Ponant's Polar Class 2 icebreaker, which goes deep into the Weddell Sea ice with Alain Ducasse on the menu.
Le Commandant Charcot is a different kind of ship from the rest of the Antarctic fleet. It is a Polar Class 2 icebreaker, a hybrid electric vessel that also runs on liquefied natural gas, and it can push into sea ice that turns ordinary expedition ships around. That is why Ponant sends it on voyages the others cannot run, such as a fortnight in the Weddell Sea among tabular icebergs and pack ice, or far south past the Antarctic Circle to Marguerite Bay and Charcot Island.
It is also unmistakably French. The gourmet restaurant, Nuna, serves Alain Ducasse signature dishes, and the wellness deck has a spa, sauna, snow room and a heated indoor pool with its own bar. On the Weddell Sea voyages kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing and a polar plunge are part of the package. Around 100 square metres of the ship is given over to science, with two laboratories for visiting researchers.
It suits travellers who have already done the Peninsula, or who want the ice itself to be the destination. First-timers who mainly want penguin colonies and lots of landings may get more from a smaller ship on the classic Peninsula route. At up to 245 guests it is not intimate, and the deep-ice voyages spend long spells on the move between sites.
The entry stateroom, about 215 square feet (20 square metres), with its own balcony.
The same balcony stateroom layout placed on the higher decks, for a better outlook over the ice.
About 301 square feet (28 square metres), the first step up into suite space with more room to spread out gear.
Larger suites from about 430 to 516 square feet (40 to 48 square metres), for longer voyages where cabin space matters.
The largest accommodation on board: the Duplex Suite at about 1,011 square feet and the Owner's Suite at about 1,237 square feet.
The gourmet restaurant at the stern of Deck 5, large enough to seat every guest at once, with Alain Ducasse signature dishes and a fine wine cellar.
A bright buffet restaurant serving French and international cooking, for a more relaxed meal between outings.
The grand lounge on Deck 5 with a bar and live music in the evenings, and a separate cigar lounge off it.
A light-filled lounge on Deck 9 with a travel library and two Swarovski Optik telescopes for scanning the ice.
An outdoor bar with a day-long menu of sweet and savoury dishes, served from 11:00 to 18:00.
Nuna is the gourmet restaurant, the first at sea by Alain Ducasse, serving his signature dishes with fine wines. Sila is a buffet restaurant with French and international food. The Inneq outdoor bar serves a varied sweet and savoury menu through the day, from 11:00 to 18:00.
The spa works with Sothys and Davines and offers massages, treatments and hairdressing, alongside a sauna, a snow room, a fitness room and a heated indoor pool with a bar.
Ponant sets minimum ages for some activities, and guests under 18 need a parent present for water activities. Tell us the ages in your party and we will check them against your voyage.
| Guests | Up to 245 |
|---|---|
| Staterooms and suites | 123 |
| Crew | 215 |
| Ice class | Polar Class 2 |
| Guest decks | Five |
| Propulsion | Hybrid electric, powered by liquefied natural gas |
| Embarkation | Ushuaia, Argentina |
| Included activities | Kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing and a polar plunge on Antarctic voyages |
| Science on board | Two laboratories and more than 100 square metres for research |
Weddell Sea and the Antarctic Circle, sailing from Ushuaia, Antarctica
A few of the things we plan for guests in Antarctica.
The Lemaire Channel is a narrow strait between the peninsula and Booth Island, with sheer peaks close on both sides. On a still day the peaks are reflected in the water. Ice can block it early in the season, so it is never guaranteed. Be on deck with a warm drink as the ship turns in.
Gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguins nest on exposed rock along the peninsula through the southern summer. Landings at sites such as Cuverville Island or Neko Harbour last a few hours. Visitor guidelines ask you to keep your distance and give way, and penguins often walk right past anyway.
When landings are not possible, or as an extra, guides take you out by inflatable boat among grounded icebergs. Leopard seals and crabeater seals rest on the floes, and humpbacks sometimes surface close by. For many of our travellers it is the part of the trip they talk about afterwards. Waterproof trousers and a dry bag for your camera matter here.
A night in Buenos Aires and one in Ushuaia, then 11 nights on a small expedition ship across the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula, with Zodiac landings among penguin colonies and cruises through the ice.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.
