On the opposite distance scale to you, as an Australian this would be more “do-able” for my family than cruising in Europe or the US. Thanks for adding to my bucket list - looks beautiful!
Personally, I think if you're family enjoys the tropical life then it is a homerun. The lower cost of travel would make up for additional spending on the cruise or even upgrading to a higher stateroom.
We were on Princess and managed to visit some of the wonderful islands just before lockdown as our retirement treat. It was an absolute privilege to visit the area. Moorea, in particular, was stunning. Long may the islands stay pristine. Great video as usual, Gary.
Garry, now you know what us poor Aussies have to go through to travel to pretty much anywhere. My current record is 40 hours to Tashkent from Melbourne. I sincerely hope it’s a record I won’t have to break anytime soon.
@@tipsfortravellers Good for you - Christmas in Australia is amazing. As an ex-Canadian, even after 30++ years in Australia, I still marvel at the effortless Christmas dinners with lots of salads and seafood, and the simple pleasure of visiting friends without worrying about a blizzard ruining the day. Cruising here no doubt? Looking forward to hearing all about it. I am off on my very first cruise in January, just local - Melbourne round trip to Fiji and New Caledonia with Princess. I’m an inveterate long-time solo traveller, but now that I’m pushing 80, seat-of-the-pants, el cheapo solo travel is starting to become a bit exhausting, so I’m investigating cruising so someone else can deal with the inevitable problems while I suck up another Pinot Grigio from the comfort of my chaise.
I am a newcomer to your channel. I have been binge watching it since I discovered it a week or so ago. Only yesterday I heard you say that you had cancer about 10 years ago. It is heartwarming to see how you’ve seized life by the scruff of the neck since then, lived your life to the full and in the process created such an informative channel. It’s easy to forget how good your channel is until I’ve looked at some others. I joined your livestream last week and asked two questions, knowing they’d be lost in a sea of other questions so I submitted them and forgot about them. I was surprised you answered the first and astounded when you later answered the second. Thank you. May you and your husband have many more happy cruises.
Lovely post! I don't even cruise and LOVE his videos. Such a lovely man and informative and entertaining at the same time. I like that he keeps it real and you feel like you're not only getting expert advice, but down-to-earth insights and suggestions. He makes me want to take a cruise!
So expensive! Wow! Too much for me for seven days. I can spend two weeks, modestly in France and Paris for that amount of cash! I’ll go to France instead. 😅😅😅😅😅
This has been on my bucket list since I was a little girl. I am hoping to celebrate our 50th anniversary in the next couple years. Thank you for all your suggestions. 😊
Of course being an Aussie it's easier to get there, though still relatively expensive. Another thing to keep in mind, is not only Nov - March the rainy season, it's also cyclone season, meaning your entire trip could be cancelled due to cyclones, or even just tropical storms. This is why when I eventually sail to Vanuatu etc, I'll do so this time of year, July, to avoid the heat and possible port cancellations. For example, last southern summer Port Lifou in Vanuatu was closed for several weeks due to storm damage, meaning a number of cruises had to cancel that part of Vanuatu as a port, it even took a while to clean up the debris enough to allow it to be used as a tender port.
Hi Gary, I am taking my family this November on a round trip 32 day cruise from Los Angeles to the South Pacific and back. Thanks for this video shows me how much fun to expect on my cruise….
Great video! So enjoyable and I really really appreciate the cost breakdown. You’re the best! Congratulations on your 20 yr anniversary! You always seem happy! ❤️❤️
This looked like a great cruise. I worked on cruise ships over 10 years ago. My first week was a cruise going from hawaii to new zealand and we stopped at some of these ports. My day in Bora Bora was one of my best ever. I also did the sharks and stingray tour.
It was great to see you both celebrate your 20th anniversary is such a lovely place. Visiting Bora Bora is beyond our budget but its still fun to see it.
Lovely insight into the South Pacific where we have cruised many times we visited these places many times over the years P&O celebrated 90 years cruising this area in fact they pioneered it. Glad you enjoyed our area of the world
Great video Gary! We enjoyed our cruise to the Tumultuous, Society and Marquesas Islands on Oceania Regatta. Like you we hired bikes on a few islands and really enjoyed cycling around Bora Bora. As your videography shows it is a stunning destination.
Congratulations to both you and Mark on your 20th anniversary! Your videos are so fair and on point. We're on the Koningsdam in February for a 35 day cruise from San Diego to Hawaii, South Pacific and the Marquesas Islands, return. While we would love to cruise with Paul Gaugin, I, unlike you, could not do the flight for a 7 day cruise. Why? I was on a flight where we had a crash landing and my fear still exists. So, a 3 hour flight from Vancouver to San Diego is fine. Aside from this, this cruise offers overnights in Raiatea, Papeete and Moorea so we're focusing our excursions on all of the adventures on these Islands plus going to the Marquesas Islands is a bonus. This video has certainly given us so much information and adventures that we can look forward to. Thank you, yet again, for the best videos!
