Canadian Resident special pricing for 2017

Just wanted any of my Canadian buddies here on CC to know that PG Cruises is continuing to offer some good discounts to Canadian residents for the 2017 calendar year, available "until further notice".

Most sailings have a 10% discount, but some are 25% off. If you're interested, I'm sure your TA can get the information for you, or if you're interested in a particular sailing, I can shoot you an email with the price for that itinerary.

The reason I found this out was that we decided to cancel our December PG trip in favour of one next year, and I was wringing my hands wondering if we could afford it, with the dollar still so low (we got a good price on that cruise.)

So, I asked if there were new discounts for next year, and told yes.

I'm now trying to choose a new date...

Hi,

I'm interested in booking the July 26, 2017 Reunion Cruise on the Paul Gaugin. I'm interested in a balcony in Canadian prices. I have been given $6961 from Eva at Avoya. This will be a honeymoon cruise. Any other tips would be great thanks! Not sure if we want a balcony on the back of the ship or on the side. Which side would be best for this cruise (port or starboard) or back?

Thanks,

Jennifer

Hi,

 

I'm interested in booking the July 26, 2017 Reunion Cruise on the Paul Gaugin. I'm interested in a balcony in Canadian prices. I have been given $6961 from Eva at Avoya. This will be a honeymoon cruise. Any other tips would be great thanks! Not sure if we want a balcony on the back of the ship or on the side. Which side would be best for this cruise (port or starboard) or back?

Jennifer, they are not quoting in Canadian dollars, just giving a discount to Canadian residents. The July 26th Reunion cruise has a 10% discount for Canadians, plus a 10% Society discount for past cruisers. $6961 is the discounted price I see for a D balcony, so you've already got the discount.

Port of Starboard doesn't matter at all, really. I like mid-ship myself, but that's because I am sensitive to motion. Some really like those rear-facing balconies. We never bother we a balcony, since we spend so much time outside on deck, but for a honeymoon, it sounds great--the floor to ceiling windows would also make the room feel bigger.

HI, i would love to know what cruises have the 25% off for Canadian residents. morganmarche at gmail dot com

Sorry, I missed your question. For some reason CC doesn't "remember" the contents of this particular board, so when I come to it, I have to search out new stuff.

I'll see if I can dig up the price list and email it to you. Sorry for the delay, hope this still helps.

Hi Wendy,

I knew I'd find you quickly over here on the PG forum! We just received a little notice from Preferred Travel (I think I once booked with them, many a moon ago). The ad showed various discounts for PG cruises. Of all the places we've not been to on this swell planet, the ones that surprise me most (because we are such lovers of islands) are those islands that PG visits. I've long dreamed of a trip like that, but at this point, mainly because it's so far to go, I imagine we're not likely ever to reach that dream. Still, since you're such an aficionado of both the ship and the place, I'd enjoy hearing which of the various itineraries you like the best, and which maybe less so. Also, why you're so enamored of PG-- even more maybe than the Regent ships? (I know PG used to be Regent/Radisson.) There's no business fare included with PG, correct? Not even those nice Regent discounts on business? And the bed width doesn't match Regent's if I'm remembering correctly-- except maybe those skimpy beds (what a poor thing to do imho!) in the lower cabins on the fancy-pansy Explorer

Thanks!

Hi Wendy,

 

I knew I'd find you quickly over here on the PG forum! We just received a little notice from Preferred Travel (I think I once booked with them, many a moon ago). The ad showed various discounts for PG cruises. Of all the places we've not been to on this swell planet, the ones that surprise me most (because we are such lovers of islands) are those islands that PG visits. I've long dreamed of a trip like that, but at this point, mainly because it's so far to go, I imagine we're not likely ever to reach that dream. Still, since you're such an aficionado of both the ship and the place, I'd enjoy hearing which of the various itineraries you like the best, and which maybe less so. Also, why you're so enamored of PG-- even more maybe than the Regent ships? (I know PG used to be Regent/Radisson.) There's no business fare included with PG, correct? Not even those nice Regent discounts on business? And the bed width doesn't match Regent's if I'm remembering correctly-- except maybe those skimpy beds (what a poor thing to do imho!) in the lower cabins on the fancy-pansy Explorer

 

Thanks!

