PONANT is looking ahead to the 2024 season, unveiling four itineraries and 10 departures to the wondrous state of Alaska. 

With departures from Vancouver, Seward and Sitka, the sailings will range from 7-11 nights. All itineraries will feature a crew of naturalists specializing in geology, ornithology, glaciology, marine mammals, botany and ethnology. For even more onboard discovery, guests can opt for two co-branded expeditions in alliance with Smithsonian Journeys, the world’s largest museum, education and research complex.

The seven- and eight-night sailings will explore the Inside Passage and will feature local boat landings and outings, humpback whale sightings and tours of natural areas teeming with ancient conifer and resinous trees. As the ship navigates the narrow Endicott Arm fjord, views of Dawes Glacier will unfold along with the 653,000-acre Tracy Arm-Fords of Terror Wilderness nature preserve.

A 10-night sailing departing from Sitka to Vancouver will offer all the highlights of the shorter voyages, but with more of an emphasis on community experiences such as conversations with a local of Elfin Cove, who will speak to the local way of life in the fisherman settlement. Off the west coast of British Columbia, guests will also meet with the local Kwakwaka’wakw people, the original inhabitants of the Northern Vancouver Island area, and experience a traditional cultural dance in a log house. 

Finally, the 11-night voyages from Seward to Vancouver / Vancouver to Seward offer a complete Alaska experience, including meeting the Tlingit peoples of Kake, home to one of the largest totem poles in Alaska, learning about the gold rush in Skagway, and cruising the Prince William Sound to spot orcas, grizzly bears and humpback whales. 

For more information go to us.ponant.com/destinations/alaska. 

​Source: Travelweek