ponant cruises 2023 north pole

The most epic cruise ever? What it's like traveling to the North Pole on a luxury icebreaker

Editor's Note

Our luxurious French expedition ship, Le Commandant Charcot, shudders as it plows through a thick slab of snow-covered ice.

Down below, under the mighty vessel's specially sloped bow, a 6-feet-thick sheet of "glace," as our French captain likes to call it, is cracking and sliding to the side, creating an opening that lets us glide forward.

But from my perch in the ship's elegant observation lounge, five decks above, all I can see is the white of the snow all around. It feels as if we're bumping across the top of a cloud.

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Le Commandant Charcot, the toughest expedition cruise vessel ever built, is taking me somewhere few humans have ever gone: the North Pole. And despite a few shudders, it's doing it with relative ease.

Unveiled in 2021, the 245-passenger vessel — named after a famed French polar explorer — is made for the ice like no other.

It is a true icebreaker of the sort that only governments have built until now — a vessel capable of traveling to the most remote, ice-filled parts of the polar regions, including the North Pole.

But it's also a very upscale polar vessel, with all the trappings of luxury cruise ships that operate in warmer climes. As I sit in the warmth and safety of the cozy observation lounge, writing this, I am sipping a cafe latte from French-made Pillivuyt china and nibbling on handmade croissants. Really, it feels like a dream.

But then comes another shudder to shake me out of my stupor. This is no dream.

The North Pole is only 150 miles away.

A rare voyage

As recently as 1977, no human had arrived at the North Pole by surface ship. That was the year the Russian nuclear icebreaker Arktika, with a working crew, became the first vessel to reach the world's northernmost spot, a triumph at the time.

Since then, 18 more vessels, all icebreakers and almost all government-owned, have made the journey at least once, some multiple times.

But even today, a ship-based trip to the North Pole is a rare occurrence — particularly in cases where paying passengers are involved.

In recent decades, expedition travel companies have periodically chartered space on some of Russia's working icebreakers to take adventure-minded travelers to the top of the world. But only in small numbers. And never in the style of Le Commandant Charcot.

Operated by Ponant Cruises, a French company specializing in high-end expedition-style cruises, Le Commandant Charcot is the first purpose-built expedition cruise ship capable of reaching the North Pole.

In other words, it's the first vessel designed for the comfort of tourists that offers such trips.

The journey north

Our sailing to the North Pole, just the eighth that Le Commandant Charcot has operated with paying passengers, begins in Longyearbyen, the northernmost settlement of any size in the world.

Located on the western end of the Norway-controlled Svalbard archipelago, high above the Arctic Circle, the town of 2,500 people is also one of the northernmost points in the world reachable by airplane — in our case, a chartered flight from Paris organized by Ponant — and an Arctic destination in its own right. It's famous for its northern lights and polar bears.

Alas, we don't stay long in Longyearbyen. After a quick buffet lunch in the town's banquet hall and a visit to its small museum, the 199 tourists who have signed up for this trip — an international contingent that skews heavily to wealthy Chinese and Taiwanese travelers but also includes 45 Americans, Brits and Australians — are herded to tender boats for a quick transfer to Le Commandant Charcot, which is waiting for us just offshore. Within hours, we are on our way north.

Just 819 miles from the North Pole, Longyearbyen is not far from the polar ice cap that covers the top of the planet. Twenty-four hours after departing the town, we leave open water behind and begin pushing into it.

When I was young, looking at maps of the world, I would see the giant white mass at the top representing the north polar ice cap and assume it was just like it looked on the map: One big solid sheet of ice. You were either on it or you weren't.

But it turns out that's not the way the north polar ice cap works. There is no defined edge.

As we discover on our way north, the massive sheet of ice that covers a wide swath of the Arctic Ocean isn't one big sheet at all, but a countless number of floating sheets of ice of all shapes and sizes jammed up together — tightly in some places, more loosely in others.

As our captain, Patrick Marchesseau, explains in a briefing for passengers, winds and currents constantly move the ice around, driving it into a thick pack in some areas and loosening it in others.

In many areas across the polar ice cap, these winds and currents create "leads," open lines of water through which vessels such as Le Commandant Charcot can pass without having to break ice. There are also bigger pockets of open water called polynyas.

Marchesseau aims for such water openings, not because Le Commandant Charcot can't handle plowing straight through hard ice, but because it's faster and more energy efficient to avoid doing so.

"The best way to travel through the ice is to avoid the ice," he and his officers often quip to passengers.

As a result of Marchesseau's search for leads, our journey to the North Pole isn't a straight line north from Svalbard — the most direct route as the bird flies. Instead, we head northeastward from the archipelago, cutting at an angle through an area of the ice cap where satellite images show more openings.

The roundabout route takes us eastward above Russia's Franz Josef Land before we turn true north toward the pole.

Experiencing the ice

For three days, we plow our way northward across what increasingly resembles a Rothko painting made with variations of white and gray. While the sun appears at times, the skies are mostly densely cloud-covered, resulting in a grayish-white field that fills the top of the horizon all the way down to a whiter field of snow-topped ice — the latter in turn punctured by darker gray channels of open water.

To my surprise, the ice never gets completely solid, even deep into the polar ice cap. The officers on the ship's bridge (which is open to passengers) talk about it in terms of ratios. The ice today is an "8 out of 10," they'll say, or a "9 out of 10," meaning that about 80% or 90% of the surface of the water is covered by ice.

Even as we near the North Pole, we rarely come across stretches of ice that are a "10 out of 10."

As we learn during lectures given by climate scientists and other experts on board, this is partly due to the increasing melting of the Arctic ice cap during the warmer summer months caused by the planet's warming in recent decades. Average temperatures in the Arctic have risen significantly — and thus made journeys like this easier.

But channels of open water, or leads, have long been found across the polar ice cap in the warmest months when the ice melts back. Early Arctic explorers, we learn, would use them to navigate the polar regions. They would look for "water sky" as they traveled north — the dark reflection of open water on the clouds in the distance.

They would also look for "ice blink" — a glow on the horizon caused by the reflection of snow-topped ice on the clouds.

The idea for those in ships was to strike out toward the first and avoid the latter to make a polar passage easier.

Despite all the modern equipment on the bridge of Le Commandant Charcot, Marchesseau tells me that he and his officers still read the clouds ahead to find the best path forward through the ice.

Traveling through the Arctic, particularly on a journey as far north as the North Pole, still is as much art as science.

It's also mesmerizing. For three days, Le Commandant Charcot's passengers spend hours gazing out over the ever-changing floes of ice, which stretch as far as the eye can see in every direction.

It is an otherwordly landscape, both magnificent and terrifying in its emptiness — a part of the world so removed from our normal experience that it might as well be the moon.

Arriving at the North Pole

All around Le Commandant Charcot are digital screens that show the vessel's latitude and other live data from the bridge. As the number gets closer to 90 degrees north — the top of the world — the excitement on the ship grows.

Each degree of latitude represents 60 nautical miles, and as we plow through the last degree of distance, Marchesseau begins counting down the gap in regular updates from the bridge: 30 miles to go, 20, 10, 5.

For the last couple of miles, he calls everyone to the bow of the ship, where the moody theme song from "Interstellar" blasts from loudspeakers — a nod to the great distance we have come. From there, we can see him up in the bridge, maneuvering us forward at a crawl as he watches his instruments.

At first, he overshoots the pole by a few hundred feet, tipping over the top of the world toward Siberia. Then he reverses and overshoots again, this time by just dozens of feet. Pushing forward again, he finally hits it on the nose. He blows the ship's ear-splitting horn, and a cheer echoes across the ice.

We are there. The North Pole. The point where all longitude lines in the world converge. A place where even time is indeterminate, as it's in every time zone at once.

What follows is a decktop celebration with a level of French flair that only could be done on Le Commandant Charcot. It includes Champagne and caviar arriving via the giant lift typically reserved for the ship's helicopter, which is stored one deck below.

Marchesseau then drives the ship firmly into the ice, and within a couple of hours, after a quick dinner, we are disembarking through a side door to take our first steps off the vessel.

We giddily take pictures next to a sign labeled "North Pole" that our expedition guides have brought along for the occasion. We walk a perimeter marked off around the vessel, protected by rifle-carrying lookouts scanning the horizon for polar bears. (The rifles are only to be used as a last resort.) We make snow angels in the ground and sip hot chocolate at a warming station the crew sets up on the ice.

But, amazingly enough, it's just an appetizer for what proves for many to be the day's biggest excitement: the spotting of a polar bear.

It happens just minutes after we return to the ship, and the bear saunters right up to the vessel, clearly curious.

Two hundred cameras fire in unison.

A day at the North Pole

The next day is set aside for a longer exploration of our surroundings.

Emerging from Le Commandant Charcot in the morning, we discover that the ship's expedition guides have laid out snowshoes, cross-country skis and sleds near the ship's door for romping around the ice.

A mailbox also has appeared, from which we can "mail" letters marked to say they came from the North Pole. Plus, the North Pole sign is back, drawing a never-ending stream of selfie-takers, along with two more signs marking the distance to various points around the world.

At one level, it's like a North Pole-themed carnival attraction. It's a little cheesy, for sure. But maybe it's just right for this Instagram age; even on an epic, perhaps life-changing trip, you must come back with photos, or it doesn't count.

Like many of the passengers on board, I give the snowshoes a try, strapping them on and playing polar explorer in a "hike" around a relatively narrow perimeter line that our expedition guides have set up around the ship — really just a short walk.

Related: I just snowshoed at the North Pole — here's how you can, too

The sighting of the polar bear the night before, coupled with low visibility, has the guides skittish about letting us wander too far from the vessel. But our playing field is large enough to give me a taste of this icy and barren outpost far from anything.

And, yes, I get the selfie.

But I also try to soak it all in, the enormity of what I am experiencing.

As I walk, I push myself to take in the scene with all my senses: the sound of the snow crunching under my feet, the sting of the Arctic air on my face, the white-on-white vista where the clouds meet the snow.

