From snorkeling adventures in a traditional outrigger canoe to discovering lush rainforests on a thrilling ATV excursion, our rich collection of shore excursions allows you to explore French Polynesia and the South Pacific in the manner that appeals to you most—both above and below the waterline as well as on shore.

Long-standing partnerships in every island ensures your discovery is led by the most experienced and knowledgeable experts. Here we invite you to explore your options either by port of call or type of activity. Shore excursions are available to pre-book approximately 60 days prior to sailing; diving tours must be booked on board.

Celebration Packages
The Polynesian islands set the stage for unforgettable celebrations. From weddings and vow renewals to honeymoons and anniversaries, Paul Gauguin Cruises offers the most romantic setting to celebrate life’s milestones—complete with a complimentary Polynesian blessing at sea.

With Paul Gauguin Cruises’ Celebration Packages*, your milestone moment turns into a once-in-a-lifetime experience you’ll never forget.

Complimentary Blessing Ceremony
Celebrate with Champagne toast, cake, love songs, and a heartfelt poem. During a traditional Polynesian ceremony, couples are wrapped in a tifaifai symbolizing love, royalty, and acceptance—a truly memorable celebration.

Complimentary Honeymoon Amenities
Celebrate your honeymoon with us and receive a congratulatory letter from the Captain, a Polynesian Blessing Ceremony: and celebratory champagne or bottle of house sparkling wine at embarkation. 

Complimentary Anniversary Celebration
To make your anniversary celebration even more memorable, we’re delighted to offer you complimentary Polynesian Blessing Ceremony performed by Les Gauguines and an anniversary cake*. 

Interested in a Tahitian Wedding?
The idyllic setting and balmy climate of French Polynesia are the perfect venue for the ultimate romantic wedding. A law was passed making it possible for American and Canadian nationals to do just that.

Below are some frequently asked questions about the requirements for a legal Polynesian wedding.

For more information and a free destination wedding guide, please visit Tahiti Tourisme North America.

*Amenity Notes / Disclaimers: Complimentary and Optional Packages are available upon request and are subject to availability. Please contact us at 1 800-848-6172 no later than 10 days prior to cruise departure to request for celebration packages or amenities. Additional fees will apply to optional celebration packages.

Float effortlessly over rainbow-colored coral reefs and come nose to nose with parrotfish, clownfish, giant clams, and sea turtles. Dive deeper to swim alongside colorful sea anemones, eagle rays, sharks, and octopi. Polynesia’s translucent, shimmering aqua lagoons are begging to be explored. And there’s no better place to do so than from the m/s Paul Gauguin's retractable watersports marina, where you can embark on an optional SCUBA adventure.

Even if you have never tried SCUBA diving before, as a guest aboard TheGauguin, you can witness spectacular marine life up close and swim among beautiful, rainbow-colored coral reefs within a matter of hours. The Gauguin’s SCUBA diving excursions are designed for all levels of experience, and we offer PADI certification on board for novice divers, as well as refresher courses.

Here are highlights of what else you might expect to find in dives off specific islands along the path of your itinerary:

Society Islands

Moorea — Catch a glimpse of black-tipped reef sharks, lemon sharks, impressively large moray eel, sea turtles, and barracudas.
Bora Bora — View lemon sharks and manta rays up close.

Tuamotus Islands

Rangiroa & Fakarava — In this premier diving location, look for hammerhead sharks (December-February) or manta rays (September-October). In addition, dolphins, turtles, eagle rays, barracuda, and other fascinating fish species are often spotted here, among coral reefs and canyon passes.

Cook Islands

Aitutaki — Dive along the sheer drop off and large coral bommies to come across impressively large hawksbill turtles, white tip reef sharks resting on the sea floor, friendly emperor angel fish and occasional eagle rays.

Marquesas Islands

The Marquesas Islands are among the best diving spots in the world. The Gauguin offers you your only opportunity to explore the underwater world of the Marquesas, as there are no dive centers in these remote but pristine islands.

