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In the Wake of Jean-Baptiste Charcot - 16 Days
Onboard Le Commandant Charcot – 199 passengers
From the Antarctic Peninsula to the Bellingshausen Sea and its unknown islets, Le Commandant Charcot will humbly take you on a 15-day exploration of the Far South, in the wake of the legendary man to whom it owes its name. This incredible expedition will take you into the ice to explore rarely visited sites further south than most ships go.
Highlights:
- Cross the Arctic Circle and the exploratory approach of the distant Charcot Island.
- Outings and shore visits in a zodiac inflatable with a reinforced team of naturalist guides.
- The eye and the sound advice of our photo ambassador, a privileged opportunity to immortalise your journey with, on the programme: workshops, lectures and customised advice to improve your photographic skills.
- Conferences and information meetings on board with our passionate experts, specialists in the fauna, flora and history of the polar regions.
- Landscapes: immense glaciers, monumental icebergs, immersion in the heart of the ice floes.
- Wildlife: Adelie, chinstrap and Gentoo penguins; leopard, crabeater and Weddell seals; humpbacks, Minke whales and orcas, and the possibility of observing emperors penguins and Ross seals.
- Many activities: kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing, polar plunge.
- For your comfort, your cruise package includes an overnight in Santiago the day before embarkation, transfers and flights Santiago/Ushuaia.
Tour Dates
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Dec 5 - Dec 20, 2025 (16 days)
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Jan 2 - Jan 17, 2026 (16 days)
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive into Santiago, Chile
Upon arrival into Santiago transfer to the included group hotel. The rest of the day is free.
Day 2: Fly from Santiago to Ushuaia, Argentina for Embarkation
A light morning breakfast will be served before transferring to the airport for your flight to Ushuaia. Capital of Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the gateway to the White Continent. Nicknamed “El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely and the inaccessible. Upon arrival transfer to the pier for embarkation.
Day 3-4: Crossing the Drake Passage
Use your days spent in the Drake Passage to familiarise yourself with your ship and deepen your knowledge of the Antarctic. The Expedition Leader will first present the IAATO rules of conduct that must be observed during landings in the region and will explain everything you need to know about the zodiac outings. Lectures about the history and wildlife of the Antarctic will be an opportunity for you to learn more about this magical region, where every cruise is a unique experience. You will experience exceptional sailing moments on board and join the naturalist-guides on your ship’s exterior decks to look out for albatrosses, cape petrels, and other seabirds flying over the Drake Passage.
Day 5: Crossing the Antarctic Circle & The Gullet
Weather permitting, we’ll cross the mythic line of the Antarctic Polar Circle, located along 66°33’ south of the Equator. This iconic area demarcates the point from which it is possible to view the midnight sun during the December solstice. Within this circle, the sun remains above the horizon for 24 consecutive hours at least once a year. Crossing this line, an experience known to few people, is sure to be an unforgettable highlight of your cruise through the polar regions.
The sumptuous landscapes of this narrow channel between Adelaide Island and Graham Land (The Gullet) attract all visitors sailing towards Marguerite Bay. It is like an ice palace, its immaculate white walls reflected in the frozen mirror formed by the waters of the Southern Ocean, scattered with icebergs and gleaming blocks of ice. This passage was explored for the first time by the Jean-Baptiste Charcot expedition in 1909, which sketched its position. It was then surveyed in 1936 by the British expedition under John Rymill. It is here in this magical setting that some of the first subaquatic images of the Antarctic were shot during Philippe Cousteau’s four-month expedition to Antarctica between 1972 and 1973.
