Beyond the Antarctic Circle – In the Wake of Jean-Baptiste Charcot

14 nights - 28 Dec 2027

Le Commandant Charcot | Polar Regions

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(Prices correct as of today’s date, are updated daily, are subject to change and represent genuine availability at time of update).

Cruise only holidays are financially protected by ABTA. Fly cruise holidays are financially protected by Ponant under ATOL number

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Itinerary

List Timeline

Ushuaia

More Info

Day 15

11 January 2028

Ushuaia

More Info

Ushuaia

Antarctic Peninsula

Remote and otherworldly, Antarctic is irresistible for its spectacular iceberg sculptures and calving glaciers, and for the possibility of up-close encounters with marine mammals and the iconic penguins. The Antarctic Peninsula – the main peninsula closest to South America – has a hum... Read More

Antarctic Peninsula

Ushuaia

*This holiday is generally suitable for persons with reduced mobility. For customers with reduced mobility or any medical condition that may require special assistance or arrangements to be made, please notify your Cruise Concierge at the time of your enquiry, so that we can provide specific information as to the suitability of the holiday, as well as make suitable arrangements with the Holiday Provider on your behalf.

28 December 2027

Ushuaia

At 55 degrees latitude south, Ushuaia (pronounced oo-swy-ah) is closer to the South Pole than to Argentina's northern border with Bolivia. It is the capital and tourism base for Tierra del Fuego, the island at the southernmost tip of Argentina.Although its stark physical beauty is striking, Tierra del Fuego's historical allure is based more on its mythical past than on rugged reality. The island was inhabited for 6,000 years by Yámana, Haush, Selk'nam, and Alakaluf Indians. But in 1902 Argentina, eager to populate Patagonia to bolster its territorial claims, moved to initiate an Ushuaian penal colony, establishing the permanent settlement of its most southern territories and, by implication, everything in between.When the prison closed in 1947, Ushuaia had a population of about 3,000, made up mainly of former inmates and prison staff. Today the Indians of Darwin's "missing link" theory are long gone—wiped out by diseases brought by settlers and by indifference to their plight—and the 60,000 residents of Ushuaia are hitching their star to tourism.The city rightly (if perhaps too loudly) promotes itself as the southernmost city in the world (Puerto Williams, a few miles south on the Chilean side of the Beagle Channel, is a small town). You can make your way to the tourism office to get your clichéd, but oh-so-necessary, "Southernmost City in the World" passport stamp. Ushuaia feels like a frontier boomtown, at heart still a rugged, weather-beaten fishing village, but exhibiting the frayed edges of a city that quadrupled in size in the '70s and '80s and just keeps growing. Unpaved portions of Ruta 3, the last stretch of the Pan-American Highway, which connects Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, are finally being paved. The summer months (December through March) draw more than 120,000 visitors, and dozens of cruise ships. The city is trying to extend those visits with events like March's Marathon at the End of the World and by increasing the gamut of winter activities buoyed by the excellent snow conditions.A terrific trail winds through the town up to the Martial Glacier, where a ski lift can help cut down a steep kilometer of your journey. The chaotic and contradictory urban landscape includes a handful of luxury hotels amid the concrete of public housing projects. Scores of "sled houses" (wooden shacks) sit precariously on upright piers, ready for speedy displacement to a different site. But there are also many small, picturesque homes with tiny, carefully tended gardens. Many of the newer homes are built in a Swiss-chalet style, reinforcing the idea that this is a town into which tourism has breathed new life. At the same time, the weather-worn pastel colors that dominate the town's landscape remind you that Ushuaia was once just a tiny fishing village, snuggled at the end of the Earth.As you stand on the banks of the Canal Beagle (Beagle Channel) near Ushuaia, the spirit of the farthest corner of the world takes hold. What stands out is the light: at sundown the landscape is cast in a subdued, sensual tone; everything feels closer, softer, and more human in dimension despite the vastness of the setting. The snowcapped mountains reflect the setting sun back onto a stream rolling into the channel, as nearby peaks echo their image—on a windless day—in the still waters.Above the city rise the last mountains of the Andean Cordillera, and just south and west of Ushuaia they finally vanish into the often-stormy sea. Snow whitens the peaks well into summer. Nature is the principal attraction here, with trekking, fishing, horseback riding, wildlife spotting, and sailing among the most rewarding activities, especially in the Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego (Tierra del Fuego National Park).

29 December 2027

Cruising Drake Passage

30 December 2027

Cruising Drake Passage

31 December 2027

The Gullet

31 December 2027

Antarctic Convergence, Antarctica

01 January 2028

Port Charcot

02 January 2028

Port Charcot

03 January 2028

Bellingshausen

04 January 2028

At Sea

Explore Ship

05 January 2028

Marguerite Bay

06 January 2028

Pourquoi Pas Island

07 January 2028

Antarctic Peninsula

08 January 2028

Antarctic Peninsula

09 January 2028

Cruising Drake Passage

10 January 2028

Cruising Drake Passage

11 January 2028

Ushuaia

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Explore Le Commandant Charcot

Nuna (The Earth) - Gastronomic Restaurant

Nuna (The Earth) - Gastronomic Restaurant

Nuna, the 484 m² gastronomic restaurant at the rear of deck 5, can seat all the ship's passengers at a single sitting. Elegant and refinement are all part and parcel of the à la carte dining experience it has to offer at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The ship's second bridge is located at the back of the restaurant: behind its large windows, you will have a front row seat to observe the crew during their operations.

