This unusual new cruise vessel just took passengers all the way to the North Pole
You now can travel all the way to the North Pole on a luxury cruise ship.
France-based cruise operator Ponant this week proved it was possible by taking dozens of paying passengers to the ice-bound destination on its new luxury icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot.
Named after a famous French explorer, the super-hardy, 245-passenger vessel is the first upscale cruise ship to make it all the way to the North Pole with paying passengers.
The 31,757-ton vessel reached the North Pole on Wednesday after breaking its way north through hundreds of miles of polar ice for several days. The vessel set off for the North Pole from the small town of Longyearbyen in Svalbard — a glacier-covered archipelago located far above the Arctic Circle. Longyearbyen is the world's northernmost settlement.
Le Commandant Charcot was on a 15-night expedition from Longyearbyen with a specific focus on bringing its passengers to the North Pole.
The ship had traveled to the North Pole once before but only as a test ride without paying customers.
Ship-based tourist trips to the North Pole have occurred in small numbers for more than 20 years, but until now they only have taken place on relatively spartan Russian icebreakers chartered by expedition cruise companies such as Quark Expeditions and Poseidon Expeditions.
The trips are relatively rare, with just a handful of departures in any given year. Typically the vessels carry just 100 or fewer people to the North Pole as part of Arctic trips that cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Unveiled in late 2021, Le Commandant Charcot is the first purpose-built icebreaker for a cruise company. Designed specifically for high-end polar cruising, the ship is built to be extremely tough so it can operate year-round in some of the world's thickest floating ice.
Le Commandant Charcot carries a polar class rating of PC2 — the highest ever for a ship designed for cruise travel. This means it's certified to smash through some of the world's thickest ice — specifically the moderate, multiyear ice found in polar ice caps.
Le Commandant Charcot is the toughest ship built yet for expedition cruising — a type of cruising that involves traveling to remote, far-flung destinations on small, sturdy vessels outfitted with their own landing craft. Expedition cruising is one of the fastest-growing segments of cruising.
Until the arrival of Le Commandant Charcot, no expedition cruise ship had a polar class rating above PC5; ships in the PC5 category of polar hardiness can travel year-round in medium first-year ice, which isn't as thick as multiyear ice. Most expedition cruise ships are rated even lower at PC6 (the lower the number, the tougher the ship).
Related: Is this the ultimate Antarctica cruise vessel?
In addition to being hardy, Le Commandant Charcot was designed to be elegant and upscale. It features spacious suites and cabins, each of which has a balcony — something relatively rare for expedition ships. It also offers two restaurants with dishes created by famed chef Alain Ducasse as well as a wellness center with an indoor saltwater pool, a gym and a decktop area with a super-heated wading pool.
The 1,937-square-foot owner's suite is another standout amenity: It features a terrace with a hot tub, heated “rocks” for additional seating and a telescope.
The vessel is equipped with a battery system that allows it to operate emission-free for up to eight hours at a time in sensitive polar areas. It also has a research center with dedicated laboratories used by visiting scientific teams doing polar research.
Off-ship excursions available to passengers include ice fishing, snowshoeing and polar diving.
There is a very small window during the summers when North Pole trips are practical. Ponant has three more voyages to the North Pole on Le Commandant Charcot scheduled this summer and four departures set for the summer 2023. Fares start at $35,960 per person, including flights between Paris and Longyearbyen.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.