Days 6-7: Expedition to Charcot Island
When he discovered this island surrounded by sea ice in 1910 from aboard the Pourquoi Pas ? as he mapped Alexander Island, Jean-Baptiste Charcot had not be able to get less than 40 miles away from it. Situated in a zone that experiences frequent low-pressure systems and regular cloud cover, the island remains in many ways an enigma. It is entirely covered in ice and sheer cliffs, with the exception of the rocky outcrops extending over a dozen kilometres in the far north-west. The ice in the narrowest part of Wilkins Sound has been cracking in recent times, thus officially detaching this island from its neighbour, Alexander Island, lying 50 km away. Very few people have landed on this largely untouched island, whose waters attract numerous seabirds, such as petrels, Antarctic terns and skuas.
Day 8: Bellingshausen Sea
Stretching from the west of the Antarctic Peninsula to the Amundsen Sea, the Bellingshausen Sea was named after the Russian admiral and explorer who has been attributed the first confirmed sighting of mainland Antarctica, in 1820. Among others, its waters surround two of the Antarctic’s largest islands: Alexander Island and Thurston Island. You will explore this sea amid ice floe, blocks of sea ice and majestic icebergs. The coastal areas along the Bellingshausen Sea are also renowned as the home of colonies of emperor penguins. Depending on the month of the southern summer, you will perhaps be lucky enough to observe isolated adults, adolescents seeking emancipation or recently independent new adults.
Day 9: At Sea
Spend exceptional moments sailing aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s first luxury polar exploration vessel and the first PC2-class polar cruise ship capable of sailing into the very heart of the ice, on seas and oceans which the frozen conditions render inaccessible to ordinary ships. Le Commandant Charcot is fitted with oceanographic and scientific equipment selected by a committee of experts. Take advantage of the on-board lectures and opportunities for discussion with these specialists to learn more about the poles. Participate in furthering scientific research with PONANT and let us discover together what these fascinating destinations have yet to reveal to us.
Day 10: Marguerite Bay
The icebergs are each more majestic than the next and scattered around the deep and intense blue waters of Marguerite Bay, one of the most beautiful regions in the Antarctic. It is delimited in the north by the mountainous Adelaide Island, in the south by George VI Sound and Alexander Island, and in the east by the Fallières Coast. Charcot named it after his wife during his second expedition to the Antarctic between 1908 and 1910. In 1909, in the southern summer when the skies are at their clearest, he led an important scientific mission to map and study this region. The bay is home to a number of cetaceans and you may get the chance to observe leopard seals or Adelie penguins.
Day 11: Pourquoi Pas Island
Le Commandant Charcot will land on the coast of Pourquoi Pas Island, so named in the 1930s by John Riddoch Rymill in honour of Jean-Baptiste Charcot, who discovered it from aboard his ship Le Pourquoi Pas ? during his second expedition to Antarctica between 1908 and 1910. This mountainous island, situated in the north of Marguerite Bay between Graham Land and Adelaide Island, is 28 km long and 14 km large. It is scattered with narrow fjords and snow-covered mountains. You will go to shore in a zodiac dinghy with your expedition team and you could get the chance to observe Adelie penguins going about their business on the island’s rocky shores.
Days 12-13: Antarctic Peninsula
Succumb to the magic of a place unlike any other. To this day, the mythical Antarctic Peninsula still holds real fascination and promises its visitors unforgettable moments. Throughout your adventure in this icy realm, you will find yourself in the heart of a spectacular decor in subtle shades of blue and white, surrounded by exceptional wildlife. Penguins, humpback whales, seals and giant petrels are at home here, as are elephant seals, fur seals, Antarctic minke whales, and orcas. Depending on which sites you will be lucky enough to visit, you may get the chance to observe them and share with them the beauty of these extreme parts.
Each day, based on ice conditions, the Captain and the Expedition Leader will suggest zodiac outings or landings to discover the infinite riches of the Antarctic Peninsula. Glaciers, ice floe, tabletop icebergs, mountain peaks that plunge straight into the sea, volcanic beaches, research stations, enchanting bays, and vestiges of the whaling industry: these are the faces of the Antarctic that will likely reveal themselves to you, in a hushed and surreal atmosphere. You will sail in the wake of Jean-Baptiste Charcot, Adrien de Gerlache and Sir Ernest Shackleton, great Antarctic explorers who, from the 19th century, set out to conquer these remote and uninhabited lands.
