The Authentic Cruise Company

Itinerary

Day 1: Valletta
Day 2: Taormina
Day 3: Otranto
Day 4: Kotor
Day 5: Dubrovnik
Day 6: Hvar Island
Day 7: Rovinj
Day 8: Venice
Day 1: Valletta

Malta’s capital, the minicity of Valletta, has ornate palaces and museums protected by massive fortifications of honey-color limestone. Houses along the narrow streets have overhanging wooden balconies for people-watching from indoors. Generations ago they gave housebound women a window on the world of the street. The main entrance to town is through the City Gate (where all bus routes end), which leads onto Triq Repubblika (Republic Street), the spine of the grid-pattern city and the main shopping street. Triq Mercante (Merchant Street) parallels Repubblika to the east and is also good for strolling. From these two streets, cross streets descend toward the water; some are stepped. Valletta’s compactness makes it ideal to explore on foot. City Gate and the upper part of Valletta are experiencing vast redevelopment that includes a new Parliament Building and open-air performance venue. The complex, completed mid-2013, has numerous pedestrian detours in place along with building noise and dust. Before setting out along Republic Street, stop at the tourist information office on Merchant Street for maps and brochures.

Day 2: Taormina

The medieval cliff-hanging town of Taormina is overrun with tourists, yet its natural beauty is still hard to dispute. The view of the sea and Mt. Etna from its jagged cactus-covered cliffs is as close to perfection as a panorama can get—especially on clear days, when the snowcapped volcano’s white puffs of smoke rise against the blue sky. Writers have extolled Taormina’s beauty almost since it was founded in the 6th century BC by Greeks from nearby Naxos; Goethe and D. H. Lawrence were among its well-known enthusiasts. The town’s boutique-lined main streets get old pretty quickly, but the many hiking paths that wind through the beautiful hills surrounding Taormina promise a timeless alternative. A trip up to stunning Castelmola (whether on foot or by car) should also be on your itinerary.

Day 3: Otranto

Located right in the heel of the Italian boot, Otranto’s scenic landscape often plays the protagonist in displaying the beauty of Puglia, Italy’s easternmost region. Facing the Adriatic sea, the seducing weather and pristine waters have made it a popular destination where on a clear day, wanderers can see the coast of Albania. Like much of Italy, the city boasts a rich and mixed history. Once a Greek and Roman port, it was later occupied by the Byzantines, the Normans and the Spanish before the Ottoman invaded in during their Jihad to conquer Europe. Remains of forts are still visible and are a living testimonial of the town’s rich history along with Otranto’s cathedral, which still encloses today the relics of martyrs who refused to convert to Islam.

Day 4: Kotor

Backed by imposing mountains, tiny Kotor lies hidden from the open sea, tucked into the deepest channel of the Bokor Kotorska (Kotor Bay), which is Europe’s most southerly fjord. To many, this town is more charming than its sister UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dubrovnik, retaining more authenticity, but with fewer tourists and spared the war damage and subsequent rebuilding which has given Dubrovnik something of a Disney feel.Kotor’s medieval Stari Grad (Old Town) is enclosed within well-preserved defensive walls built between the 9th and 18th centuries and is presided over by a proud hilltop fortress. Within the walls, a labyrinth of winding cobbled streets leads through a series of splendid paved piazzas, rimmed by centuries-old stone buildings. The squares are now haunted by strains from buskers but although many now house trendy cafés and chic boutiques, directions are still given medieval-style by reference to the town’s landmark churches.In the Middle Ages, as Serbia’s chief port, Kotor was an important economic and cultural center with its own highly regarded schools of stonemasonry and iconography. From 1391 to 1420 it was an independent city-republic and later, it spent periods under Venetian, Austrian, and French rule, though it was undoubtedly the Venetians who left the strongest impression on the city’s architecture. Since the breakup of Yugoslavia, some 70% of the stone buildings in the romantic Old Town have been snapped up by foreigners, mostly Brits and Russians. Porto Montenegro, a new marina designed to accommodate some of the world’s largest super yachts, opened in nearby Tivat in 2011, and along the bay are other charming seaside villages, all with better views of the bay than the vista from Kotor itself where the waterside is congested with cruise ships and yachts. Try sleepy Muo or the settlement of Prčanj in one direction around the bay, or Perast and the Roman mosaics of Risan in the other direction.

