Want to book a PONANT cruise at the best rate possible while also getting additional perks? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for help.
I haven’t taken a cruise in over 20 years, though lately I’ve had an itch to change that. As I do some research, I think PONANT might just be the cruise line that’s most up my alley. I’m just impressed by what the cruise line offers, and would love to hear about any experiences from OMAAT readers.
In this post:
My philosophy on taking cruises
Everyone has different kinds of vacation preferences. Some people love cruises, some people love all-inclusive hotels, etc.
As a kid (I’m talking in my pre-teens), I used to be obsessed with cruise ships, almost as much as I like airplanes now. However, that passion disappeared overnight, and frankly I haven’t had much desire to go on a cruise ever since. Well, at least that was the case until recently.
For my own travel style, I don’t see the appeal of taking a cruise that visits destinations that I could otherwise easily travel to. The concept of cruising to Cozumel or Nassau just doesn’t interest me, especially on a mega-ship, where you constantly feel like you’re part of an assembly line.
I can appreciate that a cruise is an easy and (potentially) affordable vacation. Now that we have a kid, maybe these kinds of cruises will be of interest some years down the road, since I recognize it’s great for family travel.
In the meantime, where I do increasingly see appeal with taking a cruise is in order to visit a destination that one couldn’t otherwise visit in comfort. In other words, the cruise ship isn’t the destination, but rather it’s just a comfortable floating hotel that takes me to somewhere remote I’d actually like to visit, and likely wouldn’t otherwise travel to.
For example, I’ve written about how I’d like to take a cruise to Antarctica. Obviously that’s a destination that’s easiest and most comfortable to experience by ship.
In recent years we’ve seen an increase in the number of luxury cruise ships in operation. Initially I was really interested in taking a cruise with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. When the cruise line was first announced, there were some really interesting sailings, including up the coast of Canada, and even around Iceland. However, after significant delays, I’m finding that most of the itineraries just don’t appeal to me much.
Even though the ship is smaller, it mostly visits similar ports to where you’d go on mega ships, and that’s just not too exciting for me. And that brings me to a cruise line that’s starting to get me interested…
Why I’m thinking of taking a PONANT cruise
When I’ve written about luxury cruises in the past, several readers have mentioned positive experiences with PONANT. Over the weekend I was doing some browsing on PONANT’s website, and I’m now kind of obsessed. The cruise line seems to be at the intersection of luxury and adventure, and that’s exactly what would get me to take a cruise.
PONANT is a French cruise line with roughly a dozen ships. Most of the ships accommodate a couple of hundred guests at most, and the ships are primarily built for adventure cruises. Heck, PONANT even recently launched a hybrid luxury icebreaker ship, which is the first of its kind.
The reason I’m most interested in PONANT, though, is because of the amazing journeys they offer. PONANT really seems to have the philosophy that I’m looking for, offering cruises to places you can’t otherwise easily reach.
PONANT has all kinds of cruises to Antarctica, which look amazing. In fairness, quite a few of the smaller cruise lines offer Antarctica journeys.
Equally interesting to me are the cruises to the Arctic, including Iceland and Greenland, since these are places that can otherwise be tough to explore, at least with any level of comfort or ease.
Heck, there are even some fascinating cruises around the South Pacific, including to Papua New Guinea, another place that many probably wouldn’t otherwise travel to.
Even some of the cruises in North America look awesome. There’s a cruise from Iceland to Canada via Greenland and Saint Pierre and Miquelon, which is another place that has been on my radar (mainly due to the cool transatlantic flight from there).
And while I can’t say that a 14-day cruise from Toronto to Boston has otherwise ever been on my radar, PONANT manages to make this legitimately interesting.
Anyway, it’s just generally refreshing to see a cruise line where I can scroll through the itineraries and find almost each one of them interesting. In the same way that I enjoy looking at airline route maps, I’m really enjoying looking at these itineraries out of curiosity, if nothing else, since there are some unique destinations on these cruises.
Meanwhile when I look at the itineraries of most other cruise lines, I’m a little less inspired, to put it mildly.
Let me of course acknowledge that there are other great small luxury cruise lines. I’m also not a cruise expert, so I can’t speak to this firsthand, but here’s my perception (and others are of course welcome to correct me):
- Lindblad Expeditions looks great and definitely has expertise with remote adventure cruises, though I’m not personally sure how the company compares when it comes to luxury
- You of course have the well known high-end brands like Silversea, Seabourn, etc.; my impression is that they have fewer adventure itineraries, and also go after a slightly different demographic (with more of a focus on retirees than those necessarily looking for adventure)
What’s included with PONANT cruises
PONANT cruises aren’t cheap, and pricing is comparable to what you’ll find with many other luxury cruise lines. Pricing varies wildly based on the itinerary, and cruises seem to start at $600-1,500 per person per night, depending on the routing, season, etc.
All cruises with PONANT include meals, an open bar (including champagne!), unlimited Wi-Fi, and activities during expedition cruises. Based on what I’ve heard from OMAAT readers, the food is also very good, with French influences.