That I am here at all seems impossible. When I was born in 1969, this spot on the map was still considered the exclusive realm of only the most adventurous explorers. In fact, the first confirmed arrival at the North Pole by an expedition team on foot — the British Trans-Arctic Expedition team — didn't take place until the year I was born.

In contrast to the handful of days it takes us to reach the North Pole and return to civilization, it took that expedition, led by Sir Wally Herbert, 476 days to get to the pole and back.

Yet here I was, a tourist with no explorer bonafides, tromping around the North Pole, having arrived in warmth and comfort in mere days on a modern and luxurious cruise vessel— albeit a tough one.

Around the world

Our visit to the North Pole is, alas, over almost as soon as it begins. We spend just one night lodged in the ice at the top of the world. Twenty-four hours after we arrive, we are gliding back south.

That is, only after our mischievous captain, Marchesseau, takes us on one final adventure — a "trip around the world."

Returning the ship to the exact spot of the North Pole (which has moved several miles during the day, as polar ice is always drifting), he drives us in a large circle, hitting every latitude line and time zone in just shy of 12 minutes.

It is, he jokes, the fastest trip around the world ever.

Luxury in the Arctic

As we return south through the ice toward Svalbard, passengers settle back into our luxurious surroundings aboard Le Commandant Charcot.

Unlike any other vessel that has traveled across the polar ice cap, it has all the elements of the most elegant hotels on land: spacious suites, stylish lounges, fine dining and a spa.

Le Commandant's main restaurant, Nuna, notably has a menu designed by Alain Ducasse, the famed French chef.

There also are more crew members on the vessel (201) than passengers, something that is almost unheard of in the world of cruising. As a result, the service is high-level.

As you might expect for such a high-end vessel, Le Commandant Charcot also has a price point that might shock some.

Fifteen-night sailings to the North Pole on the ship start at a sky-high $46,450 per person, based on double occupancy. (That is, it'll cost you $92,900 or more per couple for a cabin.)

While a princely sum, for sure, such a fare is not all that unusual for an icebreaker trip to the North Pole. Even the expedition travel companies that chartered spartan Russian icebreakers for such voyages in the past charged $35,000 per person or more.

Icebreakers, it turns out, are extremely expensive to build, and Ponant needs to recoup its cost. Part of what you're paying for is where this ship can get you.

Among the indulgences of Le Commandant Charcot is a contingent of 18 expedition guides, or nearly one for every 10 passengers. They are experts in ornithology, geology, biology and more; some are kayak and hiking guides. As we sail through the ice, they offer daily lectures on what we see around us, from the polar bear to the cracking ice.

It turns out that Le Commandant Charcot isn't just a floating luxury hotel for the Arctic; it's a continuing education classroom at sea, too.

This is, for sure, all a bit incongruous: luxury and learning in one of the world's harshest places.

As one of the lecturers points out, not many years ago, people were dying trying to reach this place where we now travel with such comfort and ease.

A final taste of the ice

After departing the North Pole, Le Commandant Charcot spends nearly three days working its way back south through the ice to Svalbard. But the trip isn't over.

Ponant had built a large number of days into its initial North Pole sailings as it wasn't sure just how fast Le Commandant Charcot would be able to travel through the ice. It turned out to be more days than needed.

With days to spare, Marchesseau points the vessel toward some of the most remote parts of glacier-covered Svalbard for exploring, including far-flung Kvitoya island, where passengers ogle polar bears along the shore from the safety of Zodiac boats, and the northeastern coast of Spitsbergen, where they land by Zodiac to walk the edge of the giant Vaigatbreen glacier.

Three days of impromptu Svalbard exploring also brings walrus spotting at ice-covered Wahlbergoya island and an epic morning of kayaking and zodiac cruising along calving Lilliehookbreen glacier on Spitsbergen's west coast. After a day sailing westward across the Greenland Sea, there's also an afternoon stop for hiking and kayaking along the mountainous and glacier-covered coast of Greenland before the trip ends in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Together, the visits to Svalbard and Greenland offer an ice experience different from our days weaving through the north polar ice cap.

Still, for me and the other passengers on board, it's all secondary. On this trip, we stood at the top of the world — and nothing else could ever compare.

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North Pole Cruises: Your Guide to Arctic Trips to the North Pole

The Arctic is an otherworldly land of boundless vistas, perpetual daylight in summer, glistening ice floes and abundant wildlife. No wonder that taking a North Pole cruise is becoming a growth industry in once rarely visited realms.

One caveat: Unlike Antarctica , which is on a solid land mass, the North Pole has no true fixed location. It lies on a mass of always-shifting ice chunks in the Arctic Ocean. Consequently, few ships actually sail to the pole. On July 13 2022, Ponant’s Le Commandat Charcot reached the geographic North Pole, marking the first time that a luxury passenger vessel brings passengers to the difficult to access location.

But many ships do get close, venturing within the Arctic Circle, above 66 degrees latitude.

These are truly remote areas, so it's not surprising that Arctic trips to the North Pole tend to attract seasoned travelers looking to tick off one more spot on their bucket list. The expansive region takes in northern parts of Norway and the Svalbard archipelago, Sweden, Finland, Greenland, Iceland and Canada.

The allure of this remote region has also sparked a thriving interest from cruise lines with expedition products, with new cruise ships and cruise lines crafting Arctic itineraries with their latest expedition vessels.

Seabourn, for example, started deploying its newest vessel Seabourn Venture, in Arctic waters this summer, with itineraries covering the Svalbard Archipelago, Greenland, Iceland and Arctic Canada.

Similarly, Australia-based Scenic Cruises covers the Arctic extensively on its yacht Scenic Eclipse , including jaunts across the Northwest Passage. Quark Expeditions is also offering in-depth itineraries throughout Greenland and the Northwest Passage onboard its newest ship, Ultramarine.

Due to the current war in Ukraine, cruise lines that typically sail Russia’s Arctic have cancelled itineraries that sail from, or visit the Eurasian country. It's not known when these Northeast Passage cruises, as they are known, will resume.

Here's a breakdown of popular areas, and some lines and outfitters that'll take you there. But first, some general guidance.

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North pole cruise pricing, when to go on a north pole cruise, what to expect on a north pole cruise, polar cruise regions.

Arctic cruises aren't cheap, thanks to region's remote locale, the specialized equipment required to sail there and the higher staff-to-passenger ratio that's typical in expedition cruising. (Think Zodiac operators for shore excursions and rifle-toting naturalist guides who'll educate -- and protect -- you.)

Expect to pay in the $30,000 per person range for a 14-day jaunt to the North Pole. Inclusions vary, so read carefully to determine what's covered in the base fare of your cruise. Some tour operators like Tauck, which charters Ponant's  Le Boreal  for sailings to Norway's far-north Svalbard Archipelago, offer a truly all-inclusive package that covers transfers, hotel nights, all gratuities, the round trip chartered flight from Oslo to the embarkation point and an open bar on the ship.

Many outfitters include extras like a parka that's yours to take home. Some rent or loan rubber boots (for on-shore excursions), so you don't have to pack your own. Others, like One Ocean Expeditions, provide extras like waterproof pants, boots, binoculars, trekking pole, parka and backpack on its Canadian Arctic and Greenland expeditions. But you'll pay extra for the charter flights departing from Canadian cities to embarkation points.

Arctic cruising  also requires a time commitment. The shortest itineraries are eight days (not counting the time it takes to get to the embarkation point). Two-week cruises and longer aren't uncommon. If time (and money) is no object, go whole hog with Abercrombie & Kent's grand-slam 48-day Grand Arctic Voyage (aboard Le Boreal), which starts in Norway and continues on to Greenland, Iceland, the Canadian Arctic and Alaska. Starting price: about $56,000 per person, plus international airfare.

If time (and money)  isn't  limitless, consider a shorter trip from an easy-to-get-to embarkation point, like Iceland. You'll find savings on early- and late-season departures.

Prime time is July and August when the polar desert shows its colors. Snowfields give way to lush yellow-green mosses. And against all odds in this harsh environment, ground-hugging plants sprout tiny but brilliant blooms. Going earlier or later in the summer might mean not being able to get as far north due to ice, but winter cruising in this part of the world is growing, too. Northern lights cruises -- primarily in Northern Norway, but also in Greenland and Iceland -- are offered by a handful of lines, including Viking, P&O Cruises and Hurtigruten.

Fluctuating conditions can lead to changes in the itinerary, particularly on far, far north cruises. Weather and sea ice could waylay the most meticulously planned routes. Conversely, a twist in road can lead to unexpected delights. Either way, flexibility is a must on Arctic cruises. And on a related note, patience is a virtue, too. Animals in the Arctic are generally more dispersed than those in other expedition cruise locales like Antarctica and the Galapagos, where guides have regular go-to viewing spots.

Wildlife watching: Africa has its Big Five. The Arctic has its Big Three : polar bears, walruses and whales. You're unlikely to get up close and personal with polar bears (a good thing; they can be extremely dangerous), but a savvy crew will have their eyes peeled for sightings on distant ice floes. Chances of spotting walruses are good, since they tend to congregate in massive heaps on beaches. Whales, including minke, beluga and even blue whales (the world's largest creature) are a solid bet. Reindeer, ringed seals and a multitude of bird species, from kittiwakes to arctic terns, are a given.

Physical demands: On Arctic expedition ships, shore excursions are via open-air Zodiacs, which require minor gymnastics to get in and out of. Once ashore, the terrain can be uneven and rocky.

What to wear: Layers, layers, layers. Temperatures in the Arctic don't vary dramatically throughout the day, but wind and visibility can. Wait until you're ready to head out before donning the outer layer. Rubber boots and waterproof pants are a must for wet landings.

Note: Itineraries might consist of more than a single region.

The North Pole: Getting to the top of the world requires cruising on an actual icebreaker (as opposed to ice-class ships, which have thickened hulls, among other modifications). Ponant's newest ship, Le Commandant Charcot, has made some successful voyages in 2022 and is offering them again in 2023.