I understand that the experience (while finally there...) must have been fantastic, but to me... I would have needed a week in a spa hotel to RECOVER after all that flying to get there, before I had started to enjoy the actual place. Don't get me wrong. I like to be active on my holidays so pushbike tours and climbing mountains sounds fine, but 3 flights after each other is NOT 'active'... but thats just me.
I have to agree with you on all your points. It is far, very expensive but if you can go, it’s worth it. I was on a segment of a Princess world cruise, so the cruise was. 11 days from Papeete to Hawaï on a small ship. We did a pre cruise stay in Papeete and then cruise to Moorea, Bora Bora (it rained) then 4 sea days and Hawaï, Maui, Kauai then Oahu with a post cruise stay in Honolulu. The flights and the stays were more expensive than the cruise, so was an expensive trip. Would I go again? Probably not, it’s too far and too much money to re-do something I did. I would spend the same on another trip instead.
I feel like if I cruised anywhere near as much as you do I'd have taken the Southhampton to Auckland cruise on the Queen Victoria or the Dover to Auckland on the Coral Princess and then take either an Oceania or Windstar to Papeete.
In case someone needs a more budget friendly option to French Polynesia,New Caledonia and Vanuatu in the same region offer the same experience in a fraction of a price. P&O has as low as $55/day including taxes and port fees for a quad share on Pacific adventure and Pacific Encounter. The extra cost would be a return ticket to Sydney or Brisbane…
The Aranui cruise going all the way out to Pitcairn is my #1 bucket list cruise. Definitely one for after a lottery win and not before though, crikey...
Happy anniversary! I’ve never been on a cruise but this looks divine and not too far from New Zealand. New Zealanders are kind of resigned to spending lots of time and money to go to most places 😊.
*CONGRATULATIONS ON 20 YEARS TOGETHER!* French Polynesia looked like it was a wonderful place for celebration. Here in the US from the highs of legalization of same-sex marriage only 8 years ago in 2015, we're now experiencing the pendulum swing backlash. *Gary, are you seeing any changes with Destinations or Cruise Lines on how same-sex couples are treated these days?*
I have been on 2 cruises. One was with someone to Cozumel. One alone to Cuba. I don’t understand why cruise lines punish people for being single. I am a widow and I probably won’t cruise again knowing that you need a partner.
The fact is that an hotel room or cabin has a cost, so obvious that the cost each goes up w he you cannot split that cost with someone else. Also the cruise line looses money from not having an extra person in a cabin who would possibly spend money onboard. A shame for you I know, but they have to charge it.
We have done Paul Gauguin 4 times in the last 10 years. The prices spiked when it was acquired by Ponant. Most of the original crew are still there. But it seems to have become much more "French." The good news, food is impeccable. Service has always been amazing, but what was most endearing was the warmth and playfulness of the staff. Seems Ponant wants a more "dignified" atmosphere. Every excursion now has everything repeated in French, which becomes tedious. Another option might be Air New Zealand, Air France, and we had a wonderful experience with United. I would avoid Air Tahiti Nui at all cost. It has been unpleasant from end to end for us.
Have you forgotten how many of your viewers are in the USA which has non stop flts from at least 3 west coast cities of 7 hrs (LAX) or 8 hrs (SEA). Air Tahiti Nui and AF both have direct flts from CDG to Papeete. ANZ flies nonstop from Kiwiland and Qantas from Oz There's a direct flt too from Santiago, Chile. Remoteness is relative. Easter Island (I have been twice) is REMOTE by anyone's standards.
Congratulations! Twenty years....how wonderful. My spouse and i would like to go for our 10th anniversary (in a few years) but I don't know how comfortable I am paying about $20,000 for a 10-day Paul Gauguin cruise. We are on the west coast of the U.S., but eeks, that's a lot. I know other lines go to French Polynesia, but are they good value?
A life vest to snorkel? That's weird. I'm glad to hear that there is a wide vegetarian option. I've stayed away from Polynesia because so much meat is part of the culture.
You complain about the cost of hand made items, so can you tell me, a) how much do you think they should cost? b) how long do you think it takes to make the item? c) how much do you think a skilled craftsman should make an hour?
I so agree, no one these days will pay for a hand made product. Skilled people should be paid a living wage for each hour that they work. I know how under-appreciated they are as my hubby is a very skilled cabinet maker and worked on luxury yachts. So sometimes a home owner would ask for kitchen cabinets to be built but expected IKEA prices. Thx.
Oh my gosh, that small-ship experience in one of the most beautiful regions of the world, with crew and entertainment from the area...absolutely my style of cruising! I travel to LEARN as much as to relax. Time to put on my bucket list for when I meet certain financial goals.
