Travel + Leisure - India & South Asia
Polar Odyssey
Cruise to the poles onboard Le Commandant Charcot, PONANT’s brand new hybrid electric exploration vessel.
The latest addition to the PONANT fleet, Le Commandant Charcot is the world’s first hybrid electric polar exploration ship powered by liquefied natural gas. It has the ability to navigate the highest latitude of the Arctic and the Antarctic through ice floes as thick as 2.5 metres—a gamechanger in the world of polar expeditions.
The 13th ship from the house of PONANT, Le Commandant Charcot features 123 ambient suites and staterooms ranging in size from 20 to 115 square metres. Each accommodation unit has a private balcony or terrace. At the back of decks six and seven are four stunning 94-square-metre split-level suites equipped with private terraces and jacuzzis. The 115-square-metre Suite de l’Armateur, or the Shipowner’s Suite, on deck eight takes things up a notch with sliding glass doors that open out to a private terrace bigger than the suite itself. The ship reinforces the PONANT philosophy of providing every passenger onboard a sense of sailing on a private yacht.
New spaces on the ship include a giant firepit, an outdoor heated pool inspired by Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, and a snow room for invigorating hot and cold spa therapies. Combined with PONANT’s signature haute cuisine, including the first Alain Ducasse restaurant at sea, and a premium
open bar, Le Commandant Charcot promises a refined experience even in the most extreme parts of the world.
Additionally, the ship brings to the PONANT fleet new interiors designed by two world-renowned French architectural firms, the Studio Jean-Philippe Nuel and Wilmotte & Associés. Some of these common areas onboard have been inspired by the Inuit culture and thus have traditional names. For instance, a conference room is called Ilua (to be inside); Illu (the igloo or the house) is the name given to the boutique where you can shop polarinspired jewellery, watches, souvenirs, and accessories; Kita (let’s go) is the onboard theatre; and Anori (the wind) is what the observation lounge is aptly called.
Activities onboard includes expertled sessions on the fascinating polar ecosystems, covering topics such as biology, history, geology, and the study of the ice and the oceans. Citizen science sessions give you an even better understanding of how ecologically sensitive the regions are and what must be done to protect them.
Guests can also participate in polar research experiments with scientists in laboratories onboard as well as on the shores.
Adventures on ice are a world apart. Venture into the heart of vast polar deserts, make it to the most beautiful vantage points, feel the wind on your face as you’re sled-driven by a local musher and his dogs, meet the Inuit at their winter camps, and experience what it’s like to be one of the last remaining polar hunters. You could also take a kayak, zodiac, or hovercraft to get up close and personal with the life in the oceans. Or, if you dare, jump into the icy waters for a swim you’d never forget.
Be one of the few people to embark on these unique polar expeditions, that take you to the Geographical North Pole, latitude 90°, high into northeast Greenland, past the Antarctic Circle, through Larsen
Ice Shelf, or to the Ross Sea.
Enjoy exclusive savings and onboard privileges when you book Le Commandant Charcot with India’s PONANT Polar Specialist, The Q Experiences. Write to hello@theqexperiences.com or chat on WhatsApp with +91 88056 68888. Explore the Arctic from €12,649 (`10,57,639) for 11 days and Antarctica’s Weddell Sea and Larsen Ice Shelf from €13,230 (`11,06,116) for 13 days.
All prices, per person twin share available at time of publication and subject to availability.