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Cruising the Greek Islands of the Southern Aegean – with Smithsonian Journeys in Luxury

Cruising the Greek Islands of the Southern Aegean – with Smithsonian Journeys in Luxury

From AUD $9,300

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Description

In alliance with Smithsonian Journeys.
This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.
This leisurely voyage through the heart of the Aegean is the perfect introduction to all that Homer’s ‘wine-dark sea’ has to offer. Ancient sites, resonating with a mythical past, compete for your attention with the whitewashed homes of present-day farmers and the waterfront cafés and trendy boutiques of stylish jet-set getaways.
Departing from Athens, your first encounter with the rich history of the Aegean is the monumental Byzantine monastery on Patmos that guards the cave where St. John the Evangelist received his visions of the Apocalypse.
At Bodrum, on Turkey’s famed Turquoise Coast, you will visit the fascinating Museum of Underwater Archaeology and the ruins of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Amorgos represents a completely different aspect of life in the Aegean as it brings you face to face with age-old traditions of olive cultivation, herbal medicine, and religious devotion as they are still practiced in small villages in the mountains.
After an unforgettable sunset cruise in Santorini’s captivating caldera, where high cliffs surround the majestic ancient crater engulfed by water in the 2nd millennium BC, you will set sail northwest to Milos. Here, the limestone cliffs and small hidden coves are yours to discover in a relaxed atmosphere.
The island of Delos was sacred to the ancient Greeks—the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, and home to countless shrines and temples—a veritable open-air museum. Mykonos, by contrast, is a sophisticated island resort with smart cafes and boutiques, where you will enjoy an afternoon and evening at leisure to soak in all that this dazzling town has to offer.
From Nafplion travel to Mycenae, the legendary home of Agamemnon and an important center of the extraordinary civilization that flourished here in the 2nd millennium BC, before continuing to Epidaurus, the ancient shrine of Asklepios, whose ruins are dominated by a 4th-century BC theater that is one of the finest in Greece.
Your journey concludes upon return to Athens.

Trip Name
Cruising the Greek Islands of the Southern Aegean – with Smithsonian Journeys in Luxury
Days
8
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Passenger Capacity: 92 cabins Built: 2017/2018 Le Bougainville is the third ship in the PONANT Explorers series, designed to merge elegant French style with advanced expedition technology. Carrying up to 184 guests across 92 luxurious staterooms and suites, it offers an intimate atmosphere with a focus on comfort and open connection to the sea. The ship’s sleek design invites light and space, featuring expansive lounges, panoramic decks, a swimming pool, theatre, and wellness facilities that create a relaxed yet sophisticated onboard experience. True to the French spirit of exploration, Le Bougainville celebrates both discovery and refinement. Guests can savour world-class cuisine in elegant dining venues, enjoy a quiet moment in the ship’s stylish lounges, or embark on Zodiac excursions directly from the marina platform. Equipped with the latest environmental technologies, the vessel embodies responsible luxury travel—offering guests the chance to explore the world’s most extraordinary destinations in style and harmony with nature.