Hi Poss. Nice to see you interested. There are issues for you, I know. But first let me tell you that the islands are beautiful, the water great. Lots of what you call "handsome scenery". We just love it, and the ship. The ship is small, the ambience very relaxed and friendly, the food very good, with lots of great fish, which I love. The coral has deteriorated in the 16 years since we first went there, alas. But there is still lots to see on the water and below it. I'm not sure what keeps pulling us back; every time we go we believe it to be our last, but then we book again.

The staff are wonderful, the scenery magnificent, what can I say? The Gauguines (Polynesian hospitality crew and performers) entertain and divert, all the (mostly) Philippino staff are wonderful.

Now your issues. The beds are queen, or at least that's what they feel like to me. The bathrooms are small, the cabins are small too, but beautifully designed. We have only had a balcony once! And aside from sleeping, dressing and napping, you spend very little time in your cabin, so we've managed very well (but then we sleep on queens and even a double in our homes.) That would be the biggest impediment.

It's not quite as luxurious as Regent in some ways. The ship is now over 15 years old, and has been refurbished, but has the usual carpet problems, and the tropical humidity takes its toll. This matters little to us, we just accept it. It's a very nice little ship.

The private motu (islet) helps, there's always a full-day picnic there. They provide lounge chairs and umbrellas, there's a bbq area and they provide a Polynesian-style lunch with free-flowing booze, and all the water sports toys are there (kayaks for instance.) The snorkelling is fun, although the state of the coral there is not good, but the water is still lovely. And there's usually half-day tendering to a private beach off Bora Bora as well--it's primitive, just a beach, no chairs or bathrooms, bring a towel and enjoy the water.

And no, they don't offer business air, although you can buy it as a (very expensive) upgrade. Since the carrier that's used by the airline is Air Tahiti Nui (the national airline), there are scant biz seats available. Not sure how many on the renovated planes, since they have eliminated the tiny first class section apparently, so probably perhaps 20 seats?

We plan our trips so that we can utilize Air France instead. They have a Premium Economy, which we can afford (or rather, justify.) It's fairly comfortable, although not flatbed or anything. They don't fly every day, hence the scheduling issue, but we love staying over a couple of days before the cruise (to recover and relax.) Last time we went (2014), we did 3 nights on the island of Moorea pre-cruise, and one night on Tahiti after disembarkation so that we could fit into the AF schedule.

We always stay a night in L.A. to break the trip (we have family there.) This helps. And then as I said, always spend at least two nights pre-cruise. But the trip from LAX to PPT is only 8 hours--it's like flying to Europe from eastern N.A. So no worse than that. The time difference is a mere 3 hours from L.A., so we get to see lovely sunrises.

Time of year matters a titch, but not a lot. Being tropical they don't really have seasons, but the period from our spring to our fall tends to be best. We have been in December, and the weather up in the Marquesas (near the equator) was great, but it was hotter in the Societies around Tahiti for sure. We've also been in April to the Societies when it was bloody muggy and hot, but then I was menopausal at the time, lol!

September was great weather, as has been May/early June. Next time we go in October, looking forward to that. I'm hoping it will still be whale seasons--last time we saw a humpback breech (breach?) off Moorea.

The original itinerary, the 7-day Societies Islands is wonderful and will get you to those iconic places. That combined with a relaxing pre-cruise at a nice hotel either in Tahiti or Moorea (which involves a ferry or plane flight) is great. But some don't like to go "that far" for only a 7-night cruise. We've done this itinerary 4 times, two of those were on a b2b, where we met Fred and Pat and Kathy (Chatkat).

