Premium expedition and cruise brand Ponant has launched its latest period brochure for the movement of its five-ship fleet around the world, with the guide covering voyages departing between October 2017 and May 2018.

A large portion of the world is included in the guide, coinciding also with Australia’s summer and peak travel and cruising season. More than 45 different itineraries have been scheduled across the fleet, which includes the identical 264-passenger quadruplets Le Boreal, Le Soleal, L’Austral and Le Lyrial as well as the traditional masted sailing ship Le Ponant.

The A-Z guide kicks off the season for the intrepid French exploration brand with at least one ship cruising in Antarctica, all the way through the alphabet to Zululand in South Africa. Another ship will be cruising in South America on the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. Also in the Southern Hemisphere, ships will be sailing in Papua New Guinea, Polynesia, the Seychelles and Vietnam – including a monster 85-night voyage from here to New Zealand.

At the other end of the scale, itineraries start from as little as six-nights duration.

In the Northern Hemisphere, travellers wishing to indulge in some winter cruises can do so in the Bissagos Islands in Europe, Myanmar, Latin America, Japan and Costa Rica. The line’s three-masted sailing ship Le Ponant will continue to alternate between the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, with this season seeing it meandering around Martinique, the Tobago Cays and other ports in the Southern Caribbean.

Onboard Ponant ships, guests have access to a wide variety of French and international cuisine, comfortable lounges and a stack of expedition and exploration equipment including paddle boards, kayaks, over a dozen zodiacs, a 3D sonar camera to view the sea floor and the ability to cruise along narrow rivers due to its shallow draft.

More information on specific expedition inclusions and pricing can be obtained through your preferred travel agent or cruise retailer.