We're booked on the Aug 23 Paul Gauguin departure (after spending a few days in Moorea). Anyone else going on this cruise? We've been on Celebrity a few times (really liked it), RCCL (liked it), Princess (OK), NCL (liked it less) and a bunch of others that we liked a lot but areout of business (such as Home Lines and Sitmar). We decided to step up to more luxury cruising, and are excited about the PG.

Welcome to LCT Cubfan! We won't be on your PG cruise with you but sailed on her at that same time period in 2004. You'll have a wonderful time.

Cubfan,

Welcome to LCT! You have a great cruise planned. I know you will have a wonderful time!

Betty

Welcome, Cubfan! Wishing you a wonderful time on PG!

Where in SOCAL are you? We're in O.C.

Hi Neighbor - Welcome to LCT! We have lot's of members for So. Calif. - We will probably plan a a gathering in the fall.

You will love the PG - you could be spoiled for life. Please ask all the questions you have because they'll be answered!

Welcome to your first post, Cubfan! You will find answers to any questions you may have here on LCT.

Welcome Cubfan to LCT!

Masaki

You are going to have a wonderful trip, Cubfan. Welcome to LCT.

I'm overwhelmed by the welcome.
Thank you. My wife has long wanted to go to Tahiti, so this is a special trip. We like to go to the optional restaurants a couple of times. 1) Does the PG charge for the optional restaurant? 2)Regardless of whether they charge, is it worth doing? and 3) Do they give you the menu in the main dininig room in advance so you can plan the specialty bookings on nights when you're less thrilled aboutt he main diniing room menu? Thanks much..look forward to this board.

Cubfan,

No charge for any of the restaurants - even drinks are included at dinner. I would try each restaurant for dinner once - Le Grill and La Verandah (formerly Apicus) are the two specialties. I actually prefer the main dining room on the ship.

The main plus of La Veranda is that the presentation is a bit more detailed, and with less people going through the restaurant you don't have all the servers running around filling water glasses so it feels a bit more special. That being said, the food was so good at the main restaurant (and everywhere) that I didn't feel like I was missing out the days I wasn't at La Veranda.

The menus for each restaurant are available at the information desk each morning to look through.

I also wanted to add that the manager of the main restaurant did a great job of seating people. He would ask if we wanted to dine alone or with others, and for the times we wanted to meet new people and chat he put us with interesting people that made it very enjoyable. Now it may be that we would have gotten along with every single person on the ship famously, but assuming that wasn't the case, after a couple of days the staff got to know peoples' personalities and match folks up well.

Once you've enjoyed Regent on PG, go to one of the other regent ships, you'll experience true cruising and consider the other cruise lines as "kiddie land."

La Veranda was excellent during our 10-day cruise in February. On days when there is something special in L'Etoile (for example, lobster), it was also available in La Veranda, so I don't think you will be missing anything. The ambiance is also different--much quieter, darker, more romantic, if you will. We enjoyed La Veranda so much that we ate there with friends we met on the ship 3 times. (I should add that I was not that big of a fan of the previous specialty restaurant in the same space, Apicius, when we were there in 2003.)

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Eugene