The North-West Passage with Ponant
Explore the expanse of the Arctic world during extraordinary polar odyssey from Iceland to Alaska, via the mythical Northwest Passage. The greatest explorers long coveted travelling from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean via the Far North route before Roald Amundsen accomplished the feat during his expedition from 1903 to 1906. Although this crossing is now legendary, PONANT invites you to go even further, aboard Le Commandant Charcot, by sailing along a virtually unexplored maritime route.
Like a perfect prelude to your discovery of the polar world, the latest addition to the PONANT fleet will first take you on a magnificent ascent up the west coast of Greenland to the majestic Disko Bay. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it will reveal itself to you between its mythical glacier and the graceful dance of monumental icebergs.
Next, you will enter the Northwest Passage via Lancaster Sound then through the ice of McClure Strait. Following in the wake of one of the most mythical sagas in polar exploration, the ship will progress through to Banks Island, and gradually immerse you in a constantly changing world of ice. The infinity of the ice floe will unveil itself, moving, treating the eyes to beauties sculpted by nature and enhanced by the changing light. Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, a luxurious setting designed to navigate in extreme zones, you will continue into the Beaufort Sea and explore landscapes that are inaccessible to traditional ships. The ice covering reshapes the relief and reveals an incredible sensorial experience for the modern-day explorers.
Your immersion in the northern world will also lead you to encounter the Inuit people for special moments of sharing based on their traditions. In the heart of the ice or at the confluence of the currents, there where all is pristine and wild, nature reigns supreme and an encounter with a polar bear is always a wonderful experience.
Beyond the Arctic Circle, your senses will further be ignited as the sight of the glistening ice floes, blue-tinged glaciers, rugged mountain chains and rolling tundra captivates you. Long fantasised about before being discovered at the beginning of the 20th century, the Northwest Passage promises you a trip that is synonymous with going back to basics.
HIGHLIGHTS
The crossing of the Northwest Passage by a unique maritime route, long coveted by the great explorers, only accessible thanks to Le Commandant Charcot, capable of sailing into the very heart of the ice.
Enjoy the unique comfort of Commander Charcot during days of exploration on board, where time stands still in the middle of the ice floe, in the special silence of the polar desert.
The west coast of Greenland, between traditional villages, glaciers and monumental icebergs.
Meeting the Inuit communities of the west coast of Greenland.
Discovery of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland.
An exploration into the heart of the ice in the Northwest Passage and the contemplation of sublime reliefs of unspoiled and immaculate landscapes, which are constantly changing.
Landscapes: icy channels, fjords, vast expanses of ice floe, myriads of jagged islands, blue-toned glaciers, mountain chains, vertiginous walls, expanses of tundra.
Fauna: Arctic foxes, sea birds, belugas, bowhead whales, walruses and the possibility of seeing polar bears.
Brand-new activities: kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing, ice fishing, polar plunge.
LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT
With Le Commandant Charcot, PONANT has imagined and envisaged the cruise voyage of tomorrow. The latest addition to the fleet will take you following in the footsteps of the great polar explorers in refined surroundings complete with the kind of luxury services never before offered in the farthest reaches of the southern and northern hemispheres.
The indoor swimming pool, the conservatory, the panoramic restaurant, the Blue Lagoon outdoor restaurant, the Main Lounge, the Observation Lounge, the lobby… Each of the common areas has been designed to both convey French-style discreet luxury and arouse wonder and amazement. The common thread running through all their designs is the desire to allow the light to penetrate and open everything up the extraordinary polar landscapes and scenery.
This very first hybrid-electric polar exploration ship powered by LNG has been designed with the greatest attention to detail in terms of safety and respect for the environment.
PONANT aCTIVITIES
POLAR PLUNGE
Let yourself be seduced by the unrivalled sensations of being surrounded by cold water. Weather and ice conditions willing, you will have opportunities to undertake a unique experience during a polar plunge wearing just your swimming costume, in the middle of the ice. You will be be filled with intense emotions and will fully appreciate the energy boost when warming up after the swim!*
*with limited places available
KAYAKING - LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT
You will make the most of the sailing opportunities and weather and ice conditions to glide along on the clear waters or between the ice floes and get as close as possible to the immaculate nature of the poles. Supervised by licenced expert guides, you will try your hand in a kayak- a craft favoured by the Inuits for at least 4,000 years. The kayak was initially used for hunting and fishing; for you, it will be a means of making the most of your adventure on the White Continent or in the Far North.*
*with limited places available
ICE FISHING
What better place than the icy Arctic regions to practice ice fishing? Assisted by the naturalist guides, you will look for the perfect spot to cut a hole on the ice floe or on frozen lakes and try to catch fish using an ancestral method. You will make the most of weather and ice opportunities to practice this unusual activity, which will equally delight fans of game fishing and those who are curious to make new discoveries.*
*with limited places available
HIKING OR SNOWSHOEING
During shore landings, depending on the ecological resilience of the biome, we will propose hikes at different levels, in the company of your experienced naturalist guides. From a simple stroll along the coast to walks lasting several hours to reach particular viewpoints or historical sites, you will make the most of the opportunities provided by the weather and ice conditions. When the itineraries allow, you’ll put on snowshoes* to set off like the explorers of old and discover areas that have barely known Man.
*with limited places available