Ultra-luxury small-ship French expedition cruising — including the world's first LNG-powered luxury polar icebreaker
Ponant has been operating French ultra-luxury small-ship voyages for 35+ years. The 14-ship fleet ranges from the iconic three-masted Le Ponant (32 guests) through six near-identical Explorer-class sister ships (184 guests each) to Le Commandant Charcot — the world's first LNG-powered luxury polar exploration vessel, designed to reach the geographic North Pole. All-inclusive Open Bar including Charles Heidsieck or Veuve Clicquot champagne, French chef-led cuisine, included shore excursion every port, multilingual French/English crew.
Real itineraries, real prices — sourced live. Use the filter inside the widget for dates and length.
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Why book Ponant Explorations
Why a Ponant Explorations voyage?
Six reasons we recommend this line to the right kind of traveller.
The French way of luxury at sea
Ponant is unapologetically French — French chefs, French wine list (Charles Heidsieck and Veuve Clicquot champagne in the Open Bar), French linens (Diptyque toiletries), French furniture designers, French art collection in every ship. All briefings, excursions and services are conducted in French AND English simultaneously, so non-French guests feel fully included rather than translated to.
The world's first luxury polar icebreaker
Le Commandant Charcot is the world's first LNG-powered luxury polar exploration vessel — built to reach the geographic North Pole, the Weddell Sea Emperor penguin colonies, and remote High Arctic destinations no other passenger ship can reach. 245 guests, polar-research-grade science labs aboard, polar-plunge snow cabin, helicopter pad. Ponant operates it as a luxury cruise — Veuve Clicquot in the bar, French Michelin-pedigree chefs in the dining room.
All-inclusive Open Bar
Every Ponant fare includes the full Open Bar from boarding to disembarkation — mineral water, soft drinks, wines (regional French selection), beer, premium spirits, Charles Heidsieck (sisterships and Explorers) or Veuve Clicquot (Le Commandant Charcot, Le Ponant) champagne, coffee and tea, served on request all day at all bars and restaurants. Most ultra-luxury competitors charge extra for premium champagne; Ponant doesn't.
One included excursion per port
From the 2024/2025 winter season onwards, Ponant includes one shore excursion per guest per port of call in the base fare (excluding Paul Gauguin). A choice between naturalist-led hikes/zodiac cruises and local-guide cultural tours. Premium "paid" excursions remain optional add-ons for deeper or more specialised experiences.
Six identical sister ships, not a "fleet of one-offs"
Ponant's Explorer-class — Le Bellot, Le Bougainville, Le Champlain, Le Dumont-d'Urville, Le Jacques-Cartier, Le Lapérouse — are six near-identical 184-guest sister ships built 2018-2021. Choose by itinerary, get the same hardware. The underwater multi-sensor Blue Eye lounge (underwater observation lounge beneath the waterline) and helicopter pads are unique to this class.
Free Wi-Fi included
24-hour free Wi-Fi included in every fare — limited only by latitude (no service beyond 80° North or South where satellites can't see the ship). One of the few ultra-luxury lines where Wi-Fi is not a per-voyage charge.
The honest version
Might not be for you if…
No cruise line is for everyone. Here's where Ponant Explorations might not fit. We'll point you elsewhere if so.
You're not comfortable with French-influenced atmosphere
Although everything is conducted bilingually, the food, music, design vocabulary and crew culture is unmistakably French. If you prefer American or British cruise-line cultural defaults you may find this less familiar. Note that English-speaking guests are well represented (typically 30-50% of any voyage) and crew are highly multilingual.
You want big-ship entertainment
184-264 guest sister ships have a single intimate theatre, one or two bars, no casino, no Broadway-style shows. The fleet is small-ship by design — entertainment is regional musicians, lecture programmes, expedition team conferences, naturalist talks. For Broadway shows go to NCL or Royal Caribbean.
You're looking for budget luxury
Ponant is ultra-luxury pricing — Le Commandant Charcot polar voyages start at €15,000 per person and ascend to €60,000+ for premium suites and rare itineraries. Sister ship voyages start lower (around £4,500 per person for shorter Mediterranean) but premium suites and remote expeditions price comparably. The Open Bar/included excursion model means the all-in price is more competitive than headline rates suggest.
