Paul Gauguin Review
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There is something special about a ship when almost half of the 280 passengers are repeaters on a cruise line that sails very limited itineraries.
This was our second time sailing on the Paul Gauguin in four years. First we did a two week Tahiti, Society Islands/Marquesas itinerary. This May 2014 we wanted to see new ports. We booked a one way from Papeete to Fiji- 13 night itinerary, cut short a night by crossing the International Date Line.
We have been frequent Celebrity cruisers but as we get more seasoned traveling the world, we are scaling down to smaller ships like the Paul Gauguin, Seabourn. There is nothing better than visiting a small village or port on a small ship. The alternative is disembarking with hoards of thousands of people from multiple goliath ships.
Cabin Review
Nice location but prone to more motion due to it's forward positioning. Large balcony and plenty of storage. Very quiet.We upgraded to a larger verandah cabin (807- forward) and were very happy with the comfortable bed and ample storage and balcony area. If you are susceptible to sea sickness, pick a cabin mid-ship and an itinerary with fewer sea days. The Paul Gauguin rides well in gentle lagoons. She was built to sail the shallow blue waters of French Polynesia. She is prone to motion in open waters. I highly recommend the latest versions of the Transdermal sea-sick patches which are very effective these days compared to the earlier versions years ago. We read reviews that some cabins were noisy and hot. We did NOT find that to be the case. Noise levels in the aft will likely diminish after the ship’s scheduled dry dock early this summer. Reportedly engine repairs are planned to alleviate a strong vibration which plagues the aft dining venues and cabins. The ship underwent a $7 million refurbishment in 2012, and we found her to be in great condition and well maintained.