Paul Gauguin vs Scenic Ocean Cruises

The core difference

Paul Gauguin and Scenic Ocean Cruises almost never appear in the same conversation — and that is precisely what makes this comparison illuminating. They represent two fundamentally different visions of small-ship luxury cruising, and understanding the contrast helps Australian travellers clarify what they actually want from a voyage.

Paul Gauguin is a floating island resort. One ship, 332 guests, purpose-built in 1998 with a shallow draft that enters French Polynesia’s lagoons and atolls where deeper ships cannot go. Refurbished in 2025 under Ponant ownership (acquired 2019). Year-round from Papeete — the Society Islands, Cook Islands, Fiji, Tonga, Marquesas, and Tuamotus. Tahitian cultural hosts, a private island, watersport marina, drinks included. French-Polynesian cuisine. The Algotherm spa. This ship does one thing — Polynesian immersion — and it does it better than anything else afloat.

Scenic is an Australian-owned Discovery Yacht. Two ships (Eclipse and Eclipse II, with Ikon arriving April 2028), 228 guests each with PC6 ice class, two Airbus helicopters, a submarine certified to 300 metres, Zodiac fleet, ten dining venues, butler service in every suite, and a genuinely all-inclusive fare covering everything from excursions to gratuities. Founded by Glen Moroney in Newcastle, NSW in 1986. Global headquarters on Watt Street, Newcastle. The ships sail Antarctica, the Mediterranean, the Arctic, Asia, and — from 2028 — year-round Australian waters. Scenic does expedition discovery, and it does it with more included features than any other expedition line.

These lines do not compete in any destination. Paul Gauguin sails French Polynesia. Scenic sails polar, Mediterranean, and Asia-Pacific waters. The choice is not which line serves the same itinerary better — it is which type of holiday serves your current purpose.

What is actually included

The inclusion models reveal different philosophies — Paul Gauguin includes what matters for a tropical resort cruise, Scenic includes everything.

Paul Gauguin’s fare covers all dining, selected wines, beer, spirits, and soft drinks throughout the voyage, watersport equipment from the marina, access to Motu Mahana private island, and cultural entertainment. Gratuities are discretionary. Shore excursions beyond the standard programme, spa treatments, and premium beverages are additional. Wi-Fi is available but limited by South Pacific infrastructure.

Scenic’s “Truly All-Inclusive” fare covers all ten dining venues, premium branded beverages, shore excursions across three tiers (Freechoice, Enrich, and Discovery), butler service in every suite, all gratuities including onshore guides and drivers, Starlink Wi-Fi, port charges, and taxes. Helicopter flights and submarine dives are the primary extras at approximately USD $695 and $795 respectively. Spa treatments are additional. The fare is the fare — no fuel surcharge surprises.

The difference is significant. Scenic’s total inclusion means no mental arithmetic during the voyage. Paul Gauguin’s model is generous on drinks and watersports but requires discretionary gratuity decisions and excursion purchases. For travellers who value absolute transparency in pricing, Scenic’s model is superior. For travellers who prioritise drink inclusion over excursion inclusion in a tropical setting where the beach is free, Paul Gauguin’s model is practical.

Dining and culinary experience

The dining comparison pits expedition variety against regional authenticity.

Scenic Eclipse delivers ten dining venues on a 228-guest ship — the highest restaurant-to-guest ratio in expedition cruising. Elements (main restaurant), Lumière (contemporary French fine dining), Koko’s (Asian fusion with sushi bar and Night Market), Chef’s Table (invitation-only degustation), Azure Bar & Café (all-day casual), Yacht Club (grill), and Chef’s Garden (cooking masterclasses). Every venue is included. The Cruise Critic Best Expedition Line for Dining award in consecutive years recognises the achievement.

