Right off the bat I should say, we had a marvelous time. The pluses of a Paul Gauguin Cruise ares the following, in no particular order:
The location (Polynesia) is truly breath-taking and the people on the islands are genuinely un-jaded and super welcoming... and oh so gorgeous. The whole itinerary was a feast for the eyes.
The dive program is world-class. We had the famous Jean-Michel Cousteau on board on our sailing which, of course, added a special note to the dive program but, that aside, the whole team, Regis, Alexandre, Clement and Marc, are simply fantastic. The dives are worth every penny. The ease with which you are transported from the lower deck by the ship's own dive boats makes the experience an addictive breeze.
I think this is a good floor to be on if you suffer from sea-sickness. Otherwise, pay up and get a balcony absolutely. Also, pack lightly, there is very limited closet space and the cabins are TINY.