Luxury cruise operator Ponant Explorations expanded its partnership with Smithsonian Journeys this week, offering new education- and exploration-focused voyages through 2027.
The new cruises will bring travelers the expertise of the Smithsonian Institution combined with the opulence of an ultra-luxurious cruise. The company’s new trips will explore South Korea, the Mediterranean, Finland, Antarctica, America’s Great Lakes, and more.
“These in-demand voyages blend the line’s 35-plus years of expertise with the Smithsonian Institution’s 179 years of research and knowledge, taking travelers to all seven continents with world-class experts in culture, history, science, art, and more,” Ponant Explorations wrote in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure.
One of the most notable additions for 2027 was a trip to see the solar eclipse, departing roundtrip from Lisbon, Portugal. Guests will be able to observe the rare event from the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Málaga, Spain, complimented by two on-board Smithsonian experts to provide context, including a senior geologist from the National Air and Space Museum.
Guests will watch the celestial phenomenon aboard Le Boréal, a 264-guest ship featuring two restaurants, an outdoor bar, a pool, spa, and more. Cabins for this trip start at $9,460 per person.
In addition, Ponant plans to sail to Baja California for the first time in 2027, including a new 10-night trip to search for whales complete with lectures by a marine biologist and whale specialist along with a conservation biologist.
The company also plans to bring back returning favorites in 2027, like a January sailing to Antarctica, a May sailing across southern Spain and Portugal, and August sailings exploring all five Great Lakes in North America.
Ponant is renowned for their luxury expedition-style cruising and even boasts icebreaking capabilities on board Le Commandant Charcot, which became the first passenger sailing to reach the Geographic North Pole in 2022.
Travelers are continuing to book cruises at an unprecedented pace. In total, 20.7 million Americans are expected to take an ocean cruise by the end of this year, and 21.7 million are forecast to go on an ocean cruise in 2026, according to new data from AAA.
With its surge in popularity, cruise operators are continuing to innovate. Plant-based menus are becoming more common with inventive dishes like “cashew e pepe,” while some cruise lines are hosting Michelin-awarded chefs to curate culinary experiences.
Travelers who want to book a high-demand sailing should consider booking early to secure their spot, while those hoping to save should wait for wave season, which falls between January and March and is full of industry-wide promotions.
