Hey!

I haven't posted in a while, but I still lurk and live vicariously through y'all, and Regent still sends us mailings so I dream (it is very very mean of them to send mailings when we aren't planning on another cruise til at least 2010/11 - it's just cruel!).

Anyway, in one of the mailings we got yesterday (2 came yesterday - I mean it's like they *enjoy* torturing us!) I spotted what seems like a great deal on the PG next Jan/Feb - but wanted to see if you guys who know a lot more about this than I agree. Disclaimer - we're not going (taking 3 weeks off work is just not possible for us right now) but I need to convince myself that in a few years we'll be able to find a similar good deal.

It's 3 weeks total - 17 days on PG from Papette to Australia (or the reverse) - includes all airfare, and 3 nights hotel in Australia, and the base price is 6995 per person, or 9095 per person for the balcony- I mean, for all that includes for 3 weeks isn't that a good deal? The airfare alone would be a couple thousand for 2 one ways that far I'm thinking. Plus Sydney ain't exactly cheap for 3 night at a nice hotel- not to mention all the stuff included on the cruise! Plus you can get SSS discount on top of that.

Anyway, like I said, we can't go, but I just want to dream... 3 weeks... I always wanted to see Fiji... and it stops in Tonga.... including 3 nights in Sydney... sigh... Next year we're supposed to go to Ireland with friends, this year we did Slovenia to visit my parents. It's not like we're not vacationing, it's just there's nothing quite like a cruise.

sigh.

Liz

ps - is the ship in dry dock in australia from Jan 25 - Feb 5? doesn't seem to be sailing then...

I looked at those two cruises also. You are right the PG goes into drydock during that time frame you listed. I asked TA and she comfirmed it. The sailing in January is the President's cruise. I decided against it as I was worried about the shallow draft on the PG in the open ocean and decided to go with the Mariner cruise next year doing some of the same route Feb 28/09. I just felt more comfortable going with the Mariner as I know she can handle any rough seas better and her cabins are larger for a longer cruise. That is a good price though for the PG as you said. There is speculation that Regent's contract to manage the PG will not be renewed after 2009....so maybe she will be around when you can cruise again and perhaps she won't. It's all yet to be seen.
Pat

Those trips are exceptionally good deals IF (1) you like sea days and (2) you are prepared for the possibility of a rough ride some of the time. The PG is much less seaworthy than most cruise ships--a relatively flat bottom to enable her to navigate in shallower than normal waters in French Polynesia. She was designed this way. In rough seas she is safe. But she will give you an even rougher ride than even many other ships of the same size. On one night during our 14 day PG cruise in French Polynesia we experienced some moderately rough waters at dinner time. By the time the main course was served, the dining room was half empty! I'm only moderately prone to seasickness. I wouldn't do the trip only because I wouldn't enjoy myself if we hit rough water and the chance of doing so on this itinerary is pretty good. Pat

I saw that flyer too and was wondering if I should start playing Mega Millions. The prices seemed quite good as the 3 days in Sydney included breakfasts, I believe.

Thanks for the insights! I didn't think about the smaller ship feeling the seas more - we were on the PG for our honeymoon, but just around French Polynesia, so no problems then obviously. We've never had sea sick issues (knock on wood) but will definitely keep that in mind if an opportunity like this ever arrives.

We had our first sea days (2) last year on the Mariner in Alaska - we figured out we really like them - at least until we retire, relaxing on vacation is the only chance we get. Sometimes trying to squeeze everything into the port days can be exhausting - in a really good way of course!

Well, like I said, we can't go - but we can dream, and this sure makes a nice dream!

:)
Liz

Desert, I know what you mean. Sometimes these port-intensive cruises require a vacation from your vacation. I'm usually ready for some rest when I go on mine. We're doing the 14-day Marquesas route this December on PG. It's our 4th time, but all the rest have been Societies 7-day trips. I'll report about the sea days afterwards, for sure.

Here is another email from Regent, 2 for 1 PG air:

TAHITI
Limited-Time 2-for-1 Roundtrip Air Special from Los Angeles*
, book your luxury vacation today!
Aboard Paul Gauguin, you won't just travel to Tahiti, you will be transported. Our August and December sailings visit Marquesas where you can discover the unspoiled delights each island offers. Or explore the stunning Cook Islands on our September and November sailings that are considered to be the best-kept secret in the South Pacific. As an added bonus, world-renowned oceanographer and environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau will join us on the September 6 sailing.

2-for-1 air special* ($600 roundtrip Economy Class air from Los Angeles or a $600 air savings on all other air gateways). Also, receive a one-category upgrade up to D (non balcony)* on the following 11 and 14-night voyages. Fares start at just $3,350:


August 16, 2008 | September 6, 2008 | November 22, 2008 | December 6, 2008 | December 27, 2008


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Limited-time One Category Upgrade ( Non Balcony Staterooms up to Category D)**

Applies to the following 7 and 11-night voyages. Fares start at just $2,295:

July 5, 2008 | August 9, 2008 | October 11, 2008



Don't miss out as this offer ends July 30, 2008. Reserve your luxury voyage today!
For more information, contact your travel professional or Regent Seven Seas Cruises at 866-213-4800. Reference referral source: C6GEA129M.

Terms and Conditions:
*Air routing, scheduling and carrier are at the discretion of RSSC. Third and fourth berth guests pay the standard air add-ons. This offer is valid for NEW BOOKINGS ONLY, is not combinable with any other promotion and expires July 30, 2008.
**This offer does not include the 2-for-1 air special or $600 air savings.
All fares, savings and offers are capacity controlled, subject to availability and may change or be withdrawn without prior notice.
All fares reflect promotional savings, are per person based on double occupancy, in U.S. dollars and are cruise only. Governmental fees, handling, security and fuel charges are additional.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises | 1000 Corporate Drive, Suite 500, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33334 | Call RSSC at 866.213.4800

So, um, Karen, like, do you hate me?!?!? Cause, that's like, tortuous. ;) That does sound like a good deal.

So, this evening was traumatic. I'm on a cleaning binge, and I threw out/recycled some of our cruise docs, including the nice holder they came in, from our honeymoon on the PG. Sniff. Yeah, it was almost 6 years ago, but it's really good memories (except all the notes from our issues with actually getting to the cruise - other than that - good memories). Of course I still have the scrapbook I made, with lots of pictures and some of the docs, but it was still hard!

Does anyone keep all this, or was I weird to hang onto them for 6 years? I still have all our docs from Alaska last year - might be a couple years before I can face throwing them away. I think you have to have taken another cruise before you can throw the last documents out... Maybe that's just me though...

:)
Liz

Well, I had all of ours, all the cruises from 2000, most of the daily passages and ia orana's included. But we moved in the spring, downsized, and I threw most of it out. I kept the original purple pouch from the PG in 2000 though, it's still my fave.

Liz, I keep it all - cruise docs, the daily passages, invites, write-ups on the ports, brochures I pick up on tours. I have two drawers bulging with the stuff. We've been on 8 cruises and I'm still keeping the stuff. But, my house has very little storage and it's time to sort and throw away or move. Guess I'll be sorting and throwing away.

Guilty as well for keeping all travel docs. Have lept photo books since first cruise back in 1990-91 its fun to go back and look at where we've been ,read the menus and ports of call. Even funnier was ths cost of the cruises then aas well as the prlce of the tours...

Can you tell I'm not a typest? See how terrible my spelling is when I try to type in the semi dark(no light on....tooo lazy to reach 12 inches to switch)