Day 5: Dubrovnik

Nothing can prepare you for your first sight of Dubrovnik. Lying 216 km (135 miles) southeast of Split and commanding a jaw-dropping coastal location, it is one of the world’s most beautiful fortified cities. Its massive stone ramparts and fortress towers curve around a tiny harbor, enclosing graduated ridges of sun-bleached orange-tiled roofs, copper domes, and elegant bell towers. Your imagination will run wild picturing what it looked like seven centuries ago when the walls were built, without any suburbs or highways around it, just this magnificent stone city rising out of the sea.In the 7th century AD, residents of the Roman city Epidaurum (now Cavtat) fled the Avars and Slavs of the north and founded a new settlement on a small rocky island, which they named Laus, and later Ragusa. On the mainland hillside opposite the island, the Slav settlement called Dubrovnik grew up. In the 12th century the narrow channel separating the two settlements was filled in (now the main street through the Old Town, called Stradun), and Ragusa and Dubrovnik became one. The city was surrounded by defensive walls during the 13th century, and these were reinforced with towers and bastions in the late 15th century.From 1358 to 1808 the city thrived as a powerful and remarkably sophisticated independent republic, reaching its golden age during the 16th century. In 1667 many of its splendid Gothic and Renaissance buildings were destroyed by an earthquake. The defensive walls survived the disaster, and the city was rebuilt in baroque style.Dubrovnik lost its independence to Napoléon in 1808, and in 1815 passed to Austria-Hungary. During the 20th century, as part of Yugoslavia, the city became a popular tourist destination, and in 1979 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During the war for independence, it came under heavy siege. Thanks to careful restoration, few traces of damage remain; however, there are maps inside the Pile and Ploče Gates illustrating the points around the city where damage was done. It’s only when you experience Dubrovnik yourself that you can understand what a treasure the world nearly lost

Day 6: Hvar Island

The Croatian island of Hvar bills itself as the “sunniest island in the Adriatic.” Not only does it have the figures to back up this claim—an annual average of 2,724 hours of sunshine—but it also makes visitors a sporting proposition, offering them a money-back guarantee if there are seven consecutive days of snow (snow has been known to fall here; the last time being February 2012).

Day 7: Rovinj

One of the true jewels of the Mediterranean, Rovinj is a jaw-droppingly beautiful town, which juts out into sparkling Mediterranean. Dominated by the pencil-like bell tower of the Venetian Saint Euphemia Cathedral, pine tree forests flow to the borders of the quaint Old Town – which evokes the romantic, tangled backstreets of the Venice. Rovinj – or Rovino in Italian – is a city of split personalities, with two official languages – having been owned by the Kingdom of Italy between 1919 and 1947.

Day 8: Venice

Venice is a city unlike any other. No matter how often you’ve seen it in photos and films, the real thing is more dreamlike than you could imagine. With canals where streets should be, water shimmers everywhere. The fabulous palaces and churches reflect centuries of history in what was a wealthy trading center between Europe and the Orient. Getting lost in the narrow alleyways is a quintessential part of exploring Venice, but at some point you’ll almost surely end up in Piazza San Marco, where tourists and locals congregate for a coffee or an aperitif.

Owner's Suite
Deluxe Suite
Prestige Suite
Superior Stateroom
Prestige Stateroom
Deluxe Stateroom
Owner's Suite

Services provided

  • 24h room service
  • Inclusive Internet access Wi-Fi (availability dependent on navigation and latitude)
  • Individually-controlled air conditioning
  • Dressing room with shelves and closet
  • Dressing table and hairdryer
  • Hermès top-of-the-line bath products
  • Minibar included
  • Nespresso coffee maker and boiler
  • Electronic safe
  • Direct line telephone
  • Bose Bluetooth speaker
  • Flat screen TV, international channels (availability dependent on navigation) and videos on demand
  • 110V American (two flat pins)/220V European (round sockets with two round pins)
  • Three ADA staterooms

