Is there a doctor on board ship?

I had an unwelcome surprise major health crisis in April. We are still hoping that my doctors will OK our June 12 departure (may be up in the air for a couple of weeks more), despite the fact that I will be restricted to virgin drinks and low fat meals (neither of which had been my fantasy of this voyage). Our hope is that it will be beautiful, relaxing and healing; DH and I are now in serious need of a vacation and I really want him to have his 50th birthday on Bora Bora.

So, two questions. Past PG travelers--do you think the cruise and some excursions can be enjoyable even for someone convalescing? And--is there a doctor on board? As I write, I realize I can call PG myself to check this out.

There was a lady in her late 30's or so on our cruise who was recovering from a very severe pneumonia... she spent a lot of time relaxing in the sun, sipping coffee aft, taking naps and taking the occasional easy excursion (bus ride, boat ride, walk around the dock).

I seem to remember that there may be some sort of medic on board, but I'm not certain if it was a certified "doctor".

Hope that helps a bit!

I'm so sorry to hear about your health problem and wish you the speediest recovery. I just got back from the May 1st seven-night Paul Gauguin cruise and, yes, there is both a doctor and a nurse onboard the ship.

The shore excursions offered are varied and there should be a few low-impact options. Do you feel that you'll be up to swimming or snorkeling in very calm waters? If not, that cuts out a lot of the tours. Can you ride in bumpy vehicles? If not, that will rule out a few more excursions. Here might be some good possibilities:

At Raiatea

Faaroa River and Island Exploration: This is a combo tour that starts in a motorized outrigger canoe (easy to board) and continues in a 4x4 jeep. You'll need to take a big step up to get into the back of the jeep.

This was very relaxing and the guides were quite informative.

Raiatea Highlights Island Tour: We didn't take this tour, but the excursion brochure says this one includes very little walking. It's basically a drive along the coast, some interior exploration, some photo stops, Marae Taputapuatea, and a short walk in a botanical garden.

At Taha'a

Just enjoy the entire day at Motu Mahana. That's what we did and it was spectacular! The beach is gorgeous and the BBQ is very good.

At Bora Bora

Bora Bora by Le Truck: The ride may be a bit bumpy but you'll see a lot of the island and will have several photo stops.

Helicopter Flightseeing: I'm not one for this type of thing, but this sounds like a beautiful excursion. When we cruised though, the helicopter was being repaired so no one took this tour.

Glass Bottom Boat: This should be super easy and similar to the next one...

Shark & Ray Watching by Glass Bottom Boat: This is the one we did at Bora Bora and it was really fun! The boat is easy to get into and you start by viewing lemon sharks and black tip reef sharks. You then move on to a shallow area of the lagoon where you can get out and swim with stingrays. You don't have to do that part if you don't want to. The group will be surrounding the boat so you'll still get a great view and a fun experience.

Submarine Adventure: Just a note—while we were there the submarine was being repaired so it was not available for tours.

At Moorea

Dolphin Watching Expedition: This tour is led by marine biologist Dr. Michael Poole and his success rate of finding dolphins is 95%. We did this tour and truly enjoyed it. You stay in the boat and there is no interaction with the dolphins.

Island Drive and Belvedere: This tour is conducted from an air-conditioned tour bus with lots of photo stops.

Note: We did the Mark Eddowes-led "Trails of the Ancients" hike. This was an excellent tour but fairly physical. I do not recommend it if you're recuperating.

Take a look at everything Paul Gauguin Cruises offers. I think you'll find a few things that will work for you. We absolutely fell in love with French Polynesia and wish we had booked a 14-night cruise instead of a 7-nighter!

I hope you and your husband go through with the trip. French Poly is the perfect spot to celebrate a 50th bday!

PS - I've been blogging about our trip and plan to upload a photo gallery later this week. http://luxurycruisebible.blogspot.com

Thanks for the ideas and the BEAUTIFUL photos. I was already eying the 4x4/ river expedition in Raiatea, glad to know you enjoyed it. :) Would love to hear full trip report.

So sorry to read of your health issues, and I wish you a speedy recovery.

Please keep in mind (and discuss with your doctor of course) the stress of travel and the long flight - depending on what you are recovering from, that long time in an airplane seat could be quite a strain.

Best wishes -

Maddle