Madagascar to Seychelles Cruise 2026

Nosy Be, Madagascar’s airport is Fascene Airport / Nosy Be International Airport (NOS).

Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles’ airport is Seychelles International Airport (SEZ).

For Madagascar:

Madagascar’s official currency is the Malagasy Ariary (MGA), shown as Ar. The current exchange rate is approximately US$1 = Ar4,300, although rates fluctuate.

Madagascar is largely a cash-based economy, so plan to use ariary for shops, restaurants, markets, taxis, and tips. Euros are the most widely accepted foreign currency, particularly in tourist areas, while US dollars are accepted only occasionally – and US$100 bills are often refused. Visa is the most dependable credit card, but card acceptance and ATMs may be limited outside larger cities.

One important quirk: some locals may still quote prices in the former Malagasy Franc (FMG). Always confirm that a price is in ariary, since Ar1 equals 5 FMG.

For Seychelles:

Seychelles’ official currency is the Seychellois Rupee (SCR). The exchange rate is approximately US$1 = SCR14.3. For quick calculations, US$10 is about SCR143, while SCR100 is roughly US$7. Actual ATM, bank, and credit-card rates may vary slightly.

Visa and Mastercard are generally accepted at hotels, resorts, many restaurants, and car-rental companies, AMEX less so. Some tourist-oriented businesses also accept US dollars, euros, or British pounds, but you shouldn’t rely on foreign currency for every purchase. Local rupees are best for taxis, markets, smaller shops, gas stations, and more remote locations.

ATMs are available at the international airport and throughout the main tourist islands of Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue, but they dispense only Seychellois rupees. The best approach is to carry a major credit card along with a modest amount of local cash.

All emails to our Booked Guests are available here:

We’ll share all of your wonderful entertainers here approximately 30 days before we set sail.

We’ll provide a full preview of available excursions and instructions for booking in advance here approximately 60 days before we set sail. 

You have pre-paid basic gratuities. However, if someone goes above and beyond for you, you are more than welcome to offer them a few dollars (or more if appropriate) as an extended note of appreciation and grace. Collectively, those small thank yous add up and can make all the difference in the lives of these hard-working crew members.

You can explore and book our recommended hotels in Nosy Be HERE. 

You can explore and book our recommended hotels in Victoria, Mahe HERE.

Premium Beverages are included for all guests. That’s most spirits, beer, select wines by the glass, sodas, juices, bottled waters, and specialty coffee drinks/teas.

Wines by the bottle are available for purchase from any of the bars or from your sommelier in the main restaurant.

We’ll have our exact docking location in Victoria approximately 30 days before we set sail. 

Lost & Found is located at Reception on Deck 3. If you’re missing anything, be sure to check there first. And of course if you find anything, be sure to turn it into Reception so they can get it back to its owner with haste.

Laundry services are available aboard Le Dumont d’Urville.

You’ll find laundry pricing, bags, and slips inside your stateroom. During your entire cruise, your steward or stewardess will be available for laundry and ironing services, which will be completed within 48-72 hours. You can contact PONANT for specifics on pricing at 888.400.1082.

To expedite boarding and check-in, we encourage everyone to print their PONANT Luggage Tags at home and then attach them to your checked bags just prior to arriving at Le Dumont d’Urville. You can download and print PONANT’s Luggage Tags HERE.

For all the latest VACAYA gear (or V-Gear, as we call it) – from T-shirts and hoodies to coffee mugs and hats – visit our online marketplace…

SHOP TILL YOU DROP AT THE VACAYA MARKETPLACE

PONANT is renowned to have health care’s latest generation of equipment onboard their ships.

They also go beyond industry standards with the following additional provisions:

• The onboard Medical Team consists of one Physician and one Nurse, but the team can be scaled up at any time, if required. The inhouse Medical Team is available 24×7.
• Rapid diagnostic medical equipment in an isolated environment, with mobile laboratory terminals, allowing to test all common infectious diseases, potentially dangerous or contagious, tropical diseases, as well as cardiac distress syndromes.
• “Shore-hospital-like” professional diagnostic equipment: ultrasound, radiology, and blood biological analysis.
• Facilities for the management of respiratory distress
  • 3x 40ltr bottles of O2 to last 80 hours to 5 ltr/min or 200 to 2 ltr/min distributed in fixed general circuit
  • 5 portable 5-l bottles to last 6 hours to 2 ltr/mm
  • 1 O2 extractor
  • 2 respirators
  • Intubation kits
  • Intubation drugs
  • Resuscitation solute
• Pharmacy, which has been leveled up with specific Covid-19 dotation
• Specific training and drills performed regularly
• EVASAN (evacuation) plan ready at all times in case of emergency
• Infrastructure
• 1 resuscitation bed
• 1 intra-hospital isolation room

With everyone traveling such a far distance, we’ll leave the heavy party themes to our Big-Ship Cruises and Resort vacations. On our Small-Ship Cruises, our parties are more of the cocktail variety and are themed around music (for example, 80s night). Here are our signature Small-Ship events along with one BIG exception for NYE:

THIS IS ME 
Wear a little somethin’ somethin’ that lets us know where you’re from. This is Night 1 and it’s all about getting to know each other! 

