radisson-pg4

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: John J. Livecchi
Email: john.and.kirby@rcn.com
Age: 54
Occupation: Teacher
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Radisson-PaulGauguin
SailingDate: July 29, 2000
Itinerary: Tahiti
Cabin: 740
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 97
FoodVariety: 97
DeckService: 97
ShoreExcValue: 97
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 96
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Aug 2000
Time: 16:55:02
Remote Name: 216-164-213-226.s480.tnt1.fmt.nj.dialup.rcn.com
Remote User:

Comments

My wife and I dreamed of Tahiti as the perfect spot to celebrate our big anniversary, and it was!
We booked a pre-cruise package with Radisson which gave us 2 nights in Tahiti and 4 in Moorea
prior to sailing. The package was an exceptional value, first because it gave us time to recover
from a very long flight and second it helped us begin to appreciate the beauty that French
Polynesia has to offere. All those "beach days" and those lovely sunsets made us look forward to
the cruise while we savored the moments we were enjoying beforehand. We stayed at the
Beachcomber Park Royal on both islands--and what hotels! The best pools we've ever enjoyed
and the private beach bungalow on Moorea was exceptioal. After a few days of near perfect
weather, Tahiti surprised us with a storm that lasted for two and a half days. But Moorea is perfect,
even in the rain. We boarded the Paul Gauguin on an overcast day, but what a boarding it is!
Because the ship is small (only 267 on our cruise) there is no wait.

The staff is on hand to escort
you to your cabin with champagne in hand. The cabins are spacious and beautifully layed out. You
even have your own TIKI god to watch over your journey. We walked out on our private balcony to
contemplate the weather and saw the sun just starting to peek through the clouds. Radisson gives
you a complete bar set-up in your room as well as all soft drinks, beer. and wine included. We
rarely wanted another cocktail, however, as Radisson kept having cocktail parties! The dining room
manager was exceptionally accommodating and found us a delightful table of 8. We had mentioned
that we enjoyed meeting people. We all got along so well, we decided to stay together for the week.
The friendships we formed turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip. Every day on board is
perfection.

The ship has the feel of a private yatch--we often found wonderful spots where we
could be alone. She does have a tendency to roll a little, but you only have two nights of real
sailing, so if was never an issue. My wife used the "patch" and never felt quesy. The day on the
private "motu" is pure paradise! For us, the private motu dispersed the clouds and brought in a
sequence of beautiful sunny days. The private island is like own Bali-Hai with unbelieveable
service! The trips on the catamaran and our "off road" safaris added so much to our enjoyment.
The moments on board in the early morning or looking at the sunset from your own balcony cannot
be topped. We have been on three cruises before and have travelled without cruises for years. We
have enjoyued most of our trips, but this was the first one that felt like a real VACATION--just the
time to enjoy sun, surf, each other, some exceptional dining, wonderful new friends, and a beauty
that will haunt you like the lyrics to a great song.

Name: M.J. Carey
Email: MJCareyFGF@aol.com
Age: 59
Occupation: RN
NumberOfCruises: 10 +
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Radisson-PaulGauguin
SailingDate: 8/5/00
Itinerary: French Polynesia
Cabin: 815
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities: 100
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Sep 2000
Time: 22:35:48
Remote Name: spider-ti011.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

