Ponant, the global leader in luxury expeditions and the only French cruise line, has taken delivery of its new vessel, Le Lapérouse, the first of the six Explorers-class ships.

On June 15, as per the agreed construction schedule, Ponant successfully took delivery of Le Lapérouse, the brand-new vessel and the first of the six exceptional Ponant Explorers series. Construction of the other five ships is currently under way. Le Lapérouse left the shipyard in Ålesund, Norway, on June 16 and will reach Reykjavik, Iceland today, June 19 for the start of her maiden cruise. The inauguration will take place on July 10 in Reykjavik.

“Le Lapérouse is a wonderful achievement for the company and the result of intensive teamwork with Vard and Fincantieri. From remarkable nautical performances to technical excellence and offering an extraordinary level of comfort, everything is in place for the Ponant Explorers series to be a huge success,” says Jean Emmanuel Sauvée, CEO and Co-Founder of Ponant.

With a smaller capacity of just 92 staterooms and suites all with a balcony or private terrace, the ship boasts an elegant design, a long sleek line, state-of-the-art technology, and major innovations. Also designed to respect the environment, Le Lapérouse is the true symbol of a new generation of ships flying the French flag.

The six Ponant Explorers will feature a world first: the “Blue Eye.” The innovative multi-sensorial underwater lounge will allow passengers to discover and experience the underwater world via two portholes in the form of a cetaceous eye looking out on to the sea bed, non-intrusive underwater lighting, and hydrophones integrated into the keel that retransmit the natural symphony of the deep water. The lounge will also feature Body Listening sofas, offering a unique sensorial listening experience by corporal resonance.