If you were to close your eyes, and dream of a tropical
paradise, you'd wake up in French Polynesia. From the
azure seas, to the cloud encrusted volcanic mountains,
the Society Islands make the path for the Radisson Seven
Seas cruise ship, the Paul Gauguin. For seven days, you
are a part of a dream which compels you to stand back,
and just admire what the best that nature has to offer.
If one were to imagine a more idyllic magical place,
Moorea would come into mind. This is my favorite of the
islands on the itinerary of the ship: Raiatea, Motu Tahaa,
Bora Bora and Moorea. Every morning you wake up to
your dream, just by looking outside your balcony.
Cruising for me is the best way to take a vacation, since
you are part of the environment you are moving through,
you naturally see and do more than you would on any
land-based vacation. Every morning and every evening
is different, for the sea rarely treats you to the same mood
twice but always surprises you at the end of the day with
an incredible sunset.
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The Paul Gauguin was built specifically with this voyage
in mind, and does so to an almost full ship each week of
the year. Winter is typically hot (very hot) and with short
periods of rain, while the summer brings some needed
relief in the form of cooler temperatures (and no rain).
The rain never lasted more than a few minutes (except on
the island of Tahiti) and helped to help cool things off and
while umbrellas are provided, I found them not necessary
in most cases because of the short duration.
The people of French Polynesia are very warm, kind and
gentle. While they say that it is not Polynesian culture to
tip, I think it will become more of the norm as tourists keep
innocuously shedding a bit of culture as they travel
amongst the Society Islands. For now though, it's
refreshing not to have to tip, and believe that somebody is
serving you because they truly want to.
Travel arrangements made through Radisson/Carlson
Travel will assure you quality flights and all the necessary
transfers and hotel stays, and for this trip all ran smoothly.
Friday night before the cruise I flew into LA, and stayed at
the Airport Hilton. While it wasn't the most modern of
hotels, it had it's purpose and was fine for one night.
Friday night I went out to Manhattan Beach and with my
friend Marni ate at a very good restaurant called,
"Beaches" (117 Manhattan Beach Blvd) and had an
incredible dinner, along with a few martini's. Marni had
the Chipolte Salmon (which was slightly hot and a fusion
of wonderful flavors) while I opted for the Surf (filet
mignon) and Turf (grilled shrimp with a salsa seasoning).
Both of the meals were outstanding. The evening was
capped off with "Mud Pie" which was a scintillating
chocolate lovers dream. Overlooking the Pacific, it was a
nice prelude to a cruise which would begin the next day.
The next morning I ate the complimentary buffet breakfast
at the Hilton, then proceeded to the the airport via the
hotel shuttle.
The Air Tahiti Nui flight from LAX to Papeete, Tahiti lasted
a very long eight and a half hours. I got to the airport
early, and requested a business-class upgrade for $600
one-way, and was glad I did. For the hours before the
flight, I was treated to the Quantas VIP Lounge where you
were treated to a variety of light snack foods, and an open
bar of a fine selection of wines and various liquors.
The Airbus was fully loaded, and those in the back were
quite cramped. On the way back, I wasn't as lucky to get
the upgrade and sat in back, but was pleasantly surprised
since we were on a new Airbus (only had flown that route
three times prior) and had more comfortable seats. On
the first jet, they only offered Business Class (three rows
of two seats across). The newer Airbus offered a First
Class (three seats), then Business Class, then Economy,
which was 2-4-2 seats across. Service in the Business
Class was excellent, and we were all given more than
enough to drink and offered about a 10 course meal over
the period of eight hours. At the beginning of the flight,
you're given a Pua (small flower), which is predominant in
the Tahitian archipelago. It's a classy touch.
Arriving at Papeete around 8:30pm, I cleared customs,
was on the bus, and on the ship within about a half hour.
The embarkation process is smooth and efficient. After a
digital photo is taken for security purposes, the staff
collects your passport and then you are whisked away to
your cabin (while being offered a "welcome aboard" glass
of champagne). I barely made the 9:30pm closing of the
main restaurant in L'Etoile and imagine that some of the
late embarking passengers probably had to order room
service. The first night I was lucky to pick La Palette
lounge as my destination, and ended up having a night
cap with my new British friends (living in Houston), Sean
and Rose.
My cabin (707 on Deck 7) was a well appointed, compact,
but very comfortable stateroom. The balcony was great,
and provided a nice vantage point for some relaxing
moments while the islands passed slowly by. The mini-
fridge is fully stocked, and you get your choice of one
premium or two stock bottles of liquor or wine. I also had
a bottle of champagne chilling for me upon my arrival.
