Day 7 - Moorea, Society Islands

m/s Paul Gauguin is still anchored off the coast of Moorea, Society Islands, this morning. The view from our stateroom balcony is spectacular!

We spend the morning packing for the trip home tomorrow. This is our last full day aboard m/s Paul Gauguin, a depressing thought for sure. Nevertheless, all good things, and cruises, must come to an end. But, only seven days? It seems like we just got here!

We have booked the Slow-Paced Belvedere E-Bike tour ($85/pp) through the cruise line's shore excursion department. The tour is scheduled for 1pm, so we have time to enjoy lunch in La Veranda before our excursion.

After lunch, we gather our backpacks and head down to the Grand Salon to meet other guests on tour this afternoon. Once again, a short tender ride to shore is necessary, but today it is raining when we board the tender! When we arrive at the tender pier, the rain is still falling lightly. A young lady is waiting for us with an E-BIKE sign.

There is only one other couple on our tour today, plus our E-Bike tour guide, Ari. We walk from the pier about 100 yards to an area with several of the E-Bikes lined up. Each of us is offered a helmet and a bike is sized for us. There is a brief instruction on how the E-Bike functions. Basically, it is like any other 10-speed mountain bike, except that it has an electric-assist motor. This is not to be confused with a Mo-Ped. The electric motor will not power the E-Bike by itself. You still have to pedal the bike. But, you can dial in varying degrees of "assistance" to make peddling easier.

We are shown how to adjust the level of electric motor assistance

It only takes a few minutes to get used to how the E-Bike works, and the electric motor really does make a huge difference in the amount of energy needed to propel the bike forward. Before long, we are all heading off down the main island road using the designated bike lane, following our guide Ari.

Ari, our tour guide

After about a mile, we turned off the main road on to a narrower, paved road. The roads were all in good condition. However, one has to be careful not to run off the road into a deep rain gutter alongside the road in some places. Paying attention to where you are riding is very important. Soon, we are riding along tree-lined, curvy roads enjoying some really beautiful scenery.

In actuality, we are slowly climbing a mountain with moderate grades. There is no way Rickee nor I could have ridden this road on a normal bike. The E-BIke really makes going up hills much easier. I should also point out that once the rain subsided, it is VERY hot and VERY humid, making this ride a bit more challenging. The only breeze comes when you are riding the bike. When we make a stop for Ari to show us something, or just for a break, it is very hot.

Along the way to Belvedere (a popular lookout spot), we stop at a fruit jam stand where we get to taste a variety of locally produced fruit jams. When we finally arrived at Belvedere, I think we were all pretty spent from the ride up the winding roads. We took a moment to take in the view and get some keepsake photos.

I was able to rig up my GoPro on the handlebars of my bike, so hopefully, I will have a short video of some of the action to post later!

After the visit to Belvedere, it was time to turn off the E-Bike's electric motor and basically coast back down the mountain. This was the most fun. Just ride the brake all the way down! On the way down, we did make a couple of other stops, one to view the spot where Captain Cook first landed on Moorea.

Monument to Captain Cook

By 4:00pm, we were pulling into the port area where our tour began. I think we were all pretty tired, but exhilarated and glad we had booked the tour. We surrendered our E-Bikes and walked back to the pier to catch the last tender back to the ship. I think Rickee and I agree that the E-Bike excursion is well worth the $85 per person, and one that you should consider, as long as you are in moderately good physical condition.

Back on board m/s Paul Gauguin, I take a quick shower so that I can get up to the Pool Deck for the Captain's Farewell Party, which is already in full swing by the time I arrive.

Guests gather for Captain's Farewell Party

The drinks are flowing, and Santa Rosa (the ship's band) is playing, and everyone looks to be having a great time. There are a few "surprises" thrown in during the festivities, but those shall remain secret. You will have to sail on m/s Paul Gauguin to experience for yourselves!

Santa Rosa entertains at Captain's Farewell

I left the celebration to visit the best place on the ship to observe the sunset: La Palette on Deck 8 aft. As we sail from Moorea, the sunset is as beautiful as any I have ever seen. Many guests gather on the aft deck for photos, or just to take in the beauty.

