Who could blame PONANT EXPLORATIONS for getting excited about their announcement that their luxury icebreaker is about to embark on a full circumnavigation of Antarctica between January and March 2028.
The claim is that this "unprecedented" voyage will be a "world first". History tells us "sort of".
Le Commandant Charcot is indeed a purpose-built icebreaker designed as a luxurious passenger - or 'cruise' - vessel and the only such vessel of its type. Icebreakers are typically constructed as rugged maritime workhorses for polar missions with a very specific hull design that enables them to crash through thick ice.Some polar cruise companies have been tempted to describe their Polar Class vessels as 'icebreakers' when, strictly speaking, they are just specially-strengthened regular ships able to operate in limited ice conditions.
So, it is true that Le Commandant Charcot will be the first specifically-designed passenger vessel to do so when it completes this feat. However, the first circumnavigation by a passenger-carrying ship on a commercial voyage was in the 1996-97 season when Russian icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov did so while under charter to Quark Expeditions.
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Kapitan Khlebnikov was one of four identical vessels built in Finland in 1981 for the former USSR. It was employed in Arctic resupply missions and oceanographic research. Following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, it was refitted to accommodate tourists on polar voyages.
Semantics aside, Le Commandant Charcot will set sail in January 2028, from Ushuaia (Argentina) westward to reach Hobart (Tasmania) in 30 days. After a two-day stopover, she will depart again towards her starting point, following the eastern coast of Antarctica over 34 days. This itinerary was designed by Captains Etienne Garcia and Patrick Marchesseau. Their expertise in ice navigation at the highest latitudes, gained while commanding ships of the PONANT EXPLORATIONS fleet, has made this new sailing dream a reality. They will jointly command Le Commandant Charcot during this exclusive voyage.
Semantics aside, Le Commandant Charcot will set sail in January 2028, from Ushuaia (Argentina) westward to reach Hobart (Tasmania) in 30 days. After a two-day stopover, she will depart again towards her starting point, following the eastern coast of Antarctica over 34 days. This itinerary was designed by Captains Etienne Garcia and Patrick Marchesseau. Their expertise in ice navigation at the highest latitudes, gained while commanding ships of the PONANT EXPLORATIONS fleet, has made this new sailing dream a reality. They will jointly command Le Commandant Charcot during this exclusive voyage.
This unique voyage, sure to be filled with adventure, will serve as a bridge between the past and the future. It will revive the legacy of the great polar explorers, those legendary figures who braved the frozen expanses. In the pioneering spirit of Captain Jean-Baptiste Charcot, guests will travel back in time and discover the remnants of forgotten camps - witnesses to these incredible expeditions.
Sales for this exclusive trip are scheduled to open in December 2025. Price yet to be announced.
Reservation: Pre-registrations are open by talking to your preferred travel agent or a Ponant specialist at AU 1300 737 178 or NZ 0800 767 018.
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