Paul Gauguin -Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Fast Facts
Vessel: Paul Gauguin
Cruise Line:Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Tonnage: 19,200 GRT
Max Passenger Capacity: 330
Star Rating: 5 star
Crew to Guest Ratio: 1 to 1.5
Entered Service: 1998
Passenger Decks: 7
Facilities: All of the staterooms are spacious and have ocean views, and 50 per cent have private balconies. There is one wheelchair-accessible stateroom. Regent is known for fine cuisine, and this ship is no exception. L'Etoile is the main restaurant, serving French cuisine with a Polynesian accent, and La Verandah is its boutique dining room. There's also a poolside grill, and if you are tired from a day of diving or exploring the islands, there's also 24-hour room service so you can eat in the privacy of your stateroom. Dining is open seating - dine when, and with whom you choose - and complimentary beverages including soft drinks, hot beverages and selected wines and spirits are served throughout the ship.
Other facilities on board include a fitness centre, a Carita Spa and Beauty Salon, two bars and a pool-side bar by day, an outdoor swimming pool, a retractable watersports marina, an onboard dive program, a casino, library, theatre and a medical centre. There is also a computer centre and WiFi access in various parts of the ship. All gratuities are included in the fare.
Paul Gauguin
Inspiration to generations of artists and writers, Tahiti's natural beauty is sublime when explored aboard Regent Seven Sea's Paul Gauguin.
It's just after 6pm and it's time for the nightly sunset show. A martini and a margarita are delivered to us by a waiter on deck, and we settle in as the first tinge of yellow permeates the horizon.
With the mythical peaks of Moorea as the backdrop, the show quickly moves into full swing. From yellow to orange, pink, red, blue, purple - and various outrageous hues in between - the multicoloured palette moves through the sky and glassy ocean. It's the end of a typical day of cruising in Tahiti, and on board Paul Gauguin, out in the middle of the ocean, it's hard to believe that somewhere out there is the 'real world'.
It's not surprising that Tahiti attracted the attention of the artist Paul Gauguin. In addition to France's greatest postimpressionist painter, many other artists, explorers and writers made the arduous journey to French Polynesia, unable to resist its alluring call. But today's travellers can explore this fascinating archipelago year-round in luxury aboard the 320-passenger Paul Gauguin, appropriately named after one of Tahiti's most famous inhabitants.
She's one of the US-based Regent Seven Seas fleet, and is built specifically to cruise these islands year round thanks to a shallow draft that means she can sail into bays and ports that other vessels can't access. In the past, the majority of cruises aboard Paul Gauguin featured a seven-night itinerary visiting the Society Islands, starting and finishing in Papeete on Tahiti Nui, and including classic destinations such as Bora Bora, Moorea, Raiatea and Regent's idyllic private coral cay of Motu Mahana off Taha'a.
Responding to guest feedback, longer itineraries of up to 14 nights have been added to her schedule, allowing the ship to take in other exotic destinations, including the mystical Marquesan island group, the Tuamotus, the Cook Islands and the Fijian Islands.
This was our second Tahiti cruise experience aboard the Gauguin, our first had been the classic seven-night Society Islands journey. It left an indelible mark on us and this time we opted for a 14-night itinerary that included the Marquesas, a stunning volcanic island chain to the north where Tahitian culture is still treasured and revered by the locals.
The Gauguin herself is the perfect way to experience the charm of Tahiti and her islands. The ship boasts all of the passenger-pampering facilities that discerning cruisers have come to expect: three open-seating dining venues supervised by Michelin two-star chef Jean-Pierre Vigato, a watersports marina, a full-service spa and spacious, fully equipped luxurious staterooms all with ocean views, half of which also have private balconies.
Coupled with a relaxed atmosphere and dress code, she attracts a different type of cruise passenger. She's popular with honeymooners and the 40-something set, although there are older guests and even a smattering of couples in their 20s enjoying a wedding gift from Mum and Dad. Most are from the USA and France (a nod to Tahiti's colonial ties), but increasing numbers of Australians and New Zealanders are discovering the delights of cruising these beautiful islands in luxury and style. It's an elegant, yet laid-back cruise experience, which fits in perfectly with the surrounds. If you're into black-tie dinners, Broadway-style shows, midnight buffets and dancing till dawn, this isn't the cruise for you.
n choosing this cruise we'd hoped for an experience that would be peaceful, unhurried, romantic and something new. Tahiti, and the Marquesas in particular, fired our imaginations and more than exceeded our expectations, but we had only one complaint: once again we were left wanting more.
Highs: The impeccable service, the cuisine and the elegant-yet-casual dress code.
Lows: Having a stateroom without a balcony, and the lack of strong, European-style coffee.
Written by Joanna Hall - Issue 28 Winter 2007