Norway's Svalbard Archipelago: The world's northernmost town, Longyearbyen, is on the archipelago's largest island, Spitsbergen . The town, a three-hour flight north of Oslo, is the starting and ending point for a number of Arctic cruises. Spitsbergen also is the site of the world's northernmost settlement, Ny-Alesund, a former mining town and now an international research station. How far north ships venture depends on ice conditions, but the entire area is well within the Arctic Circle. This is a popular cruising area, with companies ranging from the French line, Ponant, to Silversea.

Iceland: A number of cruises circumnavigate this island of geysers, stone sea stacks and other geological marvels. Though its mainland lies a few degrees below the Arctic Circle, the island of Grimsey, 25 miles off Iceland's north coast, qualifies as a true Arctic location. Among companies offering the itinerary is Lindblad Expeditions , with multiple sailings aboard the National Geographic Explorer.

Greenland: Located just south of the North Pole, the Earth's biggest island is ringed with spectacular fjords and snowcapped peaks. Many itineraries take in Ilulissat Icefjord -- site of Jakobshavn Glacier, the world's fastest-calving glacier -- plus visits to Inuit coastal villages. Some itineraries combine Greenland with stops in the Canadian Arctic. G Adventures sails along Greenland's east coast on a 15-day sailing that starts in Longyearbyen (Norway), and ends in Reykjavik.

Canadian Arctic: The Arctic Archipelago north of Canada's mainland includes most of Nunavut and part of the Northwest Territories. It's also home to Canada's newest National Marine Protected Area. Itineraries on a North Pole cruise through Canada often include visits to traditional Inuit villages, like Pond Inlet on Baffin Island.

Northwest Passage: The sea route through the Arctic Ocean to the Pacific cuts through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Among cruise lines that venture there: Hurtigruten, with a 24-day full passage from Nome, Alaska, to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, and a shorter trip from Canada's Cambridge Bay (north of Edmonton) to Kangerlussuaq. Silversea Cruises completes the full passage from Kangerlussuaq to Vancouver in 42 days onboard the newly-refurbished Silver Wind , while Scenic has 22-day itineraries from Anchorage to Kangerlussuaq, with a flight connection to Copenhagen. Quark Expeditions sails 12- and 17-day itineraries covering segments of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian High Arctic and Greenland.

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Ponant: Cruise to the North Pole

The North Pole is on everyone’s bucket list. But few of us get anywhere near. Mainly because of the faff of getting there, the fear of getting lost in a ferocious snowstorm and of dying of frostbite or from a haymaker of a left hook from a 1500 pound, 10’ tall polar bear.

And coming back freight. Or, not at all. We seek out ice floes, whale breaching and our Arctic experiences elsewhere. We like our home comforts and regular meal plans. Cannibalism shouldn’t be on the itinerary.

But Ponant ’s Le Commandant Charcot , named after the French polar scientist, doctor, Olympic sailing silver medallist and leader of the 1904-7 French Arctic Expedition, Jean-Baptiste Charcot, is the world’s only luxury icebreaker and Polar Class 2 rate cruise ship.

Le Commandant Charcot

The Romanian-built , 492’, 15-knot hybrid polar expedition cruise liner now takes you and research scientists, resident geologists, glaciologists and a company of international naturalist guides to one of the most remote and inhospitable places on earth.

The  Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the northern hemisphere where the earth’s axis of rotation meets its surface. It is referred to as the True North Pole to distinguish it from the Magnetic North Pole. The nearest land is Kaffeklubben Island off Greenland and the nearest inhabited place probably Alert, 500 miles away in Nunavut, Canada.

The 17-day itinerary begins and ends in Norway in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, the northernmost town in the Arctic Circle, and a protected wilderness area in its own right. You sail 1,186 nautical miles to the North Pole.

The unique super-luxury cruise liner comes with a crew of 215, butlers, 123 staterooms/ suites including some with private jacuzzi and observation terrace and the super high0end “Shipowners Suite”, sixteen Zodiacs, a communal gym, indoor heated swimming pool, spa and sauna, massage therapists and aestheticians, Swarovski binoculars; a 270-seat multimedia theatre, two restaurants include Nuna ( Inuit for “earth” ) by Michelin three- starred Alain Ducasse, nine wine cellars, Champagne, caviar, foie gras, a Cigar and Cognac room. And full access to the bridge.

The eco-conscious Charcot  , which runs liquefied natural gas and low-sulphur diesel, is propelled and steered by two giant Azipods. The skipper or ice pilot, Geir-Martin Leinebø, the captained Norway’s naval icebreaker, KV Svalbard, which in 2019 became the first Norwegian vessel to reach the North Pole.

Sextants are no more. A helicopter scouts 40 miles ahead of the ship which has been fitted with a sonar the Sea Ice Monitoring System (SIMS). The vessel also has its own meteorological station on the top deck as well as £9.7m’s worth of research facilities.

There isn’t much to see. Which is not black or white. The most colourful things are the heavy drinkers in the Silak (Sky) bar. But there is masses to be taken in. Such as information on 1.8 million square miles of —young ice, pancake ice, ice cake, brash ice, fast ice and fast carving through which the boat sails. There is more open water now. The Arctic ice sheet has shrunk to about half its 1985 size. Many scientists predict it will be ice-free by the end of the 2030s.

The ship visits Arctic beaches like Lomfjorden , the Brunnich’s guillemot colony of Alkfjellin, the reindeer herd on Palanderbukta, the 200 walruses on Kapp Lee and you can hike the black tundra of Burgerbukta with its one-half-inch-tall willow trees.

You can kayaking the ice floes of Ekmanfjorden . And plant your national flag at the North Pole. With bodyguards on hand who are trained in hand-to- claw combat. Definitely an amazing experience!

Don’t miss more updates, news and reviews of Ponant on Cruising Journal with photos, videos and cruise offers.

Kevin Pilley

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Kangerlussuaq, Grundarfjörður, Longyearbyen, Kivitoo… If there are any town and village names that truly evoke the Far North , it's those of Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Canada.

The scenery in this part of the world is simply spectacular. Icebergs, sea ice and volcanic mountain landscapes extend as far as the eye can see. And amidst it all roams the polar bear, king of the Arctic, in complete peace and tranquillity. To take an Arctic cruise is to allow yourself to be transported to a world where man is simply a spectator and nature reigns supreme.

All about cruises The Arctic

Inuit spring of Ammassalik

Inuit spring at the edge of Scoresby Sound

Norway, between the Scandinavian peninsula and the High Arctic

From Scotland to Spitsbergen

Northeast Greenland's unexplored sea ice

Fjords and glaciers of Spitsbergen

Alaska, nature on a grand scale

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Our cruises The Arctic

Northwest passage, spitsbergen, russian arctic, canadian arctic, northeast passage, reasons to discover the arctic.

It is said to be mythical, or at least as much as its opposite, the Antarctic. Only rarely do we get to know its most isolated regions. That is what makes it so appealing And yet, the Arctic includes eight countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, the United States, Canada, Denmark and Iceland) and many more marvels to discover. Here are three reasons to go to the Arctic.

Must-dos — the Arctic

A cruise in the Arctic is a golden opportunity to combine a dream of adventure with unique encounters, in a grandiose setting. From Greenland to Spitsbergen, from the Arctic Canada to Iceland, these are the must-dos in the Far North.

Explore the Arctic

The facts and the fiction about the Arctic

Where should I go in the Arctic?

The Arctic, a ocean of ice, pristine and unsullied

3 reasons to discover the Arctic

To meet the local communities

Spread over Greenland, Alaska and Canada, the Inuit have been perpetuating their traditions for more than 4,000 years. In the frozen vastness of the Far North, their ancestral way of life deserves our greatest respect. Their lives are organised around the level of the tides and the condition of the ice floe while their activities are focused on hunting and fishing. They are skilled craftsmen producing veritable works of art by sculpting walrus or narwhal tusks and working the furs and skins of marine mammals. Mindful of passing on their heritage, the Inuit welcome travellers with kindness, happily sharing their customs, traditional dancing and music.

To discover grandiose nature

In the heart of the ice of the Far North and the primary forests of Alaska, the Arctic unveils its majestic landscapes. Colossal icebergs drift in deafening silence, glaciers alternate with the ice floe, impressive geysers and volcanos reach towards the sky, and the lakes, rivers and conifer forests stretch as far as the eye can see… All are home to exceptional fauna. In the waters of Spitsbergen or Baffin Bay, humpback whales, finbacks, narwhals, orcas and seals put on a breathtaking show. On land, we observe polar bears, walruses, musk oxen, Arctic foxes and Svalbard reindeer with emotion. In the air, countless bird species, including Arctic terns, puffins, sea eagles, gannets and bald eagles share the horizon.

To follow in the footsteps of the great explorers

Historically, the Arctic has attracted intrepid explorers in search of adventure. From the territory of Ultima Thule, the mythical kingdom of the Vikings, to the North Pole, men have surpassed themselves. They defied the elements and pushed all the boundaries. We still talk today of the exploits of James Cook, who sailed the coasts of Alaska in 1778, Roald Amundsen, the first man to traverse the Northwest Passage in 1905, and Paul-Emile Victor. The latter set off for the first time in 1934 with the famous Jean-Baptiste Charcot, heading for Greenland. In 1936, he crossed it from the west to the east, on dog sleds! He then spent 14 months alone with an Inuit family in Kangerlussuaq. His account served to bring to light these populations and their traditions, little-known in Europe until then.

Watching whales in Greenland

While its name comes from the Icelandic, Groenland, meaning “green land”, it is above all an island at “the end of the world” , where grandiose nature offers up unique shows. Among these, the dance of the marine mammals in the icy waters procures a rare emotion. Eight species of whales can be found here at various periods of the year. Humpback whales, blue whales and other finbacks share this wild habitat with orcas, seals and narwhals.

