Tauck is making a major move to boost its small ship cruise offerings. By deepening its partnerships with Ponant and BBC Earth, the company said it plans to double its small ship cruise capacity over the next four years.
Ponant, the French-owned cruise line, will debut four new luxury expedition yachts in 2018 and 2019. As part of an expanded partnership, Tauck will leverage all four Ponant new builds, starting with Le Lapérouse in summer 2018. The first Tauck sailing on Le Lapérouse departs on July 3, 2018 with the “Iceland: Land of Fire & Ice” itinerary. The seven-night cruise sails round-trip from Reykjavik stopping at off-the-beaten-path towns, tiny villages and isolated islands.
“Today, Tauck utilizes five Ponant ships for 10 itineraries. By 2020, we’ll be sailing on nine Ponant ships,” said Jennifer Tombaugh, president of Tauck.
New Cuba Cruise
New for 2018, Tauck Small Ship Cruising is adding a 10-day journey throughout Cuba aboard the three-masted schooner, Le Ponant. With 2018 departures on December 14, 23 and 28, the new people-to-people cultural sailing calls on ports between Havana and Santiago de Cuba and includes a two-night hotel stay in Havana, complete with guided Tauck sightseeing.
BBC Earth Journeys
In addition, Tauck is further expanding its four-year partnership with BBC Earth, the award-winning filmmakers behind this year’s acclaimed series Planet Earth II. Starting in 2018, all Tauck Expedition small ship cruises will become a part of the Tauck Earth Journeys portfolio with customized BBC Earth enhancements that help connect travelers with wildlife and nature. The newest destination to be added to the Earth Journeys cruise collection is Iceland.
Additional planned enhancements include BBC Earth experts on board select cruise departures and Tauck Director training and certification by BBC Earth filmmakers and historians.
Currently, every land and sea Tauck Earth Journey includes on-tour film vignettes by BBC Earth natural history experts, which Tauck guests view during their travels. Additionally, many Earth Journeys also incorporate BBC Earth approved field equipment, such as sensitive long-range microphones, thermal imaging cameras, night-vision goggles, and self-activating camera traps.