Ponant announced savings for guests on the An Immersion in Japanese Culture itinerary, as well as extra perks for travel advisors.
The new 9-day/8-night sailing is part of the Quintessential Collection, a series of themed cruises featuring notable onboard speakers and excursions ashore that embrace the local culture. The cruise, scheduled for May 30 to June 7, 2020 aboard Le Soleal, departs from Osaka and ends in Maizuru with stops in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, among other ports including a visit to Busan in South Korea. Fares start at $6,260 pp, including the 25 percent savings.
While on the An Immersion in Japanese Culture journey, travelers explore gardens, tea ceremonies, rice paddies, holy shrines, traditional dance performances and fine art. Highlights of the itinerary include a private audience with the Abbot of Kofukuji Temple in the heart of Nagasaki and the elegance of a private tea-making ceremony available to all passengers. Optional activities include a special performance of the Kagura dance at Itsukushima Shrine, a Shinto holy place; a private visit to the beautiful Yuushien Garden in Sakaiminato; a cooking class demonstrating how to cut and plate deadly puffer fish; and a guided walk through the Busan fish market in South Korea with lunch included. In addition, an optional 2-night pre-cruise visit to Kyoto is also available.
Three noted experts will join the cruise to add insight to the exploration travelers will be doing while in port and on-board the ship. The scheduled experts are: Timon Screech, author and professor of the History of Art at the School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London; Holly H. Shimizu, former executive director of the U.S. Botanic Garden and former host of “Victory Garden” on PBS; and Osamu Shimizu, an expert in contemporary Japanese gardens.
In addition to bonus savings up to 25 percent on fares, travelers will also receive a $1,500 air credit—$3,000 per couple. The single supplement fee is also waived for all solo travelers. In addition, travel advisors, you will earn a $200 gift card for every booking made by Feb. 29, 2020.
For more information, visit ponant.com.