Following the tracks of the polar bears in Spitsbergen

Above the 78th parallel north, Spitsbergen also appears like a land at the end of the world. The last island before the North Pole , Spitsbergen unveils craggy coastlines that melt into a sea of ice. In the heart of these white landscapes and these preserved places, the polar bear is known as a great predator and reigns supreme over the ice floe . The population of polar bears in the Arctic is estimated at 20,000 animals. The reindeer and the Arctic fox are the only two other land mammals to share its territory.

Admiring the Kirkjufell Volcano in Iceland

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is on the west coast of Iceland, around 170 km from Reykjavik. It is home to the small town of Grundarfjörður in a panorama dominated by the Kirkjufell Volcano . Surrounded by water, it is a perfect representation of the Icelandic landscape. Streams criss-cross the landscape while waterfalls give it a touch of mystery. The lava flow accumulated at its summit, dating back several million years, lends the site an almost surreal aura .

Visiting the Aleutian Islands

These islands form a string of volcanic confetti over almost 2,000 kilometres, between the United States and Russia. Located south-west of Alaska, the Aleutian Islands symbolize an extraordinary end of the world: they represent the emerged part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Here, every island is a volcano crowned with ice; the landscapes composed of tundra, and carpeted with wild flowers and lichens, stretch as far as the eye can see. In these preserved surroundings, the wild fauna is exceptionally varied: it is common to observe whales and orcas, while more than 200 bird species have been recorded there.

Traversing the Northwest Passage like a real explorer

The hypothesis of a waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, via the north of Canada, was formulated as early as 1497. A number of sailors sent from Europe or North America attempted to find this passage… After many tragedies and exploits, the Norwegian Roald Amundsen was ultimately the first to succeed in 1906. Set off to follow the footsteps of these explorers, well beyond the polar circle , for a truly unique experience. The passage is only accessible during the short Arctic summer. For the rest of the year, ice prevents any navigation.

Discovering the Sea of Okhotsk

Nicknamed “the hunters’ sea”, the Sea of Okhotsk is considered to have the most abundant fish population in the world, and was highly prized by whalers from the United States in the 19th century. Sailors didn’t hesitate to embark on three-year voyages via Cape Horn in the hope of capturing precious whales to sell their oil to the highest bidder. Today, grey whales prosper peacefully, just like the rest of the rich fauna to be found here: ribbon seals, numerous bird species, Steller’s sea eagles, brown bears, sea lions, seals have wonderful surprises in store for you in this remote part of the Russian Far East.

Sailing in Baffin Bay

Between the western coast of Greenland and the east of Arctic Canada, Baffin Bay is one of the most secret seas on the planet. The North Magnetic Pole is found here, between expanses of icy waters, icebergs, glaciers and gigantic fjords. As if to add to the magic of this fabulous setting, the wild fauna offers a grandiose show. Humpback whales, polar bears, walruses and migratory birds have taken up residence here. To sail Baffin Bay is to find an original beauty that very few places on earth have conserved.

• 14th July Glacier, Spitzbergen (Svalbard)
• 14th July Glacier, Spitsbergen (Svalbard)
• Aappilattoq (Augpilatok) (Greenland)
• Akpatok Island, Nunavut (Canada)
• Akulleq (Greenland)
• Akureyri (Iceland)
• Alert Bay (Canada)
• Alesund (Norway)
• Alkefjellet Cliff, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Alta (Norway)
• Ammassalik Region (Greenland)
• At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot
• At sea along Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Baffin Bay exploration
• Banks Island (Canada)
• Battle Harbour (Canada)
• Beechey Island, Nunavut (Canada)
• Belfast, Northern Ireland (United Kingdom)
• Bellot Strait (Canada)
• Bellsund, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Bergen (Norway)
• Blosseville Coast (Greenland)
• Boltodden, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Bronnoysund (Norway)
• Callanish, Outer Hebrides (United Kingdom)
• Cap-aux-Meules, Magdalen Islands (Canada)
• Cape Farvel Passage (Greenland)
• Cape York (Greenland)
• College Fjord, Alaska
• Coningham Bay, Nunavut (Canada)
• Corner Brook (Canada)
• Crossing Belle Isle Strait (Canada)
• Crossing the Bering Strait
• Devon Island, Nunavut (Canada)
• Disko Bay (Greenland)
• Djúpivogur (Iceland)
• EastFjords (Iceland)
• Edinburgh Island, Nunavut (Canada)
• Elfin Cove, Alaska (United States)
• Endicott Arm, Alaska (United States)
• Evighedsfjorden (Greenland)
• Exploration of Ammassalik Region (Greenland)
• Exploration of Ittoqqortoormiit Region (Greenland)
• Exploration of North-East Greenland (Greenland)
• Exploring sea ice in Beaufort Sea
• Exploring sea ice of Northwest Passage
• Exploring the Blosseville Coast (Greenland)
• Eysturoy Island, Faroe Islands (Faroe Islands)
• Fort William (United Kingdom)
• Fury Beach, Nunavut (Canada)
• Gaspé (Canada)
• Geographic North Pole
• Gjesvaer (Norway)
• Gjoa Haven, Nunavut (Canada)
• Glasgow, Scotland (United Kingdom)
• Gnalodden, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Grinnell Glacier, Nunavut (Canada)
• Grundarfjördur (Iceland)
• Grímsey (Iceland)
• Haines, Alaska (United States)
• Hammerfest (Norway)
• Heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar (Iceland)
• Holman (Ulukhaktok)  (Canada)
• Honningsvag (Norway)
• Hornsund (Norway)
• Hornvika (Norway)
• Hvalso (Greenland)
• Icy Arm Fjord (Canada)
• Idabukta, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Igaliku (Greenland)
• Ikka Fjord (Greenland)
• Inside passage
• Iona, Hebrides (United Kingdom)
• Isabella Bay, Ninginganiq National Wildlife Area (Canada)
• Isafjördur (Iceland)
• Isbukta, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Isfjorden (Norway)
• Isle of Noss, Shetland Islands (United Kingdom)
• Itilleq (Greenland)
• Ittoqqortoormiit Region (Greenland)
• Ivigtut (Greenland)
• Jan Mayen Island, Svalbard (Norway)
• Jesse Harbour (Canada)
• Kake, Alaska (United States)
• Kangerlussuaq (Greenland)
• King Frederick VI Coast (Greenland)
• King Island, Alaska (United States)
• King Point, Yukon (Canada)
• Kirkwall, Orkney (United Kingdom)
• Kongsfjorden (King Bay), Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Kuannit Coast (Greenland)
• Kujalleq Glacier (Greenland)
• Kullorsuaq (Greenland)
• L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland (Canada)
• La Baie (Saguenay) (Canada)
• Lakselv (Norway)
• Lerwick, Shetland Islands (United Kingdom)
• Liefdefjorden (Norway)
• Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Magnetic North Pole
• Melville Bay (Greenland)
• Metlakatla, Alaska (United States)
• Miquelon Island, Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France)
• Misty Fjords, Alaska (United States)
• Monaco Glacier, Spitsbergen (Svalbard)
• Montreal (Canada)
• Mousa Broch, Shetland Islands (United Kingdom)
• Nachvak Fjord, Torngat Mountains National Park (Canada)
• Nain (Canada)
• Nanortalik (Greenland)
• Narsalik (Greenland)
• Narsaq (Greenland)
• Narsaq Fjord (Greenland)
• Navigating through the sea ice
• Newfoundland (Canada)
• Nome, Alaska (United States)
• Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve (Norway)
• Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park (Norway)
• North Arm fjord, Nunavut (Canada)
• Nuuk (Greenland)
• Ny-Alesund, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Oban, Scotland (United Kingdom)
• Orpit (Greenland)
• Paul-Émile Victor Base Camp, Eqi Glacier (Greenland)
• Percé (Canada)
• Petersburg, Alaska (United States)
• Point Adolphus, Alaska (United States)
• Pond Inlet, Nunavut (Canada)
• Prins Christian Sund (Greenland)
• Qaqortoq (Greenland)
• Qeqertarsuaq (Greenland)
• Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut (Canada)
• Québec (Canada)
• Raudfjorden, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Reine, Lofoten (Norway)
• Reinoya Island (Norway)
• Reykjavík (Iceland)
• Rigolet (Canada)
• Sailing River Saint Lawrence and going through its locks (Canada)
• Sailing Saguenay River (Canada)
• Sailing Saint Lawrence Gulf (Canada)
• Sailing along Bjornoya (Bear Island) (Norway)
• Sailing along Faroe Islands Coasts
• Sailing around Surtsey Island (Iceland)
• Sailing in Beaufort Sea
• Sailing in Porsangerfjorden (Norway)
• Sailing in Trollfjorden (Norway)
• Sailing in the Geiranger Fjord (Norway)
• Sailing in the Hardangerfjord (Norway)
• Sailing in the Hinlopen Strait (Norway)
• Sailing in the Johnstone Strait
• Sailing in the Lancaster Sound (Canada)
• Sailing in the Prince William Sound
• Sailing on Loch Linnhe (United Kingdom)
• Sailing through the Denmark Strait
• Sailing toward the ice floes
• Saint Pierre Island, Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France)
• Saint-John's, Newfoundland (Canada)
• Sam Ford Fjord, Nunavut (Canada)
• Savissivik (Greenland)
• Scoresby Sound (Greenland)
• Sept-Îles (Canada)
• Sermilik Fjord (Greenland)
• Seward, Alaska (United States)
• Signehamna, Spitsbergen (Svalbard)
• Sisimiut (Greenland)
• Sitka, Alaska (United States)
• Skagway, Alaska (United States)
• Skarsvag (Norway)
• Skjoldungen (Greenland)
• Smeerenburg, Spitsbergen (Norway)
• Smoking Hills (Canada)
• Smola (Norway)
• Soraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve (Norway)
• Stornoway, Hebrides (United Kingdom)
• Storoya, Svalbard (Svalbard)
• Streymoy Island, Faroe Islands (Faroe Islands)
• Suduroy Island, Faroe Islands (Faroe Islands)
• Tadoussac (Canada)
• Tasermiut Fjord (Greenland)
• Tasiilaq (Greenland)
• Texas Bar, Liefdefjorden (Norway)
• Thule Region (Greenland)
• Toronto (Canada)
• Tromso (Norway)
• Tsaa Fjord, Icy Bay, Alaska (United States)
• Uummannaq (Greenland)
• Vancouver (Canada)
• Wahlbergoya (Norway)

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• Transarctic, the quest for the two North Poles Nome, Alaska - Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen

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Transarctic, the quest for the two North Poles

Nome, alaska - longyearbyen, spitsbergen, dates: 06/09/2024 to  26/09/2024.

