Tere Moana Ship Visit - Paul Gauguin Cruises

The Tere Moana Ship Visit- Monte Carlo

After a very early flight and a beautiful drive to Monte Carlo from Nice, we arrived at the port ready to see Tere Moana, the latest addition to the Paul Gauguin fleet, for the first time.

Expecting to see her moored up, we were a little surprised to glimpse her in the distance, anchored a little way out from the harbour, but she looked stunning in the bright sunshine, standing her own among the many slick private yachts, and we went in search of our Tender. 

 

Surprise number 2 greeted us in the form of a Zodiac! We were one day too early for their purpose built tender boats which were arriving the very next day, so a Zodiac ride it was! But it was great fun – speeding out of Monte Carlo harbour, we looked like we were heading out to our own private yacht and we felt pretty special!

 

Security greeted us on the marina as we tried gracefully (!) to debark the Zodiac, and took us straight upstairs to the lounge where we waited for Tom, the Cruise Director, and Nelson, the Hotel Director. 

 

We were taken on a full tour of the ship by the very lovely Tom who was probably the most enthusiastic Cruise Director I’ve ever met! He’s been in the industry for a long time, working on larger cruise ships, but you can just see he’s come home on Moana and truly loves his job. 

 

The ship is the perfect ship to relax on and is built for leisurely cruising. Up on deck there are sunbeds, a Jacuzzi and hidden cabanas for a cheeky little siesta – apparently some guests have even been known to sleep up on deck! They also have love to host deck BBQ’s, especially in ports such as Monte Carlo where the outlook is so picturesque.

 

The one clear thing for me that came out of our visit was the way the ship can change and adapt each cruise to the guests they have onboard. Dining is a key example – if they have guests that prefer to dine outdoors or they’re in a fabulous destination they will favour deck BBQ’s and dinner in the La Verandah whereas if they have guests that prefer dining indoors, or the weather is a little inclement the main dining room will be used more. It’s really all about what the individual guests want and I really liked that aspect. Because they don’t have hundreds of guests onboard to notify, they can change things at the drop of a hat – something that is rarely possible on larger ships. 

The main lounge was a good size and light and airy – located at the aft of the ship you have a great view of the marina. Facilities wise, there’s all you need – a small gym, a spa treatment room, a library with computer stations, a watersports marina, a shop and a good size pool. For what is a tiny little ship she’s very well equipped with everything you could need to enhance your holiday!

 

 

We were also lucky enough to have a look at one of the staterooms.They were a really good size with plenty of storage and perfectly appointed bathrooms. As this is a new ship to PG, they are constantly enhancing and improving the staterooms as they receive guest feedback. Examples include raising the beds so that suitcases can fit comfortably under there – how often have you had to force your case under a bed that’s just a fraction too low! – and they’re adding a light into the showers as the screen is tinted and guests requested a little more light! The rooms were contemporary and light & airy and I’d be more than happy to call that home for a week or so!

Nelson also took us up to the Bridge which was a fantastic treat! They have a gorgeous deck area outside the Bridge which they do try to use during the cruise for the odd cocktail party here and there – well, why not!

 

 

 We stayed onboard for lunch and enjoyed a lovely buffet in La Verandah – everything was fresh, well presented and tasted delicious! We could’ve stayed onboard all afternoon has it not been for the small issue of our flight home! So we bid Tere Moana and her wonderful crew goodbye and hopped (carefully) back into the zodiac and sped back to shore!

 Although we were only onboard for a short time, the warmth of the welcome and the Tere Moana herself told me that a week spent onboard would be a week of sheer bliss. If you don’t like larger ships and looking for something a little different for your next cruise, I would definitely recommend you give Moana a try. Your own private yacht (well with 89 other people) - what more could you want!