We've done the 14-day Marquesas itinerary, which is a dream, or at least for us. Talk about stunning scenery! No water sports up there, since the islands have no lagoons, but wow. This itinerary involves at least two sea days, which we found great, but some wouldn't like on a small ship.

We've also done the Tuomotus itinerary, doing Fakarava and Rangiroa--these are "low islands", atolls known for water sports and pretty well nothing else. We spent time on another of these islands on our first trip, unique.

Our upcoming trip we're finally doing the Cook Islands--an itinerary that I used to read about back when Renaissance plied these waters. I'm hoping we actually get to anchor and tender successfully. It too has two sea days, but we know we'll be happy doing that. We haven't done the more exotic itineraries, like Fiji. Carol, who posts here, can comment--she and her husband, who we've met several times on these cruises, try to find the oddball itineraries now. So perhaps she can comment.

Sorry to go on and on. Just got started. I'm waiting for the heat to cool off enough here so I can go down to the shore and go swimming. Only way to cool off, but a good one!

In fat I probably should have moved this to a new thread. If I did, you'd get lots of information and opinions. Let me know if you want me to do that. Or you can start a new thread of your own, and I will cut and past my post to it.

You are a dearheart, Wendy. Thank you ever so much for taking the time to respond in such full and helpful detail. I need to do more reading and considering and checking air details, so I don't want to start a new thread just yet, but thank you for the suggestion. (I did review a number of the posts on this forum.) I'm hoping (beyond hope?) that we may actually get to do one of these wonderful trips un bel di.

Unlike yourselves, we (mainly my husband) tend to be in our cabin quite a bit. Jack has never been much of a mixer, and with various diminishments, he has become ever less so. If we're not out doing excursions, or dining, he much prefers to be in the cabin, resting or reading. Still, I don't think we'd be bothered by smaller cabins and bathrooms, and we most certainly would not be bothered by a less than ultra-luxurious ship. I suspect that in many ways, we'd feel more comfortable on a ship like the PG than on the Explorer. (Unlike like seemingly most people, I find much of what I've seen of that ship-- including the whole attitude surrounding it-- rather a turn-off.)

Btw, I see that David has mentioned Oceania in connection with Polynesia. Do you love PG so much that you'd not consider Oceania for that part of the world?

... I suspect that in many ways, we'd feel more comfortable on a ship like the PG than on the Explorer. (Unlike like seemingly most people, I find much of what I've seen of that ship-- including the whole attitude surrounding it-- rather a turn-off.)

 

Btw, I see that David has mentioned Oceania in connection with Polynesia. Do you love PG so much that you'd not consider Oceania for that part of the world?

I'm with you on Explorer, Poss. I'm hoping we feel comfy on Mariner this January after being on Voyager and Navigator a few times. But the PG is very comfortable, and the small cabins are very nice, I call them the "tiny perfect" cabins--David says it's because they had a proper marine architect to design them.

I would have to drag David back onto Oceania, and we certainly wouldn't do O in Polynesia. Much bigger ship, no local cultural enhancements, less local food, no private motu. David didn't like the ambience on Oceania. Loved Riviera as a ship, but not "bare foot" enough for Polynesia. If we were younger, I'd do the Aranui, which is the small cargo vessel that plies the waters up to the Marquesas and back with tourists aboard. Might want to google that. Should have done it ten years ago, but oh well, the PG has the creature comforts we enjoy.

The Mariner is terrific! We like it better than the Voyager even. Mainly the great shower. Have never been on Navigator. Looking at a possible Reykjavik-Stockholm itinerary. Would probably sign on pronto if it were a bit earlier in the season. Though I've always been hesitant about Navigator: not exactly sure why. The refurbishment doesn't have much appeal-- viz., the removal of the chair and the cabinets above the desk. Well, I guess I better stop talking about Regent stuff, let the thread return to PG. Many thanks!