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Transarctic, The Quest for the Two North Poles - Commandant Charcot
Traverse the Arctic via the North Pole, sailing a never-traveled transpolar maritime route in a luxury icebreaker. Join researchers and naturalists to explore unique ecosystems and the evolving polar world.
SPECIAL OFFER
TBA*
ECO SCORE
245
PASSENGERS
21
DAYS
3/5
ACTIVITY LEVEL
The Arctic: Drink It In
Like a pioneer, you will cross the ice-covered landscapes of the Arctic by sea. During your exploration, you will discover the research projects that are part of the scientific mission taking place on board. This is a unique opportunity to clarify your knowledge alongside a multi-disciplinary team of around twenty researchers on board, to understand their investigations and closely follow their work. Also accompanied by our expert naturalists, you will discover unique ecosystems while sharpening your perception of the polar world and comprehending the stakes of their transformation. With your senses awakened, with the ice floe as your travel companion, you will move through an ever-changing environment, its hypnotic panoramas of raw beauty sculpted by sea winds and plays on light. In the heart of the drifting ice, you will savour the constantly renewed poetry of the elements.
Travel Curator’s Insights:
- • This is a rare opportunity to tick two North Poles off your bucket list, as you visit the Geographic North Pole and travel in search of the elusive Magnetic North Pole, which moves over time!
• With the right weather conditions, you may have the chance to catch a glimpse of the dazzling Northern lights near the Bering Strait.
• This ship offers absolutely stunning comfort, so you’ll enjoy fine dining and deluxe amenities while floating in a vast expanse of sparkling ice and extreme cold.
SPECIAL OFFER
Rates:
From $49,990 per person
Policies and protocols provided before you book.
Sept. 6-26, 2024
Sept. 5-25, 2025
September
Hover here for specific dates.
Departures:
Trip Sustainability Awards
Carbon
Optimizes the daily speed in order to reduce fuel consumption by 30%
Water
Ships equipped with freshwater purification systems that convert seawater into drinking water.
Waste
Has eliminated use of single-use plastic bottles and straws
Itinerary
Day 1: Nome, Alaska
Located along the Bering Strait at the westernmost point of Alaska, Nome offers the rustic charm of a former gold-mining town, set in the middle of magnificent wilderness. As you weave in and out of the brightly coloured houses, you will discover the pioneering legacy that still marks local traditions. Fishing, reindeer rearing, sledge-racing... People here live from their manual labor. The surrounding plains provide stunning vantage points for observing Arctic fauna.
Days 2-9: Exploring Sea Ice in Beaufort Sea
Bordering the north coasts of Alaska and Canada, the Beaufort Sea was feared for centuries because of its extreme climatic conditions. Covered for most of the year with a thick layer of ice, and unexplored until 1914, this part of the Arctic Ocean, named in honor of the British Admiral Francis Beaufort, will reveal its magnificent icy landscapes to you. With a bit of luck, maybe you will cross the path of some polar bears, since the region is renowned for sheltering the Lord of the Arctic.
Day 10: Magnetic North Pole
The convergence point for the field lines of the Earth's magnetic field, the Magnetic North Pole attracts the magnetic needle of the compass. While the Geographic North Pole is the Earth’s northernmost fixed point, marking the intersection of the Globe's rotation axis with the Earth’s surface, the Magnetic North Pole moves over time. In fact, it is linked to the Earth's magnetic field which originates in the Earth's outer core, which is made up of molten metal and is subject to convection movements. Localized for the first time in 1831, in the Canadian Arctic, it has since moved towards Siberia and thus become closer to the Geographic North Pole. Set off in search of the Magnetic North Pole, try to get closer to it and, if luck allows it, attempt to reach it!
Day 11: Exploring Sea Ice in Beaufort Sea
Bordering the north coasts of Alaska and Canada, the Beaufort Sea was feared for centuries because of its extreme climatic conditions. Covered for most of the year with a thick layer of ice, and unexplored until 1914, this part of the Arctic Ocean, named in honor of the British Admiral Francis Beaufort, will reveal its magnificent icy landscapes to you. With a bit of luck, maybe you will cross the path of some polar bears, since the region is renowned for sheltering the Lord of the Arctic.
Day 12: Geographic North Pole
Defined by a 90° North latitude, the Geographic North Pole lies on the Earth’s rotational axis, at the intersection of all meridians. Plunged into darkness for six months of the year, then lit by the sun for the following six months, this mythical site, permanently covered in ice and remote from any land, has fascinated generations of explorers. So far, only a very few people have ever reached it: an exploit which is now accessible to you aboard Le Commandant Charcot.
Days 13-15: Navigating Through The Sea Ice
Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.
