Tahiti cruises and Bora Bora cruises can mean two very different trips, depending on the ship. On a small ship built specifically for French Polynesia, like the m/s Paul Gauguin, you spend most of a 7 to 10 night voyage in the islands themselves, often with a full day at a private motu in Bora Bora. On a mega ship from a mainstream line, Bora Bora is usually one port call, sometimes just a few hours, tucked into a much longer repositioning cruise between Hawaii and Australia. Neither is wrong, but they are not the same product, and picking the wrong one is the single biggest regret we hear from travelers planning a South Pacific cruise.
What's the Real Difference Between a Small Ship and a Mega Ship Cruise?
The core difference is not luxury versus budget, it's itinerary design. Small ship lines built for French Polynesia, Paul Gauguin and Windstar among them, run dedicated voyages that stay inside the region for most or all of the cruise. Mega ship lines like NCL, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Princess mostly reach Tahiti and Bora Bora as stops on repositioning cruises, long voyages that move a ship from one home port to another (commonly Hawaii to Australia or New Zealand) and pick up a handful of South Pacific ports along the way.
That single distinction is really what separates the two kinds of Tahiti cruises on the market today. Here's how it plays out in practice:
| What matters | Small ship (Paul Gauguin, Windstar) | Mega ship (NCL, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity) |
|---|---|---|
| Itinerary type | Dedicated South Pacific voyage | Usually a repositioning or world cruise segment |
| Typical cruise length | 7 to 10 nights, mostly in French Polynesia | 17 to 18-plus nights, French Polynesia is a fraction of it |
| Ship size | About 330 guests | 2,000 to 5,000-plus guests |
| Time in Bora Bora | Full day, often plus a private motu day | Typically a single port day |
| Best for | Travelers who want French Polynesia to be the whole trip | Travelers already booking a longer Pacific crossing who want a Bora Bora day added in |
How Many Nights Do You Actually Spend in Bora Bora and Tahiti?
This is the question worth asking before you compare prices, because it changes what you're actually buying. Celebrity Cruises, for example, currently sells its Tahiti sailings as 17 to 18 night repositioning cruises between Honolulu and Sydney, calling at Papeete, Raiatea, and Moorea as three stops among many across the wider Pacific crossing, not a dedicated French Polynesia itinerary. If your goal is to see Bora Bora, that can mean two or three port days out of an 18 night cruise, with the rest spent at sea or in other regions entirely.
A small ship built for the region flips that ratio. A 7 to 10 night Paul Gauguin sailing typically spends nearly every day of the cruise inside French Polynesia, moving between islands like Moorea, Bora Bora, Taha'a, and Raiatea rather than crossing an ocean to get there and back.
What Makes the m/s Paul Gauguin Different?
The m/s Paul Gauguin carries about 330 guests across 165 suites, with 217 crew onboard, a crew to guest ratio of roughly 1 to 1.5, among the highest of any cruise ship sailing today (source: pgcruises.com). Every stateroom is a suite, and the ship was purpose built and registered specifically to operate in French Polynesian waters, which is part of why it can reach smaller ports and stay longer than a mega ship's schedule allows.
One feature worth knowing about specifically: Paul Gauguin operates Motu Mahana, a private islet near Taha'a and Bora Bora used exclusively for its own passengers' beach days, something a mainstream mega ship simply cannot offer since it doesn't control a private stretch of shoreline in the islands. If you're weighing whether Paul Gauguin genuinely qualifies as a luxury line versus a premium mainstream one, the suite-only layout and crew ratio are the two numbers that answer it.
330 guests, 165 all-suite staterooms, and a private motu in Bora Bora. The only ship purpose built to make French Polynesia the whole trip.
How Much Does a Bora Bora Cruise Cost?
Fares depend entirely on which of the two trip types above you're comparing. A dedicated Paul Gauguin sailing, for example an 8-day Society Islands and Tahiti itinerary in a category 4 cabin, starts from around $3,000 per person at early booking pricing (airfare to Tahiti is separate, typically $1,000 to $1,500 from the US West Coast). We've broken that down fare by fare in our full Paul Gauguin cruise cost guide.