In addition to the common services provided to all our suites and staterooms:

  • Private return transfer
  • Priority boarding
  • Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival
  • Butler service
  • An assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and a basket of fruit every day
  • A bedroom with one king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm) and TV
  • A living/dining room with a sofa, an armchair, a TV, a 4-seater table and sliding courtesy door
  • A bathroom with shower and balneo bathtub
  • A one-hour spa care for one person in the well-being space, chosen from the facial and body treatments on offer
  • A private 9 m² balcony
  • Two panoramic sliding bay windows
Deluxe Suite

Services provided

  • 24h room service
  • Inclusive Internet access Wi-Fi (availability dependent on navigation and latitude)
  • Individually-controlled air conditioning
  • Dressing room with shelves and closet
  • Dressing table and hairdryer
  • Hermès top-of-the-line bath products
  • Minibar included
  • Nespresso coffee maker and boiler
  • Electronic safe
  • Direct line telephone
  • Bose Bluetooth speaker
  • Flat screen TV, international channels (availability dependent on navigation) and videos on demand
  • 110V American (two flat pins)/220V European (round sockets with two round pins)
  • Three ADA staterooms

In addition to the common services provided to all our suites and staterooms:

  • Priority boarding
  • Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival
  • Butler service
  • An assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and a basket of fruit every day
  • One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm) and TV
  • An armchair and a sofa (167 x 70 cm)
  • A bathroom with shower
  • A private 5 m² balcony
  • A panoramic sliding bay window
Prestige Suite

Services provided

  • 24h room service
  • Inclusive Internet access Wi-Fi (availability dependent on navigation and latitude)
  • Individually-controlled air conditioning
  • Dressing room with shelves and closet
  • Dressing table and hairdryer
  • Hermès top-of-the-line bath products
  • Minibar included
  • Nespresso coffee maker and boiler
  • Electronic safe
  • Direct line telephone
  • Bose Bluetooth speaker
  • Flat screen TV, international channels (availability dependent on navigation) and videos on demand
  • 110V American (two flat pins)/220V European (round sockets with two round pins)
  • Three ADA staterooms

In addition to the common services provided to all our suites and staterooms:

  • Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival
  • An assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and a basket of fruit every day
  • A bedroom with king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm) and TV
  • A lounge with a sofa convertible to a king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm), armchairs, a TV and a sliding courtesy door
  • Two bathrooms with shower
  • A private 8 m² balcony
  • Two panoramic sliding bay windows
Superior Stateroom

Services provided

  • 24h room service
  • Inclusive Internet access Wi-Fi (availability dependent on navigation and latitude)
  • Individually-controlled air conditioning
  • Dressing room with shelves and closet
  • Dressing table and hairdryer
  • Hermès top-of-the-line bath products
  • Minibar included
  • Nespresso coffee maker and boiler
  • Electronic safe
  • Direct line telephone
  • Bose Bluetooth speaker
  • Flat screen TV, international channels (availability dependent on navigation) and videos on demand
  • 110V American (two flat pins)/220V European (round sockets with two round pins)
  • Three ADA staterooms

In addition to the common services provided to all our suites and staterooms:

  • One king-size bed or two single beds (180 x 200 cm) and TV
  • A bathroom with shower
  • A window (except for stateroom 300: a round porthole only)
Prestige Stateroom

Services provided

  • 24h room service
  • Inclusive Internet access Wi-Fi (availability dependent on navigation and latitude)
  • Individually-controlled air conditioning
  • Dressing room with shelves and closet
  • Dressing table and hairdryer
  • Hermès top-of-the-line bath products
  • Minibar included
  • Nespresso coffee maker and boiler
  • Electronic safe
  • Direct line telephone
  • Bose Bluetooth speaker
  • Flat screen TV, international channels (availability dependent on navigation) and videos on demand
  • 110V American (two flat pins)/220V European (round sockets with two round pins)
  • Three ADA staterooms

In addition to the common services provided to all our suites and staterooms:

  • One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm) and TV
  • A bathroom with shower
  • A private 4 m² balcony
  • A panoramic sliding bay window
Deluxe Stateroom

