A French luxury cruise company has presented its new ship with which it will circumnavigate the Antarctic – see inside

French luxury cruise company Ponant recently turned 13.

Source: Ponant

Meet Le Commandant Charcot, Ponant’s first “Polar Class 2” hybrid ship, partially powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Source: Ponant

According to its manufacturer, the new ship is a “sign of Ponant’s commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism”.

Source: Ponant

The 492-foot ship is powered by five engines and 50 tons of lithium-ion batteries, but most of its power comes from the LNG, Rachel King reported for Fortune.

Source: wealth

Other than those cleaner sources of energy, the Le Commandant Charcot is nothing like your typical Royal Caribbean or Carnival mega cruise ship.

For one, Ponant banned single-use plastic while sorting waste was introduced on board the ship.

It’s also full of suites with Dyptique products and restaurants from multi-Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse.

With that in mind, let’s take a tour of the conveniences of Le Commandant Charcot.

The ship offers space for 245 people in its 123 cabins.

Source: Ponant

These rooms range from 215 square feet to 1,238 square feet.

Source: Ponant

And each unit has its own balcony, which is perfect for passengers wanting to enjoy their quiet morning coffee in the frigid Antarctic temperatures.

The largest suite, the owner’s suite, has its own 1,937 square meter terrace.

There are also four 1,011-square-foot duplex suites, each with their own hot tubs and terraces.

These maisonette suites, the owner suite and the Privilege and Grand Prestige suites all have butler service.

All rooms also have charging ports that are compatible with both European and American devices.

In true luxury fashion, Le Commandant Charcot will have amenities not often found on a cruise ship, such as: B. a cigar lounge …

… a circumferential promenade deck with heated seats …

… and a spa with services such as a fitness studio, a “snow room” with real snow, a detox bar and massages with luxury products.

Despite these eye-catching amenities, Le Commandant Charcot also offers some amenities found on a typical cruise ship, such as a theater, indoor swimming pool …

… meeting rooms and a heated outdoor pool by a fireplace.

Hungry sailors can dine in the two restaurants on the ship or in the outside bar.

There is also an on-board laboratory to help study the environments the cruise ship will pass through.

And passengers interested in these studies can attend the ship’s on-board lectures.

However, if you prefer the thrill of nature, Le Commandant Charcot offers opportunities for kayaking, ice fishing, polar diving, hovercrafting, and more.

Ponant officially put the ship into service on September 28th, and routes are now available for the winter of 2022-2023.

Source: Ponant

And unlike a typical ship, the Le Commandant Charcot can travel to remote destinations like the North Pole region.

Source: Ponant

That includes upcoming Weddell Sea and Larsen Ice Shelf crossings starting at nearly $ 14,000, making it one of the most affordable options on the ship.

Source: Ponant

This 11-night lineup sails to and from either Punta Arenas, Chile or Ushuaia, Argentina, with stops along the Antarctic Peninsula.

There is also the more expensive route through the Northwest Passage that goes from Iceland to Alaska.

This 25-day cruise, which sails September through October 2022, starts at $ 42,100.

Source: Ponant

That price may seem high to the average cruise goer, but the sailing is already fully booked.

Source: Ponant

If you want to spend a lot of money, you can book the “Unexplored Antarctica between Two Continents”, which runs from January 15 to February 13, 2023.

This 30-day cruise will sail from Argentina to New Zealand and “half-circle” Antarctica, according to the cruise line.

Source: Ponant

The trip starts at $ 45,420 for a cabin, making it the ship’s most expensive itinerary to date.

Source: Ponant

That price then shoots to a whopping $ 172,050 for the owner’s suite, which has already been booked for sailing.