BELLEVUE, WASH. – August 26, 2013 – Paul Gauguin Cruises (www.pgcruises.com), operator of the highest-rated and longest continually sailing luxury cruise ship in the South Pacific, the m/s Paul Gauguin, and the 90-guest m/v Tere Moana, offers two 7-night Tahiti & the Society Islands voyages on The Gauguin and a 7-night Caribbean voyage on the m/v Tere Moana, offering the perfect way to celebrate December holidays in paradise.
On The Gauguin’s December 21, 2013, voyage, guests can enjoy a “White Christmas” on French Polynesia’s white-sand beaches, or they can ring in the New Year on the South Seas in style during the December 28, 2013, cruise. On The Moana’s December 21, 2013, voyage guests can enjoy sailing among the diverse, tropical islands of the Caribbean during the festive holiday season.
Both Tahiti & the Society Islands holiday voyages aboard The Gauguin cruise roundtrip from Papeete, Tahiti, visiting Raiatea and Taha’a, and overnighting in Bora Bora and Moorea. A highlight of each sailing is a visit to Paul Gauguin Cruises’ private islet, Motu Mahana, off the coast of Taha’a, to enjoy an expansive barbecue with full-service bar and watersports. There is also the opportunity to relax at the cruise line’s exclusive, private white-sand beach in Bora Bora, with bar service, volleyball, swimming, and sunbathing. On the December 28th sailing, Judy Jordan, Founder and President of J Vineyards & Winery, will provide a lecture and winetasting demonstration, and musician Robert Thomas will perform. Cruise fares for both holiday voyages start at $4,895 per person and include airfare from Los Angeles.
To celebrate its award for “Top Small-Ship Cruise Line for Families” from Travel + Leisure in the magazine’s 2013 “World’s Best Awards,” Paul Gauguin Cruises will offer its Ambassadors of the Environment Youth Program FREE (ordinarily $299 per child) on both holiday sailings aboard The Gauguin. This unique, groundbreaking program, created by oceanographer and environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau and his Ocean Futures Society, introduces young travelers (ages 9 to 17) to the extraordinary natural wonders of French Polynesia by providing hands-on, interactive experiences with marine and island ecosystems. Participants explore coral reefs, hike rainforest trails, and visit marae (ancient Polynesian temples) and also learn how black pearls and vanilla are cultivated and how volcanic islands become coral atolls.
In the Caribbean, The Moana cruises roundtrip from Philipsburg, St. Maarten, visiting Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, and Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, Les Saintes and St. Barts in the French West Indies, and Basseterre in St. Kitts & Nevis. Guests can bask on the sugar-sand beaches under the warm tropical sun and enjoy a festive barbecue at Prickly Pear Beach on Virgin Gorda. Cruise rates for the December 21, 2013, voyage start from $3,795 per person.