We planned a 2 week Australia/New Zealand cruise on Celebrity as our retirement celebration. The flight from Minneapolis to Sydney was crazy long. We planned ahead, making reservations 18 months in advance. The cruise cost when up and did sell out. We divided the travel into 2 days. Minneapolis to Honolulu (10 hrs), with a walk around and fun dinner, then Honolulu to Sydney. This made it 20 hours total but shorter then having fight transfers. We saved our travel points for a long time only paying for 1 if the 4 legs. We went early and traveled 2 days in Sydney. The cruise was fabulous! We traveled back from Auckland to Honolulu. Our original plan was to stay 3 days in Honolulu but got emergency news my mother was very ill and ending up passing on our way home. 😢 Gary gave great details for traveling far away. Happy Anniversary🎉
Great vlog Mr Gary. We did a cruise like this on the new Carnival Luminous ship. 22 days from Australia to Seattle. We stopped at many of the ports that you did. We did swim with the black tip sharks & stingray. Awesome cruise ⚓🚢
Gary, we did an extended cruise with Holland America to FP earlier this year on MS Koningsdam, it was affordable, but many sea days, and no stop to Bora Bora, but still a great cruise.. Cheers, J
I was in French Polynesia in 2021, about a week or so after it reopened to tourists (only to Americans at that time, not even French were allowed in). This was "on land", with visits to 4 islands over 10 days. I thought we had a really packed schedule but you got us beat! It's amazing to see how much you got to see and do over the much shorter time period. If you ever get back, my favorite thing was running all the way around Bora Bora (it's 19 miles). Of course it could also be done on a bike.
Hi Gary, I'm wondering what your opinion is about cruising there on one of the major cruise lines. Celebrity stops there on the way from Hawaii to Australia. I'm thinking about doing this in the future. Since you've been there, I'd love to know what you think.
Congratulations on your 20 year milestone! That's absolutely marvelous. My husband and I did a 10 night cruise of Tahiti in 2007 to celebrate our 30 year milestone. We were on the now defunct Tahitian Princess and will never forget it. Luckily, we live in L.A. and the flight/time change wasn't bad at all. This was a terrific video! - Martin in La La Land
You were lucky Garry, I did the cruise before you and got caught up with the Air Tahiti strike, had to book another flight to get home with Air Cal via Noumea, and had to hang around Papeete for three days after the cruise, would have happily taken your 26 hours compared to my 3 day wait and 24 hour flight back to Hobart
Happy anniversary! Thanks for the detailed video. It sounds like this trip combined many aspects of a dream cruise experience. However, for that kind of money, I would take a different type of trip that would last longer.
Your "Englishness" is apparent when you (mis)pronounce "Les Gauguins"! LOL I've been on a 12-day Paul Gauguin cruise, and it was the experience of a lifetime! FAR superior to larger ships in other regions.
Speaking from experience, the big problem is that the cost of the travel is not worth it for just 7 nights. I have flown often to Australia. You have to have a minimum stay is 3 to 4 weeks or the travel isn't worth it. For this kind of trip (and I have done thia) is to stay a week or two in Hawaii on the front and/or back end. I would also consider staying in Polynesia for a week or two after the cruise. Discover things from the cruise, and then pick a place you could spend a week and sip cocktails, take private dive sessions, go sailing, whatever. If the cruise originates outside of Polynesia, perhaps negotiate with the cruise company to come in on one boat, stay a while, and then leave on another.
Thank you for your look at the m/s Paul Gauguin. I sailed on it twice, for special solar eclipse cruises, which they’ve done several. The need to get to the eclipse path took us off the usual itinerary, in 2005 to Pitcairn Island where we were able to land, ferried ashore by the islanders in their longboat, and in 2009 to the remote northern Cook Islands, where I remember us delivering ice cream as a special treat to one of the islands that rarely see passing ships. The on board anthropologist was fabulous in his lectures about Polynesian history and culture.
I just watched your vid of the Paul Gauguin cruise around French Polynesia. Why is you opinion of Royal Carribean cruise? If I remember correctly you Mentioned in another vid that you were a cancer survivor. Last year I had surgery for Stage III renal Cancer. You are an inspiration. His bless
Thanks for sharing. I'm eyeing a transpacific cruise that's on my BUCKET LIST, of which visiting FP would be a part of. I'm mentally preparing myself for some murderous (and extortionate) flights both to Honolulu and from Sydney. It would be on one of the BIGGEST ships FP sees, so I'm also mentally preparing to tender everywhere besides Papeete. But the experience promises to be worth it, even if I skip out on the regional cruises.
I was actually underwhelmed when we did a 28 day round trip cruise from LAX on the Sapphire Princess in Oct 2013. We did a shore excursion on every island, that drove all around it and we never saw one decent beach. Maybe the tide was high up, I don’t know, but all I saw was sharp coral. On a glass bottom boat trip we saw all the coral was dead or dying, no fish hardly as there is no protection for them, they need to hide from predators. Dead coral is due to sun bleaching caused by global warming. It was way too hot, 35C, the highest I have ever been in. I felt exhausted, Ill, faint and then heat exhaustion. I hated it. Plus we are not water people, we do not swim and I am unable to hike. I went for the scenery, yes pretty, but I have seen better. Each to their own. Thx for lovely video.
