Ponant Yachting’s Spirit of Ponant II, a Lagoon EIGHTY 2 sailing catamaran for up to 10 guests and a crew of four, is due for delivery in late 2026 and will be based full-time in French Polynesia. There are no cabins to buy: she sails as a full private charter only, from EUR 64,000 (about USD 74,930) for the whole yacht, according to Ponant Explorations Group’s launch release.
Ponant Explorations Group announced the yacht on 10 September 2025, together with PONANT YACHTING, its fourth commercial brand after Ponant Explorations, Paul Gauguin Cruises and Aqua Expeditions. Spirit of Ponant II will be the group’s 22nd ship, and her Polynesia base builds on Paul Gauguin Cruises’ presence in those islands. As of 2 November 2026, I have found no announcement that she has been launched, delivered or has sailed, so read “late 2026” as Ponant’s schedule rather than a done deal.
Spirit of Ponant II: Key Facts
- Operator: Ponant Yachting (Ponant Explorations Group), with day-to-day management by Sailoe
- Model: Lagoon EIGHTY 2 sailing catamaran, built in France by Lagoon (Beneteau Group) at its Bordeaux/Gironde yard
- Length and beam: 24.97 meters (about 82 feet) by 11 meters
- Living space: 427 square meters (4,596 square feet)
- Guests: up to 10, in five double staterooms
- Crew: four (captain, first mate, chef and hostess)
- Base: French Polynesia, full-time
- Delivery: scheduled for late 2026, with the maiden voyage to Polynesia planned for the same period
- Charter: whole-yacht private charter only; cabins cannot be booked individually
- Charter fee from: EUR 64,000 (about USD 74,930), excluding international flights and variable costs
How a Ponant Yachting Charter Works
Ponant Yachting pitches its catamarans at families, multi-generational groups and groups of friends, which explains the whole-boat-only rule. CEO Hervé Gastinel said the acquisition “expands our offering in the luxury sailing segment.”
The format is all-inclusive: tailor-made itineraries, bespoke menus cooked by the onboard chef, wines and cocktails, and round-the-clock service from the four crew. Ponant says each route is adjusted to the guests’ wishes and to the weather on the day.
That flexibility cuts both ways. No Polynesia itineraries have been published for Spirit of Ponant II, so I can’t tell you which islands a first charter will visit, and I’m not going to guess.
A Lagoon EIGHTY 2 Built in France
Lagoon’s yard in the Gironde builds the EIGHTY 2 series, and Ponant’s release gives Spirit of Ponant II 427 square meters of living space (Lagoon itself says “over 400 square meters”). Lagoon brand director Thomas Gailly said the builder was “honored to support” Ponant’s premium sailing offer.
The water toys list is long for a yacht of 24.97 meters: stand-up paddleboards, snorkeling gear, water skis, wing foils, a Tiwal inflatable sailing dinghy and a Sublue underwater scooter. Scuba diving is not on that published list, which matters if you plan a Polynesia trip around the reefs.
She joins two sister catamarans, each carrying 9 to 12 guests with a crew of four. The original Spirit of Ponant entered service in 2024 as the first Ponant and Lagoon catamaran and sails the Seychelles and Corsica. La Désirade, a Lagoon SEVENTY 7 for up to nine guests in four double staterooms, joined in 2025.
A Private Catamaran or a Ship?
Ponant’s bigger ships are a different proposition entirely: Le Soléal carries 264 guests on her Indonesia and East Timor voyages, with fares sold per person and a fixed route. Spirit of Ponant II sells the opposite: one group, one boat, and a route agreed with the captain.
The per-person math is where the charter starts to look reasonable. Split across a full complement of 10 guests, EUR 64,000 works out at EUR 6,400 each, before flights and the extras the fee excludes; with six guests aboard, each share rises to about EUR 10,667.
Ponant hasn’t published how many nights that fee buys, so compare it carefully against charter quotes that state a length.
Why It Matters
Spirit of Ponant II puts Ponant Yachting’s private, fully crewed catamaran format in French Polynesia year-round. For families or friends who would otherwise rent a villa, that is a sailing alternative with a chef aboard, and for a group of 8 to 10 who want to snorkel, paddle and foil on their own schedule, it makes more sense than a cruise ship.
It is not for couples or solo travelers, because there is no way to buy a single cabin. It is not for scuba divers who want diving organized from the boat, at least on the published equipment list, and it is not for anyone who needs a fixed, published itinerary before paying a five-figure sum.
Prices and How to Book
Spirit of Ponant II is offered as a full private charter from EUR 64,000 (about USD 74,930), the starting figure Ponant published when it announced the yacht in September 2025. The fee covers the yacht and four crew, tailor-made itineraries, gastronomy, wines and cocktails, and the water toys; international flights and variable costs such as fuel, plus food and drinks beyond the included selection, are extra.
Charters are bookable through Ponant Yachting and through yacht-charter and cruise specialists.
Ritz-Carlton Evrima also opens a first French Polynesia season this December, if you would rather share a yacht than charter one. I cover it in my Ritz-Carlton Evrima story.
The Lens I’m Reading This Through
My own crewed-catamaran benchmark is chartering a yacht to sail the Virgin Islands: Seven Stars, a Bali 4.8 under six months old, out of Bimini Marina in St Thomas with a hired skipper, Chris. I liked the en-suite master cabin, disliked the generator noise whenever the AC ran, and found island groceries 50 to 100 percent above US prices. With a chef aboard, provisioning becomes the crew’s job rather than yours.
In the Seychelles, on the Sea Star sailing cruise in January, rough seas reshaped the itinerary several times, and my triple Cabin 2 had low ceilings and engine noise. Yet two dives at Coco Island, the same island behind the sister catamaran in the photo above, were the best of the trip. On Le Ponant in Greece, which I rated 4/5, 32 guests in 16 staterooms felt intimate, but value was the caveat. Weather flexibility and value per head are exactly what I’d test on Spirit of Ponant II.
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This preview is based on official announcements — I haven’t sailed aboard Spirit of Ponant II yet. Read more about how I review or visit my Work With Me page.
