PONANT: The Essence of French Luxury and Intimate Exploration
PONANT offers a different kind of voyage—one where the spirit of exploration is paired with the sophistication of French luxury and the assurance of international standards. With over three decades of expertise, Ponant invites you to experience travel at sea as it should be: refined, enriching, and intimate.
The PONANT Fleet: A World-Class Collection
The diverse fleet is a showcase of innovation and comfort, purpose-built for their unique roles in exploration: The High Polar Exploration Vessel
The world's first luxury polar exploration vessel with hybrid-electric and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) propulsion, and a PC2 Polar Class hull. Designed for extreme exploration to the furthest latitudes, including the North Pole and unchartered Arctic/Antarctic areas. It features two onboard laboratories for scientific research and an intimate, refined atmosphere with only 135 staterooms and suites.
The PONANT EXPLORERS Series (Designed for expedition cruising and equipped with the unique Blue Eye underwater lounge.)
Le Lapérouse, Le Champlain, Le Bougainville, Le Dumont d'Urville, Le Bellot, Le Jacques Cartier
Six innovative sisterships carrying a maximum of 184 guests. They embody the spirit of exploration and feature the Blue Eye, a multi-sensory underwater lounge that offers a unique perspective on the marine world. They are equipped with the latest environmental technologies and a three-position hydraulic platform for easy water access and disembarkation in remote areas.
The Sisterships (The historical foundation of the fleet, known for their subtle alliance of luxury and intimacy.)
Le Boréal, L'Austral, Le Soléal, Le Lyrial
Four elegant yachts, each accommodating up to 264 guests. They are faithful to the PONANT spirit, offering a blend of intimacy and well-being. Their size allows them to operate both classic and light-expedition itineraries, accessing isolated ports and remote locations.
The Three-Masted Sailing Yacht
The ship that launched the PONANT adventure over 35 years ago. This elegant three-masted sailboat features only 32 cabins, providing an exceptionally intimate and friendly atmosphere. It was the first sailboat in the world to be awarded the prestigious Relais & Châteaux label in 2023.
The ships are purposefully designed on a human scale, carrying only a select number of guests to preserve an atmosphere of privacy and tranquility. This intimate size allows us to reach places larger vessels simply cannot access, offering you rare opportunities to anchor in secret harbors, remote archipelagos, and protected ecosystems around the globe.A
board, the French touch is unmistakable. Fine cuisine prepared by French chefs is enhanced by exclusive partnerships with prestigious names in gastronomy, wine, pastry, tea, and wellness—ensuring every aspect of your experience reflects our commitment to excellence. Interior design by world-renowned architects and the use of exceptional French brands in linens, bath products, and décor contribute to a sense of understated elegance and refinement.
Ponant is also truly international. The guests hail from across the globe, and our multilingual crew ensures every guest feels understood, welcomed, and at ease. All services, excursions, and briefings are conducted in both French and English, maintaining a warm and inclusive atmosphere onboard.
Commitment to Sustainability and Innovation
Ponant is committed to sustainability. The fleet incorporates cutting-edge technologies to minimize environmental impact, from dynamic positioning systems that protect marine life to advanced waste management and eco-efficient engines. To sail with PONANT is to choose a voyage where luxury and discovery go hand in hand—a journey shaped by expertise, guided by conscience, and elevated by the art of French living. The itineraries are unique by design. From the crystalline waters of the Seychelles to the icy silence of Antarctica, from Japan’s ancient shores to the fjords of Scandinavia, Ponant brings you to destinations both iconic and unexpected—always with privileged access, expert guidance, and respect for the cultures and environments encountered.

PONANT EXPLORATIONS • THE NORTH POLE FROM $36,199/€29,995
Heading for 90 degrees North! Set off from Spitsbergen to sail to the edges of the Earth and reach the North Pole, the Holy Grail of adventurers in search of “the end of the world”. Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, a technological cocoon designed for exploration, you will encounter a wild and silent world. Single supplement waived on select sailings. Contact Cruise Norway for expert advice and best price.

PONANT EXPLORATIONS • SAIL AROUND THE WHITE CONTINENT
Le Commandant Charcot will be the first ship of its category to complete a total circumnavigation of Antarctica, covering nearly 23,000 km of coastline. This complete circumnavigation of Antarctica pushes the boundaries of modern polar exploration. Be part of history! Inquire about Cruise Norway savings to save thousands.
