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Dive Review of Paul Gauguin Luxury Cruise in
French Polynesia


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Paul Gauguin Luxury Cruise: "Good cruise ship diving", Feb, 2015,

by Roger Cooper, DC, US (Reviewer Reviewer 4 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 8721 has 2 Helpful votes.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A

Overall Rating
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments Took a 10 day cruise on the cruise ship Paul Gauguin that began in Tahiti and made stops in Bora, Bora, Taha'a, Rangiroa, Fakarava, Moorea,and returned to the dock on Tahiti. Did 10 dives, which is about the maximum possible on this cruise. This is not a live-aboard but it has a dedicated dive operation that operates from the dive deck. Most of the diving was from rigid inflatables but sometimes the ship used a larger boat from one of the local dive operations. Jean Michel Cousteau and his lovely wife and daughter were onboard and dove most of the dives. He has arrangement with the ship to come on a few cruises each year and, along with the diving, he speaks a few times on diving and environmental issues.
The water was very warm (89 degrees F.) and the conditions were usually pretty good with a range of visibility from fair to excellent. Had a very large Manta Ray stay with the dive group for some time at Fakarava and had sharks on most dives. In Taha'a we had an excellent dive with at least 8 black tip reef sharks following us on the dive from start to finish.
All in all it was a great trip because it offered my wife and adult daughter plenty to do and see while my adult son and I got in a number of dives. Well run operation. Best diving I have done on a non-live-aboard cruise ship.
Websites Paul Gauguin Luxury Cruise   

Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving New Jersey, Nova Scotia, California, Hawaii, Caribbean (many islands), Fiji, Philippines
Closest Airport Papeete, Tahiti Getting There Overnight flight from LAX on Air Tahiti Nui

Dive Conditions
Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 85-89°F / 29-32°C Wetsuit Thickness 2
Water Visibility 30-70 Ft/ 9-21 M

Dive Policy
Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Dove with group. Usual restrictions but dive guides were reasonable
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw
Sharks Lots Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 4 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 4 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments Usual challenges of handling cameras when diving from RIBs but dive guides were good at taking care of cameras and handing them to you.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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