Ponant Announces 10 Sailings with 11 Additional Ports of Call in Asia in 2024

For the summer of 2024, Ponant has announced 10 sailings with 11 additional ports of call in Asia.

Two new itineraries are available on the French line’s schedule: the eight-day Kyushu’s Secret Islands and Ancestral Heritage and the 13-day Odyssey in the heart of Japan’s subtropical islands.

Prices for the 13-day expedition voyage on board the Le Jacques-Cartier, which departs from Naha, Japan, on 4th March, begin at £7,610.

On islands like Okinawa Yaeyama and Sakishima in the Ryukyu archipelago, where a group of naturalist guides will accompany the cruise, passengers can explore nature spots and settlements.

Le Jacques-lead-in Cartier’s fare for the eight-day trip between Kagoshima and Fukuoka, both in Japan, is £4,650. This voyage will depart on two separate occasions, on 20th April and 27th April 2024.

The Le Soleal ship from the line will also run sailings during the schedule.

The Cultural and Natural Treasures of Japan by Sea voyage starts at £5,480 and departs from Maizuru, Japan, on 21st May 2024.

The Japanese expedition leader for Ponant, Ryo Ijichi, said: “Thanks to its small ships, Ponant can create the conditions for guests to approach protected ecosystems with the greatest respect for the places and cultures. It is a new order in terms of exploration, experience and Japanese tourism.

“Some ports of call, like the Ryukyu Islands for example, where small fishing villages have been spared the country’s hyper-modernisation, are like time capsules, right off the beaten track.”