PONANT EXPLORATIONS invites you to celebrate the festive season under the Caribbean and Polynesian sun, or at the gateway to the Arctic on the sparkling shores of the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea: an exclusive experience combining Christmas traditions, New Year’s celebrations, spectacular scenery and exceptional guests.PONANT EXPLORATIONS invites you to celebrate the festive season under the Caribbean and Polynesian sun, or at the gateway to the Arctic on the sparkling shores of the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea: an exclusive experience combining Christmas traditions, New Year’s celebrations, spectacular scenery and exceptional guests.

Why go on a cruise over the festive season?

42 cruises

From

Dunedin (New Zealand)

To

Dunedin (New Zealand)

14 nightsaboard the shipLe Soléal

Offer(s)

Back to back offer

From

16,460 € /person*

From

Kemi (Finland)

To

Helsinki (Finland)

8 nightsaboard the shipLe Commandant Charcot

Offer(s)

Onboard credit, Back to back offer, No single supplement, PONANT Bonus 20%

From

12,140 € /person*

From

Fort-de-France (Martinique)

To

Fort-de-France (Martinique)

7 nightsaboard the shipLe Bougainville

Offer(s)

Onboard credit, Back to back offer, PONANT Bonus 15%

From

6,050 € /person*

From

Papeete, Tahiti Island (French Polynesia)

To

Papeete, Tahiti Island (French Polynesia)

11 nightsaboard the shipLe Paul Gauguin

Next departure

Offer(s)

Back to back offer, No single supplement, PONANT Bonus 15%

From

6,760 € /person*

From

Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe)

To

Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe)

7 nightsaboard the shipLe Ponant

Offer(s)

Back to back offer, PONANT Bonus 10%

From

8,830 € /person*

From

Dakar (Senegal)

To

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands (Spain)

10 nightsaboard the shipLe Champlain

Next departure

Offer(s)

Back to back offer, No single supplement, PONANT Bonus 25%

From

5,370 € /person*

From

Victoria, Mahé (Seychelles)

To

Victoria, Mahé (Seychelles)

8 nightsaboard the shipLe Dumont d'Urville

Offer(s)

Back to back offer, No single supplement, PONANT Bonus 10%

From

6,150 € /person*

From

Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe)

To

Marigot (Saint Martin)

7 nightsaboard the shipLe Ponant

Next departure

Offer(s)

PONANT Bonus 20%

From

7,920 € /person*

From

Fort-de-France (Martinique)

To

Fort-de-France (Martinique)

7 nightsaboard the shipLe Bougainville

Next departure

Offer(s)

Back to back offer, PONANT Bonus 5%

From

5,370 € /person*

From

Papeete, Tahiti Island (French Polynesia)

To

Lautoka, Viti Levu Island (Fiji)

15 nightsaboard the shipLe Paul Gauguin

Next departure

Offer(s)

Back to back offer, PONANT Bonus 10%

From

10,430 € /person*

From

Colón (Panama)

To

Puntarenas (Costa Rica)

7 nightsaboard the shipLe Lapérouse

Next departure

Offer(s)

Onboard credit, Back to back offer, PONANT Bonus 10%

From

5,700 € /person*

From

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands (Spain)

To

Casablanca (Morocco)

9 nightsaboard the shipLe Champlain

Next departure

Offer(s)

Back to back offer, No single supplement, PONANT Bonus 15%

From

5,370 € /person*

*Price displayed is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available. The price includes the Ponant Bonus discount.

Our recommended destinations for the festive season

Aerial view of a palm-fringed motu and turquoise lagoon in French Polynesia, Bora Bora island in the background.

From the Marquesas to the Tuamotu Islands, to celebrate New Year’s Day under the Pacific sun.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are our top 5 Christmas cruises, for an extraordinary festive season.

• The Cook Islands and the Society Islands: the best of Polynesia and a little more

• Secret Polynesia: off the beaten track

• Namibia and South Africa: the ultimate change of scenery

• History and culture in the jewels of the Caribbean

• The Gulf of Bothnia, at the gateway to the Arctic

For New Year, there are several itineraries to consider:

Polar expeditions

• Iconic Antarctica for a first taste of the White Continent

• The Great Southern Loop for an in-depth exploration of Antarctica

• New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic Islands

• The Gulf of Bothnia in the Arctic, in the Far North

 

Sun-soaked itineraries

• The Marquesas, Tuamotu and Society Islands

• The Marquesas and Tuamotu Islands to experience the gentle Polynesian way of life

• The Pearls of the Caribbean for a week-long sunny getaway

• History and culture in the jewels of the Caribbean, to slow down the pace aboard our iconic three-masted ship, Le Ponant

• Panama and/or Costa Rica, amongst primeval forests and coastal reveries

The Cruise Director organises themed evenings with the artists on board. The ships are decked out in their finest (Christmas trees, festive decorations). Surprises are also planned to make these special moments even more memorable.

A gala dinner is held on 24th December and a Christmas lunch takes place on 25th December. The chefs create special dishes: an opportunity to express their creativity, tantalise the taste buds and delight the guests.