PONANT EXPLORATIONS offers a different kind of voyage—one where the spirit of exploration is paired with the sophistication of French luxury and the assurance of international standards. With over three decades of expertise, we invite you to experience travel at sea as it should be: refined, enriching, and intimate.
Paired with the sophistication of French luxury and the assurance of international standards. With over three decades of expertise, we invite you to experience travel at sea as it should be: refined, enriching, and intimate.
Our ships are purposefully designed on a human scale, carrying only a select number of guests to preserve an atmosphere of privacy and tranquillity. Each vessel in our fleet—from the elegant sisterships to the cutting-edge Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s first luxury polar exploration vessel powered by LNG—is a showcase of innovation and comfort. These intimate ships allow us to reach places larger vessels simply cannot access, offering you rare opportunities to anchor in secret harbours, remote archipelagos, and protected ecosystems around the globe.
Our itineraries are unique by design. From the crystalline waters of the Seychelles to the icy silence of Antarctica, from Japan’s ancient shores to the fjords of Scandinavia, we bring you to destinations both iconic and unexpected—always with privileged access, expert guidance, and respect for the cultures and environments we encounter.
Aboard, the French touch is unmistakable. Fine cuisine prepared by French chefs is enhanced by exclusive partnerships with prestigious names in gastronomy, wine, pastry, tea, and wellness—ensuring every aspect of your experience reflects our commitment to excellence. Interior design by world-renowned architects and the use of exceptional French brands in linens, bath products, and decor contribute to a sense of understated elegance and refinement.
Yet PONANT EXPLORATIONS is more than French—it is truly international. Our guests hail from across the globe, and our multilingual crew ensures every guest feels understood, welcomed, and at ease. All services, excursions, and briefings are conducted in both French and English, maintaining a warm and inclusive atmosphere onboard.
We are equally committed to sustainability. Our fleet incorporates cutting-edge technologies to minimise environmental impact, from dynamic positioning systems that protect marine life to advanced waste management and eco-efficient engines.
To sail with PONANT EXPLORATIONS is to choose a voyage where luxury and discovery go hand in hand—a journey shaped by expertise, guided by conscience, and elevated by the art of French living.
For more than 35 years, PONANT EXPLORATIONS has been taking its cruise guests to the planet's most remote, hidden and out-of-the-way locations, places where nature reigns supreme. Making this choice entails responsibilities towards the ecosystems that compose these places and the communities that live in them. In order to stay at the forefront of innovation, the company works on a day-to-day basis to promote a more responsible and more sustainable form of tourism through its PONANT EXPLORATIONS Blue Horizon programme.
PONANT EXPLORATIONS continues to optimise its environmental performance through 6 strategic commitments:
Our everyday actions
Our commitment translates to concrete everyday actions, particularly in terms of the controlled and responsible approach we adopt towards what we use and consume onboard our ships, and also in terms of supporting research, awareness-raising and conversation projects around the world.
PONANT EXPLORATIONS Foundation
Established in 2018, the PONANT EXPLORATIONS Foundation's goal is to conserve the oceans and poles and to promote exchanges between populations. In order to do this, we commit to supporting innovative initiatives led by researches, NGO, start-ups or businesses working to preserve oceans, build scientific knowledge about the polar regions and interact with indigenous populations.
The Traveller's Ethical Charter
Whether on sea, on land or on ice: we strive to minimise our footprint and ask you to do the same.
An international recognition
PONANT EXPLORATIONS is setting an inspiring example and leading the way. Our actions in favour of the environment are regularly rewarded and relayed at both a national level and internationally.