After sunset, Rickee and I meet at our favorite spot, the Piano Bar, for one last cocktail. After the second day, the bartender knew our favorite drinks, so all we have to do is sit down and the waiter delivers my Crown Royal and Rickee's sparkling wine. A plate of canapés accompanies our drinks.

After we enjoy our drink, we visit L'Etoile for dinner. I enjoyed a perfectly seasoned, and perfectly cooked rack of lamb while Rickee had a nice bowl of spaghetti bolognese. We both agreed that it was the best meal of the cruise!

Tomorrow morning, we will disembark m/s Paul Gauguin and say goodbye to our new friends we have met on board. It will be a long day culminating with a day room at a local hotel followed by a midnight flight back to LAX. We have really enjoyed our short time aboard m/s Paul Gauguin and look forward to our next adventure.

Don't forget to watch for a full, in-depth review of m/s Paul Gauguin coming soon to CruiseReport.com!

Day 4 - Bora Bora, Society Islands

This morning, m/s Paul Gauguin is anchored off the shores of Bora Bora, Society Islands.

Sunrise in Bora Bora

Truly, this has to be one of the most romantic and beautiful places on Earth. It was the scene for the movie South Pacific, and it is no wonder that it has become one of the most popular destinations in the world for honeymooners. Premium resort hotels here can cost $1,000 to $3,000 per night!

Over-the-water bungalows with this view will cost you $1,000 per night or more

We boarded the ship's first tender this morning at 8:30am for the short ride over to Bora Bora. Today, we have arranged our own tour with Vavau Land and Sea Adventures, in part, so that we have a basis of comparison with the ship's tours (which we will do tomorrow). As soon as we stepped off the tender, our driver, Patrick, was waiting for us with a sign with my name on it.

Patrick waiting for us ashore

We boarded Patrick's van for the 10-minute drive to Mai-Tai Hotel where an outrigger boat was waiting for us to board. Another guest from New York was already onboard. We were greeted by our boat Captain and his assistant and we headed off to pick up some other guests at another hotel. We actually made a couple of stops to pick up other tour guests, which took about an hour before we got to our first actual tour stop.

We will do a more in-depth review of Vavau Land and Sea Adventures in a future blog entry, but in summary, we did swim with black-tip sharks and stingrays. Very cool.

Rickee watches a group of black-tip sharks swim just a few feet from her

The tour included a stop on a sand bar where we could easily stand in four feet of water as the huge stingrays swam all around us. There were sharks in the water here, too. Rickee even got to kiss one of the stingrays!

Rickee kisses a stingray

The tour ended around 1:00pm and we were delivered back to the village and the pier where our ship's tender took us back to m/s Paul Gauguin. The ship operated tenders all day from 8:30am until 10:00pm, every thirty minutes. This made it very convenient for guests to go ashore for shopping or to enjoy lunch or dinner at a local restaurant.

m/s Paul Gauguin anchored in Bora Bora

We were back on board the ship by 2:00pm. I was able to grab a quick salad plate from Le Grill before they discontinued lunch service. In the meantime, Rickee wanted to grab a few rays by the pool. The sun has finally emerged from the clouds, and it is really HOT! Her stint in the Tahitian sun is a short one, and by 3:00pm she decides to retreat to the cool stateroom. Besides, we need to get ready for a special event to which we have been invited. At 5pm, we have been invited to celebrate our wedding anniversary with several other couples in Le Palette on Deck 8. Interesting, since we are not married! I can only assume that Paul Gauguin Cruises wanted us to experience this event so that we can inform others of what to expect when celebrating a honeymoon or anniversary aboard m/s Paul Gauguin.

Invitation to special celebration

When we arrived at Le Pallete, we were greeted by Cruise Director, Claudine, and a waiter brought us glasses of champagne. There were about ten other couples at the celebration, most celebrating anniversaries but there were also a couple of honeymooners. Les Gauguines were entertaining us with song, and a special dance was performed by one of the Gauguines.

