Ponant has taken delivery of the first of its next-generation Explorer ships as the Le Lapérouse was delivered from VARD on June 15. She is one of six ships in the Ponant Explorer class.
Le Lapérouse left the shipyard in Ålesund, Norway, on June 16 and reached Reykjavik, Iceland, on 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,” said Jean Emmanuel Sauvée, CEO and Co-Founder of Ponant.
The ship has capacity for 180 passengers and is highlighted by the Blue Eye lounge, an underwater lounge will allow passengers to discover and experience the underwater world via two portholes in the form of a 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 company said.
