Paul Gauguin in Tahiti, anybody done this?

[Leejnd]

Those are some most excellent pics, what were you using underwater?

OOPS! I just realized I should have said this earlier...I didn't take any of the underwater pics, they were all taken by Dominique, the DM with whom I dove. I'd originally posted those pics on our local dive board, and I just copied/pasted a couple of the posts here, but not all of them, including the first one where I attributed the underwater pics to Dominique. Apologies to Domique for not giving him credit when I posted them here!

I've only been diving since August, and haven't yet gotten into underwater photography -- that's next on my list of skills to work on!

I did, however, take the topside pics (except, of course, the ones w/ me in them! )

 

[TSandM]

Okay, okay, I'm sold! I'm writing to our friend and telling her it's a go. Sounds like a fantastic trip!

 

[Leejnd]

Okay, okay, I'm sold! I'm writing to our friend and telling her it's a go. Sounds like a fantastic trip!

LOL! It does seem like I sorta made a campaign out of it, doesn't it? I swear they didn't pay me! Although I think they should...

When are you going? And I want a full report, pics and all, so I can experience it again vicariously!

 

[TSandM]

I believe it's in September of 2008. That's the trip that Cousteau's son is leading.

 

[Peter Guy]

We are planning on a trip in Sept 2008 (can't believe we'd be planning out that far!) which starts in Tahiti. We will spend a few days there before picking up the boat with the plan that we'll spend time with the family of one of my favorite cousins (by marriage). We will be doing this with people with whom we spent a week on a chartered sailboat in the BVI -- all of us being in our mid-late 50's (at least at the moment I'm still in my 50's!) so I guess we will fit right in.

This looks so great!

BTW, the friend who wants us to do this trip says we should get a cabin with a balconey. What do you say?

 

[Leejnd]

BTW, the friend who wants us to do this trip says we should get a cabin with a balconey. What do you say?

Well, we didn't have a balcony, but a couple of the folks we hung out with on the ship did, and I saw their rooms. I must admit it would have been nice to be able to sip a nightcap out on the balcony...but honestly, we didn't spend all that much time in our room. The cabins with balconies can be quite a bit more money, and while it's nice to have one, it wasn't worth the extra money to me. If budget wasn't an issue, however, I would definitely have gotten one!

I like to plan my vacations very far in advance as well. I've already got my trips for this year lined up -- Mexico and Belize in the summer, and Bali in Sept. Now I'm starting on planning my '08 trips. It really is a good thing to plan well in advance -- that way you always have the best choices.

 

[TSandM]

One of the reasons I was thinking a balcony might be nice is to dry scuba gear . . . I think I remember something about lockers for the gear, but I would assume wetsuits, vests and so on have to go up to the rooms to dry? A balcony would keep that wet neoprene smell out of the cabin.

They ARE expensive, though.

 

[Leejnd]

You don't have to bring your gear back to your room, except for your fins, mask and snorkel. They'll take care of your gear, and they'll hang your wetsuit up for you down there. That is, if you even bring your wetsuit -- I didn't. You only need a shorty, and they have plenty of them. (I don't even own a shorty -- the water around where I live is WAY too cold for anything less than a 7-mil full!) Get a balcony if you want to enjoy the night air from your cabin, but you won't need it for drying gear.

 

[scubawife]

Have a fabulous time. Knowing RSSC and having wanted to do this exact trip for years, I have no doubt that you will love it!

 

[scubawife]

Vacationstogo.com is a good source for cruise savings and they do have deals with the luxury brands as well. They do have dates over a year out and I have seen the Gauguin sailings with Vacationstogo at up to 40% off of brochure rates in the past.

Another good cruise agency is Cruise Value Center. They're in NJ, but sell nationwide and are one of the oldest cruise agencies in the country. They know their stuff and do high enough volume business to get preferred pricing.