SCUBA Diving
Float effortlessly over rainbow-colored coral reefs and come nose to nose with parrotfish, clownfish, giant clams, and sea turtles. Dive deeper to swim alongside colorful sea anemones, eagle rays, sharks, and octopi. Polynesia’s translucent, shimmering aqua lagoons are begging to be explored. And there’s no better place to do so than from The Gauguin’s retractable watersports marina, where you can embark on an optional SCUBA adventure.
Society Islands
Moorea | Catch a glimpse of black-tipped reef sharks, impressively large moray eels, sea turtles, and barracudas.
Bora Bora | View lemon sharks and manta rays up close.
Raiatea | Discover shipwrecks and the marine life that thrives among mushroom-shaped coral formations, including octopus, tuna, and leopard rays.
Tuamotus Islands
Rangiroa & Fakarava | In this premier diving location, look for hammerhead sharks (December-February) or manta rays (September-October). In addition, dolphins, turtles, eagle rays, barracuda, and other fascinating fish species are often spotted here, among coral reefs and canyon passes.
Marquesas Islands
Nuku Hiva | The steep cliffs and caves off this island reveal a variety of unusual marine life, including hammerhead sharks, manta rays, moray eels, and scorpion fish.
Full Open Water certification has three requirements:
- Knowledge Development (theory): Text and video study of basic diving techniques and the effects of diving on the body, diving safety, equipment selection and maintenance, and planning
- Confined Water Training: 5 pool session
- Open Water Training: 4 open-water dives
The certification requires an average of 40 hours to complete.
Open Water certification is usually offered on board at a price of $750 (USD), depending on the availability the instructors. In order to expedite the process and maximize diving time available during the cruise, guests are encouraged complete the theory portion of the training online at the PADI website prior to embarking ship ship. The course is called E-Learning and available at www.padi.com.
If possible, guests are also encouraged to complete their pool sessions in a PADI dive shop in advance, to considerably reduce the time involved in getting certified during their cruise. Once these pool sessions are complete and referral forms obtained, guests need only complete 4 open-water dives to get certified. This referral is sold on board at $540 (USD).
Diving certifications are subject to availability.
