Bought by Pacific Beachcomber at the end of 2009, the 332-passenger luxury liner operates some 40 7-night cruises a year from Papeete to the Society Islands. Several 14-night itineraries also take in the Marquesas and Tuamotus islands, as well as New Zealand, Fiji, the Cook Islands and Tonga. When the Paul Gauguin was part of the Regent Seven Seas Cruises fleet, this large liner, which left the Saint-Nazaire shipyards in 1998, carried up to 800 French passengers a year. To return to this level and attract customers who might be put off by the length of the journey to Tahiti, the company is launching an all-inclusive Prestige package.
In addition to gratuities, 24-hour cabin service and the assistance of a butler, this package offers unlimited drinks, including spirits and wines, with the exception of the grands crus. The Paul Gauguin also benefits from the presence of a new general agent in France, Voyage de Légende. Specialising in Polynesia, the Paris agency is run by Brigitte Keromen, who spent 15 years in charge of South Pacific production for Le Quotidien Voyages and then for tour operator Austral Lagons.
