Superior Stateroom Deck 3
30% Ponant Bonus
21 m²
3
In alliance with Smithsonian Journeys.
This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.
Departing from Athens, Europe's oldest capital and birthplace of democracy, your first stop is Nafplion where you will travel to Mycenae, the legendary home of Agamemnon and an important center of the extraordinary civilization that flourished here in the 2nd millennium BC. Sail next to the island of Paros. Nestled in the heart of the Cyclades archipelago, this island reputed for its sublime white marble offers a concentration of Greek beauty, from whitewashed houses to olive groves and ancient monuments.
The island of Delos was sacred to the ancient Greeks—the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, and home to countless shrines and temples—a veritable open-air museum. Mykonos, by contrast, is a sophisticated island resort with smart cafes and boutiques, where you will enjoy an afternoon and evening at leisure to soak in all that this dazzling town has to offer.
Kusadasi on Turkey's Aegean coast is your gateway to Ephesus, one of the world's greatest archaeological sites, spanning the period from the Hellenistic world through the early Christian era. The immense excavation here includes temples of several Roman emperors, the iconic Library of Celsus, and the terraced hill houses, with their splendid mosaics and frescoes, overlooking the city below.
Back in Greece, spend a day on Patmos and discover the monumental Byzantine monastery that guards the cave where St. John the Evangelist received his visions of the Apocalypse. You will also have time to explore the island's Chora (main town), home to an 11th-century monastery and to a labyrinth of picturesque, cobbled streets and arched alleyways.
From Canakkale, Turkey, you may travel south to explore ancient Troy, site of the war that is the subject of Homer's Iliad, or cross the Dardanelles to visit the World War I battlefield and cemeteries at Gallipoli.
Your journey concludes in Istanbul, capital of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires.
Ref : AI2945US - BO250626
A voyage specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers including discussions with experts, transfers before and after your cruise, and an included excursion or activity in each port of call. Engaging...
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Included in your cruise
For more peace of mind, PONANT organizes your trip before or after the cruise. This package is included in the price of your cruise.
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*Price 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.
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Ideal clothes for life on board:
During the days spent on board, you are advised to wear comfortable clothes or casual outfits. The entire ship is air-conditioned, so a light sweater, a light jacket or a shawl may be necessary. When moving about in the public areas of the ship and the decks, light but comfortable shoes are recommended.
Informal evening:
In the evening, you are advised to wear smart-casual attire, especially when dining in our restaurants where wearing shorts and tee-shirts is not allowed.
For women:
For men:
Officer’s evening:
For all cruises longer than 8 nights, an Officer’s Evening with a white dress code may be organized. Therefore, we encourage you to bring a stylish white outfit for the occasion (otherwise black and white).
Gala evening:
During the cruise, two gala evenings will be organised on board. Thus, we recommend that you bring one or two formal outfits.
For women:
For men:
SHOP:
A small shop is available on board offering a wide range of outfits, jewellery, leather goods and many accessories.
A laundry service (washing/ironing) is available on board, but unfortunately there are no dry cleaning services. For safety reasons, your cabin is not equipped with an iron.
ACCESSORIES:
HEALTH CARE:
OUTFITS ON BOARD:
PRECAUTIONS:
In your hand luggage, remember to bring any medicines that you need, and possibly a small spare bag of toiletries (in case of delay in the delivery of your baggage by the airline). Remember to always have your travel documents with you in case you need them: hotel vouchers, cruise vouchers, return flight tickets... Never leave them in your hold luggage.
All our cabins have a safe. We recommend not to go ashore with valuable jewellery.
PONANT activities
Smithsonian Journeys
Smithsonian Journeys is the travel program of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum, education and research complex, consisting of 21 museums, the National Zoological Park, education centers, research facilities, cultural centers, and libraries. Drawing on Smithsonian's resources dating back 175 years, these sailings will feature notable experts and experiences that embrace local cultures and dive deeper into a destination’s history, cuisine, language, environment, and wildlife. For more than 50 years, Smithsonian Journeys has been rooted in and focused on cultural immersion and discovery – with a goal of inspiring guests to become global citizens through travel.
Subject to withdrawal in case of force majeure
Embarkation 25/06/2026 from 16:00 to 17:00
Departure 25/06/2026 at 18:00
The Greek capital city is located on the edge of the Saronic gulf, in the east of the country. It bears a plural name in reference to the first villages that surround the Acropolis. You will be enchanted by the rocky plateau presided by its monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage. In the city below, you can visit some of the liveliest districts in Athens: Plaka, with its maze of colourful streets, and where, in the evenings the drifting aroma of moussaka and garlic prawns will tickle your taste buds. The National Archaeological museum and the Cycladic Art Museum are also some of the city’s key attractions and allow visitors to discover Athens’ cultural past.
