of us who don’t want 12 hours in misery to book business. now the cruise fare for the same suite would be a little over twice that (Inflation justifiable), but no air — which would quadrupole the price. And further inclusion reductions make it a deal breaker.

 

And our cruises all went to Riatea, where some excursion is a necessity. The PG alwaways stopped there on a Sunday, and we disembarked right by a modern shopping center which was closed on Sundays. How stupid can people be? You have 300 well to do people literally at your front door, and you are CLOSED?  We took a river tour there several times through the ship and enjoyed it. But I doubt that we can justify another PG cruise in the future, given the TOTAL cost of the cruise fare plus business class air and considering all reduction in perks.

[TheDee]

Last Fall my husband and I went on back to back cruises on the PG.  The cruise to the Cook Island was changed by the Captain to the Tuamotues because of weather issues.  As a result, we stopped at Riatea.  We had been there years ago when the PG was owned by Radison or Beachcomber.  Last year, the lovely shops that we remembered were gone, replaced by trinket shops and many empty store fronts.  The port area looked somehow neglected.  It was sad.  I wondered if the post Covid economy was the cause.  The island is still beautiful and the people incredibly friendly.

 

We loved those back to back cruises so much that we booked two for next Fall. We are not getting any younger and FP is not getting any closer to Boston!  Our first "trip of a lifetime" was in 2002.  We have been back eleven times since, nine on the PG.  We love the PG.  She is not new, but she has a charm of her own and has an AMAZING crew.