Compagnie du Ponant Brings its Luxury Expedition Cruises to Australia and New Zealand

The Oceania cruises feature seven new itineraries with departure dates from December 2014 through February 2015, sailing from Bali to Australia and New Zealand aboard L'Austral, a small luxury yacht with 132 oceanview staterooms and suites.

The ability to access remote ports of call and offer one-of-a-kind experiences due to the smaller size of its ships are a signature of Compagnie du Ponant's expedition style of cruising, not to mention the flexibility of the captain and crew to change the course of the trip as conditions and opportunities along the route allow. The new itineraries will take guests to the South Pacific Ocean and Oceania with highlights including not only Darwin, the Great Barrier Reef, Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania, but also Auckland and Rotorua, the cradle of Maori culture. From port to port the cruises will reveal all the majestic beauty of these countries on the other side of the world.

Why choose a Compagnie du Ponant luxury yacht cruise to discover Oceania?

• Expedition style cruising with 5-star service, accommodations and dining, all presented with the French touch aboard L'Austral, the latest generation luxury yacht.
• Zodiac® outings with experienced naturalist-guides to explore unspoiled nature, from the dense forests of the Northern Territory to vast coastal beaches.
• Expedition programs to explore Australia, which holds a concentration of the planet's greatest natural treasures and meet its Aboriginal people, whose culture is one of the oldest in the world.
• Snorkeling in the turquoise blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site home to 1,500 species of multi-colored fish and 400 species of coral.
• Discovering New Zealand, an archipelago on the edge of the world, and the birthplace of the Maori culture.

COMPAGNIE DU PONANT'S NEW OCEANIA ITINERARIES for 2014/2015:

• Bali, Indonesia to Cairn, Australia - (16 days/ 15 nights) Departs December 12, 2014, from USD $6495 all-inclusive, per person
• Cairns, Australia to Sydney, Australia - (8 days/ 7 nights) Departs December 27, 2014, from USD $3300 all-inclusive, per person
• Sydney, Australia to Melbourne, Australia - (8 days/ 7 nights) Departs January 3, 2015, from USD $3145 all-inclusive, per person
• Melbourne, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand - (13 days/ 12 nights) Departs January 10, 2015, from USD $5198 all-inclusive, per person
• Auckland, New Zealand to Melbourne, Australia - (13 Days/ 12 Nights) Departs January 22, 2015, from USD $5198 all-inclusive, per person
• Melbourne, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand - (13 days/ 12 nights) Departs February 3, 2015, from USD $5198 all-inclusive, per person
• Auckland, New Zealand to Darwin, Australia - (18 days/ 17 nights) Departs February 15, 2015, from USD $7360 all-inclusive, per person

The new Oceania 2014/2015 brochure with detailed itineraries and pricing information can be viewed and downloaded at: https://en.ponant.com/Destinations/Oceanie/Cruises