HIGHLIGHTS
- A voyage infused with the spirit of discovery, accompanied by special guests from The Explorers Club to share onboard lectures, exploration stories, and scientific research.
- Discover the landscapes (ice compression ridges, vertiginous walls of ice, glaciers) and the wildlife (opportunities to glimpse or observe polar bears, seabirds, cetaceans, etc.).
- Activities: opportunities for outings and shore visits in a rubber dinghy; landings on the ice; kayaking; hiking or snowshoeing; polar plunging; encounters with Inuit communities.
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | Prestige Stateroom |
|---|
| Sep 11, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 52,040 |
| Sep 13, 2027 | Sep 29, 2027 | 50,140 |
Flight Paris/Longyearbyen + Transfers For your serenity, PONANT selects flights and organises transfers between the airport and the port (and vice-versa). This package is included in your cruise fare. Embarkation day - Paris/Longyearbyen Flight Paris/Longyearbyen selected by PONANT. Approximate flight duration: 4 h 30 We suggest you to be at the check-in counter 2 hours before departure. We highly recommend you arrive in Paris the day before this flight. Meet & greet at the airport by our local English-speaking representative. According to the arrival time at Longyearbyen, PONANT adapt its services or activities before your transfer to the pier for embarkation.
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | Prestige Stateroom |
|---|
| Sep 11, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 52,040 |
| Sep 13, 2027 | Sep 29, 2027 | 50,140 |
Flight Paris/Longyearbyen + Transfers For your serenity, PONANT selects flights and organises transfers between the airport and the port (and vice-versa). This package is included in your cruise fare. Embarkation day - Paris/Longyearbyen Flight Paris/Longyearbyen selected by PONANT. Approximate flight duration: 4 h 30 We suggest you to be at the check-in counter 2 hours before departure. We highly recommend you arrive in Paris the day before this flight. Meet & greet at the airport by our local English-speaking representative. According to the arrival time at Longyearbyen, PONANT adapt its services or activities before your transfer to the pier for embarkation.
ITINERARY
Day
1 : Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Longyearbyen
is the capital of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, located on
Svalbard’s main island, and is the northernmost territorial
capital on the planet. With winter temperatures dropping to below
40°C, the landscapes of this mining town are simply
breathtaking. The glaciers, the mountains stretching as far as the eye
can see and the untouched nature, make you feel like you’re
in completely unexplored territory.
Day
2 : South-West Region of Spitsbergen
Set
sail for southwest Spitsbergen, immerse yourself in this environment
unlike any other and explore its unexpected riches. In this natural
sanctuary, the polar light combines with the changing weather of the
Arctic, a big blue sky, the horizon scattered with clouds, the
enveloping mist erasing the border between the land and the sea. Follow
in the footsteps of the first explorers and admire the majestic fjords
and glaciers sculpting the breathtaking landscapes, their icy waters
shimmering beneath the midnight sun. The fjords, veritable cathedrals
of ice, reveal their millennial secrets, while the glaciers, like
sleeping giants, move slowly towards the sea, setting free sparkling
icebergs. On the water, you might spot belugas and rorquals, while on
the shores, seals and Arctic foxes add a touch of mystery to this
living tableau, where the steep cliffs become breeding grounds for
thousands of seabirds, like guillemots. Southwest Spitsbergen is an ode
to nature in its rawest and purest form.
Day
3 : North-West region of Spitsbergen
A
kingdom of contrasts and natural marvels dotted with islands and
peninsulas, northwest Spitsbergen fascinates with its preserved beauty.
On these pristine lands, infinity unveils itself, treating the eyes to
beauty sculpted by nature and enhanced by the changing light. The
fjords bathed by icy waters, the jagged mountains and the imposing
glaciers stand majestically before you, like monumental sculptures. In
these lands, where souls are filled with deep serenity, only the murmur
of broken ice, bearing mysteries and legends, disturbs the calmness.
Aboard our Zodiacs and in the company of naturalist-guides, get as
close as possible to this unique fauna and discover this centre for
scientific expedition departures. In the distance, majestic whales
glide silently through the glacial waters, whereas seals, walrus and
Arctic foxes add a playful touch of life. As Svalbard reindeer wander
the vast expanses, Arctic terns liven up the polar sky with their
gracious flight and polar bears, which you may be lucky enough to see,
patrol magnificently along the icy shores.
Day
4-7 : Navigating through the sea ice
Enjoy
the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice
floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are
constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos
of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these
naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is
thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments
in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity
to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.
Day
8 : Geographic North Pole
Defined
by a 90° North latitude, the Geographic North Pole lies on the
Earth’s rotational axis, at the intersection of all
meridians. Plunged into darkness for six months of the year, then lit
by the sun for the following six months, this mythical site,
permanently covered in ice and remote from any land, has fascinated
generations of explorers. So far, only a very few people have ever
reached it: an exploit which is now accessible to you aboard Le
Commandant Charcot.