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 Athens
The Greek capital city is located on the edge of the Saronic gulf, in the east of the country. It bears a plural name in reference to the first villages that surround the Acropolis. You will be enchanted by the rocky plateau presided by its monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage. In the city below, you can visit some of the liveliest districts in Athens: Plaka, with its maze of colourful streets, and where, in the evenings the drifting aroma of moussaka and garlic prawns will tickle your taste buds. The National Archaeological museum and the Cycladic Art Museum are also some of the city’s key attractions and allow visitors to discover Athens’ cultural past.
Day 2 - Day 2 Patmos
Patmos is one of the legendary must-see islands in the Dodecanese. This is where Saint John resided, presumed author of the last book in the Bible. The cave of the Apocalypse and the Saint John Monastery are dedicated to him. These sites, which are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage, are located at the top of a hillside planted with vines and orchards. On the shore, the crystalline coves of Kambos and Lampi offer absolutely gorgeous swimming areas.
Day 3 - Day 3 - Bodrum
Bodrum is located one of the bays of Mugla on the west coast of Turkey. At the harbour entrance, you’ll can’t miss The Bodrum Castle of The Knights of St. John, the town’s emblem. Here you will be able to visit the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology housed within the castle precincts. In the centre, the passages shaded by arbours abound with diverse craft shops and ice-cream cafés where you can sit out and enjoy refreshing citrus fruit sorbets. A few streets away, the archaeological site of the Halicarnasse mausoleum invites you to experience the old town’s past, just as the old theatre does, built on the slopes of the hillside looking out over the bay of Bodrum.
Day 4 - Day 4 - Amorgos
It’s no accident that the island of Amorgos was chosen as a shooting location for Luc Besson’s film, The Big Blue. You too will fall under the charm of this island as your ship edges closer. Amorgos is the most easterly island in the Cyclades and stands out for its rocky inlets with crystal-clear water and its small, picturesque villages. This port of call will be your chance to visit one of the prettiest villages in the Cyclades, Chora, and discover its cobbled streets and whitewashed houses overlooked by a castle. Byzantine churches, windmills and courtyards brimming with flowers complete this typical tableau of timeless Greece.
Day 5 - Day 4 - Sailing in the Santorini Caldera
Sailing in the waters of Santorini caldera is breathtaking. The gigantic scale of the unique setting, the majesty of the high cliffs surrounds this ancient crater that was flooded in 2000 years before Christ, is one of the highlights of the cruise. From your ship, the colourful whites, greys, reds of the volcanic rocks, the blue of the Aegean Sea and the immaculate perched villages form a unique and marvellous spectacle.
Day 6 - Day 5 - Adamas, Milos
Although Milos is especially renowned for the famous statue of Venus found in a field there and now displayed in the Louvre in Paris, this mineral island is also a geological treasure. Its volcanic origin is evident in its breathtaking landscapes and the colours of its cliffs, ranging from pure white to deep red. You’ll discover the wild beauty of the shorelines lined with the most beautiful beaches in Greece from a ship deck, and you’ll enjoy privileged access to emerald-green coves. Tiny fishing ports like Adamas hide there, with brightly-painted doors and terraces. Milos is a charming port of call in the heart of the Cyclades.
Day 7 - Day 6 - Delos
This legendary Cyclades island of Delos stands just a few miles southwest of Mykonos. The ceremonial solemnity of this ancient holy sanctuary will not leave you indifferent. The sheer size and importance of this UNESCO World Heritage site which covers over half of the island is thrilling in itself. From the Stoa of Antigonos, the Terrace of the Lions, to the carved marble animal statues, you will make discovery after discovery, against a backdrop of the Aegean stretching to the horizon. The theatre steps on the hillside are a particularly good place from which to enjoy the expansive view.
Day 8 - Day 6 - Mykonos
Nicknamed “little Venice”, Mykonos is famous for its Alefkandra district where houses are built right on the water’s edge. Their multi-coloured loggias are emblematic of this Cyclades island, as are the pelicans and windmills. You can get close up to the birds on the quaysides of the old port. Up on the hillside, you can see the windmill sails turning. In the cobbled streets of the pedestrian centre, bougainvillea bedeck immaculate facades. As you weave in and out of the little streets, snatches of coastline will undoubtedly call you to the island’s beaches, the quietest of which can be found on the northern coast.
Day 9 - Day 7 - Nafplion
The engaging town of Nafplion is staggered up green hillsides of the Argolic Gulf, to the east of the Peloponnese. Do not be surprised by its extremely varied cultural heritage. Some of the must-see visits are the ancient agora on the plateau of Akronafplia, Italianate arcades in Syntagma square as well as the baroque fortress of Palamidi on a hillside of the same name. At the top of the hill, views of the gulf and the surrounding mountains are simply awesome. If you want to chill out by the water’s edge, walk along the Arvanitia promenade to a beautiful creek in the shade of cedars and cypresses.
Day 10 - Day 8 - Athens
The Greek capital city is located on the edge of the Saronic gulf, in the east of the country. It bears a plural name in reference to the first villages that surround the Acropolis. You will be enchanted by the rocky plateau presided by its monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage. In the city below, you can visit some of the liveliest districts in Athens: Plaka, with its maze of colourful streets, and where, in the evenings the drifting aroma of moussaka and garlic prawns will tickle your taste buds. The National Archaeological museum and the Cycladic Art Museum are also some of the city’s key attractions and allow visitors to discover Athens’ cultural past.
Day 11 - Please note:
Itineraries are subject to change. 

