Two ships, one principle: where most ships cannot go.
Le Commandant Charcot reaches the Geographic North Pole. m/s Paul Gauguin reaches the atolls a cruise ship is too large to enter. We advise travellers on both because the right ship matters more than the brochure suggests.
The principle
The right ship makes a route possible. The wrong one makes it a compromise.
Most expedition voyages are versions of each other — similar ships, similar capacity, similar destinations rotated through similar weeks. We advise on those every day, and they are excellent for what they are.
The two ships on this page are different. Each one was engineered for a route that would not otherwise exist as a passenger voyage at all. Travellers usually come to us asking about one and discover the other in the conversation. We treat them as siblings — opposite ends of the climate, same idea of what a ship should be capable of.
The polar flagship
Le Commandant Charcot.
The only luxury passenger vessel rated PC2 — high enough to reach 90° North, the Geographic North Pole. Hybrid LNG-electric, 245 guests, two helicopters, scientific labs built into the ship.
PC2 Polar Class
Only luxury passenger ship rated to navigate the central Arctic pack ice and reach the Geographic North Pole.
Hybrid LNG + battery
Liquefied natural gas with a 5 MWh battery — 25% less carbon, near-silent operation in delicate environments.
16 zodiacs, 2 helicopters
Off-ship reach designed for science-grade access — including the only ship-based helicopters in the polar fleet.
Three North Pole routes
Ponant offers three Geographic North Pole departures across 2026 and 2027, plus circumnavigations of Antarctica.
Year-round in Polynesia
The only large ship based in Tahiti year-round — the rest visit on seasonal positioning runs.
5.2 m draft
A shallow draft that reaches Fakarava, Rangiroa, Bora Bora's interior lagoon, and the remote Marquesas.
Marina platform
A retractable marina at the stern for direct kayak, paddleboard, and swim access from the ship itself.
Three itinerary lengths
Seven-night Society Islands, ten-night with Tuamotus, fifteen-night for the full Marquesas archipelago.
The Polynesia flagship
m/s Paul Gauguin.
The only ship purpose-built for French Polynesia. 318 guests, year-round Tahiti base, and the shallow draft to reach atolls a cruise liner cannot.
An honest read
Who these voyages are actually for.
We are direct about this because the price tag earns directness.
The repeat polar traveller
If you have done a Peninsula crossing and want to know what comes next — Charcot at the Pole, or one of the deeper Antarctic circumnavigations, is the answer travellers usually arrive at on their own.
The milestone or anniversary trip
A retirement, a fortieth, a once-in-a-generation family voyage. Both ships are built for trips that are meant to be remembered without qualification.
The traveller who values silence
Both ships were engineered to be quieter than their class. The Charcot can run nearly silent on battery. The Paul Gauguin operates at a scale where lounges are never crowded. This matters more on long voyages than people realise.
Not the right fit if
You are looking for the shortest, most economical polar trip, or your first cruise. Both of these ships repay travellers who already know what they are choosing between — they are not the place to start.
FAQ
Signature voyage questions.
The questions we hear most. If yours is not here, send it directly.
Plan your expedition
Begin the conversation about a signature voyage.
We will tell you honestly if a season, ship, or budget does not fit.