Excellent review, I'll never be able to afford it though. Interestingly some friends are currently relaxing in Raroia atoll, just North of the area you were in, having sailed all the way from the Galapagos. Your posting gave me a good idea of the amazing scenery they are enjoying. And congrats on your anniversary.
Hey Gary, great video, agree, 100%. I would never ever choose a cruise beginning or ending in an abstract port such as Bali, Tahiti, Adelaide, etc. etc. etc. Those ports are very hard to reach and cost thousands of dollars extra to get there Business Class. There are some attractive cruises I’ve seen online, but they’re endings point our places, such as these, and when I price the airfare, Business Class back to Baltimore USA it’s astronomical compared to say, Singapore, or Dubai, or Southampton.
Great video. Congrats on 20 years! We weren’t able to afford a Paul Gauguin, but this past March-April we did fly from home Chicago to Los Angeles. Then got onboard Crown Princess for 28 days. Yes we had a LOT of sea days but the ship was nice and we saw Hawaii, the Samoas, Tahiti, Mo’Orea and due to emergency stop Huahine. Super nice and affordable trip. Flight was 4 hours -doable. No Bora Bora though. We were very sad. Princess was selling t-shirts that were from prior cruises that listed Bora Bora on the cruise itinerary😔 Anyway, I thought Venice was my favorite place on earth but I’ve since changed that to Mo’Orea. I want to live in one of the bungalows on the hill above the Motu. Beautiful. Just absolutely beautiful! Thanks for the reminder of a beautiful cruise.
Cruise with Scenic Eclipse. All inclusive…around 1000$ pppn. Different level as it is much more luxurious cruise. No pothole rooms…all rooms with spacious balconies. No need to spend on drinks , excursions, meals, tips, Wi-Fi etc. only extras are helicopter flight or submarine or massage. You have a dedicated butler on each floor. Really not expensive.
Consider a round the world ticket with one of the alliances as it might be cheaper. I visited a while back doing London to LA (Virgin), to Papeete (Air New Zealand), then to Auckland (Air NZ), then to Sydney (Air NZ) and back to London with Singapore Airlines.
Congratulations on your 20 year anniversary. We are going there next month from Brisbane Australia and back with Princess cruise. 35 days. We will miss Bora bora but going to Hawaii.
Going on Viking ocean LA to LA in October 2024 Hawaii and French Polynesia for 34 days - not real expensive about 15K pp including air for penthouse veranda l- lots of sea days but ship small enough to go to all ports -ship and line are great in my opinion Anybody else do this cruise ? Your opinions?
On the opposite distance scale to you, as an Australian this would be more “do-able” for my family than cruising in Europe or the US. Thanks for adding to my bucket list - looks beautiful!
Personally, I think if you're family enjoys the tropical life then it is a homerun. The lower cost of travel would make up for additional spending on the cruise or even upgrading to a higher stateroom.
The flights and the budget for doing this cruise is on another level. However, I’m all for a more candid experience.
We were on Princess and managed to visit some of the wonderful islands just before lockdown as our retirement treat. It was an absolute privilege to visit the area. Moorea, in particular, was stunning. Long may the islands stay pristine. Great video as usual, Gary.
20 years together, congratulations! Such a wonderful way to celebrate such a milestone.
Garry, now you know what us poor Aussies have to go through to travel to pretty much anywhere. My current record is 40 hours to Tashkent from Melbourne. I sincerely hope it’s a record I won’t have to break anytime soon.
Yes! it so long. I am heading to Australia again this Christmas. It sooo long...
@@tipsfortravellers Good for you - Christmas in Australia is amazing. As an ex-Canadian, even after 30++ years in Australia, I still marvel at the effortless Christmas dinners with lots of salads and seafood, and the simple pleasure of visiting friends without worrying about a blizzard ruining the day. Cruising here no doubt? Looking forward to hearing all about it. I am off on my very first cruise in January, just local - Melbourne round trip to Fiji and New Caledonia with Princess. I’m an inveterate long-time solo traveller, but now that I’m pushing 80, seat-of-the-pants, el cheapo solo travel is starting to become a bit exhausting, so I’m investigating cruising so someone else can deal with the inevitable problems while I suck up another Pinot Grigio from the comfort of my chaise.
I am a newcomer to your channel. I have been binge watching it since I discovered it a week or so ago. Only yesterday I heard you say that you had cancer about 10 years ago. It is heartwarming to see how you’ve seized life by the scruff of the neck since then, lived your life to the full and in the process created such an informative channel. It’s easy to forget how good your channel is until I’ve looked at some others.
I joined your livestream last week and asked two questions, knowing they’d be lost in a sea of other questions so I submitted them and forgot about them. I was surprised you answered the first and astounded when you later answered the second. Thank you.