Nuku Hiva — The steep cliffs and caves off this island reveal a variety of unusual marine life, including hammerhead sharks, manta rays, moray eel, manta rays, and scorpion fish.
Tahuata — Jump into an underwater wilderness and observe grey sharks, Hiva Oa manta rays, dragon moray eel, lobster, and schools of juvenile fish dancing among predators such as giant trevally or tuna.

For the safety of our guests, diving is available in the Marquesas for advanced Open-Water Certified divers with the Deep Diver Specialty Certification only, as dives are 60 feet minimum.

Diving certifications are subject to availability.

Unique South Pacific Discovery for Young Explorers
The South Pacific is a dream destination—and aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin it’s also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your family to strengthen bonds and create memories you’ll cherish forever through our Moana Explorer program.

Offered in partnership with Te mana o te moana, a South Pacific marine education and conservation foundation, this one-of-a-kind program invites children and teens, ages 6-15, to discover and value the natural wonders of this breathtaking part of the world through hands-on, interactive learning.

Every day of the voyage, there is a combination of naturalist-led island and/or beach excursions, science activities, crafts, games, and other adventures. Depending on their itinerary, your children might learn about underwater life through board games, create natural jewelry, conduct water experiments, go on a treasure hunt, enjoy water games in the onboard pool, go stargazing, design their own Polynesian tattoo, and more. And, there is no fee* for this special family program! It’s all part of our extraordinary all-inclusive value.

Best of all, kids sail free** with Paul Gauguin Cruises!

Please note: The Moana Explorer Program is available on select summer and holiday sailings, and must be booked on board. *Certain itineraries may offer additional activities for a small fee. Program offered in English and French.

**Kids sail free as a third guest in the stateroom. Pricing for the third guest in the same stateroom is as follows: 17 years old and under, sail FREE; 18 years of age or older, 30% of adult cruise fare + taxes and fees will apply. Triples are available in select staterooms, are capacity controlled and subject to change at anytime without notice.

Our Private Paradise ... and Yours

Part of what makes a voyage with Paul Gauguin Cruises so special is the access our small ship provides to some of the world’s most idyllic, unspoiled beaches. We’ve made this benefit even better by offering you the opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable day on one of our private retreats. Those who enjoy watersports are in for a real treat at any of our two utopias.

Motu Mahana - French Polynesia

Picture yourself in French Polynesia on a brilliantly sunny morning. You step out onto your private balcony aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin to a balmy breeze and view the almost uninhabited Taha’a, with its carpet of greenery, rising out of a cerulean sea. Just offshore lies Motu Mahana, Paul Gauguin Cruises’ private South Seas island, where you’ll spend a day (or maybe two, depending on your itinerary) doing exactly as you please.

There’s no end to the indulgences of our private island paradise. Go for a swim in the warm waters. Snorkel with colorful tropical fish among the green and purple blooms of coral. Or paddle out farther in one of the kayaks that have been brought to shore from The Gauguin’s watersports marina.

Ashore, you might engage in a game of volleyball or watch as your hosts, Les Gauguines and Les Gauguins, demonstrate how to open a coconut or tie a pareo. Perhaps you’ll treat yourself to an overwater massage. And when the time comes for refreshments, delight in a sumptuous barbecue feast—complete with cocktails from our floating bar.

Bora Bora - French Polynesia

The island of Bora Bora is famous for its luxury resorts with overwater bungalows. Lush tropical slopes and valleys blossoming with hibiscus delight the eye, while palm-covered motus (islets) circle the illuminated lagoon like a delicate necklace. In this South Pacific paradise, on one of these motus, lies our own Bora Bora private beach.

You can spend as much time as you'd like during the day on our private beach in Bora Bora*. The specialists from our watersports marina will be on hand to help you enjoy kayaking or paddleboarding from the beach, or don the equipment you packed and enjoy exceptional snorkeling to view tropical fish and manta rays in the azure lagoon.