Services provided

  • 24h room service
  • Inclusive Internet access Wi-Fi (availability dependent on navigation and latitude)
  • Individually-controlled air conditioning
  • Dressing room with shelves and closet
  • Dressing table and hairdryer
  • Hermès top-of-the-line bath products
  • Minibar included
  • Nespresso coffee maker and boiler
  • Electronic safe
  • Direct line telephone
  • Bose Bluetooth speaker
  • Flat screen TV, international channels (availability dependent on navigation) and videos on demand
  • 110V American (two flat pins)/220V European (round sockets with two round pins)
  • Three ADA staterooms

In addition to the common services provided to all our suites and staterooms:

  • One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm) and TV
  • A bathroom with shower
  • A private 4 m² balcony
  • A window and a panoramic glazed swing door
Le Coromandel
Le Rodrigues
Room Service
Le Coromandel

A la carte meals are served at the table in the gastro restaurant. At lunch, a selection of dishes inspired by contemporary French brasseries will be offered. At dinner, it is time to sample the grand traditions of French fine dining, with menus to go with one of the best wines from our cellar, as recommended by our sommelier.

To the rear of deck 2 you’ll find a gastronomic restaurant big enough to seat all passengers together at one sitting.

  • 3,980 square feet
  • Capacity: 268
  • Breakfasts, lunches and dinners, French and international cuisine, elegance and refinement
  • Wine cellar

Le Rodrigues

Enjoy breakfasts, buffet lunches and themed dinners in a relaxed atmosphere at the grill restaurant on Deck 6.

  • 2,530 square feet
  • Interior capacity: 150
  • Exterior capacity: 60

Room Service

Whether you wish to have breakfast in the privacy of your stateroom, savour a snack in the middle of the day or enjoy your dinner in an intimate setting, our Room Service is available for you. Have a gourmet interlude and treat yourself from a varied menu at any time of day or night.

Excursions
Excursions

Excursions & land itineraries

Each itinerary has been thoughtfully created by our teams to offer you a complete excursion experience. You can discover the hidden gems of the regions you visit in line with your interests.

Hidden creeks, ancient cities, UNESCO world heritage sites… the world reveals its hidden gems as you journey along the routes taken by travellers. In keeping with our ethos “Accessing the worlds treasures by sea”, we offer a wide choice of land excursions during all our cruises (except for expeditions). Chosen by our PONANT experts for their cultural value and historic interest, these excursions can last a few hours or a few days. If you need to stay on land overnight, we take care of your stay from start to finish, until you rejoin your ship. These longer excursions mean you can discover the unmissable sites of the region you are visiting, like Cuzco in Peru for example or the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

You can access these trips by pre-booking two months before your departure date.

Panoramic Lounge
Exterior Bar
Theatre
Leisure Area
The Main Lounge
The Sun Deck
PONANT Studio
Shop
Excursion Reception and Office
Panoramic Lounge

  • Deck 6
  • 1,185 square feet
  • Library, internet space, bar, live entertainment on certain evenings
  • Direct access to the panoramic terrace
Exterior Bar

  • Deck 6
  • Lounge area with seating for 50
  • Overlooking the pool deck
Theatre

The Theatre* is the most unique meeting space on board. It’s the largest space on the ship and regularly accommodates all the passengers. It plays host to shows and entertainment as well as conferences from our experts, naturalist guides and guests of honours. The Theatre makes every cruise unique and enriching thanks to its constant and very accessible events.

Settle comfortably into your seat and enjoy a range of different shows, concerts and performances organised by the professional dancers and musicians onboard.

Special musical evenings, dance evenings and culture and music quizzes are held. Additionally, traditional local music concerts, featuring styles such as Corsican polyphony and Caribbean steel band music, are performed out on deck in the open air by bands specially invited onboard for the purpose.

  • Deck 4
  • 2,690 square feet
  • Capacity: 250
  • Conference room, concert hall/multi-purpose auditorium
  • Audiovisual equipment
Leisure Area

Dedicated to leisure and relaxation, the libraries onboard all our ships stock a range of books and board games. This space is also equipped with Wi-Fi connected computers.

