I recently completed an Antarctic expedition cruise with Ponant aboard Le Boreal and wanted to share my experience. Just note I'm an infrequent cruiser, so I don't have many ships to compare to.
I know this is a review, but I put it here because the Trip Report section is almost entirely flights + hotels.

Cruise Line: Ponant is an upscale French cruise line with 14 ships including:
- Two smaller sailing ships, one of which is charter-only.
- Sisterships: 4 x ~130-stateroom expedition ships, including Le Boreal, which do most of their polar expeditions.
- Explorers: 6 x ~90-stateroom ships for more traditional cruises like the Med or Caribbean.
- Le Commandant Charcot: A luxury hybrid-electric ice-breaker with ~120 suites, notably more expensive, and significantly larger than the sisterships despite having fewer rooms.

My cruise had about half French passengers. The next largest group was Aussies. There were a dozen or so Russians. The rest were a mix of other nationalities from Japan and Korea to Germany and Slovakia. There were <5 US/CA pax onboard (interestingly, all solo travelers).

Ship: Le Boreal is small but beautiful. It has one buffet, a main restaurant, a spacious main bar, an observation lounge bar (limited hours), a theater, a shop, a spa, and a small gym. The ship’s furnishings are in excellent condition, and it’s tastefully decorated. My room felt a bit tight, but the rest of the ship was comfortable and never felt crowded. The bridge was frequently open for visits.

Booking & Money: I booked directly but recommend using an agent due to slow responses from Ponant's US reservations team. Everything was included, except for spa treatments, one optional kayaking trip, and special wine at dinner if you want a bottle. There was no pressure to purchase extras, though tipping (€10-12 per day) was encouraged (via envelope at the end of the cruise). Currency onboard is Euros.

Food & Wine: The included wines were high-quality (I now drink their champagne at home), with two reds, one rosé, two whites, and champagne available. Food quality varied wildly with most meals 'ok', but some standouts for both positive and negative reasons. Wines did not change from day-to-day except on formal nights. Food was noticeably higher quality on formal nights, too. Croissants, cheese, and bread were fantastic.

Formal Nights: There were three formal nights on my 10-day cruise. Many people wore suits, but it was not strictly enforced. I saw plenty of khaki pants and dress shirts. While I didn't love bringing dress clothes in addition to bulky winter gear, it was worth it as food and wine quality improved on these nights (and was not available via room service).

Staff: The staff was friendly and competent. Everyone spoke both French and English, although some jokes got lost in translation. The officers and management were primarily from Western Europe, while other crew members were mostly from the Philippines. The Captain and travel ambassador were particularly friendly, very visible, and engaged with nearly every passenger by name. Expedition leaders were contracted and varied in credentials, with some having advanced degrees while others were more adventure-oriented.

Entertainment: Basic with a few lectures from expedition leaders, a tango-performing couple, and two musical groups (one with a singer+guitarist and the other solo). There wasn't much variety, but I wasn't there for song and dance. Less entertainment might have also meant the ship was 'calmer' - no midnight partying crowds / noise.

Expeditions: The expeditions were breathtaking. I do a lot of adventure travel, but this was next-level. We had two 60-75 min excursions each day: half were landings at research stations and penguin (gentoo + chinstrap) colonies, while the other half were zodiac cruises around bays. These cruises offered incredible close-up encounters with seals and whales (minke + humpback).

Good to Know:
- The shop doesn’t sell toiletries—bring your own essentials (including dramamine).
- The ship’s photographer captured stunning images, which I ended up purchasing.
- If your cruise includes a pre-departure flight or tour, removing it can save you money (I saved ~$1,000 by skipping the pre-cruise tour and flying myself to Ushuaia).
- Despite some online reviews, I didn’t feel like a “second-class citizen” as a non-French passenger.
- Ponant differentiates themselves in two key ways (IMO):
a. The have some really unique and interesting itineraries for adventurers.
b. They frequently offer cruises with no single supplement.

Bottom Line: Despite some disappointing meals, I’d cruise with Ponant again. The ships were beautiful, staff wonderful, rooms beautifully decorated. The ships aren't large, so you aren't lost in a crowd. I love some itineraries and the price (without single supplement) seems reasonable for an upscale line.