May you and your husband have many more happy cruises.
You have hit a goldmine of excellent tips & reviews.
Lovely post! I don't even cruise and LOVE his videos. Such a lovely man and informative and entertaining at the same time. I like that he keeps it real and you feel like you're not only getting expert advice, but down-to-earth insights and suggestions. He makes me want to take a cruise!
So expensive! Wow! Too much for me for seven days. I can spend two weeks, modestly in France and Paris for that amount of cash! I’ll go to France instead. 😅😅😅😅😅
I love everything about this trip! Nature, the ship, weather, authentic experiences…I see no downside other than the expense and flying time.
Congratulations to you and your partner. This looked a fantastic trip, what a stunning location
This has been on my bucket list since I was a little girl. I am hoping to celebrate our 50th anniversary in the next couple years. Thank you for all your suggestions. 😊
Congratulations to you both on your anniversary. Great vlog as always.
Of course being an Aussie it's easier to get there, though still relatively expensive. Another thing to keep in mind, is not only Nov - March the rainy season, it's also cyclone season, meaning your entire trip could be cancelled due to cyclones, or even just tropical storms. This is why when I eventually sail to Vanuatu etc, I'll do so this time of year, July, to avoid the heat and possible port cancellations. For example, last southern summer Port Lifou in Vanuatu was closed for several weeks due to storm damage, meaning a number of cruises had to cancel that part of Vanuatu as a port, it even took a while to clean up the debris enough to allow it to be used as a tender port.
Hi Gary, I am taking my family this November on a round trip 32 day cruise from Los Angeles to the South Pacific and back. Thanks for this video shows me how much fun to expect on my cruise….
We might be on the same cruise. Sapphire Princess??
@@angelaivy4720 Yes, the Sapphire Princess leaving on the 30th.
@@angelaivy4720 Great see you in November….
Great video! So enjoyable and I really really appreciate the cost breakdown. You’re the best! Congratulations on your 20 yr anniversary! You always seem happy! ❤️❤️
This looked like a great cruise.
I worked on cruise ships over 10 years ago.
My first week was a cruise going from hawaii to new zealand and we stopped at some of these ports.
My day in Bora Bora was one of my best ever. I also did the sharks and stingray tour.
We did this trip on the Viking Marina a number of years ago. Fabulous weather, sightseeing, and lovely people. Congratulations on 20 years together!
It was great to see you both celebrate your 20th anniversary is such a lovely place. Visiting Bora Bora is beyond our budget but its still fun to see it.
Thank you so much 🤗
Congratulations on celebrating your 20th year together ❤
Thanks you for taking me to places I will probably never get to. Congratulations on your 20th!
Lovely insight into the South Pacific where we have cruised many times we visited these places many times over the years P&O celebrated 90 years cruising this area in fact they pioneered it. Glad you enjoyed our area of the world
Congratulations on 20 years together
Great video Gary! We enjoyed our cruise to the Tumultuous, Society and Marquesas Islands on Oceania Regatta. Like you we hired bikes on a few islands and really enjoyed cycling around Bora Bora. As your videography shows it is a stunning destination.
I spent 8 months working on Tahitian Princess out of Pape'ete. It's fabulous.
Congratulations to both you and Mark on your 20th anniversary! Your videos are so fair and on point. We're on the Koningsdam in February for a 35 day cruise from San Diego to Hawaii, South Pacific and the Marquesas Islands, return. While we would love to cruise with Paul Gaugin, I, unlike you, could not do the flight for a 7 day cruise. Why? I was on a flight where we had a crash landing and my fear still exists. So, a 3 hour flight from Vancouver to San Diego is fine. Aside from this, this cruise offers overnights in Raiatea, Papeete and Moorea so we're focusing our excursions on all of the adventures on these Islands plus going to the Marquesas Islands is a bonus. This video has certainly given us so much information and adventures that we can look forward to. Thank you, yet again, for the best videos!
I understand that the experience (while finally there...) must have been fantastic, but to me... I would have needed a week in a spa hotel to RECOVER after all that flying to get there, before I had started to enjoy the actual place. Don't get me wrong. I like to be active on my holidays so pushbike tours and climbing mountains sounds fine, but 3 flights after each other is NOT 'active'... but thats just me.
I have to agree with you on all your points. It is far, very expensive but if you can go, it’s worth it. I was on a segment of a Princess world cruise, so the cruise was. 11 days from Papeete to Hawaï on a small ship. We did a pre cruise stay in Papeete and then cruise to Moorea, Bora Bora (it rained) then 4 sea days and Hawaï, Maui, Kauai then Oahu with a post cruise stay in Honolulu. The flights and the stays were more expensive than the cruise, so was an expensive trip. Would I go again? Probably not, it’s too far and too much money to re-do something I did. I would spend the same on another trip instead.
