In 2028, Ponant will push the boundaries of expedition cruising with one of the most ambitious itineraries ever offered: a complete circumnavigation of Antarctica aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s only luxury icebreaker. This hybrid‑electric, LNG‑powered vessel will trace almost 23,000 kilometres of Antarctic coastline, visiting some of the most inaccessible shores on Earth and inviting just 245 guests to quite literally sail around the White Continent in the wake of legendary polar explorers.
The world’s first luxury icebreaker circumnavigation
Le Commandant Charcot will be the first ship of its category to complete a full circumnavigation of Antarctica, combining serious polar capability with all the trimmings of a high‑end boutique hotel at sea. Ponant’s engineers designed the vessel specifically for deep polar exploration, with an ice‑strengthened hull, advanced navigation systems and a hybrid propulsion system that reduces emissions and noise in fragile environments.
The flagship journey is a 62‑day / 60‑night Ushuaia–Ushuaia odyssey, departing 11 January 2028, with prices from around USD 205,000 per person for the full circumnavigation. For those who can’t commit to two months at sea, Ponant has crafted two linked half‑circumnavigations between Ushuaia and Hobart (and back), each around 31 days, which together complete the loop.
Western Antarctica: Ushuaia to Hobart – in the wake of the pioneers
The western half‑circumnavigation sails from Ushuaia (Argentina) to Hobart (Tasmania) over about 31 days, following the classic routes of early explorers such as Charcot, Bellingshausen, Shackleton and Ross.
Key elements of this leg include:
- Antarctic Peninsula and Marguerite Bay – Rugged peaks, vast glaciers, ice‑choked channels and abundant wildlife, from penguin colonies to humpback whales and leopard seals.
- Marie Byrd Land – One of the last great Terra nullius regions on the planet, seldom seen even by expedition ships. If ice conditions allow, the ship will attempt to approach its remote coastline.
- Charcot Island – A rarely visited island named for French polar explorer Jean‑Baptiste Charcot, often locked in heavy pack ice and reachable only with true icebreaking capability.
- Ross Sea – Home to the world’s largest marine protected area and the massive Ross Ice Shelf, where monumental ice cliffs form a “frozen front” hundreds of kilometres long.
Along the way, guests can join Zodiac outings and landings with a team of naturalist guides, kayaking, polar hikes on foot or snowshoes, and even a polar plunge for the brave. This leg is offered as “Unexplored Western Antarctica Between Two Continents,” with an included pre‑cruise land package linked to charter flights into Ushuaia.
Eastern Antarctica: Hobart to Ushuaia – across the great ice theatre
The eastern half‑circumnavigation reverses the direction, sailing from Hobart back to Ushuaia between 11 February and 12 March 2028, also over about 31 days. This itinerary focuses on the lesser‑visited eastern sectors of Antarctica, following in the footsteps of explorers such as Mawson and Scott.
Highlights on this side include:
- Adélie Land and Wilkes Land – Dramatic ice cliffs and glaciers that form part of the French and Australian sectors of Antarctica, where research bases dot the coast.
- Queen Mary Land and Queen Maud Land – Remote, austere coasts fringed by towering ice shelves and tabular bergs, rarely accessible to conventional expedition vessels.
- Ross Sea and Weddell Sea – Regions synonymous with the “Heroic Age” of polar exploration, including the general area of Shackleton’s Endurance wreck and some of the most spectacular ice scenery on Earth.
As with the western leg, guests can expect Zodiac cruises, shore landings, guided hikes, kayaking and polar plunges, always subject to strict safety and environmental parameters. A short pre‑cruise stay in Hobart can be added to ease into the adventure.
Wildlife and ice: the real stars of the show
Across both halves – or the full 62‑day circumnavigation – the true protagonists are ice and wildlife. Depending on conditions, guests can hope to encounter:
- Multiple species of penguins, including Adelie, emperor, gentoo and chinstrap colonies.
- Whales such as humpbacks, Antarctic minke whales and orcas patrolling the ice edge.
- Seals and elephant seals, hauled out on floes or beaches.
- A variety of seabirds, from Antarctic petrels to skuas and giant petrels, often following the ship in great arcs.
Ice itself becomes a landscape and a character: vast ice shelves, pressure ridges, fast ice, pancake ice and tabular bergs that can stretch for kilometres. The ship’s icebreaking capabilities allow it to carefully probe deeper into these regions than a standard expedition ship, always under the guidance of an experienced polar captain and ice navigator.
Safety, IAATO and “privileged guest” status
Ponant is explicit that guests are “privileged visitors” in these extreme environments, and that the voyage is at the mercy of weather and ice. Routes, landings and wildlife encounters are always subject to conditions and may change daily based on what the ice allows – a key part of true expedition travel.
Navigation decisions are made jointly by the Captain and Expedition Leader, who must balance guest experience with safety and environmental obligations under IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) regulations. Coastal fast ice is deliberately preserved; itineraries are adjusted to avoid unnecessary disturbance to wildlife or sensitive areas.
On board, a large team of polar experts, scientists and naturalist guides provide briefings, lectures and daily recaps, helping guests understand the history, ecology and climate significance of the regions they are exploring.
Conclusion: the pinnacle of modern expedition cruising
Antarctica is never a “tick the box” destination, and this 2028 circumnavigation aboard Le Commandant Charcot is about as far from a standard cruise as you can get. It’s long, remote, expensive and entirely at the mercy of wind and ice – but that’s exactly why it sits at the pinnacle of modern expedition cruising.
Ponant is effectively stitching together the great threads of Antarctic exploration – the Peninsula, the Ross Sea, Marie Byrd Land, Adélie Land, the Weddell Sea – into one continuous story, told over 62 days on a ship purpose‑built to go where others cannot. For serious polar enthusiasts and travellers who have already “done” the classic Antarctica itinerary and are ready to go deeper, this isn’t just another voyage; it’s a once‑in‑a‑lifetime odyssey that may well redefine what a bucket‑list trip looks like.
If you’ve ever dreamed of following in the wake of Charcot, Shackleton, Ross and Mawson – but with the comfort of a contemporary luxury icebreaker and a hot chocolate in hand – 2028 might just be the year you answer that call and claim your place on the White Continent’s most ambitious circumnavigation yet.
