The Authentic Cruise Company

Itinerary

Day 1: Antalya
Day 2: Rhodes
Day 3: Pátmos
Day 4: Kusadasi
Day 5: Santorini
Day 6: Delos
Day 6: Mykonos
Day 7: Náfplion
Day 8: Athens
Day 1: Antalya

As the largest Turkish city on the western Mediterranean coast, Antalya is a mix of antiquity and modernity. It is popular with tourist all year round for its warm climate and sandy white beaches.

Day 2: Rhodes

Early travelers described Rhodes as a town of two parts: a castle or high town (Collachium) and a lower city. Today Rhodes town—sometimes referred to as Ródos town—is still a city of two parts: the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site that incorporates the high town and lower city, and the modern metropolis, or New Town, spreading away from the walls that encircle the Old Town. The narrow streets of the Old Town are for the most part closed to cars and are lined with Orthodox and Catholic churches, Turkish houses (some of which follow the ancient orthogonal plan), and medieval public buildings with exterior staircases and facades elegantly constructed of well-cut limestone from Lindos. Careful reconstruction in recent years has enhanced the harmonious effect.

Day 3: Pátmos

For better or worse, it can be difficult to reach Patmos—for many travelers, this lack of access is definitely for the better, since the island retains the air of an unspoiled retreat. Rocky and barren, the small, 34-square-km (21-square-mi) island lies beyond the islands of Kalymnos and Leros, northwest of Kos. Here on a hillside is the Monastery of the Apocalypse, which enshrines the cave where St. John received the Revelation in AD 95. Scattered evidence of Mycenaean presence remains on Patmos, and walls of the classical period indicate the existence of a town near Skala. Most of the island’s approximately 2,800 people live in three villages: Skala, medieval Chora, and the small rural settlement of Kambos. The island is popular among the faithful making pilgrimages to the monastery as well as with vacationing Athenians and a newly growing community of international trendsetters—designers, artists, poets, and “taste gurus” (to quote Vogue’s July 2011 write-up of the island)—who have bought homes in Chora. These stylemeisters followed in the footsteps of Alexandrian John Stefanidis and the English artist Teddy Millington-Drake who, in the early ’60s, set about creating what eventually became hailed as one of the most gorgeous island homes in the world. The word soon spread thanks to their many guests (who included Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis) but, happily, administrators have carefully contained development, and as a result, Patmos retains its charm and natural beauty—even in the busy month of August.

Day 4: Kusadasi

Whilst the busy resort town of Kusadasi offers much in the way of shopping and dining – not to mention a flourishing beach life scene, the real jewel here is Ephesus and the stunning ruined city that really take centre stage. With only 20% of the classical ruins having been excavated, this archaeological wonder has already gained the status as Europe’s most complete classical metropolis. And a metropolis it really is; built in the 10th century BC this UNESCO World Heritage site is nothing short of spectacular. Although regrettably very little remains of the Temple of Artemis (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world), the superb Library of Celsus’ façade is practically intact and it is one of life’s great joys to attend an evening performance in the illuminated ruins once all the tourists have left. The history of the city is fascinating and multi-layered and it is well worth reading up on this beforehand if a visit is planned. Another point of interest for historians would be the house of the Virgin Mary, located on the romantically named Mount Nightingale and just nine kilometres away from Ephesus proper. Legend has it that Mary (along with St. John) spent her final years here, secluded from the rest of the population, spreading Christianity. An edifying experience, even for non-believers. For the less historical minded amongst you, Kusadasi offers plenty in the way of activities. After a stroll through the town, jump in a taxi to Ladies’ Beach (men are allowed), sample a Turkish kebap on one of the many beachfront restaurants and enjoy the clement weather. If you do want to venture further afield, then the crystal clear beaches of Guzelcamli (or the Millipark), the cave of Zeus and the white scalloped natural pools at Pamukkale, known as Cleopatra’s pools, are definitely worth a visit.