Paul Gauguin offers two dining venues for 332 guests. L’Etoile serves French-Polynesian cuisine with locally sourced seafood — poisson cru with coconut milk, grilled mahi-mahi, Tahitian vanilla desserts. La Veranda provides casual poolside dining converting to an intimate evening venue. The cuisine reflects where the ship sails — tropical ingredients, French technique, and a sense of place that globally deployed ships cannot replicate.

Scenic wins overwhelmingly on variety, venue count, and dining breadth. Paul Gauguin wins on regional culinary authenticity — when the mahi-mahi was caught that morning in the lagoon outside your window, the experience transcends restaurant count. For dining as the holiday’s centrepiece, choose Scenic. For dining as an extension of the destination, choose Paul Gauguin.

Suites and accommodation

Scenic’s suites are substantially larger, and every guest receives butler service.

Scenic Eclipse’s 114 suites start at 345 to 365 square feet for the Verandah Suite — purpose-built for expedition luxury. Butler service is universal regardless of category. King Size Slumber Beds, butler bar with Nespresso, Smart UHD televisions with Bose sound. Spa Suites reach 540 square feet with Philippe Starck spa baths. The Owner’s Penthouse Suite spans 2,100 square feet with private Jacuzzi terrace.

Paul Gauguin’s 166 staterooms start at approximately 200 square feet for Porthole Staterooms. Balcony Staterooms offer roughly 249 square feet including balcony. The Grand Suite reaches approximately 588 square feet. Refreshed during the 2025 refurbishment with updated soft furnishings and amenities. No butler service at any category.

The space gap is meaningful — Scenic’s entry suite is roughly 75 per cent larger than Paul Gauguin’s equivalent. Butler service on Scenic creates a personal relationship that Paul Gauguin’s excellent but conventional service model does not replicate. However, Paul Gauguin’s staterooms are designed for a ship where the lagoon, the private island, and the watersport marina are the living spaces — the cabin is for sleeping and showering between ocean experiences.

Pricing and value

The pricing comparison is complicated by the fact that these lines serve entirely different purposes and destinations.

Paul Gauguin’s per-diem runs approximately AUD $700 to $1,100 per person per night. A seven-night Society Islands voyage costs roughly AUD $6,000 to $9,000 per person with drinks, watersports, and Motu Mahana included. The eight-hour direct flight from Sydney to Papeete adds relatively modest travel cost.

Scenic’s per-diem starts from approximately AUD $1,200 per person per night, though promotional pricing can reduce this substantially. A thirteen-day Antarctic cruise starts from approximately AUD $32,690. An eight-day Mediterranean from approximately AUD $14,710. The all-inclusive nature means the sticker price represents near-total holiday cost.

Per-diem comparison between a tropical resort cruise and a polar expedition is inherently misleading. A Paul Gauguin Tahiti week and a Scenic Antarctica fortnight are not substitutes for each other — they are different holidays for different purposes. The relevant question for Australian travellers is not which offers better per-diem value, but which experience justifies its respective price tag. Both do.

Spa and wellness

Both lines offer spa facilities, but the wellness philosophies could hardly differ more.

Paul Gauguin’s Deep Nature Spa by Algotherm features marine-derived treatments with Polynesian-inspired rituals using monoi oil, coconut, and vanilla. The spa is intimate and appropriate for 332 guests. The genuine wellness is the ocean — snorkelling pristine lagoons, kayaking at sunrise, paddleboarding across glassy bays from the included watersport marina.

Scenic’s Senses Spa spans 550 square metres on a 228-guest ship. ESPA treatment programme. Complimentary Scandinavian-inspired plunge pools, infrared and bio saunas, steam room, cold plunge pool, Vitality Pool, and relaxation lounge. PURE Yoga & Pilates Studio with classes and private sessions. Scenic Ikon will feature an 18,298-square-foot two-level spa.

Scenic wins on facility scale and breadth. Paul Gauguin wins on experiential tropical wellness — the lagoon as your spa, the marina as your access point. Neither is wrong; they serve different definitions of wellbeing.

