Robert:

The thing about the Paul Gauguin is, after 2006, she's gone forever according to my best info at this time. Europe will always be there. It didn't change at all between our trips there in '98, '01, and '03. But I think and hope that Paul will understand that the PG cruise around Tahiti is time sensitive! You probably will not be able to go in '07, as the ship will not be there! In our opinions, Europe is perhaps a "questionable" cruise destination. By that, we mean that much of Europe is probably best seen via land and not via cruise. However, French Polynesia (in our opinion) is not only best but is ONLY to be seen by cruise, because of the very high prices and questionable quality of land resorts there. Windstar has already left the Franch polynesian market. Princess' Tahitian Princess is scheduled to leave that itinerary at the end of '06, and you wouldn't like that "nickle and diming" cruise anyway. And after the end of '06 the PG is currently scheduled to leave this area. It is well worth seeing, and IMO is the best cruise destination there is! It's kind of a now or never situation, that caused us to cancel a cruise of eastern Italy, the Greek Isles and Athens to take one last go on the PG. Those European destinations will still be there, and will still look the same, in the future ---- as they have done for the past 500 or so years. But our only opportunity to go to FP "the right way" will soon be gone. If you agree, I hope Paul will agree that at times one must sieze the moment, and take an opportunity that probably won't be there much longer.

BTW, there has never been any kind of "epidemic" on any Radisson cruise. These problems on cruises have all been traced to one thing --- transferable diseases that spread in a very contained environment which is very crowded. Radisson ships are not crowded at all. I am a bit claustrophobic, and that is one reason we cruise Radisson. Because a Radisson cruise is not a bunch of people compacted together, diseases do not spread among the guests as on other lines. Quite to the contrary, I have seen an example of how a PG cruise can be good for one's health. On our '03 PG cruise, a couple came onboard and the man was suffering from ALS. He was in a wheel chair and could not walk. He could barely use his arms. Later in the cruise, I saw him again, as he WALKED up to me! He said the cruise had been good for him, and that he felt better for it, and could walk now and didn't understand why. He told senior staff about it, and they made him a VERY GOOD DEAL for staying on a second week, which he decided to do. By the end of the second week (we too were on a back to back) this man seemed almost unimpaired! And I certainly hope his recovery has continued. Also, I have a friend who is a doctor who has actually PRESCRIBED relaxing and unhurried cruises like the PG to those with stresss related symptoms. He says (though I can't confirm) that the IRS has not objected to their tax deductibility under the circumstances! So you might show this post to Paul, and tell him that one who cruises Radisson a lot has some evidence that a cruise on the PG is not bad for your health, but is actually good for your health! If he wants more details, he is more than welcome to email me.

Hope this helps,
Richard :) :) :)