Day 5: Santorini

Undoubtedly the most extraordinary island in the Aegean, crescent-shape Santorini remains a mandatory stop on the Cycladic tourist route—even if it’s necessary to enjoy the sensational sunsets from Ia, the fascinating excavations, and the dazzling white towns with a million other travelers. Called Kállisti (the “Loveliest”) when first settled, the island has now reverted to its subsequent name of Thira, after the 9th-century-BC Dorian colonizer Thiras. The place is better known, however, these days as Santorini, a name derived from its patroness, St. Irene of Thessaloniki, the Byzantine empress who restored icons to Orthodoxy and died in 802. You can fly conveniently to Santorini, but to enjoy a true Santorini rite of passage, opt instead for the boat trip here, which provides a spectacular introduction. After the boat sails between Sikinos and Ios, your deck-side perch approaches two close islands with a passage between them. The bigger one on the left is Santorini, and the smaller on the right is Thirassia. Passing between them, you see the village of Ia adorning Santorini’s northernmost cliff like a white geometric beehive. You are in the caldera (volcanic crater), one of the world’s truly breathtaking sights: a demilune of cliffs rising 1,100 feet, with the white clusters of the towns of Fira and Ia perched along the top. The bay, once the high center of the island, is 1,300 feet in some places, so deep that when boats dock in Santorini’s shabby little port of Athinios, they do not drop anchor. The encircling cliffs are the ancient rim of a still-active volcano, and you are sailing east across its flooded caldera. On your right are the Burnt isles, the White isle, and other volcanic remnants, all lined up as if some outsize display in a geology museum. Hephaestus’s subterranean fires smolder still—the volcano erupted in 198 BC, about 735, and there was an earthquake in 1956. Indeed, Santorini and its four neighboring islets are the fragmentary remains of a larger landmass that exploded about 1600 BC: the volcano’s core blew sky high, and the sea rushed into the abyss to create the great bay, which measures 10 km by 7 km (6 mi by 4½ mi) and is 1,292 feet deep. The other pieces of the rim, which broke off in later eruptions, are Thirassia, where a few hundred people live, and deserted little Aspronissi (“White isle”). In the center of the bay, black and uninhabited, two cones, the Burnt Isles of Palea Kameni and Nea Kameni, appeared between 1573 and 1925. There has been too much speculation about the identification of Santorini with the mythical Atlantis, mentioned in Egyptian papyri and by Plato (who says it’s in the Atlantic), but myths are hard to pin down. This is not true of old arguments about whether tidal waves from Santorini’s cataclysmic explosion destroyed Minoan civilization on Crete, 113 km (70 mi) away. The latest carbon-dating evidence, which points to a few years before 1600 BC for the eruption, clearly indicates that the Minoans outlasted the eruption by a couple of hundred years, but most probably in a weakened state. In fact, the island still endures hardships: since antiquity, Santorini has depended on rain collected in cisterns for drinking and irrigating—the well water is often brackish—and the serious shortage is alleviated by the importation of water. However, the volcanic soil also yields riches: small, intense tomatoes with tough skins used for tomato paste (good restaurants here serve them); the famous Santorini fava beans, which have a light, fresh taste; barley; wheat; and white-skin eggplants.

Day 6: Delos
Day 6: Mykonos

Although the fishing boats still go out in good weather, Mykonos largely makes its living from tourism these days. The summer crowds have turned one of the poorest islands in Greece into one of the richest. Old Mykonians complain that their young, who have inherited stores where their grandfathers once sold eggs or wine, get so much rent that they have lost ambition, and in summer sit around pool bars at night with their friends, and hang out in Athens in winter when island life is less scintillating. Put firmly on the map by Jackie O in the 1960s, Mykonos town—called Hora by the locals—remains the Saint-Tropez of the Greek islands. The scenery is memorable, with its whitewashed streets, Little Venice, the Kato Myli ridge of windmills, and Kastro, the town’s medieval quarter. Its cubical two- or three-story houses and churches, with their red or blue doors and domes and wooden balconies, have been long celebrated as some of the best examples of classic Cycladic architecture. Luckily, the Greek Archaeological Service decided to preserve the town, even when the Mykonians would have preferred to rebuild, and so the Old Town has been impressively preserved. Pink oleander, scarlet hibiscus, and trailing green pepper trees form a contrast amid the dazzling whiteness, whose frequent renewal with whitewash is required by law. Any visitor who has the pleasure of getting lost in its narrow streets (made all the narrower by the many outdoor stone staircases, which maximize housing space in the crowded village) will appreciate how its confusing layout was designed to foil pirates—if it was designed at all. After Mykonos fell under Turkish rule in 1537, the Ottomans allowed the islanders to arm their vessels against pirates, which had a contradictory effect: many of them found that raiding other islands was more profitable than tilling arid land. At the height of Aegean piracy, Mykonos was the principal headquarters of the corsair fleets—the place where pirates met their fellows, found willing women, and filled out their crews. Eventually the illicit activity evolved into a legitimate and thriving trade network. Morning on Mykonos town’s main quay is busy with deliveries, visitors for the Delos boats, lazy breakfasters, and street cleaners dealing with the previous night’s mess. In late morning the cruise-boat people arrive, and the shops are all open. In early afternoon, shaded outdoor tavernas are full of diners eating salads (Mykonos’s produce is mostly imported); music is absent or kept low. In mid- and late afternoon, the town feels sleepy, since so many people are at the beach, on excursions, or sleeping in their air-conditioned rooms; even some tourist shops close for siesta. By sunset, people have come back from the beach, having taken their showers and rested. At night, the atmosphere in Mykonos ramps up. The cruise-boat people are mostly gone, coughing three-wheelers make no deliveries in the narrow streets, and everyone is dressed sexy for summer and starting to shimmy with the scene. Many shops stay open past midnight, the restaurants fill up, and the bars and discos make ice cubes as fast as they can. Ready to dive in? Begin your tour of Mykonos town (Hora) by starting out at its heart: Mando Mavrogenous Square.

Day 7: Náfplion

Oraia (beautiful) is the word Greeks use to describe Nafplion. The town’s old section, on a peninsula jutting into the gulf of Argos, mixes Greek, Venetian, and Turkish architecture; narrow streets, often just broad flights of stone stairs, climb the slopes beneath the walls of Acronafplia. Tree-shaded plazas surround neoclassic buildings. The Palamidi fortress—an elegant display of Venetian might from the early 1700s—guards the town. Nafplion deserves at least a leisurely day of your undivided attention, and you may want to spend several days or a week here and use the city as the base from which to explore the many surrounding ancient sights.

Day 8: Athens
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

Get in touch with our team to start planning

Call and speak to a member of our experienced team today on +44 (0)1491 528 988 or email info@authenticcruises.co.uk.

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