Will be experiencing this beautiful part of the world again in October on Quantum of the Seas repositioning transpacific cruise. Can’t wait.
What a great video, thank you!! That part of the world sounds so beautiful!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching as always., Yes, it is quite a place!
I feel like if I cruised anywhere near as much as you do I'd have taken the Southhampton to Auckland cruise on the Queen Victoria or the Dover to Auckland on the Coral Princess and then take either an Oceania or Windstar to Papeete.
Great video. Only 10 hours from Melbourne Australia worth considering for us!!
Happy Anniversary to both of you!
Have been to French Polonesia four times and would love to add a fifth.
yes!!!! multiple visits a must I think!
This area of the world is definitely on my bucket list. Hope to do Paul Gauguin in 2026.
In case someone needs a more budget friendly option to French Polynesia,New Caledonia and Vanuatu in the same region offer the same experience in a fraction of a price. P&O has as low as $55/day including taxes and port fees for a quad share on Pacific adventure and Pacific Encounter.
The extra cost would be a return ticket to Sydney or Brisbane…
Congratulations on 20 years!
The Aranui cruise going all the way out to Pitcairn is my #1 bucket list cruise. Definitely one for after a lottery win and not before though, crikey...
Congratulations to yall
As always, very nicely done video review👍. Hawaiian Airlines can also get you there through Honolulu.
Happy 20th anniversary! What a great way to celebrate.
Happy anniversary! I’ve never been on a cruise but this looks divine and not too far from New Zealand. New Zealanders are kind of resigned to spending lots of time and money to go to most places 😊.
From the menu @9:39, I would order the New York steak with Polynesian flourishes.
*CONGRATULATIONS ON 20 YEARS TOGETHER!*
French Polynesia looked like it was a wonderful place for celebration.
Here in the US from the highs of legalization of same-sex marriage only 8 years ago in 2015, we're now experiencing the pendulum swing backlash.
*Gary, are you seeing any changes with Destinations or Cruise Lines on how same-sex couples are treated these days?*
I have been 30 days on PG. Can't wait to go back. Want to do the Cook Islands.
Fantastic as ever Gary. Maybe when the lump sum hits the bank.
I have been on 2 cruises. One was with someone to Cozumel. One alone to Cuba. I don’t understand why cruise lines punish people for being single. I am a widow and I probably won’t cruise again knowing that you need a partner.
The fact is that an hotel room or cabin has a cost, so obvious that the cost each goes up w he you cannot split that cost with someone else. Also the cruise line looses money from not having an extra person in a cabin who would possibly spend money onboard. A shame for you I know, but they have to charge it.
We have done Paul Gauguin 4 times in the last 10 years. The prices spiked when it was acquired by Ponant. Most of the original crew are still there. But it seems to have become much more "French." The good news, food is impeccable. Service has always been amazing, but what was most endearing was the warmth and playfulness of the staff. Seems Ponant wants a more "dignified" atmosphere. Every excursion now has everything repeated in French, which becomes tedious. Another option might be Air New Zealand, Air France, and we had a wonderful experience with United. I would avoid Air Tahiti Nui at all cost. It has been unpleasant from end to end for us.
That ship looked huge
Have you forgotten how many of your viewers are in the USA which has non stop flts from at least 3 west coast cities of 7 hrs (LAX) or 8 hrs (SEA). Air Tahiti Nui and AF both have direct flts from CDG to Papeete. ANZ flies nonstop from Kiwiland and Qantas from Oz There's a direct flt too from Santiago, Chile. Remoteness is relative. Easter Island (I have been twice) is REMOTE by anyone's standards.
Congratulations! Twenty years....how wonderful. My spouse and i would like to go for our 10th anniversary (in a few years) but I don't know how comfortable I am paying about $20,000 for a 10-day Paul Gauguin cruise. We are on the west coast of the U.S., but eeks, that's a lot. I know other lines go to French Polynesia, but are they good value?
Would love to do this cruise but way out of my price range
Hi Mark !
Very beautiful ❤
Gary, I have seen the cost of a French Polynesia cruise is significantly higher than a Hawaii cruise. Have you taken a Hawaii cruise?
Our covid cancelled cruise was to go to Bora Bora. Now it is unlikely we can afford to go there
Ooooh very expensive, but worth it I think
A life vest to snorkel? That's weird.
I'm glad to hear that there is a wide vegetarian option. I've stayed away from Polynesia because so much meat is part of the culture.
frenchbee fly's quite cheaply from paris.
❤️☀️🇨🇦🌺
You complain about the cost of hand made items, so can you tell me, a) how much do you think they should cost? b) how long do you think it takes to make the item? c) how much do you think a skilled craftsman should make an hour?
I so agree, no one these days will pay for a hand made product. Skilled people should be paid a living wage for each hour that they work. I know how under-appreciated they are as my hubby is a very skilled cabinet maker and worked on luxury yachts. So sometimes a home owner would ask for kitchen cabinets to be built but expected IKEA prices. Thx.
