Last week I was invited on board Ponant's expedition yacht, Le Champlain, for two nights while she sailed from Dover to Bergen, Norway.

The entirety of my voyage was purely at sea until we arrived in Bergen on the morning of disembarkation, but we did get to see the city in full that day.

Coming soon! Ponant has revealed plans and designs for a 14th vessel to join the fleet, hopefully in 2025.

“The poles are more than just mere destinations, they govern our existence”

 – Captain Patrick Marchesseau & Captain Etienne Garcia

The polar regions are incredible areas of our planet that have the ability to create huge feelings of awe and wonder for all that visit, leaving an everlasting mark upon each individual. However, visits to the polar regions have far more meaning than simply to observe the amazing wildlife and landscapes.

One area of luxury cruising which is gaining more and more international attention, growth, and funding is sustainability. "How can a cruise be sustainable?" you may ask. Well, each year, more cruise lines are looking to develop new ways of cruising which are more environmentally friendly. After all, cruising is a fantastic way to feel at one with nature and the ocean, so why not try to do this as gently and sustainably as possible?

PONANT is one such cruise line constantly looking to better their methods of sustainable cruising.

Ponant’s fleet of luxury, small ship vessels draw an international client base. Guests from the US, Australia, Europe and of course, their home country of France are to be found on every voyage. Le Lyrial was launched in 2015 and has an ice classification (1C) hull, which enables her to sail in both the Polar regions. Her 6 decks and shallow draft of just 15ft, mean that she is able to navigate into much smaller ports than many other vessels – making her a perfect expedition style, luxury cruiser.