We've been on this voyage - bring all your questions!
Space is limited. Inquire today for best cabin selection
Travelling solo? We have NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT voyages and single travelers looking to share on this itinerary.
Be one of the very few people on the planet to stand on top of the world at the geographic North Pole!
Enroute you will enjoy stops in Svalbard, the wildlife capital of the Arctic, for chances to see Polar Bears, Whales, Walrus and bird life and picturesque Scoresby Sound, in Eastern Greenland.
Only 250 guests.
Polar Class 2.
The most luxurious Icebreaker in the world.
Ponant's brand-new ship, Le Commandant Charcot has been designed to journey where no other luxury expedition ship has dared with unprecedented access to the most remote regions of the planet in style and comfort. Le Commandant-Charcot is also the very first hybrid-electric polar exploration ship powered by liquefied natural gas and electric batteries resulting is 25% less carbon, 85% less nitrogen oxide and 95% less fine particle emissions.
All is included on your expedition, including return flights from Paris to Tromso, Norway - where the voyage begins. All you need to purchase is your international flights and your travel insurance.
For more information on this ship, please click here.
All excursions are included on this trip of a lifetime. Zodiac cruises, hikes, wildlife watching and more.
We include the return flight from Paris to Longyearbyen for the start of the voyage.
Your Parka and boots are provided onboard. No need to pack bulky jackets and heavy boots. The parka is yours to keep.
Enjoy French-inspired dining and service onboard and a selection of top-shelf wines and spirits.
Seriously - 24-hour room service is also included in your fare. Enjoy some late night snacks or breakfast in bed.
With a decadent spa, heated lagoon, sauna with a view, and snow room - your time onboard will be as great as on shore.
Up to 30% off
July 22 - August 6
August 6 - 21
(no single supplement!)
August 21 - September 5
Up to 25% off
September 6-26, 2024
September 9-25, 2025
YOUR 2024 ITINERARY (2025*)
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: AT SEA ALONG SPITSBERGEN
The largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, its name meaning “pointed mountains” in German, Spitsbergen is the last piece of land before the Arctic ice floe. Aboard your ship, you will sail along the extremely spectacular coastline of this icy land. Between millennial glaciers and rugged mountains, you will discover a jagged coastline, hollowed-out by fjords. A unique setting, the refuge of a particularly rich avifauna, offering you the possibility of taking fabulous photographs from the deck of your ship.
Days 3-7: SAILING ICE FLOES
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: THE GEOGRAPHIC NORTH POLE
Defined by 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.
DAYS 9-10: NAVIGATING THROUGH 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 11: 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 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 - SCORESBY SOUND
Covering an area of 13,700 km2 (5,290 mi2), Scoresby Sound is the largest and deepest fjord system in the world. Named after the explorer and whale hunter William Scoresby, who mapped the region in 1822, it opens onto the Greenland Sea to the north of the Blosseville Coast. This wild and desert region offers untouched panoramas of infinite beauty, with high snow-capped peaks rising tall alongside icebergs immersed in clear, blue-tinged waters. Rode Fjord and its cliffs coloured red by iron ore provide a fascinating setting you will not want to miss. Discovering these stunning places in the wake of great explorers like Captain Charcot, who was deeply attached to the land of the Inuit, inspires a profound reverence.
DAY 14 - ITTOQQORTOORMIIT REGION
On the East coast of Greenland, in the Ittoqqortoormiit region, you will have the rare opportunity of immersing yourself in the heart of isolated scenery and exploring the beauty of its landscapes. The high alpine mountains stand out in the sky, revealing dark rock edges. The region is home to the longest fjord system in the world, Scoresby Sound. On the edge of the fjord, the eponymous village is considered one of the most remote inhabited places in the world. The colourful houses, so typical of Greenland, dot the landscape with small red, yellow and blue patches that stand out against the surrounding arid landscape. Immersing yourself in this region will allow you to discover the ancestral way of life of the last hunters of the polar region. This will be a veritable deep-dive into the lives of the Arctic’s inhabitants.
DAY 15 - AT SEA ABOARD LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT
DAY 16 - SAILING THROUGH THE DENMARK STRAIT
Lying between Greenland and Iceland, the Denmark Strait was crossed for the first time by theVikings in the late 10th century, during Erik the Red’s expeditions. In the Second World War, its waters were the theatre of a battle between the Kriegsmarine and the Royal Navy, on 24 May 1941. In the wintertime, extremely dense pack ice forms along the Greenlandic coasts and, while the Transpolar Drift sweeps icebergs along throughout the year, the strait is generally clear of ice during the summer. In the depths of the strait lies the world’s largest waterfall, an undersea cataract formed by the difference in temperature between the cold waters of the Greenland Sea and the warmer waters of the Irminger Sea. Numerous cetacean species thrive in this rich ecosystem.
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.
* The 2025 Itinerary does not include scheduled stops in Greenland and instead spends time in Svalbard on return if time permits.
Located on decks 6-8
Located on decks 6-8
Located on decks 7 & 8
Located on deck 6
Located on deck 6 + 7
Located on deck 8
* Please note the above prices are per person, based on double occupancy and may change periodically. Ponant generally starts with a 30% Early Booking Discount and reduces the discount as the ship fills closer to the sail date.
Find Emperor Penguins in Antarctica, visit Greenland or sail the Northwest Passage in luxury.
All our polar trips are offered at the exact same price as the ship or tour operator, including any incentives or specials. There will never be a price difference and you won’t pay more when travelling with us. What you will get however, is unbiased advice on the best voyage for you and unparalleled access to over 1,000 polar experiences.
Don't want to search?
Click the button below to email us and we'll find the best voyage for you after a few questions.
With over 50 years of combned Polar Experience - we will find the ultimate polar voyage for you.