Shall we embark? Ponant invents the cruise that smells of Italy: leather, silk, porcelain, strong espresso and Mediterranean salt.
On paper, the idea sounds almost like a fantasy: bringing together a high-end French cruise line and some of the finest Italian brands from the Kering group – Gucci , Bottega Veneta , Brioni , Pomellato, Ginori 1735 – for a voyage dedicated to craftsmanship . In reality, it's a very real program, now open for bookings.
A ship as a central theme of Italian craftsmanship
Ponant is no stranger to combining travel and culture , but this time, the company is taking the concept to a whole new level. The idea isn't just to "pass through" Italy: it's to enter through the front door, by taking an interest in those who make, sew, sculpt, set, and design.
On board, the cruise is experienced as a long tête-à-tête with these Houses:
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We discover how a Gucci bag takes shape.
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Bottega Veneta famous .
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We can understand the almost obsessive precision of a Brioni suit ,
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We marvel at the colored stones and unique shapes of Pomellato ,
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We are getting a glimpse of the exacting standards of a Ginori 1735 plate , which is anything but "simply" decorative.
These are not just logos on a program, but universes that come on board, with their artisans, their designers , their stories.
Workshops to finally see "how it's done"
What you never see behind a shop window, you see here.
Passengers are invited to participate in real workshops : demonstrations of techniques, explanations of methods, and direct interaction with the craftspeople. They can ask simple questions, observe closely, touch certain materials, and compare a raw piece with a finished one.
The tone is not academic, but lively. An artisan explains why he restarts a stitch if it is not perfect, a designer recounts how a collection is born from a sketch, a Ginori 1735 specialist describes the wait in the kiln before discovering whether a porcelain piece has survived the firing or not.
Alongside these very practical moments, conferences offer a broader perspective:
the history of Italian fashion , the role of major fashion houses in preserving traditional crafts , and Italy's place in the design landscape . The aim is not to give a lecture, but to provide context for what we see and experience at each stop.
Venice, Florence, Rome: stopovers as chapters
The cruise doesn't go in circles: it follows a genuine geographical narrative.
The stops are not chosen at random; they trace a kind of sensitive map of artisanal Italy.
Venice , first of all, with its workshops hidden behind facades that are sometimes a little dilapidated. The city speaks the language of glass, masks, and textiles. You can still find artisans working in tiny spaces, at the end of alleyways known only to locals.
Florence , then, where every street seems to tell a story of the Renaissance. Between the leather workshops, the goldsmiths, the papermakers, the haute couture houses and the galleries, one quickly understands that “beauty” is not an abstract concept here, but a way of life.
Rome , finally, the capital, where ancient history meets elegant tailors, jewelers , and contemporary architects . You can go from a thousand-year-old column to an ultra-modern boutique in just a few minutes.
Ponant targeted visits around these stopovers , far from the simple tourist tour: workshops, historic houses, discreet addresses, sometimes closed to the general public.
A cruise that can also be enjoyed on the plate.
Because Italy cannot be described without talking about what you eat, the cruise also gives gastronomy .
On board, the menus are designed as an extension of the stopovers: Venetian cuisine one evening, Tuscan inspirations the next, Roman classics afterwards… The products are carefully chosen, the recipes respect the spirit of the regions crossed.
This is far from the soulless "international buffet": each dinner resembles a table set somewhere between a small neighborhood restaurant and an Italian family home, but with the service and comfort of a luxury ship .
Luxury, yes, but not detached from reality
Another important aspect of this project is the stated commitment not to overlook sustainability .
Ponant has been working for several years to limit the impact of its cruises: routes, ships, consumption, onboard awareness. This cruise is part of this approach.
The guest brands have also embarked on a more responsible path: better-sourced materials, more transparent supply chains, and initiatives supporting artisans and local communities. The goal isn't to simply assuage their consciences with a few lines, but to demonstrate that one can discuss luxury without ignoring current challenges.
Who is this trip for?
This cruise is not just for "fashion addicts". It is for those who like to understand what lies behind a well-made object: a bag, a suit, a ring, a plate, but also a city, a dish, a gesture.
The format remains intimate , with a limited number of passengers. Bookings are already open, and it's safe to assume that places won't remain available for long: the offering is unique, at the crossroads of several worlds – travel, design, fashion, crafts, and cuisine.
Ultimately, this cruise feels like a declaration:
Italy is not just about postcards and luxury shop windows in materials that slowly transform.
Ponant , by joining forces with the Houses of Kering , simply offers a new and rather privileged way to meet them, following the gentle rhythm of a ship gliding from one port to another.
