Are the paradises of the South Pacific really how we imagine? What are the truths behind the stories of great writers or painters such as Gauguin? The HANSEATIC nature sets sail for remote islands in search of answers. Near the coast of Chile, unfamiliar scenes rouse your curiosity on Isla de Chiloe. The ancient customs and rituals of the Huilliche, a Mapuche tribe, are still alive here today. As your expedition ship advances into the vast ocean, relaxed days at sea are mixed with exciting destinations to explore.

Its name alone speaks to the hearts of adventurers and escapists: Robinson Crusoe Island. The sailor Alexander Selkirk was marooned here in 1704 - and later inspired Daniel Defoe's literary figure. Rugged coastlines and lush green mountain landscapes provide the backdrop for adventure. The further you get from civilisation, the more authentic the cultures become. Gain insights into life in these remote places from talks by your experts, your own studies in the Ocean Academy and one particular eagerly anticipated island ...

Many legends surround the mysterious Easter Island* and the moai statues - the mystifying stone giants. Are they evidence of a highly developed system of ancestral worship? How were they transported? What caused the civilisation there to vanish? Follow the myths and legends* on a journey through almost 1,000 years of settlement history shrouded in sagas, which will also lead you to the mystery of the "birdman"*. Explore the secrets of millennia-old cultures and the stone heads with your experts. The insights and theories are sure to spark great conversations as your cruise continues.

After dreamlike views of the uninhabited Ducie Atoll, the most southerly atoll on earth, the story of the Bounty is brought to life on Pitcairn. The island became a hideaway for the mutineers in 1790 and you can meet their descendants here if the weather conditions permit.

You will set foot on yet more historic terrain on Mangareva, the main island in the Gambier Islands, which is the cradle of Polynesian Catholicism. The well-preserved St. Michael's Cathedral, which dates back to the 19th century, attests to the efforts of French preachers to convert the population.

The pristine and unspoilt Austral Islands are well off the familiar cruise routes. Each of the islands ignites the passions of lovers of the South Seas in a different way. Ranging from idyllic white beaches to densely overgrown volcanoes and a fertile plateau, the landscape has everything an explorer's heart desires. Again and again, the Zodiacs will reveal true insider tips, with independent shore visits allowing you to experience pure, unspoilt nature. Emerald-green lagoons, coral reefs, mango and banana trees - Raivavae is like a miniature version of Bora Bora. The island's inhabitants will welcome you with a traditional dance ceremony. One of the most beautiful in Polynesia, the lagoon of Tubuai, is fringed by coral reefs. Enjoy a day on the beach where Fletcher Christian of the Bounty once wanted to settle. Keep a lookout for the endemic Kuhl's lorikeet when you land on Rimatara. The precious decorative feathers of this rare parrot species were highly prized even in precolonial times. The beauty of Rurutu shines through in its rugged mountain landscape and mysterious caves.

Azure sky, turquoise bays and white beaches: finally, the heart-shaped Society Island of Moorea seems to be a true South Seas declaration of love. Enjoy a little more relaxation in paradise on the clear Pacific as you swim and snorkel. You'll return home from this cruise filled with South Seas smiles, knowing that Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island" really does exist, and that it is even more precious than imagined.