STOPLIGHT
Let us know if you’re single (wear something Green), taken (wear something Red), or if you’re somewhere magically in-between (wear something Yellow). If it’s complicated, feel free to wear all three colors! 

NEW YEAR’S EVE! 
Step into the glittering world of the Roaring Twenties for a Great Gatsby–inspired New Year’s Eve, where Giggle Water (that’s champagne 😉) flows, jazz fills the air, and every Vacayan arrives dressed to dazzle. Think flappers, dapper suits, shimmering Art Deco glamour, and nonstop dancing as we count down to midnight in spectacular style. It’s bold, decadent, and just a little bit scandalous – the perfect way to bid farewell to the old year and make a grand entrance into the new. Right, Old Sport?

With nearly all VACAYA  trips, we offer a ReachOUT initiative where Vacayans give back to the communities we visit. Once this year’s partnership is set, we’ll provide all the details here.

Your onboard magnetic card (we point out it’s magnetic to warn against placing it too close to your mobile phone, which could erase the information), which will be handed to you upon boarding is your room key. It’s also your onboard charge card and you’ll be asked for it to make onboard purchases. Whenever you leave the ship or re-board it in our ports of call, you’ll show your card to Security when leaving/returning.

When you board, you’ll want to register a credit card with Reception to cover any onboard purchases. You’ll receive a final invoice in your room on the last evening of your cruise. Assuming all of the charges are correct (and if not, be sure to speak with Reception), your card on file with PONANT will be automatically charged the morning of disembarkation. If you’d prefer to pay cash to close out your account, you will need to do that on our last night before they charge your card the following morning.

Le Dumont d’Urville is a NON-SMOKING ship. Smoking – including eCigarettes & Vape Pens – is not permitted in staterooms, on balconies, or in any public rooms. A small smoking area will be available onboard and we’ll point that out during our Day 1 Orientation.

And of course NEVER throw cigarette butts overboard. They can easily get sucked into the ship’s ventilation system and cause a fire.

The Spa’s beauticians and massage therapists are at your service on Deck 7 Aft and offer a wide range of treatments that can be booked once onboard. The Spa is typically open 9am to 8pm, but that could change slightly depending on our time ashore. Check your Daily Program (delivered to your stateroom each night with the following day’s schedule) for exact times.

Le Dumont Durville’s Fitness Center, also on Deck 7 near the Spa, is open 24 hours a day and contains several cardio machines for your use. There are no free weights in the ship’s Fitness Center. We recommend packing lightweight stretch bands that are great for resistance training, if needed.

If you have a special need you’d like us to communicate to PONANT, please email info@myvacaya.com with your need by Friday, November 12 and we’ll pass along your need(s) to PONANT.

VACAYA is all about connections. To help strengthen the bonds between our guests, we’re creating a “This Is Me” Community Board where pictures and fun facts of each of our guests will be featured. We’re hoping this new board will be a welcome addition to your VACAYA Luxe experience.

While participation is certainly not compulsory, we hope each of you will choose to join us. If you’d like to be included, please send the following to us prior to Friday, November 12:

• A Photo of you as an Individual or as a Couple (the orientation of the pics will be portrait, so think about that as you choose the best pic). Be sure the photo you choose is a clear face pic and no larger than 5MB.
• Your Name (or Names if a couple. Please indicate who’s who in the pic.)
• Your Hometown
• Your Relationship Status
• Occupation
• Family Info (children, pets, etc.)
• Interest/Hobbies
• Social Media Handle

You can send your photo and the above information to V Team Member Jen at jen@myvacaya.com. Simply click on that pink link to connect with Jen.

Please note that we won’t be able to add anyone to the board after the deadline. Shortly after November 12, the information we’ve received will be laid out by a graphic designer and the boards completed. Also, each This Is Me board is independent from past boards. So even if you’ve sent in your information for a past cruise, it won’t carry forward to this one. So, you’ll need to send it in again.

This Community Board will be posted near the ship’s Lobby.

Here is an example of what your entry will look like on the board:

PONANT ships have a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant onboard, which helps preserve the pristine waters through which we sail. To assure it can properly do its job, we need your full cooperation.

• Only use the biodegradable toilet tissue provided.
• Do not flush facial tissues, sanitary wipes, feminine hygiene products, condoms, cigarettes (you shouldn’t be smoking in your bathroom anyway), or any other materials, as they can affect the entire system and may cause embarrassing backups in your room AND in your neighbors’ rooms.
• Keep the toilet lid closed when not in use, and be careful not to drop towels, wash cloths, or personal grooming articles (including floss and Q-tips) into the toilet while flushing.

In today’s ever-shifting world, it’s imperative to protect your hard-earned vacation dollars. You can do that by insuring your investment. VACAYA partners with Travel Guard.

If you ever need to make an adjustment to your Travel Guard policy (for example, if your travel dates have shifted or you’ve added to your travel plans beyond our cruise), you can submit a policy modification request via Travel Guard’s online modification form. Modification requests must be submitted prior to your travel dates. Through this form, you can also change or add any pre- or post-cruise travel days or add additional trip costs (flights, hotel, etc.). Adding coverage for other items beyond your cruise (if that’s all that was covered in your original policy) may incur additional premium costs.

If you have questions, we encourage you to visit Travel Guard’s Resource Center, where you’ll find answers to many frequently asked questions. You can also speak with a licensed Travel Guard insurance agent by calling +1.800.826.5248.

A NOTE ABOUT TRIP INTERRUPTION INSURANCE
If you’ve not purchased trip interruption insurance (that helps defray costs of hotel accommodations in case of a positive test result at the end of the trip), there’s still time to add it to your existing policy or originate a policy with most travel insurance carriers. Although we can’t consult on insurance, we’re pointing out that these policies offer peace of mind for a reasonable price.

Unlike on our Big-Ship Cruises (where participation is nearly always guaranteed), we never know if any guests sailing on our smaller trips will need 12-step support meetings. So, we don’t typically schedule them in advance. If you are in need, however, we’re more than happy to find a time and space that works for you. Because participation is anonymous and any advance requests to communicate on the matter would break that confidentiality, we ask that anyone who needs this support speak with VACAYA Cruise Director Marti (who’ll lead the meetings) on Day 1 and we’ll do our very best to facilitate a meetup (or meetups throughout the cruise, as needed).

Late December and early January bring hot, humid, tropical weather to both northern Madagascar and the Seychelles. In northern Madagascar, including the Nosy Be region, daytime highs typically reach 88-89°F (31-32°C), with nighttime lows around 74-76°F (23-24°C). In the Seychelles, expect highs near 85°F (29°C) and lows around 77°F (25°C). This is the rainy season in both destinations, so passing tropical showers are common, particularly in January, but they’re often followed by periods of sunshine rather than lasting all day. Pack lightweight, breathable clothing, sunscreen, a hat, comfortable water-friendly shoes, and a compact rain jacket or poncho.

Pack for two different moods – tropical adventure by day and easy elegance after sunset.

During the Day

Late December and early January will be hot, humid, and tropical, with plenty of sunshine mixed with passing showers. Lightweight, breathable, quick-drying fabrics will keep you most comfortable. Think shorts, T-shirts, tanks, sundresses, linen separates, loose trousers, and swimwear with a cover-up.

Because many of our expedition experiences will involve beaches, marine environments, and natural terrain, bring secure water-friendly sandals or water shoes, along with comfortable closed-toe walking shoes with good traction. A lightweight long-sleeve shirt, UPF rash guard, or loose pair of trousers will provide added protection from the sun and mosquitoes, while a packable rain jacket or poncho will keep a sudden tropical shower from slowing you down.

Both destinations are generally relaxed, but beachwear should stay at the beach. When exploring towns and villages, add a shirt or cover-up, and plan to cover your shoulders and knees when visiting churches or other religious sites.

Evenings Aboard Le Dumont d’Urville

After sunset, think relaxed luxury – polished, comfortable, and never stuffy. Linen shirts, polos, elevated T-shirts, tailored trousers, dresses, jumpsuits, skirts, coordinated sets, stylish sandals, loafers, and clean dressy sneakers all fit the mood beautifully.

The vibe at night is casual and elegant. Think long trousers, dresses, skirts, jumpsuits, or another polished alternative as your safest dinner choice. Bring a light sweater, wrap, or jacket for air-conditioned spaces and breezy evenings on deck. Fand while formalwear isn’t required, New Year’s Eve is certainly your chance to bring the full Gatsby glamour.

Every Vacayan Should Bring

• Two or more swimsuits, so one can dry while the other is being worn
• A beach cover-up, sarong, or lightweight overshirt
• Lightweight, breathable, quick-drying daytime clothing
• A long-sleeve sun shirt or UPF rash guard and lightweight long trousers
• A packable rain jacket or poncho
• Secure water shoes or water-friendly sandals for beaches and expedition outings
• Comfortable closed-toe walking shoes with good traction
• Smart-casual evening outfits
• Deck-friendly evening shoes with secure, stable soles
• A light sweater, wrap, or jacket for air-conditioning and evening breezes
• A wide-brimmed hat or cap, polarized sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen, and SPF lip balm
• An effective insect repellent, such as one containing DEET or picaridin
• A small waterproof day bag or dry bag and waterproof phone pouch
• Personal medications and a small travel first-aid kit
• Your VACAYA party looks, especially something dazzling for our Great Gatsby-inspired New Year’s Eve celebration

Complimentary WiFi is included. 

When you check in, you’ll receive ONE WiFi passcode for one device. This is done to ensure there’s enough bandwidth for all guests. If you need access on multiple devices, simply log out of one and log in to the other.