The traces and vestiges of an ancestral past, the turquoise blue of the ocean, the gleam of the lush vegetation... the islands of the Pacific Ocean are strikingly beautiful. Over the course of a unique and unforgettable 16-day cruise aboard Le Jacques-Cartier, fall in love with these treasures of the South Pacific, their ancient local cultures, verdant landscapes and exceptional marine environments.

Throughout your journey, you will benefit from an excursion included per person per port of call, to choose from a selection offered by PONANT. During this cruise, set off to discover Napier, New Zealand's Art Deco city, appreciate a visit to a vineyard with wine tasting on Waiheke Island or explore Lake Rotoiti by kayak. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab).

The shores of the historical and dynamic city of Auckland slowly disappear from view. Cruise a little further north until Waiheke Island appears on the horizon. Succumb to the charms of its green lands, its heavenly beaches, and its vineyards and olive groves stretching as far as the eye can see. Further north, the Bay of Islands is a historical treasure just begging to be discovered. It was here that in 1840 the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document, was signed between representatives of the British Crown and a number of Maori chiefs from the northern part of the North Island.

Le Jacques-Cartier will now make its way northward and call at Australia’s Norfolk Island, used in the 19th century as a British penal colony for the most dangerous prisoners. The ruins from the convict era are now on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. There, you will also discover lush vegetation lining the magnificent Emily Bay Lagoon, where Norfolk pines, an endemic species and the symbol of the island, are grown.

As you cruise along the warm ocean waters, you will continue to experience a sense of wonder at the vastness before you and New Caledonia will begin to appear on the horizon. The capital of the archipelago, Noumea, awaits you with its verdant peaks for an exceptional experience. In the heart of the city, you will be able to wander along the Place des Cocotiers, where the locals love to meet up, and you will discover all the secrets of the Kanak culture at the Tjibaou Cultural Centre. You will then be awestruck by the stunning Loyalty Islands, Maré and Lifou, their picture-postcard landscapes and their Kanak heritage, during a traditional ceremony and tasting of local products.

Amédée Islet, a small and idyllic island lying just off the coast of Noumea, is known for its heavenly beaches, its marine reserve, and its emblematic, eponymous lighthouse, which is the tallest metal lighthouse in the world and stands guard over the entrance to the harbour of the New Caledonian capital.

Next, your ship will set a course northward to reach Cairns, where this unforgettable journey will draw to an end.