In 2022, Windstar Cruises celebrated its 35th anniversary of sailing in French Polynesia, making it the longest operator of any cruise line in the region that is a bucket-list destination for honeymooners and retirees alike. Windstar Tahiti cruises operate year-round.

The company’s 148-passenger sailing ship Wind Spirit has been a fixture of Windstar cruises in Tahiti and French Polynesia, and, in 2024, the larger motor vessel Star Breeze will make the region its permanent home, with stops in incredible ports like Morea, Bora Bora and Raiatea.

In French Polynesia, where it’s always warm and pleasant, cruising is the ideal way to get the most out of your visit, as ships stop in multiple ports, giving guests a spectacular chance to see what makes the region so vibrant and rich.

While Windstar has been dedicated to the region for 35 years, it’s not the only cruise line that visits French Polynesia. Options abound, from mega-cruise ships loaded with onboard activities to small ships that focus on your time ashore as much as they do on your time aboard.

Can’t decide which cruise line to pick? Let Cruise Critic help you choose.

Windstar, Paul Gauguin Offer Dedicated Ships Year-Round

Two small-ship cruise lines — Windstar and Paul Gauguin — have long histories of deploying ships to French Polynesia year-round. For Paul Gauguin, that ship is the only one in its fleet: Paul Gauguin. For Windstar, that has been Wind Spirit, but that’s going to change in 2024, when Star Breeze calls on…