Xelgoer
Guest
What was the basic cost for the cruise only... Not including airfare? It sounds wonderful.
Paul Gauguin in Tahiti, anybody done this?
- Thread starter TSandM
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timetraveler
Contributor
DeputyDan
Contributor
If you have to ask, you can't afford it.
BurBunny
Contributor
If you have to ask, you can't afford it.
Not quite sure I agree with that one. It's similar to many of the top liveaboards in the Pacific. Perhaps a bit higher (depending on the category you choose, and the time of year), but it's a true luxury product, and while you may not be making 5 dives a day, the level of service and inclusions (including tips and most alcohol) make it a pretty good value.
That's exactly how I looked at it. I just booked the July 4-15, 2009 trip and it's not such a deal if you compare it to, say, the Tahitian Princess. On the other hand, it looks like a balcony stateroom will end up costing about the same as the 10-day Sky Dancer trip we took last year and just a bit more than the Palau Aggressor + 3 nights PPR trip that we did in March, at least when airfare and incidentals are factored in. We might only get 8 or so dives in during the 11 days, but I know we'll be eating and sleeping a lot better. While liveaboard food can be tolerable to good, it's certainly not haute cuisine, and liveaboard bunks and their miserly pillows leave my back aching by the end of the trip.
We just got back yesterday!! Cruise of a lifetime The diving was great. Bora Bora Tapu was awesome. We had quite a few divers on our cruise so the DMs on the boat scheduled some outside dives for the certified divers on the cruise. One was the tapu dive, and we had a two tank dive with Top dive and a videographer who had fish in bags on him. Huge lemon sharks and black tips. They followed us like puppy dogs. It was great because even though they were outside operators, they still picked us up at the back of the boat. It was a great experience for us since we had never dove with the big fish. By the end of the trip we were just oh look another shark.
We were not able to do the drift dive in Rangiroa, since the current was not right. They just ran the outer reef both days, and one group was approached by dolphins there, but otherwise the dive was just ok there.
We did not go on the Raiatea dive, but our friends said it was the best for them. Lots of Sharks!!
Looking back, Huahine was so so, but it was our first dive so it was still pretty nice.
Moorea ledges was ok, water was clear and the turtles there were very friendly.
Moorea shark gallery was better and a great dive to end on.
The service was top notch and they went out of their way to accomodate everyone. We would go again in a heart beat.
The diving was great. Bora Bora Tapu was awesome. We had quite a few divers on our cruise so the DMs on the boat scheduled some outside dives for the certified divers on the cruise. One was the tapu dive, and we had a two tank dive with Top dive and a videographer who had fish in bags on him. Huge lemon sharks and black tips. They followed us like puppy dogs. It was great because even though they were outside operators, they still picked us up at the back of the boat. It was a great experience for us since we had never dove with the big fish. By the end of the trip we were just oh look another shark.We were not able to do the drift dive in Rangiroa, since the current was not right. They just ran the outer reef both days, and one group was approached by dolphins there, but otherwise the dive was just ok there.
We did not go on the Raiatea dive, but our friends said it was the best for them. Lots of Sharks!!
Looking back, Huahine was so so, but it was our first dive so it was still pretty nice.
Moorea ledges was ok, water was clear and the turtles there were very friendly.
Moorea shark gallery was better and a great dive to end on.
The service was top notch and they went out of their way to accomodate everyone. We would go again in a heart beat.
OP
Thanks for the feedback, cali_divergirl! We're really looking forward to the trip.
How many divers did you have? There are five in our group alone.
How many divers did you have? There are five in our group alone.
wfmiller
Contributor
Wow did this bring back some memories. We took this trip in May of 2004 and the best part of it was my wife had won this trip for us FREE !!. She works for Verizon and this trip was the platinum trip for the sales folks that year.
There were about 200 or so employees and their spouses/significant others. The crew treat you like royalty and everything was excellent. This trip was the best award trip we have ever taken including all the "golden circle" trips I made when I was with IBM.
The diving was the best I have ever done, visibility was ridiculous. Sealife and sharks abounded. I will never forget when we went to "shark alley" the briefing was we should see some fairly nice size sharks. I did a side roll off the boat into the water and no matter where I looked there were sharks everywhere of all ilks. It was like a grand central station for sharks. Just totally incredible... The DM said he had never seen so many BIG sharks ever.
The night dives with Top Dive was just as fantastic.
Of course the ship itself is an experience. We had a very large stateroom as the wife was the national awards winner. We ate breakfast one morning on our private balcony and I had ordered 2 steak and eggs for myself. I just ate the steaks and they were delicious. One night in the main more formal dining room one of the meals was Lobster and the another was some kind of prime rib or steaky thingy. Me and another fellow ordered both as we both wanted surf and turf....Unbelievable. I think that was the night though that the seas were a little rough and the ship was rocking somewhat. It was funny watching all the people get up suddenly from dining and head for the nearest exit. Luckily I had come on the trip prepared for this.
Since then we have gone on numerous trips both through work and us footing the bill but we have never had another trip come close to that one in luxury. The sunsets are like nothing you have ever seen. I lived in Hawaii for some years and have traveled all over the world but have never seen sunsets that compare.
The cruise and diving were just awesome...
There were about 200 or so employees and their spouses/significant others. The crew treat you like royalty and everything was excellent. This trip was the best award trip we have ever taken including all the "golden circle" trips I made when I was with IBM.
The diving was the best I have ever done, visibility was ridiculous. Sealife and sharks abounded. I will never forget when we went to "shark alley" the briefing was we should see some fairly nice size sharks. I did a side roll off the boat into the water and no matter where I looked there were sharks everywhere of all ilks. It was like a grand central station for sharks. Just totally incredible... The DM said he had never seen so many BIG sharks ever.
The night dives with Top Dive was just as fantastic.
Of course the ship itself is an experience. We had a very large stateroom as the wife was the national awards winner. We ate breakfast one morning on our private balcony and I had ordered 2 steak and eggs for myself. I just ate the steaks and they were delicious. One night in the main more formal dining room one of the meals was Lobster and the another was some kind of prime rib or steaky thingy. Me and another fellow ordered both as we both wanted surf and turf....Unbelievable. I think that was the night though that the seas were a little rough and the ship was rocking somewhat. It was funny watching all the people get up suddenly from dining and head for the nearest exit. Luckily I had come on the trip prepared for this.
Since then we have gone on numerous trips both through work and us footing the bill but we have never had another trip come close to that one in luxury. The sunsets are like nothing you have ever seen. I lived in Hawaii for some years and have traveled all over the world but have never seen sunsets that compare.
The cruise and diving were just awesome...
Scubagolf
Contributor
We are sailing on the Paul Gauguin Aug 27th. Anybody else on board for that trip?
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