Bottom line
I’m increasingly itching to take a cruise to an adventure destination like Antarctica or Greenland, and as I look at options, PONANT seems like the cruise line I’m most likely to go with. Several OMAAT readers shared positive experiences, and as I’ve spent time browsing PONANT’s website, I’m intrigued by the huge variety of unique itineraries.
I’d love to hear from more experienced cruisers if PONANT is actually as good as it looks, or if I’m just getting a little obsessed with the itineraries, and am ignoring something else.
Anyone else find PONANT’s itineraries to be interesting? To OMAAT readers who have taken a PONANT cruise, what was your experience like?
Just completed a cruise with PONANT (tropical expedition) and I have to say it was truly a fanstastic experience. This was one of the more "affordable" offering and the service was spectacular. Ponant really has a nice in the cruise market, in the sense it is not a typical cruise. It is very luxury, but not over the top, it is not your typical boat with lots of activities. It is intimate, with some activites...
Just completed a cruise with PONANT (tropical expedition) and I have to say it was truly a fanstastic experience. This was one of the more "affordable" offering and the service was spectacular. Ponant really has a nice in the cruise market, in the sense it is not a typical cruise. It is very luxury, but not over the top, it is not your typical boat with lots of activities. It is intimate, with some activites but mostly it is an expedition, you can to see the stuff during the day, jump in the zodiac and go explore with the naturalist, go to snorkel and willife/cultural activities. Food was great, but really what made ponant special was the size of the ship (50 rooms), 100 people on board, 180 max. meaning you stop in more remote places, in smaller less traveled areas, and see things with the zodiac in groups of 8 or 10 which you would not be able to see any other way. If anyone is looking for a referral discount, let me know! It was truly the trip of a lifetime.
We adored our Ponant cruise last October, Barcelona to Lisbon. I recommend the themed Smithsonian Journeys which partner with Ponant. Most fellow cruiser are English speakers and the cruise caters to this. The food, excursions, wine, speakers, ship were all top notch and we have are going again next fall.
I had an awful experience with Ponant in Dec 2022. Food safety standards were violated and I was sick for a month afterwards. Ponant ignored me after acknowledging on the ship that they were at fault. As of Jan 2023 they had a D with the better business bureau.
Has anyone been on the 11 day Scandinavian cruise on the Bellot or on the Bourgainville to the Middle East? Considering both trips.
Thank you
M
Ponant would be a good fit for what you are looking for, preferably an A&K charter.
If you go to Antarctica, do not miss South Georgia.
If you are looking at Ponant, as a couple of others have said, take a hard look at Hapag-Lloyd. They are a German company, but one of their 3 expedition ships (Hanseatic Inspiration) is International, with both English and German being official languages on board. Basically brand new, and...
Ponant would be a good fit for what you are looking for, preferably an A&K charter.
If you go to Antarctica, do not miss South Georgia.
If you are looking at Ponant, as a couple of others have said, take a hard look at Hapag-Lloyd. They are a German company, but one of their 3 expedition ships (Hanseatic Inspiration) is International, with both English and German being official languages on board. Basically brand new, and "feels" that way. It started sailing in 2019 but obviously didn't get much usage until now. The ship itself is stunning, and the level of food and service are very high as well. Speaking from personal experience as I just traveled with them to Antarctica and South Georgia.
Have Ford register for their travel agent portal, you both might be very pleasantly surprised by what you find there: https://www.hlc-agentcompass.com/service/login
Hanseatic Inspiration will be in North America for the first time this spring/summer, and there are opportunities for travel advisors to come on board for a ship inspection in Detroit, Toronto, Boston or Milwaukee if you happen to pass through any of these cities.
Travelled with Ponant to Antarctica a few years back. Wonderful food, staff and facilities. It was a multi college and university cruise and there were great lectures daily. Excursions were all a delight. Planning to do one of their arctic cruises in next year or so. The cruise was as close to perfect as any trip I have ever done.
Ponant fought very hard during COVID to NOT refund passengers for cancelled cruises. This despite their own contract that specifically granted refunds for cancelled cruises. They ignored their own contract.
If something goes sideways, I would not trust this company.
I’m a veteran of over 50 Ponant voyages and would be happy to answer any questions -
You may want to travel with one of the charter companies (Gohagan, Tauck, A&K ) which are geared more towards English speaking clientele versus a “company cruise” as they say which is primarily French clientele and definitely a different dynamic. I love all the ships, but the newer explorer class ships named after French explorers are my...
I’m a veteran of over 50 Ponant voyages and would be happy to answer any questions -
You may want to travel with one of the charter companies (Gohagan, Tauck, A&K ) which are geared more towards English speaking clientele versus a “company cruise” as they say which is primarily French clientele and definitely a different dynamic. I love all the ships, but the newer explorer class ships named after French explorers are my favorite -
Feel free to message me with any questions -
Are the charter companies changing the food for the audience? One of the highlight on the boat was the french style food, and I would hate to lose that but would not mind better international breakfast options. (pancakes/ wasnt great as an example)
I did Antarctica last season on a Ponant ship last year. While staff and public facilities were very good, my biggest problem with Ponant was the tiny size of most staterooms compared to other luxury expedition cruise lines, especially if weather is rough (as it can often be around Antarctica and during Drake Passage crossings), where getting to/from public rooms can be hazardous. Based on my calculations, they are about 60% of the size of...
