What is it really like to embark on an Arctic cruise aboard Ponant’s luxury Icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot? Sarah Porter jumps aboard for a trip of a lifetime There’s an Inuit proverb: ‘Only the ice and weather will decide’, and this could not have been more accurate than on my recent voyage to northeast Greenland, aboard Ponant’s luxury Icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot. The captain quoted this when a change in course saw us encounter something rarely seen before – 68 polar bears feasting on a whale carcass. Only the ice and weather led us to this incredible encounter, which left both guests and crew mesmerised.
Le Commandant Charcot launched in 2021 and set a new standard for polar exploration, costing an estimated US$430 million ($709m) to build. I would not be exploring the ice-dense northeast coast of Greenland at this time of the year without the icebreaking capabilities of this incredible ship. Witnessing her break through an 8m ice pressure ridge was truly spectacular, as was silently sneaking up on the 68 resting and feeding polar bears; unfazed by our presence.
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