You want shore independence
On expedition voyages (Antarctica, Arctic, remote tropics) shore exploration is by zodiac with the expedition team — you cannot freelance ashore independently. For port-of-call cultural voyages you can disembark independently in major ports as on any cruise.
The fleet
Meet the Ponant Explorations ships
The Ponant Explorations fleet at a glance.
Le Commandant Charcot
Flagship · luxury polar icebreaker · only LNG-powered
The world's first LNG-powered luxury polar exploration vessel. PC2 ice class — designed to reach the geographic North Pole, Weddell Sea Emperor colonies, Northeast/Northwest Passages. 245 guests, three restaurants (Nuna Inuit-inspired, Sila French-Alpine, Le Salon), two helicopters, snow cabin (-15°C), heated indoor pool facing bow, scientific lab. Largest cabin-class proportional to capacity in the industry.
Guests
245
Year
2021
Length
150m
Crew
215
Le Bellot
Explorer-class sister ship · 184 guests
One of the six near-identical Explorer-class sisters built 2018-2021. Blue Eye underwater observation lounge, hydraulic marina platform, 16 zodiacs. Refined French luxury — Sothys spa, hammam, theatre. Year-round worldwide deployment.
Guests
184
Year
2020
Length
131m
Crew
125
Le Bougainville
Explorer-class sister ship · 184 guests
Identical Explorer-class layout to Le Bellot. Versatile deployment — Caribbean, Mediterranean, Asia, polar shoulder seasons. Same Blue Eye lounge, hammam, helicopter pad and zodiac fleet.
Guests
184
Year
2019
Length
131m
Crew
125
Le Jacques-Cartier
Explorer-class sister ship · 184 guests
The youngest of the six Explorer-class sisters. Same hardware as Le Bellot and the other four siblings. Mediterranean, Asia, polar shoulder season deployments.
Guests
184
Year
2021
Length
131m
Crew
125
L'Austral
Sistership · 264 guests
One of the four original Sistership generation (Le Boréal, L'Austral, Le Soléal, Le Lyrial). 264 guests, slightly larger than Explorer-class, more conventional suite layout. Antarctica, Patagonia, Mediterranean.
Guests
264
Year
2011
Length
142m
Crew
140
Le Ponant
Three-masted yacht · 32 guests
The line's namesake iconic three-masted sailing yacht — extensively refurbished 2022. 32 guests in 16 suites, ultra-intimate. Mediterranean and Caribbean small-port itineraries no other vessel of this prestige can match.
Guests
32
Year
1991 (refurbished 2022)
Length
88m
Crew
30
Paul Gauguin
French Polynesia year-round · 332 guests
The line's Tahiti-based ship — year-round deployment in French Polynesia, Cook Islands and Fiji. Watersports marina, beach-club excursions, Polynesian cultural emphasis. Independent product but counts toward Yacht Club loyalty status.
Guests
332
Year
1997 (refurbished 2019)
Length
156m
Crew
210
Featured ship — Le Commandant Charcot · live deck plans, dining, galleryEnquire
Use the tabs inside the widget to browse deck plans, dining and gallery, or pick a different ship from the fleet.
Dining
French chef-led cuisine across two-restaurant ships
Each Explorer-class ship has two restaurants — Le Nautilus (main) on Deck 2 and Le Comptoir (panoramic, casual) on Deck 6. Le Commandant Charcot has three restaurants including the signature Nuna restaurant with menus inspired by Inuit culinary traditions. All meals included; Open Bar throughout.
Le Nautilus
Main restaurant on Explorer-class sisterships — French chef-led seasonal menus, regional wine selection, open seating. Included.
Le Comptoir
Panoramic Deck 6 restaurant on Explorer-class — buffet and à la carte, all-day, indoor + outdoor terraces. Included.
Nuna
Le Commandant Charcot signature restaurant — Inuit-inspired tasting menus, Arctic char, reindeer, traditional Greenlandic preparation. Included.