Arrival 26/06/2026 early morning
Departure 26/06/2026 late afternoon
The engaging town of Nafplion is staggered up green hillsides of the Argolic Gulf, to the east of the Peloponnese. Do not be surprised by its extremely varied cultural heritage. Some of the must-see visits are the ancient agora on the plateau of Akronafplia, Italianate arcades in Syntagma square as well as the baroque fortress of Palamidi on a hillside of the same name. At the top of the hill, views of the gulf and the surrounding mountains are simply awesome. If you want to chill out by the water’s edge, walk along the Arvanitia promenade to a beautiful creek in the shade of cedars and cypresses.
Arrival 27/06/2026 early morning
Departure 27/06/2026 evening
Famous for its white marble, the island of Paros is located in the Cyclades. Along the quays of Parikia, its main town, you’ll see Byzantine churches and neoclassical buildings. To make the most of the turquoise waters, you can stop over in Naoussa. This little fishing port is bounded by a very beautiful cove.
Arrival 28/06/2026
Departure 28/06/2026 midday
This legendary Cyclades island of Delos stands just a few miles southwest of Mykonos. The ceremonial solemnity of this ancient holy sanctuary will not leave you indifferent. The sheer size and importance of this UNESCO World Heritage site which covers over half of the island is thrilling in itself. From the Stoa of Antigonos, the Terrace of the Lions, to the carved marble animal statues, you will make discovery after discovery, against a backdrop of the Aegean stretching to the horizon. The theatre steps on the hillside are a particularly good place from which to enjoy the expansive view.
Arrival 28/06/2026 early afternoon
Departure 28/06/2026 late evening
Nicknamed “little Venice”, Mykonos is famous for its Alefkandra district where houses are built right on the water’s edge. Their multi-coloured loggias are emblematic of this Cyclades island, as are the pelicans and windmills. You can get close up to the birds on the quaysides of the old port. Up on the hillside, you can see the windmill sails turning. In the cobbled streets of the pedestrian centre, bougainvillea bedeck immaculate facades. As you weave in and out of the little streets, snatches of coastline will undoubtedly call you to the island’s beaches, the quietest of which can be found on the northern coast.
Arrival 29/06/2026 early morning
Departure 29/06/2026 late afternoon
The attractive seaside resort of Kusadasi is located in a gulf on the western coast of Turkey. You can bathe there in clear waters or stroll along the coastal walk, in the shade of palms. In the historical district, you can take a mosey down the narrow streets and explore the colourful shops in the bazaar. Close by, the Ephesus archaeological site in the hillsides provides an opportunity to discover the ruins of one of the most famous cities of Antiquity.
Arrival 30/06/2026 early morning
Departure 30/06/2026 midday
Patmos is one of the legendary must-see islands in the Dodecanese. This is where Saint John resided, presumed author of the last book in the Bible. The cave of the Apocalypse and the Saint John Monastery are dedicated to him. These sites, which are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage, are located at the top of a hillside planted with vines and orchards. On the shore, the crystalline coves of Kambos and Lampi offer absolutely gorgeous swimming areas.
Arrival 01/07/2026 early morning
Departure 01/07/2026 late afternoon
Çanakkale is located on the edge of the straits of the Dardanelles, in the north-west of the country. On the promenade alongside the harbour, you’ll come across a contemporary sculpture of an immense wooden horse evoking Odysseus’ legendary scheme to take Troy. In the Archaeological Museum, you’ll see artefacts found during the excavations made in the ancient city. Thirty or so kilometres south of Çanakkale, you can also visit the archaeological site of Troy, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Rising out of the luxuriant Mediterranean vegetation, you’ll see many stone walls, sculptures and inscriptions, as well as a theatre with stone tiers.
Arrival 01/07/2026
Departure 01/07/2026
The Dardanelles Strait is an emblematic, 61 km-long waterway connecting the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara. It is strategic for controlling passage between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. Like the Bosporus, or Strait of Istanbul, it separates Europe from Asia. A surface current flows along it, while a more saline undercurrent flows in the opposite direction. Along the strait, you will be able to admire hilly landscapes and arid lowlands brightened by fields and groves of olive trees.
Arrival 02/07/2026 early morning
Disembarkation 02/07/2026 at 08:00
Located on the Bosphorus, Istanbul is one of the most beautiful of all Turkish cities. Named Byzantium when founded by the Greeks, and then Constantinople under the Roman Empire, this city is steeped in history and, for this reason, is a listed UNESCO World Heritage site. Located on Sultanahmet hill, the great Blue Mosque, the mysterious Hagia Sophia and the vast Topkapi palace and its countless mosaics, dominate the Marmara Sea. In the Beyazit district, the Grand Bazaar allows to discover elegant covered passages. A little further away, delicate aroma of loukoum and spices will draw the visitors’ attention at the Egyptian Bazaar.
PONANT has organized the following included program for you, which starts the day of embarkation.
Included Features:
Not included:
Notes:
Guest Speaker
Aboard your ship, an English-speaking lecturer will enlighten you about the culture and history of your destination to deepen your knowledge of the origins of local traditions, the history of emblematic sites, and stories involving famous personalities and those of major historical significance. During on-board lectures or on your shore visits, this expert will be there to share their precious knowledge with you throughout your PONANT cruise.