Ponant expands Smithsonian Journeys educational cruise program

Ponant is expanding its cobranded educational cruise program with Smithsonian Journeys, an alliance first unveiled in 2022. The reported year’s schedule comprised 36 departures worldwide, with additional routes planned for 2027.

An eight-night circumnavigation of Sicily illustrates the program’s format. During the voyage, two Smithsonian Journeys experts from the University of Maryland and the University of Arizona presented a combined six lectures covering historical sites, art and culture encountered during the itinerary.

At nearly every port, passengers could select from at least two and sometimes as many as four fare-included tours curated by Ponant and Smithsonian Journeys. The excursions emphasized educational and local experiences alongside visits to regional attractions.

The Sicily voyage operated aboard Le Dumont d’Urville, which has 92 cabins. The reported sailing carried 117 passengers and 122 crew members.

Among the itineraries unveiled in 2026 was a seven-night Panama and Costa Rica sailing that included the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s open-air Punta Culebra Nature Center. New offerings planned for 2027 include a 10-night Sea of Cortés expedition departing Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with an emphasis on marine biology and conservation. Unlike Ponant’s standard bilingual cruises, the Smithsonian Journeys sailings operate only in English and primarily attract American passengers.