I did Antarctica last season on a Ponant ship last year. While staff and public facilities were very good, my biggest problem with Ponant was the tiny size of most staterooms compared to other luxury expedition cruise lines, especially if weather is rough (as it can often be around Antarctica and during Drake Passage crossings), where getting to/from public rooms can be hazardous. Based on my calculations, they are about 60% of the size of other luxury expedition cruise lines' staterooms in all categories. We had 30+ foot seas for extended periods of time where I wasn't willing to risk the bruises or broken bones to get to or sit in public areas, so stayed in my stateroom to watch lectures when live, or read or watch films. My balcony furniture and dividers between balconies and staterooms on several decks suffered severe damage, though the maintenance staff bravely tied ropes around their waists while going out on those balconies in those monstrous seas to try to tie things down as best as possible until we got to calmer waters. While normally I wouldn't have cared that much about the lack of space, because I ended up in my stateroom longer than expected, I would have liked to have had at least a yoga mat - sized empty space to do some exercises in my room. But sadly there wasn't even that little space available, nor could heavy furniture be moved around to make it available (I tried). The gym and top deck restaurant were both closed in rough weather. Also, I was traveling alone and couldn't imagine sharing that very tight space.
I too find their their off the beaten path destinations very appealing, but I'm not sure I can tolerate the tight space again, particularly since many ships are still quarantining pax that end up with Covid or other contagious diseases, which risks a lengthier stay than expected. I also remember my stateroom being being uncomfortably warm in Ushuaia, even though it was very cool outside. Not sure if this was a function of the ship being docked rather than underway, but it makes me thing twice about trying them for any tropical destination. Hopefully, they will see what other luxury expedition lines are doing space-wise and change their stateroom designs and sizes (and ensure proper A/C where needed) on new builds. Even their most recently built ships still had nearly identical footprints to some of their older ships.
I think you've underestimated Lindblad. They've really upped their game with remarkable creature comforts on their two newest ice class vessels, on par with anything the luxury lines operate. Lindblad pioneered exploration travel and does it better than anyone. The most experienced expedition leaders and ship captains/crew in the industry, an unblemished safety record and superior guest experiences. Who else would you trust navigating the Drake passage? Lindblad's been doing it for 50+ years.
I think you've underestimated Lindblad. They've really upped their game with remarkable creature comforts on their two newest ice class vessels, on par with anything the luxury lines operate. Lindblad pioneered exploration travel and does it better than anyone. The most experienced expedition leaders and ship captains/crew in the industry, an unblemished safety record and superior guest experiences. Who else would you trust navigating the Drake passage? Lindblad's been doing it for 50+ years.
I have a good friend and his hubby currently on Le Commandant Charcot, the ice breaker ship to which you referred. It's 27 days from New Zealand to Ushuaia, and they are going around almost half the Antarctic continent. They are experiencing amazing service and a very thorough briefing regrading what to expect exciting wise. Truly a bucket list trip. May I assume your child will be staying home? This is definitely a meeting of...
I have a good friend and his hubby currently on Le Commandant Charcot, the ice breaker ship to which you referred. It's 27 days from New Zealand to Ushuaia, and they are going around almost half the Antarctic continent. They are experiencing amazing service and a very thorough briefing regrading what to expect exciting wise. Truly a bucket list trip. May I assume your child will be staying home? This is definitely a meeting of luxury and exploration. We are older, and big fans of Seabourn, Silversea and Regent, again, all adult oriented and lovely, smaller ships with very personal service. For you and Ford, I think Ponant would be a good choice. Best of luck!!
As mentioned earlier = Check the minimum age requirements for children on these Antarctica 'expedition style' cruises.
Hurtigruten is not fancy enough for Ben but Ponant could work for him when he lowers his expectations on the food. After two cruises with them I can say that its very good but not fancy Michelin-Star dining!
Maybe Hapag Lloyd with their new ships is suitable too.
Ben it appears PONANT have reached out to some YouTubers as they have hinted review trips will be coming later on in the year, if your not part of that invitation might be worth reaching out.
Check out the Scenic Eclipse - you will likely be interested by their itineraries too.
I did a cruise from Iceland to Greenland (Kangerlussuaq) last August and have booked for Antarctica in January. The tech is amazing (2 x heli's and 1 x submarine - the sub is a bit naff but a brilliant experience) and it is the most stable ship I have ever set foot on. Plus the suites are quite a bit bigger than you find on Ponant for similar $$.
What you need to consider as you have a kid is as he gets older he may like some of the activities for children on board on a line like Princess for example and it may be an easy way to travel with him for a while.
I'm sort of the same like you, Ben. I've never taken a cruise, but could imagine taking one to reach some destination which is difficult to reach or more beautiful to see from ship (e.g. calving glaciers are kind of difficult from ashore).
Interesting to see that the experience with Ponant is sort of mixed. And that's one of my reasons not to take cruises. I mean if you don't like a flight, the experience...
I'm sort of the same like you, Ben. I've never taken a cruise, but could imagine taking one to reach some destination which is difficult to reach or more beautiful to see from ship (e.g. calving glaciers are kind of difficult from ashore).