Bottled water and soft drinks were replenished daily, but I
never even touched the bottles of liquor since there was
complementary wine at dinner, not to mention the
fantastic drinks at the shipboard lounges.
The strategic use of mirrors and beautifully crafted wood
veneer walls and cabinetry makes the cabin seem huge,
when in reality it's very compact. I never felt crowded, and
the lighting was perfect. The bathroom was also compact,
but had a lavish white marble floor, sink and countertop,
again, with plenty of mirrors. I always had hot water, and
fresh towels always seemed to appear from nowhere. I
used room service three times, and it was prompt,
courteous and efficient. Even at 1:30am, I had food in my
cabin within 20 minutes.
This will be the first cruise in which I brought several
digital cameras and my iBook (notebook computer).
There are both 115V and 220 V outlets for all your digital
gear (recharging). The in-suite TV even had a external
video feed so that you could watch the results of your
digital or video camera.
Over the course of the coming week, our daily routine
would be to cruise a short distance to a new island
(usually from sunrise to midmorning) and then after
dropping anchor in some beautiful bay, the tenders would
be lowered for shore access. Also during this time, the
rear marina platform would be lowered to provide
passengers with sea kayaking, water skiing, or even
windsurfing. I did try the sea kayaking in Bora Bora, and
then windsurfing in Cooks Bay, Moorea. When evening
came, the tenders would be hoisted onto the ship, and
guests would choose between the many pre-dinner
venues and then select from any of the three main dining
areas for a scrumptious meal.
Since I was spoiled last year aboard the Radisson
Diamond (we only had 140 passengers on a ship which
typically had about 320), I wasn't sure what to expect on
this cruise. My favorites on this cruise were the reception
staff, who knew me by name.
Of the regular ships staff, Michael Shapiro (Cruise
Director), Lorene and Claudia (Social Hosts), and
Giovanni (Head Bartender) all greeted me the entire
week by name, and really made the effort to make sure all
was well. While it may seem a bit trivial, the hallmark of a
outstanding staff is their ability to call you by name. It's
not easy to do with an ever changing passenger roster,
but it makes an unmistakable impression on a person (as
was the case here and on my Diamond cruise.)
The cabin stewardess and steward did a fine job, as did
the restaurant staff. I was impressed after I requested an
off-the-menu item (sushi/sashimi) that they knew exactly
who I was every night. But I wasn't impressed when I had
to give them a 24-hour notice when I wanted it. I mean
really, how do I know what I'll want 24- hours in advance
? My solution-- just make it every night ! It worked. I had
wonderful sushi or sashimi every night. On the Radisson
Diamond, the restaurant staff knew me by name, and
would always have a chilled coke at my table even before
I knew I wanted it. I realize it's difficult to achieve the
outstanding level of service, but that is what I'm expecting
from Radisson. It's a class act, and I'll hold them to it.
As far as the food goes, the specialty of the ship was
undoubtedly French. In La Verandah (reservations
required), they would regularly offer a multi-course
French dinner. Since I'm not a fan of truly French food, I'll
reserve comment. Others I spoke with were quite
satisfied, comparing the quality to land-based restaurants.
At any of the restaurants, complimentary wine (red and
white) was served, of a very good quality.
As for me, I ate mostly in the main dining room L'Etoile,
which offered a more continental cuisine, usually opting
for the filet mignon or fish entree's. There was another
(more casual) open-air dining up at Le Grill on the top
deck. But I never ate there because it was always still too
hot outside (even in the evening just after sunset) to dine.
For breakfast and lunch, you may eat in one of the inside
dining rooms, or opt to eat outside on deck at Le Grill.
Aboard the Radisson Diamond, for lunch every day they'd
set up a charcoal grill and prepare a-la minute your
favorite hamburger, steak or fish. On the Paul Gauguin,
the cooking at Le Grill was done inside, and most likely
with gas or electric. While the food was good, nothing
compares to the taste of freshly charcoal grilled burgers
or fish. Again, it's setting that standard of excellence that
I'm looking for. However trivial a charcoal grill may be, it
sets the tone of outstanding quality. Personally, I'd like to
see wood fired ovens or grills aboard every ship. You
can't surpass the amazing taste of wood or charcoal
grilled food.
For the "piece d' resistance", I'd like to see the following
items; carved ice sculptures as a dining room feature at
dinner, carved melons at least once during the week, and
a shaved ice machine for afternoon delights, and some
fun after-dinner drinks (such as shaved ice martini's.)
