Ponant
Ponant is a French cruise line that sails small, French-flagged ships on luxury voyages and polar expeditions, from the Mediterranean and the Caribbean to the Arctic, Antarctica, Asia and the South Pacific. Its 12 ships carry between 32 and 264 guests, and the line now trades as Ponant Explorations within a group that also owns Paul Gauguin Cruises and Aqua Expeditions.
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About Ponant
Philippe Videau and Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée founded the company in 1988 with fellow French merchant navy officers, and its first ship, the three-masted Le Ponant, began sailing in 1991. The container shipping group CMA CGM bought Ponant in 2006 and moved its head office from Nantes to Marseille; the investment firm Bridgepoint took over in 2012, and Artémis, the Pinault family's holding company, in 2015. Four Fincantieri-built Sisterships arrived between 2010 and 2015, six smaller Ponant Explorers between 2018 and 2020, and the LNG-powered icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot in 2021.
A Ponant voyage is built around small numbers and a French sensibility: cuisine is a centerpiece, the ships have spas and pools, and evenings bring talks by guest experts and naturalists, concerts and small-scale shows. Expedition itineraries add Zodiac landings, and the Explorers have an underwater lounge below the waterline. Many departures are themed around music, gastronomy or partners such as Smithsonian Journeys, The Explorers Club and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
What Ponant is known for
Ponant is best known for expedition cruising in comfort: its small ships reach the polar regions, remote islands and harbors that bigger vessels cannot, and Le Commandant Charcot takes guests to the geographic North Pole and deep into the Antarctic ice. Reviewers often praise the French cooking and wine, the design of the ships, and the range of themed voyages and partner programs. The drawbacks most often raised are cost, with polar fares commonly well into five figures per person, and the usual expedition caveat that weather and ice decide what a given voyage actually sees. In 2020 the company was criticized for declining to give refunds on cruises cancelled because of COVID-19.
Who it's for
Luxury · small ships, a high crew-to-guest ratio, most extras included
- Couples
- Adventure seekers
- History and culture
- Food lovers
Ponant suits travelers who want unusual or remote itineraries without giving up comfort: couples and solo travelers who care more about wildlife, lectures and good food than nightlife, and anyone drawn to the Arctic or Antarctica. Its yacht-style Mediterranean and Caribbean cruises appeal to guests who like a European atmosphere and small ports. Families with young children, travelers on a tight budget and anyone looking for big-ship entertainment, casinos or a long list of restaurants should look elsewhere, as should those who dislike Zodiac landings or schedules that change with the weather.
How it rates
- Cabins
- 4.3/5
- Dining
- 5/5
- Entertainment
- 2/5
- Service
- 5/5
- Pools & decks
- 3.6/5
- Value
- 3/5
The fleet's average on each metric, across 12 rated ships in service. Each ship is scored 1 to 5 by Cruise Frog's editors; these are not reader reviews.
Rankings and comparisons
Where Ponant sails
Ships
Best rated
#14.0 ★Le Bellot2020 · 9,976 GT · 184 guests · Panama Canal · Mexican RivieraLe Bellot is the fifth Ponant Explorer and takes her name from Joseph René Bellot, the French naval officer who explored the Arctic. Ponant ordered her in March 2018 together…#24.0 ★Le Commandant Charcot2021 · 31,283 GT · 245 guests · Antarctica · Northern EuropeLe Commandant Charcot is Ponant's flagship and its only icebreaker, built to Polar Class 2 so that she can reach the geographic North Pole and the ice of the Weddell Sea. Vard…
#34.0 ★Le Jacques Cartier2020 · 9,976 GT · 184 guests · South Pacific · AsiaLe Jacques Cartier is the sixth and last of the Ponant Explorers. Ordered as Le Surville, she was renamed after the Breton navigator Jacques Cartier before Vard delivered her in…Every ship, by class
Ponant Explorers class
6 ships · 2018–2020 · 9,976 GT · avg 3.9 ★
Boréal class
4 ships · 2010–2015 · 10,944 GT · avg 3.7 ★
Other ships
2 ships · 1991–2021 · 1,489–31,283 GT · avg 3.9 ★
Quick answers
What is Ponant known for?