Interesting to see that the experience with Ponant is sort of mixed. And that's one of my reasons not to take cruises. I mean if you don't like a flight, the experience lasts for a few hours. If you don't like a hotel, you can usually change to another one within a day or two. But on a cruise ship, you are stuck.
Hi Ben,
Did 10 Ponant cruises so far, 11 & 12 booked (11th is the one to Papua New Guinea out of Cairns). A year ago I did the Big Adventure cruise to Antarctica and South Georgia on L'Austral. It was the trip of a lifetime, and I got very emotional on several occasions by so much beauty. As mentioned by a few others ... make sure to include South Georgia because it completes...
Hi Ben,
Did 10 Ponant cruises so far, 11 & 12 booked (11th is the one to Papua New Guinea out of Cairns). A year ago I did the Big Adventure cruise to Antarctica and South Georgia on L'Austral. It was the trip of a lifetime, and I got very emotional on several occasions by so much beauty. As mentioned by a few others ... make sure to include South Georgia because it completes perfectly a trip to the white continent. Thousands of penguins, seals; etc ...
Now what makes Ponant special? Definitely it's size. Only ships with <200 pax. are allowed to land, and max. 100 at a time. I was "lucky", still during the pandemic, that we where only 68. Then there are the naturalists team, each specialized, passionate about their own field. We had 16 so we could go in small teams, asking all the questions we wanted.
Ponant has now a new piece of art: le Commandant Charcot and that one is of course sensational with itineraries that no one else does ... but it comes with a price tag. For Antarctica their other ships "Sister's ships" are also fantastic and the price is somewhat more reasonable. You can have the flights taken out of the cruise fare because their included package from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia is pretty expensive. Several daily flights to Ushuaia and then you can include one or two nights in Ushuaia pre-cruise?
Now when it comes to the cruise experience itself, a few things to keep in mind; the fun part are the so called expedition cruises, zodiac (wet) landings. There is very little entertainment at night (but who needs that when surrounded by so much spectacular nature). Then the food ... it is very good, amazing what they can serve in such remote areas but it is not "Michelin *" level, but here also ... priority is not the food when you make a trip of a lifetime. They serve house Champagne, so far it is(was) Barons de Rothschild and Veuve C. Yellow Label on Captain's night.
Now regarding the FrenchEnglish on board ... it is "funny" to read the perception by some because the French will say "Ponant became too American" and some English speakers feel "second class"? Yes it is a French line, and I think that's what most "non-French" guests like but to my experience everything is done bilingual (I am myself Belgian and both languages are fine with me so that might explain why I am not bothered by it?). In particular in the dining room, cabin stewards, are 90 % from Indonesia and the Philippines so English isn't an issue there.
One last comment: the standard suites are indeed more large, luxury cabins, with a small balcony. Bathrooms are compact with walk-in shower but the separate toilet is practical.
Should you have more questions, don't hesitate to ask.
P.S. I can get you a 500€ discount. Just let me know
In 2 weeks, I will join Ponant on their Madagascar Adventure, which is a super exciting itinerary commencing in Seychelles and disembarking in Mauritius. I will add this tropical expedition to the other Ponant sailing expeditions that I have taken: Antarctica/South Georgia; Cape Verde; Svalbard/Arctic; Seychelles; and Central America. The international and non-American passenger mix (for me) is a plus. Ironically, I do not consider myself a cruiser, but I get adrenaline kicks out of...
In 2 weeks, I will join Ponant on their Madagascar Adventure, which is a super exciting itinerary commencing in Seychelles and disembarking in Mauritius. I will add this tropical expedition to the other Ponant sailing expeditions that I have taken: Antarctica/South Georgia; Cape Verde; Svalbard/Arctic; Seychelles; and Central America. The international and non-American passenger mix (for me) is a plus. Ironically, I do not consider myself a cruiser, but I get adrenaline kicks out of the zodiac landings, exploration of remote and isolated travel locales - combine it with a luxury offering is why I return to Ponant.
I am about to take my third ponant cruise in the Seychelles to Zanzibar. I love the luxury and the food and the people one meets. My first cruise was an ocean crossing from Brazil to Senegal, which I loved. The second one was to the Azores, very interesting. Highly recommend ponant
We did the PONANT's North Pole cruise on Le Commandant Charcot last August on its final sailing of the line's inaugural year to the NP. We had pretty low expectation going in, anticipating that they could still be working out the kinks & refining experiences for guests. The pre-cruise experience could have been managed better. There seemed to be a communication & knowledge gap between the main office & its NY office. Several fellow passengers...