Guest of Honour

The Travel Concierge service

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FLIGHT SEATTLE/NOME + TRANSFERS + FLIGHT LONGYEARBYEN/PARIS

With featured guest Alban Michon, a modern-day adventurer and explorer who has taken part in some exceptional expeditions and Cindy Miller Hopkins, American Photo Ambassador.

In 1926, when Umberto Nobile crossed the Arctic via the North Pole , aboard the Norge airship that he designed himself, he became the first man in the world to undertake this crossing. It was an exploit that many would subsequently attempt to repeat. For, behind the idea of exploring our planet’s last latitudes, there lies the prospect of raising our spirit, of matching our thirst for the unknown with our deep desire to gain a greater understanding of the world in which we live.

Le Commandant Charcot , a ship of scientific opportunity , follows in the tradition of Nobile, a pioneer and a tireless architect of polar discovery, in order to discover some of the Arctic’s secrets during a dedicated research mission at the highest point of the north.

The ship, the latest addition to the company’s fleet, shaped for polar exploration, is preparing to sail , a never travelled,   transpolar maritime route, that is inaccessible to traditional ships. From the legendary Bering Strait, a link between the East and the West, to the ice-covered land of Svalbard , Le Commandant Charcot will carve out a path through the ice floes, exploring the ice of the Beaufort Sea , and use open water leads to attempt to reach the elusive Magnetic and Geographic North Poles .

Like a pioneer, you will cross these ice-covered landscapes of the Arctic by sea . During your exploration, you will discover the research projects that are part of the scientific mission taking place on board. This is a unique opportunity to clarify your knowledge alongside a multi-disciplinary team of around twenty researchers on board , to understand their investigations and closely follow their work. Also accompanied by our expert naturalists , you will discover unique ecosystems while sharpening your perception of the polar world and comprehending the stakes of their transformation. Use this journey to grant yourself an initiatory immersion: the rare occasion to take part in an adventure that is making a contribution to scientific research.

Taking an all-new route means pledging to enter an unexplored world with respect, taking the time to observe and understand, as a conscious witness , the unfolding show. With your senses awakened, with the ice floe as your travel companion, you will move through an ever-changing environment, its hypnotic panoramas of raw beauty sculpted by sea winds and plays on light. In the heart of the drifting ice, you will savour the constantly renewed poetry of the elements.

Find out more about the world of  Le Commandant Charcot  here!

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Our navigation, mainly in the fjords, will be determined by the type of ice we come across; as the fast ice must be preserved, we will take this factor into account from day to day in our itineraries. The sailing programme, outings, activities and observation of fauna cannot be guaranteed and are subject to weather and ice conditions. The experiences are unique and vary from day to day and for each departure. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while respecting safety instructions and regulations imposed by the AECO.

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With featured guest Alban Michon, a modern-day adventurer and explorer who has taken part in some exceptional expeditions and Cindy Miller Hopkins, American Photo Ambassador. The eye and the advice of our...

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Your ship le commandant charcot, guest speaker(s).

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441 224 080 921 (or contact your travel agent)

Our guest of honour

Alban Michon

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Prestige Stateroom Deck 6  

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Owner's Suite  

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Included in your cruise For more peace of mind, PONANT organizes your trip before or after the cruise. This package is included in the price of your cruise.

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*Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.

Services provided

• Concierge Service: tailor-made and fully customisable services, from your reservation until you return from your trip
• Glazed private balcony for all our staterooms and suites
• Terrace for the Duplex suites and the Owner's suite
• 24-hour room service
• Inclusive Wifi internet access (availability dependent on navigation and latitude)
• Individually-controlled air conditioning
• Dressing room with shelves and closet
• Dressing table and hairdryer
• Dyptique Paris top-of-the-line bath products
• Nespresso coffee maker and boiler
• Electronic safe
• Direct line telephone
• Bose Bluetooth speaker
• Flat screen TV, international channels (availability dependent on navigation) and videos on demand
• 110V American (two flat pins)/220V European (round sockets with two round pins)
• 3 ADA staterooms

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• + than 269 ft²

Prestige Stateroom Deck 6

25% Ponant Bonus

Prestige Stateroom Deck 7

Prestige Stateroom Deck 8

Deluxe Suite Deck 6

Deluxe Suite Deck 7

Deluxe Suite Deck 8

Prestige Suite Deck 7

Prestige Suite Deck 8

Grand Prestige Suite Deck 6

Privilege Suite Deck 8

Duplex Suite Deck 6

Owner's Suite

Passionate about the polar regions and scuba diving, Alban Michon is a French adventurer and explorer who has taken part in some exceptional expeditions. In 2010, he embarked on an adventure with a team to the North Pole and dived under the Arctic ice pack for 45 days. In 2012, he followed this up with a 1000 km expedition to Greenland in a kayak, where he had the chance to swim with a polar bear and immerse himself under icebergs. In 2018, he left for a 62-day solo expedition on the ice floes of the Northwest Passage in Canada's far north.

Alban Michon has always had a taste for adventure. At the age of eleven, he discovered scuba diving, and he was just of age when he started seasons in Corsica and Porquerolles as an instructor. At the age of 22, he bought the ice diving school in Tignes (Savoie, France), then the underground diving centre of Vasques du Quercy (Lot, France). Very quickly, Alban became the reference in ice and underground diving. People come from all over Europe, amateurs and professionals, to try out the techniques of these unusual immersions. In 2020 he opened the School of Explorers in Tignes. He trains, advises and guides all those who have projects related to the world of adventure, technology or science

Languages spoken: French

Photo credit: © Andy Parant

Paul North is a polar expedition diver and underwater photographer specializing in the coldest waters on our planet. He is the founder of Meet the Ocean, an award-winning nonprofit engaging the public through film, podcasts, virtual reality, art, and interactive educational events. North has logged hundreds of dives in the higher latitudes encountering all sorts of spectacular creatures. His passion is to share the story and complexities of these ecosystems to foster understanding and urgent action to protect them.

Language spoken : English

Photo credit : Ralph Lee Hopkins

Cindy Miller Hopkins

PONANT Photo Ambassador and full-time professional travel and wildlife photographer with 25 years’ experience and over six thousand publications to her credit. Her images can be seen on the pages of thousands of textbooks, travel brochures, calendars, fine art prints, consumer products, U.S. and international magazines, and newspapers. Her freelance, assignment and workshop career has taken her to all seven continents and to over 150 countries. Her 2018 shot of 5-species of penguins in one frame is thought to be the only one like it in the world and is currently the lead image in a campaign to fully protect South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Along with her stock photography business, Cindy teaches digital photography classes, works as a professional photographer & guest lecturer on expedition ships and leads photo safaris around the world. She is past president of the NANPA (North American Photography Association) Foundation Board and is an active Foundation Board member for over 20 years. On average, Cindy is out of the country over 200 days a year. When not traveling, she lives at home with her husband in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.

Photo credit : Sue Flood

Paul North will be giving a number of talks, including:

- Regional Oceanography

- Arctic Wildlife

Subject to withdrawal in case of force majeure

Boarding conditions and passenger travel abilities

We invite you to read our boarding conditions and passenger travel abilities by clicking here . 

Any new reservation implies the acceptance of these conditions.

To guarantee your entry into one or several countries, you must ensure that you comply with the formalities and health requirements specific to each destination. In just a few clicks on our online search engine, find all the formalities you must complete prior to your departure (visas, entry authorisations for each country, vaccinations, etc.).

The international situation can change rapidly, so be sure to check this information regularly prior to your departure. However, please note that we always recommend our guests contact the relevant national immigration and customs and border control authorities directly to find out what rules apply to their specific situation. PONANT is not responsible for any decisions made by guests based on the information provided by the online search engine.

The information below is current but subject to change at any time without advance notice from government authorities. Please consult your respective government agencies for visa and health information.

Passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond the completion of your trip. Passport must contain at least two completely clear, blank, unused visa pages for each visa required, not including any amendment pages. Visa pages with stains or ink from other pages in the passport are not usable. Guests who deviate from the scheduled embarkation or disembarkation port should research the foreign entry requirements for the port country. Due to government regulations, regrettably, Ponant will have to deny boarding to any guest who fails to obtain the appropriate travel documentation for this trip.

Activities : please note that for polar plunge , an EKG (electrocardiogram) by your general practitioner will be required. 

Also, for persons under 18 wishing to take part in this activity as well as kayaking , a sworn statement from the parents or legal guardians that they are able to swim will be asked. A parent or legal guardian must be present at the time of the activity.

USA : Depending on your nationality, an ESTA or Visa may be required. Please contact USA consulate website for details. A copy of your visa or ESTA must be sent to PONANT at the very latest 45 days prior to your cruise date. In case the ESTA is sufficient to enter the USA, we also ask you to keep a copy of your ESTA with your passport throughout the duration of your trip.

List of items prohibited on board

To guarantee the safety and well-being of our guests, certain items are strictly prohibited on board. Should you have one of these products or objects in your possession, they will be confiscated immediately and will not be transported on the ship. When an item transported aboard is considered illegal, the relevant authorities will be notified systematically.

Click here  for the full list of items prohibited on board. 

Warning about the use of drones : the use of drones aboard PONANT ships, whether they are sailing at sea, at a port of call or anchored, is strictly forbidden. The use of drones on land in the Arctic and Antarctic regions is also strictly forbidden by international polar regulations. In other regions, it may be possible to use drones on land if permission has been obtained from the relevant authorities of each country and each region travelled through, as well as a pilot’s licence that should be obtained from your home country. Passengers are responsible for obtaining these permits; they should be able to present them at all times. Passengers who do not obtain these authorisations expose themselves to the risk of legal proceedings.