All the ships have a special area for children onboard known as the Le Kids Club. Books, television, board games and consoles (PS4 or Wii™) are all provided for their use and enjoyment.

The Main Lounge

  • Deck 3
  • 2,740 square feet
  • Interior capacity: 110
  • Exterior capacity: 30
  • Tea rooms, bar, programme of live musical entertainment, dance floor
  • Access to the exterior terrace
The Sun Deck

The outdoor areas on our ships, comfortable and conducive to relaxation, have been designed to merge into the sublime scenery and surroundings of the sea and horizon. There is a heated seawater pool featuring its own sun lounge on the top deck of our sister ships (Le Boréal, L’Austral, Le Soléal and Le Lyrial) and on the third deck of the PONANT EXPLORERS (Le Lapérouse, Le Champlain, Le Bougainville, Le Dumont-D’Urville, Le Jacques Cartier and Le Bellot). Le Ponant is equipped with a 400 m² (4,300 ft²) sun deck.

PONANT Studio

A photography and videography team escort you throughout your trip. These professionals capture the most beautiful moments of your cruise, which you can share with family and friends upon your return. Meet them on DECK 5 (DECK 6 on the PONANT Explorers ships) at the photo/video area, where you can also order souvenir pictures and videos.

Shop

On board all our ships, a shop is open during sailing. It offers a selection of presents and souvenirs: clothing, jewellery, beauty products, postcards and accessories.

Excursion Reception and Office

On board the sister ships (Le Boreal, L’Austral, Le Soléal and Le Lyrial) and PONANT EXPLORERS, the reception desk and the excursion desk are arranged side by side to facilitate all your requests.

Reception: our receptionists can accommodate you 24 hours a day on all our ships (from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Le Ponant) to answer all your needs, such as room service, etc.

The excursion office: the excursion team is available at all times to tell you about the onshore programmes, organise group or private excursions and to manage transfers at the start or end of the cruise.

On Le Ponant, the receptionist will answer all your questions about excursions.

The Spa
The Gym
The Hairdressing Salon
The Spa

All our ships feature an onboard spa. Equipped with massage cabins and a Turkish bath (Sister ships) or a sauna (Explorers), the spa offers a wide choice of top-of-the-range treatments provided in association with SOTHYS™ or CLARINS (Le Bellot and Le Jacques-Cartier only), leading French spa and wellness centre brands.

Discover a range of facial treatments, aromatic baths, exfoliation and body massage treatments designed to provide moments of complete relaxation. You can also supplement your beauty ritual with additional services such as hair-removal, makeovers, manicures and pedicures.

Prices and details of services in the PONANT Yacht Spa menu.

The Gym

The gyms on our ships are equipped with the very latest Technogym© equipment and machines. Treadmills, exercise bikes, Kinesis Wall© strength training machines and many other types of equipment are all provided in a laid-back relaxing environment. The wide floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the sea add undeniable charm to the exercise sessions.

Each day also begins with organised morning workout sessions, either out in the open air or in the theatre. These are supplemented by water aerobics in the pool, or in the sea off the beach for PONANT passengers, when the situation allows it.

The Hairdressing Salon

Provided in partnership with KÉRASTASE® and L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL®, the hairdressing salon offers a complete range of top quality treatments designed to strengthen, nourish and reinvigorate hair’s shine and brilliance. Our stylists are available to serve all your styling, highlighting, colouring, cutting and tailored hair advice needs.

Laundry
Smoking Policy
Power Adapters
Age Restrictions
Languages
Telephone
Wi-Fi
Medical Facilities
Guests with reduced mobility
Packing Tips
Dress Code
Sustainable Development
Special Diets
Laundry

Your stateroom Officer will be able to take care of your laundry**. The washing and ironing of your clothes will take between 24 and 48 hours. Only ironing** can be delivered on the same day. As dry-cleaning is not possible on the ship, please only give us clothes that can be washed in water.

** These services are not free of charge and are billed directly to your stateroom account.

Smoking Policy

Closed spaces such as the lounges, the dining room, the staterooms and the reception are non-smoking areas. We invite you to smoke in designated outdoor parts of the ship.