Sila
Le Commandant Charcot panoramic restaurant — French Alpine ski-chalet inspired, indoor/outdoor. Included.
Le Salon
Afternoon tea, French pastries, speciality coffees — all-day. Included.
Open Bar
Charles Heidsieck or Veuve Clicquot champagne, French wine list, premium spirits, soft drinks. Served on request anywhere on board. Included.
In-suite dining
24/7 room service from the main menu. Suite categories add full multi-course in-suite dining. Included.
Polar Plunge sauna deck
Le Commandant Charcot exclusive — sauna and Arctic-water snow cabin paired with light bites and warm drinks after the polar plunge.
On board
What you actually do all day
Blue Eye underwater observation lounge
Unique to the Explorer-class sisterships — a multi-sensor underwater lounge beneath the waterline with two large oval windows, hydrophones streaming underwater sound, and sub-aquatic ambient lighting reactive to vessel position. Soundscape composed by Yann Aucompte. Unmatched on competitor ships.
French-pedigree spa and wellness
Sothys-branded full-service spa on Explorer-class ships, fitness centre, hammam (sisterships), heated outdoor pool. Le Commandant Charcot adds a snow cabin (-15°C) for traditional Nordic ice-room ritual, indoor heated pool with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the bow.
Theatre, lectures and Ponant Foundation
Intimate theatre on every ship hosts evening shows, classical recitals, regional cultural programmes, and the Ponant Foundation expedition-naturalist lecture series. On polar voyages 10-20 expedition specialists (geologists, ornithologists, glaciologists, anthropologists) form the on-board academy.
Marina platforms and zodiac fleet
Most Ponant ships have a hydraulic marina platform that lowers into the water for swimming, kayaking and zodiac departures. Explorer-class ships carry 16 zodiacs for shore expeditions. Le Commandant Charcot carries 16 zodiacs PLUS 2 helicopters for polar exploration.
No surprises
What's included in your fare
Every Ponant Explorations fare bakes these in.
Open Bar all day
Charles Heidsieck or Veuve Clicquot champagne, wines, premium spirits, beer, coffees, soft drinks
One excursion per port
Naturalist-led or local-guide cultural tour per port — included
All meals
Three meals a day in all venues plus 24/7 room service
Wi-Fi
24/7 included throughout — latitude permitting (no service beyond 80°N/S)
6 months on sister ship voyages; 8 years on Le Commandant Charcot polar voyages; 16 years on North Pole and most remote Arctic voyages. Children must be accompanied. No dedicated kids programme.
Voyage length
7-15 nights typical sister ship voyages; 11-25 nights on Le Commandant Charcot (longer for North Pole); 4-7 nights short Caribbean/Mediterranean voyages also available.
Dress code
Resort Casual throughout; one or two Captain's dinners are mildly dressier (open-neck collared shirts, dresses fine — no tie required). No formal evening wear required.
Currency on board
Euros throughout the fleet (US dollars on Paul Gauguin in French Polynesia). Settled by credit card at end of voyage.
Drinks
Open Bar (all drinks) included from boarding to disembarkation — only premium "Prestige" tier spirits, exceptional wines on Le Commandant Charcot and Le Ponant, and the Premium Pass option carry charges.
Wi-Fi
24/7 included, satellite-based, can be intermittent at high latitudes (no service beyond 80°N/S). No upgrade tier; one connection per cabin.
Gratuities
Gratuities NOT charged separately on board — included in the fare on all Ponant ships.
Single supplement
Single supplement applies on most voyages; selected sailings each season are designated "single supplement waived" so single guests pay the per-person double-occupancy rate. Travelisto can identify these.
FAQ
Quick answers about Ponant Explorations
Do I need to speak French?
No — all briefings, excursions, dining, recaps and announcements are conducted bilingually in French AND English simultaneously. Crew are multilingual (typically French, English, plus 1-3 other European languages). 30-50% of guests on a typical voyage are non-French speakers. Excursions usually run with separate French and English guide groups.
What does the Open Bar actually include?