While I may have missed the ice sculpture and melons... it
was one feature on the Radisson Diamond that made an
unmistakable impression on me. It's classy and fun.
My favorite time of the day aboard a cruise ship is magic
hour. It's at the end of the day, when the slowly melts into
the distant horizon, and paints a beautiful sky, marking
the end of another wonderful day cruising. For me, this
means finding a perch at the highest point of the ship,
while sipping on a cool martini and waiting for just that
right moment to take a digital photo to capture it all, for
you to see.
On the Paul Gauguin, the bar, La Paletta is located on the
the highest deck eight, and is probably my most favorite
place to hangout on the ship. This multifaceted room is at
once a martini bar, Canapes pre-dinner bar, a piano bar,
a disco and even has room for a small band. Its indoor-
outdoor pavilion can keep you cool from the heat, while
allowing you to enjoy the tropical Moon outside just a few
steps away.
Not only was La Paletta my favorite sunset and before
dinner haunt, but it turned out to be the best after dinner
(after show) bar as well.
I wasn't expecting much for entertainment aboard the
ship, but was pleasantly surprised by several visits by
local (traditional) Polynesian dancers, a magic act, and
even a brilliant one-man Broadway Review from our own
talented Cruise Director, Michael Shapiro. In La Paletta, it
was the piano bar featuring the sharp whited Hal Fraser
who sang excellent renditions of all your favorite songs.
In both the stage area (Le Grand Salon) and at times near
the pool or La Paletta, the small band, El Siglo
entertained passengers with singing and playing both
retro and contemporary songs.
My favorite talent of the cruise was Michael Shapiro-- not
only was he an outstanding Cruise Director, but he has
enough talent singing and composing that it won't be long
before a producer-type will snatch him away from
Radisson. Michael is a great people person, and not that
over-smiley type Cruise Director you can get on most
cruises. His down-to- earth humor and sincerity make
him a great asset to Radisson. His effort shows daily, and
he was able to call most of the passengers on a first-
name basis by the end of the week.
The other equally favorite talent on the ship was Hal
Fraser, who played nightly requests at the piano bar in La
Paletta. Hal had a steady following every night of the
week at La Paletta, and it just shows how Radisson really
seeks out the best of creative talent. It's not easy playing
to a small crowd with such varied musical tastes.
As far as evening wear goes, there was a great variety
aboard the ship. While the standard is "resort casual"
which I would term comtempory tropical casual, sported
Hawaiian print shirts seeming to be the norm with slacks
for the gents, and a variety of tropical dresses or pants
suits for the ladies.
I actually prefer to dress up when I go to dinner on ships,
and would regularly wear a basic suit coat, shirt and tie.
Most men wore a short sleeved shirt and slacks. This is
one cruise where you could actually get by with one
carry-on piece of luggage for the entire week. On other
cruises, there is a formal night, which requires a bit more
upscale clothes such as a tuxedo or suit, (or formal gown
for women) none of which are needed during this week
afloat.
The staff and passengers aboard the cruise were
outstanding. The reception desk crew were always
cheerful, and always willing to answer any question. They
were addressing me by name every day. The
passengers on this cruise were also a diverse and fun
mix of people. Don't wait until the last night to say hello to
fellow passengers. Making friends is always one of the
best parts of cruising. Some of them will undoubtedly
become friends for a lifetime.
Our cruise had 260 passengers, so we were well under
the capacity of 320. There were never lines and the only
small wait you had was between the 30 minute tender
schedule from ship to shore. The ship always anchored
out, except at the port in Papeete, Tahiti. If you wanted to
water-ski, you needed to visit the reservations desk to
schedule a time. And while they always seemed full, I
never heard of anyone not getting a time slot, albeit they
might have to be a bit more flexible in time selections.
As for the itinerary, I think the draw for most people to the
South Pacific will be the tropical islands of Bora Bora and
Moorea. The Paul Gauguin has an excellent choice of
islands for this cruise which included the favorites.
Of the entire voyage, a few land based restaurants are
worth seeking out.
Have dinner at Bloody Mary's on Bora Bora. This is one
of the most charming and exotic restaurants in the world.
Skip lunch, and just go there for dinner. You select from a
buffet of fresh fish, shellfish and meats for your dinner,
then they will cook them over a grill to perfection. You
may also have a portion of each if you want to try more
than one entree. The quality of the food was outstanding,
of course you have to love anything that's cooked on a
grill, to order. The sand floors, thatched roof, with the
towering peaks of Bora Bora silhouetting the waterfront
pier make for the most magical of dining experiences. The
night I was there with a family and another couple, we
were graced by some short periods of rain, followed by a
beautiful Moon which peeked out amongst the clouds and
volcanic peaks.
