Exploring the Poles in Style Aboard Le Commandant Charcot
Growing up in a small Australian country town, Antarctica always felt like an unreachable dream, thrilling but unforgiving. A local man had worked there, and his tales made it sound like pure survival mode, cold, isolated, and tough. Comfort never seemed part of the picture. That all changed the moment I stepped aboard Le Commandant Charcot.
This isn’t your standard expedition ship. Le Commandant Charcot is the world’s first hybrid-electric polar exploration vessel powered by LNG, and the only passenger ship with a Polar Class 2 rating. She can break through sea ice up to 2.5 metres thick, taking guests to the most inaccessible corners of the Earth, including the geographic North Pole. With space for just 245 guests, the ship feels personal, peaceful, and perfectly suited for thoughtful travel.
Before this trip, I never imagined myself heading to the North Pole. But now that I know I can get there in warmth and luxury, with heated boots, a view from the sauna, and maybe even a glass of champagne in hand, it’s absolutely on my list.
The ship combines cutting-edge technology with thoughtful comfort: heated outdoor seating for glacier watching or wine sipping, a sauna with sweeping sea views, a snow room to cool down after the spa, and a current-assisted indoor pool where you can swim proper laps. And of course, there’s fine dining, complete with caviar and champagne.
Everything you need for cold-climate exploration is included. Heated, waterproof boots for shore landings and a Ponant expedition jacket, yours to keep as both a practical essential and a lasting souvenir.
But this is more than just a luxurious cruise. It’s also a floating scientific hub. Onboard researchers, a working lab, and expert lectures offer fascinating insight into the fragile ecosystems you’re sailing through. It’s experiential travel that stirs both the soul and the mind.
Even though my sailing was only from Southampton to Brest, those two nights were more than enough to spark something in me. Now I’ve got two new dreams I’m determined to tick off. First, to visit Antarctica, do the polar plunge, and finally check off my seventh continent. And second, to stand at the North Pole, something I never thought I’d want, until I realised I could do it like this.
If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting the Arctic or Antarctica but hesitated because of the cold, the remoteness, or the challenge, Le Commandant Charcot changes everything. It’s luxury, discovery, and polar magic all wrapped into one extraordinary ship.
To that girl growing up in country Australia who thought you had to suffer to see Antarctica, it turns out you don’t. You just need the right ship, the right crew, and a sense of adventure.
Want to make your own polar dream happen? I’d love to help you plan a journey that’s wild, elegant, and completely life-changing.