Or you might simply stay on the warm white sands of the beach, sunbathing or engaging in a game of volleyball. But this Bora Bora island retreat especially speaks to those seeking that quintessential remote Tahitian beach with few signs of the outside world. A place to daydream, nap, read, or just be. A fair amount of time should be spent just marveling at the postcard-perfect views of Mount Otemanu towering over the main island in this exclusive Bora Bora getaway.

Paul Gauguin Cruises is proud to offer an extraordinary value in luxury cruising, thanks to our all-inclusive pricing. Spend more time enjoying your cruise vacation and less time worrying about every little detail when it’s all been taken care of—from gourmet dining to onboard gratuities, and so much more.

When you travel on board The Gauguin, you’ll enjoy:

• All shipboard meals, in your choice of venues
• Complimentary 24-hour room service
• Complimentary beverages, including select wines and spirits, beers, soft drinks, bottled water, and hot beverages served throughout the ship
• In-room refrigerator replenished daily with soft drinks, beer, and bottled water
• All shipboard entertainment, including our troupe of Polynesian performers and live music in the evenings
• Presentations by onboard experts, and select sailings feature guest hosts
• Onboard gratuities for room stewards, dining and bar staff
• Watersports, including complimentary kayaking and paddleboarding from our marina or destination beaches
• Complimentary snorkel gear for use throughout the cruise
• Use of our secluded, white-sand beach in Bora Bora*
• A day on our private islet, Motu Mahana, off the coast of Taha’a, featuring snorkeling, watersports, a barbecue, full bar service, and Polynesian hospitality (on select voyages)
• Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the ship

*Subject to availability as conditions allow. When unable to call there, we will be offering a tender to the pier and a free shuttle to Matira Beach, the island’s award-winning public beach that features restaurants, public facilities and shopping. Voted #1 in the best things to do in Bora Bora by U.S. News & World Report, Matira Beach boasts powdery white sand, waters in a thousand shades of blue, and is wonderfully uncrowded.

Every day, the chef curates world-class dishes that combine bold local flavors with classic French culinary traditions.

La Veranda
The Veranda welcomes you for breakfast and lunch with a varied buffet. For dinner, by reservation only, the chef highlights Polynesian flavors.

Le Grill
Located by the pool, the Grill is the perfect restaurant for an outdoor breakfast, buffet lunch (grilled dishes, salads and fresh tropical fruits), or a casual dinner featuring Polynesian specialties, upon reservation.

L’Etoile
L’Étoile offers international cuisine while highlighting local flavors in a refined atmosphere (Open for dinner only.)

Wine Program
Paul Gauguin Cruises serves complimentary wines in each dining venue, lounge, and bar which are selected by our wine sommeliers. Additionally, The Gauguin features a special Connoisseur Wine List with Champagnes from France and a variety of wines from California, Washington, Oregon, France, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, and Chile which can be purchased by guests by the bottle.

Wine Pairings
The Gauguin’s sommeliers also provide suggestions for food and wine pairings to enrich and enhance dining experiences.

Leisurely days at sea offer the perfect opportunity to treat yourself to a little “me time,” whether that’s an indulgent treatment at our award-winning onboard spa, or a workout in our fitness center.

Algotherm Spa
With its unrivaled approach to beauty and rejuvenation, the spa onboard The Gauguin combines the art of gentle pampering with services that are uniquely tailored to the needs and wishes of each individual.

Our spa offers an extensive range of services, enveloped in an atmosphere that is both tranquil and luxurious. Shipboard treatments include skin care therapies, skin exfoliation, massage, reflexology, body wraps, facials, beauty treatments, nail services, and hair styling. 

Fitness Center
Our convenient fitness center is outfitted with the latest fitness equipment, including Lifecycles, treadmills, stair climbers, and weight machines. Other onboard fitness opportunities include a morning mile-long walk around decks 8 and 9 and a sunrise Polynesian-inspired Zumba class, both hosted by Les Gauguines.