Ponant Opens 2028 Arctic Bookings With North Pole Voyages
The North Pole program includes sailing through pack ice along Svalbard's fjords and glaciers, plus an eighteen-night voyage with two calls in northern Greenland.
Ponant Explorations has opened bookings for its 2028 Arctic season, with more than 35 departures scheduled from May through October across four ships. The Marseille-based line said the program will cover the Geographic North Pole, Greenland, Baffin Bay, the Northwest Passage, Svalbard, Iceland, Canada and the northeastern United States.
The deployment spans six months and combines Le Commandant Charcot’s North Pole voyages with regional expedition cruises across the high Arctic and North Atlantic. Ponant identified Le Commandant Charcot for the North Pole sailings but did not name the other three ships in the announcement or list starting fares.
Le Commandant Charcot assigned to eight North Pole departures
Eight Geographic North Pole departures are planned aboard Le Commandant Charcot between June and September 2028, with flights included between Paris and Longyearbyen. The North Pole program includes sailing through pack ice, along Svalbard’s fjords and glaciers, and an 18-night voyage combining the pole with two calls in northern Greenland.
Le Commandant Charcot is a 31,757-gt, 150-meter PC2 polar-class icebreaker cruise ship built in 2021, with capacity for up to 245 passengers in Arctic service. The vessel can break through up to 2.5 meters of multiyear ice.
Across the Arctic program, Ponant said guest activities will include guided shore outings, hikes, polar plunges and kayaking, along with wildlife viewing opportunities during the expedition sailings.
Greenland, Baffin Bay and Svalbard form the high Arctic core
From May through August 2028, Ponant will operate voyages in Greenland, Baffin Bay and the Northwest Passage. The routes include the Thule region, Disko Bay and visits with Inuit communities in their villages. Ponant describes Disko Bay as home to the largest icebergs in the northern hemisphere.
A Svalbard-focused program will run in June and July. Ponant plans its seven-night Spitsbergen itineraries in June, followed in July by a full circumnavigation of Spitsbergen, which the company said is returning for the first time since 2021.
Iceland and North America extend the season into October
Iceland-focused departures are scheduled from June through July 2028, with calls at Grimsey and Heimaey and a full day in Reykjavik. The itineraries include one excursion per guest each day and cover landscapes including volcanic plateaus, basalt formations, waterfalls, geysers and fjords.
The season then shifts toward Canada and the northeastern United States from August through October. Ponant listed guided visits to L’Anse aux Meadows, Old Quebec, Lunenburg and Gros Morne National Park, with additional calls at Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Montreal, Eastport and Martha’s Vineyard.
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