Power Adapters

Adapters are provided on board, they are available at the reception office of our ships.

European Standard Sockets

The 220 volt 50 hertz alternating current is distributed by sockets meeting European standards. Onboard power is 200 volt AC (European standard) and 110 volt AC (North American standard). For safety reasons, hair irons and clothes irons cannot be used in staterooms. Please note that on Le Ponant, 110 volt AC is only available in stateroom bathrooms.

Age Restrictions

Children under one year of age shall not be authorised to embark on the ships.

For children aged between 1 and 8 years old, an authorisation to board the ship must be made in writing to PONANT. Subject to agreement, a liability waiver must be completed and returned to the company to validate the registration.

On classic cruises (“yachting”), children are accepted from the age of one, with a maximum of 5 children between 1 and 6 years old on board.

On “expedition” cruises children are accepted from 6 years old (except cruises aboard Le Commandant Charcot) and must be fully independent during all the outside activities organised and during disembarkation in rubber boats, be sufficiently tall to sit on the inflatable sides of the boats, and old enough to understand, and immediately respond to the orders given by the persons in charge. As a result, children’s participation in any activity in an inflatable boat shall be subject to the agreement of the Captain and of the Expedition Head, depending on the sea conditions, and the difficulty of disembarking at each location visited. The ships do not carry Parka’s in children’s sizes. Parents must arrange to bring a suitable Parka for children. In all cases, children and young people under the age of 18 are at all times on board or on land under the full and total responsibility of their parents or carers.

Children aged 4 years or more can be welcomed in the Kid’s Club when the service is offered on board

Languages

The crew are bilingual in French and English. All signage and announcements made are in French and English. On certain cruises, crew members also speak other languages.

Telephone

A satellite telephone system is at your disposal for contacting anyone, anywhere in the world. The cost of the call is added to the stateroom account (€6/minute). Calls that you receive can be transferred directly to your stateroom or to any other communal area on the ship. To receive or send faxes, please see Reception.

Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi internet access is available on all of our ships, in both the staterooms and the communal areas. One or several computers are at your disposal in the recreation centres. Please note that the Wi-Fi connection may be discontinued depending on the navigation area and landscapes that may block the vessel from satellite coverage, especially at high latitudes (no connection possible beyond 80° North or South), or for technical reasons beyond our control.

Medical Facilities

There is a doctor on board available to the passengers on all our ships:

  • The schedules of consultation are listed each day in the log book (emergency consultation 24/7).
  • The Sisterships, PONANT Explorers and Le Commandant Charcot also have a hospital for any small surgery.
  • During the excursions, the passengers are accompanied by a doctor or a nurse.
  • There is a fee for consultations on board . The price may vary according to the time and place of the consultation (hospital or staterooms). You must also pay for medications.
  • The doctor on board is not authorised to distribute sick leaves and prescriptions. Only accounts and invoices are provided which may be used by the passenger to obtain a refund from his/her health insurance if his/her contract allows.

Medical Consultations

There is a charge for medical consultations undertaken by the doctor or nurse on board. The price can vary according to the time and place of the consultation (hospital or stateroom). Any medication must also be paid for by the passenger. If using medications on a regular basis make sure to bring adequate supplies for the duration of your cruise.

Special Medical Treatment

If you have any special treatment, we ask you to inform the reservation service when you register for the cruise, to note it on the information sheet before departure, then inform the on-board crew at the moment of departure and always keep your medication with you for the duration of the cruise.

Seasickness

Our ships (except Le Ponant) have stabilisers equipped with dynamic fins which adapt to the movements of the ship. This system allows the ship to anticipate and compensate for the pitching and tossing of the sea to achieve greater stability. Passengers suffering from seasickness will see their symptoms alleviated and are pleasantly surprised to not feel uncomfortable during their journey. However it is wise to bring travel motion medication with you for peace of mind.

Guests with reduced mobility

Our Sisterships, PONANT EXPLORERS and Le Commandant Charcot were designed for people with reduced mobility in mind:

  • Specially designed staterooms;
  • Access ramps allowing easy movement in communal areas;
  • Posters, signage and stateroom numbers are translated into Braille.

