PONANT and NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC have joined forces, combining their specific areas of expertise to offer a range of unique and enriching expedition cruises.

A collection of 18 expeditions stretching from Alaska to Antarctica - a taste of what is to come from this recently announced partnership.

Aboard PONANT’s luxury small expedition ships, accompanied by PONANT’s experienced Expedition Team as well as NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC destination experts, award winning photographers and photojournalists, adventurous and inquisitive guests will sail to destinations that are among the most remote, the most fascinating and the wildest on the planet. Here they will explore and encounter the wonders of the world up close, right at the sources, and be transformed by these enriching experiences.

“This inaugural brochure features a selection of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC & PONANT Expeditions to many regions and destinations that few travellers ever see. Exciting, immersive, wild … some with experiences perhaps outside your comfort zone, yet explored in comfort from onboard PONANT’s fleet of modern small expedition ships. Together we are creating exciting new expedition cruising opportunities,” explained Monique Ponfoort, PONANT’s Vice President Asia Pacific.

For 2019/2020 consider this Who’s Who of expeditions for modern day adventurers:

• Alaska, the volcanic Aleutian Islands, the Sea of Okhotsk
• The magnificent fjords, ice flows and wildlife of Spitsbergen and Greenland
• The lesser visited Caribbean and Bijagos islands of the Atlantic Ocean
• In the Indian Ocean, Aldabra lagoon, the largest coral atoll in the world
• In Oceania, the cultures of Micronesia and the Solomon Islands
• The far-flung Sub Antarctic Islands
• Wondrous Antarctica

The 48 page Expeditions to Inspire brochure is available now.

From the iceberg-scattered bays of Antarctica to the crystal-clear waters of the
Indian Ocean, by 2021 there will be more than 130  expeditions 
co-created by PONANT & NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC.

Additional Information:

Some voyages currently have a 30% Ponant Bonus available however fares are yield managed and savings reduce according to the number of staterooms sold.

A convenient e-brochure download is available at: https://en.calameo.com/read/0001324237dd16d6a0f2d

Pricing and expedition examples:

ADVENTURE IN THE CARIBBEAN onboard Le Champlain: 23rd November 2019 - 7 nights from $4,730 pp* in a Deluxe Stateroom

EMBLEMATIC ANTARCTICA onboard Le Boréal: 26th February 2020 - 10 nights from $13,150 pp* in a Superior Stateroom

FROM FIJI TO MICRONESIA onboard Le Soléal: 1st April 2020 - 15 nights from $11,550 pp* in a Prestige Stateroom Deck 4

FIORDLAND & THE SUB ANTARCTIC ISLANDS EXPEDITION onboard Le Lapérouse: 2nd February 2020 - 14 nights from $20,320 pp* in a Prestige Stateroom Deck 5

Also available and just released, the new NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC & PONANT Kimberley itinerary:

EXPLORING THE KIMBERLEY onboard Le Lapérouse: 26th August 2020 – 13 nights from $15,970 pp* in a Prestige Stateroom Deck 4

*Ponant Bonus fare per person, in Australian Dollars, based on a double occupancy. Price includes port taxes, yield managed, correct at time of writing – 08/10/2018. Refer to https://au.ponant.com  for further T & Cs.

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To receive a copy of this NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC & PONANT “Expeditions to inspire” brochure, or for more information please contact your Travel Agent or PONANT directly in Australia: 1800 889 088 or in New Zealand: +61 2 8311 0808, or email natgeo.au@ponant.com

Further information available on the website: au.ponant.com/national-geographic   

Appendix: Examples of National Geographic expert lecturers and photographers:

Destination Expert confirmed: Andrew Evans Andrew Evans is a contributing editor at National Geographic Traveler and its “Digital Nomad.” In addition to writing for the magazine, he crisscrosses the globe, interacting with followers through the Internet, digital mapping, and social media. In 2009 Evans rode from Washington, D.C. to Antarctica—primarily by bus—sharing the 12,000-mile journey with his followers in real time. In 2011 he finished a two-month, 20,000-mile journey around Australia.

National Geographic Photographer confirmed: Matthieu Paley Matthieu is the recipient of numerous awards, including a 2017 World Press and a Photographer of the Year International Award. He has published several monographs of his work, and his fine art images have been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide. Matthieu's images have also been published in numerous other magazines including Geo, Newsweek, Time, Outside, and Le Monde

Destination Expert confirmed: Fabio Amador Fabio Amador was for many years a Senior Program Officer for the National Geographic Society/Waitt Grants Program, which is dedicated to funding exploratory research around the world. He has traveled and worked extensively throughout Latin America and is presently collaborating with research projects in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Peru, El Salvador, and Madagascar.

National Geographic Photographer confirmed: Ken Garrett Ken Garrett got an early start in photography by attending photojournalism workshops at the University of Missouri in 1970 and 1972. He received a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Virginia in 1976. That same year, he shot his first article for National Geographic, a story about tall ships titled "Square-rigger: Voyage From Baltic to Bicentennial." Specializing in archaeology, paleontology, and ancient cultures worldwide, Garrett's other articles include "La Ruta Maya," "The Iceman," "Death on the Nile: Saqqara," "Lost World of the Little People: The People Time Forgot," "The New Face of King Tut: His Life and Death," and a series on the dawn of humans.

Destination Expert confirmed: Annie Fitzsimmons  Annie Fitzsimmons has built a career at the intersection of travel and media. She remains an Editor-at-large at National Geographic Traveler, where she created the vision for an entirely new brand as National Geographic’s first and only Urban Insider, focusing on cities, culture, and lifestyle, and was a founding member of their Editorial Council. Her enthusiasm for the stories that can only be found while traveling have captured the attention of a global audience and inspired others to get out and explore the world for themselves.

National Geographic Photographer confirmed: Dan Westergren As the longtime photo editor for National Geographic Traveler magazine, Dan Westergren was responsible for the magazine’s photographic vision, which has earned the publication numerous awards for photography. He's been lucky to photograph amazing places such as the summit of Mont Blanc and the North Pole, but often his subjects are just the neighborhood dogs or his kids in his hometown of Washington, D.C. Dan is an experienced teacher, having led workshops for National Geographic Expeditions in Washington, D.C., Santa Fe, Tuscany, Baja California, and the Galápagos 

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MEDIA CONTACT

Michael CORBETT / Public Relations Manager PONANT Australasia (+61-2) 4360 1116 / Mobile: 0417 469 228 / michael.corbett@bigpond.com