Expedition programmes include activities such as zodiac outings and landings (sometimes with "wet landing"), moderate walks to more active hikes, all accompanied by your expedition team of naturalist guides.

Ports of call, visited sites, outings and landings will depend on weather conditions, position of ice, winds and the state of the sea. These can force a change of plans at any time. The Captain and the Expedition Leader may at any time cancel or stop any activity, or even modify the itinerary. The final itinerary will be confirmed by the Captain, who will take into account the touristic quality of the sites and above all, the safety of the passengers. His decision will be based on advice from experts and authorities.

Travelling to polar/isolated regions is an exhilarating experience in remote areas: please remember that you are far from modern hospitals with full medical facilities, thus evacuation is extremely expensive. Without adequate medical coverage, all expenses will have to be immediately paid with your personal funds. We urge you to subscribe to full coverage insurance, choose your insurance company very carefully, be extremely vigilant and ensure your insurance is fully comprehensive, especially if you are insured by your credit card. PONANT offers an insurance contract with extensive guarantees, please contact us for more information.

Clothing tips:

• A PONANT polar water-resistant parka is offered on board for all departures with an Expedition programme (no children sizes, in case of consecutive cruises, only one complimentary parka).
• Half calf rubber boots with non-slip soles, which will allow you to go ashore in 20 cm of cold water, keeping your feet dry for walks and visits on steep paths. Boot rental will be offered onboard (for adults only) on Expedition cruises.
• Comfortable trousers: classic Winter trousers, warm cotton tracksuit, wool leggings
• Waterproof and windproof over-trousers – MANDATORY
• Winter trousers with waterproof over trousers are the ideal combination: water-resistance and comfort of trousers are essential
• Pullover, sweat-shirt or fleece jacket
• Woollen or thermolactyl Thermal underwear
• A warm hat, woollen ear muffs or fleece ear muffs, fleece or woollen neck warmer (avoid scarves that do not stay in place)- MANDATORY
• Wool or silk glove liners, water-resistant and supple gloves
• Thick warm socks (ideally woollen)

Accessories:

• Small waterproof backpack (to protect your camera from water).
• Binoculars (strongly recommended for wildlife viewing).
• Highly protective sunglasses.
• Walking poles (highly recommended).

Ideal clothes for life on board:

During the days spent on board, you are advised to wear comfortable clothes or casual outfits. The entire ship is air-conditioned, so a light sweater, a light jacket or a shawl may be necessary. When moving about in the public areas of the ship and the decks, light but comfortable shoes are recommended.

Informal evening:

In the evening, you are advised to wear smart-casual attire, especially when dining in our restaurants where wearing shorts and tee-shirts is not allowed.

• Simple dress
• Skirt or trousers
• Pleated trousers or chinos
• Sports jacket

Officer’s evening:

For all cruises longer than 8 nights, an Officer’s Evening with a white dress code may be organized. Therefore, we encourage you to bring a stylish white outfit for the occasion (otherwise black and white).

Gala evening:

During the cruise, two gala evenings will be organised on board. Thus, we recommend that you bring one or two formal outfits.

• Cocktail attire
• Evening dress (if you wish to)
• Tie recommended, possibly bow tie (if you wish to)

A small shop is available on board offering a wide range of outfits, jewellery, leather goods and many accessories.

A laundry service (washing/ironing) is available on board, but unfortunately there are no dry cleaning services. For safety reasons, your cabin is not equipped with an iron.

INSULATED BASE LAYER:

• Wool or thermolactyl technical underwear
• Polar or technical jacket
• Polar sweater or sweatshirt
• Silk or wool glove liners
• Wool leggings
• Warm hiking socks

WATERPROOF OUTER LAYER:

• Waterproof over-trousers - Mandatory
• Waterproof parka - Offered on board (not available in children’s sizes)
• Windbreaker – Mandatory
• A warm woollen hat covering your ears
• Polar or woollen neck warmer
• Waterproof technical gloves
• Hiking shoes

HEALTH CARE:

• Lip protection balm
• Mosquito repellent, anti-itch balm and mosquito head net (Greenland)
• Medications and prescriptions

OUTFITS ON BOARD:

• Casual outfits for the day
• Smarter outfits for dinners
• Elegant outfits for Gala evenings
• White or black and white outfit

ACCESSORIES:

• Highly protective sunglasses
• Walking poles
• Small waterproof backpack
• Swimsuit (for the spa on board)
• Gym wear (fitness)
• Battery charger and memory cards for your camera
• Mobile phone charger

Polar plunge

Let yourself be seduced by the unrivalled sensations of being surrounded by cold water. Weather and ice conditions willing, you will have opportunities to undertake a unique experience during a polar plunge wearing just your swimming costume, in the middle of the ice. You will be be filled with intense emotions and will fully appreciate the energy boost when warming up after the swim!*

*with limited places available

Kayaking - Le Commandant Charcot

You will make the most of the sailing opportunities and weather and ice conditions to glide along on the clear waters or between the ice floes and get as close as possible to the immaculate nature of the poles. Supervised by licenced expert guides, you will try your hand in a kayak- a craft favoured by the Inuits for at least 4,000 years.  The kayak was initially used for hunting and fishing; for you, it will be a means of making the most of your adventure on the White Continent or in the Far North.*

Hiking or snowshoeing

During shore landings, depending on the ecological resilience of the biome, we will propose hikes at different levels, in the company of your experienced naturalist guides. From a simple stroll along the coast to walks lasting several hours to reach particular viewpoints or historical sites, you will make the most of the opportunities provided by the weather and ice conditions. When the itineraries allow, you’ll put on snowshoes* to set off like the explorers of old and discover areas that have barely known Man.

• With featured guest Alban Michon, a modern-day adventurer and explorer who has taken part in some exceptional expeditions and Cindy Miller Hopkins, American Photo Ambassador.
• The eye and the advice of our photo ambassador, a privileged opportunity to immortalise your trip with, in the programme: workshops, conferences and personalized advice to improve your photographic skills.
• Be among the first people in the world to undertake a transarctic crossing and set off in search of the Geographic North Pole, following in the wake of the pioneers of polar exploration, like Umberto Nobile.
• Discover the research work of an on-board international scientific mission during lectures and round tables.
• Attempt to reach the Magnetic North Pole.
• Aboard  Le   Commandant Charcot , a polar exploration vessel opening to the exterior, take time to immerse yourself in unique moments of exploration and observation, in the silence and respect of fragile landscapes and biodiversity.
• At this time of the year and depending on the opportunities provided by the weather conditions, the possibility of observing the phenomenon of the Northern Lights near the Bering Strait.
• Enjoy the unique experience of sailing through the heart of the ice floe and discover the endless variety of forms and states of the ice.
• Exploration of Svalbard, from Europe’s largest ice cap on Nordaustlandet (North East Land) in the Søraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve, the second-largest protected area in Norway.
• The landscapes: alpine reliefs, icy shores, ice floes. In Svalbard: mountains patterned with multi-coloured strata, fjords, jagged mountains, glaciers, icebergs, ice floes, sheer cliffs, polar ice cap, wild tundra.
• The wildlife: polar bears, walruses, Arctic foxes, Svalbard reindeer, whales, sea birds.
• Brand-new activities*: kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing, polar plunge.

*Subject to weather and ice conditions and to sailing opportunities

Ports of Call & Excursions

6 September 2024 - Nome, Alaska

Embarkation 06/09/2024 from 16:00 to 17:00 Departure 06/09/2024 at 18:00

Located along the Bering Strait at the westernmost point of Alaska, Nome offers the rustic charm of a former gold-mining town, set in the middle of magnificent wilderness. As you weave in and out of the brightly coloured houses, you will discover the pioneering legacy that still marks local traditions. Fishing, reindeer rearing, sledge-racing... People here live from their manual labour. The surrounding plains provide stunning vantage points for observing Arctic fauna.

7 September 2024   14 September 2024 - Exploring sea ice in Beaufort Sea

Arrival 07/09/2024 Departure 14/09/2024

Bordering the north coasts of Alaska and Canada, the  Beaufort Sea  was feared for centuries because of its extreme climatic conditions. Covered for most of the year with a  thick layer of ice , and  unexplored until 1914 , this part of the Arctic Ocean, named in honour of the British Admiral Francis Beaufort, will reveal its magnificent icy landscapes to you. With a bit of luck, maybe you will cross the path of some polar bears, since the region is renowned for sheltering the Lord of the Arctic.

15 September 2024 - Magnetic North Pole

Arrival 15/09/2024 Departure 15/09/2024

The convergence point for the field lines of the Earth's magnetic field, the Magnetic North Pole attracts the magnetic needle of the compass. While the Geographic North Pole is the Earth’s northernmost fixed point, marking the intersection of the Globe's rotation axis with the Earth’s surface, the Magnetic North Pole moves over time. In fact, it is linked to the Earth's magnetic field which originates in the Earth's outer core, which is made up of molten metal and is subject to convection movements. Localised for the first time in 1831, in the Canadian Arctic, it has since moved towards Siberia and thus become closer to the Geographic North Pole. Set off in search of the Magnetic North Pole, try to get closer to it and, if luck allows it, attempt to reach it!

16 September 2024 - Exploring sea ice in Beaufort Sea

Arrival 16/09/2024 Departure 16/09/2024

17 September 2024 - Geographic North Pole

Arrival 17/09/2024 Departure 17/09/2024

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 .

18 September 2024   20 September 2024 - Navigating through the sea ice

Arrival 18/09/2024 Departure 20/09/2024

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.

