WHY PONANT?

Discover the treasures of the land by sea on board luxurious yachts that are built on an intimate, human scale. French and international bi lingual crew and expedition leaders with expertise of the  highest calibre along with, attentive service, gastronomy: Explore the Polar regions aboard Ponant’s modern fleet of mega yachts at capacity limits of 200 only (for Antarctica and enjoy an authentic expedition ashore, complimented by Ponant’s renowned on board ambience and comforts. 

OUR DESTINATIONS – GLOBAL EXPEDITIONS. POLAR VETERANS OF OVER 20 YEARS!

5 reasons to travel to the Antarctic with PONANT

• More than 20 years and 330 itineraries in the polar regions, PONANT carries more guests to Antarctica per year than any other expedition operator. 
• To discover the treasures of Polar regions from glaciers and penguins, to Polar bears and whales  on the most ecological and modern fleet in the world.
• Outings and shore visits in Zodiac^® inflatables with a team of experienced naturalist guides.
• Our experienced officers are trained on an ice navigation simulator, unique in France, that educates them on how to sail in a polar environment.
• Included flights selected by PONANT from/to Buenos Aires and often EUR hubs for Arctic, transfers, full board, open bar on board, shore landings and lectures…

The Arctic

There are places in this world whose primeval beauty evokes feelings of a rare intensity: with its stunning landscapes, the Arctic is one such place.

At the heart of these faraway lands, when the ice floes break up, when the sun no longer sets below the horizon and the snow-covered peaks shed their white mantle for a brief Summer, our ships will find their way to introduce travellers to a polar desert of ice and water, a world where time stands still.

Far from the usual cruise itineraries, from Iceland to Spitsbergen, from Greenland to the mythical Northwest Passage via the unspoiled coastlines of the Russian Far East, we invite you to cruise in the wake of the great Explorers who dreamt of one day conquering this remote region.

From one port of call to the next, aboard our Zodiac® dinghies or during one of the shore visits, discover the imposing Arctic landscapes thanks to our “Expedition” cruises. Always in the company of experienced Naturalist-Guides, meet the Inuit people, living to the rhythm of the changing seasons and preserving their ancestral culture and way of life, or discover the local wildlife, lazing in the ice floe or playing in the wake of your ship. Let your imagination wander, because enjoying these places means pushing back boundaries and dreaming of the absolute…

Rare and unique moments, dreams of escape in the heart of forgotten lands.

Especially for you, we have designed itineraries that are rich in encounters and discovery all over the world: mooring in the heart of secret bays in the Mediterranean, sailing between the majestic icebergs of Antarctica, expeditions to the remote lands of Alaska, or island-hopping in the Caribbean Sea. Innovative itineraries

From luxury Culture and Relaxation cruises to Expedition cruises, PONANT creates exclusive itineraries that take you to new horizons. Our ships offer you the opportunity to explore every continent: a nature break in Northern Europe, a journey of discovery in South America, an idyllic cruise in the Caribbean or an amazing adventure among the Antarctic ice floes.

A unique travel experience

For more than 30 years, PONANT has been offering marvellous ways of getting away from it all. Sailing on board one of our ships means enjoying exceptional experiences as close as possible to nature, in the heart of virgin territory and in sites that combine dreams and history. It means discovering other cultures and traditions, and sharing memorable moments with tribes from the other side of the world. It means enjoying the magic of the Ponant Moment…

An exceptional fleet

PONANT invites you to discover – rediscover – incredible destinations on board our exceptional fleet of Luxury Small Ships:

• Le Ponant, a three-masted yacht with 32 cabins for a cruise that has a relaxed, friendly atmosphere
• L’Austral, Le Boréal, Le Soléal and Le Lyrail, our four sisterships containing 122 to 132 staterooms and suites, with elegant, understated exterior and interior lines.
• Le Lapérouse, Le Bellot, Le Dumont-D’urville, Le Champlain, Le Bougainville & Le Jacques Cartier, our six explorer ships, with only 92 staterooms, all with private balcony and the world-first underwater lounge, Blue Eye
• Le Commandant-Charcot, the worlds first luxury polar exploration vessel equipped with 135 staterooms and designed to minimise the environmental impact of travel to the furthest latitudes.

Accommodating a maximum of 264 passengers, our ships let you maintain your privacy; you feel as if you are sailing on your own private yacht. A yacht serving the legendary ports of call and secret harbours that are only accessible to small ships.

THE FRENCH TOUCH

As the only French cruise company, PONANT is an ambassador of the “French Touch” around the world. With French crew, discreet service, refined cuisine and partners with excellent track records, we do our utmost to maintain our unique cruising philosophy.

