Even more pricey are the one-of-a-kind polar voyages the line offers on Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s only luxury icebreaker — including the handful of epic voyages it operates each summer to the North Pole. The latter sailings start at a mind-boggling $41,920 per person for a 15-night experience. That works out to nearly $6,000 per couple per day.
Still, as is typical for cruise lines at the high end, Ponant includes a lot in its base price. In addition to a room on board and all meals, the fares include most drinks on board, shipboard Wi-Fi, and (perhaps most notably) expedition guide-led shore experiences during expedition-style cruises to such destinations as Antarctica and the Arctic.
Note that Ponant sometimes charges high fees for extra services such as transfers to the ship and charter flights needed to reach a ship in a remote area, or for add-on tours that aren’t included as part of the base package.
How to book
If you’re sure you know what sort of cabin you want, on which ship, on which itinerary — and about a dozen other things — you can head over to ponant.com and book directly.
That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise — there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process, trust us — we always recommend that you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises.
A good travel agent will quiz you about your particular interests, travel style and preferences, and steer you to the perfect cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. An agent can also help you if something goes wrong before, during or after your voyage.
If you’re sure that Ponant is your line, look for a travel agent who specializes in trips with the brand. You want someone who knows all of the line’s many itineraries in detail and, preferably, has sailed on or at least inspected some of the line’s vessels, too, to understand the various cabin types and onboard amenities.
: How to book a cruise with points and miles
Whether you use a travel agent or not, make sure to maximize your credit card spending when paying for the cruise by using a credit card that offers extra points for travel purchases. This could be the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), which offers 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel and dining (excluding the annual $300 travel credit). There’s also the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), which offers 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel (and 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on dining).
Bottom line
Ponant is a leader in small-ship sailings to some of the world’s most remote places, such as Antarctica, as well as more traditional destinations, such as the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, and it’s known for an elegant, upscale experience. Among the array of voyages that it regularly offers are some of the most unusual routings offered by any cruise company big or small, including what are currently the only sailings to the North Pole available and unique routes across the Pacific and around Africa.
For some of these very rare itineraries, such as the trips to the North Pole, it is pretty much the only option.
Based in France and popular with French travelers, Ponant is also unusual among upscale cruise brands in that it operates its vessels as dual-lingual ships, with all activities on board conducted in both French and English. If you book a Ponant ship, you’re signing up for an experience that will have a notably French feel, like a stay at a boutique hotel in France. For many Ponant fans, that’s one of the brand’s greatest allures.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories: