Aranui Cruises released its 2026 program, which offers more voyages to French Polynesia’s southern Austral Islands and a short Tuamotus cruise.
In the 2026 program, the 125-metre mixed freight and passenger vessel, Aranui 5, offers a bumper 25 voyages. This includes an expanded program in the sought of French Polynesia with four Austral Islands cruises. The voyages offer the only way to see all five inhabited islands in the stunning southern archipelago.
The 13-day Australs voyages call at Tubuai, Rurutu, Rimatara, Raivavae, known as the Bora Bora of the south, and Rapa Iti, which is only accessible by sea, with visits to Raiatea and Bora Bora on the return leg.
“We are thrilled to be expanding our program in the south of French Polynesia with four Austral Islands itineraries in 2026, more than ever before,” Aranui Cruises regional representative Australia New Zealand, Laurent Wong, said.
“With 250-guest Aranui 5 calling a few times a year, it’s a sustainable way to introduce these remote islands to tourism, while also offering avid Aranui fans a new itinerary to entice them back onboard to see their Aranui family.”
In addition to its expanded Australs program in 2026, Aranui 5 offers a short five-day cruise to picturesque Tuamotu atolls Mataiva, Makatea and Anaa, for those wanting to further immerse in the Tuamotus after a Marquesas Islands voyage or add a short cruise to a land-based French Polynesian itinerary.
After celebrating its 40th anniversary of cargo cruising in the Marquesas in 2024, the cruise line continues to offer its beloved itinerary to French Polynesia’s remote Marquesas Islands with 20 12-day roundtrip cruises from Papeete delivering freight to the six inhabited Marquesas Islands – Hiva Oa, Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou, Ua Huka, Tahuata and Fatu Hiva – plus picturesque pitstops at Tuamotu atolls Fakarava, Rangiroa and Makatea, as well as Bora Bora.
Aranui is offering a 15 per cent earlybird discount on Austral Islands voyages booked before 31 December 2024. As part of this promotion, all 2026 Marquesas Islands and Tuamotu voyages also get a 10 per cent discount when booked by 31 December 2024.
The cruise line is also offering, for the first time, a discount for back-to-back cruises, after seeing increased interest in guests booking consecutive voyages. Guests can receive a 15 per cent discount when booking a Marquesas voyage before or after a discovery voyage to the Australs or Tuamotus.
