Elite Traveler Fall 2022

DISCOVER

etr li at ve eler FALL 2022 60

by Becca Hensley

Ponant’s new collaboration with Smithsonian brings an educational experience on board

Cruises

The ever-chic Ponant, known for its French fl air, style and ability to convey art de vivre on board, gets yet more intellectual with an educational Smithsonian and Ponant collaboration. Sta ff ed with Smithsonian experts on board who accompany guests to lesser-known, behind-the-scenes sites and treasure-like shore excursions, the new program incorporates trips as diverse as Southern Spain and Portugal, the Dalmatian Coast, the Great Lakes, and Greece and the Southern Aegean. Created for all travelers, the cruises encourage solo travelers with waived single supplements on many trips, especially if booked early, and the assurance that Smithsonian’s o ff erings will support connections among like-minded cruisers. The list of celebrity creatives commissioned to bring the brand-new, billion dollar Celebrity Beyond to fruition reads like an aesthete lover’s dreamy dinner SHIP MATES Some of the cruise world’s biggest names have enlisted experts to create educational itineraries and even a shiny new vessel

party list. Aboard, fi nd architecture by Burj Al Arab designer TomWright, interiors by AD100 talent Kelly Hoppen, a stunning two-deck Sunset Bar by Nate Burkes, Daniel Boulud at the helm of 50-seat Le Voyage and a continuation of the Goop at Sea partnership with wellness maven Gwyneth Paltrow. Just as impressive, the brand’s CEO, Lisa Luto ff -Perlo, who’s deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, exempli fi es inclusivity in cruising with trailblazer-level hiring (Celebrity Cruises crews boast 33% women in an industry that averages 3%) and innovations such as choosing role model godmothers like recently inducted Malala Yousafzai (advocate for female education and empowerment) and Olympian Simone Biles (for Celebrity Beyond ) to showcase the bene fi ts of mental wellness and perseverance. ponant.com; celebritycruises.com

Ponant’s new program includes trips to Greece, the Great Lakes and Spain

TAKE THREE /// COMING SOON

1. MSC CRUISES Two words: Sophia Loren. In December, glitterati will join this revered actress when she takes on the role of godmother for MSC Cruises’ newest US fl agship, MSC Seascape . Loren has been a godmother to 17 other MSC Cruises ships, but that doesn’t mean the naming ceremony won’t draw top dignitaries to the Big Apple for the December 7, 2022 event. MSC Seascape will be the cruise line’s fi rst ship to be named in New York, re fl ecting MSC Cruises’ commitment to the North American cruise market and its upcoming expansion to New York and the Northeast, with year-round cruises available from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal beginning in April 2023. msccruises.com

2. OCEANIA CRUISES They’ve already bedazzled us with their artfulness and lavish interiors, but Oceania Cruises doesn’t rest on its laurels. The company has announced a stem-to-stern re-inspiration of the 1,210-guest ships Riviera and Marina , with Riviera debuting in December 2022 and Marina in November 2023 as re-inspired, better-than-new ships. With redone surfaces in every suite and stateroom, the ships will also vaunt refreshed color palettes, light fi xtures, fabrics and furnishings in public spaces. Expect a continued focus on the fi ne arts with Tuscan marble and new works complementing the opulent, reimagined spaces

3. ATLASOCEANVOYAGES With the proud launch of its second small ship slated for November 1, 2022, Atlas Ocean Voyages added World Traveller to its coterie of upmarket expedition ships. That trip will go a fl oat in Montevideo, Uruguay to explore the Antarctic Peninsula via the Falkland Islands, inaugurating a season of in-depth, longer itineraries (13-20 days) aimed at intrepid adventurers. Of note, in terms of brand ethics: Atlas was the fi rst cruise line to announce redeployment of its ships from Russia on the day after the Ukraine invasion. It replaced St Petersburg with stops in other captivating northern ports — such as Iceland and the Norwegian fjords. atlasoceanvoyages.com

throughout the ships. oceaniacruises.com

Photos Mike Louagie, Studio Ponant / Frédéric Michel