Expedition cruises

Please note: this PONANT’s Loyalty Cruise is aimed at French-speaking guests. Lectures, shore excursions, pre and post programmes and public announcements will be in French only.

With the exceptional presence of a member of the general management of PONANT and with featured guest Hubert Védrine, senior French civil servant and politician and Manuel Carcassonne, Managing Director of Éditions Stock.

PONANT invites you to discover exceptional sites during this brand-new cruise between Spain and Portugal, the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Enjoy this unforgettable 9-day journey aboard Le Dumont d’Urville, combining stunning island landscapes and cities brimming with history.

Throughout your journey, you will benefit from an excursion included per person per port of call, to choose from a selection offered by PONANT. During this cruise, admire the volcanic and verdant landscapes of Santa Cruz de La Palma, explore the Garajonay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from La Gomera, or walk along the levadas, the irrigation channels that were dug out of the mountain by hand in the 19th century, from Funchal. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab).

Your cruise will begin on the island of Gran Canaria, in Las Palmas. Then you will sail to Lanzarote, where you will admire the volcanic landscapes that are typical of the area. Your ship will then drop anchor at La Gomera. This tiny island with lush vegetation is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its biosphere reserve.

After calling at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, from which you will be able to discover the wonderful volcanic landscapes of Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you will leave Spain for Portugal and Madeira, the ‘island of eternal spring’. Discovering the levadas, a clever irrigation system widely used on this mountainous island for transporting water, will also provide an opportunity to admire the beautiful scenery.

Le Dumont d’Urville will sail towards Morocco and you will enter “the white city” of Casablanca, which combines tradition and modernity. Here you will discover the impressive Hassan II Mosque, considered to be one of the largest religious buildings in the world.

You will also call in Cadiz, one of the country’s oldest cities, built on a rock and surrounded by the sea.

Then you will head to Malaga, end of your cruise.

Join us on a far-flung adventure through some of the most dramatic fjords, mountains and glaciers on the planet. Depart from remote Ushuaia deep into southern Chile's intricate, fractured landscape. Sail beside vertical slopes, along tranquil bodies of water carved by intimidating icy ramparts. Chile’s colour, character and charm also shine through - whether it’s world heritage site churches, or picturesque Tortel’s wonderful wooden walkways.

Through PONANT’s alliance with The Explorers Club, this voyage will feature explorer, storm chaser & TV presenter George Kourounis. George has spent 25 years documenting extreme forces of nature and natural phenomena around the globe including tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanoes, floods, and the effects of climate change. He is frequently seen showcasing nature’s fury on television programs worldwide; best known for having hosted the TV series “Angry Planet” he also co-hosted “Storm Hunters” for The Weather Network and is a regular on-camera contributor for “Strange Evidence” & “What on Earth?” on Science Channel. He’s appeared in programs for National Geographic, Discovery, Smithsonian Channel, Netflix, and most of the major TV networks.Equipped with specialized laboratories onboard Le Commandant Charcot, Explorers Club Science Grantees will provide invaluable firsthand knowledge, delving into their ongoing research.

With featured guest Ian Dawson, British Photo Ambassador.

It is spring in Greenland. The snow is everywhere and covers a landscape whose apparent monotony reveals unexpected reliefs. For the very first time for a ship, Le Commandant Charcot will humbly progress towards Baffin Bay and ice-covered villages, inaccessible to traditional ships during this early period. During a 16-day journey of exploration, you will sail to the magnificent icy Disko Bay, home to the largest icebergs in the northern hemisphere. From unforgettable experiences to warm encounters, in the cosy atmosphere of an exceptional ship, take the time to enjoy moments of intense emotion and unsuspected discoveries.  

Shaped for polar exploration, Le Commandant Charcot will make its way amongst fragments of drifting and broken-up ice floe, before approaching Inuit villages encircled by ice. During this spring season, following the long winter night, sailing the western Greenlandic coast holds the promise of moments of wonder, of fantastic surprises, provided by the uncertainty, which, always, gives the orders here. As we are taught by Inuit wisdom, only the present moment matters. As you progress towards Baffin Bay, the ice will unveil its countless nuances and give you a new vision of this place at the end of the world. In Disko Bay, the show becomes dreamlike, the icebergs that floated during the summer are now stuck in the frozen sea and make up cathedrals of ice that will leave you speechless.  

