Ponant Adds Newest Cruise Ship

French cruise company Ponant has received its new cruise ship, Le Bougainville, bringing its fleet to eight vessels.

The ship, which is the third in the Ponant Explorers series, left Søvik in Norway on the morning of 8 April and she is currently sailing to Spain to start her maiden cruise on 15 April from Malaga.

Le Bougainville will be officially inaugurated on 4 June.

“A dream, firm beliefs, energy and boldness were what created Ponant. It is by drawing on those roots and our expertise that Ponant is preparing today to meet the challenges of tomorrow, to surprise and delight our guests. I wanted the ships in the Ponant Explorers series to embody the very best in expedition cruise. Le Bougainville is the incarnation of that,” said Jean Emmanuel Sauvée, CEO and co-founder of Ponant.

"Ponant is delighted with its collaboration with VARD, the Norwegian subsidiary of the Italian shipyard, Fincantieri, both in terms of the design and construction of the new vessels as well as the respect for the deadlines of the development schedule," said a release from the luxury expeditions cruise firm.

Combining an intimate size with just 92 staterooms and suites, all with a balcony or private terrace, taut, sleek lines, refined design, cutting-edge technologies, respect for the environment and major innovations, Le Bougainville is truly the symbol of the new generation of ships flying the French flag.