Paul Gauguin Review

Once In A Lifetime (Is Enough)

Review for the South Pacific Cruise on Paul Gauguin
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TechSurfer
2-5 Cruises • Age 50s

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Sail Date: Apr 2019

The ship can hold a maximum of 326 or so passengers; there were 260 passengers, 226 crew on our trip. Pretty good crew-to-passenger ratio.

Passengers: Mostly English speaking couples, some French, a few Japanese and Spanish (south American.) There were three young (5-ish) children, from three different families that did not previously know each other. They were well-behaved. Once in a while a bit energetic and rowdy, but in places where this wasn't inappropriate. We only briefly glimpsed one of the families; of the other two, I don't think the children spoke English, but that also wasn't a factor.

Most were m/f couples around 45-70, but there was a smattering of everything, including grown kids helping their parents, all types of couples and everything from extreme goths to men who wore dinner jackets with shorts.

Cabin Review

We had a Class D cabin on Deck 6 with a veranda. It looked exactly like the brouchure/website photo, including having an odd stone sculpture in a nook. Pretty nice. From the fora, some people say they don't spend any time in their cabin. We use ours a fair amount, but I'm an introvert. The huge window is really nice, the deck fantastic and, since it's so fast, room service makes it all easy. (Room service is included. No delivery fee, no food or drink fee.)

There was plenty of storage, in the form of tiny drawers everywhere. Not many large ones, but anywhere a drawer or shelf could be put, they did. There are only a few power outlets, not where you expect. They are dual (U.S./Euro) at the writing desk and between the cabinet with the fridge/TV and the door. None near the bed.

I did bring an extension cord splitter. That was fortunate.

Housekeeping was twice daily, with fresh towels. They even wash the deck windows when needed - basically after any sea travel. We did run out of shower gel; apparently that's not checked regularly. But it was promptly refilled after we called it down.

We were on Deck 6, near the front. Louder events in the Grand Salon (the main theatre) and in the hallway to the shopping area (such as the Gauguines singing, the piano bar when it was louder and the talent shows) bled through. It wasn't bothersome to us, and ends by 10pm usually, but be aware.

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