Where expedition and elegance meet

Today we are witnessing a veritable explosion of luxury expedition vessels entering the market. Many of these state-of-the-art ships are pioneering both new destinations as well as technology.

We’re seeing the first hybrid propulsion system like those demonstrated by Hurtigruten, the first below-the-waterline observation lounges on Ponant’s vessels as well as the revolutionary, wave-busting X-Bow hull designs debuted on Aurora Expeditions’ newest ship, Greg Mortimer.

   

Leading from the front is the French-flagged Ponant, which has embarked on an ambitious program of fleet expansion with the recent addition of Le Dumont-d’Urville, the fourth in a projected series of six, plush Explorer class vessels to supplement the four existing, larger Boreal class ships currently in service. What’s more – and this is really exciting news – the first dedicated passenger icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, is due to enter service in mid-2021.

Obviously with this influx of vessels, there is a demand for new destinations for repeat adventurers on this finite planet of ours. You can expect to see such locations as West Papua, the Philippines, Central Pacific and Micronesia appear on more itineraries in addition to polar staples such as the Antarctic Peninsula, Spitsbergen and even the Russian Far East. Watch this space.