Capacity : 245
French and international cuisine
Signature dishes by Alain Ducasse
Fine wine cellar
Furniture by Ligne Roset
Bernardaud French china and glassware by Elne

Excursions

Excursions & land itineraries

Each itinerary has been thoughtfully created by our teams to offer you a complete excursion experience. You can discover the hidden gems of the regions you visit in line with your interests.

Hidden creeks, ancient cities, UNESCO world heritage sites... the world reveals its hidden gems as you journey along the routes taken by travellers. In keeping with our ethos “Accessing the worlds treasures by sea”, we offer a wide choice of land excursions during all our cruises (except for expeditions). Chosen by our PONANT EXPLORATIONS experts for their cultural value and historic interest, these excursions can last a few hours or a few days. If you need to stay on land overnight, we take care of your stay from start to finish, until you rejoin your ship. These longer excursions mean you can discover the unmissable sites of the region you are visiting, like Cuzco in Peru for example or the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

You can access these trips by pre-booking two months before your departure date.

The Anori Observatory

Anori (the wind) - Deck 9

A bar and a 262 m² (2820 ft²) observation lounge
Library, reading area, live entertainment on certain evenings
2 Swarovski Optik telescopes

Wellness Lounge - Nuan

Nuan (wellness / happiness) - Deck 9

A hair salon facing the boundless horizon, massage cabins with large windows, a sauna with an unobstructed view of the immense white polar expanse… The wellness areas on board Le Commandant Charcot take on a new dimension. These spaces, designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, combine design and comfort, and have been created with expert know-how using responsible brands.

430 m² dedicated to wellness
Spa Biologique Recherche : 3 massage and beauty cubicles (including one double cubicle with sea view), a nail salon, 2 lounges with sea view to to wait or relax after a session
A hair salon with Davines products
A Sauna (Ikuma - the burning heat)
A Snow Room (Siku - the ice) a fun and invigorating snow bath you can try out after leaving the sauna
Gym with with sea view and TECHNOGYM machines (elliptical trainers, Kinesis®, 3 treadmills, exercise bikes, rowing machine…), dedicated coach and group or private lessons (according to availability) of fitness, yoga, pilates, meditation, aquagym...
A heated indoor swimming pool (Imaq - sea water) with countercurrent swimming and a superb skylight thanks to its large glass roof
A sunroom with large external-facing windows
A Detox bar with sofas and armchairs
For Le Commandant Charcot, PONANT EXPLORATIONS has chosen to work with two new partners: Biologique Recherche for facial and body treatments, and Davines for hairstyling. These two brands share the same philosophy of bespoke, personalised service and care for the environment.
100% made to measure: a tailored approach with indvidually selected procedures.Every treatment is unique.
Natural and eco-friendly active ingredients: naturally or plant-sourced raw active ingredients, packaging made from recycled materials
Two signature treatments designed to give you a gentle return on board after shore excursions in extreme environments have been created especially for the Le Commandant Charcot: "expedition return" and "exploration return".

Deck 9

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Inneq Bar
Blue Lagoon
Sila Restaurant
Indoor Pool
Relaxation Area and Detox Bar
Fitness Area
Spa
Nail Bar
Snow Room
Observatory Lounge
Sauna

Deck 8

PONANT, Le Commandant Charcot, Deck Plan 8.jpg

Bridge
Owner's Suite
Deluxe Suites
Prestige Staterooms (x1 Accessible Stateroom)
Privilege Suites
Prestige Suites

Deck 7

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Duplex Suites
Prestige Suites
Deluxe Suites
Prestige Staterooms

Deck 6

PONANT, Le Commandant Charcot, Deck Plan 6.jpg

Training Centre
Duplex Suites
Grand Prestige Suites
Deluxe Suites
Prestige Staterooms (x2 Accessible Staterooms)

Deck 5

PONANT, Le Commandant Charcot, Deck Plan 5.jpg

Promenade Deck
Nuna Gastronomic
Restaurant
Aft, Bridge
Photo Video
Reception Desk
Expeditions Desk
Shop
Cigar Lounge
Cruise Sales Desk
Main Lounge
Theatre

Deck 3

PONANT, Le Commandant Charcot, Deck Plan 3.jpg

Expedition Room
Conference Room

Prestige Stateroom

A king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
A bathroom with shower
A panoramic sliding bay window
A 5 m² glazed private balcony

Services provided

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
Minibar
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

FLOORPLANS

Facilities

Shower
Toiletries Provided
Room Service Available
TV
Safe
Hair Dryer
Desk
Double or Twin Configuration
Vanity Area
Free Mini Bar
Free Wi-Fi
Media/Entertainment Station
Pillow Menu Available
Telephone
Coffee Machine
Air Conditioning
Lounge Area

Grand Prestige Suite

Priority boarding (depending on port of embarkation)
Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival
Butler service
A fruit basket every day
A lounge area with chaise longue and second TV
A Samsung tablet connected to Wifi
A king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
A bathroom with shower and Balneo bathtub
A panoramic sliding bay window
A 5 m² glazed private balcony
Two pairs of Swarvoski CL Companion 10 x 30 binoculars

Services provided

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
Minibar
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