Ponant is all about small, classy ships that offer an incredible sense of elegance and visit some of the most beautiful regions in the world. They have everything from sailing ships that carry only 13 guests and focus on the Seychelles to modern ships that sail all the way to the North Pole. When it comes to ships and itineraries, Ponant is one of the best in the business.
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Ponant Cruises Ships
Ponant Cruises divide their ships into four different categories:
- Sailing Ships
- Sisterships
- Explorers
- Icebreaker
All Ponant ships are considered ultra-luxury and feature all-inclusive dining and some of the best service at sea. Their sizes and itineraries vary, as we will see, but it’s safe to say that you could close your eyes, pick any of their ships, and have an amazing time at sea. These are all very intimate vessels, with a high crew-to-guest ratio that ranks among the largest in the industry.
Let’s explore each class in detail to give you a clear idea of what to expect once onboard.
Sailing Ships
- Ships: Le Ponant (1991), Spirit of Ponant (2024), La Désirade (2025)
- Main Destinations: Caribbean & Seychelles
- Starting Price: $9,300 for a 7-Night Caribbean Cruise.
Three ships are part of this group: Le Ponant, Spirit of Ponant, and La Désirade. La Désirade can be rented for a private trip and accommodates a maximum of nine guests. Prices for this ship are fully customized, as you are essentially chartering a luxurious vessel for yourself. Le Ponant and Spirit of Ponant are more traditional small yachts that focus on the Seychelles, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean.
These small ships typically offer oceanview cabins, balcony cabins, and suites. They also have two restaurants: a main restaurant and a more casual grill that doubles as a bar. These vessels are the most intimate in the entire fleet and often resemble a sailboat more than a traditional cruise ship.
Sisterships
- Ships: Le Lyrial (2015), Le Soleal (2012), L'Austral (2011), Le Boreal (2010)
- Main Destinations: The Mediterranean, the Arctic, Antarctica, Asia, Oceania
- Starting Price: $1,500 for a 5-Night South America Cruise; $3,500 for a 5-Night Europe Cruise
There are four popular ships in this category that are basically copies of each other, hence the name of the class. These are the largest ships in Ponant’s fleet, carrying up to 264 passengers. They focus on Antarctica, the Arctic, Oceania, and other faraway destinations. Essentially, they are the jack of all trades, offering a bit of everything with luxury.
These ships are also slightly older than those in the Explorer class but offer many of the same amenities. The Sisterships all have two dining venues, three bars, a spa, and a swimming pool. They also feature oceanview cabins in addition to balcony cabins and suites.
Explorers
- Ships: Le Jacques-Cartier (2020), Le Bellot (2020), Le Dumont-d'Urville (2019), Le Bougainville (2019), Le Champlain (2018), Le Laperouse (2018)
- Main Destinations: The Caribbean; Europe in general; the Americas (including the Caribbean)
- Starting Price: $1,000 for a 3-Night Asia Cruise; $3,400 for a 10-Night Mediterranean Cruise
Another large and extremely popular class of ships with Ponant Cruises, the Explorer class dominates the itineraries. In fact, out of all 333 itineraries available at the time of this writing, 177 are onboard Explorer class ships. The Explorer class is similar to the Sisterships but slightly newer, with a few surprises, and carries up to 184 guests.
The Explorers focus on the Mediterranean and the Americas, leaving Antarctica to the Sisterships and the Icebreaker class (though they do have a few Arctic itineraries). These ships also have two main dining rooms and three bars, including one of the most unique bars at sea: The Blue Eye. Located below the waterline, it lets you observe the ocean and marine life while enjoying a drink.
Icebreaker
- Ship: Le Commandant Charcot (2021)
- Main Destinations: The Arctic and Antarctica
- Starting Price: $28,700 for a 14-Nights Antarctica Cruise; $17,400 for a 10-Nights Arctic Cruise
There is only one ship in this class, the magnificent Le Commandant Charcot. This class focuses on polar expeditions, taking you closer than any other ship in the world to the North Pole as well as to some of the most beautiful destinations on Earth. Le Commandant Charcot has two restaurants, including the exclusive Nuna, often considered one of the best restaurants at sea.
Le Commandant Charcot carries up to 245 passengers and explores the coldest places on the planet like a titan. Remember movies with ships navigating frozen waters, surrounded by massive ice blocks? The Icebreaker just glides past them. Its hull is unlike any other expedition ship, making it possible to reach exclusive itineraries to the North Pole and Antarctica. Every cabin onboard has a balcony, which is rare for expedition ships. The ship also features an indoor swimming pool, a spa, and a heated outdoor pool that reaches 37 °C, allowing you to take a dip while surrounded by giant glaciers. All in all, this is an extraordinary ship and likely the most impressive in the entire fleet.
Ponant Cruises Destinations
Ponant Cruises operates worldwide, offering more than 300 itineraries at any given time. Like most ultra-luxury cruise lines, they have a strong presence in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, but they are also prominent in the Arctic and Antarctica with their expedition ships. In fact, one of the best polar expeditions in the world is with Ponant Cruises onboard their magnificent and ultra-advanced ship, Le Commandant Charcot.
Other highlights include cruises to the Pacific Islands, such as Bali, East Timor, and Tahiti, as well as the Atlantic Coast, including Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. Ponant Cruises also visits the Caribbean and Seychelles aboard their Sailing Ships, offering intimate trips unlike anything you have experienced on a cruise.