French Bee have more reasonable flights from Paris to all French DomTom
When you’re talking you taper off into a very quiet whisper, you can’t even understand
This would make a great cruise destination from Australian Ports. Especially during winter.
The ships from Australia tend to go to Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia which are much closer. French Polynesia is closer to Hawaii than to Australia.
Oh my gosh, that small-ship experience in one of the most beautiful regions of the world, with crew and entertainment from the area...absolutely my style of cruising! I travel to LEARN as much as to relax. Time to put on my bucket list for when I meet certain financial goals.
We planned a 2 week Australia/New Zealand cruise on Celebrity as our retirement celebration. The flight from Minneapolis to Sydney was crazy long. We planned ahead, making reservations 18 months in advance. The cruise cost when up and did sell out. We divided the travel into 2 days. Minneapolis to Honolulu (10 hrs), with a walk around and fun dinner, then Honolulu to Sydney. This made it 20 hours total but shorter then having fight transfers. We saved our travel points for a long time only paying for 1 if the 4 legs. We went early and traveled 2 days in Sydney. The cruise was fabulous! We traveled back from Auckland to Honolulu. Our original plan was to stay 3 days in Honolulu but got emergency news my mother was very ill and ending up passing on our way home. 😢 Gary gave great details for traveling far away.
Happy Anniversary🎉
Great vlog Mr Gary. We did a cruise like this on the new Carnival Luminous ship. 22 days from Australia to Seattle. We stopped at many of the ports that you did. We did swim with the black tip sharks & stingray. Awesome cruise ⚓🚢
I'm glad you and Mark were able to go as it was a big milestone. 🎉😊
Gary, we did an extended cruise with Holland America to FP earlier this year on MS Koningsdam, it was affordable, but many sea days, and no stop to Bora Bora, but still a great cruise.. Cheers, J
I was in French Polynesia in 2021, about a week or so after it reopened to tourists (only to Americans at that time, not even French were allowed in). This was "on land", with visits to 4 islands over 10 days. I thought we had a really packed schedule but you got us beat! It's amazing to see how much you got to see and do over the much shorter time period. If you ever get back, my favorite thing was running all the way around Bora Bora (it's 19 miles). Of course it could also be done on a bike.
Cruise looked nice, right up to you mentioned the price of everything...I must be a cheap as##😀.
Hi Gary, I'm wondering what your opinion is about cruising there on one of the major cruise lines. Celebrity stops there on the way from Hawaii to Australia. I'm thinking about doing this in the future. Since you've been there, I'd love to know what you think.
Congratulations on your 20 year milestone! That's absolutely marvelous. My husband and I did a 10 night cruise of Tahiti in 2007 to celebrate our 30 year milestone. We were on the now defunct Tahitian Princess and will never forget it. Luckily, we live in L.A. and the flight/time change wasn't bad at all. This was a terrific video! - Martin in La La Land
You were lucky Garry, I did the cruise before you and got caught up with the Air Tahiti strike, had to book another flight to get home with Air Cal via Noumea, and had to hang around Papeete for three days after the cruise, would have happily taken your 26 hours compared to my 3 day wait and 24 hour flight back to Hobart
Happy anniversary! Thanks for the detailed video. It sounds like this trip combined many aspects of a dream cruise experience. However, for that kind of money, I would take a different type of trip that would last longer.
Top of my list of places to go is Bora Bora, but like many, I'll never get there. Can but dream!
Your "Englishness" is apparent when you (mis)pronounce "Les Gauguins"! LOL I've been on a 12-day Paul Gauguin cruise, and it was the experience of a lifetime! FAR superior to larger ships in other regions.
True bucket list, looked totally worth it to me!
Our first cruise was with Crystal from San Diego to French Polynesia. I still check the pictures regularly!
Have you ever gone on a Hawaiian cruise or are you planning to ever do one?
The Air Tahiti flights from Seattle are not every day, currently.
Congratulations on 20 years 🎉🎉🎉. Great video and insights. Thank you.
Congratulations on being together for 20 years!
HI there, big fan!!! Can you please tell us about the drone you use? thnaks
Speaking from experience, the big problem is that the cost of the travel is not worth it for just 7 nights. I have flown often to Australia. You have to have a minimum stay is 3 to 4 weeks or the travel isn't worth it. For this kind of trip (and I have done thia) is to stay a week or two in Hawaii on the front and/or back end. I would also consider staying in Polynesia for a week or two after the cruise. Discover things from the cruise, and then pick a place you could spend a week and sip cocktails, take private dive sessions, go sailing, whatever. If the cruise originates outside of Polynesia, perhaps negotiate with the cruise company to come in on one boat, stay a while, and then leave on another.
