Ship review: Le Commandant Charcot [2026]

I was lucky enough to join a voyage aboard Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot, the headline-grabbing icebreaking cruise ship.

When it first set sail in 2021, it made history as the world’s first Polar Class 2 vessel, purpose-built to take guests to remote polar regions other ships cannot reach.

Most notably, it’s the only ship other than a nuclear-powered vessel owned by the Russian Federation capable of taking passengers to the Geographic North Pole. It also became the first ship to ever reach the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility, the point in the Arctic Ocean farthest from land.

My expectations

Speak to seasoned expedition cruisers, and their eyes tend to light up when you mention Le Commandant Charcot. I chatted to a couple who had been to Antarctica four times, including once on another Ponant ship, who immediately told me, “We’re dying to get on the Charcot.”

Given its namesake is French polar explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot, nicknamed the ‘Gentleman of the Poles’, I boarded expecting a balance of technical prowess and a certain Gallic sophistication.

My opinion in a nutshell

Ponant sits at the intersection of ultra-luxury and expedition cruising, and Le Commandant Charcot is a seamless marriage of the two. Beyond tasteful décor or fine dining venues, it operates as a floating research facility and a base camp for exploration of rarely visited regions of Antarctica and the Arctic, including the North Pole and Ross Sea.

My favourite bits

Scientific facilities: Touring the dry and wet labs, lectures from researchers and seeing highly specialised equipment up close stood out on a ship full of talking points.

The eco-credentials: As a hybrid vessel with a dual LNG-electric propulsion system, it ranks among the greenest cruise ships sailing today.

The all-inclusive model: With everything from champagne and Wi-Fi to kayaking and polar plunges included, you’re free from tracking your budget as you go.

The seize-the-moment spirit: The fact that the captain was willing to make an unplanned stop in the middle of the ocean so we could witness a fin whale come to the surface is a testament to this.

Style & character

The public spaces throughout Le Commandant Charcot feel reminiscent of a high-end Parisian hotel. Its interiors are designed by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte and designer Jean-Philippe Nuel, who have lent their vision to several ships in the Ponant fleet.

As you explore, you’ll notice touches designed to evoke the natural world; think crystalline geodes on dinner tables, marble that conjures the ice of the poles and black stone that summons Icelandic beaches.

Yet, for all its sophistication, the ship remains warm and welcoming. In the observatory lounge, for instance, you’ll find a library well-stocked with books in a wide range of languages. Scattered across tables, board games such as Ludo, Scrabble and chess beckon guests on long nights at sea.

It’s worth noting, if you do take a tour of the dry and wet science labs, you can expect a decidedly more rough and ready experience. After all, they are designed to facilitate data collection and analysis rather than to appear particularly polished.

Cabins

All 123 cabins and suites have private balconies or terraces, with the highest accommodation categories complete with alfresco whirlpools. The very largest is the Owner’s Suite, which at 115 square metres, is nearly twice the size of the average London one-bed.

I stayed in one of the lower deck balcony staterooms, which sits at around 20 square metres. As a solo traveller – a meaningful proportion of Ponant’s guests are, considering it waives single supplements on select voyages – I found it was more than enough space. A couple I spoke to said that in their experience, it worked well for two people, too, even on longer voyages.

The king-sized bed was comfortable, with a firm mattress, an abundance of pillows and a warm duvet. Blackout curtains are always welcome, but prove game-changing when travelling in polar regions where the sun never sets. Rocked by the waves of the North Atlantic, I slept very deeply.

Beyond the essentials, including plenty of storage space, you’ll find standard amenities such as a television, a minibar, tea and coffee-making facilities, a hairdryer, a safe, slippers and bathrobes, plus some less expected ones, such as a Bose Bluetooth speaker.

The toilet is in a separate space from the bathroom, which is typical in France. The latter includes a shower, with excellent water pressure, and notably, products from Diptyque, the French luxury fragrance brand that has earned a certain cultural cachet in the last few years. This is on top of extras like Q-tips, cotton pads, a nail file and a hair comb.

There’s also a panel you can slide open for natural light. A fellow passenger even told me the set-up allowed her to spot a whale mid-shower on a polar expedition.

ADA-compliant accessible staterooms are also available for those who need them.

Top tip: If you’re travelling somewhere notoriously stormy, such as the Drake Passage, and you’re worried about seasickness, select a stateroom positioned in the middle of the ship and lower down. You’ll feel the waves less.

Food & drink

Le Commandant Charcot’s French accent is most pronounced when it comes to gastronomy.

You feel it most keenly in its fine dining venue, Nuna by Alain Ducasse. For fans of haute cuisine, chances are this culinary heavyweight needs no introduction, and if you’re very lucky, you may have even dined at his three Michelin-starred restaurant at The Dorchester.

Aboard Charcot, his recipes are executed with aplomb and served à la carte. My favourites included octopus carpaccio with yuzu and watermelon, lobster in cauliflower flan, and Japanese pearls with caramel.

Nuna also hosts, at least once per cruise, a gala night, which is a six-course affair that guests frequently dress up for. Don’t expect black tie – it’s more little black dress than ballgown – but it still carries a sense of occasion.

