I have taken probably 10 cruises or so on everything from the old SeaGoddess to the big Royal Caribbean ships, but this one definitely tops it all! I would compare it to having your own private yacht only way better.

Our ship was about two thirds full (246 passengers) on our 7 day voyage. The ship isn't on the sea much as the islands are fairly close. Really, only about 2 8 hour passages and everything else is less than 3 hours. The crew is absolutely the finest I have had. Everyone made a determined effort to know your name and called you by it. Some of the crew I didn't even meet like, at reception, called me by name. The sommelier at dinner, Elmo, knew what kind of wine we liked and made sure it was available every night (at no charge!)

My room was absolutely spotless, with the refrigerator fully stocked every day. We were going to eat in the "reservation" dining rooms (also no charge), but the main dining room had a better and more varied menu everyday and was absolutely delightful. We were a group of 5 and were seated within 1 minute for every meal. The breakfasts and lunches were superb with both menu and buffet service. On the way to one of the islands, my partner and I were sitting on the back of the ship having a G and T at one of the 20 or so tables and we were the only ones there at sunset. We both commented about why buy a yacht when you have the Paul Gauguin? No hassles, great food choices and beverages. The only problem is that it stays pretty much in the Tahiti area. Read more