The other place I loved was lunch at Bali-Hi Hotel at
Cooks Bay in Moorea. The waterfront restaurant has
some of the prettiest views in the world. You can look to
your right and she the Paul Gauguin at anchor, and just to
the left you can see the tropical green covered peaks
which surround the bay. Occasionally, you'll see a local
with an outrigger canoe slowly paddling by. The food is
cooked outside, and you have a small selection of fish or
meat, which is prepared in Polynesian style, with local
herbs and fruit. Combined with the local brew, you are
assured a lunch to remember. Moorea is where some
segments of "An Affair to Remember" was filmed, and
you can see why they picked this French Polynesian
backdrop for the on-location portion of paradise.
When roaming around the islands, it is wise to carry some
of the local currency. In French Polynesia it is the CFP
(Cour de Franc Pacifique) or French Pacific Franc. In
January 2003 the exchange rate was about 116 CFP to
one U.S. Dollar. Onboard ship, expect about a 100 CFP
for each dollar. At first I wasn't going to get any, but
decided to get around $100 USD worth for lunch, taxis,
and the Internet cafe. I always pay with my American
Express when possible, so I don't have to carry around
cash.
French Polynesia is on the cellular GSM network, so
unless you have a European compatible cell, don't expect
service here. You can buy phone cards on any of the
islands. Expect to pay $15 a minute for the ship phone
which utilizes a satellite connection. If you need to check
or send an email, the ship does offer a service, but I'd
recommend a less expensive and more timely access by
using one of the Internet cafe's on Bora Bora (near the
docks), Moorea, or Papeete. Expect to pay 40 Francs per
minute for island Internet access. The ship email service
charges on a per kilobyte basis, and emails are sent out
in batch format at the end of the day.
While I did not buy any black pearls, the pearl farmers are
everywhere and shops that sell them are easy to find. I
heard that Moorea is the best place to buy them, with
many people buying just the pearls, and having them
mounted back home through their local jeweler.
Radisson has teamed up with some of the local tour
outfits to provide a wide variety of island tours, ranging
from diving, fishing, to sightseeing.
On Raiatea I took the Faaroa River Tour which provided
an excellent introduction to the island and the Polynesian
way of life. Half of the tour was on a motorized outrigger
canoe, followed by a drive up into the foothills in a off-
road vehicle. Along the way we stopped to admire the
amazing variety of tropical foliage, and to see the many
waterfalls which shed the showers of rain that fall on the
green covered escarpment.
On Bora Bora, I elected to take the Off Road Adventure
where we got to drive up some pretty rough roads to
some of the many gun emplacements from World War II.
The views from these heights are incredible. The tour
eventually will take you around the entire island, with a
stop at Bloody Mary's for a cool drink. Along the way the
drivers would stop and serve up some fresh island fruit,
such as pineapple, coconut, grapefruit, cantaloupe and
others. I have to say that the fresh pineapple was some of
the best I have ever tasted.
On Moorea, I took the 25 minute Helicopter Tour of the
island which provided spectacular views of both the
ocean, reefs and mountains.
There were a lot of other tours offered, all of which got
high marks from passengers, but probably the most talked
about were the WaveRunner Tours, offered in Bora Bora
and some of the other islands. In this tour, you get to
actually circumnavigate the entire island.
American Express offered some complimentary tours and
socials if you purchased your cruise with the AMEX card.
While the first tour on Bora Bora was full, the next one at
Moorea only had a few people.
To get the most out of this cruise, I recommend the
following--
- try not to do too much. Too many tours do not allow you
time to relax. While you may want to see all there is to
see, take time to step back and become part of the
environment.
- take time to adventure on your own. Some of the best
adventures are ones you create. While French is the
main language, almost everyone understands English so
getting around is not a problem. The unique friendly
nature of Polynesians will have you greeting constantly
with smiles and a "may I help you" attitude.
- wear plenty of sunscreen and a hat. The tropical near-
Equator Sun is strong. Don't kid yourself, a bad sunburn
can really ruin your vacation.
Almost everything aboard this ship was done right, or at
least the result of many years of an evolutionary process
of trying to get it perfect. Radisson excels in this area.
The only competition for Radisson is Silverseas and
Seabourn, with most passengers I spoke with, more were
leaning towards Radisson or Silverseas since there are a
few more people on the ships.