A mega ship repositioning cruise can start lower per night, but you're paying for 17-plus nights across regions, not just French Polynesia days, so it's rarely an apples to apples comparison. The honest way to compare the two is cost per day actually spent in the islands you're booking to see.
Tell us your dates and budget, we'll compare cabin categories and sailing dates across the season and send back real numbers, not a generic brochure rate.
What Islands Will You Actually Visit?
On a dedicated small ship itinerary, expect a rotation built around Bora Bora, Moorea, and Taha'a or Raiatea, sometimes extending to the Tuamotu Islands (Fakarava or Rangiroa) or the Marquesas on longer sailings. Every stop is a full or near full day since the ship isn't racing to its next region.
On a mega ship repositioning route, the South Pacific leg is typically Papeete plus one or two more French Polynesia ports, then several sea days before the next region (Hawaii, Fiji, Australia, or New Zealand). Fewer islands per day, but the overall cruise touches more of the wider Pacific.
When Is the Best Time to Cruise Tahiti and Bora Bora?
French Polynesia's dry season, roughly May through October, is the window most cruise lines and the region's own tourism board point travelers toward for calmer seas and less humidity. We go month by month, including which weeks tend to book out first, in our best time to visit Bora Bora guide, and the official Tahiti Tourisme cruising page publishes current season conditions if you want to double check closer to your travel dates.
Which Cruise Line Should You Choose for Tahiti and Bora Bora?
If French Polynesia is the destination, not a stop along the way, a dedicated small ship sailing (Paul Gauguin, or a comparable line like Windstar) is the more honest match: more days in the islands, an all-suite ship built for the region, and access most mega ships can't offer, like Paul Gauguin's private motu. If you're already planning a longer Pacific crossing and want Bora Bora added as one memorable stop, a mega ship repositioning itinerary can work, just know it's a few days out of many, not a South Pacific vacation in itself.
Either way, book Tahiti cruises through a travel advisor who can compare sailing dates, cabin categories, and current promotions across lines rather than the first fare you see, since the same itinerary can vary by hundreds of dollars per person depending on when and how it's booked.
7 to 14-plus night sailings, all-suite staterooms, and a full day at Paul Gauguin's private Bora Bora motu.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cruise line for a Tahiti and Bora Bora cruise?
For travelers who want French Polynesia to be the whole trip, Paul Gauguin is the most purpose built option, an all-suite, 330 guest ship with itineraries that stay inside the region for 7 to 10 nights or more. For travelers who want Bora Bora as a stop on a longer Pacific voyage, mainstream lines like Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, or NCL include it on select repositioning routes.
Do any cruise lines actually sail to Tahiti?
Yes. Beyond dedicated small ship lines, several mainstream lines call at Papeete or Bora Bora as part of longer itineraries, typically repositioning cruises between Hawaii and Australia or New Zealand, rather than as a standalone South Pacific vacation.
How much does a Bora Bora cruise cost?
A dedicated small ship sailing like Paul Gauguin's 8-day Society Islands and Tahiti itinerary starts from around $3,000 per person in a category 4 cabin at early booking pricing, not including airfare. Mainstream mega ship itineraries that include Bora Bora are usually priced across a much longer overall cruise, so the fare covers many more nights and destinations beyond French Polynesia.
Does a cruise ship actually stop overnight in Bora Bora?
Most mega ship itineraries schedule a single day in port at Bora Bora. Small ship lines built for the region more commonly build in a full day, and Paul Gauguin adds an additional day at its private Motu Mahana islet exclusively for its own passengers.
What are the best months to cruise Tahiti and Bora Bora?
The dry season, roughly May through October, is generally considered the more comfortable window for calmer seas and lower humidity. See our full month by month breakdown in our best time to visit Bora Bora guide for booking windows and pricing patterns by month.
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