Following the successful restart of PONANT’s Kimberley expedition season in April 2022, PONANT has welcomed the arrival of small expedition ship Le Soléal into Darwin, in the Northern Territory.
Le Soléal will be PONANT’s second small expedition ship to be positioned in the Asia Pacific region this year, joining Le Lapérouse, the first international expedition ship to return to Australian waters last month, for this year’s Kimberley season.
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Sarina Bratton AM Chairman for PONANT Asia Pacific welcomed the arrival of Le Soléal late last week, saying “With the successful resumption of expedition sailing, the demand for the Kimberley is stronger than ever and we welcome Le Soléal to join Le Lapérouse for the season.”
Le Soléal began her inaugural 2022 Kimberley expedition out of Darwin to Broome on Saturday 28 May and will operate multiple departures of the 10-night ‘Australia’s Iconic Kimberley’ luxury expedition itinerary until September 2022. Following her Kimberley program, Le Soléal will feature expeditions in New Zealand, including the Sub-Antarctic islands and Australia’s Macquarie Island, the Ross Sea, Melanesia, New Zealand, and Japan’s subtropical islands in early 2023.
Meanwhile, Bratton will host PONANT’s Chairman Cruise in French Polynesia aboard Le Paul Gauguin departing this coming Saturday (4 June 2022). That 11-night voyage is completely sold out.