PONANT EXPLORATIONS is opening sales for nearly 70 voyages spread across 28 itineraries through Asia, the Indian Ocean and Oceania for winter 2027-2028 and summer 2028, with nine brand-new itineraries.
The program targets territories where the French company operates most effectively: sparsely populated archipelagos, communities that design their own activities, and ships small enough to anchor where no one else can reach.
The Philippines, the archipelago barely known to international tourism. From August 2027 to September 2028
The Philippines is a country of over seven thousand islands, of which organized tours have only explored a handful. PONANT EXPLORATIONS focuses its programs on the Visayas archipelago in the heart of the country: a string of islands with white sand beaches, coral reefs, and rainforest that remains a secret even to the most seasoned traveler. The company offers exclusively Philippine itineraries and others that combine the archipelago with Japan and Indonesia, in the so-called Malay Archipelago, for those who want to experience the cultural and maritime continuity of all of insular Southeast Asia in a single trip.
What distinguishes these voyages is not just the scenery. The scale of the ships allows them to anchor off remote fishing villages untouched by any other form of tourism, to witness firsthand traditional crafts passed down through generations, and to experience a unique culture forged from the confluence of Austronesian, Chinese, Malaysian, and Spanish influences. On certain trips, passengers can also enjoy scuba diving with PONANT EXPLORATIONS instructors on board, in some of the most biodiverse underwater world on the planet.
French Polynesia and Melanesia aboard Le Jacques Cartier. FROM SEPTEMBER 2027 TO FEBRUARY 2028
In the South Pacific, Le Jacques Cartier ventures into the most remote territories of French Polynesia. In addition to an in-depth exploration of the Marquesas Islands, the itinerary includes two destinations rarely featured on commercial cruises: the Gambier Islands, at the southeastern tip of the archipelago, and Pitcairn Island, refuge of the Bounty mutineers and one of the most isolated inhabited territories in the world. Two entirely new itineraries in Melanesia are also included.
Nature here is presented in its purest form—turquoise lagoons, atolls, coral reefs, and waterfalls—but the central theme of the journey is the encounter with the islanders and the discovery of Polynesian, Melanesian, and Micronesian traditions. On these discovery voyages, activities are designed in collaboration with the local communities and led by naturalist guides, so each stop reflects what the inhabitants have chosen to share, rather than a predetermined itinerary.
Japan, beyond the great icons. FROM SEPTEMBER 2027 TO MAY 2028
The Japanese tour is structured around four distinct itineraries that alternate between must-see destinations and a much less-visited side of Japan: the subtropical islands and Okinawa. Among the stops are four UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, the Miyajima Shrine with its famous torii gate over the water, the fortified city of Hagi—the intellectual cradle of the Meiji Restoration—and the island of Yakushima, covered in ancient cedar forests.
All cruises include a wide selection of excursions*, enhanced by the presence onboard of a specialist lecturer who places each port of call in its historical and cultural context. For travelers wishing to extend their experience ashore, some departures offer extensions before or after the cruise, such as the exploration of Kyoto and Nara. This is a particularly relevant option for the Spanish market, which in recent years has made Japan a frequent destination and is now seeking a less predictable perspective on the country.
*One excursion included per day and passenger, as in all PONANT EXPLORATIONS voyages .
And more than 100 new departures to other destinations
The launch of sales is complemented by a packed schedule in the Indian Ocean: 100% Seychelles itineraries and expedition cruises, or those combined with Madagascar, in addition to tours of South Africa and Namibia. Crossings to the Arctic, the Atlantic islands, and the Caribbean are also now available at the best rates of the year.
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