POLYNESIA CHRISTMAS CRUISE 2028

Our first island is lush, laid-back, deeply historic Huahine. Often described as one of French Polynesia’s more secluded treasures, Huahine combines rainforest-covered terrain, clear lagoons, quiet villages, and some of the region’s best-preserved archaeological sites. Explore the ancient marae around Maeva, visit the easygoing waterfront town of Fare, encounter the island’s famous blue-eyed eels, or head straight for the lagoon with your snorkel. Huahine doesn’t need to shout for attention. It simply gets under your skin.

No port. No pressure. Sleep late. Order breakfast to your room. Claim a pool lounger. Join a VACAYA activity. Visit the spa. Make lunch last two hours. Meet someone new. Take an extremely serious afternoon nap. Today is your chance to settle into the ship, the community, and the wonderfully uncomplicated rhythm of life in the South Pacific. Your only real responsibility is remembering where you left your sunglasses.

Aitutaki’s lagoon is the sort of place that makes even heavily edited travel photography look strangely inadequate. Its luminous turquoise water is surrounded by palm-shaded beaches and dotted with postcard-perfect motus. Spend the day swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, or cruising across the lagoon toward One Foot Island. On land, explore quiet Arutanga, discover the island’s Polynesian traditions, or climb Maunga Pu for sweeping views across the reef and lagoon. You may run out of adjectives, but your camera won’t run out of work.

Rarotonga may be the hub of the Cook Islands, but it remains refreshingly unspoiled. In fact, local tradition keeps every building lower than the tallest coconut tree. Browse the market and shops of Avarua, circle the island by scooter or vehicle, relax along the crystalline waters of Muri Beach, snorkel in the Aroa Marine Reserve, or head into the lush interior, where steep volcanic peaks rise above largely untouched jungle. Rarotonga is equal parts beach day, cultural discovery, and tropical adventure. Choose wisely. Or don’t choose at all and sample everything.

Consider today the calm before our spectacular Christmas stretch. Recharge beside the pool. Book a treatment. Settle in for a beautiful lunch. Join the fun with your fellow Vacayans. Or disappear onto your balcony and watch the South Pacific roll past with absolutely nowhere else you need to be. Tomorrow, Bora Bora begins. You’ll want to be rested.

There are famous islands. And then there’s Bora Bora. Mount Otemanu rises dramatically above one of the world’s most celebrated lagoons, surrounded by white-sand beaches, coral gardens, and water in shades of blue that don’t seem entirely legal. Spend the day snorkeling, diving, cruising the lagoon, meeting rays and tropical fish, relaxing at Paul Gauguin’s private beach when conditions allow, or simply finding the perfect view and refusing to leave it. Tonight, the ship remains in Bora Bora. No hurried farewell. No last tender panic. Just sunset, stars, and nowhere else to be.

BB round two. Head back onto the lagoon, discover a different corner of the island, spend another afternoon at the beach, or stay aboard and admire Mount Otemanu from the pool deck. Because we don’t sail until 11pm, there’s time for one more swim, one more sunset, one more cocktail, and one unforgettable evening beneath the Bora Bora sky. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. And somehow, this journey’s still getting better.

Okay, this is almost absurdly good. We’re spending Christmas Eve on Motu Mahana, Paul Gauguin’s own private islet in the lagoon of Taha’a. Swim in warm, clear water. Snorkel among tropical fish. Paddle across the lagoon. Relax on the beach. Watch demonstrations of Polynesian crafts. Enjoy music beneath the palms. Feast on a barbecue lunch. Then swim over to the floating bar and order something suitably festive. By late afternoon, we’ll return to the ship and settle in for a magical Christmas Eve night surrounded by our chosen family. No chimney. No snow. No problem. Have yourself a very merry motu!

Christmas morning brings us Moorea. The island welcomes Vacayans with soaring emerald mountains, bright lagoons, fragrant tropical fruit, palm-fringed beaches, and scenery that seems designed to stop conversations mid-sentence. Head out on the water. Look for dolphins with a marine expert. Visit Belvedere Lookout for views across Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay. Explore tropical gardens and fruit farms. Find a beach. Or remain onboard and enjoy a slow, beautiful Christmas Day with the people you love. Because we’re staying overnight, there’s nothing to rush. The greatest gift today is time. Time together. Time in paradise. Time to celebrate exactly as we choose. Merry Christmas, Vacayans!

Consider this Moorea’s bonus present. Use our second day to explore whatever you missed on Christmas. Hike toward the panoramic views of Magic Mountain, visit a local distillery or agricultural school, head back onto the lagoon, or find one final beach and let the afternoon drift away. At 5pm, we’ll sail toward Tahiti as Moorea’s mountains fade into the distance. It’s our final night together, so make the dinner long, the hugs tight, and the dance floor count.

We return to Papeete early this morning, bringing eleven extraordinary nights to a close.

You may be leaving the ship with a tan, several thousand photos, a phone full of new contacts, and at least one story that should probably remain within the VACAYA family. But the real souvenir is the family itself. The friends you brought. The friends you found. And the Christmas you’ll be talking about for years. PARADISE WAS THE DESTINATION. TOGETHER WAS THE GIFT.