Expedition cruises

Quite simply, Antarctica defies the imagination. Pristine and strikingly beautiful, this awe-inspiring region of untouched icescapes, mountains rising from the sea, and incredible, diverse wildlife will literally take your breath away.Wake up to spectacular scenery and spend your days marvelling at the many wonders along the Antarctic Peninsula. The constantly changing weather, scenery and colours provide opportunities for professional and amateur photographers alike. Go kayaking in Antarctica under the guidance of our experienced Discovery Team, dive deep into the pristine waters in our submarine – Scenic Neptune^, or take to the skies in our custom designed helicopters^. Throughout the voyage, our Discovery Team is on hand to provide insights into the geology, wildlife and history of this spectacular area in the form of on board lecture presentations and guided shore excursions.

If there is one place on the globe that fires the imagination of travellers and arouses in them an instant thirst for adventure, it is the immaculate and faraway lands of the White Continent. Inhabited by a surprising endemic fauna, the Antarctic will welcome you during an 11-day expedition cruise.

At the border between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, you will enter Drake Passage. At the roaring fifties and the screaming sixties, the wind blows and the waves beat against the stern of the ship. In the sky, cape petrels lead you toward their realm until you reach the first of the continent’s lands.

Ice is there in all its forms. The mountainous landscapes open up to give way to huge calving glaciers, tabular icebergs drift in the middle of the Southern Ocean, and the sea ice shimmers in the distance. On board, the naturalists share with you the secrets of this unique ecosystem. As you near the shores, the first penguins appear. Gentoo, Adelie, chinstrap: these surprising birds, emblematic of the Antarctic, share their beaches with leopard, crabeater and Weddell seals. During an outing on land or at sea, in a zodiac dinghy or a kayak, you will move through a stunning scenery bathed in polar light.

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Landings on certain sites and the observation of certain wildlife cannot be guaranteed. They vary from day to day, making each PONANT cruise a unique experience. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while complying with the safety rules and instructions imposed by the IAATO.

There are few destinations that spark travel wanderlust quite like East Antarctica. From penguins, whales and seals to icebergs and glaciers, see the southern continent and re-live the stories of those who first navigated it in 6-star ultra-luxury on a Scenic Eclipse Expedition Voyage.There are few destinations that spark travel wanderlust quite like East Antarctica. From penguins, whales and seals to icebergs and glaciers, see the southern continent and re-live the stories of those who first navigated it in 6-star ultra-luxury on a Scenic Eclipse Expedition Voyage.

Experience a magical Christmas and New Year’s Eve with PONANT between South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Discover the Southern Ocean as you have never seen it before! Embark on a 18-day polar expedition cruise to the highest latitudes, from the Falkland Islands to South Georgia and the immaculate lands of Antarctica.

Your expedition to the heart of the South Atlantic begins with the exploration of the Falkland Islands: as you sail in this archipelago of 200 islands, you will be escorted by sei whales. Composing the wild beauty of the shorelines are beaches of white sand, jagged cliffs, windswept moors and tall grass swaying with the wind.

Your ship will soon take to the seas once again, to reach the mountainous island of South Georgia. It is there, in the midst of gigantic glaciers, that Sir Ernest Shackleton miraculously ran aground during the famous Endurance Odyssey in 1916. Today, king penguins, elephant and fur seals that have taken over the black-sand beaches dominated by the tall peaks that reveal the Scotia Arc.

You will ultimately land on the frozen shores of the nearly inaccessible White Continent, Antarctica. White shades take on a thousand nuances as it covers the icebergs, glaciers, mountains and frozen sea all around you. You will be one of the rare few travellers to have laid eyes on this legendary land, the theatre of the greatest expeditions and the witness of the most extraordinary adventures. Above all, you are in the realm of the penguins – Adelie, Gentoo, chinstrap – seals, whales and seabirds that accompany you on this unforgettable trip.

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Landings on certain sites and the observation of certain wildlife cannot be guaranteed. They vary from day to day, making each PONANT cruise a unique experience. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while complying with the safety rules and instructions imposed by the IAATO.