On sisterships and Explorer-class: Charles Heidsieck brut champagne, regional French and international wines, premium spirits (whisky, vodka, gin, tequila, brandy), beers, soft drinks, mineral water, speciality coffees and teas. On Le Commandant Charcot and Le Ponant: same but Veuve Clicquot champagne instead. Excluded: top-tier "Prestige" cognacs, exceptional vintage wines on Le Commandant Charcot, and the optional Premium Pass (vintage spirits and rare wines, upgrade fee).
What's Le Commandant Charcot like?
World's first LNG-powered luxury polar exploration vessel — 245 guests, hybrid LNG/electric propulsion, ice-classed for PC2 (one of only a handful of passenger vessels that can reach the geographic North Pole). Two restaurants (Nuna and Sila), helicopter pad with two onboard helicopters, snow cabin (-15°C ice room), heated indoor pool facing bow, scientific lab. Polar voyages typically 11-25 nights including North Pole, Weddell Sea Emperor penguins, Northeast Passage, Northwest Passage. Pricing starts around €15,000pp for a Deluxe Stateroom and ascends substantially for premium suites and remote itineraries.
How do excursions work?
One excursion per port is included in the fare (since 2024/2025 winter season — excludes Paul Gauguin). You pick from a list of usually 2-4 options per port: a naturalist-led hike/zodiac cruise, a guided cultural tour, a tasting/cooking experience or a market walk. Premium "paid" excursions (helicopter flights, private guides, exclusive access) remain optional at additional charge. All excursions must be pre-booked from 4 months before departure to 7 days before boarding.
Are flights included?
Flights are charged separately on most voyages. Some itineraries — especially Le Commandant Charcot North Pole departures, Antarctica fly-cruise itineraries from Punta Arenas, and selected remote-tropic departures — bundle in chartered domestic flights or charter flights to the embarkation port. These are clearly identified. Travelisto books international flights and the cruise together as one ABTA/ATOL-protected package.
How are gratuities handled?
Gratuities are NOT charged separately — they're included in every Ponant fare. Optional additional tipping is welcome but not customary or expected.
How does the Ponant Yacht Club work?
Loyalty programme with four tiers (Major after 2 cruises, Admiral after 4, Grand Admiral after 7, Commodore after 20). Benefits scale: 5-12.5% discount on future bookings, €50-200 onboard credit per voyage, 20-25% discount on most onboard expenses, complimentary laundry, complimentary upgrades subject to availability, dedicated phone line and priority boarding at top tier. Cruises booked through Ponant Yachting (Paul Gauguin division) count toward Yacht Club status.
How do I book Ponant through Travelisto?
Tell a Travel Designer which kind of voyage you want — Mediterranean cultural on a sistership, Polar expedition on Le Commandant Charcot, Caribbean on the Explorer-class, French Polynesia on Paul Gauguin, or the iconic Le Ponant 3-master cruising the Mediterranean — and we come back with current availability, suite categories, the all-inclusive fare with optional Premium Pass, optional extension flights and any pre/post hotel options. ABTA/ATOL protected. Le Commandant Charcot North Pole departures typically sell out 12-18 months ahead.
Loyalty
Ponant Yacht Club
Tiered recognition programme — onboard credit, discounts on future bookings, complimentary laundry, upgrade priority, dedicated phone line at top tier.
Major
After 2nd cruise
5% discount on future bookings + €50 onboard credit + complimentary laundry + Yacht Club Loyalty cruise eligibility
Admiral
After 4th cruise
7.5% discount + 20% off onboard expenses (excl. excursions) + €100 onboard credit + complimentary upgrades subject to availability
Grand Admiral
After 7th cruise
10% discount + 25% off onboard expenses + €150 onboard credit + free contract changes (one per year)
Commodore
After 20th cruise
12.5% discount + 25% off onboard expenses + €200 onboard credit + dedicated phone line + priority boarding
Ready to sail with Ponant Explorations?
A Travel Designer who knows Ponant Explorations will pick the right ship, the right itinerary, and the right cabin tier for you. No call centres.
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