Ponant is offering nearly 30 itineraries for the winter 2023-24 season, 13 of which are new. Among the new sailings is a winter sailing to Norway in pursuit of the Northern Lights. Another new sailing whisks guests from Madagascar to the Mascarene archipelago, with a new port of call in Portu Mathurin, the little-known Rodrigues Island, plus overnight stays on Reunion Island and Mauritius.
The 11-day “Oriental Wonders & Civilizations” itinerary aboard Le Bougainville will sail from November 28 to December 3, 2023. Departing from Muscat, the cruise will head for Sour, a traditional fishing village in the Sultanate of Oman, then to Daymaniyat Islands, a marine sanctuary renowned for snorkeling and scuba diving. Next is the fjords of Musandam, the skyscrapers of Dubai and the landmarks of Abu Dhabi, including the Great Mosque and the new Louvre Museum. From there it’s on to Dammam, the gateway to the Al Hasa oasis, Manama, and finally, Doha.
The Le Bougainville will depart Doha for Muscat on the 11-day “Music of One Thousand and One Nights,” from November 28 to December 8, 2023.
The eight-day “Caribbean Mosaic, Between Mangroves & Lagoons” itinerary will depart Belize City aboard Le Dumont-d’Urville from November 14 to December 12, 2023. Guests can explore Honduras, Guatemala and Belize. The ship will sail to Punta Sal, the Jeannette Kawas National Park and Les Cayos Cochinos archipelago, located on the world’s second-largest barrier reef. While the Cuero y Salado National Park and Water Caye desert island are home to marine life, the towns of Livingstone and Punta Gorda will transport guests into the heart of a history rich in ancestral traditions.
The 14-day “Madagascar & the Mascarene Islands Adventure” will be available aboard Le Jacques-Cartier and Le Champlain. Departing from Port-Louis in Mauritius, passengers will set sail towards Nosy Boraha Island, once a haven for pirates off Madagascar’s east coast, before reaching the “Great Red Island” and Tamatave. From there, guests will reach La Réunion, with its volcanic craters and vanilla plantations, before sailing onto Rodrigues. Three sailings will be available from December 3-16, 2023.
The 16-day “Seychelles to Sri Lanka Expedition” will depart Mahé for Colombo aboard Le Jacques-Cartier. The first few days will be spent exploring the Seychelles archipelago, with stops at the Aride Island Nature Reserve and the Anse Source d’Argent beach. Le Jacques-Cartier will then head for the Maldives, to the Rasdhoo and Baa atolls, and then to Sri Lanka, with its monumental temples and wildlife reserves. The itinerary will be offered from January 4-19, 2024.
Four sailings of the 11-day “Nordic Discoveries & Traditions” will be available aboard Le Bellot from March 1-31, 2024. Highlights include encounters with the Sami people, one of the last European indigenous people who have practiced traditional reindeer herding since the 17th century, besides dog sleighing, ice fishing and snowshoeing. From Tromsø, the voyage will head to Narvik, the Lofoten Islands, the Trollfjorden, Hammerfest, Honningsvåg, Alta and Bear Island.
For more information, visit us.ponant.com.
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