PONANT Expedition Cruises to Alaska

PONANT, French Luxury Yacht-Style Cruise Line Introduces 2015 Expedition Cruises to Alaska

That Retrace Footsteps of American Gold Rush Pioneers & Voyage Into Arctic Adventures

MARSEILLE – (November 18, 2014) – PONANT, the only French-flagged cruise line, known for destination-focused itineraries to remote and exotic locales, is extending its 15-years of five-star polar expedition cruising expertise to the wild inlets, rugged Eastern coastline and Inland Passage of Alaska. New for the 2015 summer season, PONANT’s Alaska and Arctic Adventure itineraries let guests follow in the footsteps of the pioneering prospectors who settled this wild land during the Gold Rush days of the late 1800s, venturing into extreme environments in exceptional comfort aboard sleek vessels with the latest technology designed to navigate in frozen waters while preserving the pristine environments.

Discovered in the 18^th century by Russian trappers, Alaska was first acquired by the U.S. in 1867 as the next frontier of opportunity. As Jack London said in his celebrated novel, The Call of the Wild, “It’s a crazy story about more than one hundred thousand men who settled into the far north in Alaska to pursue their dreams: to find gold and discover the mythical world of American pioneers.” The vast state was admitted to the Union as the 49th state in 1958.

With PONANT, guests will experience Alaska as a land of diversity, rich with indigenous culture and dramatic landscapes that range from glaciers to rainforests, fjords to tundra and lakes to snow-capped mountains. Choices from 7- to 14-night itineraries feature picturesque ports of call, such as Haines, gateway to the scenic Chilkoot Valley, habitat for bald eagles, and Ketchikan, Alaska’s “first city” on the southernmost tip of the Inside Passage sculpted by glaciers. Additional activities include daily shore visits and optional excursions aboard the ship’s fleet of Zodiac® dinghies in the company of expert guides and naturalists for close-hand looks at polar bear, caribou and puffins or witness the remarkable cultures of the Tlingit and Haïda tribes.

While cruising through Alaskan and Arctic waters, guests will find that life aboard L’Austral and Le Boréal features:

• An accomplished captain and crew fluent in English and French

• A choice of 132 luxurious staterooms or suites with refined contemporary interiors, sea views and private balconies, including the elite Deck 6 that is home to 13 spacious suites with 24-hour butler service

• A welcoming main foyer with a boutique, reception desk and excursion desk

• Two restaurants, offering dining from casual to fine, complete with wine pairings and a fine wine cellar, a bar and lounge, and 24-hour in-room dining

• A full-service SOTHYS^TM spa with signature treatments, hammam, hair salon and fitness center

• An outdoor pool with bar, panoramic terrace adjoining the indoor bar and lounge, library with Internet stations, medical center, WiFi, in-room and on-board flat screen satellite TV with complimentary on-demand movies

• A 250-seat theatre for live entertainment, film screenings and presentations

• A fleet of expedition Zodiac® dinghies outfitted with satellite tracking

Spotlight on Alaska and Arctic Adventure cruises for the 2015 summer season include six different itineraries and nine departure dates sailing the Inside Passage or to Arctic Russia:

• In the Wake of the Pioneers: 7-night cruise between Vancouver and Juneau
  Departures on: June 13, June 20*, June 27*, July 4* 2015; from USD 3,700 per person; *free single supplement

• Fjords of Alaska: 7-night cruise between Vancouver and Juneau
  Departure on: July 11, 2015; from USD 4,290 per person; free single supplement

• Aleutian Islands and Wrangel Island Reserve: 15-night cruise between Seward and Anadyr, Russia (Seattle/Seattle)
  Departure on: August 6, 2015; from USD 10,910 per person, flight included; free single supplement

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