Entertainment and enrichment

The enrichment programmes reflect each ship’s purpose — cultural immersion on Paul Gauguin, expedition science on Scenic.

Paul Gauguin’s enrichment is Polynesian. Les Gauguines and Les Gauguins perform traditional dance, teach Polynesian arts, and serve as cultural ambassadors. Local musicians board in port. Guest lecturers cover navigation, ecology, and history. The Motu Mahana private island day integrates cultural activities in a natural setting. Evenings feature entertainment under tropical skies.

Scenic’s Discovery Team comprises up to twenty specialists per voyage — marine biologists, historians, geologists, ornithologists — handpicked for each destination. Daily briefings in a theatre with 180-degree projection screens. Live piano and musical performances. Observatory Lounge with telescopes. Cooking masterclasses at Chef’s Garden. The evening atmosphere is intimate, social, and English-speaking.

The distinction: Paul Gauguin immerses you in the living culture of Polynesia. Scenic educates you on the natural science of polar and expedition destinations. Both are genuine and enriching.

Fleet and destination coverage

The fleet comparison underscores how different these lines are — one ship in one region versus a growing fleet spanning multiple continents.

Paul Gauguin is one ship operating year-round from Papeete across six Polynesian archipelagos. The shallow draft enters lagoons and harbours other ships cannot reach. Twenty-five-plus years of continuous regional operation.

Scenic operates two Discovery Yachts (Eclipse and Eclipse II) becoming three with Ikon in April 2028. 228 guests each with PC6 ice class, helicopters, submarine, and Zodiac capability. Eclipse II is permanently based in Australia and Asia Pacific from 2028. The fleet covers Antarctica, the Mediterranean, the Arctic, Asia, and Australia.

There is no destination overlap. The choice is entirely about what kind of holiday you want.

Where each line excels

Paul Gauguin excels in:

• French Polynesian immersion. Year-round from Papeete with purpose-built shallow draft, Tahitian cultural hosts, and unmatched regional expertise.
• Proximity to Australia. Eight-hour direct flight from Sydney. Among the shortest travel times to any luxury cruise.
• Included watersports. Kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkelling from the marina — included in the fare.
• Motu Mahana. Private island with barbecue, watersports, and Polynesian cultural activities.
• Entry price point. The most accessible luxury South Pacific cruise, pricing below most expedition alternatives.

Scenic excels in:

• All-inclusive completeness. Butler service, ten dining venues, premium drinks, excursions across three tiers, gratuities — the most transparent pricing in expedition cruising.
• Expedition capabilities. Helicopters and submarine — unique features for aerial ice exploration and deep-water discovery.
• Australian ownership. Founded in Newcastle, NSW. Headquartered in Australia. Eclipse II permanently homeported in Australia from 2028.
• Suite quality. Larger suites at every category with universal butler service — the most spacious expedition accommodation available.
• Dining breadth. Ten venues on a 228-guest ship — unmatched in expedition cruising.

Standout itineraries for Australian travellers

Paul Gauguin

Society Islands and Tuamotus (10 nights, year-round, roundtrip Papeete) — Moorea, Bora Bora, Taha’a, Rangiroa, Motu Mahana. Direct Air Tahiti Nui from Sydney. Drinks and watersports included.

Marquesas, Tuamotus and Society Islands (14 nights, seasonal) — The expedition-style Polynesia voyage visiting Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa, and Fakarava. For the deeper Pacific.

Scenic

Eclipse II: East Antarctica (approximately 20 nights, from Queenstown) — Mawson’s Huts with complimentary helicopter shuttle. Connections from Australia via domestic New Zealand flights.

Eclipse II: The Kimberley (returning 2028, 10 nights, Darwin to Broome) — The only Kimberley ship with onboard helicopters for flightseeing. Discovery Team-led expedition.

Scenic Ikon: Mediterranean Inaugural (April 2028, Venice) — Maiden voyage of the third Discovery Yacht. Fifteen dining venues.

