Ponant has unveiled seven itineraries that visit Lapland, the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea during its winter 2024-25 season. Highlights include reindeer-pulled sleigh rides, ice-fishing, Scandinavian Christmas markets and glimpses of the Northern Lights.
The new 12-day itinerary, “From the Northern Lights to the Polar Light,” navigates along the jagged coastlines of Norway to the ice-covered reliefs of Spitsbergen in search of the Northern Lights. In Lapland, guests can meet people from the Sami nation, one of the last European Indigenous people. As travelers take photos of the dancing night skies, VIP guest Ian Dawson, a British Photo Ambassador, will share tips and tricks for getting the perfect shot.
The 10-day “Polar Lights: From North Cape to the Lofoten Islands” voyage starts in Lakselv and journeys all the way up to the North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe. Highlights include fjords, dolomite cliffs, fishing villages, boreal forests, snow-covered peaks, viewings of reindeer and seabirds. This voyage also features VIP guest Ian Dawson.
The new 10-day “Scandinavian Wonderland & Christmas Markets” itinerary takes guests to cities along the Baltic Sea, including Stockholm, Gotland, Gdansk and Helsinki. It’s a "magical" time to visit, with snow-dusted scenery and the smells of mulled wine, cinnamon and gingerbread wafting through Christmas markets. Other activities include marveling at Gothic and Baroque architecture, attending a private concert at the Polish Baltic F. Chopin Philharmonic, and exploring the old town of Riga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On the nine-day “Christmas Magic with Renaud Capuçon” itinerary, musician Renaud Capuçon and radio presenter Alain Duault will team up with Radio Classique to provide the soundtrack for a journey through Scandinavian cities, little-known archipelagos, snow-capped peaks, and boreal forests in Finland, Stockholm, and the north of the Gulf of Bothnia. Activities might include dog sledding, ice fishing, Christmas markets and a visit to the Santa Claus Village of Rovaniemi.
Also in partnership with Radio Classique, the nine-day New Year expedition, “Musical New Year in the Gulf of Bothnia,” will sail around the Gulf of Bothnia and the Scandinavian region, with visits to the fairytale towns of Rauma, the church-town of Gammelstad, and the neoclassical city of Oulu. A highlight is embarking to the High Coast archipelago—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and a journey among the skerries of the Stockholm archipelago, with an overnight stay opposite the bright lights of the old town.
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