Day 16: Storoya, Svalbard
Day 17: Sailing in the Hinlopen Strait
Sailing in the Hinlopen Strait, in the heart of the Arctic Ocean, between the Norwegian islands of Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet promises an unforgettable experience. This territory of the Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve offers breathtaking panoramas, with magnificent basalt formations and the ice cap stretching as far as the eye can see, diving into the sea. The shore line cut by the fjords moving inland composes a magical landscape in which icebergs float here and there, the result of the calving of the surrounding glaciers. This place, today a popular spot to observe the seabirds nesting in the enormous cliffs, polar bears and walruses, was once intrinsically linked to the history of the whalers who frequented the region from the 17th century. Indeed, it was one of them, Thijmen Jacobsz Hinlopen, then director of a Dutch whaling company, who gave the strait its name. Later on, Russian trappers, European explorers, scientists and even mountaineers roamed this region, as hostile as it is sublime.
Day 18: Soraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve
The Søraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve is the second largest protected area in Norway. Established in 1973, this nature conservation area stretching over more than 21,000 km² will offer you stunning panoramas including coastal landscapes, rocky islets, mountain plateaux, vast tundra plains, and ice floes. With a little luck, you will be able to observe a wide variety of seabirds, given the site is listed as an Important Bird Area, as well as cetaceans, Svalbard reindeer, or even Arctic foxes. Among other things, Edgeoya Island is renowned for providing shelter to a number of polar bears during the breeding season.
Day 19: Hornsund
Nestling between millennial glaciers and carved mountains, and considered to be “the crown of Arctic Norway”, Spitsbergen is a place that never sees the night. Your ship will take you closer to this fascinating archipelago and, more particularly, the Hornsund fjord. Considered to be Svalbard’s southernmost fjord, it is especially reputed to be its most stunning: at the end of its vast bay, 8 great glaciers slowly make their way down to the sea before giving way to the many icebergs elegantly drifting along its cold and mysterious waters.
Day 20: Isfjorden
The vast Isfjorden is one of the main fjords in Svalbard. These different branches reach the heart of the island of Spitsbergen. Located deep inside the Billejforden, the Nordenskiöld Glacier with its front of ice, nearly 5 km wide, is one of the most spectacular in the Svalbard Archipelago. You will perhaps have the opportunity to discover the ghost town of Pyramiden. Constructed at the foot of a mountain in the form of a pyramid, this former mining town, founded by Sweden at the beginning of the 20th century before being sold a few years later to the Soviet Union, and abandoned in 1998, has conserved all the buildings from its glory days, when it lived off coal mining.
Day 21: Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Longyearbyen is the capital of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, located on Svalbard’s main island, and is the northernmost territorial capital on the planet. With winter temperatures dropping to below 40°C, the landscapes of this mining town are simply breathtaking. The glaciers, the mountains stretching as far as the eye can see and the untouched nature, make you feel like you’re in completely unexplored territory.
Rates
Questions?
PRIVILEGE SUITE DECK 8
Priority boarding with champagne and fruit basket upon arrival + butler service & an assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and fruit basket every day; lounge area with chaise lounge and second TV; Samsung tablet connected to Wifi; a king-size bed or two single beds; bathroom with shower and Balneo bathtub, 2 panoramic sliding doors and rectangular porthole, 12.5 m² glazed private balcony.
Rates from in USD:
$81,660pp
DUPLEX SUITE DECK 6
Priority boarding with champagne and fruit basket upon arrival + butler service & an assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and fruit basket every day; lounge area with armchairs, sofa bed, steam fireplace and TV; Samsung tablet connected to Wifi; a king-size bed or two single beds ; bathroom with shower and Balneo bathtub, five panoramic windows, private 26 m² terrace: outdoor lounge with sofa and armchairs, jacuzzi.
Rates from in USD:
$111,070pp
OWNER'S SUITE
Priority boarding with champagne and fruit basket upon arrival + butler service & an assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and fruit basket every day; king-size bed or two single beds; living room with armchairs, two sofa beds, steam fireplace, and second TV; a desk & bookcase, dining room, two panoramic sliding bay windows; private 186 m² terrace: outdoor lounge with deckchairs, hot tub, two sofas, and dining table.
Rates from in USD:
$173,350pp
The North Pole is a full-on bucket list adventure and only an icebreaker like the Commandant Charcot can deliver you in style to this farthest of geographical locations. Opportunities for wildlife viewing and deep contemplation abound on this once-in-a-lifetime trip. You’ll take it to say you did it, and then you’ll have your mind blown along the way!
Joy Martinello, Founder
Questions?
What’s Included & Cancellation Policy:
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
Includes accommodation in stateroom; the full meal plan; the Open Bar: beginning with boarding, and during the duration of the cruise, a wide selection of drinks (mineral water, soft drinks, wine, beer, Charles Heidsieck champagne, spirits, coffee, tea) is served on request and at any time of the day; free Wi-Fi internet access 24 hours a day; activities offered during expedition cruises; outings and disembarkations by Zodiac inflatable boat; all port taxes; access to all the common areas: fitness room, steam room, hair salon, swimming pool (sea water, heated), solarium, lounges, theater, boutique & leisure area
NOT INCLUDED:
•telephone service
•certain premium alcoholic beverages on the menu are not included in the Open Bar
•spa fees
•visa applications and fees
•private fitness classes
•laundry service
•tips for staff, drivers, and local guides
•personal expenses
•any other service not mentioned in the program