Thank you for your look at the m/s Paul Gauguin. I sailed on it twice, for special solar eclipse cruises, which they’ve done several. The need to get to the eclipse path took us off the usual itinerary, in 2005 to Pitcairn Island where we were able to land, ferried ashore by the islanders in their longboat, and in 2009 to the remote northern Cook Islands, where I remember us delivering ice cream as a special treat to one of the islands that rarely see passing ships. The on board anthropologist was fabulous in his lectures about Polynesian history and culture.
The flight times and time changes are what every Autralian does when travelling to US, Canada or Europe!
I just watched your vid of the Paul Gauguin cruise around French Polynesia. Why is you opinion of Royal
Carribean cruise? If I remember correctly you
Mentioned in another vid that you were a cancer survivor. Last year I had surgery for Stage III renal
Cancer. You are an inspiration. His bless
He said that the ships with over 1200 passengers are not allowed in their waterways. All RCI ships have way over that, so no good for this itinerary.
Thanks for sharing. I'm eyeing a transpacific cruise that's on my BUCKET LIST, of which visiting FP would be a part of. I'm mentally preparing myself for some murderous (and extortionate) flights both to Honolulu and from Sydney. It would be on one of the BIGGEST ships FP sees, so I'm also mentally preparing to tender everywhere besides Papeete. But the experience promises to be worth it, even if I skip out on the regional cruises.
I loved your recap and review of your Paul Gauguin cruise. What you liked, what you didn’t.
I was actually underwhelmed when we did a 28 day round trip cruise from LAX on the Sapphire Princess in Oct 2013. We did a shore excursion on every island, that drove all around it and we never saw one decent beach. Maybe the tide was high up, I don’t know, but all I saw was sharp coral. On a glass bottom boat trip we saw all the coral was dead or dying, no fish hardly as there is no protection for them, they need to hide from predators. Dead coral is due to sun bleaching caused by global warming. It was way too hot, 35C, the highest I have ever been in. I felt exhausted, Ill, faint and then heat exhaustion. I hated it. Plus we are not water people, we do not swim and I am unable to hike. I went for the scenery, yes pretty, but I have seen better. Each to their own. Thx for lovely video.
Excellent review, I'll never be able to afford it though.
Interestingly some friends are currently relaxing in Raroia atoll, just North of the area you were in, having sailed all the way from the Galapagos. Your posting gave me a good idea of the amazing scenery they are enjoying. And congrats on your anniversary.
Happy anniversary! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!
I've never been to this area before and quite honestly it's not really on my radar at least for right now.
Maybe someday though.
Congratulations on your anniversary, i hope you have many, many more.
Hey Gary, great video, agree, 100%. I would never ever choose a cruise beginning or ending in an abstract port such as Bali, Tahiti, Adelaide, etc. etc. etc. Those ports are very hard to reach and cost thousands of dollars extra to get there Business Class. There are some attractive cruises I’ve seen online, but they’re endings point our places, such as these, and when I price the airfare, Business Class back to Baltimore USA it’s astronomical compared to say, Singapore, or Dubai, or Southampton.
Wow! The time difference thing is really important. Thank you for everything, but that is something I haven’t heard before.
Great video. Congrats on 20 years! We weren’t able to afford a Paul Gauguin, but this past March-April we did fly from home Chicago to Los Angeles. Then got onboard Crown Princess for 28 days. Yes we had a LOT of sea days but the ship was nice and we saw Hawaii, the Samoas, Tahiti, Mo’Orea and due to emergency stop Huahine. Super nice and affordable trip. Flight was 4 hours -doable. No Bora Bora though. We were very sad. Princess was selling t-shirts that were from prior cruises that listed Bora Bora on the cruise itinerary😔 Anyway, I thought Venice was my favorite place on earth but I’ve since changed that to Mo’Orea. I want to live in one of the bungalows on the hill above the Motu. Beautiful. Just absolutely beautiful! Thanks for the reminder of a beautiful cruise.
Cruise with Scenic Eclipse. All inclusive…around 1000$ pppn. Different level as it is much more luxurious cruise. No pothole rooms…all rooms with spacious balconies. No need to spend on drinks , excursions, meals, tips, Wi-Fi etc. only extras are helicopter flight or submarine or massage. You have a dedicated butler on each floor. Really not expensive.
Consider a round the world ticket with one of the alliances as it might be cheaper. I visited a while back doing London to LA (Virgin), to Papeete (Air New Zealand), then to Auckland (Air NZ), then to Sydney (Air NZ) and back to London with Singapore Airlines.
You are right. I could not do all those plane hrs. But if you can, it is magnificent. Slow paced relaxed! How wonderful!!
Congratulations on your 20 year anniversary. We are going there next month from Brisbane Australia and back with Princess cruise. 35 days. We will miss Bora bora but going to Hawaii.
Going on Viking ocean LA to LA in October 2024 Hawaii and French Polynesia for 34 days - not real expensive about 15K pp including air for penthouse veranda l- lots of sea days but ship small enough to go to all ports -ship and line are great in my opinion
Anybody else do this cruise ? Your opinions?