How's Paul Gauguin compared to Crystal & Seabourn?

[Oceanbabyblue]

We are considering to try the PG, cruising PPT-PPT in December. As food & service is our first priority to anything, we wonder how the food & service is like at PG. We've been on Crystal & Seabourn, and we love both. We have never been on any Regent cruise, can anyone tell us how's PG compared to Crystal and/or Seabourn in terms of food & service?

 

Also, what airline/routing shall we take from Vancouver, Canada to PPT?

 

Thanks very much in advance.

[minxtabb]

We have cruised with Seabourn before, but cannot comment on Crystal.

 

We found the food and service to be much better on Seabourn than on PG. The food was good on PG, mostly, but not great. We did not particularly like the main dining room which was very noisy and bustling. La Veranda had a nicer atmosphere (much more akin to Seabourn) and better service we found. The food there has a French basis. There is another outdoor restaurant that has a Polynesian fish theme. Food was not a highlight of this cruise for us. Caviar is virtually non existant.

 

We found that the service was overall just OK. As an example, we had the same waiter every morning for breakfast (even though its primarily a buffet service, they bring tea/coffee and any special orders, which are limited) and it took him 10 days (out of a 14 night cruise) to realise that I didn't drink coffee for breakfast. On Seabourn, they know by the 2nd day what your preferences are, and remember them. That just does not happen on PG we found. You can order special items with 24 hours notice, but the one night when my husband tried to order a creme brulee for dessert, he was told he couldn't have it (even though it is available on the room service menu 24/7, and we had checked in La Veranda at lunchtime and had been told that one did not have to pre-order either that or escargots, which had also caused a problem). Also, there is only a buffet for breakfast and lunch, no full restaurant service.

 

The front desk and tour office were OK, although any request that wasn't run of the mill was not particularly welcomed.

 

The standard window cabins are smaller on PG than Seabourn. No walk in wardrobe and limited drawer space. There is a small sofa and a stool so dining in room would be very cramped and uncomfortable. The cabin stewardesses seem to be very stretched.

 

Overall, we did enjoy our PG cruise. The itinerary was great, Les Gaugines absolutely charming and very talented, the diving good to great. We would go again for those reasons, but would have lowered expectations for the food and service elements.

 

Hope this helps, please ask any specific questions if you have them.

 

Roz

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I've not done Seabourn. But I have always found one of the highlights of the PG (beyond the destination itself, which is stunning), was the absolutely friendly attentive staff. Definitely more intimate than the other Regent ships I have been on.

[Iamboatman]

I am leaving for the PG in a few hours. I will let you know when I return...possibly while I am aboard. I anticipate my experience will be as Roz explained, but I will keep my mind and optimism open! Heck I am going for beach, water and relaxing. It is going to be great no matter what.

[Island Cruiser]

I have spent 14 days on the PG and 38 days on two other Regent ships. Can't compare the PG to Seabourne yet--will take my first Seabourne cruise in 1/09. IMO, however, the quality of the food served on the PG was dramatically below the the excellent five star food served on Regent's Mariner and Voyager. Breakfast is standard, nothing special. No menu, but the waiter clearing your dishes will fetch special orders e.g. eggs benedict from the kitchen. The pitcher labeled "orange juice" isn't orange juice at all but orange flavored water. Here where I live we call that Kool Aid. Lunch is buffet only and a very very ordinary feed 'em as quickly and cheaply as you can affair. Regent will tell you that a menu is available at lunch and that is technically correct but very misleading. The "menu" is a five by eight card coated in clear plastic like you find in diners all across America (five star?????). It lists several standard room service items like hamburgers and "catch of the day." On our first day on board, we ordered the "catch." It was Mahi Mahi. It was poorly presented, room temperature, and awful. Six weeks later, a frend did a PG twelve day itinerary and ordered the catch on the first day. It was Mahi Mahi and consistent in quality with that served to me. She bowed out on "menu service" for the remainder of the trip but had the presence of mind to ask the waiter "what is the catch of the day?" Each day the answer was Mahi Mahi. Evening dinner in the main restaurant was ok to fair. The best food was in La Veranda which was then called Apicius and the food and service was excellent classic French food--really five star quality. The PG dropped Apicius and switched to (cheaper?) French bistro food. We had a wonderful time on the PG trip. The service was very good. I would recommend the PG as the best way to see French Polynesia. But IMO the food served is not up to luxury cruise standards.

