Ponant cruise reviews

I was incredibly lucky to be able to explore the Antarctic aboard Le Lyrial. The luxury of this Expedition cruise was the real 5-star comfort with a personal touch: a truly French way of life. Comfortable staterooms, gastronomic dining and particularly attentive service from the staff all helped guests to enjoy themselves. Not forgetting the professionalism of the naturalist guides both during the conferences on the ship and onshore visits in Zodiac® inflatables in iconic locations in Antarctica and South Georgia. You always know you’re totally safe too with PONANT!

My favourite moment was opening my stateroom's curtains at 3am to see magnificent pink and purple icebergs after two days spent sailing in the Drake Passage: it was breathtaking, sublime, magical, exceptional! I’m desperate to go back as soon as possible. It was the journey of a lifetime and you, PONANT, were very much a part of this MAGICAL experience! I think about it every day. I still dream about the wildlife and the landscapes I saw.

We have just returned from a cruise expedition to Greenland. We are absolutely delighted with our stay on board. Pure pleasure. Everything was absolutely perfect, truly faultless. Some friends had recommended PONANT to us and pointed out that Captain Garcia was an exceptional man, he did not let down his reputation, far from it. As for what we discovered in Greenland, it is spectacular, unforgettable. Next time will be Alaska.

I finally got to know the legendary Commander Garcia. Now I understand why other guests are such fans! I met another of PONANT’s leading figures when it comes to expeditions: Nicolas Dubreuil. Not forgetting the wildlife either: whales, seals and even narwhals, which are rare. And the beautiful landscapes too: the iceberg river in Ilulissat, the iceberg cemetery in Savissivik, the 7-hour hike to the polar ice cap, the walk to a new glacier in the Sam Ford Fjord and more. And the cherry on the cake: the Northern lights, the night before arriving in Kangerlussuaq. In short, everything was perfect! It couldn’t have been better. An incredibly enthusiastic commander, a friendly and fascinating expedition team!

The most beautiful trip, just as I had dreamed it and PONANT made it happen. Atmosphere, landscapes, excursions, conferences, food, cabin, staff as a whole, beauty of Greenland, proximity to nature, the Inuit. And the best of all, the enthusiasm of Commander Garcia and his kindness to all the crew members. I loved this trip and now I'm dreaming about Captain Charcot... It's like marriage: to be done once (at least) in a lifetime. AWESOME!

Extraordinary! Simply magical, thanks in large part to our lovely, good-humoured naturalist guide Serge, who helped us to enjoy an unforgettable trip while sharing his detailed knowledge with us of the local populations and the sites visited, along with dedicated expedition leader José Sarica.
Bravo Ponant!

Le Boreal is a ship with a close-knit feel - it’s easy to make friends with other guests. The captain was omnipresent and developed a close relationship with travellers. I’d also like to acknowledge the great work of the entertainment team, whose presence was noticeable yet discreet. Onboard shows were worthy of a Parisian cabaret. We went on a “music-themed” cruise and the standard of the concerts was exceptionally high. The entire crew was attentive, friendly and always available. And of course, when talking about PONANT, who could forget the French gastronomy aboard, with exquisitely varied meals? Congratulations to all the professionals who made this a unique and unforgettable cruise.

On our return to France, we would like to say how completely satisfied we were with the smooth running of our PONANT cruise aboard Le Boréal between Argentina and Chile from 3 to 20 March 2017. We loved the comfort and luxury of the ship, the excellent food and drink, the kind behaviour of all the staff, the total proficiency of Commander Garcia and his deputies and the various cultural events.

This January (2018) I undertook the Sub-Antarctic expedition aboard L'Austral from Dunedin to Wellington via the Sub-Antarctic islands. It was just so special. We were blessed with almost perfect weather and certainly the most perfect team of scientists and researchers led by Mick Fogg. They were just so thrilled to share their knowledge and their enthusiasm for their subjects that the cruise was more than I could have expected. These islands are magnificent, the flora and fauna captivating. Life aboard L'Austral was relaxing, the food was delicious and varied, the staff attentive and friendly; the ship's crew magnificent in getting us in and out of the Zodiacs.

On board the Lyrial, from 15 to 23 August 2018, voyage to the heart of the Adriatic leaving from and returning to Venice: FABULOUS! Beautiful vessel, very "classy"! An efficient crew, discreet, always smiling and very kind. The captain (Mr. Régis DAUMESNIL) was accessible, entertaining and educative during his welcome and his presentation on the bridge (an invitation that I personally very much appreciated and shall remember!). Perfect gastronomy with a special mention for pastries and bakery. Hats off to the dancers of the "Paris C Show". This was our first PONANT cruise. On returning I have only one wish: to leave with you again!

We took a cruise on Le Lyrial this year - what can we say? Fabulous! I’ve never seen a Commander who was so willing to spend time with guests (Mr Régis Daumesnil), the entire crew (housekeeping, receptionists, bartenders, waiters, etc.), delicious meals, shore visits and a special mention for the dancers (the Dream Team) with whom we’ve kept in contact because it was our first time with PONANT but it definitely won’t be the last! Thanks to everyone.

Following a sumptuous cruise that took us from Hawaii to Tahiti through the Marquesas and Tuamotu, we watched a show hosted by a local troupe on board the Boreal. Happy times, filled with nostalgia: many of us fly back to Paris tomorrow... Too bad! We are already thinking about the next cruise. And happy birthday PONANT! I'll see you in November 2019 aboard the Bougainville for a musical cruise.

We had a fabulous time! The ship was really well maintained. The staff seem to go out of their way to be friendly, get to know passengers, help out whenever necessary. The Cruise director Kamel was brilliant, the captain and crew were a visible presence. Loved the food, always fresh. Lovely baked goods and so nice to just have a never-ending supply of house champagne, wine and a good range of cocktails. Mick Fogg was in charge of the group of naturalists who took us out on our daily zodiac trips. He has a great group of smart, well educated people who made it all so interesting. Every evening there was a recap of that day and a summary of the following days activities. It was all explained to us very clearly and all the zodiac groups were super well organised. The guides went out of their way to show us anything they could find: crocodiles, birds, turtles, fish, sharks... All up, BRILLIANT TRIP!!!