From snow-capped peaks lining Norwegian fjords to the fine sandy beaches of Pacific atolls via lush green forests of Central America, PONANT is launching its winter 2023-2024 voyages. Nearly 30 different itineraries, including 13 totally new, have been crafted to criss-cross Asia, the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Caribbean, Latin America and for the first time in a winter season, Norway.
For discerning travellers looking to explore the world in a unique way, PONANT is deploying all its expertise for 69 new sailings during winter 2023-2024. Among new departures, the company is offering for the first time in the winter season a voyage to see the enchanting landscapes of Norway in pursuit of the Northern Lights.
Depending on the destination, guests will enjoy a wide range of activities meetings with local communities, visits to UNESCO World Heritage sites, diving, snorkelling, swimming, hiking, snowshoeing, biking, sleigh rides, and more.
FOCUS on exceptional itineraries
- Oriental wonders & civilisations – Muscat-Doha aboard Le Bougainville, 28 November to 3 December 2023, 11 days-10 nights
For this brand-new itinerary, Le Bougainville will set sail to discover the treasures of Islamic culture, between tradition and modernity. Departing from Muscat, the cruise will reveal the civilisations of the Persian Gulf through their modern architectural gems and grandiose landscapes. Between sea and desert, oases and canyons, Le Bougainville will head for Sour, a traditional fishing village in the Sultanate of Oman, the fjords of Musandam and the Daymaniyat Islands, a marine sanctuary well-known for snorkelling and scuba diving. Next is Dubai and its futuristic skyscrapers, Abu Dhabi, the Great Mosque and new Louvre Museum, Dammam, gateway to the Al Hasa oasis, Manama and finally Doha.
- Music of one thousand and one nights: Doha-Muscat aboard Le Bougainville. 28 November to 8 December 2023, 11 days-10 nights
- Caribbean mosaic, between mangroves & lagoons: Belize City-Belize City, aboard Le Dumont-d’Urville, 5 sailings, 14 November to 12 December 2023, from 8 days-7 nights
Departing from Belize City, this expedition voyage is an invitation to discover the lush scenery of Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize, Le Dumont d’Urville will be sailing to Punta Sal, the Jeannette Kawas National Park, and Les Cayos Cochinos archipelago, located on the world’s second-largest barrier reef. While the Cuero y Salado National Park and Water Caye desert island are home to outstanding marine life, the towns of Livingstone and Punta Gorda will transport guests into the heart of a history rich in ancestral traditions.
- Nordic Discoveries & Traditions: Tromso-Tromso, aboard Le Bellot, 4 sailings from 1 to 31 March 2024, 11 days-10 nights
For the first time in the winter season, PONANT is offering a new journey to Norway an immersion in the land of the Sami Beyond the Arctic Circle, historic towns and snow-capped fjords, weather permitting the polar landscape will come alive with the whirling ballet of Northern Lights From Tromso, Le Bellot will sail to Narvik, the Lofoten Islands, the Trollfjorden fjord, Hammerfest-one of the world’s northernmost towns-Honningsvåg, Alta and Bear Island, a small strip of land with craggy coastline and high jagged cliffs.
- Seychelles to Sri Lanka Expedition: Mahé-Colombo, aboard Le Jacques Cartier, 4 to 19 January 2024, 16 days-15 nights
From Seychelles to Sri Lanka via the Maldives, the lodian Ocean invites guests on an intriguing captivating break from the everyday. As the departure point for this expedition voyage, between intact nature and cultural mosaic, the Seychelles archipelago will reveal its most beautiful islands and its exceptional wildlife such as the giant tortoises of Aldabra. Le Jacques Cartier will then head for the Maldives, to the Rasdhoo and Baa atolls, and then Sri Lanka, with its monumental temples and wildlife sanctuaries.
- Madagascar & the Mascarene islands adventure: Port Louis-Port Louis, aboard Le Jacques-Cartier and Le Champlain, 3 sailings from 3 to 16 December 2023, 14 days-13 nights
Time will seem to stand still during this expedition journey from Madagascar to the Mascarene archipelago. Departing from Port-Louis in Mauritius, the ship will set sail towards Nosy Boraha Island, once a haven for pirates off Madagascar’s east coast, before reaching the ‘Great Red Island’ and Tamatave. From there, Le Jacques-Cartier will reach La Réunion, with its volcanic craters and vanilla plantations, and finally Rodrigues, another jewel in the Indian Ocean.
- From New Caledonia to Micronesia: Nouméa-Guam, aboard Le Soléal, 8 to 24 March 2024, 17 days-16 nights
From the heavenly beaches of Nouméa to the atolls of Guam, this tropical expedition into the heart of remote Pacific islands offers rich and unique encounters. New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Micronesia conceal idyllic tropical archipelagos, with white sandy beaches fringing crystal clear waters, and a seabed of rare beauty on which lie numerous wrecks from the Second World War.
Contact us for more details on PONANT and its luxury experiences.