Le Commandant Charcot

In 2027, Ponant Explorations will offer 12-night voyages to the geographic North Pole aboard Le Commandant Charcot. Designed to showcase “the full magnitude of polar exploration in a shorter time frame,” these itineraries are a response to demand from the Americas’ market and complement the line’s longer North Pole voyages.

A new world first is on the cards for PONANT EXPLORATIONS as it confirmed its luxury icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot will embark on a full circumnavigation of Antarctica between January and March 2028.

PONANT EXPLORATIONS’ Le Commandant Charcot will visit Australia for the first time in February 2026 as the final destination of an Antarctic semi-circumnavigation, and the starting point of an exploration of Eastern Antarctica.

PONANT was one of two luxury travel and cruise companies recognised at the final gala of The Summit in Monaco this month, Forbes Travel Guide’s annual conference attended by hundreds of luxury partners from around the world.

PONANT will return to the St. Lawerence River in Canada over winter as part of a newly released program of 16 departures from October 2026 to March 2027 on board Le Commandant Charcot. The program will also encompass expeditions in the Baltic Sea, Norway and Greenland.

A recent voyage aboard PONANT’s Le Commandant Charcot saw a team of 20 scientists from around the world study the effects of global warming in the rapidly changing polar region.

Not many tourists visit the true North Pole each year, yet alone ever. The number is less than 1,000. But French luxury expedition cruise line PONANT makes the seemingly impossible, possible. The operator of the world’s only luxury ice-breaker, Le Commandant Charcot, is one of the few cruise lines that make the voyage achievable, and has done so on 11 occasions since launching in 2021.

PONANT has announced the addition of Starlink network, provided by Marlink, to its existing service, guaranteeing guests quality Wi-Fi access anywhere in the world and whatever the conditions.

PONANT has released its new March to November 2025 brochure featuring 13 brand new sailings exploring Northern Europe & the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, Asia, Oceania & Polynesia as well as 9 polar itineraries offering experiences exclusive to PONANT aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s only luxury icebreaker.

PONANT has unveiled exclusive voyages to the majestic Emperor Penguin colonies of Snow Hill Island during their 2025 Antarctic season.

PONANT has released its Antarctic 2025/26 program, spanning October 2025 to March 2026 with 34 departures sailing eight itineraries aboard PONANT Sisterships – Le Boréal, Le Soléal, L’Austral and Le Lyrial, as well as six departures aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s only luxury icebreaker.

CT Partners spent three days in Christchurch, New Zealand last week with 11 members from the consortia enjoying a famil hosted by PONANT and Emirates.