Sila, meanwhile, has a more informal feel, with buffet service offering plenty of choice, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

You can choose between the two restaurants for breakfast, with items ranging from açai bowls to decadent crêpes served with preserves and butter from Brittany. Tea and coffee are made to order, with alternative milks on request.

Room service is also available 24/7, which comes in handy if you get the midnight sun munchies. Fancy pommes frites and crème brûlée at 2am? A call to reception will see them delivered to your cabin on a silver platter.

As for drinks, as you’d expect from a ship flying the French flag, there’s a good wine list, though keep in mind certain vintages come at a premium. Cocktails, including classics like negronis and martinis, along with an impressive line-up of mocktails, such as the Arctic Bloom with lychee and mango, are served in the ship’s bars and lounges.

To top it all off, you’ll also be invited to a range of culinary tastings over the course of your cruise. On the final day of my voyage, that meant freshly shucked oysters with champagne at noon and Kaviari Caviar with chilled Grey Goose before dinner.

Service & facilities

Wellness is a significant part of the offering aboard Le Commandant Charcot. Facilities include both outdoor and indoor pools, with the latter including simulated waves that mimic the ocean. There’s also plenty of sun loungers to watch the sea and ice glide by, and a smoothie bar for a post-swim pick-me-up.

The spa is especially impressive, with a large ocean-view sauna paired with a snow suite for a Nordic-style hot-cold ritual.

The kitted-out gym, meanwhile, has the advantage of floor-to-ceiling windows. A traveller who had completed a transarctic expedition from Svalbard to Alaska via the North Pole told me they even spotted a polar bear from the treadmill.

The wraparound promenade is also handy for staying active, with three loops equating to roughly a kilometre. While in the fresh air, you can also pause on one of the benches, which are heated in a subtle stroke of genius inspired by the town of Ålesund in Norway.

At select times, guests also have access to the bridge, providing a chance to see the captain and officers at work and the sophisticated technology used to navigate the sea and ice.

There’s also a helicopter on board, though passengers are not generally allowed on. Its purpose is to survey ice conditions, undertake rescue operations and evacuate guests in medical emergencies.

Service is commendable, too, striking a pleasant balance between attention to detail and relaxed friendliness. On my cruise, there were more crew than guests, and while this isn’t always the case, it’s not unheard of either, particularly on polar expeditions.

The high crew-to-guest ratio allows for a more personalised level of service, whether that’s an expedition guide pausing to share an anecdote or a member of the culinary team talking you through a wine pairing.

I particularly appreciated the fact that cabins are cleaned twice daily, with a turndown service and nightly treats, such as a chocolate macaron or madeleines from Maison Proust.

Entertainment & excursions

Entertainment is an unusual proposition on a ship like the Charcot. Yes, there are cruise staples, like showtunes, saxophone players, tango lessons and trivia.

But what really sets it apart is the enrichment offering. Ponant Science is a programme designed to give researchers opportunities to perform vital data collection in the most remote corners of the planet.

When I was on board, we were accompanied by scientists from leading institutions in France, Chile, the US and New Zealand, conducting research on subjects such as microplastics, Antarctic seabird communities, whale migration and climate change.

To be clear, this is not citizen science. The marine biologists, glaciologists and ecologists on board are principally there to further their research. However, as a secondary result, guests are able to hear about their groundbreaking work in lecture series or even over coffee or a glass of wine.

It’s also possible to take tours of the onboard dry and wet labs and see equipment such as manta nets for collecting microplastics, hydrophones for recording mammal calls and a marine rosette for collecting seawater samples at various depths.

Beyond the one-of-a-kind scientific offering, guests can join lectures on subjects like the history of polar exploration and the cultural identity of remote communities. For example, I joined a lecture on Fram, a ship used for Arctic and Antarctic expeditions in the late 1800s.

There are additionally documentary screenings on topics such as the ship’s namesake, explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot.

When it comes to excursions, my voyage was a bit of an exception to the rule. As it crossed directly from Brest in France to Reykjavik in Iceland, with no port stops, there were no opportunities for off-ship exploration.

However, I was surprised to discover how much is included on expedition voyages. The ship has a small fleet of kayaks, and hiking and snowshoeing are often offered at different levels of intensity, guided by seasoned naturalists to reveal insights about the landscapes.

And while polar plunges won’t be for everyone, by all accounts, they offer a serious rush of endorphins, not to mention bragging rights.

Value for money

There’s no denying it. Voyages aboard Le Commandant Charcot come at a considerable cost, even compared to other Ponant ships. As a vessel in a league of its own, it attracts guests with the means to embark on icebound odysseys to places few human eyes have seen.

At the time of writing, cruises to destinations such as the Baltic are priced from around £8,000, while destinations like the North Pole, Antarctica and Greenland range from around £15,000 to £45,000.

If you are looking for a serious splurge, you will get a completely singular experience. And as a bonus, you know your money is contributing to high-impact initiatives, including scientific exploration and future eco-friendly vessels at the vanguard of ocean travel.

Full list of facilities

Bars and lounges

Restaurants

Boutique

Photo studio

Cigar lounge

Theatre

Indoor and outdoor pools

Spa with sauna and snow suite

Gym

Dry and wet labs

Helicopter and helipad

Mudroom

Library

Hair salon

Image gallery