The Paul Gauguin is a very special ship in so many ways! It may not be a super cruise ship in size but it is
a ship with a great big heart with an energetic, gracious crew eager to please and share with you the
beauty etc. of French Polynesia. Getting to Tahiti can be quite a hassle, esp. if you are from the North
East:>)! You will recover the minute you are escorted on board and greeted by the lovely, beautful
hostesses Les Gauguines and the ship's staff & your cabin Steward/Stewardess....Ah! our wonderful
Claudia. Our days on board were wonderful and beyond our expectations! We had a Veranda suite and
enjoyed all our mornings and evenings in the beautful ports of Moorea, Bora Bora etc. with two room
service breakfasts and our Anniversay celebration with Champagne and Hors d'oeuvres etc.....it doesn't
get better!We never needed to wear our patches and slept like babes! Our day on the private Motu was
absolutely spectacular...surrounded in the beauty of the So. Pacific while snorkeling, relaxing, eating and
soaking in the beauty of these islands. Tender service was efficient on all shore excursion
adventures....Prompt never overcrowded and we were always effieciently delivered back to the PG within
minutes! The lovely Gauguines are an integral part of the PG's magic all so beautiful, gracious,
entertaining and truely sincere with there love for their heritage and the islands of French Polynesia.
Dining Rooms were all wonderful....we esp. enjoyed Herbert at Le Grill and the fine meal he presented not
to mention both L'Etoile & La Veranda with excellent attentive service, superb food and the wine flowing!
Never noisy, rushed or overcrowded and no lines! My only mistake for this cruise was that I didn't
seriously consider more time with a pre or post cruise option. The week on the PG flew by toooooo
fast.....but we have many fond memories which we will cherish forever!!!!!!!!!!!

Name: William Knoderer
Email: knoderer@ix.netcom.com
Age: 52
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Radisson-PaulGauguin
SailingDate: 2 March 2001
Itinerary: Tahiti
Cabin: 701
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 96
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 92
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 97
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 98
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService:
TenderService: 96
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Mar 2001
Time: 17:41:14
Remote Name: ws1-ppp220.argontech.net
Remote User:

Comments

The Paul Gauguin is typical of Radisson and their status as one of the best small cruise lines. We kind of fell
in love with Radisson when we sailed on the Navigator and the Gauguin was certainly not a let down.

From reading reviews we anticipated that the worst part of the trip would be getting there so we made the
decision to fly business to Papette- It was worth every penny of it. We did not want to fly Air Tahiti because we
could not get mileage and Radisson was very helpful and booked us with Air France. My advice would be to
upgrade your air- it’s a long flight in coach.

Most of the time when we review a ship, we stick to the ship and not really the ports as most cruise lines offer
the same stuff at port in terms of tours etc. However, unlike most cruises, the destination is the cruise here
(that said taking nothing for the ship)- certainly paradise and probably reminiscent of Hawaii maybe 75 years
ago.

Since the Gauguin does the same itinerary every week they have everything down to a science. On our
cruise there were 218 passengers- a full load is about 320, so boarding was smooth and quick. The ship is
small enough so the key crewmembers rapidly learn names of passengers and go out of their way to
accommodate you.

There was just nothing bad, wrong or missed on this cruise. The ship is clean and bright, cabins are large
with lots of storage and stewardesses are always right there. We had read that there was a limited amount of
things to do on board due to the ships size, but really did not find that to be the case. (I should probably
qualify that by saying, if you did shore tours- I suppose if you planned to spend all your time of the ship there
might be a lack of things to do. But then, if you came all the way to Tahiti, you need to get off the ship.)

The variety of shore excursions and the private motu’s where you plop down in a beach chair keep you out of
the ship a bunch. For water sports this is the place to go. They had everything from tours of old WWII gun
batteries to parasailing to my favorite- helicopter sightseeing. And unlike the big ships there were never any
large crowds- a big group for us was two jeeps. The shore guides are much more down to earth than most
and tend to be very casual. It was just right.

Meals were excellent; we only dined off the ship once. It was another one of those things you should do if you
come all this way. On Bora Bora there is a restaurant called Bloody Mary’s and the ship runs a tender over
there one night for passengers. Good place to eat and it's nice to see other famous people that have been
there before. One highlight- don’t miss the bathrooms.

All in all another Radisson triumph. If you compare the cost of going first class- where everything is included
vs. the other guys where it is not at all like that- well it really isn’t a choice.

As much as we love to cruise- I really don’t like to do repeats of the same itinerary (same ship is ok) but I will
go back and do this one again.

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