When selecting a cruise, I'm looking for at least one of the
following criteria which will really make the cruise a
special event; the ship, itinerary and people aboard. On
this cruise, the itinerary and people were fantastic. While
the ship layout was efficient and easy to get around, I
though it just had a lack of character.
The Paul Gauguin has an austere ship interior design
was purposely not meant to detract from the beautiful
islands and sights outside. However, most people take
cruises to be on a ship, so the ship for me is always part
of the destination.
While the ship itself has stabilizers, the shallow draft
contributes to its roll at sea. While I find this rhythm very
relaxing, a few others were well on their way to getting
slightly seasick on the first night. Luckily, after the first
nights passage, the ship rarely moves. The waters within
the reefs near the islands are almost perfectly flat. You'll
barely feel the ship move while at anchor. Since reefs
protect all of these islands, you are assured a quiet
anchor.
Quiet that is, except for the numerous fish jumping at
night. It seems as though there is a nightly show that
nature puts on, right outside your balcony. The lights of
the ship attract some insects on the water, which in turn,
attract smaller fish, and finally, bigger fish. Late at night,
the fish are jumping all over the place. It's great
entertainment to watch, and some big Barracuda can be
seen darting around the waters below. It's just one more
part of the magic show which slowly unveils itself
throughout the voyage. I hope that on the next ship
Radisson builds for this area, that they have some
underwater lights that they put on a few hours each night,
to enhance the viewing of the fish feeding.
The only comments which were made known to me by the
passengers were, "I wish there were more shade." The
top deck (during the winter months) gets so hot that you
have to be careful not to burn your feet, and the staff
regularly will give the hot deck a dousing of water to cool
it off. Nature helps during the rainy season by providing
some short, but relieving showers during the early
afternoon. It never rained more than a few minutes during
the cruise, but Tahiti (Papeete) seemed to get more than
the rest of the islands. In Australia, they use a huge
triangular fabric shade in the outback, and something like
that would work well on this ship.
Another passenger observed that the bed mattresses
were uncomfortable at times, and I would agree.
Although it may seem minor, it won't take much to make
the Paul Gauguin an outstanding ship in every
conceivable manner.
As far as ships go, my general rule of thumb for a heavily
used ship is to have it replaced every five years. While
the upkeep on this ship is excellent, the age of the ship is
starting to show, and I'd like to see either a large
catamaran or proa (outrigger ship) replace it. The new
ship would have a number of solar electric, hot water, and
desalination panels on it, along with some solar ovens
and a hydroponic greenhouse which would lend more
harmony to the local environment for which it is a part of.
On every ship I've been on, there always seems to be a
"dead zone" on top of the ship which is never used. On
the Paul Gauguin, there is a small bar area on the Sun
deck (which is on deck 9) which was never used. Even
with a full ship, most people prefer to relax near the pool,
or under some shade near the grill, or at the back of the
ship a level down.
For these areas of the ship that are never used, why not
utilize the space for a small greenhouse, to grow fresh
hydroponic herbs, vegetables and flowers ? There are a
number a tropical varieties of plants which would be
perfect for shipboard life, and give the ship a wonderful
"living" ambiance which would more readily incorporate
the ship into its environs.
While it is a small detail, I'm surprised why the
photography concession on the ship has yet to go digital.
A good portion of the photographs are thrown away, not
to mention the harsh chemicals which are required to
develop the film and prints. In such an environmentally
fragile environment, I would take more interest in trying to
find ways to get the same product, but without
endangering the very waters that generate the revenue
for the ship. Digital cameras are to such a level of
sophistication now, that you can barely tell the difference
between them and the legacy film cameras. In addition,
an entire trips worth of photos could be transferred to a
CD or DVD for the passenger to take home with them.
They could then email, or post their photos on a website
for all their friends to view.
Overall, Radisson has successfully integrated a voyage of
adventure through the islands in French Polynesia. From
the lush tropical mountains to the myriad of colors which
surround the atolls, this is a cruising itinerary which takes
you to the best the Society Islands has to offer. The
service, staff, and passengers of the ship will grant you a
most wonderful vacation experience.
This is a cruise of a lifetime, and for those who partake,
the magic of the French Polynesian island will bring back
memories of the beautiful people and sights which will
last forever.
Good travels, may the wind always be at your back, and
Godspeed.
Note: Greg "Pepe" Giese is a freelance travel writer who
publishes ship reviews for the Cruising Review website.
There is an extensive photo journal of this cruise which
can be found at: http://www.cruisingreview.com