21 September 2024 - Storoya, Svalbard

Arrival 21/09/2024 Departure 21/09/2024

22 September 2024 - Sailing in the Hinlopen Strait

Arrival 22/09/2024 Departure 22/09/2024

Sailing in the Hinlopen Strait , in the heart of the Arctic Ocean, between the Norwegian islands of Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet promises an unforgettable experience. This territory of the Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve offers breathtaking panoramas, with magnificent basalt formations and the ice cap stretching as far as the eye can see, diving into the sea. The shore line cut by the fjords moving inland composes a magical landscape in which icebergs float here and there, the result of the calving of the surrounding glaciers. This place, today a popular spot to observe the seabirds nesting in the enormous cliffs, polar bears and walruses, was once intrinsically linked to the history of the whalers who frequented the region from the 17th century. Indeed, it was one of them, Thijmen Jacobsz Hinlopen, then director of a Dutch whaling company, who gave the strait its name. Later on, Russian trappers, European explorers, scientists and even mountaineers roamed this region, as hostile as it is sublime.

23 September 2024 - Soraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve

Arrival 23/09/2024 Departure 23/09/2024

The Søraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve is the  second largest protected area in Norway . Established in 1973, this nature conservation area stretching over more than 21,000 km2 will offer you stunning panoramas including coastal landscapes, rocky islets, mountain plateaux, vast tundra plains, and ice floes. With a little luck, you will be able to observe a wide variety of seabirds, given the site is listed as an  Important Bird Area , as well as  cetaceans ,  Svalbard reindeer , or even  Arctic foxes . Among other things,  Edgeoya Island  is renowned for providing shelter to a number of  polar bears  during the breeding season.

24 September 2024 - Hornsund

Arrival 24/09/2024 Departure 24/09/2024

Nestling between  millennial glaciers  and carved mountains, and considered to be “the crown of Arctic Norway”, Spitsbergen is a place that never sees the night. Your ship will take you closer to this fascinating archipelago and, more particularly, the  Hornsund fjord . Considered to be  Svalbard’s southernmost fjord , it is especially reputed to be its most stunning: at the end of its vast bay, 8 great glaciers slowly make their way down to the sea before giving way to the many icebergs elegantly drifting along its cold and mysterious waters.

25 September 2024 - Isfjorden

Arrival 25/09/2024 Departure 25/09/2024

The vast Isfjorden is one of the main fjords in Svalbard . These different branches reach the heart of the island of Spitsbergen. Located deep inside the Billejforden, the Nordenskiöld Glacier  with its front of ice, nearly 5 km wide, is one of the most spectacular in the Svalbard Archipelago. You will perhaps have the opportunity to discover the ghost town of Pyramiden . Constructed at the foot of a mountain in the form of a pyramid, this former mining town, founded by Sweden at the beginning of the 20th century before being sold a few years later to the Soviet Union, and abandoned in 1998, has conserved all the buildings from its glory days, when it lived off coal mining.

26 September 2024 - Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen

Arrival 26/09/2024 Disembarkation 26/09/2024 at 08:00

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.

Le Commandant Charcot

With Le Commandant Charcot , PONANT has imagined and envisaged the cruise voyage of tomorrow . The latest addition to the fleet will take you following in the footsteps of the great polar explorers in refined surroundings complete with the kind of luxury services never before offered in the farthest reaches of the southern and northern hemispheres. 

The indoor swimming pool, the conservatory, the panoramic restaurant, the Blue Lagoon outdoor restaurant, the Main Lounge, the Observation Lounge, the lobby… Each of the common areas has been designed to both convey French-style discreet luxury and arouse wonder and amazement. The common thread running through all their designs is the desire to allow the light to penetrate and open everything up the extraordinary polar landscapes and scenery. This very first hybrid-electric polar exploration ship powered by LNG has been designed with the greatest attention to detail in terms of safety and respect for the environment . 

Find out more about Le Commandant Charcot

For your serenity, PONANT selects flights and organises transfers between the airport and the port. This package is included in your cruise fare.

Embarkation Day - Seattle/Nome

Flight Seattle/Nome selected by PONANT.

Approximate flight duration: 5 hours.

We suggest you to be at the check-in counter 2 hours before departure.

Meet & greet at the airport by our local English-speaking representative.

Transfer to the pier for embarkation.

- Cruise aboard your cruise ship –

Disembarkation Day - Longyearbyen/Paris

Disembarkation.

Meet and greet at the port by our local English-speaking representative.

According to the flight departure time from Longyearbyen, PONANT adapt its services or activites before your transfer to the airport in time for check-in for the PONANT selected flight from Longyearbyen to Paris.

Flight Longyearbyen/Paris selected by PONANT.

Approximate flight duration: 4 hours 30.

This programme includes:

• Flight Seattle/Nome and Longyearbyen/Paris selected by PONANT in economy class.
• Transfers as mentioned in the programme.
• English-speaking assistance.

This programme does not include:

• Tips for guides and drivers
• Personal expenses.
• Any other service not mentioned in the programme.

Please note:

• The flights included in the programme to this date, is operated in economy class.
• Due to limited local transportation resources, waiting might be generated.
• For passengers in transit in Seattle/Paris, we recommend staying one night in Seattle/Paris before/after the flights.
• Programme and flight schedule are subject to change without prior notice.

Realise your dream of adventure in the polar regions ! Discover the icy vastness and the fauna of Antarctica (humpback whales, seals, penguins and more) or the Arctic's fjords, glaciers and icebergs in shifting colours, not to mention the polar bears, the variety of wildlife and the special moments shared with the locals. Our team of naturalist guides share their knowledge with you during varied lectures about the fauna, the flora, the history of great explorations, geology and climatology. Thanks to its conscientiousness and to the responsible approach that is its hallmark, PONANT has been a leader and expert in cruises to these destinations for more than 20 years.

Our Travel Concierge service is designed to make your trip an unforgettable one by offering services precisely tailored to your individual needs. These include private transfers, access to airport waiting lounges, home services during your absence and personalised stopovers.

Our Travel Concierge team is ready to help with the smallest details of your trip, so you can leave home care-free and enjoy the voyage with complete peace of mind.

Discover all the concierge services  by clicking here .

Looking forward to accompanying you,

PONANT Travel Concierge Team

To contact a travel concierge call : 441 224 080 921 or send an email to:  [email protected]

Sharpen your eye and capture the ephemeral! Head out to sea and develop your visual senses alongside our photo ambassadors . The on-board photo ambassadors are committed and renowned professionals who will share their passion and expertise during workshops offered on board or on shore, photography-based discussions and conferences. A recurring theme of PONANT cruises is the sharing of knowledge and culture: this serves to support and highlight our openness to the world. With the help of the photo ambassadors, you will truly participate in your exploration. Take the time to feel and to observe the world around you and keep a lasting imprint of the fleeting moments and intense emotions experienced during this cruise.

Shore excursions, Pre/Post & Overlands

05/09/2024 - OVERNIGHT IN SEATTLE (1 NIGHT)

26/09/2024 - PARISIAN GETAWAY AND LUXE A LA FRANCAISE (3 NIGHTS)

26/09/2024 - COMFORT PACKAGE: TRANSFER AIRPORT/HOTEL + NIGHT IN PARIS CDG AIRPORT

OVERNIGHT IN SEATTLE (1 NIGHT)

Enhance your cruise and extend your trip with a carefully designed programme.

Travel with peace of mind as PONANT organizes your day of transit at Seattle. This programme will be a pleasant prelude to your embarkation.

Day 1 - Seattle

Meet at Seattle Tacoma International Airport in the Arrival hall. Look for PONANT sign. You will be greeted by our local representative off the flight selected by PONANT or any other flight (provided that you have previously communicated your flight schedule to your travel agent).

You will be transferred to the historic hotel Fairmont Olympic 4*.

Check-in time from 3 pm.

The rest of the day is at leisure.

Dinner is served at the restaurant of the hotel.

Day 2 - Seattle

Breakfast. Check-out.

You will be transferred by coach to the airport, in time for check-in of the PONANT selected flight.

Your hotel:

Built in 1924, the recently renovated Fairmont Olympic 4* hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was renovated in early 2021. Ideally located in downtown Seattle, it offers nearly a century of luxury service standards, while melding classic elegance with mid-century modern room décor.  The hotel offers two restaurants, an indoor pool, a hot tub and a fitness centre. Upgraded rooms are also available depending on availability and on a supplement basis. Contact your travel professional for further detail.

Your programme includes:

• 1-night accommodation in Junior Suite at the Fairmont Olympic 4* (local standard) or similar, breakfast included.
• The services of a local English-speaking guide.
• A hospitality desk at the hotel on your day of arrival and departure.

Your programme does not include:

• Tips for the driver and local guide.
• Other services not mentioned in the programme.
• Early check-in and late check-out.
• It is imperative that the details of your departure flight are provided to your travel agent, no later than 30 days before the start date of your cruise, to secure the proper private transfer.
• Early check-in or late check-out might be available depending on availability and on a supplement basis.

Contact for your hotel: Fairmont Olympic

411 University Street

Seattle, WA 98101, USA

Telephone: +1 206 621 1700

For the times of your PONANT flight, please contact your travel agent; they are also shown on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.

Total : £940

PARISIAN GETAWAY AND LUXE A LA FRANCAISE (3 NIGHTS)

Enhance your cruise and extend your trip with a carefully designed programme. Enjoy an exclusiv stay at Le Meurice in Paris, after your cruise onboard Le Commandant Charcot.

Day 1 - Paris

Meet at Paris airport in the arrival hall. Look for PONANT sign. You will be greeted by our local representative off the flight selected by PONANT.

You will be transferred to the hotel Le Meurice – Dorchester Collection.

Check-in your room.

Diner is at leisure.

Overnight at the hotel.

Days 2 and 3 – Paris

Breakfast at the hotel.

Your days are at leisure.

Option: Artist walking tour As the hotel of astrists and thinkers, you can book in addition a series of walking tours with Le Meurice following in the footsteps of legendary artist in Paris. Ponant has selected for you three differents paths of artists to choose: Picasso, Monet and Rodin. Theses experiences are proposed with a private guide.

Option: The Chef's Table You will also have the option to step into a world of surprise through a private entrance and delve into the secrets of the Michelin-starred kitchen at this exclusive table. Here, Executive Chef Amaury Bouhours will personally guide you through his exquisite menu in an intimate atmosphere, while the kitchen gracefully performs its culinary ballet before your eyes.