[Dreps]

Island Cruiser, weren't you on the PG when there was a big problem with Grand Circle Travel? If so, I think that may have affected your experience. We have spent 24 days on the PG--in Feb. 2003 and Feb. 2006. Food in 2003 was superb. In fact, we thought it was better than the food we experienced on the Mariner in Alaska in Aug. 2004. That said, I would also acknowledge that our meals on the Mariner in 2005 between Sydney and Auckland (a food and wine cruise) were consistently excellent. Food on the PG in 2006 was not as good as in 2003, especially in L'Etoile, but food in LaVeranda was excellent and not at all Bistro-style. I guess what I'm saying is that as we all know food is very subjective and that food even on a given ship can vary depending on a number of factors (chef, itinerary, etc.).

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Yes, I was on the same cruise with IslandCruiser in 2005, and the food was definitely inferior to both my other PG experiences. The 2000 food was to die for, and 2003 was not quite as good, but still very nice.

[RachelG]

Just returned from the PG. Haven't been on Crystal or Seabourn yet so can't compare with those, but I have been on other Regent ships.

 

The food on the PG is definitely not up to par with the other Regent ships. Breakfast is buffet--lots of cold choices but the same every day, bacon, eggs, sausage. Nothing outstanding.

 

Lunch is a buffet which is highly variable. The Italian buffet was outstanding--I could have eaten that every day. German was pretty good. The others were average, but that was ok because I tend to eat more than I should if everything is great.

 

Dinner in L'Etoile was average to outstanding. The best meal was on the next to last night. The dining room is pretty chaotic seeming, but waiters were very attentive. La Veranda was our favorite. Even if the menu is the same every night, there were so many good choices, you could eat there multiple times and be happy. We were only able to get reservations for 2 nights. The Grill is Polynesian at night, and it was ok, just not my thing.

 

One thing though that you need to remember is where you are. Unless it is grown there, it has to be imported a really long way. The fresh veges and fruits were outstanding. One day we saw a truck at the dock loading in all sorts of freshly picked lettuce, pineapples, etc to the tender. No iceburg lettuce on this cruise--they had the really good stuff.

 

The other consideration is that Crystal and Seabourn don't go to French Polynesia on a regular basis, so if you want to go there, this is as good as it gets. So don't fret over it. My husband and I are going to the Galapagos on Celebrity next year. I have already warned him not to have too high expectations are far as the food because Regent is not a choice at all if you are visiting the Galapagos. Enjoy the location instead.

[mp8shnt]

Kool Aid for Orange Juice? I was on the PG in March 03 and was not served anything but Fresh Squeezed OJ. Also, I hate buffets and do not remember not ordering breakfast made to order and I seem to remeber oredering off a menu in L'Etoile for lunch.

[Island Cruiser]

mp8shnt, yes, things have changed on the PG. Early on, she apparently was equal or more to the rave reviews although I wasn't on board to see for myself. She is still the best thing going in Polynesia, but not what she was. The ship was purchased by Grand Circle Tours in 2005. One of the Regent captains was fired and replaced by a GCT captain and the sailing crew were told their new contracts would be with GCT rather than Regent. The changes demoralized much of the crew. There were rumors that Regent (then Raddison) would bail soon and the hotel staff were insecure not knowing if they would remain Regent employees. I was on board for 14 days during this transition as Dreps correctly recalls. It was apparent that the marvelous crew was working in duress. But they delivered excellent service nonetheless. With respect to food standards, I learned later from an excellent inside source that Regent was fighting bitter battles with GCT over the food budget (raw materials) with Regent wanting to maintain it at, I think, something like $34 per day per person and GCT proposing a reduction to $12. The marvelous dining room sailed empty 21 hours each day open only for dinner--such a waste! My superb TA stopped selling the PG for a while. Since then, the PG has added cabins at the expense of pubic space and crew quarters. More passengers. Less space per person. But judging from all the trip reports, Regent has gotten a handle on the food service problem and improved it from what it was in July, 2005. I read only positive comments on the message boards and I'm delighted. Even in 2005, the food service wasn't bad, just not, IMO, up to luxury cruise standards. My TA has resumed selling the PG. And I think the person who started this post would be well advised to book the PG while the hotel staff is controlled by Regent. The experience is truly memorable. My only caution (based on my very limited experience base) would be--don't expect Seabourne (or Regent) standards in the dining venues and you won't be disappointed.

 

Patrick

[joannapvb]

Thanks IC: Have no idea why this cruise has never been of interest to me - maybe because I live in Fl across the street from ocean? Friends keep asking why we have never gone on the PG??? I know people love it and appreciate your comments -

[mp8shnt]

Thanks IC - I had know idea about that time in 2005. Thank you.

[Suite Travels]

If you want excellent service and food I would stay with Crystal or Seaborne. We have been on five Regent cruises and we will stick with Crystal. We have friends who have done Seaborne and Crystal and love both lines equally. We have not sailed Seaborne because they do not have veranda's. When their new ships come out they will have veranda's and we will try them.