Here are all the destinations that Ponant visits, along with the number of itineraries available at the time of this writing. For this table, we are also including the starting prices for each itinerary in US dollars.
- The Mediterranean (93 itineraries; 5-Nights start at $3,500 per person)
- Northern Europe & Scandinavia (46; 7-Nights start at $5,140 per person)
- The Arctic (35; 4-Nights start at $4,080 per person)
- Pacific Islands (28; 11-Nights start at $9,220 per person)
- Atlantic Coast (25; 4-Nights start at $4,080 per person)
- Caribbean (23; 7-Nights start at $4,760 per person)
- Asia (22; 10-Nights start at $3,770 per person)
- Atlantic Islands (17; 7-Nights start at $4,930 per person)
- Oceania (16; 7-Nights start at $2,320 per person)
- North America (15; 8-Nights start at $9,170 per person)
- Central America (13; 7-Nights start at $5,290 per person)
- Antarctica (11; 10-Nights start at $17,320 per person)
- Transatlantic Voyages (10; 5-Nights start at $1,590 per person)
- Maghreb and the Middle East (9; 8-Nights start at $5,080 per person)
- Indian Ocean (7; 8-Nights start at $6,610 per person)
- Southern Africa (7; 12-Nights start at $4,010 per person)
- South America (4; 10-Nights start at $6,760 per person)
Next, we will take a closer look at some of their top destinations.
The Arctic
- Starting Price: $8,000 for a 7-Nights Iceland Cruise onboard Le Bellot; $17,500 for a 10-Nights Arctic cruise onboard Le Commandant Charcot
Icebergs, frozen seas, penguins, walruses, polar bears.
Arctic cruises include trips to Iceland, Greenland, and the North Pole itself. These voyages focus on the beauty of Greenland and its charming towns, the wildlife of the Arctic, and even special cruises centered on the solar eclipse in the far north.
While many Ponant Cruises ships operate in the region, Le Commandant Charcot is the only vessel that actually travels to the North Pole. The most impressive cruise to the North Pole is simply called “The Geographic North Pole,” a 12-night journey that costs $38,000 per guest. It’s not cheap, but it is one of the most unique and extraordinary cruise itineraries ever offered.
Antarctica
- Starting Price: $17,000 for a 10-Nights Antarctica cruise onboard L’Austral
The Sisterships dominate this destination, but Le Commandant Charcot also visits Antarctica from time to time. Ponant has a strong presence in Antarctica and is often considered one of the best ultra-luxury cruise lines for exploring the region. Their entry-level itinerary, called “Emblematic Antarctica,” is a 10-night cruise onboard L’Austral that costs $17,000 and covers all the highlights of this gorgeous destination.
Ponant also offers Antarctica itineraries that include three Smithsonian Journeys experts onboard, designed for English-speaking travelers and featuring numerous lectures and detailed insights about the region. Antarctica cruises range from 10 to 28 days, allowing you to extend your Antarctic adventure to include South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.
The Mediterranean
- Starting Price: $3,500 for a 5-Night Cruise onboard Le Boréal
Most ultra-luxury cruise ships operate in the Mediterranean, and the same is true for Ponant Cruises. They offer several itineraries in the region, and the more affordable options can be a great chance to experience these ships and see if they are right for you. Their most accessible itineraries include several 5-night, one-way trips across the region, such as voyages from Spain to France or from Italy to Malta. These itineraries often include stops at ancient ruins, historic landmarks, coastal towns, natural areas, and beautiful beaches, like those in the small Greek isles. Roundtrip cruises from Nice or Barcelona usually start at $4,200.
One notable detail is that the small Sailing Ship Le Ponant still operates in the Mediterranean, offering trips in France, Greece, and Croatia, usually starting at $10,000 per guest.
The Caribbean
- Starting Price: $4,700 for a 7-Night Cruise onboard Le Bougainville
The Caribbean is one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world, and Ponant Cruises approaches it in a unique way. As an ultra-luxury, intimate cruise line, Ponant focuses on smaller islands and distinctive destinations like Saint Lucia and Martinique. One of the best itineraries is the “Pearls of the Caribbean,” an 8-day cruise for $4,700 that explores Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Guadeloupe, and Dominica.
Other itineraries highlight the natural sanctuaries and cultural heritage of the Caribbean, while some extend the voyage to Panama and Colombia. The small Sailing Ship Le Ponant is also very active in the region, offering a Saint Martin roundtrip cruise called “Reverie under Sail in the Heart of the Lesser Antilles,” starting at $9,300 per guest.
Why book Ponant Cruises with us?
At Famvia, we are luxury cruise specialists. We proudly partner with some of the world’s most prestigious cruise lines, including Seabourn, Silversea, Explora Journeys, and of course, Ponant. We also have hundreds of guides and reviews on our website, the result of years of research and a strong commitment to bringing you valuable content completely free of charge.
Ponant Cruises is an excellent choice for a vacation, but the large number of itineraries and pricing options can feel overwhelming at first. That is where we come in. Famvia can help you secure the best deals as soon as new itineraries are released and save money by booking well in advance. Better yet, booking through us does not cost a dime more, and you might even save in the process, since we often have access to exclusive deals you will not find anywhere else.
With deep expertise in Ponant’s all-inclusive fares and luxurious ships, we are here to guide you every step of the way. Simply click the Request a Quote button to get in touch. Our personalized planning services are completely complimentary, and we look forward to crafting an unforgettable journey just for you.
