Overview
Cruises

Summary

Travel to the North Pole. Cross the Arctic Ocean. Explore the far northeast of Greenland… PONANT is designing tomorrow’s voyages with Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s first electric hybrid polar exploration ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Beginning in 2021, this newest member of the PONANT fleet will offer guests the chance to follow in the wake of the great polar explorers in sophisticated surroundings enhanced with luxury amenities never before seen at the very top or bottom of the globe.

Discover more about Ponant cruises‘ luxury fleet.

Maiden Voyage Departs in…

A design with sustainable development at its core

Thanks to preliminary exploration, environmental impact studies and protocols developed by PONANT, Le Commandant Charcot‘s itineraries are carefully chosen to be entirely safe for, and respectful of, the environment.

Above and beyond offering its passengers the adventure of a lifetime, PONANT’s aim is to raise their awareness of the vulnerability of the Polar environments and turn them into advocates and ambassadors for these regions.

“Clean Ship Equipment”

This PONANT polar exploration ship will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and equipped with the latest in environmental protection technology.

  • 85% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions
  • 95% reduction in fine particle
  • Powered by liquified natural Gas (LNG)
  • Energy Optimisation System
  • Latest generation electric batteries to reduce energy consumption
  • Advanced Waste Water Treatment system
  • Waste Heat Recovery System

Exclusive Itineraries to places inaccessible until now

With Le Commandant Charcot in its fleet, PONANT will be the world’s only luxury cruise company to offer trips on waters that only polar exploration vessels can navigate.

The perpetually moving ice field

Rather than an homogeneous mass, sea ice is a perpetually moving entity which grows, shrinks, fractures, contracts, folds, breaks and deforms in certain places to re-establish itself in others.

Despite appearances, icebreaker ships do not affect this constant movement. When sailing an icebreaker, it is important to aim for those areas of ice which are easiest to break up. Therefore, most icebreaker navigation involves travelling through ice leads (fractures) which are naturally open.

The broken ice then knits itself back together when the ship has passed through, in a process that can take between 15 minutes and a day depending on the weather conditions.

We have learnt to navigate alongside nature, rather than to fight it.

PONANT has developed a high-technology ship which even has its own ice routing software so we can visit places where others do not go. The latest and most reliable ice and weather information is used to forecast ice behaviour over a five-day period.

Le Commandant Charcot and its itineraries have been designed to minimise impact as much as possible and maximise learning by making the ship a mobile research observatory.

Facts

  • Delivery: 2021
  • Length: 150 m
  • Beam: 28 m
  • Propulsion: LNG & Hybrid Electric
  • Cabins and Suites with Balcony: 135