Days 14-15: Crossing the Drake Passage
If there is one place, one sea, one waterway dreaded by tourists, researchers and hardened seafarers alike, it is undoubtedly Drake Passage. Situated at the latitude of the infamous Furious Fifties winds, between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, it is the shortest route to connect Antarctica to South America. Seasoned navigators will tell you that you must earn your visit to the White Continent! As the Antarctic convergence zone where cold currents rising up from the South Pole meet warmer equatorial water masses, Drake Passage harbours a very diverse marine fauna. Don’t forget to look to the sky to catch a glimpse of elegant albatross and Cape petrels, playfully floating about in the wind around your ship.
Day 16: Disembark in Ushuaia and Fly back to Santiago
This morning disembark the ship in Ushuaia and transfer to the local airport for your flight back to Santiago. It is recommended that guests overnight in Santiago prior to continuing on with travel plans (post voyage hotel nights in Santiago are not included).
We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Our navigation will be determined by the type of ice we come across; as the fast ice must be preserved, we will take this factor into account from day to day in our itineraries. The sailing schedule and any landings, activities and wildlife encounters are subject to weather and ice conditions. These experiences are unique and vary with 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 IAATO.
Route Map
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Trips and Rates
Please note, rates are Per Person in USD
Availability & prices are subject to change at anytime. Please contact us for the real time availability & prices.
Cabin Descriptions
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Owners Suite
The breathtaking owners suite is at the aft of deck 8 and can accommodate up to 6 guests. Features a bedroom with king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm), a living room with armchairs, two sofa beds, steam fireplace, and second TV, a desk and bookcase, a Samsung tablet connected to Wifi, a dining room with a 6-seater table, two panoramic sliding bay windows, a minibar with RIEDEL crystal glasses, a bathroom with shower and Balneo bathtub and a private 2002 sq. ft. (186 m²) terrace with deckchairs, hot tub, two sofas, dining table and a Swarovski Optik ST VISTA telescope. Includes priority boarding, champagne and fruit basket upon arrival, butler service, an assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and fruit basket every day, a one-hour spa treatments per person (for 2 people) in the well-being space chosen from the facial and body treatments on offer and two pairs of Swarvoski CL Companion 10 x 30 binoculars. 1237 sq. ft. (115 m²)
![](https://polarcruises.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/187CHARCOT-TRI21-100040-1.jpg)
Duplex Suite
There are four two-level Duplex Suite at the aft of deck 6 & 7 accommodating up to 4 guests. Features a bedroom with king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm) and TV, a bathroom with shower and balneo bathtub, a lounge with armchairs, sofa bed, steam fireplace and TV, a dining room with a 6-seater table, five panoramic windows and a glazed panoramic swing door, a minibar with RIEDEL crystal glasses, a Samsung tablet connected to Wi-Fi, and a private 280 sq. ft. (26 m²) terrace with sofa and armchairs and a jacuzzi. Includes priority boarding, champagne and fruit basket upon arrival, butler service, an assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and a basket of fruit every day and two pairs of Swarvoski CL Companion 10 x 30 binoculars.
1001 sq. ft. (93 m²)
![](https://polarcruises.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/140CHARCOT-TRI21-109914_Shooting-Deco_CDT-Charcot_Suite-Privilege-825©PONANT-Gilles-Trillard.jpg)
Privilege Suite
There are seven Privilege Suites on Deck 8 accommodating up to 4 guests. Features a bedroom with king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm) and TV, a bathroom with shower and balneo bathtub, a lounge with sofa bed, armchair, and a sliding courtesy door, two panoramic sliding doors and rectangular porthole, a Samsung tablet connected to Wi-Fi and a 135 sq. ft. (12.5 m²) glazed private balcony. Includes priority boarding, champagne and fruit basket upon arrival, butler service, an assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and a basket of fruit every day and two pairs of Swarvoski CL Companion 10 x 30 binoculars.
