Paul Gauguin Questions

Hello everyone, we just started looking into the Paul Gauguin cruise line. I was wondering if anyone would be able to give suggestions about travel insurance. Do you know of any credit cards that has trip cancelation insurance? When do you suggest getting insurance and with who?

Has anyone booked through Avoya travel? If so, what is your experience? We have contacted Doug Pinkerton and are curious if anyone has a comments about the booking process.

Is a balcony room necessary? I think it is something like $3000 more than a picture window room which is a lot.

What is the average age of people on this ship?

Per Cruise Critic policy, we cannot discuss travel agents.

Is a balcony room necessary? I think it is something like $3000 more than a picture window room which is a lot.

This question is regularly discussed on this board, most recently in the "PG Itinerary for Newbie" thread

It's one of those ships where the ages are all over the place. There are often some honeymooners . I would say the bulk would be 50ties and 60 ties but that may be totally wrong for your voyage. If it's the summer you may get young families. If it's the doctors sea course voyage you will get ages from 25 to 80.

It's not the ship for you if you are looking for nightclubbing. I had one colleague who went on it and called it dead after 9 pm. Do read all the reviews to give you a feel for it.

However the ship is most beloved for repeat cruisers like us who are drawn back again and again and again. The staff are wonderful and the location is pure magic. It will be our 9 th trip next year and we cannot wait for it.

No, a balcony cabin is not a necessity on this cruise. You will spend very little time in your cabin.

As mentioned, we can't discuss travel agents. You will have to do your own research--try to find someone who has been on the ship and can give good advice about cabins--we like midship on deck 4, the window cabin. Also look for an agency that will give you either an onboard credit or a cash rebate.

While we can't discuss travel agents you may want to go to http://www.tripadvisor.com and in the discussion board section for the South Pacific, click on French Polynesia. You can ask questions about travel agents there and you can also send someone a private message to obtain more info. Many posters here on Cruise Critic also visit Trip Advisor

We personally always decline travel insurance.

Can't talk travel agents without being reprimanded by Cruise Critic.

Balcony not necessary in our opinion. We generally get an F with portholes rather than an E with windows to save a little more $.

Ages vary but I guestimate large majority of passengers over age 40 on every trip we have taken with them.

I have learned to always purchase trip insurance. Anything can happen. With this cruise I was mainly interested in having cancel for any reason coverage as well as medical/extraction coverage.

It wasn't that expensive, $400 for the two of us. I figured that if anything happened and we needed to pay for a hotel on land it would cost more than the $400.

We are 49 and 55, staying in a window room on deck 4, flying in from Maui and paying around $5000 total for the two of us. So your mileage my vary if you are older, younger, staying in the Owner's Suite or traveling from further afield.

I searched through a couple of different insurance comparison websites and figured out what coverage I wanted. Then I went through my insurance company USAA, they don't do the coverage but they offered a deal with an industry partner. Hopefully we won't need to use any of the coverage next week!!!

While we can't discuss travel agents you may want to go to http://www.tripadvisor.com and in the discussion board section for the South Pacific, click on French Polynesia. You can ask questions about travel agents there and you can also send someone a private message to obtain more info. Many posters here on Cruise Critic also visit Trip Advisor

^^This exactly with regard to travel agents. I was given the same advice and got a great travel agent who offered terrific perks. Invaluable advice! I am very grateful! :)

Motu will attest the importance of travel insurance when he had a med evac!

We take travel insurance for the more expensive trips but not the cheaper ones.

I guess everyone's situation varies. We are still both relatively young and healthy. Money saved from declining travel insurance over 15 years or so of three or four vacations a year adds up. Eventually, I am sure time our risk / benefit calculation will change.

I have learned to always purchase trip insurance. Anything can happen. With this cruise I was mainly interested in having cancel for any reason coverage as well as medical/extraction coverage.

It wasn't that expensive, $400 for the two of us. I figured that if anything happened and we needed to pay for a hotel on land it would cost more than the $400.

We are 49 and 55, staying in a window room on deck 4, flying in from Maui and paying around $5000 total for the two of us. So your mileage my vary if you are older, younger, staying in the Owner's Suite or traveling from further afield.

I searched through a couple of different insurance comparison websites and figured out what coverage I wanted. Then I went through my insurance company USAA, they don't do the coverage but they offered a deal with an industry partner. Hopefully we won't need to use any of the coverage next week!!!

