French Polynesia guide
Ships in French Polynesia
Three broad categories work these islands: small luxury ocean ships running Society Islands and Tuamotus loops from Papeete, sailing vessels and yachts carrying fewer guests, and the working passenger-freighter service that supplies the Marquesas and takes travelers along. Draft, tender operations and what the fare includes matter more here than the star rating.
The three categories
Small luxury ocean ships are the most common choice. They are comfortable, they carry watersports equipment, and they run repeating loops through the Society Islands with atoll calls added on longer itineraries.
Sailing vessels are a different holiday. Fewer guests, more time under canvas, a more informal atmosphere, and an itinerary that bends to the wind. For travelers who want the ocean to feel present rather than managed, they are the better answer.
The Marquesas freighter service is the outlier and the most interesting for some travelers. It exists to supply the islands, and passengers travel alongside the cargo. It reaches places nothing else calls at, and it is not a luxury product.
What we look at first
Draft and tender operations. A ship that can enter a lagoon and anchor close in gives you more hours in the water than one that sits offshore and shuttles guests; across a week that difference is real.
Then inclusions. Snorkel gear, kayaks, paddleboards, the watersports platform and diving are sometimes part of the fare and sometimes a charge. Then cabin layout, because in a warm-weather destination a balcony earns its keep more than it does in the polar regions.
Being straight about what we have sailed
We have sailed a Society Islands voyage aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin. It is a small luxury ship rather than an expedition vessel, and we will be precise about that — but it means our opinions on lagoon anchorages, tender days and life aboard in these islands are firsthand, not brochure-derived.
Beyond that voyage we bring 18 expedition ships sailed across eight regions and direct relationships with the lines operating here, which is how we assess vessels we have not boarded. The full list is on ships we've sailed.
Common questions
Are the big resort ships worth considering?
They are comfortable and they are not what this destination is best at. Larger vessels anchor further out, spend longer moving guests ashore, and cannot use the smaller anchorages. If the ship itself is the holiday, they make sense; if the islands are, a smaller vessel does.
Do the ships carry diving equipment?
Many do, and the arrangements vary widely — some run their own dive operation, others use local dive centres ashore. Certification requirements and whether the dives are included differ by vessel, so we check the specific ship before you count on it.
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Written by your expedition advisors
Chris Commisso · Expedition Expert
Erika Commisso · Travel Experience Architect
CLIA Elite Cruise Counselor · ASTA Verified Travel Advisor
Chris and Erika have personally sailed 18 expedition ships and explored eight expedition regions.
Last updated .