PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP Celebrates Partnership with The Explorers Club, Unveiling New Voyages for Sophisticated Adventurers

NEW YORK – Manhattan’s Upper East Side recently buzzed with wanderlust at The Explorers Club, which celebrated its partnership with PONANT, the fleet of small, eco-conscious expedition ships known for its blend of French luxury with access to some of the world’s most remote destinations. 

Since 1904, The Explorers Club has long served as both a gathering place and a launch pad for some of the world’s most ambitious discovery projects, counting among its members Jane Goodall, Theodore Roosevelt, Neil Armstrong, and more historic trailblazers. During the intimate event, discerning travelers, Club members, and PONANT partners convened within its storied halls, surrounded by relics that have journeyed to the moon, the North and South Poles, and uncharted lands in between. An appropriate setting for the unveiling of PONANT and The Explorers Club’s next chapter of pioneering voyages. 

The Explorers Club x PONANT Partnership

PONANT’s deepened alliance with The Explorers Club will include carefully curated sailings, giving guests rare opportunities to mingle with Explorers Club members and sail alongside renowned scientists, documentarians, and adventurers, and hear their firsthand accounts as guest lecturers and field experts. 

Many voyages even include citizen science initiatives, particularly aboard Le Commandant Charcot, where Explorers Club Science Grantees conduct research in the vessel’s state-of-the-art laboratories.

The key news of the evening was the exciting expansion of the partnership to include the other two divisions on PONANT,  Paul Gauguin Cruises, and Aqua Expeditions, as well as new exciting programming for the continued partnership between the club and PONANT Expeditions. 

“Together with The Explorers Club, education and exploration go hand in hand,” PONANT EXPLORATION GROUP’s CEO of the Americas, Samual Chamberlain, shares. “We’re proud to expand our partnership with such an esteemed institution, one that allows our guests to experience the world on a deeper, more tangible level.”

What’s Next For PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP

The Explorers Club voyages on Paul Gauguin Cruises and Aqua Expeditions will boast two departure dates for the brand’s iconic m/s Paul Gauguin ship and four departure dates for Aqua Expeditions. PONANT EXPLORATIONS will feature more than 15 new voyages with The Explorers Club in 2026 and 2027, including such acclaimed speakers as New Zealand Mountaineer Peter Hillary (son of Sir Edmund Hillary, the first, along with his partner, to climb Mount Everest) and American Filmmaker, Author, and Conservationist John Hemingway in 2027.

Here are a few of the new expeditions to look forward to: 

• Paul Gauguin Cruises | Society Islands & Tuamotus: Jad Davenport, National Geographic Photographer, Filmmaker, and Author, will be The Explorers Club’s guest on board while exploring Fakarava’s UNESCO-listed Marine Biosphere Reserve; archeological sites of Huahine and Raiatea, exclusive access to retreat in Taha’a’s sheltered lagoon, and more untouched gems in French Polynesia.
• PONANT EXPLORATIONS| The Geographic North Pole and the East Coast of Greenland: Peter Hillary, Mountaineer and Writer, will be on board Le Commandant Charcot, PONANT’s luxury icebreaker ship, as the vessel journeys to the Geographic North Pole. Sailing along eastern Greenland, Passengers will peek at Polar Bears, majestic fjords, and the Northern Lights along the way.
• Aqua Expeditions | Peruvian Amazon Expedition: As one of the quintessential destinations for the Aqua brand, Andrés Ruzo, Geothermal Scientist, Conservationist, Educator, and TED Speaker, will lead guests on board through the rainforest-lined waters, nocturnal wildlife spotting, meeting native residents of Amazonia, and exploring Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.

Aqua Expeditions Announces AQUA LARES

Another exciting announcement is the unveiling of Aqua’s newest vessel, Aqua Lares which will be traveling a new frontier for the fleet: The Arctic Circle. Founder & CEO of Aqua Expeditions, Francesco Galli Zugaro, was present to announce the brand’s new Ice Class 1B-rated superyacht, purpose-built for navigating ice-covered waters. A first-of-its-kind in this region, offering both private charters and individual cabin bookings for a maximum of 30 guests.

“With Aqua Lares, we’re setting a new benchmark for luxury exploration at the edges of the map. No other superyacht offers this combination of access, exclusivity, and personalized service in the Arctic,” says Zugaro about the new frontier. 

For discerning travelers eager to combine comfort with true discovery, PONANT’s newest chapter offers an exciting invitation to chart the uncharted with adventurous luxury.