Le Commandant Charcot

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.

Le Commandant Charcot, the World's Only Luxury Icebreaker opens the gateways to the highest latitudes of the Arctic and the Antarctic. Embark for a faraway odyssey combining exploration with science, and become experts in these regions that for centuries have stirred the imaginations of the greatest adventurers. See this captivating and wondrous part of the world for yourself.

An on-hand expedition team by your side

Le Commandant Charcot expedition team, composed of 19 to 23 experts, constitutes one of the best guest-to-staff ratios found on any voyage of this kind. Biologists, naturalists, engineers, glaciologists, and geologists, these experts in the polar regions will be on hand to ensure the safety of all your activities and experiences and to share their passion for the poles. They will be by your side throughout your voyage of discovery, providing key insights to help you get the most out of the encounters with fauna, flora and local populations that await you, and helping you better understand the stakes and challenges involved in preserving this natural and cultural heritage.

Expedition leaders

Alongside the captain, the expedition leader is the main person responsible for managing and coordinating the exploration aspect of the cruise. They supervise the team of naturalist guides, ensure the safety of the organised activities offered, and tailor and adapt the experiences, thus ensuring the full richness of these fascinating ecosystems is revealed in all its glory.

Naturalist guides

A team of 23 naturalist guides trained in supervising activities in polar environments will be by your side every day to interpret and explain everything about these largely unexplored ecosystems, both onboard the ship and during onshore activities. Meet some of the members of the team.

Scientific coordinator

On board, the scientific coordinator manages the spaces designed and set up specifically for hosting scientists and their equipment. In parallel with this, they also organise laboratory tours and conferences with the purpose of raising awareness about the stakes and challenges involved in protecting the polar world, thus providing special moments of communication and interaction with researchers.

• Two dedicated expedition boarding and disembarking rooms to port and starboard.
• A conference room (Ilua - to be inside, to understand) : 30 seats

The Expedition Desk is located on Deck 5.

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

• A 313 m² (3,369 ft²) main lounge
• A 24 m² (258 ft²) cigar lounge
• A tea room and bar with a programme of live music on certain evenings

• A 270 m² (2,906 ft²) reception space
• The expeditions desk
• The onboard administrative services
• The sales office run by our reception and voyages manager
• The photo area : « Studio Ponant »
• "Oscillations": a digital artwork by Miguel Chevalier

On board all our ships, a shop is open during sailing. It offers a selection of presents and souvenirs: clothing, jewellery, beauty products, postcards and accessories.

The Illu boutique is a space of wonder, an authentic extension of your journey and the ship, dedicated to the polar world.

• A range of ready-to-wear clothing and special outdoor items suitable for the polar adventure: The North Face, Garmin, Swarovski Optik, Vuarnet, Feelfree, Icebreaker, Black Diamond, Suunto, Eric Bompard
• Bespoke tips and advice from experts about how to get the most out of the onboard experience and the shore excursions
• A multilingual range of publications covering each different destination: informational guides, gorgeous photographic books, novels and adventure stories, a special range for children, etc.
• Unique souvenirs so you can share the magic of the Charcot experience with others
• A range of accessories for the home

• A heated indoor swimming pool with a superb skylight thanks to its large glass roof
• A sunroom with large external-facing windows
• A Detox bar with sofas and armchairs
• Blue Lagoon pools, an outdoor heated lagoon with a temperature that ranges from 27 to 37° C using recycled energy from the ship
• A giant firepit (Inneq - le feu), so you can enjoy the polar landscapes in complete comfort
• An outdoor bar (Blue Lagoon bar) where you can enjoy a varied and refined range of sweet and savoury food throughout the day (11:00-18:00)

The outside promenade deck is uninterrupted. This means that, unlike most passenger ships, it is possible to walk all the way around the ship and to the bow. It is also equipped with benches heated by energy recovery and two Swarovski Optik telescopes.

The Theatre* is the most unique meeting space on board. It's the largest space on the ship and regularly accommodates all the passengers. It plays host to shows and entertainment as well as conferences from our experts, naturalist guides and guests of honours. The Theatre makes every cruise unique and enriching thanks to its constant and very accessible events.

• Capacity for 270 persons
• Cutting edge audio and lighting technology
• LED stage background wall enabling the projection of ultra-high resolution media

A photography and videography team escort you throughout your trip. These professionals capture the most beautiful moments of your cruise, which you can share with family and friends upon your return. Meet them on DECK 5 (DECK 6 on the PONANT Explorers ships) at the photo/video area, where you can also order souvenir pictures and videos.

The Cigar Lounge is located on Deck 5.

Dedicated to leisure and relaxation, the libraries onboard all our ships stock a range of books and board games. This space is also equipped with Wi-Fi connected computers.

The Sisterships and The PONANT Explorers have a special area for children onboard known as the Kids Club. Books, television, board games and consoles (PS4 or Wii™) are all provided for their use and enjoyment.

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".

The gyms on our ships are equipped with the very latest Technogym© equipment and machines. Treadmills, exercise bikes, Kinesis Wall© strength training machines and many other types of equipment are all provided in a laid-back relaxing environment. The wide floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the sea add undeniable charm to the exercise sessions.

Each day also begins with organised morning workout sessions, either out in the open air or in the theatre. These are supplemented by water aerobics in the pool, or in the sea off the beach for PONANT EXPLORATIONS passengers, when the situation allows it.

Provided in partnership with KÉRASTASE® and L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL®, the hairdressing salon offers a complete range of top quality treatments designed to strengthen, nourish and reinvigorate hair's shine and brilliance. Our stylists are available to serve all your styling, highlighting, colouring, cutting and tailored hair advice needs.