516 sq. ft. (48 m²)
![](https://polarcruises.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/86CHARCOT-TRI21-100169_Shooting-Deco_CDT-Charcot_Suite-Grand-Prestige-632©PONANT-Gilles-Trillard.jpg)
Grand Prestige Suite
There are two Grand Prestige Suites on Deck 6 accommodating up to 2 guests. Features a king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm), a bathroom with shower and balneo bathtub, a lounge area with chaise longue and second TV, a Samsung tablet connected to Wi-Fi, a panoramic sliding bay window and a 54 sq. ft. (5 m²) glazed private balcony. Includes priority boarding, champagne and fruit basket upon arrival, butler service, an assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and a basket of fruit every day and two pairs of Swarvoski CL Companion 10 x 30 binoculars.
452 sq. ft. (42 m²)
![](https://polarcruises.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/111C-TRI21-100317_Shooting-Deco_CDT-Charcot_Suite-Prestige-Connectee_711-709©PONANT-Gilles-Trillard.jpg)
Prestige Suite
Located on decks 7 & 8 and can accomodate up to 4 guests. Features a king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm), two bathrooms with shower, a lounge with sofa, armchair, TV and sliding courtesy door, two panoramic sliding bay windows and a 108 sq. ft. (10 m²) glazed private balcony.
430 sq. ft. (40 m²)
![](https://polarcruises.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/77CHARCOT-TRI21-100233_Shooting-Deco_CDT-Charcot_Suite-Deluxe-742©PONANT-Gilles-Trillard.jpg)
Deluxe Suite
Located on decks 6, 7 & 8 and can accommodate up to 2 guests. Features a king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm), a bathroom with shower, a lounge area with chaise longue and two armchairs, a panoramic sliding bay window and a 54 sq. ft. (5 m²) glazed private balcony. Accommodates up to 2 guests.
301 sq. ft. (28 m²)
![](https://polarcruises.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/116CHARCOT-TRI21-100127_Shooting-Deco_CDT-Charcot_Cabine-Prestige-741©PONANT-Gilles-Trillard.jpg)
Prestige Stateroom
Located on decks 6, 7 & 8 and can accommodate up to 2 guests. Features a king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm), a bathroom with shower, a panoramic sliding bay window and a 54 sq. ft. (5 m²) glazed private balcony.
215 sq. ft. (20 m²)
Deck Plan
![](https://polarcruises.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Charcot-deck-plan.jpg)
Inclusions & Exclusions
Inclusions:
- Transfer from Santiago airport to group hotel on Day 1 (flight information must be received at least 60 days prior to arrange this transfer).
- Group hotel night in Santiago on Day 1.
- Transfer to Santiago airport on Day 2.
- Roundtrip flights between Santiago, Chile and Ushuaia, Argentina on Day 2 & Day 16 in economy class.
- Roundtrip transfers between the Ushuaia airport and the pier.
- Accommodation in stateroom.
- Full meal plan.
- Open Bar: beginning with boarding, and during the duration of the cruise, a wide selection of drinks (mineral water, soft drinks, wine, beer, Charles Heidsieck champagne, spirits, coffee, tea) is served on request and at any time of the day. Certain premium alcoholic beverages on the menu are not included in the Open Bar.
- 24 hour room service.
- Gratuities.
- Free Wi-Fi internet access 24 hours a day*.
- Outings and disembarkations by Zodiac inflatable boat.
- Polar parka.
- Use of rental boots.
- Port fees & taxes.
Exclusions:
- Flights to / from Santiago.
- Post hotel nights in Santiago.
- Personal expenses such as spa treatments, premium beverages and gift shop purchases.
- Kayaking.
- Any other service not mentioned in the program.
- Trip insurance.
- Passport & visa expenses.
- Government arrival & departure taxes.