There are few places on Earth where time seems to stand still – and fewer still where travellers can go and feel as though they’ve reached the very edge of the world. The Geographic North Pole is one such place. Remote, raw, and largely untouched by modern civilisation, this is not a destination – it is an experience. One that demands exclusivity, resilience, and a ship designed to lead the way: Le Commandant Charcot by PONANT.
A pioneer in polar exploration, Le Commandant Charcot is more than an icebreaker; it is a sanctuary of refinement in one of the harshest environments on the planet. Built for travellers who demand both adventure and sophistication, this is the only luxury vessel designed to take adventurers to the true North Pole in comfort, care, and deep connection with the ice-covered world.
A destination for the intrepid
Le Commandant Charcot is the world’s only luxury icebreaker, carving through polar ice that swiftly reseals, leaving no trace – an elegant feat of eco-conscious innovation for exploration.
To reach the geographic North Pole is to go where few have tread. Only a handful of vessels in history have ever made this journey, and Le Commandant Charcot – the world's only luxury icebreaker powered by hybrid electric liquefied natural gas propulsion – brings this dream closer to reality for a select few.
Unlike traditional cruises, this is not about ticking off a list of ports. There are no shopping streets or souvenir shops. Instead, you’ll find floating cathedrals of ice, shifting polar light, and the haunting silence of the great white expanse. On select voyages, guests even get to step onto the sea ice at 90° North – a feat that few human beings in history have accomplished.
Each journey to the North Pole is dictated by the elements. With expert expedition teams, daily briefings, and wildlife sightings that can never be predicted – a polar bear ambling along a floe, or narwhals breaking the surface – each moment feels more like a privilege than an itinerary.
Exclusivity is the new luxury
Le Commandant Charcot’s Deluxe Suite features refined interiors, spacious living areas, and private balconies that offer panoramic polar views.
The definition of luxury has evolved. Today, it is not just about marble bathrooms or pillow menus – it’s about access. The kind of access Le Commandant Charcot provides is extraordinary: to silence, to solitude, to sights that money alone can’t buy.
On board, the elegance is unmistakable. Spacious Prestige Staterooms and Deluxe Suites on Deck 6 offer uninterrupted views of the icy wilderness, with interiors designed to echo the polar serenity outside. Materials awaken the senses – soft textures, soothing colours, and light-filled spaces that connect you to the world beyond the windows.
In a world where over-tourism has touched even the most once-remote places, the experience of being on a vessel that accommodates just 200 guests – and often sails in places where not another ship is in sight – is the ultimate indulgence.
The journey is the experience
Le Commandant Charcot’s fleet of Zodiacs allows guests to venture into the heart of the polar wilderness – gliding past icebergs, spotting wildlife, and exploring remote, icy shores up close.
On Le Commandant Charcot, every element has been curated to heighten the polar experience. Guests begin their mornings with a yoga session overlooking drifting ice, or taking a meditative stroll along the promenade deck, pausing on heated benches to observe Arctic wildlife through Swarovski Optik scopes.
In the afternoons, venture out with the expedition team on Zodiac cruises or hikes across the frozen terrain. On certain sailings, guests can glide across the ice on dog sleds or kayaks – modes of travel deeply entwined with the polar story. They’re not just observing the environment. They’re becoming part of its rhythm.
Back on board, they’re cocooned in quiet elegance. Relax in the spa’s snow cabin or Finnish sauna, float in the indoor pool heated to 32°C, or enjoy a detox cocktail with panoramic views in the wellness lounge.
Dining in the middle of nowhere, Michelin-style
Sila onboard Le Commandant Charcot offers buffet-style meals and themed dinners with global dishes like Thai curries, French classics, and salads that guests can enjoy while gazing out at the icy expanse of the Arctic.
Who says adventure means roughing it? On Le Commandant Charcot, dining is elevated to an art form. At Nuna, the gastronomic restaurant, guests savour creations by Alain Ducasse – vegetable and lobster cookpots, or slow-braised meats that evoke the essence of French fine dining, even in the high Arctic.