Ship-by-ship recommendations

Paul Gauguin

Paul Gauguin (332 guests, refurbished 2025) — One ship, perfectly suited to its mission. Seven-night Society Islands for the first-timer, fourteen-night Marquesas for the enthusiast.

Scenic

Scenic Eclipse II — The recommended first Scenic sailing for Australians. Permanently based in Australia from 2028.

Scenic Eclipse I — Primarily deployed to Europe and Antarctica. Choose for classic Antarctic Peninsula expeditions.

Scenic Ikon (April 2028) — The flagship with fifteen dining venues and two-level spa. The most spacious Scenic experience.

For Australian travellers specifically

Both lines have genuine Australian relevance, though the nature of that connection differs fundamentally.

Scenic is Australian at its core. Founded by Glen Moroney in Newcastle in 1986. Headquarters on Watt Street. River cruise brand built through decades of Channel 9 advertising. Eclipse II permanently based in Australia from 2028 with Sydney, Darwin, and Hobart homeports. All pricing in AUD. The Scenic & Emerald Rewards programme unifies loyalty across ocean and river. Contact: 1300 938 753.

Paul Gauguin’s Australian relevance is geographic. The eight-hour direct Air Tahiti Nui flight from Sydney to Papeete makes French Polynesia one of the most accessible luxury cruise destinations from Australia — closer than most Asian destinations and far closer than any European embarkation port. Paul Gauguin is booked through Ponant’s North Sydney office (1300 737 178) with cross-brand loyalty through the Ponant Yacht Club.

The loyalty question favours the traveller’s broader plans. Scenic’s unified programme rewards ocean and river cruising under one Australian umbrella. Paul Gauguin’s status counts toward the Ponant Yacht Club, unlocking benefits across Ponant expedition sailings and Aqua Expeditions.

The onboard atmosphere

The atmospheres reflect two entirely different moods — and choosing correctly matters.

Paul Gauguin’s atmosphere is island resort afloat. International passenger mix drawn to the South Pacific. Resort casual to barefoot. Tahitian cultural hosts dancing on the pool deck. Cocktails flowing freely. Private island days. Romantic, sun-drenched, and deliberately unhurried. Average age slightly younger with honeymooners alongside experienced travellers.

Scenic’s atmosphere is polished expedition. English-speaking, social, and intimate. 228 guests with nearly 1:1 crew ratio. Butler service creates personal relationships. The shared intensity of Zodiac landings and helicopter flights forges connections between guests. Discovery Team briefings structure the day. Elegant casual dress. No language barrier. For Australians, sailing Scenic feels like sailing with an Australian company.

The bottom line

Paul Gauguin and Scenic Ocean Cruises do not compete — they serve different purposes, different destinations, and different travel motivations. The choice between them is the clearest in any comparison because the products have zero overlap.

Choose Paul Gauguin for the definitive French Polynesian cruise — purpose-built for lagoons, Tahitian cultural hosts, a private island, included drinks and watersports, and an eight-hour direct flight from Sydney. Choose it for tropical relaxation, cultural immersion, and the most accessible luxury cruise destination from Australia.

Choose Scenic for the most comprehensively all-inclusive expedition product afloat — Discovery Yachts with helicopter, submarine, ten dining venues, butler service, and Australian ownership. Choose it for Antarctica, the Arctic, the Mediterranean, and a ship permanently homeported in Australia from 2028. Choose it for expedition discovery where every inclusion is covered and the experience is entirely English-speaking.

For Australian travellers with the appetite for both — and many have exactly that — a Paul Gauguin Tahiti week for tropical immersion followed by a Scenic Antarctica expedition for polar discovery is not just complementary, it is the ideal luxury cruise pairing from Australian gateways. One flies north for eight hours, the other south via New Zealand. Both deliver world-class experiences at opposite ends of the temperature spectrum.