Day 4 – Paris

Check-out from your room.

You will be transferred from your hotel to Paris airport terminal, in time for check-in of flight selected by PONANT or any other flight (provided that you have previously communicated your flight schedule to your travel agent).

Discover the luxury and elegance of Le Meurice hotel, an iconic establishment nestled in the heart of Paris. Immerse yourself in a refined ambiance while staying in sumptuous rooms, featuring exquisite furnishings for optimal comfort. Indulge in exceptional cuisine at the Michelin-starred restaurant, where talented chefs create delicious dishes. Located near renowned sites such as the Louvre Museum and the Tuileries Gardens, Le Meurice is the perfect place to explore the vibrant city. Enjoy a moment of relaxation in its exclusive spa, where the therapists will provide you with high-quality treatments for a soothing experience. From your first steps in relaxed and luxurious atmosphere of the lobby to the cosy design of your room, you will spend an outstanding stay there.

Upgraded rooms are also available depending on availability and on a supplement basis. Contact your travel professional for further detail.

• 3-nights accommodation in Superior room at Le Meurice 5* palace, breakfast included.
• Meals and visits during your stay.
• Optional activities.
• Early check-in.
• Visa if necessary.
• Official check-in at 3: 00 pm.

Contact of your hotel:

Le Meurice – Dorchester Collection 28 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris FRANCE Telephone number: +33 1 44 58 10 10

Duration and order of the visits may vary. To know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel agent; it is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.

Total : £2,470

COMFORT PACKAGE: TRANSFER AIRPORT/HOTEL + NIGHT IN PARIS CDG AIRPORT

For your serenity, PONANT organises your transfer and select for you an ideally located hotel.

Day 1 - Disembarkation Day

After landing of your flight selected by PONANT in Paris, meet and greet at the airport and transfer to the Pullman Roissy CDG hotel.

Check-in in your room.

Evening and dinner at leisure.

Day 2 – Roissy CDG

Breakfast on your own followed by check-out.

The Pullman Roissy CDG hotel is a four stars property located in Roissy. Located at 2 minutes walking from Roissypole, RER and CDGVal station, you will easily be able to join it.

• Transfer mentionned in the programme.
• 1-night accomodation in Deluxe room at the Pullman Roissy CDG 4* local standard (or similar).
• A soft welcome drink, upon arrival at the hotel.
• Dinner of day 1.
• Breakfast of day 2.
• Tips and gratuities.
• All personal expenses (meals and drinks, sightseeing, etc.)
• Early check-in, late check-out and other services not mentioned in the programme.
• Official hotel check-in time is 4:00 p.m
• Official hotel check-out time is 12:00 p.m
• Late check-out might be available depending on availability and on a supplement basis.
• This programme is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Contact of your hotel:

Pullman Roissy CDG Airport 3 Bis Rue de la Haye 93290 Roissy-en-France Phone: +33 01 70 03 11 63

In the event of schedule changes of PONANT’s selected flight, your programme will be adapted to ensure the most seamless and enriching experience. The content of your revised programme will be updated on the PONANT website, in My Ponant space and on the PONANT app. The final programme will also be sent to you along with your cruise documents.

Total : £220

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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 .

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The Geographic North Pole & Scoresby Sound

Transarctic, the quest for the two North Poles

The Geographic North Pole

Transarctic, the Quest for the Two North Poles

Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.

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The convergence point for the field lines of the Earth's magnetic field, the Magnetic North Pole attracts the magnetic needle of the compass. While the Geographic North Pole is the Earth’s northernmost fixed point, marking the intersection of the Globe's rotation axis with the Earth’s surface, the Magnetic North Pole moves over time. In fact, it is linked to the Earth's magnetic field which originates in the Earth's outer core, which is made up of molten metal and is subject to convection movements. Localised for the first time in 1831, in the Canadian Arctic, it has since moved towards Siberia and thus become closer to the Geographic North Pole. Set off in search of the Magnetic North Pole, try to get closer to it and, if luck allows it, attempt to reach it!

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Transarctic, the quest for the two North Poles

Transarctic, the Quest for the Two North Poles

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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 .

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The Geographic North Pole & Scoresby Sound

Transarctic, the quest for the two North Poles

The Geographic North Pole

Transarctic, the Quest for the Two North Poles

Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.

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Sights of Elektrostal, Moscow region

Table of contents:, history of the city, park of culture and leisure, historical and art museum, october cultural center, kristall ice palace, memorial complex, museum and exhibition complex.

2024 Author : Harold Hamphrey | [email protected] . Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

In the Moscow region there is a small cozy town Elektrostal. Its sights for the most part have no historical value due to the fact that the city has a relatively small history. But for a visiting tourist or city dweller, they will be of interest. There is something to see, where to go to have an exciting leisure time.

Today the population of the city is 158 thousand people. Until the beginning of the 20th century there were several small workers' settlements here. After the opening of the electrometallurgical and equipment factories, the place began to be called the natural boundary of Calm. The construction of the railway made this settlement accessible, and workers and families flocked here to earn money. In 1925, the station was named Elektrostal, and the rapid increase in population allowed the village to receive the status of a city.

The founder of the city is a prominent Russian industrialist Nikolai Vtorov. It was he who opened the plant here, creating, in fact, a city-forming enterprise that is still operating. In Soviet times, it was a closed facility, and it was not easy to get to work here.

Today Elektrostal is a promising industrial city with a great future and a heroic past. It bears the proud name "City of Military and Labor Glory".

You can learn about the sights of Elektrostal with descriptions and photos here. There are places for walking, outdoor activities and cultural development.

Those who come to the city by train are met by a monument to the metallurgist. It was installed in November 2017 for the 100th anniversary of the Elektrostal plant. The attraction is made in the style of constructivism. The monument quickly won the love of the townspeople, because this city is supported by ordinary workers.

Elektrost altsy and the founding father of the plant, Nikolai Vtorov, are honored. In 2002, a monument was opened in honor of him, which became a landmark of the city of Elektrostal. The bronze sculpture is installed on the site where once stood a monument to the leader of the world proletariat, V. I. Lenin. Times change, characters change. Today, the plant, founded a century ago, is the largest in Russia. Vtorov himself, whose fortune was estimated at 60 million rubles in gold, according to Forbes magazine, was the owner of the largest capital at the beginning of the century. He was a banker, an industrialist, an entrepreneur, a man of action.

The monument was erected byinitiative of the townspeople who wished to perpetuate the monument to the great man.

One of the popular places for spending weekends and evenings among citizens and guests of the city is the Park of Culture and Leisure. Here you can ride attractions for children and adults, play slot machines, rollerblade or bike. The park is divided into two zones. Fans of unhurried walks in the fresh air make a promenade on the Quiet Alley, and those who prefer outdoor activities flock to the Entertainment Alley. The park has a summer stage, where concerts and cafes are regularly held.

Until 1999, there was no central museum among the attractions of Elektrostal in the Moscow Region. The expositions were exhibited in schools, the house of culture, in factory museums. The city was closed, so there was no large influx of tourists and visitors. The appearance of the historical and art museum made it possible for residents and guests of the city to learn a lot of useful information about their native land, the formation of the production process, and the difficult years of the war. The exposition consists of paintings by local artists, historical artifacts, household items, documents, books and much more. The collection is updated regularly. It also hosts outdoor exhibitions, which are always popular with the townspeople.

One of the main attractions of Elektrostal, the photo of which is available to almost every resident or visitor, is the Main Alley. On herpassers-by like to stroll along shady paths, townspeople rest by the fountain after a hard shift at the plant. Flower beds are the decoration of the alley. In 2006, a flower festival was held here for the first time, which has become traditional. Each enterprise of the city and private individuals give residents a real composition of fresh flowers, which pleases with bright colors all summer long. A riot of colors, aromas and a flight of fantasy reigns here. Walking through the park, you can see Snow White with a basket, a bright well, a multi-tiered cake made from fresh flowers, hearts of lovers or a fabulous house. It is almost impossible not to take a photo against the background of these compositions.

There is a cultural center in the city. It hosts performances by local creative teams and visiting stars, performances and circus performances.

In 1971, the ice palace "Crystal" was opened in the city. Almost immediately, a children's and youth hockey team was organized, which gained sports fame. This is the home sports arena for the Elektrostal hockey team. Matches of different levels are held on the ice.

There are sections for children who go in for hockey or figure skating. Citizens come here with their families to cheer for their favorite team or go ice skating.

Elektrostal is a city with a heroic past. During the war years, more than 12 thousand citizens came to the recruiting station and went to the front to defend their homeland. Almost 4 thousand of them did not return from the battle. To these heroesdedicated to the memorial complex with the inextinguishable Eternal Flame, opened in 1968

But the electricians took part in the war in Afghanistan and Chechnya. By decision of the city authorities, their memory is also immortalized in the memorial complex.

It has become a good tradition for newlyweds to lay flowers at this monument.

In 1999, a museum and exhibition complex was opened in the city, where, in addition to the exhibition hall, there are numerous circles for children, classes for young people, and a creative workshop. Various festivals, exhibitions, city holidays and other events are held within the walls and on the territory of the complex, which attract many spectators.

Listing the sights of Elektrostal, it is impossible not to mention the temples. There are several of them in the city: the church of St. John of Kronstadt, St. Andrew's Church, the hospital church of St. Panteleimon. Another new church is being built. In appearance, the temples look ancient, monumental, in the Novgorod style. But they were all built at the end of the 20th century.

Let there be no ancient artifacts among the sights of Elektrostal. But on the other hand, all of them are connected with the history of the city, with everyday work and military exploits of ordinary residents.

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The FNPP includes two KLT-40S reactor units. In such reactors, nuclear fuel is not replaced in the same way as in standard NPPs – partial replacement of fuel once every 12-18 months. Instead, once every few years the entire reactor core is replaced with and a full load of fresh fuel.

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Image courtesy of TVEL

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