This isn't a traditional sailing ship. The company's first vessel, called Anemos, is very different. It took some inspiration from sailboats used in racing. First, the masts are made from carbon fiber. That makes them so lightweight that they can be much taller than the traditional version made from wood. The extra height means that they can hold up sails that are approx. twice as large, and catch more wind.

The sails are deployed with a mechanized system rather than sailors working by hand. You could actually handle all the seven sails on board, 3,000 square meters of sail, with just one remote control. At 265 feet (81 met.) length, the vessel is a little longer than the Cutty Sark, the famous British clipper ship. But while the Cutty Sark had 48 sailors, Anemos has just seven.

Custom routing software helps the ship use as much wind as possible. The ship also has diesel electric engines, which are used mainly to enter and leave ports. Approx. 95% of the time, the ship can rely entirely on sails.

Aranui 5 of CPTM (Compagnie Polynesienne de Transport Maritime), a specially-designed cargo liner built with passenger comfort in mind, offers spacious accommodations, sweeping decks, an outdoor swimming pool, a gym and facilities for ocean swimming, fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving.

The service is renowned for its friendly atmosphere, fine French and Polynesian cuisine, informative onboard lectures as well as for the raw beauty of its destination, the spectacular Marquesas islands.