Polar Immersion in Svalbard with Ponant

Description

The Far North and the expanse of the Arctic polar world and its sea ice stretching all the way to the North Pole are yours to admire during an all-new 11-day exploratory cruise. With Ponant, discover these remote territories from Svalbard to Nordaustlandet, a region inaccessible to traditional cruise ships at this time of year.

Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the first hybrid electric polar exploration ship, you will cross the magnificent landscapes of Kongsfjorden, then the Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park.

You will then sail east to try to reach the shores of the Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve. This total immersion in the polar desert in search of the sea ice offers the promise of an unforgettable adventure. You will admire Europe’s largest ice cap and the impressive fjords that punctuate this icy landscape. You are entering the kingdom of the polar bear and will perhaps be lucky enough to spot a mother teaching her cub the secrets of hunting and survival.

Your exploration amidst these remote lands continues to the east. Le Commandant Charcot will attempt to reach the easternmost island of the Svalbard archipelago, Kvitoya – the white island –, as its name indicates, entirely covered by the ice cap and overrun by walruses.

The navigation in the Hinlopen Strait guarantees an exceptional panorama. Its basalt islets and its majestic glaciers hide a rich marine ecosystem: seabird colonies, walruses, polar bears and Arctic foxes come to feed here.

Your adventure in the Arctic world continues with the discovery of the Søraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve. The second-largest protected area in Norway, it is still entirely covered with ice but, in reality, this arid appearance hides rich fauna. Identified as an Important Bird Area, it is also home to cetaceans, Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes.

The exploration of these distant territories will give you a unique feeling of having arrived at the end of the world aboard Le Commandant Charcot, capable of reaching extreme sites, usually inaccessible at this time of the year. An unforgettable odyssey, during which your ship will reach 80 degrees north latitude.

Trip Name

Polar Immersion in Svalbard with Ponant

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Polar Luxury Expedition Passenger Capacity: 135 cabins Built: 2018/2019 Be the first aboard Le Commandant-Charcot, the world's luxury polar exploration vessel, and enjoy a unique sailing experience in the Arctic or Antarctic! With its hybrid propulsion combining liquefied natural gas (LNG) and electric generators, Le Commandant-Charcot has been designed to minimise the environmental impact of travel to the furthest latitudes. The decoration of the ship, imagined by two internationally renowned design and architecture firms - the studio of Jean-Philippe Nuel and Wilmotte & Associés - is designed to be in harmony with the environment. The approach is contemporary with the desire to create a warm and elegant setting; stone, wood and leather recall the natural environment in which the ship is sailing. Equipped with just 135 staterooms including 31 suites with balconies and outside views, Le Commandant-Charcot welcomes you in an intimate and refined atmosphere. Outstanding gastronomy in the two restaurants, relaxation in the indoor pool surrounded by its winter garden, relaxation in the well-being area with sauna and Snow Room... Like on a private yacht, each of our guests is unique. PUBLIC AREAS Le Commandant-Charcot has many common areas that are designed and equipped to meet all of your needs while preserving the intimacy of each passenger. A 177 m² reception area includes: A reception/concierge desk, An expeditions desk, The ship’s administrative services, The sales office, manned by our Hospitality & Travel Manager officer, Our boutique which sells clothing, jewellery, beauty products, postcards and various accessories, The image & photo desk. The different lounges: A 302 m² main lounge including a 28 m² cigar lounge, a tea corner and a bar, with live music on selected evenings, A 400 m² panoramic bar and lounge, An open-air Bar. The recreation spaces Fitness & Beauty Corner: Fitness room: Elliptic, running machines, bicycles... Beauty Corner: Hairdresser, Massage rooms, Sauna, Snow Room, Nail Shop. Pool area: Indoor Pool and winter garden - Outdoor Pool Theatre: Capacity: 270-276 - Main show room for conferences and live entertainment on selected evenings - State-of-the-art audio and video technology. Leisure area: Public areas - Library - Medical centre. 16 Zodiac®.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Day 1 LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN

Longyearbyen is the capital of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, located on Svalbard’s main island, and is the northernmost territorial capital on the planet. With winter temperatures dropping to below 40°C, the landscapes of this mining town are simply breathtaking. The glaciers, the mountains stretching as far as the eye can see and the untouched nature, make you feel like you’re in completely unexplored territory.

