Clear blue seas. Deserted white-sand beaches. Jagged volcanic peaks above the greenest of foliage. Strikingly beautiful French Polynesia is, by many measures, paradise found. And the 332-passenger Paul Gauguin, a cruise ship named for the French post-Impressionist artist who put Tahiti on the tourism map, has dominated this swath of heaven since 1998.
The luxury ship was operated for its first decade by Regent Seven Seas Cruises, receiving near-universal accolades. So when new owner Pacific Beachcomber took over last year, some questioned whether the change would be for the better.
On a recent weeklong cruise, it was clear that change can be good. The 19,200-ton ship still offers a fine, country-club-casual product in what might be the most romantic cruising destination in the world, and Pacific Beachcomber, the largest luxury hotel operator in French Polynesia, has introduced a number of improvements.
Warm Tahitian welcome
A welcome greeting of cold towels, champagne and flower leis helped set the tone. The goal is hospitality Tahitian-style, with a hint of French flair.
A key to achieving the Tahitian ambience is a recently enhanced troupe of a half-dozen local performers known as the Gauguines. These lovely ladies -- clad in pareos (Tahitian-style wrapped dresses), with flowers in their hair -- sing, play instruments and perform ancient Tahitian dances.
For those who want total Polynesian immersion, the Gauguines lead classes in Tahitian language, dance movements and pareo-tying.
In fact, nearly everywhere you look on the Paul Gauguin there is a reminder of where you are, from the artwork and photos, to the fresh flowers, to the museum-like exhibit outside the ship's elegant main dining room, L'Etoile.
At Le Boutique, you can buy black pearls and pareos. In the Paul Gauguin's newly revamped spa, you can get a signature massage using oils scented with local flowers.
Then there are the near-constant views of the islands. Thanks to a multimillion-dollar upgrade last year, nearly 70% of the ship's cabins have verandas. And all the cabins have some sort of view, including portholes on the lowest-end rooms.
As before, all drinks and gratuities are included in the cruise fare. There is no charge for the two alternative dining venues, the fancy French La Veranda and the more casual Le Grill, which serves Asian-inspired specialties. Both were recently enhanced to offer more outdoor dining.
The food is good, with improvements planned. In L'Etoile, I had an excellent local moonfish with pesto.
State of the staterooms
The cabins, ranging from 200 square feet to 588 square feet, are equipped with minibars stocked with beer, water and soft drinks; flat-screen TVs with DVD players; bathrobes and slippers; and plenty of storage space. Most bathrooms have bathtubs, and bath products are by L'Occitane.
Upper-level staterooms have butler service but don't expect high-end attention.
The ship does a particularly good job with room service. Both the coffee table and veranda tables convert for dining.
With a port-rich itinerary, there is much time for exploration onshore. On the weeklong cruises, the ship anchors off Bora Bora for two days and does one overnight each off Moorea and in Papeete (note that tenders stop service about 10 p.m.). There are also full days in Raiatea and Taha'a.
The new management has beefed up shore excursions, and it shows. In some ports, passengers even have time for two. The excursions I experienced -- kayaking on a river in Raiatea, snorkeling with sharks and stingrays in Bora Bora, snorkeling in a coral garden in Taha'a, hiking for a closer view of a volcanic peak and dolphin-spotting with a marine biologist in Moorea -- were all excellent. And the prices were reasonable, especially in a place where taxis and car rentals can cost a small fortune.
Those who want optimum lounging time will find tenders to a private Bora Bora motu with a pristine beach and complimentary bar service. At the line's white-sand, private Motu Mahana, off Taha'a, nearly all passengers come ashore for a lavish beach barbecue.
Since the ship has its own retractable platform, there is much opportunity for those who love water activities, including snorkeling and a scuba program, with instruction available.
Summertime and holiday cruises attract more families, and the ship continues to operate the Ambassadors of the Environment Youth Program for kids ages 9 to 17 in conjunction with explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau on select sailings.
For all the shipboard enhancements, the best thing about the Paul Gauguin is it still comfortably gets passengers to so many of the French Polynesian islands. It's hard to compete with one of the prettiest places on Earth.
Improvement, expansion on tap for Paul Gauguin Cruises
What's on tap for Paul Gauguin Cruises in the future? Richard Bailey, president of both the cruise line and Pacific Beachcomber, said his goal is improvement and expansion.
Casually enjoying drinks at his InterContinental Bora Bora and Thalasso Spa, Bailey said he wants to restore the 12-year-old Paul Gauguin's initial prominence, making it "a real cruise for jetsetters."
As part of the plan, the ship in 2011 will reinstate a relationship with 3 Michelin star Chef Jean-Pierre Vigato of Restaurant Apicius in Paris, who earlier advised Radisson Seven Seas, to create a "classic Escoffier" menu for the ship's La Veranda restaurant and select dishes to be offered at L'Etoile. Vigato also will review all the Paul Gauguin's restaurant operations and oversee cross-training, with his chefs on the ship and the ship's chefs training in France.
Bailey said the Paul Gauguin will also enter dry dock in January 2012, in Brisbane, Australia, for further refurbishments to suites and public areas. While he did not give many specifics, Bailey said one area he is looking to upgrade is the little-used Deck 9, above the pool deck. Private whirlpools and cabanas may be added there.
Plans are in the works to boost the ship's satellite reception, to add CNN and improve wireless Internet service, both things guests have asked for, Bailey said.
Itinerary-wise, the Paul Gauguin will stick closer to its Tahiti base in the future. This year, itineraries went as far afield as New Zealand and Fiji.
Bailey said he is also looking for a second ship, smaller than the Paul Gauguin, to deploy on four-day cruises combined with four days on land at his InterContinental hotels. -- F.G.
