PONANT and Smithsonian Journeys have embarked on a new frontier: a collection of unparalleled travel experiences, focused on culture, history, and expedition. On each departure, Smithsonian Journeys Experts will host a series of enlightened discourse onboard. Bespoke shore excursions are included in each port of call, providing ease and enrichment to every program.

PONANT | Smithsonian Journeys cruises include:

• Two Smithsonian Journeys Experts to provide onboard and on land discussions and enrichment
  
  
• One PONANT travel director
  
  
• Transfers from the airport to the ship on embarkation day, and from the ship to the airport on disembarkation day
  
  
• One included shore excursion or activity in each port of call
  
  
• Some ports of call provide a choice of included shore excursions
  
  
• Internal flights and included pre/post hotel nights on expedition cruises, as applicable
  
  
• A program of onboard Smithsonian Journeys touchpoints
  
  
• All meals and open bar aboard ship; 24-hour room service
  
  
• Complimentary Wi-Fi aboard ship
  
  
• Gratuities to shipboard personnel, porters, guides, and drivers

Enrich your mind, inspire your spirit

Ultimate in Exploration | Arctic and Antarctica
Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s only luxury icebreaker, immerses her guests in the wonders of the North and South Pole regions beyond the Antarctic Circle. Invite your clients on a five-star cruise that is more than an exploration—it is a transformation.
Kayak, snowshoe, hike or take a polar plunge—it is up to our guests how they explore. Explore, Inspire | Sail Where Others Only Dream
Le Commandant Charcot was designed for advanced polar exploration, taking guests to uninhabited regions; places larger ships could never reach.
Onboard laboratories and expert guest naturalists create a unique learning experience, which contributes to global efforts in the study and preservation of the poles and the oceans. Design & Luxury | Adventure with Peace of Mind
The design of Le Commandant Charcot reflects one guiding principle: to invite the polar environment on board. With just 123 staterooms—all with balconies—spaces are cozy yet open to the outside world and enhanced by meticulous details.

FEATURED ITINERARIES

Encounters with the Inuit & Spring Traditions
REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND - REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND - Ponant Bonus Up to -20%
May 5-15, 2023 • May 15-25, 2023
10 nights on board | From $18,350
Le Commandant Charcot offers new possibilities: at the end of the long winter night, a thick layer of ice protects access to east coast shores of Greenland and the day finally stretches into infinity. Set off to explore this wild land protected by the ice floe and share special moments with its inhabitants, the Greenlandic Inuit. The Inuit devote themselves to their spring traditions, which include hunting on dog sleds. In this magnificent setting, time seems to stretch on as if a spell has been cast.
Unexplored Antarctica Between Two Continents
USHUAIA, ARGENTINA - DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND - Ponant Bonus Up to -25%
January 16 - February 12, 2023
28 nights on board | From $50,550
Embark on a half-circumnavigation of the Antarctic continent, and dive into the history of the conquest of the South Pole. Look for crabeater seals, leopard seals, Weddell seals, humpback whales, orcas, king penguins and Adélie penguins from the decks of the ship and on numerous shore excursions. Flights from Santiago to Ushuaia and Dunedin to Auckland included.

The Northwest Passage
REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND - NOME, ALASKA, USA - Ponant Bonus Up to -20%
September 11 – October 4, 2023
24 nights on board | From $45,890
Explore the expanse of the Arctic world during extraordinary polar odyssey from Iceland to Alaska, via the mythical Northwest Passage. Flight from Nome to Seattle included.