Expedition cruises

Overflowing with natural splendour, the vast lands of Australia and New Zealand beg discovery. But a big place needs lots of time! This cruise sails from Auckland to Melbourne, exploring the best of the lands down under, while keeping the pace leisurely. On your way you’ll enjoy overnights in Auckland, Napier, Tasmania and Melbourne, relax during open sea days and stop off in tranquil places that are blessed with good looks, superb wildlife and lots of adventurous spirit.

Embark on an enchanting journey to the spectacular lands of the Southern Hemisphere. Travel from Auckland's iconic harbour views all the way to Singapore's dizzy heights in unprecedented comfort. Along the route, you'll circumnavigate New Zealand’s north island and encounter the scale and beauty of southern and western Australia. Lavish in relaxing sea days before reaching tropical Bali for lush green rainforest hikes and spectacular sunsets.

Join the yachts in Bequia’s natural anchorage, a haven for snorkeling and diving, before sailing for St. John’s, where you can take a break from the beach for a history lesson at the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda. Mother Nature returns to center stage on Virgin Gorda in a labyrinth of massive boulders creating cavernous passageways and serene grottoes along the shore.

If there is one place on the globe that fires the imagination of travellers and arouses in them an instant thirst for adventure, it is the immaculate and faraway lands of the White Continent. Inhabited by a surprising endemic fauna, the Antarctic will welcome you during an 11-day expedition cruise.

At the border between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, you will enter Drake Passage. At the roaring fifties and the screaming sixties, the wind blows and the waves beat against the stern of the ship. In the sky, cape petrels lead you toward their realm until you reach the first of the continent’s lands.

Ice is there in all its forms. The mountainous landscapes open up to give way to huge calving glaciers, tabular icebergs drift in the middle of the Southern Ocean, and the sea ice shimmers in the distance. On board, the naturalists share with you the secrets of this unique ecosystem. As you near the shores, the first penguins appear. Gentoo, Adélie, chinstrap: these surprising birds, emblematic of the Antarctic, share their beaches with leopard, crabeater and Weddell seals. During an outing on land or at sea, in a zodiac dinghy or a kayak, you will move through a stunning scenery bathed in polar light.

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Landings on certain sites and the observation of certain wildlife cannot be guaranteed. They vary from day to day, making each PONANT cruise a unique experience. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while complying with the safety rules and instructions imposed by the IAATO.

A southern African adventure bookended by Cape Town’s lively streets and famous flat-topped mountain. Head up the glittering, Diamond Coast to Namibia, where a huge pink haze of flamingos waits in Walvis Bay’s scenic lagoon. The Sunshine Coast is the perfect tonic for any January blues. Come face to face with the big five animals, as they rove expansive reserves. Or simply luxuriate on brilliant beaches, with whales breaching offshore.

Set out on this 15-day Antarctica luxury cruise and experience the purest vistas on the planet. Departing from Puerto Williams sail towards South Georgia first, where Ernest Shackleton is laid to rest, for exploration of this remote island. The Drake Passage is next, prior to Antarctica’s wondrous ice wilderness. From dazzling, iceberg strewn days to cocktails with a twist by night, we promise this will be your most exhilarating adventure yet. Return via the South Shetland Islands.

If there is one place on the globe that fires the imagination of travellers and arouses in them an instant thirst for adventure, it is the immaculate and faraway lands of the White Continent. Inhabited by a surprising endemic fauna, the Antarctic will welcome you during an 11-day expedition cruise.

At the border between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, you will enter Drake Passage. At the roaring fifties and the screaming sixties, the wind blows and the waves beat against the stern of the ship. In the sky, cape petrels lead you toward their realm until you reach the first of the continent’s lands.

Ice is there in all its forms. The mountainous landscapes open up to give way to huge calving glaciers, tabular icebergs drift in the middle of the Southern Ocean, and the sea ice shimmers in the distance. On board, the naturalists share with you the secrets of this unique ecosystem. As you near the shores, the first penguins appear. Gentoo, Adélie, chinstrap: these surprising birds, emblematic of the Antarctic, share their beaches with leopard, crabeater and Weddell seals. During an outing on land or at sea, in a zodiac dinghy or a kayak, you will move through a stunning scenery bathed in polar light.

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Landings on certain sites and the observation of certain wildlife cannot be guaranteed. They vary from day to day, making each PONANT cruise a unique experience. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while complying with the safety rules and instructions imposed by the IAATO.

Immerse yourself in the ABC Islands beginning with an overnight in Aruba, home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Kralendijk translates to “coral dike,” a tribute to Bonaire’s underwater wonders, and the bright pastel architecture of UNESCO-listed Willemstad distinguishes the Dutch colonial capital of Curaçao. Of course, don’t miss the islands’ famous flamingos.