Hamburg, November 15, 2021 | Back in the eternal ice: With the start of the premiere season of the new fleet entry Le Commandant Charcot, PONANT is the first cruise line to return to the Antarctic.
The pioneering polar expedition ship took off on November 01st, 2021 Punta Arenas (Chile) on its maiden voyage. The Le Commandant Charcot set course for the white continent. PONANT sees the start as the culmination of six years of hard work, from the first sketches to the finished ship, and welcomes the resumption of its activities in Antarctica.
The maiden voyage of Le Commandant Charcot will take you deep into the heart of the Bellingshausen Sea from November 01st to 19th, 2021. The ship is accompanied by a 20-person expedition team. Overall is PONANT this winter from November 2021 to March 2022 on the move with four ships in the Antarctic. In addition to the Le Commandant Charcot, the Le Boréal, L'Austral, Le Lyrial will cross the white continent. PONANT plans a wide range of twelve different routes and 30 departures.
Ponant Le Commandant Charcot
Winter season 2022/2023 can already be booked
For the winter of 2022/2023, 13 different cruises with a total of 34 departures are expected to be on the program. These trips offer new routes that follow in the footsteps of great explorers. The excursions allow observations of the Arctic wildlife: humpback whales, gentoo penguins, king penguins, Adelie penguins, chinstrap penguins, leopard seals, crabeater seals, Weddell seals, seabirds galore and much more.
Activities organized for guests include trips and landings with the on-board Zodiacs, kayak trips under the supervision of state-certified guides, lectures, activities in polar waters and hikes on foot or with snowshoes. Guests can become explorers on board Le Commandant Charcot if they like. You will take part in scientific workshops that raise awareness and inspire the protection of fragile environments.
Le Commandant Charcot - a revolutionary polar expedition ship
Le Commandant Charcot has been designed and equipped with the latest environmentally friendly technologies. With its hybrid propulsion system combining liquefied natural gas (LNG) and electric batteries, the polar expedition ship is without a doubt the most revolutionary ship in the PONANT fleet. The innovation is part of the company's commitment to sustainable travel. The new building has ice class PC2. It offers innovations in sustainability, technology and navigation in the ice. The ship was designed for trips to the most remote polar regions. These include the geographic North Pole, the Ross Sea or the island of Peter-I.
The new addition to the fleet has 123 cabins; a maximum of 245 guests are on board at the same time. On-board facilities: Le Commandant Charcot offers an indoor pool and sun room. There is also a panorama restaurant, the “Blue Lagoon” outdoor restaurant as well as a large salon, a panorama lounge and lobby. As a so-called “ship of possibilities”, it is equipped with facilities and equipment for research. It offers fellow scientists a platform for observation, research and analysis. Water, air, ice and biodiversity in extreme polar regions are examined.
Who was Le Commandant Charcot?
Commandant Charcot was a wealthy French doctor, scientist, and polar explorer. Charcot undertook two Antarctic expeditions and various trips to the Arctic. He died in a shipwreck off Iceland in 1936.
Booking options PONANT