 

This really is a personal decision to make and what your expectations are.

[egret]

I think "your experience may vary" is applicable. We have done the PG 3 times, 2001,2003,2006. Next scheduled trip Feb 23 2008. The service has always been excellent. Food has been plenty good enough for us. We have never been refused a request. Many of the crew try to cater to your tendencies, some have been remarkable. In my opinion, the combination of the ship, crew, food and destination can not be beat.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

egret, I'm with you. It's still my favourite ship, after 28 days on her, and 24 days on other Regent ships. The destination is simply astounding and can't be beat. We hope to go again in 2008.

[Dolebludger]

We spent 14 nights on the PG in September 2005. After reading about some deterioration in food and other items from cruisers earlier in that summer, we were naturally concerned. Happily, on our Sept. '05 cruise, food and service was equal to that we experienced in '02 and '03. Hope it is still that way.

[chick geek]

Went on the PG June 30, 2007 Marquesas trip. Fantastic food and service.(Itinerary - unbeatable).

[DebbieMH]

I'm sorry to hear that the food is not up to par with other Regent cruises. I got the newest brochure for PG yesterday, and it sure did seem inviting. I've sailed Regent and it was good ... but not half as good as Crystal. So .. if the food is below Regent, that just doesn't work for me. A lot of the experience is the "food" and all the little touches that go along with luxury cruising. Thanks for the posts! Lynn

[Kathy Z]

We were on the PG in June 2005 and most mornings ordered omelets made to order with no problem. Also, the waiters remembered that I drink tea and not coffee.

 

We had also sailed on the PG late August into September 2004. In 2005 we did notice smaller portions being served, but since you could always order any number of dishes that you wanted this was really no problem and most likely eliminated some waste of food not consumed.

 

We were in a window cabin both times and since there is a larger tabletop that room service places over your table in front of the sofa there is plenty of room for a full room service breakfast (which we ordered when we had early departure times for excursions).

 

I've never sailed Crystal or Seabourne so I can not make any comparisons. I only can say that we loved the experience of sailing in French Polynesia onboard the PG.

[Dolebludger]

One thing that nobody has directly addressed is that neither Crystal nor Seabourn cruises in French Polynesia. Chrystal ships are too large for this itinerary. their drafts are too deep to get close enough to the islands to be convenient for guests. And as they carry about three times as many guests as the Paul Gauguin, tendering the guests would be a problem, and that number of guests would overwhelm many ports. Now if Seabourn were to chose to create a French Polynesian itinerary, we'd have a real "horse race!"

[Travelcat2]

Dolebludger has a great point -- since neither Crystal or Seabourn have itineraries that include the South Pacific, it is not really fair to make comparisons. We were on the PG in 2004 (before GCT purchased the ship) -- it is our understanding that there is a slight decline in service/food, etc. However, reviews in the past year indicate that the PG is better than the TP (Tahitian Princess).

 

Although we chose Regent 100% of the time, based on reviews on CruiseCritic, Seabourn has better food/service than Regent but lack balconies........ Crystal is considerably larger than Regent, has "set" seating, does not include wine -- or any alcohol -- tips, and has smaller cabins. However, Crystal reportedly has amazing food and entertainment.

 

Since there is a "chance" that the PG will no longer be under Regent management after 2008, I'd book a cruise before it goes away. . . JMO.

[egret]

I have decided to rethink my strategy. The PG stinks, the food lousy, the service, surly, the cabins are uncomfortable, and the weather, rainy. If they start having fewer passengers maybe the cost will come down or maybe they wil go back to the days of free airfare and then I can go more often.

I am counting down the days till our February cruise.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Egret, I bet you are, and I'm sure you will have a great time. Not sure you're ever going to see free air, however. I wish!

[jhp]

Richard, I think only Princess does this itinerary in addition to Regent, but now with the news that there will be a Silver Sea ship based in Australia, perhaps things will change, and they will use part of the year to cruise this area? Will be interesting to see how it goes.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

I was on the same cruise - at the all time low of the GC/Regent "battle" of the budget with Wandra and Island Cruiser.

 

While the cruise was not up to standards set by Mariner/Voyager/Navigator, I'd definitely give it a 2nd chance and actually am thinking about booking it for next year before it's gone altogether. The scenery alone was so magificent and worthwhile, but the service was perfectly acceptable in most instances and the food had some winners and some that were just fair - not awful (except the leftovers we had for lunch the last day). We could order breakfast to order - just by asking. And I cannot think of any beach experience that could be better than the Motu Mahana day. There is probably no better way to see the islands of French Polynesia - unless you own a boat of your own with staff. Freinds just did the Island Princess and there experience was a far cry (lower across the board in everything) from mine and mine wasn't up to Regent standards.