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $10,550Deluxe Stateroom
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $11,690Prestige Deck 4
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $26,750Privilege Suite Deck 6
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $26,750Privilege Suite Deck 5
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $27,880Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 5
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $29,380Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $32,440Owner's Suite
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $12,250Prestige Deck 5
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $12,940Prestige Deck 6
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $17,960Deluxe Suite Deck 6
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $17,960Deluxe Suite Deck 5
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $17,960Deluxe Suite Deck 4
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $17,960Deluxe Suite Deck 3
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $24,240Prestige Deck 5 Suite
16-06-202623-06-2026AUD $25,490Prestige Deck 6 Suite
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $11,583Deluxe Stateroom
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $12,843Prestige Deck 4
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $13,462Prestige Deck 5
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $14,218Prestige Deck 6
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $19,773Deluxe Suite Deck 4
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $19,773Deluxe Suite Deck 3
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $19,773Deluxe Suite Deck 5
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $19,773Deluxe Suite Deck 6
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $26,713Prestige Deck 5 Suite
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $28,089Prestige Deck 6 Suite
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $29,485Privilege Suite Deck 5
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $29,485Privilege Suite Deck 6
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $30,890Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 5
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $32,394Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
08-10-202615-10-2026AUD $34,021Owner's Suite
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $9,300Deluxe Stateroom
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $10,300Prestige Deck 4
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $10,790Prestige Deck 5
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $11,390Prestige Deck 6
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $15,800Deluxe Suite Deck 3
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $15,800Deluxe Suite Deck 6
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $15,800Deluxe Suite Deck 4
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $15,800Deluxe Suite Deck 5
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $21,290Prestige Deck 5 Suite
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $22,390Prestige Deck 6 Suite
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $22,660Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 5
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $23,490Privilege Suite Deck 6
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $23,490Privilege Suite Deck 5
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $25,790Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
06-07-202713-07-2027AUD $33,680Owner's Suite
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $9,300Deluxe Stateroom
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $10,300Prestige Deck 4
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $10,790Prestige Deck 5
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $11,390Prestige Deck 6
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $15,800Deluxe Suite Deck 3
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $15,800Deluxe Suite Deck 4
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $15,800Deluxe Suite Deck 5
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $15,800Deluxe Suite Deck 6
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $21,290Prestige Deck 5 Suite
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $22,390Prestige Deck 6 Suite
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $22,660Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 5
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $23,490Privilege Suite Deck 6
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $23,490Privilege Suite Deck 5
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $25,790Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
08-09-202715-09-2027AUD $33,680Owner's Suite

Inclusions

    • A voyage specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers including discussions with experts, transfers before and after your cruise, and an included excursion or activity in each port of call.
    • Engaging discussions onboard with two Smithsonian Journeys Experts.
    • Delve into the Homeric age of heroes at Mycenae, and the even earlier Bronze Age civilization preserved on Santorini.
    • See the cave on Patmos where John the Evangelist had visions of the Apocalypse.
    • Stroll the medieval streets of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Rhodes Town.
    • Marvel at the sheer number and variety of temples and shrines on tiny Delos, another UNESCO World Heritage site.
    • Discover an earlier, simpler way of life as it is still lived on Amorgos.
    • Relax and refresh in the cafés and shops for which Mykonos is famous.

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