During this immersion in the Greenlandic spring, you will discover the local communities of the west whose villages are still encircled by the bordering ice floe. The harshness of winter gradually makes way for the spring and the activities that go with it. Thanks to its special connection with the inhabitants of this fascinating island, PONANT offers you an unforgettable experience. For two days, in Ilulissat and Qeqertarsuaq, you will enjoy a total immersion. Following the pace of the Inuit community, you will experience moments of sharing based around their spring traditions. Polar hikes, ice fishing and dog sledding will punctuate your days but the real treasure lies elsewhere. The Inuits’ way of life and philosophy will imbue you with age-old wisdom.

Find out more about the world of Le Commandant Charcot here!  

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Our navigation, mainly in the fjords, will be determined by the type of ice we come across; as the fast ice must be preserved, we will take this into account from day to day in our itineraries. The sailing programme, outings, activities and observation of fauna cannot be guaranteed and are subject to weather and ice conditions. The experiences are unique and vary from day to day and for each departure. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while respecting safety instructions and regulations imposed by the AECO. 

Compare the sands of every shade on the beaches of Basse-Terre with the array of tropical flora in the forests of Guadeloupe National Park. Then enjoy a private cocktail party on South Friar’s Beach in St. Kitts before sailing for the yacht-filled harbor of St. Barths. A new array of scenic seascapes awaits in St. Maarten and the British Virgin Islands.

Long described as a melting pot of colour and culture, the Caribbean fuses exotic combinations of landscape, people, history and cuisine. Immerse yourself in the traditions of St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Martinique, Antigua and Puerto Rico, and enjoy getting to know another side of the Caribbean. But do not forget why we are here: Grand Turk is a masterpiece of silky white sand and sparkling water, while St. Barts is a chic haven that is the tropical paradise you have daydreamed about.

Set sail from Fort Lauderdale, for a 29-day, return voyage with a distinctly Latin American flavour! Heading for the colourful, mosaic of islands that make up the Caribbean, enjoy the individual flavours of each one from chic St Barts to the shell sands of Grand Turk. Passage of the legendary Panama Canal leads to Puntarenas, Costa Rica and the diverse and spectacular cultures of Guatemala and Mexico. Mix in blissful sea days and you truly have it all!

Witness a side of South America reserved for the privileged few. Cruise up the coast of Uruguay and Brazil, visiting hidden jewels that have been closely guarded secrets, until now.Your remarkable 13-day journey starts in Buenos Aires. Over nine extraordinary ports of call, you’ll delight in the tropical bliss of unblemished beaches in coastal Brazil’s most beautiful towns. Enjoy the pristine rainforests of Ilha Grande and awaken to blushing sunrises from your spacious suite before a kayak through glittering waters. Discover the country's vibrant culture in style, and prepare for moments of wonder at every Scenic turn.

Explore the pristine natural beauty of St. John, protected as part of Virgin Islands National Park, before indulging in material pursuits as you shop Gustavia’s high-end boutiques and Philipsburg’s duty-free Front Street. Lounging on a picturesque beach is always an option, especially on Virgin Gorda where dramatic rock formations accent the tranquil waters.

At times steeped in history, at times dizzyingly modern, Japan never fails to delight. Departing from Tokyo, join us aboard Silver Muse and enjoy the island’s culture, cuisine and curiousness in ports such as Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Aomori and Hakodate. A long stay in Busan in South Korea will offer lucky guests everything from steaming volcanic pools to steaming bowls of soup. Not forgetting and overnight in Kanazawa and your tour of Japan is complete.

Cruise the Rhône and Saône rivers, enjoying the region's incomparable wine and cuisine and discovering its many treasures. Stroll the very streets of Arles made famous by Van Gogh. Visit Avignon's majestic Palace of the Popes. Experience "Village Day" in enchanting Viviers. And for those who wish for a more active exploration of the area, you can hike the vineyards of the Rhône and pedal through Lyon, a city designed with bike riders in mind. Explore unforgettable "Burgundy & Provence" where tradition is as deeply rooted as the historic grapevines on the hills.