PONANT EXPLORATIONS is heading into 2028 with its biggest expansion yet, pairing a first-ever Caribbean route with more than 150 departures across the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Atlantic islands.
A First for PONANT
PONANT EXPLORATIONS is adding a new route to its 2028 lineup, sending guests through a stretch of the Caribbean the line has not sailed before. Four departures will connect La Romana in the Dominican Republic to Nassau in the Bahamas, with a pass through the Turks and Caicos Islands along the way.
The itinerary, called Jewels of the Northern Caribbean, came out of months of scouting led by Jose Sarica, the company’s R&D Expedition Experience Director. His team spent time working directly with local communities and regional partners across the northern Caribbean before settling on a route built around lesser-visited stops rather than the usual ports. One result of that groundwork: PONANT EXPLORATIONS will be the first cruise brand to call at Monte Cristi, a town inside a protected national park in the Dominican Republic.
The 8-day, 7-night sailing runs in January and February 2028 aboard Le Champlain and touches three countries in one trip. Guests move between pristine beaches, sandbanks, mangroves, coral reefs, caves and botanical gardens, with stops built around both scenery and history. That history ranges from Indigenous settlements and colonial-era sites to stories from the golden age of piracy.
Beyond the Monte Cristi stop, the route includes the Turks and Caicos Islands, home to the world’s third-largest barrier reef, and a call at Staniel Cay in the Bahamas. Staniel Cay is known for its wild pigs, which swim out to greet visitors near shore, along with its own pirate lore.
Departures are set for Jan. 12, Jan. 19, Jan. 26 and Feb. 2, 2028, sailing round-trip between La Romana and Nassau.
More Departures in 2028
The Caribbean route is part of a much larger expansion for PONANT EXPLORATIONS, which has opened more than 150 departures across the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Atlantic islands for booking, running from October 2027 through November 2028. The collection includes more than 80 Mediterranean sailings along with routes through Northern Europe, the British Isles and Atlantic archipelagos such as Cape Verde, the Azores and Madeira.
The Atlantic Coasts & Islands program, running from October 2027 through October 2028, covers the Canary Islands, Madeira, Cape Verde and the Azores, along with the Atlantic coastlines of Portugal, Spain and France. Every voyage includes one excursion per guest at each port, with options spanning cultural tours, hikes, cycling and local tastings. Two itineraries in July 2028 focus entirely on the Azores, while four Cape Verde voyages in October and November 2027 sail aboard the three-masted yacht Le Ponant, with shore time in Santo Antao, the crater villages of Fogo and the beaches of Maio. A wine-focused sailing from Lisbon to Bordeaux in May 2028 adds optional visits to caviar house Prunier and Chateau Latour, with private tours and tastings.
The Northern Europe program runs from February through August 2028 across the British Isles, Norway’s fjords and the Baltic Sea, including two Faroe Islands itineraries. Stops take in the Celtic landscapes of Scotland, Ireland, the Hebrides and Orkney, Norway’s UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord and Bergen’s Bryggen district, and Baltic capitals including Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki and Tallinn, along with the medieval town of Visby.
The Mediterranean program spans more than 80 departures from March through November 2028 across the Adriatic, Aegean and Tyrrhenian seas, plus Corsica, Malta, Sicily and the Iberian Peninsula, with embarkation from cities including Athens, Nice, Valletta, Dubrovnik and Venice. Fourteen “Kid Explorers” departures add workshops and activities for children ages 4 to 13, and a set of 6-day, 5-night sailings offers a shorter option. Several themed voyages were developed with Smithsonian Journeys, Ducasse Paris, Club des Chefs des Chefs and the Opera National de Paris.
For more information, visit us.ponant.com.
