Ponant Experience
Mar 21, 2025 | 4:16 pm
#1
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Ponant Experience
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 ros, 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.
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 ros, 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.
Last edited by TBD; Mar 21, 2025 at 4:25 pm Reason: typos
Mar 21, 2025 | 5:06 pm
#2
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The other feature Ponant has free ocean cruises. Various repos to start or end a regular season are "free". Also, the more consecutive cruises that you string together, the more the discount. So a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th consecutive cruise could be 20, 30, or 40% off (or some such,) You also get a further discount for elite status.
Elite tier is reached when booking, so it you start at 0 and book 2 cruises before one sails the first, you are already base elite in the Yacht Club (or whatever they call it).
I was under the impression the Explorer class were also some icebreaker-class rated, but nowhere near Le Commandant Charcot-rated..
Note, my only Ponant experience was in the Pacific onboard sister ship to Le Boreal, Le Soleal, booked through VTG due to never-to-be-repeated stellar blowout deals in 2018 (<USD 200 p.p. p.n.) $5k p.p. for nearly 4 weeks onboard which will not pay for one single Antarctic cruise.
BTW, what Champagne were they serving? Standard fare on my (albeit cheap) cruise was some passable stuff with Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin served on special dinners.
Elite tier is reached when booking, so it you start at 0 and book 2 cruises before one sails the first, you are already base elite in the Yacht Club (or whatever they call it).
I was under the impression the Explorer class were also some icebreaker-class rated, but nowhere near Le Commandant Charcot-rated..
Note, my only Ponant experience was in the Pacific onboard sister ship to Le Boreal, Le Soleal, booked through VTG due to never-to-be-repeated stellar blowout deals in 2018 (<USD 200 p.p. p.n.) $5k p.p. for nearly 4 weeks onboard which will not pay for one single Antarctic cruise.
BTW, what Champagne were they serving? Standard fare on my (albeit cheap) cruise was some passable stuff with Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin served on special dinners.
Mar 21, 2025 | 6:31 pm
#3
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I didn't see many repositioning cruises for sale. Only a few for Charcot that were quite long (e.g. 2-3 weeks) with zero stops. No thanks! I assumed they offloaded part of the crew and sailed with minimum manning. Do you mean that the repositioning cruises are "free" when added to the first/last cruise in a region? Wonder how many people are actually on the boat with you!
If I recall correctly, the sisterships are "ice hardened" but only the Charcot is an ice breaker. We had a rough return through the Drake on Le Boreal ... I couldn't imagine doing it in an even smaller Explorer class ship.
Abele 1757 was free flowing throughout the day.
If I recall correctly, the sisterships are "ice hardened" but only the Charcot is an ice breaker. We had a rough return through the Drake on Le Boreal ... I couldn't imagine doing it in an even smaller Explorer class ship.
Abele 1757 was free flowing throughout the day.
Mar 21, 2025 | 8:57 pm
#4
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The repo cruises are called "ocean cruises" and sometimes it's "free" with the preceding or following cruise. One such (during COVID) was Ushuaia to Lisbon or v-v, non-stop following an Antarctic cruise. I do see there are none on offer currently. AFAIK, crewing on these are full. The sailings I was on was Papeete to Honolulu with over 200 (IIRC) so less than a full ship. The following was a non-stop Honolulu to Maizuru ("Kyoto") with what appeared to be a full crew but just ~70 pax. The preceding cruises were Ushuaia to Hanga Roa (a difficult stop for most cruise ships to make) and Hanga Roa to Papeete. The Honolulu-Maizuru cruise was a complimentary ocean voyage and also offered no single supplement. We did not get the free voyage because our Papeete - Honolulu fare wasn't regular price, and it was cheaper to book it the way we did anyway. Due to personnel disagreement, we lost the chef de cuisine a few days after leaving Papeete. The sous chef stepped into the role but we lost him in Honolulu. The head line chef (a Filipino) stepped into the sous chef role. Food was competent but a but repetitive as a result. IRC, there is 1 boulanger (baker), and a chef and assistant patissiere hence the great baking and desserts.
The sister ships are good enough to do the Northwest passage and have done so several times, but have also aborted the crossing due to ice conditions. One even switched from the Northeast Passage to the NW passage ~3 years ago. Bargain for those who booked it before the switch.
The Explorers are 11m shorter but also 1C icebreaker rating which is the same as the sisters.
Abele sounds vaguely familiar but it wasn't 1757 (whatever that is).
The sister ships are good enough to do the Northwest passage and have done so several times, but have also aborted the crossing due to ice conditions. One even switched from the Northeast Passage to the NW passage ~3 years ago. Bargain for those who booked it before the switch.
The Explorers are 11m shorter but also 1C icebreaker rating which is the same as the sisters.
Abele sounds vaguely familiar but it wasn't 1757 (whatever that is).
Mar 22, 2025 | 10:36 am
#5
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They also do status matching. We got Grand Admiral status by matching our Princess Elite.
Mar 23, 2025 | 7:39 am
#7
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I recently completed an Antarctic expedition cruise with Ponant aboard Le Boreal
~130-stateroom expedition ships, including Le Boreal
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).
~130-stateroom expedition ships, including Le Boreal
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).
16 cabin sailing yacht - unique
6 cabin catamaran - new for charter
from website >
us.ponant.com/destinations/ocean-voyages
us.ponant.com/destinations/transatlantic
On a particular selection of cruises
us.ponant.com/offers/back-to-back-offers
the 2nd consecutive cruise, - 20%
the 3rd consecutive cruise, - 30%
the 4th consecutive cruise, - 40%
Major After you confirm your 2nd cruise
Admiral After you confirm your 4th cruise
Grand Admiral After you confirm your 7th cruise
Commodore After you confirm your 20th cruise
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Mar 23, 2025 at 8:39 am
Mar 23, 2025 | 11:11 am
#8
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Ponant then bought or acquire a couple of other ship that weren't suitable for purpose and disposed of (to, Paul Gauguin cruises which Ponant's current owner subsequently acquired, and to Quark Expedition) before expanding with the "sisters".