Le Jacques Cartier
Le Jacques Cartier
Le Boréal
Le Boréal
Le Dumont-d'Urville
Le Dumont-d'Urville
Le Bellot
Le Bellot
Spirit of Ponant
Spirit of Ponant
Le Commandant Charcot
Le Commandant Charcot
Le Bougainville
Le Bougainville
Le Lapérouse
Le Lapérouse
L'Austral
L'Austral
Le Champlain
Le Champlain
In keeping with the philosophy of PONANT and the PONANT EXPLORERS, Le Jacques-Cartier combines the desire for adventure with five-star travel. A modern ship with slender, tapered lines, it is environmentally friendly and equipped with innovative technology.
Tastefully decorated, Le Jacques-Cartier reflects the universe so dear to PONANT, with its light tones and open-to-the-sea design providing soft light and luminosity at every instant of the day. Its ethnic chic ambiance pays homage to the destinations we visit.
Located below the waterline, the Blue Eye, the first ever multisensorial lounge, offers a unique experience: the opportunity to enjoy undersea views and the sounds of the marine world whilst sharing a glass together.
Le Boréal (Ponant)
Le Boréal, along with its sister ships L’Austral, Le Soléal, and Le Lyrial, embodies the distinctive atmosphere of the PONANT fleet, subtly combining luxury, intimacy, and serene well-being. The ship’s ingenious and refined design, evident in both its exterior and interior lines, offers passengers spaces conducive to peaceful tranquility and conviviality.The vessel features an innovative design, sleek profile, and refined interior decoration—a unique style and signature created by French designers. Combinations of fine materials, colors, and elegant lines create a unique on-board atmosphere: the chic, naturally relaxing ambiance of a veritable private yacht. Sailing in the polar regions, Le Boréal accommodates less than 200 guests. Cruise Norway, boasting 27 years of polar expedition experience, is a preferred travel partner of Ponant for worldwide expeditions. Contact us for the best advice and exclusive pricing.
Le Soléal (Ponant)
Le Soléal further reaffirms PONANT's signature approach: taking passengers to the farthest reaches of the planet onboard five-star ships that offer top-of-the-range services. The vessel subtly combines luxury, intimacy, and serene well-being, designed to offer guests moments of both conviviality and peaceful tranquility.
Key characteristics of the ship include:
Design and Ambiance: Le Soléal presents an elegant appearance and a refined interior design, combining them with cutting-edge technology to offer "adventure in a luxury setting." The ingenious and refined exterior and interior lines testify to the design of the sister ships. The overall ambiance is the chic and naturally relaxing atmosphere of a veritable private yacht, achieved through a unique style created by French designers and decorators.
Color Palette: The interior decoration draws inspiration from the tones and colors of its destinations, using a palette of blues that ranges from the soft, luminous grey-like tones of polar ice to the vivid notes and turquoises of Mediterranean inlets and coves.
Capacity: She sails in the polar regions with less than 200 guests.
Cruise Norway Worldwide Expeditions, with 27 years of polar expedition experience, is a preferred travel partner of Ponant. Contact us for the best advice and exclusive pricing.
Le Dumont-d’Urville belongs to a new generation of ships fitted with innovative equipment and designed to be environmentally friendly, and which come equipped with lounges that are largely open to the exterior, an outdoor swimming pool and a Blue Eye, an underwater lounge. Everything is in place for an extraordinary cruise experience. It's now possible to depart for adventure to the most remote places on the planet onboard a ship offering luxury services.
Like the other ships in the PONANT EXPLORERS series, Le Bellot has been designed to provide absolute comfort for its passengers, even at the heart of the world's most remote and isolated regions.
Racy lines, state-of-the-art equipment, a refined design, a softly muted and at the same time convivial ambiance together with a deliberately restricted number of cabins all contribute to the modernity of Le Bellot, a unique ship in the world of cruising.
Starting in summer 2024, set sail for Corsica's confidential coves, or take advantage of winter 2024/2025 to explore the treasures of the Seychelles archipelago aboard the latest addition to the PONANT fleet: the Spirit of Ponant.
The Spirit of Ponant is a new expression of our pioneering spirit, as the travel format is a first in the luxury cruise sector. Our guests will experience what it is really like to be a sailor, including interacting with the Captain to create a voyage that meets their desires and expectations. They will benefit from hidden away anchorages in magical places, while enjoying the high-end services for which PONANT is renowned.