Ponant is best known for expedition cruising in comfort: its small ships reach the polar regions, remote islands and harbors that bigger vessels cannot, and Le Commandant Charcot takes guests to the geographic North Pole and deep into the Antarctic ice. Reviewers often praise the French cooking and wine, the design of the ships, and the range of themed voyages and partner programs. The drawbacks most often raised are cost, with polar fares commonly well into five figures per person, and the usual expedition caveat that weather and ice decide what a given voyage actually sees. In 2020 the company was criticized for declining to give refunds on cruises cancelled because of COVID-19.
Who is Ponant best for?
Ponant suits travelers who want unusual or remote itineraries without giving up comfort: couples and solo travelers who care more about wildlife, lectures and good food than nightlife, and anyone drawn to the Arctic or Antarctica. Its yacht-style Mediterranean and Caribbean cruises appeal to guests who like a European atmosphere and small ports. Families with young children, travelers on a tight budget and anyone looking for big-ship entertainment, casinos or a long list of restaurants should look elsewhere, as should those who dislike Zodiac landings or schedules that change with the weather.
Where does Ponant sail?
Ponant's ships in service sail Mediterranean (7 ships), Northern Europe (6 ships), Antarctica (5 ships), Caribbean (4 ships), Canada and New England (4 ships), Panama Canal (3 ships), Canary Islands (3 ships), South America (3 ships), Norwegian Fjords (2 ships), Asia (2 ships), Australia and New Zealand (2 ships), South Pacific (2 ships), Mexican Riviera (1 ship) and Transatlantic (1 ship).
How is Ponant rated?
Ponant's fleet averages 3.8 out of 5 on Cruise Frog, across 12 rated ships. Its best-rated ship is Le Bellot at 4.0.
How many ships does Ponant have?
Ponant has 12 ships in service on Cruise Frog: L'Austral, Le Bellot, Le Boréal, Le Bougainville, Le Champlain, Le Commandant Charcot, Le Dumont-d'Urville and Le Jacques Cartier, and 4 more.
What ship classes does Ponant sail?
Ponant sails 2 classes of ship in service: Ponant Explorers class (6 ships) and Boréal class (4 ships), plus 2 ships not in a named class.
Who owns Ponant?
Ponant is part of Ponant Explorations Group (Artémis).
Where is Ponant based?
Ponant is headquartered in Marseille, France. It has operated since 1988.
What is Ponant's loyalty program called?
Ponant's past-guest loyalty program is Ponant Yacht Club.
What is the largest Ponant ship?
Le Commandant Charcot is Ponant's largest ship at 31,283 gross tons, carrying 245 guests.
Cruising with children
Ponant offers family-themed departures, but a polar expedition and a cultural voyage need different checks. Choose the itinerary only after confirming your child’s eligibility.
Read the Ponant family guide →Is a drinks package worth it?
House wine is included in Ponant's fares, so you may not need a drinks package. If you'd want cocktails or premium wines, enter what they cost.
House wine is included in Ponant's fares, so you may not need a drinks package at all. One Mile at a Time ↗
Per person, a day, as the line quotes it.
A typical drink you'd buy on board.
Optional. Count coffees and sodas if the package covers them.
The days the package is charged for.
To make the drinks package pay for itself
6drinks a day
A $75-a-day package costs the same as 5.8 drinks at $13. Over 7 days that's $525, or 41 drinks for the cruise.
Pay as you go
At 5 drinks a day, buying drinks one at a time costs about $70 less than the package.
- Drinks package, 7 days
- $525
- Drink by drink, 5 drinks a day
- $455
Break-even is a target for your wallet, not a dare for your liver.
Traveller reviews
What people who've been say. One review each; you can update yours.
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Itineraries
- Ponant Antarctica: choose the route before comparing the cabin price
Antarctica is not one interchangeable cruise itinerary. Ponant's new 2028–29 program makes that clear: a ten-night peninsula trip, a Weddell Sea voyage and a longer Ross Sea expedition ask different things of your time and travel budget.
Itineraries
- Ponant opens its 2028-29 Antarctic season: 12 routes, nearly 30 departures, from $15,450
Trips run 10 to 59 nights, including Weddell Sea and Ross Sea expeditions and a 59-night Le Commandant Charcot voyage that stops in Hobart.
Itineraries
- PortMiami names 16 new ships for its 2026-27 season, from Explora III to Hero of the Seas
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Ports
- 5 things Ponant does well—and 1 it doesn’t
Five strengths of Ponant, one clear drawback, and the travelers most likely to enjoy its cruise style.
Cruise lines