I can't speak highly enough about the staff and crew aboard the MS Paul Gauguin. This is a luxury vessel that somehow manages to never feel stuffy - Polynesian hospitality at its best! Our room attendant knew us each by name before we had ever been introduced in person - I was thoroughly impressed and immediately felt at home on board. I'll list just some of the many ways we were completely won over by the Paul Gauguin crew throughout our 8-day cruise.
You might find a few favorite waiters and always request to be seated at their tables. For us it was Jaypee & Flo:
Jaypee, our favorite waiter of the week! (Jenna Fedyschyn) Our waiter Flo knows how to selfie right! (Jenna Fedyschyn)
The bartenders may come to know your favorite drink and have it ready for you when you walk in the door - for me it was a Manhattan (with extra cherries!):
Pre-dinner cocktails (Jenna Fedyschyn)
You might giggle like a school girl around the Les Gauguines performers and learn them each by name and attend every one of their enrichment sessions throughout the week (dance classes, shell bracelet making, Polynesian culture Q&A, musical performances). We were their biggest fans:
Our favorite Les Gauguines - can you blame us? (Jenna Fedyschyn) Sister participates in a Polynesian dance lesson (Jenna Fedyschyn) Learning about Polynesian life from Les Gauguines (Jenna Fedyschyn) Les Gauguines teach us about the many uses of the coconut (Jenna Fedyschyn) Another pre-dinner show from Les Gauguines (Jenna Fedyschyn)
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
