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Le Lapérouse at sea off a red-cliffed island on the Kimberley coast of Australia at dusk, seen from the air

PONANT EXPLORERS: Deck plans, staterooms and 2026–2028 sailings

Le Lapérouse · Le Champlain · Le Bougainville · Le Dumont d'Urville · Le Bellot · Le Jacques Cartier

Ponant

Six expedition ships of 131 m and 9,976 UMS, built at Vard in Sovik, Norway, ice class 1C, each taking 184 guests in 92 staterooms and suites with 118 crew.

Guests
184
Staterooms
92 staterooms and suites
Decks
5 guest decks
Length
131 m

The ships

Le Lapérouse was the first of the series and Ponant calls Le Jacques Cartier the latest. Ponant publishes one set of deck plans and one suite list for all six, so everything below applies to every hull.

7 stateroom and suite categories: Lower deck balcony stateroom · Upper decks balcony stateroom · Deluxe Suite · Prestige Suite · Privilege Suite · Grand Suite · Owner's Suite

  • Le Champlain184 guests, 118 crew

    PONANT EXPLORERS class, identical in layout to Le Lapérouse: 92 staterooms and suites, five guest decks, the Blue Eye.

  • Le Bougainville184 guests, 118 crew

    PONANT EXPLORERS class. On the published schedule she takes short Mediterranean voyages out of Málaga and Valletta.

  • Le Dumont d'Urville184 guests, 118 crew

    PONANT EXPLORERS class. She carries several of the Smithsonian Journeys sailings in the Mediterranean on the published schedule.

  • Le Bellot184 guests, 118 crew

    PONANT EXPLORERS class. On the published schedule she takes Scotland, the Faroe Islands and Iceland in late spring.

  • Le Jacques Cartier184 guests, 118 crew

    PONANT EXPLORERS class. The second Kimberley ship, running Darwin to Broome opposite Le Soléal.

Crew
118
Service
1 crew member for every 1.6 guests
Tonnage
9,976 UMS
Flag
French

What the Ponant fare includes

  • Stateroom or suite and full board, from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the last
  • The Open Bar, from the moment you board: mineral water, soft drinks, wines, beer, champagne, spirits, coffee and tea
  • One activity at each stop, chosen from a selection — guided outings led by naturalist experts (hiking, zodiac rides) or excursions led by local guides (monuments, tastings of local produce)
  • Free 24/7 Wi-Fi in staterooms and public rooms, over the Starlink network
  • Access to all common areas, the spa, the fitness room and, on Le Commandant Charcot, the snow cabin
  • Port taxes
All 8 inclusions, and what is charged separately

Staterooms and suites on these ships

Sizes as Ponant prints them on all six ship pages. Photos are Ponant's own from Le Lapérouse's page, and one from Le Bougainville's; the six ships share the design.

At a glance

Lower deck balcony stateroom

204 sq ft (19 m²)Up to 2 guestsDeck 3

A private balcony with two armchairs reached through a glass door beside a porthole, a king-size bed or two single beds and a bathroom with shower.

Upper decks balcony stateroom

204 sq ft (19 m²)Up to 2 guestsDecks 4, 5 and 6

A private balcony with two armchairs, a sliding panoramic window or a glass door depending on the stateroom, a chaise lounge, a king-size bed or two single beds and a bathroom with shower.

Deluxe Suite

290 sq ft (27 m²)Up to 3 guestsDecks 3, 4, 5 and 6

An armchair and sofa, a private balcony with two armchairs, a panoramic glass door and porthole on Deck 3 or a sliding panoramic window on Decks 4 to 6, a king-size bed or two single beds and a bathroom with shower.

Prestige Suite

409 sq ft (38 m²)Up to 4 guestsDecks 5 and 6

A bedroom and a living room with a convertible sofa, armchair, television and sliding door, two bathrooms with showers, two sliding panoramic windows and an 86 sq ft balcony with four armchairs. On Deck 6 Ponant adds butler service, priority boarding, champagne and fruit on arrival and fruit daily.

Privilege Suite

344 sq ft (32 m²)Up to 3 guestsDecks 5 and 6

Smaller than the Prestige Suite but with butler service, priority boarding, champagne and fruit on arrival and fruit daily. A lounge area with a chaise longue and armchair, a panoramic window and a private balcony, a king-size bed or two single beds and a bathroom with shower.