We did the PONANT's North Pole cruise on Le Commandant Charcot last August on its final sailing of the line's inaugural year to the NP. We had pretty low expectation going in, anticipating that they could still be working out the kinks & refining experiences for guests. The pre-cruise experience could have been managed better. There seemed to be a communication & knowledge gap between the main office & its NY office. Several fellow passengers encountered the same experience as we did. It was frustrating and stressful with part of the pre-cruise planning. Once on board, however, everyday was a wonderful adventure. On an expedition cruise/trip, one can't expect the weather to always cooperate, nor for animals to show up everyday. Fortunately for us, there were many, unexpected magical moments and we found beauty in the stark landscape in the far north. Even the aurora showed up for us the last two nights of the cruise. We are not party people, so we do like the lectures and being able to interact with the scientists on board. Have to admit, though, that the party at the NP was quite fun - and PONANT was generous with the champagne & caviar. The ship is new, well appointed, and very comfortable for the journey through the ice. Those who have gone to the NP with the 50 Years of Victory told us that it was deafeningly loud. On our sailing, the captain had to improvise to meet a (sudden?) change in a local law in Svalbad. Out of this, we got to see parts of Svalbad that wasn't on the original itinerary, and we also had 2 stops in Greenland, also not on our original itinerary. We hiked in areas where there were no trails. The Greenland are now incorporated into some of their 2024 NP itineraries.
There are two restaurants on board Le Commandant Charcot. The casual restaurant is fine. We frequented the main restaurant, which leans on Alain Ducasse's work, Lastly, we have to give a special shoutout to PONANT's fabulous photo ambassadors on our sailing who enriched our experience on board.
For Antarctica, do heed others' advice. If you want to participate in a lot of landings on the Antarctic peninsula, you'll want to be on a ship with fewer than 100 guests, so that everyone can land at the same time. Otherwise, you'll have to take turns. If you're taking a longer itinerary to cover the Falkland & South Georgia, then you might feel fine not getting as many landings once you're along the peninsula. In addition to the ships mentioned in other posts, one outfit that specializes in Antarctica fly-cruise is Antarctica21. It has has two ships, carrying <100 guests, & you can skip the Drake Passage. The Magellan is their newest and more upscale ship. We haven't sailed on it, so can't share a personal experience, but we were on their older Ocean Nova ~ 10 years ago. It was very plain & simple, but we had a blast on our outings! We had such a good time that we're returning to Antarctica again in early 2024.
Hey Ben - I took a cruise on the Ponant Le Lyrial in 2019 along the coast of South Africa. I have to say it was unfortunately very mediocre - bland food, bad (literally) wine, minimal entertainment, and service was French indifference to a T.
For example, the wine steward serving us the supposed good stuff at the upcharge dinner knew nothing about wine - it had spoiled (the two bottles served among the tables...
Hey Ben - I took a cruise on the Ponant Le Lyrial in 2019 along the coast of South Africa. I have to say it was unfortunately very mediocre - bland food, bad (literally) wine, minimal entertainment, and service was French indifference to a T.
For example, the wine steward serving us the supposed good stuff at the upcharge dinner knew nothing about wine - it had spoiled (the two bottles served among the tables were two very different colors). Multiple people complained about it and he just shrugged and insisted it was fine. Oh - I guess we are all just stupid then, mon ami. It was very off putting.
Entertainment was typically one not great singer signing a few songs in french in a lounge. Also - being an English speaker you are very much a second class citizen for tours, etc. They do put you with an English speaking guide, but we always were in less than prime viewing areas compared to the French groups while doing safari drives in South Africa. Also, my mom and I got cut off in line at the concierge by some retired French diplomat on board who just looked at us and said "Je suite" and then pushed us aside. The lady at the desk just smiled and helped him without any comment. It was just so rude - like our Dollars didn't count as much as this DYKWIA's Euros.
I will say the ship was pretty to look at with nice interior design and the Filipino cabin stewards were great.
Ponant wasn't horrible but for what they charge there are many other luxury ships I would sail on before them, and I definitely did not book them for my Antarctica cruise next month (going to try a suite on Hurtigruten for that)
Interesting. I had heard that about the regular PONANT cruises with lots of French tourists.
The Antarctica trip we took that was lead by A&K had a fairly worldwide passenger list and everything was in English.
Yes- the cruise I took was a "regular" cruise - not expedition. So it's possible it's different on the expedition cruises
I (in my late 30s) recommend AURORA EXPEDITION! If you're interested in actually exploring Antarctica and learning about the wildlife there (versus wanting to casually enjoy the scenery while focusing more on the luxurious offerings of a cruise line - and there is no wrong way to do it!), I HIGHLY recommend AURORA EXPEDITION. Their new ship Sylvia Earle just launched a few months ago and it was very beautiful and casually luxurious but also...
I (in my late 30s) recommend AURORA EXPEDITION! If you're interested in actually exploring Antarctica and learning about the wildlife there (versus wanting to casually enjoy the scenery while focusing more on the luxurious offerings of a cruise line - and there is no wrong way to do it!), I HIGHLY recommend AURORA EXPEDITION. Their new ship Sylvia Earle just launched a few months ago and it was very beautiful and casually luxurious but also offered tailored daily journeys dependent on weather (many cruise lines don't have the autonomy to change itineraries on the fly depending on who the parent company is and which company is running the show for that particular journey as many of these cruises happen with multiple different companies involved in its operation.. so many just stick to the set itinerary and sometimes just have a "sea day" if weather is bad - AURORA crew has autonomy to change itineraries). EVERY staff was phenomenal; most of the staff on these Antarctic cruises are from foreign countries and trained VERY well on providing five star service to guests. It felt modern, comfy, and casually luxurious. Also, they carry a MAXIMUM of 120 passengers (AURORA is deeply engaged with AECO and IAATO and provide responsible tourism to Antarctica). Truuuuuuust me, you will LOVE having less people on the ship so it's not as chaotic when getting ready for journeys or while out ON a trek/exploration. Many times you see photos where people are super close to the wildlife there, but that is a no-no. AURORA makes sure guests have the best adventure ever without harming or disturbing the nature there. They were also the first in the industry to use the X-bow and has a great safety record (I have a friend in the coast guard and had him look into it because we've never been on a cruise before and was skittish about it).