Despite these arrangements, each passenger should be able to be independent or travel with a close family member or friend who can give them whatever assistance they require during their trip.

If a person has not been judged suitably fit for travel in complete safety, the company reserves the right to refuse their embarkation. Disembarkation in difficult places or in a Zodiac® is subject to the approval of the Captain, who will always have the safety and wellbeing of the passenger in mind.

Packing Tips

Technical Accessories

We advise you to equip yourself with a ski mask, sunglasses, walking poles (available to purchase in the shop), a waterproof rucksack, binoculars, a technical watch, a mosquito head net (for the Arctic) and a waterproof pouch.

Dress Code

We advise our passengers to wear casual and elegant outfits at their convenience, and more formal attire for the Captain’s Dinner.

Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is enshrined in the company’s articles of association and has been at the heart of the PONANT project since its inception. Founded over thirty years ago by committed sailors, the company was born out of a desire to share a passion for the oceans and the treasures of the Earth. This responsibility commits us to a respectful dialogue with the environment and the populations we meet and to investing in many fields related to the preservation and development of the natural and cultural heritage of the polar and oceanic regions.

Clean Ships

We were among the first cruise operators in the world to abandon the use of heavy fuels, and our ships are equipped with electric diesel engines and SCR catalytic converters, which enable a reduction in fuel consumption and emissions. Our polar exploration ship, Le Commandant Charcot, is a hybrid-electric vessel, propelled by liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG enables a 25% reduction in carbon emissions, an 85% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions and a 95% reduction in fine particle emissions. Each time we design a new ship, we equip it with the latest available eco-technologies, enabling us to maintain our position as the cruise industry’s environmental leader, ahead of international regulations in some areas. A commitment recognised by many independent organisations:

  • Our entire fleet is Clean Ship certified by the Bureau Veritas. This certification guarantees that our ships fulfil very precise criteria: emissions levels, waste processing, waste water etc.
  • In 2020, PONANT was recognised as “the cruise operator with the greenest fleet in the world in terms of airborne emissions” by the German NGO, NABU.
  • PONANT was awarded the Prix des Palmes du Tourisme Durable 2020 (Prize for Sustainable Tourism) in the “Voyage” category for the elimination of heavy fuel oil in favour of LS MGO.
  • In 2019, PONANT became the first European cruise company to obtain the North American Green Alliance certificate. This certifies that its members have adopted practices and technologies that are respectful towards the environment.
  • PONANT is also a signatory of the Charte Bleue from Armateurs de France, which commits the maritime sector to act to protect the marine environment.

Wastewater

All of the wastewater is treated by means of processes that exclude the use of chemical products. The recycled water is used to clean the exterior of the ship. The water that is discharged into the sea is treated, drinkable water.

Waste

We have optimised our organisation in order to reduce waste at the source. Waste is nonetheless still produced on board. As of 2020, 60% of this is sorted and recycled, with an objective of 85% set for 2023. We ensure the complete traceability of this waste.

Single-use plastics

We have eliminated the use of single-use plastics (straws, cups, food serving trays, laundry bags etc.). A metallic flask is issued to each passenger on expedition cruises and water fountains are available in the common areas of the ships. We are also developing the bottling of our water in glass bottles.

Special Diets

And so that everyone’s tastes are catered to, special menus are available on request for guests with specific dietary requirements (low-fat, vegetarian, gluten-free, etc).

Deck 6
Deck 5
Deck 4
Deck 3
Deck 2
Deck 6
  • Pool
  • Grill Restaurant
  • Internet Café and Library
  • Panoramic Lounge
  • Panoramic Terrace
  • Owner’s Suite
  • Deluxe Suites
  • Staterooms
Deck 5
  • Fitness Room
  • Spa
  • Hair Salon
  • Image and Photo Desk
  • Bridge
  • Staterooms
  • Hammam
Deck 4
  • Theatre
  • Staterooms
Deck 3
  • Main Lounge
  • Shop
  • Excursion Desk
  • Reception Desk
  • Medical Centre
  • Staterooms
Deck 2
  • Gastronomic Restaurant
  • Marina

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