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26 Aug 26, from £6,560
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A World Affairs Voyage from Copenhagen to London

A World Affairs Voyage from Copenhagen to London

  • Itinerary
    Copenhagen to London
    Duration
    11 days
  • Dates
    26 Aug 26 to 5 Sept 26
    Prices from
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Come aboard Le Champlain for an unforgettable voyage.

This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT themed voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.

The northwest corner of Europe—the part of the continent where the Baltic and North Seas meet—is rich in history, both medieval and modern, and an ideal destination for reflection on what earlier experiences of war and peace can teach us about dealing with current issues of international security. Joining you on this voyage from Copenhagen to London, are two distinguished experts on these issues, including former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Admiral James Stavridis. They will share insights into such topics as concerns about the unity of the NATO alliance and the hopeful signs of continued commitment to cooperation in pursuit of the goals of freedom and democracy.

From Copenhagen, Le Champlain sails south to the northern coast of Germany, where you spend the first two days of your voyage in the Baltic seaports of Warnemünde and Wismar. This is the heart of the area once dominated by the Hanseatic League, and you may tour a number of towns—Lübeck, Rostock, and Wismar itself—whose well-preserved Old Towns (two of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites) speak to the wealth produced by the League's monopoly of trade.

The third day of cruising is spent navigating the 61-mile-long Kiel Canal, which cuts across the Jutland Peninsula and connects the Baltic Sea to the North Sea. Two hundred and fifty nautical miles are saved by using the canal instead of sailing around the peninsula.

Harlingen is your first port of call in the country of The Netherlands, 25% of which has been reclaimed from the sea via terps, dikes, windmills, and lake-draining. One of the most ambitious of these reclamation projects is the Woudagemaal steam-powered pumping station—built in the 1920s, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, and still in operation. Here you will learn about an early version of water management technology that will become increasingly important as sea levels around the world rise.

As the official capital of The Netherlands, Amsterdam is home to a Royal Palace that hosts state visits and official receptions. A guided visit to the Palace will focus on its role in international politics and cultural exchange, but you will also be drawn to the elegance of its architecture and to artworks that recall the splendor of the Dutch Golden Age. A second possibility for your time in Amsterdam is a tour of the Dutch Resistance Museum, chronicling the hard work and heroism of the Dutch struggle against totalitarian rule during World War II. Alternatively, choose to enjoy a cruise through Amsterdam’s famous canals, or visit the world renowned Van Gogh Museum or Rijksmuseum.

The Hague, which is home to the Dutch Parliament and the residence of the royal family, is also home to the International Court of Justice, housed within the Peace Palace, which you may explore on a guided tour. Or you may travel to nearby Rotterdam Harbor to see a floating dairy farm, that is both a demonstration of the practicability of sustainable farming in an intensely urban environment and a vision of the future. A third option for the day is to visit the 18th-century windmills at Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage site and another example of Dutch mastery of the art and science of water management.

Antwerp is your gateway to Brussels and to a choice of tours of two institutions crucial to and depicting the history of the security of Europe and of the broader Atlantic world. A visit to the European Parliament, the legislative branch of the European Union, will introduce you to its work seeking to advance the common interests of its 27 member countries. Or you may prefer a guided tour through the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History, a collection spanning more than 10 centuries of military and technological history.  Alternatively, stay in Antwerp and explore the city’s historic Diamond District.

From the Belgian port of Ostend, enjoy a walking tour of the exquisitely preserved medieval town of Bruges. Two other possible excursions focus on sustainability—one on the promise of wind power at the North Sea Offshore experience; the other a visit to Agrotopia, a state-of-the-art urban farm in the town of Roeselare. Alternatively, you may travel to nearby Raversyde, home to the remnants of the Atlantic Wall, a massive network of bunkers and tunnels built by the Germans and used in both World Wars.

Dunkirk offers a choice of museums with displays on various aspects of the city's World War II history. The Dunkirk Museum focuses on Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of Allied Troops in 1940, while the Blockhaus d'Éperlecques and La Coupole tell the story of German military installations during the Occupation.

On the final day of the voyage, Le Champlain sails from Dunkirk at midday, across the English Channel and up the Thames River, reaching London Bridge late in the evening, where the ship remains docked overnight before disembarkation in London the next day.

Overview

Your voyage

All-inclusive

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Destination

Destination

Northern Europe and Scandinavia

Copenhagen to London

Duration

11 days, 10 nights on board

Timeless, History & Geopolitics

James Stavridis

James Stavridis

Shore excursion in each port of call + transfers included

No single supplement, PONANT Bonus 30%

Ref: CL1945US - EC260826

Journey

Your daily itinerary

  • A voyage specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers including discussions with experts, transfers before and after your cruise, and an included excursion in each port of call.
  • Engaging lectures and discussions onboard with two leading experts on international affairs, including former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Admiral James Stavridis.
  • Two days of exploration of the history of the Hanseatic League in UNESCO World Heritage sites in Rostock, Lübeck, and Wismar.
  • Passage through the Kiel Canal linking the Baltic Sea to the North Sea.
  • Visits to the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and to the famed medieval town of Bruges.
  • Visits to important organizations of international cooperation and military history, including the International Court of Justice in The Hague and the European Parliament and Royal Military Museum in Brussels.
  • Key sites associated with World War II, including the Dutch Resistance Museum, the Atlantic Wall, and Dunkirk.
  • A focus on sustainable agriculture and renewable energy throughout the cruise.
A World Affairs Voyage from Copenhagen to London null
Guest

Sharing your journey with

James Stavridis null

James Stavridis

Staterooms and suites

Elegance and refinement

*Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.

Details

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What's Included

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In your luggage

A World Affairs Voyage from Copenhagen to London

Itinerary

Embarkation 26/08/26 from 16:00 to 17:00 Departure 26/08/26 at 18:00

26 Aug 26 - Copenhagen
26 Aug 26 - Copenhagen

Arrival 27/08/26 midday Departure 27/08/26 evening

27 Aug 26 - Warnemünde (Rostock)
27 Aug 26 - Warnemünde (Rostock)

Arrival 28/08/26 early morning Departure 28/08/26 late afternoon

28 Aug 26 - Wismar
28 Aug 26 - Wismar

Arrival 29/08/26 early morning Departure 29/08/26 late evening

29 Aug 26 - Crossing the Kiel Canal
29 Aug 26 - Crossing the Kiel Canal

Arrival 30/08/26 early morning Departure 30/08/26 late afternoon

30 Aug 26 - Harlingen
30 Aug 26 - Harlingen

Arrival 31/08/26 early morning Departure 31/08/26 late afternoon

31 Aug 26 - Amsterdam
31 Aug 26 - Amsterdam

Arrival 01/09/26 early morning Departure 01/09/26 late afternoon

1 Sept 26 - Scheveningen (The Hague)
1 Sept 26 - Scheveningen (The Hague)

Arrival 02/09/26 early morning Departure 02/09/26 late afternoon

2 Sept 26 - Antwerp
2 Sept 26 - Antwerp

Arrival 03/09/26 early morning Departure 03/09/26 mid afternoon

3 Sept 26 - Ostend
3 Sept 26 - Ostend

Arrival 04/09/26 early morning Departure 04/09/26 midday

4 Sept 26 - Dunkirk
4 Sept 26 - Dunkirk

Arrival 05/09/26 early morning Disembarkation 05/09/26 at 8:00

5 Sept 26 - London
5 Sept 26 - London

A World Affairs Voyage from Copenhagen to London

Included package

Shore excursion in each port of call + transfers included