Luxury expedition cruises have exceptional expedition teams with multiple wildlife, geology, history, etc. specialists you can imagine. They know that people can be really fussy about this, especially when they've paid a lot of money for the trip. And they are usually very small so no one is just cruising by watching scenery. Zodiac excursions (usually at least 2 each day, weather permitting) are included. Only the monster non-luxury ships are sail by cruises since...
Luxury expedition cruises have exceptional expedition teams with multiple wildlife, geology, history, etc. specialists you can imagine. They know that people can be really fussy about this, especially when they've paid a lot of money for the trip. And they are usually very small so no one is just cruising by watching scenery. Zodiac excursions (usually at least 2 each day, weather permitting) are included. Only the monster non-luxury ships are sail by cruises since they have too many people to permit landings.
Did an A&K guided Antarctica trip on the PONANT crewed Le Lyrial with the entire Doubt family in 2018. Great in every way.
I have taken several PONANT cruises and can highly recommend them (for all the reasons Ben has outlined). Indeed there is no more experienced or better cruise line to visit Antarctica. The guides are extremely knowledgable, the ships are modern and decorated with excellent taste and the food, zas one would expect from a French cruise line, outstanding. Further I have complete confidence in their officers skill and knowledge of sailing in remote and icy...
I have taken several PONANT cruises and can highly recommend them (for all the reasons Ben has outlined). Indeed there is no more experienced or better cruise line to visit Antarctica. The guides are extremely knowledgable, the ships are modern and decorated with excellent taste and the food, zas one would expect from a French cruise line, outstanding. Further I have complete confidence in their officers skill and knowledge of sailing in remote and icy waters, having done so far more than some of other cruise lines which only recently entered this market (or unlike PONANT, outsource their ship management to to third party managers which may have dubiuous ownership.
We just got back from 9 days on Ponant in the Middle East. It is not bad, but it is also not great. The cabin is 20% smaller than its competition; the bathroom is miniscule; English speaking passengers are at a disadvantage; the dining room was a disorganized free for all; some food was very good and some was mediocre and there is little in the way of enrichment. Their fares are comparable to Silversea...
We just got back from 9 days on Ponant in the Middle East. It is not bad, but it is also not great. The cabin is 20% smaller than its competition; the bathroom is miniscule; English speaking passengers are at a disadvantage; the dining room was a disorganized free for all; some food was very good and some was mediocre and there is little in the way of enrichment. Their fares are comparable to Silversea and Seabourne, but their product is not. At $400 pppd, I'd go. At $900 pppd choose an established luxury line. Try Silver Sea, Windstar or Regent. Ponant gets a lot of hype it doesn't deserve.
We took a Ponant cruise to Antarctica, last Jan/Feb and were thoroughly impressed with the staff, food and beverage: First Class all the way. On the transit across the Drake Shake, the onboard scientists prepared us thoroughly for what we were about to encounter. The crew did a great job of adjusting our itinerary for weather and opportunities once we were upon Continent Seven. Highly recommend Ponant, Ben.
Ben- I'm sure you've heard the expression "Cruisers are losers!". Having said that, however, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. When we were little children, our parents took my brother and me on a Caribbean cruise. Now 70 and 66, we still talk about what a wonderful time we had back in 1964, when we were 11 & 7. I'm sure your son would have a terrific time in a few...
Ben- I'm sure you've heard the expression "Cruisers are losers!". Having said that, however, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. When we were little children, our parents took my brother and me on a Caribbean cruise. Now 70 and 66, we still talk about what a wonderful time we had back in 1964, when we were 11 & 7. I'm sure your son would have a terrific time in a few years. Secondly, I have heard from a few gay couples, both men and women, who complained that small cruise ships (generally less than 400 passengers) only had a limited number of people with whom they could relate, and therefore preferred slightly larger ships. Just some things to think about.
Not a bad sentiment to spread, the environmental impact of cruising is very high. There are other recreational activities that are much more sustainable to our planet. Losers don't think about their impact on future generations.
Just did PONANT to Antarctica (Le Boreal ship) this past Dec 2022 and loved it. This was an LGBTQ cruise chartered by Vacaya and the cruise line couldn’t have done a better job with this group of somewhat demanding guests. Everyone was raving about it throughout the cruise and at the very end.
The ship itself was beautiful and luxurious, staterooms very comfortable and well done. The adventure side was also terrific with amazing...
Just did PONANT to Antarctica (Le Boreal ship) this past Dec 2022 and loved it. This was an LGBTQ cruise chartered by Vacaya and the cruise line couldn’t have done a better job with this group of somewhat demanding guests. Everyone was raving about it throughout the cruise and at the very end.
