Ocean cruises

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.

With this itinerary, PONANT invites you aboard Le Soléal for a unique expedition cruise between Osaka and Busan. A 13-day escapade discovering a traditional Japan shaped by age-old traditions, natural wonders and mythical legendary sites.

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, visit Himeji’s emblematic castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, admire the Itsukushima Shrine from the island of Miyajima, and discover the cultural heritage of Nagasaki. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab).

At the whim of the trade winds in the Sea of Japan, Le Soléal will sail towards the southern tip of the island of Kyushu. The gateway to the enchanting Ise Bay and its sumptuous ria coast, Toba invites you to enjoy a unique moment in this historic city, residence of the Imperial family. Among other things, you will have the opportunity to admire the most important Shinto shrine in Japan, Ise-jingu. In Shingu, walk the ancient pilgrimage routes of Kumano Kodo, registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, connecting several religious sites nestling in tropical nature.

After a unique stop in the historic city of Himeji, you will head for Takamatsu, famous for its green expanses, tranquil ponds and magnificent Ritsurin Garden, considered one of the most beautiful in Japan. Then, you will visit Itozaki, a charming coastal town surrounded by green hills.

Le Soléal will sail towards the western part of the Seto Inland Sea. The jagged coastlines of the captivating Miyajima Island come into view. The vermillion Torii gate of the emblematic Shinto Shrine of Itsukushima, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, unfolds before you in a lush forest setting. Then, Hiroshima remains in the world’s imagination as the symbol of the nuclear disaster. Fortunately, like Nagasaki, the city has become one of the archipelago’s most peaceful towns and one of its most attractive. Only the Hiroshima Peace Memorial bears witness to the events that occurred in what is now known as “the City of Peace”.

Further south, Beppu, famous across the archipelago for its hot volcanic springs, invites you to discover its green and peaceful valley, home to almost 60 stone buddhas, carved into the cliffside between the 12th and 14th centuries. You will set a course southward to reach Miyazaki. Spend a unique time in this little corner of paradise featuring white-sand beaches, volcanic landscapes and rich local culture. Next, Le Soléal will sail to the bustling city of Kagoshima. Bathed in the waters of the bay that shares the same name, it is dominated by the majestic Sakurajima volcano, which stands guard on the horizon.

Once you have discovered the charming feudal city of Karatsu, Le Soléal will sail to Busan, South Korea's second largest city and the final stop on your unique cruise.