My husband and I sailed on the Tahitian Princess out of Papeete this May. This was our eighth cruise, and it was one of the most enjoyable we’ve ever been on! I don’t even know where to start my raves.

First, these islands are truly breathtaking. The warm blue water is crystal clear and absolutely magical. We saw stingrays, dolphins, angelfish, and all kinds of colorful fish that we’d never seen anywhere else. And the tropical foliage was just like a travel brochure.

The ship itself is small and well appointed. We enjoyed the fact that we were able to find our way around by the second day. The public areas are all very tastefully decorated, and our stateroom was spacious. The service all over the ship was top notch. The dining room experience was akin to a gourmet restaurant! We were spoiled by our waiter, who made us feel like royal on a nightly basis!

The evening entertainment was quite good, and above what we expected on a smaller cruise ship. The comic magician, Greg Moreland, was the absolute highlight of the cruise. He had the audience absolutely doubling over in laughter for the entire 45-minutes he was on stage. I thought my husband and the people around us were going to pass out laughing! (I actually don’t know whether to call him a magician or a comedian!) And then there was this bonus: Mr Moreland put on 2 afternoon classes called “Easy Magic Tricks You Can Do.” He was a thoroughly enjoyable teacher, and we all learned some wonderful magic tricks!

The various afternoon speakers were informative, but nothing to write home about.

Another bonus these smaller ships offer is the camaraderie you get from seeing so much of the same people from day to day. My husband and I made more wonderful friends here than we ever have on any other ship.