Grand Suite

484 sq ft (45 m²)Up to 4 guestsDeck 6

A 344 sq ft private terrace with two deck chairs and a dining table for four, a bedroom, a living room with a convertible sofa, a bathroom with shower and spa bathtub and two sliding panoramic windows. Butler service, priority boarding, champagne and fruit on arrival and fruit daily.

Owner's Suite

484 sq ft (45 m²)Up to 4 guestsDeck 5

A private terrace with a hot tub and a lounge area with two deck chairs, sofa and armchair, a bedroom, a living room with a convertible sofa, and a bathroom with shower, spa bathtub and smart mirror. Butler service, a private return transfer, priority boarding and a premium pass for a selection of premium spirits at the bar.

Deck plans

Plans as Ponant publishes them on the pages of all six PONANT EXPLORERS, bow to the right. The Blue Eye lounge sits below the waterline and is not drawn on these decks. We confirm the category of any stateroom number with Ponant before booking.

Deck 3 plan of the PONANT EXPLORERS, showing the Marina and Pool at the stern, the Grill and Bar, the Shop and Excursion Desk, staterooms 301 to 317, the Medical Centre and the Theatre forward; Ponant's key lists Deluxe Suites and Lower deck balcony staterooms

Swipe the plan sideways to follow the deck.

Deck 3

The Marina and Pool at the stern, the Grill and Bar, the Shop and Excursion Desk, staterooms 301 to 317, the Medical Centre and the Theatre forward; Ponant's key lists Deluxe Suites and Lower deck balcony staterooms.

Staterooms and suites on this deck

On board

Restaurants and bars

The Nautilus
The restaurant aft on Deck 4.
Pool, Grill and Marina
At the stern of Deck 3; the marina platform is where Zodiac outings and water activities start.

Spa, pools and public areas

The Blue Eye
An underwater lounge below the waterline, designed by the architect Jacques Rougerie after the eye and baleen of a whale.
Theatre
Forward on Deck 3, for talks by guest experts and naturalists, concerts and shows.
Spa and fitness room
On Deck 7, with SOTHYS and Davines treatments, a hammam and hairdressing.
Library and Studio PONANT
On Deck 6, with the art gallery.

Sailings on these ships

10 sailings on these ships, from our shortlist of the Ponant calendar, with the fare as we last read it. Open one for the route, the map and our hotels at either end, or send it straight into the form.

  • 7 Nov 2026 · 7 nights · Le Bellot

    Central America Jewels & Panama Canal

    Colón to Puntarenas

    From USD 14,480 per person24 staterooms left · read 9 Oct

    Booked through usUSD 1,500 from us at USD 40,000+ · Virtuoso amenities below that

    View the route
    1. Day 1: Colón
    2. Day 2: San Blas Islands
    3. Day 3: Crossing the Panama Canal
    4. Day 4: Fuerte Amador, Flamenco Island
    5. Day 5: Playa Muerto, Darien National Park
    6. Day 6: At sea
    7. Day 7: Golfito
    8. Day 8: Puntarenas
    On the Ponant page

  • 16 Dec 2026 · 7 nights · Le Bougainville

    Caribbean Flavours

    Fort-de-France roundtrip

    From USD 13,320 per person24 staterooms left · read 9 Oct

    Booked through usUSD 1,500 from us at USD 40,000+ · Virtuoso amenities below that

    View the route
    Route map: Fort-de-France roundtrip
    1. Day 1: Fort-de-France
    2. Day 2: Antigua
    3. Day 3: Virgin Gorda
    4. Day 4: Jost Van Dyke
    5. Day 5: Gustavia
    6. Day 6: Deshaies
    7. Day 7: Marie-Galante
    8. Day 8: Fort-de-France
    On the Ponant page

  • 7 Feb 2027 · 13 nights · Le Jacques Cartier

    Ancestral Cultures of the South Pacific

    Papeete, Tahiti Island to Lautoka, Viti Levu Island

    From USD 28,740 per person11 staterooms left · read 9 Oct

    Booked through usUSD 1,500 from us at USD 40,000+ · Virtuoso amenities below that

    View the route
    1. Day 1: Papeete, Tahiti Island
    2. Day 2: Moorea Island
    3. Day 3: Bora Bora, Society Islands
    4. Day 4: At sea
    5. Day 5: Aitutaki
    6. Day 6: At sea
    7. Day 7: Crossing the International Date Line
    8. Day 8: Vava'u Islands
    9. Day 9: At sea
    10. Day 10: Savusavu, Vanua Levu Island
    11. Day 11: Suva, Viti Levu Island
    12. Day 12: Lautoka, Viti Levu Island
    On the Ponant page

