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Ships of Paul Gauguin Cruises

Cruise M/S Paul Gauguin Cruises ship

M/S Paul Gauguin

167 Cruises availables

Paul Gauguin Cruises: one ship, 89 departures, and 89 dates

One hull, m/s Paul Gauguin, and 89 distinct departures on 89 dates and 38 routes, from 29 July 2026 to 27 December 2028. One ship, one date, one departure: this is the only page in our catalogue where the number of departures and the number of dates match exactly. Built in 1997 at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, she carries about 330 guests.

What "one ship" means

That the product disappears when the ship stops. This is not hypothetical: a seven-week dry dock in Singapore, in February and March 2025, took her off the market. There is no replacement ship in the brand, because there is only one. Arrive the day before, take cancellation and interruption cover, and talk it through before booking non-refundable flights. The passage contract is clear and hard: if the line cancels of its own doing, its liability is limited to refunding what it received for the ticket. No flights, no hotel, no damages. The competent court sits in French Polynesia, under French maritime law: a dispute would be argued in Papeete.

Who owns the line

Ponant, since an announcement of 8 August 2019, and Ponant became Ponant Explorations Group on 18 March 2025. The brand, the booking site and the passage contract remain Paul Gauguin Cruises' own: this is not a Ponant cruise sold under another name, and the terms differ. Knowing that stops you comparing two products as if they were one.

The draught, and the argument that needs correcting

Her 5.2-metre draught opens passes that large ships do not enter, Huahine's first among them. The Bora Bora lagoon argument, however, does not hold: the line itself publishes the lagoon's threshold, and it admits far bigger ships. This ship's advantage is real; it is not where the brochure puts it, and a guest who buys for the wrong reason is a guest disappointed for a good one.

What the fare covers

According to the line, the fare covers meals, room service, onboard gratuities, Wi-Fi, and kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkelling from the marina. It writes "select wines and spirits": that is not every brand, and the nuance is worth reading before you order. Shore excursions and scuba diving are not covered, and diving requires a medical certificate less than a year old — a piece of paper everyone forgets at booking time.

French Polynesia, and the rest

The ship does not stay in the Society Islands all year. The programme also takes in the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, the Cook Islands, Tonga and Fiji, and includes crossings between Singapore, Australia and Bali. A troupe of Polynesians lives on board and carries the voyage: dance, music, workshops on flower crowns and weaving, the meaning of tattoos. That is the line's signature, and it is what really sets this ship apart from a motor yacht or a small luxury yacht calling at the same islands.

Reduced mobility: look closely

The wheelchairs on board are for emergencies only; yours must travel with you, along with your equipment. A large share of Polynesian calls are at anchor, by tender, and the master can refuse the landing. The line also does not accept a passenger past her sixth month of pregnancy, a stricter threshold than the market norm.

Frequently Asked Questions

One ship — 1 hull, m/s Paul Gauguin — and 89 distinct departures, on 89 dates and 38 routes, from 29 July 2026 to 27 December 2028. One ship, one date, one departure: this is the only page in our catalogue where the number of departures and the number of dates match exactly.
That she is not there. This is not hypothetical: a seven-week dry dock in Singapore, in February and March 2025, took the entire product off the market. There is no replacement ship in the brand, because there is only one. Arrive the day before, take cancellation and interruption cover, and talk to your advisor before booking non-refundable flights.
It is clear and it is hard. The passage contract limits the line's liability, when it cancels of its own doing, to refunding what it received for the ticket: no flights, no hotel, no damages. The competent court sits in French Polynesia, under French maritime law. A dispute would be argued in Papeete.
Ponant, since an announcement of 8 August 2019, and Ponant became Ponant Explorations Group on 18 March 2025. The brand, the booking site and the passage contract remain Paul Gauguin Cruises' own: this is not a Ponant cruise sold under another name, the terms differ.
Her 5.2-metre draught opens passes that large ships do not enter, Huahine's first among them. Be wary, though, of the Bora Bora lagoon argument: the line itself publishes the lagoon's threshold, and it admits far bigger ships. The advantage is real; it is not where the brochure puts it.
No. The programme also takes in the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, the Cook Islands, Tonga and Fiji, and includes crossings between Singapore, Australia and Bali. If you want the Society Islands and nothing else, check the route of the exact departure: the brand is not only Tahiti.
This one needs a close look. The wheelchairs on board are for emergencies only: yours must travel with you, along with your equipment. A large share of Polynesian calls are at anchor, by tender, and the master can refuse the landing. The line also does not accept a passenger past her sixth month of pregnancy.
According to the line, the fare covers meals, room service, onboard gratuities, Wi-Fi, and kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkelling from the marina. It writes "select wines and spirits": that is not every brand. Shore excursions and scuba diving are not covered, and diving requires a medical certificate less than a year old. Have the written list for your departure confirmed.
One ship on one date. If the same ship leaves on the same day, that is one departure, not two. Our database holds more records than departures, and what we publish is the number of departures.
No. Everything given here — number of hulls, number of departures, dates, routes — comes from OUR inventory, measured on 1 September. What we carry is not necessarily everything the line sells.
Often, yes. Your advisor can look beyond what appears here. The online catalogue is a way in, not the limit of what exists.
Because a ship changes hands, changes names and sometimes changes brand, and because a hull's history explains what you will find on board. A refitted 1984 yacht and a new ship do not compare on the photograph alone.
It depends on the departure and the market, not on the line. On these small fleets the working language on board is almost always English. If French matters to you, say so before booking.
On ships carrying one hundred to three hundred guests, yes: there are few cabins and the best go early. Talk cancellation terms through with your advisor before you decide.
Your agency, and it alone. Voyages AquaTerra operates under a licence from Quebec's Office de la protection du consommateur, your payments pass through a trust account, and the compensation fund for travel agency clients covers your departure. That holds whichever line you choose.
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