Les Gauguines perform

After the reading of a poem (in three languages), each couple was wrapped in a special French Polynesian ceremonial blanket and the ship's photographer was on hand to capture the moment with Bora Bora in the background. Truly, this is an anniversary or honeymoon event that these folks will remember forever. The event ended with everyone being served a piece of cake.

Special anniversary/honeymoon cake

We feel very honored that Paul Gauguin Cruises included us in this special celebration. This is a very popular cruise with those who are celebrating an anniversary or honeymoon, and now we see why.

Photo session with ceremonial blanket

Our evening ended with a very romantic dinner at Le Grill on Deck 8. Le Grill is one of the specialty restaurants on board m/s Paul Gauguin. And, while there is no charge to dine here, reservations are required. What is a pretty typical pool grill at breakfast and lunch is magically transformed into a romantic bistro each evening with a unique Asian-inspired menu (same menu every day). Since we are anchored in a protected bay tonight, and the weather is perfect, the tables have been brought outside, around the pool. The only light is coming from the candlelit tables (I am pretty sure these are battery-operated candles), so it is too dark to get any good photos, but trust me, this is something you must experience when sailing on m/s Paul Gauguin.

After our meal, we retired to our stateroom to rest for another day of adventure in Bora Bora tomorrow where we will be experiencing our first ship's excursion!

Day 3 - Taha'a, Society Islands

Today, m/s Paul Gauguin is anchored off the shores of Taha'a, Society Islands, in French Polynesia. Our target destination is the tiny Motu Mahana, which has been set up for a day at the beach exclusively for guests of the m/s Paul Gauguin. However, since the tenders do not start operating until 10:30am, we have plenty of time to sit in on a Q&A session with Canadian chef, restaurateur and author, Vikram Vij. Chef Vij gave a brief talk about his culinary success, sharing his philosophy and answering questions from the audience. Chef Vij has a huge personality and we really enjoyed his session. We are looking forward to his cooking demo on Wednesday!

Chef Vikram Vij

After the Q&A with Chef Vij, we waste no time getting to Deck 3 to board the first tender to the island. The tender drops guests off about 50 yards from the beach, in knee-high, crystal clear water. Our aqua socks came in very handy as we made our way to the beach, where we were greeted by waiters offering cups of fruit punch.

Tender drops guests off in knee-high water at Motu Mahana

A floating inner tube has been decorated and converted into a swim-up bar and filled with bottles of rum, vodka, gin, and a variety of mixers. The floating bar would be visited by one of us at least one too many times before our day at the beach is over.

Rickee gets a rum punch from the floating "bar"

We quickly find a couple of loungers right on the shore with a great view of m/s Paul Gauguin in the distance. We drop all of our snorkeling gear on the loungers and head off to do a little exploring of the tiny motu.

m/s Paul Gauguin in the distance

We noticed a few little stalls set up along the beach with locals selling souvenirs. Rickee has been wanting a Pareo and several of the colorful wraps are gently swaying in the breeze, calling her name. As she shops for a Pareo, I sneak back to the bar for a delicious, and potent, rum punch.

Rickee picks out a pareo

Our objective in coming to Motu Mahana was to kayak the clear, calm waters surrounding the island, and perhaps even enjoy some snorkeling. That was our objective before my third rum punch. At one point, I even sent Rickee back out to the floating bar to get me another rum punch!

To heck with kayaking, bring more rum punch!

A couple of Les Gauguines were demonstrating how to crack open a coconut and all of the products that can be made using the meat, water and oil of the coconut.

Coconut demonstration

Of course, during Rickee's shopping, the coconut demonstration, etc., one thing remained consistent: my left hand was never far from a cup of the delicious rum punch. By the time the beach BBQ started, I was doing good to make it to the buffet line which, by the way, was filled with a variety of salads, veggies, BBQ chicken, ribs, burgers, hot dogs and fish. After lunch, it was pretty apparent I was in no shape to get into the water. As it turns out, I was so out of it, I forgot to get pictures of the beach BBQ!