  • 12 Jan 2028 · 7 nights · Le Champlain

    Jewels of the northern Caribbean

    La Romana to Nassau

    From USD 12,800 per person6 staterooms left · read 9 Oct

    Booked through usUSD 1,500 from us at USD 40,000+ · Virtuoso amenities below that

    View the route
    1. Day 1: La Romana
    2. Day 2: Cayo Levantado
    3. Day 3: San Fernando de Monte Cristi
    4. Day 4: Turks and Caicos Islands
    5. Day 5: Gordon's Beach, Long Island
    6. Day 6: Staniel Cay, Exuma
    7. Day 7: Barbary Beach, Grand Bahama
    8. Day 8: Nassau
    On the Ponant page

  • 29 Mar 2028 · 8 nights · Le Bougainville

    13th Piano Festival at Sea

    Málaga to Tarragona

    From USD 16,280 per person11 staterooms left · read 9 Oct

    Booked through usUSD 1,500 from us at USD 40,000+ · Virtuoso amenities below that

    View the route
    Route map: Málaga to Tarragona
    1. Day 1: Málaga
    2. Day 2: Tangier
    3. Day 3: Melilla
    4. Day 4: Cartagena
    5. Day 5: Ibiza, Balearic Islands
    6. Day 6: Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands
    7. Day 7: Mahon, Balearic Islands
    8. Day 8: Valencia
    9. Day 9: Tarragona
    On the Ponant page

  • 2 Apr 2028 · 10 nights · Le Lapérouse

    From the Arctic Circle to the Scottish Isles

    Tromso to Glasgow, Scotland

    From USD 21,240 per person4 staterooms left · read 9 Oct

    Booked through usUSD 1,500 from us at USD 40,000+ · Virtuoso amenities below that

    View the route
    Route map: Tromso to Glasgow, Scotland
    1. Day 1: Tromso
    2. Day 2: Svolvaer, Lofoten
    3. Day 3: At sea
    4. Day 4: Trondheim
    5. Day 5: Alesund
    6. Day 6: Olden
    7. Day 7: At sea
    8. Day 8: Kirkwall, Orkney
    9. Day 9: Portree, Isle of Skye
    10. Day 10: Oban, Scotland
    11. Day 11: Glasgow, Scotland
    On the Ponant page

  • 4 Apr 2028 · 12 nights · Le Jacques Cartier

    Authentic Japan

    Tokyo to Busan

    Waitlistread 9 Oct

    Booked through usUSD 1,500 from us at USD 40,000+ · Virtuoso amenities below that

    View the route
    1. Day 1: Tokyo
    2. Day 2: Shimizu
    3. Day 3: Toba
    4. Day 4: Katsuura
    5. Day 5: Osaka
    6. Day 6: Tomonoura
    7. Day 7: Miyajima Island
    8. Day 8: Hiroshima
    9. Day 9: Aburatsu
    10. Day 10: Ibusuki, Kagoshima
    11. Day 11: Kumamoto
    12. Day 12: Unzen, Unzen-Amakusa National Park
    13. Day 13: Sakitsu, Unzen-Amakusa National Park
    14. Day 14: Nagasaki
    15. Day 15: Busan
    On the Ponant page

  • 6 Apr 2028 · 11 nights · Le Bougainville

    Culture and islands of the Mediterranean

    Tarragona to Valletta

    From USD 18,400 per person12 staterooms left · read 9 Oct

    Booked through usUSD 1,500 from us at USD 40,000+ · Virtuoso amenities below that

    View the route
    Route map: Tarragona to Valletta
    1. Day 1: Tarragona
    2. Day 2: Mahon, Balearic Islands
    3. Day 3: At sea
    4. Day 4: Cagliari, Sardinia
    5. Day 5: Tunis
    6. Day 6: Trapani, Sicily
    7. Day 7: Palermo, Sicily
    8. Day 8: Reggio di Calabria
    9. Day 9: Catania, Sicily
    10. Day 10: Syracuse, Sicily
    11. Day 11: Valletta
    On the Ponant page
Show all 10 sailings

  • 5 Aug 2028 · 7 nights · Le Lapérouse

    Norwegian Fjords

    Oslo to Bergen

    From USD 16,720 per person11 staterooms left · read 9 Oct

    Booked through usUSD 1,500 from us at USD 40,000+ · Virtuoso amenities below that