ENVIRONMENT

State-of-the-art technologies aboard the ships, improved waste and waste water treatment, raising the awareness of travellers, future plans that are increasingly innovative in terms of sustainable development…
Every day, PONANT is committed to protecting the environment.

An increasingly cleaner fleet

We go above and beyond environmental regulations in force (for example, the MARPOL convention for the prevention of pollution from ships and the Polar Code) by studying ways to help us minimise our impact on the places we visit and of our obligations both towards them and towards the people who live there. Thanks to our efforts, all PONANT ships have been awarded the international “Clean Ship” label, which certifies that we have reduced our environmental impact.

A vigorous policy of drastic reduction in the use of fuel oil for ship operations

MDO (marine diesel oil) is lighter and less polluting than HFO (heavy fuel oil)
LNG (liquified natural gas) is currently the greenest fuel on the market (25% less carbon emissions, 85% less nitrogen oxide emissions and 95% less fine particle emissions)

The technology at the heart of PONANT ship designs

	Sonar system for the detection of shoals to avoid contact with icebergs and reefs
	Refrigerant gas (R407C) used for air conditioning and refrigeration units. It has no impact on the ozone layer and a very low impact on the greenhouse gas effect
	Low energy and low heat emitting lighting system (LED and fibre optic based)
	Dynamic positioning system that helps (when needed) maintain a vessel’s position without having to drop anchor in sensitive marine environments such as coral reefs, thereby protecting the seabed
	The latest generators equipped with an integrated electronic control system to optimise their functioning
	Tin-free antifouling paint to protect marine ecosystems as much as possible
	Real-time energy-consumption calculation tools to reduce energy consumption the first electric hybrid polar ship powered by LNG in the world

PONANT is designing a luxury cruise polar exploration ship. Completed in 2021, it will be fitted with the latest sustainable development technologies and will surpass the requirements of the IMO (International Maritime Organization) 2020 regulation.

Powered by Liquified Natural Gas

Precise measurement of consumption and optimisation of ship sailing

Latest generation electric batteries to reduce energy consumption

Advanced Waste Water Treatment system

Waste Heat Recovery System

Energy Optimisation System

Waste treatment system using HydroThermal Oxidation

The Icebreaker features perfected “Clean Ship” fittings that go beyond the current industry-standard environmental regulations:

• Reduction of SO2, NOX, CO2 and particle emissions thanks to the use of LNG
• Zero emissions when in electric hybrid mode

LNG’s advantages for the Earth

-25% reduction in carbon emissions
-85% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions
-95% reduction in fine particle emissions

Energy management

• Energy optimisation system that precisely measures consumption and optimisation of ship sailing methods
• Waste Heat Recovery System
• Electric output optimised and consumption reduced through the use of latest generation electric batteries

Water treatment

• Advanced Waste Water Treatment system

Improved waste and sewage treatment

All types of “water” generated aboard our ships are treated to prevent the potential risk of polluting aquatic environments.

Blackwater
is filtered, treated, and reused. At the end of the process, solid waste is stored and unloaded on land, in accordance with standard regulatory procedures.

Greywater
(bath, shower, kitchen, laundry) is recycled and reused to wash external decks.

Bilge water
is treated using ceramic membrane filtration systems to obtain an extremely low content of hydrocarbons: less than 5ppm instead of 15ppm.

Ballast water
is subject to biodecontamination.

Filtered and/or retreated bilge water and ballast water are stored on board, awaiting unloading on land.

*During PONANT cruises, the water consumption by passenger is 5 times less than the average consumption of water per person on land.

---

100% of waste is separated and sorted on board (solids – liquids – glass – cardboard – food – medicines)

The most modern methods pulpers / crushers / compactors

Recycling on board is 60% more effective than on land

At the end of sorting 700g is the average volume of non-recyclable waste, generated by every guest during a cruise. By comparison, the same person would have produced 2.3 kg of waste on land.

*During PONANT cruises, the waste production by passenger is 3 times less than the average waste production per person on land.

On a cruise: everyone’s responsible!

On expedition cruises, PONANT takes its passengers to some of the most remote and wild places on the planet. We are very conscious of our status as privileged guests at the sites we visit, and of our obligations both towards these places and the people who live there.

Additionally, an environmental impact study is carried out before the conception of each new itinerary to ensure that the impact of every landing is only temporary and transitory. We make a biodiversity inventory (fauna, flora, geology) of the places where we plan to disembark. We also prepare access routes that do not impinge on the areas to be preserved. Consequently, we work together with several organisations, such as the TAAF (Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises, French Southern and Antarctic Lands), the Seychelles Foundation, the Aldabra Foundation and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.