Culture Discovery Cruises
A Ponant luxury yacht cruising open water under soft light
French Luxury Expedition Line

Ponant

Small French ships that carry their art de vivre from the Mediterranean to the ice.

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The line

French luxury, everywhere from the Med to the ice

Ponant is a French luxury line that made its name on small ships and offbeat itineraries. Founded in Marseille in 1988 by former merchant-navy officers, it still sails under the French flag and carries a distinctly French sense of style, cuisine and hospitality.

Since 2015 the company has been owned by Groupe Artemis, the holding company of the Pinault family. Its modern fleet is small by design, from intimate expedition ships to a sailing yacht, so voyages feel personal and can reach places larger ships cannot.

The line spans two worlds with ease, pairing classic luxury sailing with serious expedition capability, including the world’s first luxury polar icebreaker.

Style
French luxury expedition
Fleet
Small ships and a sailing yacht
Guests
Roughly 180 to 270
Fares
Largely inclusive
Sails to
Worldwide, including the poles
Founded
1988, Marseille
In a word

“Ponant carries the French art de vivre to places most luxury ships never go, from a Sicilian harbor to the polar pack ice.”

A refined stateroom with a private balcony aboard a Ponant ship

A modern fleet of small ships

Ponant’s fleet is deliberately small in scale. At its heart are the six near-identical Ponant Explorers, contemporary expedition ships carrying around 180 guests, alongside a series of elegant sisterships and the three-masted sailing yacht Le Ponant.

The design is unmistakably French: clean, modern interiors, generous glass and staterooms that mostly open to the sea. Because each ship carries so few guests, the mood stays intimate and the service is genuinely personal.

A stylish French-inspired lounge aboard a Ponant ship

French cuisine and easy elegance

Dining leans French and refined, and the line has worked with celebrated French chefs on its menus. Fares are largely inclusive, with wines, spirits and gratuities handled, and evenings stay elegant without turning stiff.

Onboard life is calm and sociable rather than programmed, with expedition talks, a spa and open decks. The tone is that of a private yacht carrying a small, well-traveled group of guests.

A Ponant expedition ship among Arctic ice

From the Mediterranean to the poles

Itineraries are wide-ranging and often unusual, from Mediterranean and Northern European summers to Antarctica, the Arctic, the Kimberley, the South Pacific and Asia. Many voyages carry an expedition team and Zodiacs for landings.

The fleet includes Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s first luxury polar icebreaker, which reaches the geographic North Pole and the remote reaches of Antarctica. We help you match the right ship and season to the trip you have in mind.

Since so many Ponant voyages begin or end in Italy, they pair naturally with a culinary tour of Italy ashore.

Booking Ponant with CDV

Why book through us

Exclusive Ponant value

Group amenities and onboard credit on Ponant sailings that you will not find booking direct.

Combinable offers

Our exclusive value can usually be layered with Ponant's current promotions, plus full loyalty credit.

Expedition and luxury specialists

Advisors who know the fleet ship by ship and match the right cabin, season and voyage to you.

Seamless land and sea

Because we run our own tours ashore, we make it easy to add a CDV land tour where your voyage begins or ends.

Pair your voyage with a land tour

Sail the Mediterranean, then settle into the Italian countryside

Ponant’s summer voyages work through the Mediterranean, with calls along the Italian coast. Add one of our own culinary tours and you can trade the ship for a week in Italy, deep in its food, wine and villages.

Browse our Italy tours
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Atlas Ocean Voyages

Yacht-style luxury expedition on small 196-guest ships, from Antarctica to the Mediterranean.

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Paul Gauguin

Ponant’s South Pacific specialist, with one luxurious ship built for French Polynesia.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Ponant known for?

Ponant is known for French luxury cruising on small ships, combining refined French cuisine and service with serious expedition capability. It sails an unusually wide and offbeat range of the world, from the Mediterranean to Antarctica, the Arctic and the Kimberley.

Who owns Ponant?

Ponant has been owned since 2015 by Groupe Artemis, the holding company of the Pinault family in France. The line remains French-flagged and French in character, and it also oversees the South Pacific brand Paul Gauguin Cruises.

What kind of ships does Ponant have?

Ponant operates a modern fleet of small ships, led by the six near-identical Ponant Explorers at around 180 guests, along with a set of elegant sisterships, the sailing yacht Le Ponant, and the luxury polar icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot. Guest counts are small throughout.

Does Ponant sail to Antarctica and the Arctic?

Yes. Ponant is one of the leading luxury expedition lines in the polar regions, with expedition teams and Zodiac landings. Its icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot reaches the geographic North Pole and remote parts of Antarctica that few ships can access.

What is included in a Ponant fare?

Fares are largely inclusive, typically covering dining, wines and spirits, gratuities and, on expedition voyages, the excursions and gear ashore. The exact inclusions vary by voyage and category, which is one thing we confirm for you before you book.

Is Ponant a French-speaking line?

Ponant is French-flagged and French in style, but it is fully bilingual, with announcements, menus and service in both French and English. Guests come from around the world, and the atmosphere is international.

What is the dress code on Ponant?

Ponant keeps an elegant but relaxed style, closer to smart-casual than black tie, with the occasional dressier evening. Expedition voyages are more casual, built around comfortable, layered clothing for landings. We can tell you what to expect for your itinerary.

How much does a Ponant cruise cost?

Fares vary widely by ship, cabin category, season and voyage length, and expedition and polar sailings sit well above a classic Mediterranean cruise. Rather than quote a misleading range, we price your specific voyage and secure the best available CDV value. Request a complimentary quote and we will lay out the real numbers.

Ready to sail with Ponant?

Complimentary quote, exclusive CDV value, and a specialist who plans it around you.

Request a Quote+1 (656) 333-6123 ext. 403