About 125 passengers of the 315 aboard the cruise ship Paul Gaugin braved choppy conditions yesterday to disembark from the vessel and check out Rarotonga.

Local agent for Paul Gaugin Cruises, Stuart Henry of Cruise Cook Islands, said given the conditions, the number of passengers opting to take tours around the island or simply explore Avarua on foot, had been good.

“Conditions weren’t ideal, and I think most cruise ships would have pulled out today. But the company’s captains are used to conditions in places like the Marquesas and though there is less shelter here, they are very experienced.

“This year the Paul Gaugin has called at Aitutaki nine times, and all the visits were successful. And there were five successful calls out of eight to Rarotonga. It’s great to see cruise ships calling here again following the Covid epidemic.”

The vessel is on an 11-day cruise and called at Aitutaki on Tuesday, with 182 passengers opting to disembark for a look around.

“That’s not a bad total out of 315,” Henry said.

Paul Gaugin Cruises will wrap up their visits to the Cook Islands for this year with another visit to Rarotonga on Boxing Day (December 26), also calling at Aitutaki on December 27.

Meanwhile, Henry is on the lookout for young, fit and healthy Cook Islanders willing to work as hosts and hostesses on board the Paul Gaugin. Applicants must be aged 18 to 25 and able to do general hosting duties as well as working at functions aboard the ship.

He says the call for workers isn’t because the company is short of staff, but because the company likes to draw staff from among a variety of French Polynesian islands, as well as the Cook Islands, giving passengers a more authentic experience.

Anyone wanting to give it a go and enjoy a change of scenery while they work, should contact Henry on +682 54966 or email: stuart@cruisecookislands.com.