Polynesia & Easter Island

The main town of legendary Easter Island, Hanga Roa is also its only urban area. Bathed by the Pacific Ocean, this picturesque Chilean town is an excellent base for exploring the islandﾒs spectacular treasures, particularly the moai, the famous enigmatic monumental statues. The Polynesian Hanga Roa culture and its traditional houses are a sheer delight. As evening approaches, wend your way to the charming fishing port where weather permitting, you can admire the captivating light of the setting sun.

The following optional excursions will be available for an additional charge: Rapa Nui Culture, Hanga Roa & Moais Mystery, Easter Island & Rapa Nui Folkloric Show.

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique, or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

This lost atoll in the heart of the Pacific Ocean merits special attention. It was discovered by the British Captain Edward Edwards in 1791. He named it after Baron Francis Ducie, a captain in the British navy. Located around 500 kilometers from Pitcairn Island, it is one of the most remote islands in the world. Very few ships have approached it, and it has never been permanently inhabited. Sailing away from this coral atoll, you will be able to admire from afar the volcanic island of Pitcairn, whose summit culminates at 330 meters and which has around fifty inhabitants.

If you’ve got a taste for adventure and you love discovering wild, remote lands, you’ll be won over by the Pitcairn islands. This tiny British territory is mainly composed of atolls right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Rimmed by cliffs several hundred meters high, the volcanic Pitcairn Island is to be explored on foot. In Adamstown, the only village on this 5-square-kilometer land, you’ll meet the 50 sole inhabitants of the entire archipelago. The call to Pitcairn is subject to weather and sea conditions.

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique, or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Sailing around the Temoe Atoll is breathtaking. Trapezoidal in shape, it is the most easterly atoll in French Polynesia. In administrative terms, it belongs to the Gambier Islands and has been uninhabited since 1838, when missionaries moved all the inhabitants to Mangareva. There are several ancient Polynesian remains and archaeologists are attempting to preserve the integrity of the former heritage of the atoll by faithfully rebuilding certain coral monuments. In the waters around the atoll, it is common to see shoals of tuna or sea bream following the coastlines: a unique and marvelous spectacle.

Discover Mangareva, which means “floating mountain” in Polynesian. Located in the Gambier Islands, surrounded by a magnificent coral reef and blessed with generous vegetation, this island, a cradle of Catholicism, has an exceptional cultural heritage, with many vestiges of religious buildings dating from the 19th century. Nestling in the heart of this historic site with idyllic landscapes, do not miss the small village of Rikitea, where one of Polynesia’s wonders, Saint Michael’s Cathedral, stands proudly, entirely built from coral and timber.

Located 5 kilometers southeast of Mangareva, Aukena is today the 4th-largest of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia, with a population of around thirty inhabitants. This port of call will be an opportunity for you to dive into the past, to the era when Aukena was discovered by the sailor James Wilson in 1797. There are several remnants of this missionary period, such as the watchtower serving as a landmark on the southwest of the island or the Church of St. Raphael, constructed in 1839. These buildings nestling in the forest lead to sumptuous white-sand beaches and turquoise waters. Take the time to explore this island in the Gambier archipelago, and get a taste of French Polynesia’s gentle way of life.

The following optional excursions will be available for an additional charge: Aukena, Pearl Farm Visit.

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique, or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

A secluded atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago, Rangiroa, meaning “vast sky” in Polynesian, is very aptly named. The lagoon of the largest atoll in Polynesia is reminiscent of the heavens, imprisoned by hundreds of islets formed by sand that veers from immaculate white to pink. But the beauty of Rangiroa, classed by Captain Cousteau as one of the most beautiful diving spots in the world, is most evident in its underwater life: you will have the occasion of admiring all the richness of the site on a snorkeling tour or a glass-bottom boat tour. Rangiroa is also the high seat of Polynesian pearl culture.

The following optional excursions will be available for an additional charge: Pearl Farm Visit, Glassbottom Boat, Snorkel The Aquarium Garden, Polynesian Wine & Rum.

The capital of French Polynesia, the city of Papeete is on the north-west coast of the island of Tahiti. You’ll find a relaxed atmosphere here, where urban buzz combines with the legendary laid-back Polynesian lifestyle. Culture is not lacking. You can enjoy sites narrating the history of the archipelago, including the colonial cathedral and the Maison de la Reine Marau. The Vaipahi public gardens will win you over by their abundant plant-life. The large municipal market offers local specialties: fresh fruit, spices and all kinds of fish abound on their stalls.