VIEW FINDER

Ice Patrol

Experience the North and South Poles with Ponant.

Go where few have gone before and follow the steps of Ernest Shackleton, scientists, and penguins during a once-in-a-lifetime cruising experience around the North and South Poles with Ponant. Reinforced with a PC2 polar-class shell, Le Commandant Charcot is the highest ice-class passenger ship in the world and is designed to not just cruise among the ice — but easily forge its way through it.

At Home on the Ocean

Touted as the world’s first luxury icebreaker, accommodations and interiors are dressed to impress. Modern staterooms are spacious, with windows inviting natural light and iceberg sightings. The hospitality team’s attention to detail and intuitive service will meet your every need (including those you didn’t know you had!) so you can truly kick back and enjoy every moment.

Life onboard invites you to slow down. Experience relaxing moments in the sauna and snow rooms, take a dip in the indoor or outdoor pools, and dine on delicious dishes made with the freshest ingredients between excursions.

Arctic Adventure

Step off the ship for an icy immersion. The tranquil arctic desert surroundings, however, will leave you so awe-inspired, you’ll hardly feel the cold. Activities like dog sledding, kayaking and Zodiac trips, snowshoeing, and even swimming await — all with the help of friendly expert guides and expedition leaders. Take the invigorating polar plunge or simply float among the ice in a special dry suit, feeling at one with otherworldly arctic surroundings. Penguin sightings are most likely on your itinerary, too.

Dive Deeper

The ship is home to two floating laboratories, both of which study the ever-changing polar ecosystems and grant guests access to observe scientific research firsthand. Onboard naturalists and scientists provide enriching entertainment via illuminating lectures on icebergs, glaciers, wildlife, and the climate.

Ecofriendly Exploration

Sailing through untrammeled areas means there’s greater responsibility not only for the safety of passengers, but also the delicate marine ecosystems of the visited areas. Innovative eco-friendly features include sea creature detection, a quieter and low-vibration engine, and the ability to silently run from battery power with zero emissions. Onboard, a commitment to zero-waste means there are no single-use plastics, and everything else is recycled. Even the energy from the ship’s propulsion is used, heating the benches on the promenade deck and the outdoor pool water.