From: Australia, Darwin
To: Fiji, Lautoka
Dates: 21.08.2026 - 06.09.2026
Duration: 17 Nights
Ship: LE JACQUES CARTIER

An escapade in the heart of Melanesia

Leaving from Darwin, PONANT invites you to embark on board Le Jacques Cartier for a 17-day journey featuring idyllic landscapes, lush nature and ancestral civilisations with secular traditions. Set off to discover the ancestral lands of Australia and four Melanesian treasures: Papua New Guinea, the Vanuatu archipelago, the Solomons and the Fiji islands. On cosmopolitan Thursday Island, in the far north of the Australian territory, make the most of a visit to discover the history of this part of the Pacific during the Second World War. The Jacques-Cartier will set sail for Papua New Guinea, a fascinating land that is home to no fewer than 700 ethnic groups within a highly diverse yet mainly unexplored, ecosystem.  Setting sail for the Salomon Islands! You will stop over in Honiara on the large island of Guadalcanal, where exoticism and beauty go hand in hand, from paradisiacal waterfalls to lush green hills. Then, the Jacques Cartier sails towards heavenly lands, where white sandy beaches encircle luxuriant forests with unique ecosystems, and legends and myths remain engraved in memories and traditions... In Port-Vila, capital of Vanuatu, you will relish the unforgettable sight of magnificent bays, a colonial heritage, paradise beaches and enchanting waterfalls. In Espiritu Santo, the archipelago's main island, you are sure to be captivated by the unspoilt seabed surrounding this luxuriant islet. Your journey will end in Lautoka in Fiji, famous for its sugar cane crops.

LE JACQUES CARTIER

  • Guests: 184
  • Suites: 92
  • Crew: 118
  • Spa: 1
  • Restaurants: 2
  • Length: 430 ft
  • Beam: 59 ft
  • Draft: 15 ft
  • Ice class: 1C
  • Classification: Bureau Veritas
  • Flag: French
  • Decks: 5
  • Zodiacs: 9
  • Tonnage: 9 976 UMS
  • Motors: 2 X 2 000 KW
  • Power: 6 400 KW
  • Construction: Vard Sovik, Norway
Ship in Details

Cruise Itinerary

Day
Date
Location
Arrival
Departure
1
Aug 21, 2026
Australia, Darwin
15:30*
17:30
2-3
Aug 22, 2026 – Aug 23, 2026
cruising
-
-
4
Aug 24, 2026
Australia, Thursday Island
-
-
5
Aug 25, 2026
cruising
-
-
6
Aug 26, 2026
Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby
-
-
7
Aug 27, 2026
Papua New Guinea, Alotau
-
-
8-9
Aug 28, 2026 – Aug 29, 2026
cruising
-
-
10
Aug 30, 2026
Solomon Islands, Honiara
-
-
11-12
Aug 31, 2026 – Sep 1, 2026
cruising
-
-
13
Sep 2, 2026
Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo Island
-
-
14
Sep 3, 2026
Vanuatu, Port Vila
-
-
15-16
Sep 4, 2026 – Sep 5, 2026
cruising
-
-
17
Sep 6, 2026
Fiji, Lautoka
-
08:00**
The itinerary is subject to change without prior notice at the discretion of the cruise line or due to operational, weather, port, or safety considerations. The cruise operator reserves the right to substitute ports, alter the order of calls, or modify the program as necessary to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers.

Cabins & Accomodations

Lower deck balcony stateroom

  • Cabin: 19 m²
  • Pax: 2
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Upper decks balcony stateroom

  • Cabin: 19 m²
  • Pax: 2
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Deluxe Suite

  • Cabin: 27 m²
  • Pax: 3
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Prestige Suite

  • Cabin: 38 m²
  • Pax: 4
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Privilege Suite

  • Cabin: 32 m²
  • Pax: 3
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Grand Suite

  • Cabin: 45 m²
  • Pax: 4
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Owner's Suite

  • Cabin: 45 m²
  • Pax: 4
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