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Why French luxury cruise operator Ponant is world-renowned for breathtaking expeditions to Earth’s most remote destinations, the latest being a luxurious journey on board the first polar icebreaker exploration vessel in its fleet
Ponant was founded over 30 years ago by sailors who aspired to give travellers a feel of what they experienced as they crossed oceans to lands on the edge of the world. Today, Ponant’s state-of-the-art luxury cruise ships have lived up to that founding mission, transporting guests to previously inaccessible destinations via one-of-a-kind sailing experiences centred around the concepts of discretion, refinement, and the art of living à la française.
Ponant’s commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism goes beyond the rhetoric, demonstrated in cutting-edge vessels like Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s only luxury icebreaker and the first hybrid luxury polar cruise ship powered by liquefied natural gas, thus minimising the environmental impact of travel in these extreme latitudes.
It’s not surprising that Ponant is hailed as a leader in polar expedition voyages, whether it be riveting journeys to Antarctica where the humpback whales, seals, and penguins of the vast White Continent can be seen up close, or the newly launched expedition to the North Pole on board Le Commandant Charcot, venturing into the very heart of the ice. Ponant continues to acquaint travellers with locations visited by fewer than the number of people who had gone to the moon, including the Weddell Sea, the Ross Sea, and Peter I Island.