This 24-metre, 6-cabin maxi-catamaran, built in France, has been designed for an intimate and exclusive cruising experience, combining the pleasure of sailing with the refinement of personalised service.
The Le Commandant Charcot is Ponant’s revolutionary luxury expedition cruise ship and a true luxury icebreaker.
With 123 staterooms and suites, the vessel features elegant French design and extensive amenities, including spas, multiple lounges, and fine dining. It is capable of reaching the geographic North Pole and the most remote Antarctic areas, redefining polar cruising with a perfect blend of comfort and environmental consciousness. A focus on immersive experiences with naturalists and scientists ensures an unparalleled journey.The ship pioneers sustainable polar exploration, being the first deep polar exploration cruise ship equipped with a hybrid propulsion system combining Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), one of the cleanest currently available energies, and a bank of high-capacity batteries. This all-round approach, combined with the latest green technologies, reflects Ponant’s fundamental responsibility to minimize the environmental impact of your polar odyssey, ensuring respect for the ecosystems and the local peoples and lands encountered.
Contact Cruise Norway for expert polar advice and the best prices.
Welcoming and spacious common areas, refined open-to-the-sea design, sleek exterior lines, a marina to make access to the ship's zodiac inflatables easier, hi-tech equipment, an outdoor pool, a multisensorial underwater lounge… Le Bougainville represents the new generation of ships designed to combine discovery and exploration with luxury, even in the planet's most remote and isolated regions.
Environmentally friendly, fitted with innovative equipment and complete with lounges designed to be largely open to the exterior, this new and intimately sized yacht offers a unique type of cruise experience.
Onboard this ship sailing under the French flag, you'll experience the incomparable pleasure of a cosily intimate cruise offering the possibility of exploring an ever-increasing range of destinations in an ethnic chic ambiance and with five-star service.
The Blue Eye, a multisensorial underwater lounge offering a unique experience unlike anything else in the world.
Le Lyrial (Ponant)
First introduced in 2015, Le Lyrial is the fourth ship in the sister-ship series and is the very embodiment of a new generation of intimately sized cruise ships. Its innovative design, sleek profile, and refined interior decoration—all characterized by sober understatement and refinement—make it a yacht of a rare kind. French designers and decorators gave this vessel a unique style, featuring combinations of fine materials, colors, and elegant lines, harmoniously livened up with touches of bright color.
The interior decoration draws inspiration from the tones and colors of its destinations, utilizing a palette of blues ranging from the soft, luminous grey-like tones of polar ice to the vivid notes and turquoises of Mediterranean inlets and coves. The overall ambiance is designed to subtly combine luxury, intimacy, and serene well-being, offering passengers both moments of conviviality and spaces conducive to peaceful tranquility. She is perfectly suited for polar regions, sailing with less than 200 guests.
Cruise Norway, with 27 years of polar expedition experience, is a preferred travel partner of Ponant for worldwide expeditions. Contact us for the best advice and exclusive pricing.
L’Austral (Ponant)
Ponant’s L’Austral possesses an innovative design, sleek profile, and refined interior decoration that create a unique and intimate atmosphere, setting it apart with a distinct style. The harmonious combination of fine materials, colors, and elegant lines gives the ship the chic, naturally relaxing ambiance of a private yacht. She is perfectly suited for polar regions, sailing with less than 200 guests. Cruise Norway, with 27 years of polar expedition experience, is a preferred travel partner of Ponant for worldwide expeditions. Contact us for the best advice and exclusive pricing.
Like the rest of the PONANT EXPLORERS series, Le Champlain successfully manages to subtly combine the desire to explore the remotest regions of the planet with the comfort and privacy of a cosily intimate ship.
To the innovative and environmentally friendly equipment are added elegant design and a unique atmosphere in keeping with the whole PONANT universe. Your dream of a cruise onboard a cosily intimate ship is thus made possible through the combination of an authentically genuine voyage experience together with discreet luxury.
This legendary yacht offers a uniquely exclusive voyage experience. An invitation to sail, revitalise oneself, share, contemplate and respect the world around us. An ode to freedom and the treasures of nature.
With its common areas open extensively to the horizon, you will have never felt such communion with the elements. With one crew member per passenger and just thirty-two guests on board, you will have never enjoyed so much attention. With navigation under sail the moment conditions allow, you will have never savoured each second that passes to such an extent.
DISCLAIMER: Rates are per person, subject to availability and can change at any time
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Cruise Norway International
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