French luxury line Ponant and pearling company, Paspaley have been on a major recruitment drive as they prepare for the launch of the 30-guests Paspaley Pearl by Ponant motor yacht on 10 January next year.
Paspaley Pearl by Ponant will be led by Deb Corbett, General manager Sales & Marketing Asia Pacific who will be assisted by Alex Stragalinos as Marketing & Sales Manager and Wendy Macfarlane, a seasoned Travel Advisor with 30 years of experience. She will be in charge of Yacht Concierge and concentrate on promoting the bespoke product offering guests unique and authentic expedition experiences. The company has also appointed Jamie Van Jones as Expedition Sales Executive who will work with trade partners.
The motor yacht will have 15 staterooms and suites to accommodate a maximum of 30 adventure-seeking guests looking for bespoke experiences to explore the Kimberley region as well as Indonesia’s Raja Ampat & Spice Islands and Papua New Guinea.
The motor yacht will have a main dining, lounge and bar plus an outdoor alfresco dining venue. The sun deck will have a lounge and 8-person jacuzzi.
Mr Stragalinos said the line will introduce a new dining concept “Sea to Plate” where guests can fish for wild barramundi in The Kimberley and chefs will prepare this fresh on the outdoor deck for lunch or the Main Lounge for dinner. Veteran chef Serge Dansereau, formerly of Bathers Pavillion, will create menus featuring modern, locally inspired cuisine with fresh Australian produce and locally sourced ingredients from the regions the yacht visits.
Paspaley Pearl by Ponant’s Diverse itineraries
Paspaley Pearl by Ponant will offer three different itineraries in each of the three regions the yacht visits in 2025. From January to March, it will sail in East Indonesia visiting Raja Ampat and the Spice Islands with fares starting from $17,495pp.
From April to September, it will divert to The Kimberley offering different voyages with fares starting from $13,995pp. And from October to December, it will head to Papua New Guinea with fares starting from $18,495pp.
On the Kimberley expeditions particularly the 8-day Pearling Coast itinerary, guests will be able to explore Edeline island, a historical site of pearlers graves from the late 1880s. They will also be taken on an exclusive excursion to see how Paspaley dives for wild pearl oysters in Kuri Bay.
All expedition itineraries will be accompanied by Ponant’s expert naturalist guides to enrich guests’ knowledge and understanding of the destinations. Guests will fully immerse in the environment, wildlife and local cultures of the region. They will also be taken to Paspaley’s pearling farms to have a deeper understanding of how Paspaley dives for wild pearl oysters.
“We have seen great up-take from both Ponant past passengers and Paspaley clients,” said Mr Stragalinos. “They are excited to see the development of boutique expeditions within the Asia Pacific region and are keen to experience new destinations in an intimate setting.”
For more information, click here or call 1300 849 299.
