I’ll have the “Smithsonian” with that
PONANT, the world leader in luxury small ship expeditions, announces an alliance with Smithsonian Journeys, the travel program of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, for select voyages beginning in 2022. Drawing on Smithsonian’s resources dating back 175 years, the new themed sailings will feature notable experts and experiences that embrace local cultures and dive deeper into a destination’s history, cuisine, language, environment and wildlife.
Nineteen departures exploring Antarctica, Japan, Iceland, the Mediterranean, British Isles, Great Lakes, Norwegian fjords and more, will debut in 2022, providing opportunities to engage with a variety of experts, ranging from archaeologists and scientists to anthropologists and historians.
This is Smithsonian Journey’s first alliance with an expedition line.
PONANT and Smithsonian Journeys share common values – focusing on cultural immersion and discovery – with a goal of further inspiring guests to become global ambassadors through travel. “PONANT has been a pioneer in immersing travellers in destinations in meaningful ways for more than 30 years. 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,” said Deb Corbett, General Manager Sales & Marketing Asia Pacific at PONANT.
“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. 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 are exploring,”
Lynn Cutter, Senior Vice President, Smithsonian Travel.
About the Smithsonian
Since its founding in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution has been committed to inspiring generations through knowledge and discovery. It is the world’s largest museum, education and research complex, consisting of 19 museums, the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities. There were nearly 22 million visits to the Smithsonian in 2019. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at nearly 155 million, of which nearly 146 million are scientific specimens at the National Museum of Natural History. www.smithsonian.org