What are the cabins like on the one ship operated by Paul Gauguin Cruises? In a word, comfortable.
Unveiled in 1997, the South Pacific luxury cruise specialist’s 330-passenger Paul Gauguin, which it likes to refer to as The Gauguin, is on the older side when it comes to upscale cruise vessels sailing the globe. As a result, its cabins lack some of the trappings of the latest high-end ships, from USB ports by the bed to marble-lined walk-in showers in bathrooms. But a major refurbishment in recent years has left its cabins and suites looking bright and airy, with a comfortable and up-to-date feel.
Among vessels sailing year-round in the South Pacific, there is, quite simply, nothing as elegant.
In general, The Gauguin’s cabins are relatively spacious, with rooms starting at 200 square feet in size and topping out at 588 square feet in size. In contrast to what you’ll find on many cruise ships, they also all have windows of some sort looking out over the ocean. The Gauguin does not have windowless inside cabins.
The majority of cabins and suites on The Gauguin also come with balconies, which isn’t always the case with cruise ships operating regularly in the South Pacific. And it offers several large suites, too.
In short, The Gauguin is a good choice if you’re looking for a ship to explore the South Pacific in relative style.
A Paul Gauguin Cruises cabin primer
Designed specifically to sail in the shallow waters around South Pacific islands, The Gauguin is a relatively small and intimate vessel with just 165 cabins — fewer than most upscale ships.
Most of the vessels operated by luxury line Seabourn, for instance, have 226 to 302 cabins, while high-end cruise brands Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Viking and Explora Journeys are building ships these days with 382 to 499 cabins apiece.
From an experiential point of view, this is wonderful news, of course — who doesn’t love a more intimate vacation experience away from the crowds? But it also means that there’s limited cabin inventory for any particular sailing.
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If you find a Paul Gauguin Cruises voyage on a particular date that you like, you shouldn’t wait too long to book a room on it.
As noted above, most of the cabins on The Gauguin are balcony cabins. But the ship also has some cabins that only have picture windows or portholes — the latter is increasingly rare in the world of cruising.
It also has a handful of suites that, in some cases, are significantly bigger than the rest of the cabins on the ship — and priced accordingly.
Just note that you’ll want to book particularly early if you’re aiming for a suite on The Gauguin, as the limited number of such rooms can create an imbalance between demand and supply. They tend to sell out early.
An old saying in the cruise industry is that “ships sell from the top and the bottom.” That is, the first cabins on any vessel to sell out are the most expensive cabins, which are the suites, and the least expensive cabins, which typically are the inside cabins. The midpriced “middle” cabins sell last.
Ocean-view cabins on Paul Gauguin Cruises ships
With an ocean-view cabin, you get a window looking out to the sea but not an attached balcony where you can sit outside and enjoy the fresh air.
As noted above, nearly a third of the cabins on The Gauguin are ocean-view cabins — a relatively high number for a luxury vessel. Most luxury vessels these days are all-balcony ships.
There are 51 ocean-view cabins on The Gauguin in all, split into two categories: ocean-view cabins with full windows (of which there are 37) and ocean-view cabins that only have portholes (there are 14 of these).
The cabins with full windows tend to be priced a bit higher than the cabins that only have portholes, but design-wise, all of these cabins are essentially the same. They each measure 200 square feet and feature a queen-size bed that, in some cases, can be split into two single beds, plus a small seating area, a built-in cabinet with a minibar, a built-in wardrobe and a bathroom.
The main difference between the two types of ocean-view cabins, other than the window configuration, is that the cabins with portholes are located on Deck 3, one deck below the cabins with windows, which are located on Deck 4. Deck 3 is the lowest-level passenger deck of the ship, close to the waterline (hence the need for more structurally tough portholes).
Among slight differences with the categories, two of the ocean-view cabins with windows (cabins 415 and 416) are wheelchair-accessible cabins — the only wheelchair-accessible cabins on the ship.
Additionally, eight of the ocean-view cabins with windows can accommodate a third person on a convertible love seat. These cabins — 406, 408, 418, 425, 428, 435, 436 and 438 — are the closest thing The Gauguin has to family cabins.
Note that the convertible love seats in these cabins, when opened, create beds that are slightly smaller than standard twin beds, so they are probably best for children traveling with their parents and not a third adult.
Balcony cabins on Paul Gauguin Cruises ships
As is increasingly the norm for all cruise ships, the majority of The Gauguin’s cabins — about 70% — come with private balconies.
Of the ship’s 165 cabins, 106 are balcony cabins split into three different categories. There are also nine suites on the ship that each come with a balcony (more on those in the segment below).