So what did we learn today? One: The visit to Motu Mahana is one of the highlights of the 7-night Tahiti & Society Islands cruise, and two: I should never get near rum again. We caught a tender back to the ship where I attempted to sleep off my overindulgence. By the time for the sailaway party, I was back in full force. We visited the pool bar for a cocktail as m/s Paul Gauguin sailed away from Taha'a and toward Bora Bora.

For dinner this evening, we decided to try L'Etoile, the ship's main dining room. We were fortunate to get a nice table for two. The restaurant was busy, but not packed. Rickee had a salad for her main course and I tried the Thai Wok with shrimp and scallops.

Thai Wok served at L'Etoile

After dinner, we made our way to the Grand Salon for the evening show, "Unforgettable Divas," performed by our Cruise Director, Claudine Carle. The one-woman show featured several singing styles of international divas. Ms. Carle is obviously very talented and, by the end of the show, everyone was on the dance floor. The show ended with a rousing round of applause.

Claudine Carle performs "Unforgettable Divas"

After the show, we head back to the stateroom and to bed. Tomorrow will be a busy day as we visit Bora Bora!

Day 2 - Huahine, Society Islands

This morning, m/s Paul Gauguin is anchored off the coast of Huahine, Society Islands. In the past, Huahine was a center for Polynesian culture, and is now one of the richest in archeological sites.

Huahine

The day begins with an 8:30am muster drill held in the Grand Salon on Deck 5. Unlike most cruise ships, m/s Paul Gaugin does not store lifevests in the staterooms. Instead, they are on the lifeboats themselves, which makes sense when you think about it. So there was no need to drag a lifevest to the drill for the demonstration. Crew members demonstrated the proper way to put on the vest in the event of an emergency, then each group (A, C and D) were led out to the lifeboat deck for further safety instructions.

After the drill, we decided to grab a late breakfast in La Veranda (Deck 6 aft). They were just about to close down the breakfast buffet (open from 6:30am until 9:30am) but graciously took Rickee's egg order and gave us one last run at the buffet. After breakfast, Rickee wanted to learn how to tie a Pareo, a traditional Tahitian wraparound skirt/dress. Even though the Pareo can be worn by men or women, I did not choose to participate in the demonstration. I was left to camera duty instead.

Rickee learns the art of tying a Pareo

Since we expect to be spending some time in the water on this trip, we decided to visit the Marina on Deck 4 aft to obtain our snorkeling gear. Paul Gauguin Cruises provides guests with complimentary use of snorkel masks and fins. When we arrived, the marina door was open and some guests were already taking advantage of the paddleboards and kayaks, also provided for guest use.

Rickee gets fitted for fins

The weather today is a bit undecided. It is mostly cloudy, with a few bursts of sunshine breaking through, and even a little rain shower from time to time. There was something for everyone! Many guests went ashore for excursions and the ship ran tender service throughout the day for those wanting to go ashore on their own. There is also a shuttle that runs every thirty minutes to take guests into Fare from the tender pier. When we learned that the shops in town close at noon, we decided to stay on board and enjoy the pool, the intermittent sun, and other activities.

A beautiful day at the pool

Just aft of the pool is Le Grill, and that is where we decided to enjoy our lunch today. Le Grill offers a very nice selection of salads, sandwiches, soup, desserts and a made-to-order pasta station. The a la carte menu features burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches. I ordered a cheeseburger and Rickee tried the grilled mushroom and brie sandwich. Both came with fries and both were good!

Variety of salads offered at Le Grill for lunch

This afternoon, we thought we would check out the "Children of Huahine" show in the Grand Salon where a group of children from the local village of Tamarii Maroe entertained with a colorful local dance performance.

Children of Huahine perform

After the show, we read where Executive Chef Stephane Palluaud was going to perform a Moonfish presentation in Le Grill. Before long, Chef Paliuaud was carving up huge filets of the fish for this evening's dinner in Le 'Etoile restaurant.

Chef Paliuaud filets the Moonfish

After the demonstration, we had just enough time to stop by La Veranda on Deck 6 for "Ti No Avatea", or what we refer to as Afternoon Tea (4pm to 5pm). In addition to a substantial buffet of cookies, desserts, scones, et al, fresh, hot Crepe Suzette was being served.

