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Le Commandant Charcot, 14 Night The Emperor Penguins of Weddell Sea ex Ushuaia, Argentina Return
Cruise Le Commandant Charcot, 14 Night The Emperor Penguins of Weddell Sea ex Ushuaia, Argentina Return
Cruise Line Ponant
Ship Le Commandant Charcot
Destination Antarctica
Brief Description 14 Night Cruise sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina onboard Le Commandant Charcot
Type of Cruise Luxury
Departure Date 20 Dec 2025
Cruise Description In partnership with The Explorers Club, our ship will host esteemed members of The Explorers Club, renowned for their trailblazing expeditions to the farthest reaches of the globe. Equipped with specialized laboratories onboard, Science Grantees will provide invaluable firsthand knowledge, delving into their ongoing research. Meanwhile, our esteemed Speakers will captivate audiences with engaging lectures and thrilling narratives drawn from their own daring explorations. Join us as we venture to the world's most remote corners, where discovery and adventure await at every turn.

With featured guest Sue Flood, British Photo Ambassador.

The theatre of the greatest expeditions, a refuge for the rarest wildlife and an endless ice desert, the Weddell Sea promises you intense emotions during a voyage of exploration aboard Le Commandant Charcot, an enveloping cocoon that is wide open onto the exterior polar setting. This place is home to emperor penguins, majestic birds endemic to the Antarctic, rarely observed and only in the most southern latitudes. The ultimate quest and the promise of all-new, unforgettable encounters.

From Drake Passage, as the wind blows and the waves crash against the stern of your ship, you will enter the southern seas, to the extreme and captivating Weddell Sea. Ice floe as far as the eye can see and gigantic tabular icebergs form the horizon of the colonies of Adelie penguins that populate this expanse. Contemplating these curious and quirky birds is a real privilege and the guarantee of an equally fascinating and touching show. Yet the ultimate challenge of this exploration is the search for and the encounter with their majesties, the emperor penguins. In this season, as the winter gradually makes way for the southern spring, you will perhaps witness a magical show - that of the largest penguins in the world waddling along the ice floe or the younger penguins learning to swim. It is rare to discover their elegance, so the encounter will be priceless.

During your exploration of the Weddell Sea, you will follow in the footsteps of the great polar epics like that of Sir Ernest Shackleton. Our passionate naturalists will also share the history of the gigantic tabular icebergs with you, including their birth in the heart of the immense Larsen Ice Shelf. The ice here boasts all possible shades and the white takes different forms in the surrounding reliefs. Let yourself be guided and set off on an adventure into the heart of incredible and unexpected nature. Your Captain and the expert naturalists humbly seize these opportunities to give you an experience that will remain unique.

It is a challenge and a privilege to sail upon the Weddell Sea; welcome to an extraordinary universe with compelling appeal.

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.
Sailing Dates
20 Dec 2025
Category Single Twin Triple Quad
PR6 AU $48,530 AU $38,040 ‐ ‐
PR7 AU $49,410 AU $38,720 ‐ ‐
PV6 AU $51,600 AU $40,400 ‐ ‐
PV7 AU $53,820 AU $42,110 ‐ ‐
PV8 AU $55,580 AU $43,460 ‐ ‐
VS6 AU $74,960 AU $58,370 AU $27,780 ‐
VS8 AU $79,370 AU $61,760 AU $29,480 ‐
Cruise Itinerary
Date Port Arrive Depart
20 Dec 2025 Ushuaia, Argentina 6:30 PM
21 Dec 2025 Drake Passage
22 Dec 2025 Drake Passage
23 Dec 2025 Weddell Sea Antarctica
24 Dec 2025 Weddell Sea Antarctica
25 Dec 2025 The Antarctic Circle
25 Dec 2025 Weddell Sea Antarctica
26 Dec 2025 Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica
27 Dec 2025 Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica
28 Dec 2025 Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica
29 Dec 2025 Weddell Sea Antarctica
30 Dec 2025 Weddell Sea Antarctica
30 Dec 2025 Antarctic Peninsula
31 Dec 2025 Antarctic Peninsula
31 Dec 2025 Antarctic Peninsula
1 Jan 2026 Drake Passage
2 Jan 2026 Drake Passage
3 Jan 2026 Ushuaia, Argentina
All itineraries and ports of call at the discretion of the cruise line subject to local weather conditions and may change without notice.

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