Most standard balcony cabins (i.e., those that aren’t suites) measure 239 square feet, including a 37-square-foot balcony. This is a respectable size for a balcony cabin in the cruise world.
But 17 of these balcony cabins, known as Veranda Balcony cabins, are significantly bigger at 303 to 305 square feet. These cabins have about 25% more interior space (at least 249 square feet versus 202 square feet for standard balcony cabins) and also significantly larger balconies. Additionally, they come with a notable extra perk: the services of a private butler.
For those looking at The Gauguin deck plans, the standard balcony cabins are denoted as Category C and Category D cabins. The bigger Veranda Balcony cabins are those marked as Category B cabins.
Similar to the ocean-view cabins mentioned above, all balcony cabins offer a queen-size bed that, in some cases, can be split into two single beds, as well as a small seating area, a built-in cabinet with a minibar, a built-in wardrobe and a bathroom.
The main difference with the Veranda Balcony cabins, other than increased space and access to a butler, is that each has a curtain that separates the bed area from the sitting area, allowing you to create the feel of having two separate rooms.
Note that there are slight variations between a few of the balcony cabins. Many Veranda Balcony cabins, for instance, can accommodate a third guest due to the addition of a sofa bed. And there is a single Veranda Balcony cabin — cabin No. 7003 — that features a shower stall with no tub instead of a combination tub-and-shower, as is the norm for all the others.
A handful of balcony cabins located at the back of Deck 7 — cabins 763, 764, 765, 766 and 767 — have unusually larger balcony areas that overlook the wake of the ship. Measuring 70 to 75 square feet, these balconies are nearly double the size of the balconies found on most balcony cabins.
Additionally, as part of a major refurbishment of the ship in early 2025, eight balcony cabins on Deck 7 were converted into connecting cabins that can accommodate groups traveling together to appeal to the growing multigenerational travel trend.
Suites on Paul Gauguin Cruises ships
Looking to live large on The Gauguin? You have several great options.
The vessel has three categories of stand-alone suites that range from 349 to 588 square feet in size, significantly larger than the smallest 200-square-foot cabin on board.
The biggest of these suites are the ship’s two Owner’s Veranda Suites, both located toward the front of Deck 7 just behind the ship’s bridge. Numbered rooms 701 and 7002, they measure 538 and 588 square feet, respectively, and each has a living and dining room that is separate from the bedroom.
Both of these Owner’s Suites can accommodate up to three passengers, making them a good choice for couples traveling with a child.
Among slight differences between the two Owner’s Suites, cabin No. 701 has a bathroom with a separate shower and a dressing area, whereas cabin No. 7002 has a full-size tub and a dressing area.
Slightly smaller than the Owner’s Veranda Suites are the ship’s two Grand Suites, which measure 529 square feet apiece and also can accommodate up to three people.
Located at the front of the ship on Deck 8, these two suites have what may be the most epic views of any cabins on the ship — even better than the Owner’s Veranda Suites — as they face forward over the bow. If you stay in one of these cabins, you’ll have an even better view than the great one that the ship’s officers get from the bridge, as they are located one deck above the bridge.
Just be warned that a significant amount of the floorspace of the two Grand Suites — 197 square feet — is in their enormous forward-facing balconies. If you love to lounge on a giant balcony, admiring the view, these are the suites for you. If you prefer more interior space for relaxing while on board, the Owner’s Veranda Suites are a better choice.
The final set of suites on The Gauguin is its five Veranda Suites, which measure 349 to 355 square feet — or about 15% bigger than the Veranda Balcony cabins mentioned above. All located on Deck 7, their big difference from the Veranda Balcony cabins is that they have a more spacious feel.
In one of The Gauguin’s quirks, several of these suites also come with a specific name. Cabin 709, for instance, is the Tahiti Suite, while Cabin 710 is the Pont Aven Suite.
Like the Owner’s Veranda Suites and the Grand Suites, the Veranda Suites can hold up to three people each.
Including these five Veranda Suites, there are nine suites on the ship in all. That’s just 5% of the total number of cabins on board, which isn’t a high ratio of suites to regular cabins. As a result, suites on the ship can sometimes sell out quickly. If you want to ensure you get one of these bigger accommodations and have the money to pay for it (suites can be considerably more expensive than standard cabins), it pays to book early.
Like Veranda Balcony cabins, all nine of the suites on The Gauguin come with butler service, and some include extra perks such as spa treatments and premium drinks.
Related: 7 reasons you should splurge for a suite on your next cruise
Bottom line
The single ship operated by South Pacific cruise specialist Paul Gauguin Cruises, the 330-passenger Paul Gauguin has recently refurbished cabins and suites that are relatively spacious and comfortable, if lacking a few of the modern amenities found on newer luxury vessels.
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