In a bid to get ahead of stiff competition from other luxury players in the popular Kimberley region, French expedition line Ponant is offering flights and transfers to Aussie and Kiwi travellers during the upcoming season in 2024.

For a limited time, Ponant will offer return economy flights from major Australian capital cities as well as Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington plus seamless transfers in Darwin and Broome for the entire Kimberley expedition season which kicks off in April 2024.

Ponant’s Le Jacques Cartier will be in the Kimberley for the first time next year.

“Ponant is also including Business class upgrades to guests who choose to book in select suite categories,” he added.

“The launch of Ponant’s inclusive flight and transfer offering for our 2024 Kimberley season is a natural extension of our product range as we move to create a full-service offering,” said Chris Hall, Ponant CEO Asia Pacific.

This inclusive flight and transfer ties in with Ponant’s strategic partnership with global travel technology company, Amadeus which enables instant air bookings for travel partners whilst booking their clients’ cruise or expedition with Ponant.

The move comes as another luxury line Seabourn said its new expedition ship, Seabourn Pursuit which will debut in the Kimberley region from June 2024, has already sold 40 per cent to intrepid Aussie adventure seekers.

Five-star line, Silversea’s luxury Kimberley itineraries onboard Silver Cloud have also got off to a good start with many of its prime sailing dates selling out.

The expedition lounge aboard *Seabourn Pursuit*.

A third luxury player, Scenic has also said that it’s Kimberley voyages from Broome to Darwin onboard Scenic Ecilpse ll for 2024 starting from $14,995pp are also selling fast.

The additional competition from all other luxury players may have instrumental in Ponant’s launch of the inclusive flights and transfer deal as “this further elevates the guest experience as well as that of our trade partners, and underscores our ‘Explore to Inspire’ ethos, to always push further and constantly improve,” added Mr Hall.

Ponant’s Le Jacques-Cartier will join Le Laperouse in North West Australia for the first time next year, with both 90-stateroom vessels ideally sized and equipped to explore the Kimberley region.

Prices start at $12,815 per person in a deluxe stateroom for a 10-night Iconic Kimberley itinerary with economy flights, while suites with included business class airfares start from $20,360 per person. The flight and transfer offer can be combined with Ponant’s $800 per stateroom “welcome offer”, Ponant Yacht Club benefits and the free solo supplement offer.