Ocean cruises

PONANT invites you to discover sumptuous landscapes and exceptional cities during a 12-day cruise between Portugal and Spain. Be inspired by this unforgettable journey aboard Le Champlain as you visit major cities of the Iberian Peninsula.

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, discover the Sagres fort, near Lagos; attend a cavalcade at a finca in Cartagena; or go to a flamenco show in Cadiz. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab).

Leaving from the bustling capital of Catalonia, Barcelona, you will sail west to reach the mythical Balearic Islands archipelago. On the preserved island of Menorca, Mahon will charm you with its age-old history and its port, which, at 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) long, is the biggest in the Mediterranean. A little further on, Ibiza, the “White Island” will enchant you with its wild coves and villages of white fincas, a natural beauty that has earned the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In Valencia, a lively city brimming with culture, do not miss the Silk Exchange, a flamboyant Gothic masterpiece listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, illustrating how powerful this mercantile city was in the 15th and 16th centuries.

You will arrive in Cartagena, a former Roman colony where there is still a majestic amphitheatre. As you roam the city, you will discover the many monuments reflecting its numerous influences and rich history.

After a port of call in Motril, at the foot of the Sierra de Lújar, Le Champlain will sail for Malaga, the cultural capital of the Costa del Sol. To the heart of the old town, its history can be read in its buildings, in particular the 10th century castle built by the Moors. You will also have the possibility of strolling through the picturesque town of Ronda and discovering its famous Puente Nuevo. Then, you will discover Cadiz, one of the country’s oldest cities, built on a rock and surrounded by the sea.

Your exploration continues in the Algarve region at the country’s southern tip. Portimão invites you to explore Silves, the ancient Moorish capital of the Algarve, and Monchique, a peaceful village with cobbled streets leading up to the sea. Further north, you will arrive in Lisbon, sitting on the Tagus River, distilling its one-of-a-kind charm imbued with rich history. In Figueira da Foz, at the mouth of the Mondego River, you will love the slow pace of this historic seaside resort and its beaches of white sand.

Your cruise will end in Leixoes, one of Portugal’s largest maritime ports, not far from Porto.

In alliance with Smithsonian Journeys.

This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.

Join us for this 9-day cruise aboard Le Bellot exploring the rich history and culture that thrives on either side of the Irish Sea.

Begin with a night aboard ship docked near London Bridge, then set sail in the early morning down the Thames to discover historic Dover Castle, perched high on the emblematic White Cliffs, and perhaps visit the nearby UNESCO Heritage site of Canterbury Cathedral.

Enjoy a morning on the Isle of Wight visiting Osborne House, Queen Victoria's favorite residence, before a relaxing afternoon cruising along the shores of the English Channel. Arrive the following day some 30 miles off the southwest coast of Cornwall in the Isles of Scilly, where you visit the world-famous Tresco Gardens.

Crossing the Irish Sea, you call in Kinsale, Ireland, your gateway to proudly Irish Cork and its iconic Jameson Distillery. A stop in Douglas, Isle of Man, allows for a visit to Chapel Hill, the site of an excavated Viking ship dating to between 850 and 950 AD. Or choose to ride the Manx Electric Railway, in service for more than 130 years, for a breathtaking trip through green glens and hollows, with excellent views of the coastline.

Belfast, Northern Ireland's dynamic capital, is home to Titanic Belfast, a state-of-the-art museum on the site of the yard where the ill-fated ship was built. It is also your opportunity to experience the spectacular unspoiled scenery of the Antrim Coast and the famed Giant’s Causeway of over 40,000 interlocking, hexagonal columns, formed by the cooling of molten lava some six million years ago.

Your final full day is spent exploring the fabled Hebrides, beginning in the charming fishing port of Tobermory, whose distillery produces a renowned single malt scotch whisky, before proceeding to Duart Castle, ancestral home of Clan Maclean on the Isle of Mull, and ending with the mystical abbey of the Isle of Iona, home to the first Christian settlement in Scotland.

Your voyage comes to an end in Greenock, gateway to Glasgow, Scotland's modern cultural capital.