PHOTO COURTESY OF SMITHSONIAN JOURNEYS
PONANT, a pioneer in unique sea transit and small ship sea expeditions has partnered with the Smithsonian Institution’s travel program to offer travelers an entirely new experience that focuses on embracing and experiencing new cultures, peoples and places.
The program will offer select voyages starting in 2022 that include Antarctica, Japan, Iceland, the Mediterranean, British Isles, Great Lakes, and Norwegian fjords. Each experience will draw from the Smithsonian’s 175 years of resources and experience, as well as both companies’ commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism.
“PONANT has been a pioneer in immersing travelers in destinations in meaningful ways for more than 30 years,” says Navin Sawhney, chief executive officer, Americas, PONANT. “We are proud to launch a collaboration with Smithsonian Journeys, the enduring leader in cultural enrichment, to continue to deliver unparalleled experiences alongside guides that have traversed the globe for decades and top experts in their field.”
Guests will have the opportunity to explore new places while taking a deep dive into new cultures, learning from experts, visiting key historic and cultural spots, and taking in the language, customs and cuisine of each place. The ultimate goal is to inspire guests to become global citizens through travel.
“We are thrilled to be teaming with PONANT to bring the Smithsonian experience to guests on board PONANT’s state of the art expedition ships,” adds Lynn Cutter, senior vice president of Smithsonian Travel. “As travel begins to resume, we believe guests will be more interested than ever in meaningful and enriching experiences that help to better interpret and understand the places they’re exploring.”
To learn more, visit smithsonianjourneys.org.