The ship itself was beautiful and luxurious, staterooms very comfortable and well done. The adventure side was also terrific with amazing naturalists on board to educate you on glaciers, wildlife, etc. I honestly thought the food was fine but nothing that special, I expected more from the French. I did a Regent cruise maybe 10 years ago and the food was fine dining level across the board, whereas PONANT was just good. Not bad, but not amazing.
In any case, you’re there for the adventure side of it and I can’t imagine it being any better. The fact that the ship, crew, and all the facilities were excellent just made the whole experience unforgettable. One thing I really loved is that they don’t nickel and dime you, pretty much everything is included, even alcohol. And the awesome red parka they give you to use on the expeditions is actually yours to keep. Best parting gift ever!
Hey Ben,
My husband and I took our first ever cruise with PONANT for all the reasons you have outlined - adventurous yet refined... so we went on the brand new Le Commandant Charcot to Antarctica on their first ever Ross Sea Expedition (24 nights onboard - talk about jumping into the cruising deep end for our first time). I must admit that the service, food and general comfort level was INCREDIBLE - it...
Hey Ben,
My husband and I took our first ever cruise with PONANT for all the reasons you have outlined - adventurous yet refined... so we went on the brand new Le Commandant Charcot to Antarctica on their first ever Ross Sea Expedition (24 nights onboard - talk about jumping into the cruising deep end for our first time). I must admit that the service, food and general comfort level was INCREDIBLE - it surpassed ALL of our expectations. The accommodation was meticulously constructed and the general quality was everywhere (down to Diptyque bath amenities). I honestly could not comprehend how the kitchen was able to produce the unbelievably good quality of food for the entire 24 night Antarctica sailing (Keep in mind - they are not getting any deliveries of fresh produce or food - its all onboard when you embark). To be honest, you cannot really go wrong with freshly baked French baguettes, French butter, French Macarons at each and every meal... really mind-blowing! My ONLY gripe was the excursions part - we are an active household and we were made to believe that you get off the boat a lot (despite it being in a remote place like Antarctica). The reality was that you did get off the boat but not nearly as much as you'd like... so at times you may get a little stir crazy (most other passengers - granted elderly and regular cruisers - were not as bothered as we were).
We are actually taking our second-ever cruise (with our 4 year old) on the new Ritz Yacht in the summer, which has a Ritz Kids facility onboard so will be interesting to report back our experience there...
I am sitting in the Star Alliance lounge in Buenos Aires having just finished a great Antarctic cruise with Viking's Expedition ship the Octantis. Besides the usual zodiac tours they have a Special Operations Boat and two six-person submarines. Great crew. In the summer they cruise the Great Lakes and the East Coast of US and Canada.
consider Hapag Llyod
Please share your experience only if you've actually been on a Le Ponant cruise as that's what we want to read here.
I think the most interesting route with Ponant is from Svalbard to the North Pole!
You should also check Hurtigruten, they have great itineraries like Vancouver, BC to Ushuaia via Bering Strait, North Canada, Greenland, the Caribean Sea, Panama Channel, Peru, Chile and Antartica
Check out EYOS. They are an expedition charter yacht company. They have smaller yachts that, if you split with a group, essentially equal the cost of a great suite on a luxury cruise ship on a per-person basis. (They also have insane yachts that would make your jaw drop when seeing the rates). However, instead of being on a large cruise ship with tons of other people, you are on a private yacht with a...
Check out EYOS. They are an expedition charter yacht company. They have smaller yachts that, if you split with a group, essentially equal the cost of a great suite on a luxury cruise ship on a per-person basis. (They also have insane yachts that would make your jaw drop when seeing the rates). However, instead of being on a large cruise ship with tons of other people, you are on a private yacht with a dedicated staff, top of the line guides, and a totally customizable itinerary. I have been fortunate enough to be part of an EYOS charter and they are truly the best of the best when it comes to adventure itineraries.
After checking their rates, Lucky will have to launch two kickstarter campaigns to fund a trip with EYOS
I have done Silversea, Seabourn and Regent. All good, but really like Ponant's unique itineraries. May have to check them out.
Silversea Expeditions, Seabourn, Scenic-all very fine luxury lines with lots of expedition cruises (my favorite type). South Georgia is a must-stop for any Antarctica cruise-huge penguin colonies on the Salisbury Plain.
Check out Seabourn instead…
I’ve been researching Explora a bunch lately. It’s a new small ship luxury brand under MSC. They’re building 8 brand new ships, small pax count and all suites. Tons of amenities onboard such as four pools (one indoors). Some really interesting itineraries as well (and that’s only in year one/operating one ship)
Done a couple dozen big independent, RSVP and Atlantis cruises in the past. Awesome trip to Antarctica this past December with TAUCK, who, like A&F use PONANT. 70 Tauck passengers, 70 booked with Ponant (seemed all French), 160 crew on L'Austral. Perfectly done. Food was fabulous. Not cheap but will "sail" with them again.
I think Ponant is a subsidiary of CMA-CGM.
And CMA-CGM is owned 100% by Monsieur Rodolphe Saadé.
All of that to said that's a family owned business, where choices and decisions are taken like in a family owned type of business.
I believe this is why this cruise business is different than others.