I am applying for the UNITED credit card which has trip cancellation and interuption for free. I used it last year when my DH would not cruise Hawaii with the family. They reinbursed me all my money! There are 3 of us and we are staying with window, deck 4. I was told to buy insurance it would be around $1,000!!!

Do they ever upgrade to balconies?

I am applying for the UNITED credit card which has trip cancellation and interuption for free. I used it last year when my DH would not cruise Hawaii with the family. They reinbursed me all my money! There are 3 of us and we are staying with window, deck 4. I was told to buy insurance it would be around $1,000!!!

 

 

 

Do they ever upgrade to balconies?

Wait until they have the 50,000 mile sign up!

More questions for all of you:

1) There are two currencies used on this route correct? XPF and USD can be changed easily on the ship correct? Is it necessary to convert USD to NZD prior to leaving and if so are there any tips with this?

2) What are the best places for shopping and souvenirs on this route? I want to make sure that some of these are included in our plans.

3) In Aitutaki, we want to do the Lagoon Cruise. I see that Teking does this and PG as well. It is cheaper to book Teking because of the NZD conversion rate but I am still unsure if this is a good move or to stick with the safety of booking with PG?

4) What other suggestions do you have?

If I'm not mistaken, you hadn't mentioned which route you were doing before, but I see here that it is the Cook Islands. Can't comment on the currency there, but while you are in French Polynesia the best way to get some XPF (aka CFP) is to use an ATM at the airport. Yes, I believe you can exchange currency on the ship, but you won't get the best rate. I'm sure there are ATM's in downtown Papeete as well. And in the islands, but rare, and only in the larger centers like the port town in Bora Bora or towns on Moorea.

There are stands selling shell jewellery and such at the dock on Moorea. There are lots of shops in town in Bora Bora selling tons of pearl jewellery and all kinds of things, including pareos (wraps). If you are in dock at Papeete at the right time there is the large city market--upstairs there is a ton of items: wood carvings, tapa art, vanilla, pareos, costume jewellery. Also on Motu Mahana there will be sales tables--good place to buy vanilla beans. There will also be a pearl vendor there, from Taha'a, looked like nice quality.

I've never been to the Cooks so can't comment, except that I know there are times when the ship can't tender-in, so excursions have to be cancelled. So if you book privately, make sure there is a cancellation process.

I guess everyone's situation varies. We are still both relatively young and healthy. Money saved from declining travel insurance over 15 years or so of three or four vacations a year adds up. Eventually, I am sure time our risk / benefit calculation will change.

We were booked on the PG April 16th 14-day Marquesas cruise until two weeks ago when while walking our dog it did an unexpected thing that caused my DH to trip and fall over her and break a finger. The dog was fine but DH had to have surgery to fix a spiral fracture. He will need another procedure in 6 weeks to remove the wires currently attached to the bone until which time he can not dive or do any other water sports.

One day we had all our cruise excursions, etc, planned and the next few days we are scrambling cancelling everything and re-booking. Without insurance that cruise would have had a very unhappy ending. (We are now happily re-booked for July:)) (A freaky accident. We've been walking our dog for years and who would have thought? )

Just pointing out that health issues and age are only two of the possible things that could happen.

Sorry to rain on your parade like this.

Everyone recommends Teking but I believe that they require payment in advance. Aitutaki is often cancelled due to high waves if so you will have to get your money refunded. I always recommend a PG tour in Aitutaki.

Everyone recommends Teking but I believe that they require payment in advance. Aitutaki is often cancelled due to high waves if so you will have to get your money refunded. I always recommend a PG tour in Aitutaki.

How often does Aitutaki get cancelled would you say? That would be very sad as that port looks stunning.

We have booked twice with Teking and neither time did he require pay,net in advance but it appears he may do that now. I believe he will issue a refund if you can't get to land. We did one excursion with him and missed one due to weather. The excursion was great.

One primary difference between the PG excursion and Teking is that the PG uses a pretty large barge type boat which is a little slow vs the smaller and faster boat that Teking uses. The major difference then pertains to the issue of how long it takes to get 30-50 people off and on the larger boat for snorkeling vs the smaller boat. We stopped at about 3 places to snorkel and at about 3-4 motus with Teking.

When we return in 2017 I will look at other options as the reports I am seeing is that Teking now may use up to 3 smaller boats, all traveling and stopping together. If that is the case then the advantages of the smaller boat may no longer be present.

Although Teking did let us pay when we got there he would not take USD and took us to a bank to,get NZ$. Not sure what he does now.