Crepe Suzette

The visit to Afternoon Tea might have been the final nail in the coffin. There was no way we would be able to have dinner tonight! Instead, we decided to clean up and get dressed for the Captain's Welcome Party. After a quick meet-and-greet with the Captain and Senior Staff, we were treated to an Homage to Tableau Gauguin, a unique performance featuring Les Gauguines and music by Santa Rosa. Afterward, the Captain took the stage to introduce members of the Senior Staff and welcome all of the guests.

Captain Mirkovik

After the Welcome Party, we visited the Piano Bar on Deck 5. While most guests were heading to dinner, we sat at the Piano Bar enjoying a quiet cocktail and reflecting on all we had done today. Tomorrow, we will be in Taha'a where, weather permitting, we will enjoy a day at the beach!

Day 1 - Fly to Tahiti and Embark m/s Paul Gauguin

In spite of every effort by American Airlines to prevent us from making our 4:30pm departure on Air Tahiti Nui, we somehow arrived at LAX with only about 15 minutes to spare. The 45-minute wait for our luggage at baggage claim had us fearing that we might miss the flight to Tahiti. Rickee decided to walk over to the Tom Bradley International terminal to get us checked in while I waited for our luggage at baggage claim. The last time we took an international flight out of LAX, the line at security (TSA) took over an hour! Once Rickee made it to the Air Tahiti Nui desk, she texted me that a Paul Gauguin Cruises agent was there to reassure her that we would make the flight, no problem.

Paul Gauguin Cruises Agent

Not many cruise lines provide an agent to meet guests at an airport of departure. In fact, I can't think of another one right off hand. I have to tell you, it was very reassuring to have an advocate at the airport.

The flight from LAX to Papeete takes close to eight hours. And, no matter how hard we tried to use our American Airlines miles to upgrade to Business Class, we ended up in Economy. The seats are cramped, and quite uncomfortable, but there is a nice touch-screen entertainment system in the back of each seat with a decent selection of on-demand movies and games.

Air Tahiti Nui Economy Class

ATN does provide each seat with a pillow, blanket and small amenity kit. Meal service begins within an hour after takeoff and included a choice of fish or beef curry.

In-flight menu

I ordered the Beef Massaman Curry which, I am sorry to say, was inedible. I love curry, but everything in this dish tasted off, even the rice. I ate the chicken and rice salad and a piece of bread and sent the rest back.

Beef curry

To their credit, ATN does offer complimentary wine and spirits with dinner. They even offer a sparkling wine, which tasted quite nice.

About two hours before landing, there was another snack service, this time featuring a cold pasta salad with cheesecake. Overall, the service was good throughout the flight. Attendants routinely walked through the cabin offering water. Even though the flight was an hour late taking off, we did land on time in Papeete, Tahiti, at around 10:30pm. As we enter the open-air airport, we are greeted by Tahitian musicians before we line up at Immigration. A Customs form and an Immigration form were handed out on the flight, so we had them completed before we arrived

Immigration and Customs forms

Since the flight was full, the wait in line to clear Customs and Immigration took about 40 minutes, after which we collected our soaking wet (it was raining when we arrived) checked luggage and fought the substantial crowd to get outside the airport where a Paul Gauguin Cruises sign greeted us. The cruise line representative checked for our names on her list, then placed a fresh flower lei around our necks and guided us to the waiting bus.

Rickee gets her lei on

By the time we arrive at the pier, it is close to midnight. The first sign of 5-star service is when an attendant grabs Rickee's hand luggage to carry it up the gangway for her. We walk aboard on Deck 5 and are invited into the lounge where we are greeted with a glass of champagne. Check in is quick. A swipe of our passports and our photos are taken for security, then we are given our stateroom keys. A stewardess is waiting for us to escort us to our stateroom.

We are completely exhausted. By the time we unpack our luggage it is nearly 1am, and that is 5am at home! We quickly unpack and get into bed. We have to be up in time for the 8:30am muster drill. More details to come...