Ponant is gearing up for a sequence of latest itineraries throughout the 2024-25 winter season, the corporate introduced in a press launch.
In keeping with the corporate, the voyages sail to Central America, Greenland, Scandinavia and past, with highlights that embrace a festive crusing set to be attended by French chef Alain Ducasse.
In Antarctica, Ponant created a brand new expedition to the Ross Sea, which extends from the Antarctic shoreline out into the Southern Ocean.
In keeping with the corporate, the itinerary was ?designed to comply with within the footsteps of legendary polar explorers and will probably be joined by the lecturer and information Jonathan Shackleton, a descendant of polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, and the historian Lucy Scott, the great-granddaughter of Captain Robert Falcon Scott.
The 21-night journey sails between Feb. 16 and Mar. 9, 2025, and contains a go to, ice and climate circumstances allowing, to Cape Adare, house to the world’s largest colony of Adélie penguins.
With a give attention to wildlife lovers and aspiring marine biologists, the expedition additionally sails to Macquarie Island, a breeding place for greater than 3.5 million seabirds, and the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand, house to Snares crested penguins, New Zealand fur seals, New Zealand sea lions and extra.
Earlier this yr, Ponant and The Explorers Membership joined forces to supply weeks-long, science-led expeditions to distant areas of the world.
In December 2024, the corporate is providing an eight-night itinerary by way of Belize and Honduras aboard Le Bellot.
The crusing is highlighted by alternatives to find the UNESCO sights of the Belize Barrier Reef and to dive within the Nice Blue Gap, in addition to collaborating in cultural encounters with the Garifuna communities.
In 2025, the partnership additionally consists of new polar itineraries to Greenland that sail from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to Disko Bay and different components of the vacation spot.
A spotlight would be the Explorers Membership member and storm chaser, George Kourounis, who will be part of one of many expeditions for a citizen science challenge for NASA.
Working alongside friends, he’ll acquire knowledge that may assist inform the cloud identification algorithms NASA makes use of with their orbiting satellites.
The itineraries happen onboard Le Commandant Charcot, which can sail in Scandinavia within the winter for the primary time this season.
In keeping with Ponant, the ship will supply new itineraries created to immerse passengers within the area’s cities, Christmas markets and winter traditions, like canine sledding and reindeer rides.
With two departures in December, the ten-day “Scandinavian Wonderland & Christmas Markets” itinerary will sail to cities alongside the Baltic Sea, together with Stockholm, Gotland, Gdansk and Helsinki.
Friends may also have the chance to fulfill French chef Alain Ducasse, who will probably be onboard for one of many sailings.
The corporate additionally stated it’s paving the best way for winter exploration cruises within the North, with 4 ice-breaking voyages by way of Canada’s St. Lawrence River in January and February.
Marking the primary time a cruise ship sails within the area throughout this timeframe, the sailings will happen onboard the icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot.
The 13-day expeditions will mix sub-zero actions like kayaking, ice fishing, canine sledding and skijoring together with visits to Indigenous Innu and Mi’kmaq communities, wildlife sightings together with caribou and black bears and Northern Lights chasing.
Ponant additionally highlighted a sequence of 2025 cruises to the South Pacific and Australia onboard the Paul Gauguin.
In keeping with the corporate, the Boutique Crossing Collections sail to locations that embrace Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Bali, with a full calendar of onboard lectures led by famend scientists, authors and different specialists.