My wife and I are just getting back to normal after the most wonderful experience of our lives aboard the Paul Gauguin. I should say this was our first ever cruise and we will be booking with this cruise line again. Before I get into the details and useful tips for others wanting to tour the South Pacific Islands we want to say a very very big thank you to all the staff of MS Paul Gauguin. The only thing more breathtaking than the scenery and raw natural beauty of these island was the service - impeccable service - on board this ship. It was perfect. The staff looked after us like we were family and worked so very hard each and every day to make us feel at home. I can honestly say that this cruise far exceeded even our wildest expectations

So here goes.

The Ship. The MS Paul Gauguin is just the right size to get close up to the beautiful Islands of the South Pacific. It is luxuriously decorated and a floating 7 star hotel. We were able to sail close in to the bays and inlets of the islands and have some stunning photographs that we would not have obtained otherwise.The ship is spotlessly clean - and I do mean spotless. The staff were cleaning constantly but unobtrusively. Not a fingerprint or smudge to be found anywhere. The Grand Salon where most of the entertainment was centred was very comfortable - not large but plenty big enough for the small number of guests (around 350). The pool is small but who needed it when there was swimming and snorkelling in the lagoons of Bora Bora and Aitutaki!!! There is a small casino on board for those who like a little gambling but all done very tastefully. If you are prone to motion sickness we strongly recommend getting some sea sickness patches. Out in the ocean between French Polynesia and the Cook Islands was a little rough and the ship does pitch a little. My wife does suffer from sea sickness and was glad she packed the medication which worked wonders. I do not suffer from it at all and found the rocking motion gave me the best nights sleep I can remember. Read more