Day
9-11 : Navigating through the sea ice
Enjoy
the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice
floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are
constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos
of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these
naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is
thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments
in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity
to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.
Day
12 : Sailing ice floes along Greenland
The
north-east of Greenland is renowned for being home to one of the oldest
and thickest layers of ice on the planet. Aboard your ship, you will
have the unique opportunity of sailing to the heart of this icy
wilderness, many thousands of years old, and will travel along one of
the world's most isolated coasts, between drifting ice and blue
icebergs.
Day
13-14 : Exploration of Ittoqqortoormiit Region
On
the East coast of Greenland, in the Ittoqqortoormiit region that is
covered with snow and ice for nine months of the year, you will have
the rare opportunity of immersing yourself in the heart of an isolated
territory and exploring the beauty of its infinite polar whiteness. The
high alpine mountains punctuate the sky and gradually reveal their dark
rock edges beneath a coat of snow. Located at the entrance to the
longest system of fjords in the world, sits the village of
Ittoqqortoormiit, one of the northernmost inhabited places on the East
coast. Its name means ‘great house’ in Greenlandic
and it is home to the last hunters of the polar region, whose ancestral
way of life you will encounter. As soon as the thickness of the ice
floe allows it, the hunters set out on the trail of walruses, seals,
narwhals, musk oxen and polar bears, travelling by traditional dog
sleds. On these expanses of immaculate snow, the silence is broken only
by the sounds of the dogs, the grating of a sled coming back from a run
or of footsteps on the ice. You will discover Inuit traditions through
privileged and festive moments on the ice floe and in the village.
Day
15 : Exploring the Blosseville Coast
Aboard
your ship, follow in the footsteps of Jules Poret de Blosseville, a
French explorer and sailor. In 1833, he set off to discover this
isolated and unexplored part of eastern Greenland aboard La Lilloise,
an adventure with a fatal outcome. The uninhabited territory that bears
his name lies to the south of Scoresby Sound. Surrounded by ice,
icebergs and pack ice - thin or thick, flat or pronounced - as far as
the eye can see, Blosseville Coast is a wild and distant place to which
very few people have access. Exploring it means a slow immersion into
the heart of a frozen, almost unreal desert, where the variations in
light transform one’s perception of the landscape. In the
kingdom of the polar bears, Le Commandant Charcot, a silent ship open
to the exterior, will offer exceptional moments observing Arctic
wildlife, through a series of encounters.
Day
16 : At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot
Spend
exceptional moments sailing aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the
world’s first luxury polar exploration vessel and the first
PC2-class polar cruise ship capable of sailing into the very heart of
the ice, on seas and oceans which the frozen conditions render
inaccessible to ordinary ships. Le Commandant Charcot is fitted with
oceanographic and scientific equipment selected by a committee of
experts. Take advantage of the on-board lectures and opportunities for
discussion with these specialists to learn more about the poles.
Participate in furthering scientific research with PONANT and let us
discover together what these fascinating destinations have yet to
reveal to us.
Day
17 : Reykjavík
Iceland’s
capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the
country. Perlan, the “Pearl of
Reykjavík”, a museum located on
’Oskjuhlið hill, offers a panoramic view of the lush,
green landscapes. A little further, one can easily spot the signpost
showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrímskirkja church,
and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the
Skólavördustígur and the Laugavegur, two
lively streets with charming small shops. For some relaxation just
outside of the city, visitors have the opportunity to visit the
Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon.
Le Commandant Charcot (Luxury Expedition, 270-guests)
Le Commandant-Charcot welcomes you to an intimate and refined atmosphere. Equipped with just 135 staterooms including 31 suites with balconies and outside views, the ship offers outstanding gastronomy in its two restaurants, relaxation in the indoor pool surrounded by its winter garden, relaxation in the well-being area with sauna and Snow Room... Like on a private yacht, each of our guests is unique.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Full board from arrival to departure day
- High-end gastronomy in all restaurants
- All beverages in restaurants, bars, and minibars. All
drinks are included² (a selection of champagnes, wines and
spirits, beers, cocktails, water, soft drinks, hot beverages)
- 24-hour room service
- Butler service for certain suites³
- Unlimited internet access onboard
- Evening events, shows, and other entertainment
- Access to the fitness area and hammam or sauna, depending
on the ship
- All port and security charges
²
Excluding
premium à la carte beverages.
³
Butler
service is available for the following suites:
Owner’s Suite, Duplex Suites, Privilege Suites, and Prestige
Suites;
Adventure
Options:
- Hiking or snowshoeing
- Kayaking - Le Commandant Charcot
- Polar plunge
