COMPAGNIE DU PONANT has launched its new Arctic programme for 2014

Leading French cruise line and Five-Star Expedition specialist, COMPAGNIE DU PONANT has launched its new Arctic programme for 2014

           

ACCESS TREASURES OF THE WORLD BY SEA

Unveiling outstanding destinations where shimmering icebergs floats in muffled silence, the Arctic Collection showcases COMPAGNIE DU PONANT’s long experience in sailing the Great North.

Aboard LE BORÉAL and L’AUSTRAL (two luxury yachts with 132 staterooms and suites), passengers can enjoy exclusive access to remote and outstanding locations thanks to the small size and technical prowess of this latest generation of ships, specifically designed for Polar cruises. Compagnie du Ponant offers its guests a unique Five-Star Expedition concept and a true adventure in the company of renowned experts on the Great North. Compagnie du Ponant appeals to all with the soul of an adventurer wishing to experience a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the Pole.

New additions to the programme for 2014 include the North-West Passage crossing to Alaska and the White Sea, the gateway to Russia’s Far North, as well as the East Fjords of Iceland.

THE ARCTIC EXPERIENCE:

THE WHITE SEA

On the edge of the Arctic Circle, beyond the northern point of Norway, L’AUSTRAL embarks on a whole new adventure deep into the isolated territories of Russia’s Far North, which were closed to foreigners until 1991. Scheduled for early June when nature awakens after a long hard winter, this exceptional cruise will sail among the North Cape islands and along the shores of the Kola Peninsula. Covering nearly 100,000 km², this wilderness of tundra, forests, lakes and rivers is austere and yet strikingly beautiful; the perfect spot to see the midnight sun. Passengers will then discover the White Sea coast in the Russian Arctic, including the Solovetsky Islands, a desolate archipelago carpeted in black pine forests which is home to one of the most beautiful Russian Orthodox monasteries, and the city of Arkhangelsk.

Tromsø - Kirkenes (12 days / 11 nights) - Depart 4 June 2014 - From £3,517 per person (direct flights included)

SPITSBERGEN & ICELAND

This new itinerary linking Kirkenes to Longyearbyen on L’AUSTRAL will include five whole days in Spitsbergen, final stop before the North Pole. In the heart of this great white desert of rugged peaks where the omnipresent light blurs the boundaries between day and night, days at sea are interspersed with Zodiac® outings to explore this polar universe and sneak a peek at polar bears, reindeer and seals at dawn.

Kirkenes - Longyearbyen (8 days / 7 nights) - Depart 15 June 2014 - From £3,023 per person (direct flights included)

GREENLAND & THE BAFFIN SEA

This cruise on LE BORÉAL to the heart of the Great Canadian North is a chance to explore all aspects of this magnificent region of protected natural areas and to see the northern lights – plus, whale watching in the Baffin Sea and Saint Lawrence, discovering Akpatok Island (home to polar bears) and Percé Rock (gannet colony), as well as visiting the colourful Greenlandic and Quebecois villages, sailing up the Saguenay fjord, and touring Quebec City’s old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Kangerlussuaq - Quebec (15 days / 14 nights) - Depart 4 Sept. 2014 - From £3,888 per person (direct flights included)

NORTH-WEST PASSAGE

For this second edition, the North-West Passage crossing will leave from Greenland on a voyage that has fired the imaginations of generations of sailors and adventurers over the centuries. The last section of this legendary itinerary is along the Alaskan coast to Nome.

Kangerlussuaq - Nome (22 days / 21 nights) - Depart 26 August 2014 - From £7,139 per person (direct flights included)

KAMTCHATKA & THE KURILES

From Nome in Alaska, L’AUSTRAL sets sail for the wild landscapes of the almost forgotten Kamtchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East. This volcanic region is spectacular and home to a diverse and abundant wildlife, such as Steller’s sea lions. There is much to see, including the Valley of Geysers, the 40 volcanoes at the heart of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Uzon Caldera, not to mention the breath-taking contrasts in colours, from the intense blue of the lake and streams, suspensions of milky sulphur to the emerald green of the algae.

Nome - Petropavlovsk (16 days / 15 nights) - Depart 16 Sept. 2014 - From £6,934 per person (direct flights included)

For more information or to book, visit www.ponant.com or call 0800 980 4027