Day 2 - Day 2 NORDVEST-SPITSBERGEN NATIONAL PARK

Like the other protected areas of Svalbard, the Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park was established in the early 1970s to protect this exceptional environment against the growing interest of the mining industry. Nunataks, glaciers, islands and large bays, arctic tundra scattered with moss and lichen in shades of silver and gold... This region will fascinate you with its landscapes and with the numerous vestiges that bear witness to the history of the men ─ whale hunters and those involved in the first expeditions to the North Pole ─ who found themselves on these shores from the start of the 17th century. In this pristine environment, you will be able to observe arctic sterns or seals on the rocks that emerge at low tide.

Day 3 - Days 3 - 6 NORDAUST-SVALBARD NATURE RESERVE

The Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve has been protecting the northernmost and coldest part of the archipelago, Nordaustlandet (North East Land), since 1973. This vast polar desert covered by two ice caps is the second largest island in the Svalbard archipelago. Protected by the Gulf Stream, the fjords and cliffs in the west and north are home to large colonies of birds and walruses. The landscapes in the colder east and south are dominated by imposing glaciers that calve majestic icebergs in the vast Hinlopen Strait. Large colonies of thick-billed murres have taken up residence on the sheer cliffs. You may even get the chance to see a bear or an Arctic fox roaming in the vicinity.

Day 4 - Day 7 SAILING IN THE HINLOPEN STRAIT

Sailing in the Hinlopen Strait, in the heart of the Arctic Ocean, between the Norwegian islands of Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet promises an unforgettable experience. This territory of the Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve offers breathtaking panoramas, with magnificent basalt formations and the ice cap stretching as far as the eye can see, diving into the sea. The shore line cut by the fjords moving inland composes a magical landscape in which icebergs float here and there, the result of the calving of the surrounding glaciers. This place, today a popular spot to observe the seabirds nesting in the enormous cliffs, polar bears and walruses, was once intrinsically linked to the history of the whalers who frequented the region from the 17th century. Indeed, it was one of them, Thijmen Jacobsz Hinlopen, then director of a Dutch whaling company, who gave the strait its name. Later on, Russian trappers, European explorers, scientists and even mountaineers roamed this region, as hostile as it is sublime.

Day 5 - Days 8 - 9 SORAUST-SVALBARD NATURE RESERVE

The Søraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve is the second largest protected area in Norway. Established in 1973, this nature conservation area stretching over more than 21,000 km2 will offer you stunning panoramas including coastal landscapes, rocky islets, mountain plateaux, vast tundra plains, and ice floes. With a little luck, you will be able to observe a wide variety of seabirds, given the site is listed as an Important Bird Area, as well as cetaceans, Svalbard reindeer, or even Arctic foxes. Among other things, Edgeoya Island is renowned for providing shelter to a number of polar bears during the breeding season.

Day 6 - Day 10 HORNSUND

Nestling between millennial glaciers and carved mountains, and considered to be “the crown of Arctic Norway”, Spitsbergen is a place that never sees the night. Your ship will take you closer to this fascinating archipelago and, more particularly, the Hornsund fjord. Considered to be Svalbard’s southernmost fjord, it is especially reputed to be its most stunning: at the end of its vast bay, 8 great glaciers slowly make their way down to the sea before giving way to the many icebergs elegantly drifting along its cold and mysterious waters.

Day 7 - Day 11 LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN

Day 8 - Please Note:

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Our navigation, mainly in the fjords, will be determined by the type of ice we come across; as the coastal ice cannot be broken, we will take this factor into account from day to day in our itineraries. The sailing programme, outings, activities and observation of fauna cannot be guaranteed and are subject to weather and ice conditions. The experiences are unique and vary from day to day and for each departure. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while respecting safety instructions and regulations imposed by the AECO.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

An all-new cruise discovering the riches of Svalbard, isolated and preserved territory.
Outings and shore visits in Zodiac® inflatables or hovercraft with a reinforced team of naturalist guides.
Hiking opportunity.
Immersion in the sea ice.
Circumnavigation around Svalbard.
Discovery of Nordaustlandet (North East Land), land of ice and Europe’s largest ice cap.
Kvitoya, the white island, covered by the ice cap.
Exploring the South East Svalbard Nature Reserve, Norway's second largest protected area.
Sail in the Hinlopen Strait between Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet.
Landscapes: ice floes, jagged mountains, icebergs, ice caps, steep-sided valleys, sheer cliffs, huge glaciers.
Wildlife: polar bears, walruses, Arctic foxes, Svalbard reindeer, cetaceans, sea birds.
Our experts are fine-tuning your programme of activities, find out more very soon.