Prefer a casual bite? Lounge at Sila under the Arctic sun or grab a seat at the open-air bar. Wines are handpicked by the sommelier to complement the day’s mood, and afternoon tea might include truffle-infused croques or savoury pastries served by the Blue Lagoon – an outdoor heated pool powered by the ship’s energy recuperation system.
An intimate cultural exchange
Guests sailing on Le Commandant Charcot can embark on thrilling dog sledding excursions across the Arctic, guided by experienced mushers.
Beyond the ice, Greenlandic itineraries with Le Commandant Charcot offer rare cultural encounters. In Ilulissat and Qeqertarsuaq, guests are welcomed by Inuit communities whose spring traditions unfold in tandem with the season’s first daylight.
Join dog sledding excursions guided by the last remaining hunters of East Greenland. Share stories over tea in colourful coastal villages, where the warmth of human connection cuts through the Arctic chill. These aren't staged performances – they’re authentic moments of exchange few will ever experience.
Once-in-a-lifetime sailings
In the Ice of the Arctic, from Svalbard to Greenland
Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen – Reykjavík
13 June – 29 June 2026 (17 days | 16 nights)
Set sail beyond the Arctic Circle in the wake of polar pioneers. Journey from southern Svalbard to the remote northeast coast of Greenland – areas inaccessible to traditional ships in early summer. This is an expedition into raw and rugged beauty: through bird-rich nature reserves, beside colossal ice caps, past monumental basalt cliffs and across drifting sea ice. Witness legendary regions such as Ammassalik, Blosseville and Ittoqqortoormiit, with guided exploration via zodiacs, kayaks or hikes in this striking polar wilderness.
The Geographic North Pole
Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen – Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
6 August – 21 August 2025 (16 days | 15 nights)
Follow in the footsteps of the world’s greatest explorers – Cook, Peary, Amundsen – and attempt to reach the northernmost point on Earth. The expedition begins in Spitsbergen, sailing toward constantly shifting ice and light, across waters home to polar bears, seals and whales. If successful, Le Commandant Charcot will take guests to 90° North – an almost unreachable spot only a select few have treaded upon. It’s the ultimate goal in Arctic exploration.
Transarctic, the Quest for the Two North Poles
Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen – Nome, Alaska
5 September – 25 September 2025 (21 days | 20 nights)
Retrace the epic 1926 Norge airship crossing of the Arctic via the North Pole and experience firsthand what it means to be part of a scientific voyage. This groundbreaking sailing takes guests from Svalbard to Alaska through the elusive transpolar maritime route, with stops at both the Magnetic and Geographic North Poles. Onboard, guests interact with a multidisciplinary team of researchers conducting live studies. In the ever-changing Beaufort Sea, witness the raw elegance of drifting ice floes, sparkling under shifting Arctic light – a rare expedition that blends exploration and meaningful scientific contribution.
The last frontier of luxury
Sailing on Le Commandant Charcot offers an unparalleled, once-in-a-lifetime adventure, reaching the North Pole in luxury, surrounded by stunning polar landscapes and exclusive experiences.
To travel to the geographic North Pole on Le Commandant Charcot is to surrender to the sublime – to recognise that some luxuries can’t be bought, only experienced. It is a place that asks for nothing but presence, and in return, gives back memories that last forever. Because sometimes, the greatest luxury is knowing you were there – when most never will be.
For those ready to embrace the rarest adventure, PONANT is offering an exclusive opportunity:
• Prestige Stateroom:
Save €1,592 per person
Website Price €34,690 | Special Offer €33,098
• Deluxe Suite:
Save €3,422 per person
Website Price €36,970 | Special Offer €33,548
• Bonus: Free solo supplement – solo travellers pay the same price for a private room!
Valid for sailings departing 11 and 27 August 2026. Prices available as of 31 March 2025 and subject to change without notice. Applies to Deck 6 accommodation only. Book early via the contact details below to secure this special pricing.
Website: https://asia.ponant.com
Email: asia@ponant.com
Phone: +612 8459 5000
The article is brought to you by PONANT