    View the route
    1. Day 1: Oslo
    2. Day 2: Arendal
    3. Day 3: Egersund
    4. Day 4: Sailing in Lysefjorden
    5. Day 5: Skudeneshavn
    6. Day 6: Nordfjordeid
    7. Day 7: Geiranger
    8. Day 8: Alesund
    9. Day 9: Bergen
    On the Ponant page

  • 27 Sep 2028 · 8 nights · Le Dumont d'Urville

    Sailing the Adriatic: Treasures of Eastern Italy and Sicily – with Smithsonian Journeys

    Venice to Valletta

    From USD 18,500 per person8 staterooms left · read 9 Oct

    Booked through usUSD 1,500 from us at USD 40,000+ · Virtuoso amenities below that

    View the route
    Route map: Venice to Valletta
    1. Day 1: Venice
    2. Day 2: Ravenna
    3. Day 3: Ancona
    4. Day 4: Bari
    5. Day 5: Otranto
    6. Day 6: Taormina, Sicily
    7. Day 7: Syracuse, Sicily
    8. Day 8: Valletta
    On the Ponant page

Ask us for the full calendar and the dates that suit you.

Each fare is the lowest stateroom or suite category still open when we last read Ponant's own booking data (the date is on the row), per person at double occupancy, and it changes as categories sell. The itineraries are the published day-by-day calls; Ponant sails thirteen ships and the ship is named on each departure; we confirm ship and fare at enquiry. The full calendar runs to roughly eight hundred departures.

Questions about PONANT EXPLORERS

How many guests does PONANT EXPLORERS carry?
Each of the 6 ships carries 184 guests in 92 staterooms and suites, with a crew of 118. That is 1 crew member for every 1.6 guests.
Which stateroom categories does PONANT EXPLORERS have?
7 categories, as Ponant names them: Lower deck balcony stateroom, Upper decks balcony stateroom, Deluxe Suite, Prestige Suite, Privilege Suite, Grand Suite and Owner's Suite. Each is listed above with its size, its deck and the photographs Ponant publishes.
Can I choose a particular stateroom number on PONANT EXPLORERS?
Usually, yes. Most Ponant categories are sold by stateroom number, so you can pick one from the deck plans above and we ask Ponant to hold it while the category is open. Some fares are sold as a guarantee, where the line assigns the stateroom later; we tell you which before you commit.
When does PONANT EXPLORERS sail next?
Our shortlist above holds 10 Ponant sailings on these ships, 7 Nov 2026 to 27 Sep 2028. Ponant's own calendar is longer; tell us your month and we send every departure that fits.
What does the Ponant fare include on PONANT EXPLORERS?
Ponant publishes the fare as including: Stateroom or suite and full board, from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the last; The Open Bar, from the moment you board: mineral water, soft drinks, wines, beer, champagne, spirits, coffee and tea; One activity at each stop, chosen from a selection — guided outings led by naturalist experts (hiking, zodiac rides) or excursions led by local guides (monuments, tastings of local produce); Free 24/7 Wi-Fi in staterooms and public rooms, over the Starlink network. The full list, and what is charged separately, is on the Ponant page.
What changes when I book PONANT EXPLORERS through Via Privata?
USD 1,500 onboard credit per suite. Credited by Via Privata on bookings of USD 40,000 or more — on top of the line's own amenities, at the fare you would pay booking direct. Below that, the Virtuoso amenity applies instead: a USD 100 shipboard credit per guest (USD 200 per stateroom) on all voyages, confirmed in writing at booking.
Which ships does this page cover?
6 ships: Le Lapérouse, Le Champlain, Le Bougainville, Le Dumont d'Urville, Le Bellot and Le Jacques Cartier. Plans as Ponant publishes them on the pages of all six PONANT EXPLORERS, bow to the right. The Blue Eye lounge sits below the waterline and is not drawn on these decks. We confirm the category of any stateroom number with Ponant before booking.

The other Ponant ships

Ponant: the line, what the fare includes, every sailing

Deck plans, stateroom sizes and photographs from Ponant's own published materials · read October 2026 · a size in parentheses and the crew ratio areour arithmetic on the line's figures

Photography and deck plans appear courtesy of Ponant and remain the line's property; Via Privata shows them as an independent travel advisory that arranges Ponant bookings. We are not owned by or affiliated with the line, and all trademarks belong to their owners. Layouts can change at a refit: we confirm the plan for your sailing before you choose a room.

Enquire

Sail on PONANT EXPLORERS

Tell us roughly when you would like to sail on PONANT EXPLORERS. We reply with what is open, the fare and the stateroom worth having, with every benefit in writing.

No commitment — nothing is booked until you say so.