Motu will attest the importance of travel insurance when he had a med evac!

 

We take travel insurance for the more expensive trips but not the cheaper ones.

Sorry to have missed this thread until now. YES I am ABSOLUTELY a believer in travel insurance. Paid about $500 for insurance two years ago that netted us about $8600 in payment when we had to med evac half way through the cruise. They normally pay for expenses plus the portion of the cruise you miss (half way through, means half the fare), but Travel Guard was willing to pay a bit more as I spent a couple of days in the Medical Center.

~Motu~

.........Can't comment on the currency there, but while you are in French Polynesia the best way to get some XPF (aka CFP) is to use an ATM at the airport. Yes, I believe you can exchange currency on the ship, but you won't get the best rate. I'm sure there are ATM's in downtown Papeete as well. And in the islands, but rare, and only in the larger centers like the port town in Bora Bora or towns on Moorea.

 

There are stands selling shell jewellery and such at the dock on Moorea. There are lots of shops in town in Bora Bora selling tons of pearl jewellery and all kinds of things, including pareos (wraps). If you are in dock at Papeete at the right time there is the large city market--upstairs there is a ton of items: wood carvings, tapa art, vanilla, pareos, costume jewellery. Also on Motu Mahana there will be sales tables--good place to buy vanilla beans. There will also be a pearl vendor there, from Taha'a, looked like nice quality....

So dollars are pretty much out? We will be happy just to use the nice PGC credit we have and enjoy the beauty of FP.

So dollars are pretty much out? We will be happy just to use the nice PGC credit we have and enjoy the beauty of FP.

Many small vendors will take USD, as I remember. You'll just take a bit if a hit, i.e., they'll round up a bit. Same with euros.

Most will take USD including taxis in FP. However you will get a better rate using XPF.

Buy some XPF at the airport when you land and you up on the ship. The ship's rate is not bad.

The vendors in Motu Mahana all take USD and the Pearl vendors there will take a card. For years I used to be the first in MM to have my pic of shell jewellery but now I have a huge collection. Over the years I have bought a number of pearls too.Now I bring back hardly anything. Maybe a PG tee shirt grossly overpriced but nice to wear on my next PG cruise.

Thanks. We discussed it and normally we don't go on vacation to just shop. I can't think of when we ever did and we have cruised all over the world. But maybe FP will be different. Our main pleasure is being pampered on the ship we are on and taking excursions (non shopping) sponsored only by the ship we are on.There are reasons for that but this is not the place to discuss that.

We were booked on the PG April 16th 14-day Marquesas cruise until two weeks ago when while walking our dog it did an unexpected thing that caused my DH to trip and fall over her and break a finger. The dog was fine but DH had to have surgery to fix a spiral fracture. He will need another procedure in 6 weeks to remove the wires currently attached to the bone until which time he can not dive or do any other water sports.

 

One day we had all our cruise excursions, etc, planned and the next few days we are scrambling cancelling everything and re-booking. Without insurance that cruise would have had a very unhappy ending. (We are now happily re-booked for July:)) (A freaky accident. We've been walking our dog for years and who would have thought? )

 

Just pointing out that health issues and age are only two of the possible things that could happen.

 

Sorry to rain on your parade like this.

I had insurance through United credit card this past summer for our Hawaii trip. My husband fell ill with prostate problems and could not go with us. United paid for all our bills that were not refunded. I think I will take United Credit card out again through my husbands name this time for our Tahiti trip and get the bonus miles, free luggage, and use the United Club at the airport.

We have booked twice with Teking and neither time did he require pay,net in advance but it appears he may do that now. I believe he will issue a refund if you can't get to land. We did one excursion with him and missed one due to weather. The excursion was great.

 

One primary difference between the PG excursion and Teking is that the PG uses a pretty large barge type boat which is a little slow vs the smaller and faster boat that Teking uses. The major difference then pertains to the issue of how long it takes to get 30-50 people off and on the larger boat for snorkeling vs the smaller boat. We stopped at about 3 places to snorkel and at about 3-4 motus with Teking.

 

When we return in 2017 I will look at other options as the reports I am seeing is that Teking now may use up to 3 smaller boats, all traveling and stopping together. If that is the case then the advantages of the smaller boat may no longer be present.

 

Although Teking did let us pay when we got there he would not take USD and took us to a bank to,get NZ$. Not sure what he does now.

What if we don't snorkle? Is it still worth it to do the tour to get to the island? I do have a year to learn how!!!!