I haven’t traveled with Ponant, but I went to Antarctica on Hurtigruten and many of the other passengers highly recommended the Norwegian Coastal Express, which are combination cargo and passenger ships that go up and down the coast of Norway delivering supplies. They are technically hop on-hop off (leave daily) though I doubt I’d want to attempt that. It’s pretty reasonably priced and seems like a really interesting trip. Next on my list. Hurtigruten may...
I haven’t traveled with Ponant, but I went to Antarctica on Hurtigruten and many of the other passengers highly recommended the Norwegian Coastal Express, which are combination cargo and passenger ships that go up and down the coast of Norway delivering supplies. They are technically hop on-hop off (leave daily) though I doubt I’d want to attempt that. It’s pretty reasonably priced and seems like a really interesting trip. Next on my list. Hurtigruten may not be especially high end but I was satisfied with my Antarctic experience.
Ponant, founded in 1988 by Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée and a dozen merchant navy officers is owned by Artemis, the holding company of French billionaire François Pinault and his family.
Ponant, founded in 1988 by Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée and a dozen merchant navy officers, is owned by Artemis, the holding company of French billionaire François Pinault and his family.
So I am not a cruise person. A lot of people love them but just not for me. That being the case I just did an expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and Falkland Islands - it was on the Sylvia Earle. I then did a trip to the Galapagos with Quasarex. Neither were cheap.
For Antarctica ++ some key points:
(1) make sure you include South Georgia in your itinerary - it is...
So I am not a cruise person. A lot of people love them but just not for me. That being the case I just did an expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and Falkland Islands - it was on the Sylvia Earle. I then did a trip to the Galapagos with Quasarex. Neither were cheap.
For Antarctica ++ some key points:
(1) make sure you include South Georgia in your itinerary - it is truely spectacular. Seeing 20,000 king penguins is next level.
(2) Find a boat that has <100 PAX. You can only have 100 PAX onshore at any one time in Antarctica. If you are spending $$$ then you want to maximise time onshore
(3) Pick the trip that suits your personality. If you do a Silversea you will get people who want to dress up for dinner etc, whereas on mine (which cost 25,000 USD pp), no one dressed up. The people who did the expedition were more interested in going onshore. Again - it is what suits you. Oddly I did have an older but super fit crowd.
(4) I don't know of any expedition ships to Antarctica that do not include food etc - I mean there is no where to buy it!
(5) Check the ages for children. I assume you are not going to leave your son to do a 3 week tour. Youngest allowed age for my Antarctica + trip was 8.
Now on to Ponant. They are more up market. There are some good YouTube videos of their trips to Antarctica. I met people who have done mine and Ponant - some preferred mine and some preferred Ponant. You need to do your research. I spent months looking at mine.
Do not let quality of alcohol be your deciding factor. I get it on a traditional cruise, but on an expedition no one is getting drunk as everyone wants to feel OK and go onshore!
I did a Silversea cruise to Greenland last year on a ~275-passenger ship that was about 2/3 full. Large fleet of Zodiacs for shore excursions and 11 kayaks, which I was lucky enough to paddle in twice for unforgettable glacier and whale experiences.
As far as dress-up, yes a few men did wear a jacket to dinner, but vast majority did not, and I never saw a tie or suit. Silversea's expedition cruises are just...
I did a Silversea cruise to Greenland last year on a ~275-passenger ship that was about 2/3 full. Large fleet of Zodiacs for shore excursions and 11 kayaks, which I was lucky enough to paddle in twice for unforgettable glacier and whale experiences.
As far as dress-up, yes a few men did wear a jacket to dinner, but vast majority did not, and I never saw a tie or suit. Silversea's expedition cruises are just not of that ilk (though their "classic" voyages on larger ships are).
Lucky you! Greenland is a bucket list destination for me.
The challenge with Antarctica is the limits imposed by IAATO. I understand >300 pax and there are no shore landings. 100 PAX at any one time is very much the rule and is monitored.
Interesting about the dressing up bit. Someone on my trip had been on a Silversea expedition and said people were more dressed up. Dressing up on mine was wearing jeans. It...
Lucky you! Greenland is a bucket list destination for me.
The challenge with Antarctica is the limits imposed by IAATO. I understand >300 pax and there are no shore landings. 100 PAX at any one time is very much the rule and is monitored.
Interesting about the dressing up bit. Someone on my trip had been on a Silversea expedition and said people were more dressed up. Dressing up on mine was wearing jeans. It makes sense that people are less dressed up on expeditions. have heard Silversea are awesome though!
100 PAX rule in Antarctica?
Funny you can enforce that there.
Rule is also funny, do a great job protecting Antarctica while global warming would still destroy Antarctica anyway.
Ponant is notorious for chaning their ports at the last minute - for a cruise that is scheduled to depart in Edinburgh, it will depart from an industrial town a few hours away and it is up to YOU to find transportation there. Countless stories on this in their reviews. Would definitely worry me in a country I don't know well.
There is a well known Youtube couple (K&N) who took made a video series of their Ponant cruise to the North Pole, the videos were excellent and gave a clear indication of what can be expected.
Well worth a watch IMHO.
CB
Take a Tauck River Cruise in Europe. We did their danube cruise last year - you'd like that as well.