A Return to Gauguin’s Polynesia : Senior discounts apply to 16-day excursions to Marquesas Islands. In Las Vegas, the Debbie Reynolds Hotel is open.

The Aranui, a South Pacific passenger vessel and freighter, plies the waters of French Polynesia delivering cargo to isolated ports in the Marquesas Islands. These islands served as inspiration for writers and artists such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Paul Gauguin and Herman Melville. Now, adventurous travelers 60 and older can receive a 15% discount off regular rates aboard the Aranui.

The Aranui has 36 air-conditioned cabins, a laundry room with washers and dryers, a library, a video room, a sun deck, a small swimming pool and a boutique that carries sundries, clothing and gift items. Its chef specializes in French and Tahitian dishes, with emphasis on fresh lobster and fish purchased from local fishermen.

Three 16-day cruises are available for the remainder of 1993 with departures on Aug. 26, Oct. 30 and Nov. 22.

Prices are per person, double occupancy, and include the senior discount, all gratuities and land excursions to villages, archeological sites, beaches and rain forests. Air fare from the United States to Papeete, Tahiti, where passengers board the ship, is extra.

* Deluxe A: large outside cabin, one queen bed, refrigerator and private bathroom facilities with bathtub, $3,179.

* A Cabin: two lower berths, outside cabin, private facilities, $2,678.

* B Cabin: outside cabin with upper and lower berths, no private facilities, $2,321.

* B Cabin: inside cabin, no private facilities, $2,321.

For more information, including a brochure, contact your travel agent or CPTM, 595 Market St., Suite 2880, San Francisco 94105, (415) 541-0677.

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The recently opened Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Hotel, Casino & Movie Museum in Las Vegas is geared to guests who enjoy the nostalgia of post-World War II Hollywood.

The 200-room facility is located just off the Strip, near the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The hotel showroom, called Debbie’s Star Theatre, will feature Reynolds herself and other entertainers. The showroom is scheduled to open about Aug. 15, along with the Hollywood Picture Museum and the hotel’s main restaurant, Garbo’s. A 24-hour coffee shop, the Hollywood Cafe, is now open.

All guest rooms include a refrigerator, coffee maker and in-room movies. Travelers 55 and older receive an unrestricted 10% discount off regular rates year-round. Regular rates for double rooms, Sunday-Thursday, range $47-$76 per room per night; weekends, $59-$82. A two-room suite with wet bar and spa, Sunday-Thursday, goes for $87-$125; weekends, $99-$150. For more information, including a brochure, contact the hotel at 305 Convention Center Drive, Las Vegas, Nev. 89109, (800) 633-1777 or (702) 734-0711.