Signature highlights
Third ship in PONANT’s six-vessel Explorers series, with a marina platform, Blue Eye underwater lounge, outdoor pool, open-air spaces, and an intimate 184-guest scale.
Le Bougainville
Le Bougainville is an 184-guest PONANT cruise ship, in service since 2019. This page lists 51 upcoming departures across 36 itineraries in Mediterranean, day by day and port by port. Its live AIS position is plotted on the map below and refreshed through the day.
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Le Bougainville at a glance
Ship size
Bigger than 44%
A small expedition-size ship at 9,976 gross tons — #308 of 565 ships we track. 54 tons of ship per guest.
Live Position ● 37 minutes ago
Heading to: Olbia
7.0 knots
Position via AIS — updated periodically, not real-time.
About Le Bougainville
Le Bougainville is an intimate PONANT expedition yacht designed for small-group exploration in coastal and remote destinations. The 184-guest ship combines French-inspired hospitality with open-air observation areas, a marina platform for water activities, an infinity-style pool, and the Blue Eye underwater lounge. Its 92 staterooms and suites are ocean-facing, with private balconies, while onboard programming includes destination lectures, naturalist presentations, live performances, and relaxed dining in a compact, elegant setting.
Ship at a Glance
- Operator
- PONANT
- Builder / shipyard
- VARD Tulcea, Romania (hull); VARD Søviknes, Ålesund, Norway (outfitting)
- Registry / flag
- Mata Utu, Wallis and Futuna; French flag
- Call sign
- FLDT
- IMO number
- 9814040
- MMSI
- 578001300
- Draft
- 4.6 m
Onboard Experience
Dining
French-inspired gastronomy is served in the main restaurant, with a more casual grill-style option available in an open-air setting.
Entertainment
The theatre hosts lectures, naturalist and destination presentations, concerts, live shows, and other performances; lounges and panoramic outdoor areas provide quieter alternatives.
Staterooms & suites
All 92 staterooms and suites are ocean-facing and include private balconies. Categories range from balcony staterooms to Deluxe, Prestige, Privilege, Grand and Owner’s suites.
Pools, spa & wellness
The ship offers a spa with treatments, a hammam, hairdressing services, and a fitness room, plus an outdoor pool and sun deck.
Accessibility
The builder lists two fully ADA-accessible cabins.
Environmental features
The ship was designed with environmental technologies and holds Bureau Veritas CLEANSHIP-related certification within PONANT’s modern fleet; the operator states that environmental performance is periodically improved.
History & sister ships
Other PONANT EXPLORERS ships
Where Le Bougainville sails, month by month
| Oct 26 |
Nov 26 |
Dec 26 |
Jan 27 |
Feb 27 |
Mar 27 |
Apr 27 |
May 27 |
Jun 27 |
Jul 27 |
Aug 27 |
Sep 27 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caribbean | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mediterranean | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Ports it visits most
Explore This Ship
Jump from Le Bougainville sailings into the broader destination network with cruise line and region hub pages.
Itineraries & Sailings
All 36 itineraries and their departure dates
- 13th Piano Festival at Sea 29 Mar 2028
- 6th Opera Festival at Sea, with Benjamin Bernheim 13 May 2027
- Ancient shores of the Mediterranean 31 Oct 2026
- Ancient shores of the Mediterranean 30 Oct 2027
- Andalusia and Moroccan shores 10 Nov 2026, 15 Nov 2026
- Authentic Mediterranean Shores 8 Apr 2027
- Break between Provence and Catalonia 8 Aug 2027
- Caribbean Flavours 16 Dec 2026
- Central America Jewels & Panama Canal 29 Dec 2027
- Corsica and the French Riviera 24 Aug 2028
- Costa Rica by Sea: Wildlife and Rainforests of the Pacific Coast – with Smithsonian Journeys 16 Feb 2028
- Cruising the Caribbean's Windward Islands – with Smithsonian Journeys 17 Feb 2027
- Cruising the Dalmatian Coast and the Ionian Sea: Venice to Athens – with Smithsonian Journeys 14 Jun 2028
- Cruising the Mediterranean: Sicily, Sardinia, and Mallorca – with Smithsonian Journeys 12 Aug 2027
- Culture and islands of the Mediterranean 6 Apr 2028
- Escapade between Greek islands and Italian treasures 3 Aug 2028
- From Malta to the shores of the Adriatic 15 May 2028
- From Malta to the shores of the Adriatic 19 Aug 2027
- Hidden gems of the Western Mediterranean 21 Jun 2027
- Historic cities and Mediterranean shores 14 Aug 2028
- Isle of Beauty, Italian Shores & Malta 29 Aug 2028
- Jewels of the Italian coastlines 11 Jun 2027
- Ocean Voyage: Cadiz - Fort de France 4 Dec 2026
- Ocean Voyage: Malaga - Fort de France 8 Nov 2027
- Pacific Coast of Costa Rica 12 Dec 2027
- Panama and Costa Rica by Sea: The Natural Wonders of Central America – with Smithsonian Journeys 12 Jan 2028
- Panama, Colombia & Caribbean Islands 4 Mar 2028
- Pearls of the Caribbean 24 Feb 2027, 3 Mar 2027, 10 Mar 2027, 17 Mar 2027
- Pearls of the Caribbean 30 Dec 2026, 6 Jan 2027, 20 Jan 2027, 3 Feb 2027
- Renaud Capuçon’s Caribbean Celebration: 50 Years in Paradise 23 Dec 2026
- Secrets of Central America 2 Dec 2027
- Secrets of Central America 19 Dec 2027, 23 Feb 2028
- The Cyclades, in the Wake of Le Ponant 22 Jun 2028, 29 Jun 2028, 6 Jul 2028, 13 Jul 2028, 20 Jul 2028, 27 Jul 2028
- Tuscany, Liguria and the French Riviera 19 Aug 2028
- Wandering the Mediterranean 31 Jul 2027
- Wonders of the Caribbean 13 Jan 2027, 27 Jan 2027, 10 Feb 2027
All Upcoming Departures
Le Bougainville FAQ
What flag does Le Bougainville sail under?
Le Bougainville is registered in Mata Utu, Wallis and Futuna; French flag.
How many passengers does Le Bougainville hold?
Le Bougainville carries about 184 guests with roughly 118 crew.
How old is Le Bougainville?
Le Bougainville entered service in 2019.
How big is Le Bougainville?
At 9,976 gross tons and 132 m long, Le Bougainville is a small expedition-size ship — larger than 44% of the 565 cruise ships cruises.to tracks.