Ponant Explorations will run 12 expedition itineraries in Antarctica in the 2028-29 season. Nearly 30 departures span the continent's full reach. Sailings range from 10 to 59 nights, from the Antarctic Peninsula to the Weddell Sea. The season also includes the company's second full circumnavigation.
The announcement came on October 13, 2026. Samuel Chamberlain, chief executive officer at Ponant, said the season shows the range of experiences on the White Continent. Classic Peninsula voyages, a Weddell Sea crossing and the second full circumnavigation are all part of the program. The season uses four ships: Le Commandant Charcot, Le Lyrial, Le Boréal and Le Soléal.
The 12 itineraries split into two groups. The core Peninsula program repeats through the season. The longer voyages push into the Weddell Sea, the subantarctic islands and the Ross Sea. The Weddell Sea sailings are assigned to Le Commandant Charcot. The Subantarctic Islands and Ross Sea sailings are assigned to Le Soléal.
Le Commandant Charcot operates the longest sailing
Le Commandant Charcot returns to Antarctica in 2029. The ship departs Ushuaia, Argentina, on January 11, 2029. The 59-night itinerary runs in two segments and includes a one-night stay in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, on February 9, 2029. This is the longest sailing in the program.
Le Commandant Charcot also handles the Weddell Sea program. Setting Sail for the Ice of the Mythical Weddell Sea in alliance with The Explorers Club is a 12-night sailing on November 6, 2028. The Weddell Sea & Larsen Ice Shelf is a 12-night departure on December 16, 2028. Beyond the Antarctic Circle: In the Wake of Jean-Baptiste Charcot is a 14-night sailing on December 28, 2028.
Le Lyrial carries the Smithsonian alliance voyage. Antarctica: The White Continent in alliance with Smithsonian Journeys is a 10-night departure on January 28, 2029.
Select Antarctic departures add specialized enrichment programs. The two named examples are the Explorers Club Weddell Sea sailing and the Smithsonian Journeys Peninsula voyage. Ponant says these programs deepen the journey.
Repeat itineraries cover the Peninsula, the subantarctic islands and the Ross Sea
Emblematic Antarctica is the core Peninsula program. It has 13 departures from November 2028 to February 2029 on Le Boréal and Le Lyrial. The Great Austral Loop runs 17 nights with four departures from November 2028 to February 2029 on the same two ships.
Le Soléal handles the eastern and southern routes. Expedition to New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands is a 14-night sailing with two departures in December 2028 and January 2029. Scott and Shackleton's Antarctic: Ross Sea Expedition is a 21-night sailing with two departures in January and February 2029.
Le Lyrial closes the season with Falklands, South Georgia & Valdés Peninsula: in the Heart of the Wilderness. It is an 18-night departure on February 27, 2029.
Each itinerary offers its own vantage point at each destination. A three-night Iguazú Falls extension is available, departing from Ushuaia. Throughout the season, Ponant's expedition team and naturalist guides lead activities. Those activities may include Zodiac excursions, shore landings, polar plunges, kayaking, hiking and snowshoeing.
The useful question for a reader planning a 2028-29 Antarctic booking is which departure fits the available travel window. The two Weddell Sea sailings leave early in the season, on November 6 and December 16, 2028. The full circumnavigation leaves late, on January 11, 2029, and runs 59 nights. An operator can confirm whether a chosen departure includes the Iguazú extension and how the two-segment structure of the long sailing affects the Hobart stop.