Antarctica & the North Pole
The remotest places on earth — Antarctica, the high Arctic, and the geographic North Pole — reached aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the only luxury icebreaker built to carry you there.
Ponant
The French art of expedition
Ponant sails the world differently — French in spirit, intimate by design, and unrivalled at the ends of the earth. The fleet runs from the three-masted sailing yacht Le Ponant to the Explorer-class ships and Le Commandant Charcot, the world's only luxury hybrid LNG-electric polar icebreaker, the first to carry guests to the geographic North Pole. Across all of them: Gallic cuisine, refined design, and a way of reaching the remote that never sacrifices elegance.
Featured Partner
Sail with Ponant Cruises
Book through us and unlock exclusive Virtuoso Voyages benefits on every Ponant Cruises sailing — onboard credits, private receptions, and shore experiences unavailable through any other channel.
Plan this voyageVirtuoso Voyages
Benefits included on every booking.
As a member of Virtuoso Voyages, we are able to offer our clients exclusive benefits on every sailing — arranged before you board and confirmed directly through us.
01
Dedicated Onboard Host
A personal Virtuoso host sails with your group, present throughout the voyage to answer questions and ensure every detail runs exactly as planned.
02
Private Welcome Reception
An exclusive cocktail reception at the start of each sailing, arranged solely for Virtuoso Voyages guests with introductions facilitated by your host.
03
Shipboard Credit
$100 per stateroom on voyages under 14 nights; $200 per stateroom on voyages of 14 nights or more, to spend freely on dining, spa, or excursions.
04
Exclusive Shore Experience
A private shore excursion, VIP tour, or private car and driver whose itinerary is shaped entirely around your interests and pace — never a group schedule.
05
Specialty Dining
Complimentary reservations at specialty restaurants on select sailings, including chef's tastings and curated wine pairings on participating vessels.
06
Spa & Wellness Access
Select spa treatments, wellness credits, and onboard amenities included on participating voyages across our preferred cruise partners.
Where It Sails
Destinations
Greenland & the High Arctic
Aurora over the ice, Inuit villages, and fjords few will ever see — the far north explored with naturalists and Zodiacs from an intimate ship.
The Kimberley
Ancient red gorges and tidal waterfalls along Australia's wild northwest, anchored each night beneath a vast and empty sky.
On Board
Experiences
01
French Art de Vivre
Gallic gastronomy, an Alain Ducasse partnership at sea, and unhurried evenings at the bar — the French way of luxury, carried to the ends of the earth.
02
Decks at the Water's Edge
Private terraces, a heated pool, and an outdoor whirlpool facing the wake — the ship's open decks designed for the long polar day or the warm tropical evening.
03
Wellness at Sea
A spa, sauna, and ocean-facing treatment spaces — restoration between Zodiac landings, with the sea always in view.
Itineraries
Sample Journeys
Illustrative routings to spark the imagination — every sailing is shaped around you.
11 nights
Antarctica & the Peninsula
Ushuaia · the Drake Passage · the Antarctic Peninsula · the South Shetlands
Ice, wildlife, and silence at the bottom of the world, with expert naturalists aboard.
16 nights
The Geographic North Pole
Longyearbyen · the pack ice · 90°N · Spitsbergen
Aboard Le Commandant Charcot — the rarest voyage in luxury travel, to the top of the planet.
10 nights
The Kimberley
Darwin · the Hunter River · King George Falls · Broome
Ancient gorges and tidal waterfalls along Australia's wild northwest, by Zodiac and ship.
The Fleet
Ships we know.
Le Commandant Charcot
The world's only luxury hybrid LNG-electric polar icebreaker — reaching the geographic North Pole and the far reaches of Antarctica.
Le Boréal
A Sistership — intimate expedition luxury for around 200 guests, at home from the poles to the tropics.
Le Soléal
A Sistership, sailing the world's wildest coastlines with French elegance and an expedition spirit.
Le Jacques-Cartier
A PONANT Explorer — around 180 guests, with the underwater Blue Eye lounge below the waterline.
Le Lapérouse
The first PONANT Explorer — compact, refined, and built for the world's remoter shores.
Le Ponant
The original three-masted sailing yacht — just 16 staterooms under sail.
Spirit of Ponant
An intimate sailing yacht for the most private of voyages.