Seabourn vs Ponant: which is better for an expedition cruise?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 9 November 2026
No score and no verdict of ours: what Seabourn and Ponant each publish on their own websites, read 9 November 2026, topic by topic, each line linked to the page it came from.
Seabourn vs Ponant: which is better for an expedition cruise?
Neither is better for everyone: Seabourn carries 264 guests on each of its two expedition ships with an expedition team of 26, while Ponant sails a fleet of expedition ships and prices 7 nights in Svalbard, 3 to 10 July 2027, from €9,720 per person; Seabourn shows no dated fare on the pages read.
What is each line?
Seabourn says it offers all-inclusive ocean and expedition cruises, sold under its own name on ships it operates, two of them purpose-built expedition ships; Seabourn Cruise Line is a division of Carnival Corporation Ltd. Source
Ponant sells expedition and other ocean cruises on its own fleet as PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP, which also takes in PONANT YACHTING, PAUL GAUGUIN CROISIÈRES and, since 2025, Aqua Expeditions. Source
Which ships does each line sail?
Seabourn lists the expedition ships Seabourn Venture (launched 2022) and Seabourn Pursuit (2023) beside its ocean ships Seabourn Quest, Encore and Ovation; its pages do not say whether it owns or charters them. Source
Ponant sails Le Commandant Charcot, the PONANT Explorers (Le Bellot, Le Bougainville, Le Lapérouse, Le Champlain, Le Dumont d'Urville and Le Jacques Cartier) and the sisterships Le Boréal, L'Austral, Le Soléal and Le Lyrial; its group's other brands sail Le Ponant, Spirit of Ponant and Paul Gauguin. Source
How many guests are on board?
Seabourn carries 264 guests on each expedition ship, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
Where does each line sail?
Seabourn sails Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands, Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland, the Northwest Passage, the Kimberley and the South Pacific. Source
Ponant sells named voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea, South Georgia and the Falklands, Svalbard, Greenland, Norway, the Chilean fjords, the Kimberley and Indonesia. Source
What ice class are the ships?
Seabourn says Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit are designed and built to PC6 Polar Class standards; it gives no ice class for its ocean ships. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
Who leads the landings?
Seabourn sails an expedition team of 26 academics, scientists and naturalists led by an Expedition Leader; it gives no guide-to-guest ratio. Source
Ponant sends a team of about ten naturalist guides and experts on every expedition cruise, double that on Le Commandant Charcot, covering history, marine biology, geology, marine and land mammals and ornithology. Source
How much time ashore?
Seabourn says each expedition ship carries 24 Zodiacs that can take all guests at once; all tendering from ship to shore is by Zodiac. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
What can you do off the ship?
Seabourn includes Zodiac tours and landings, guided walks and hikes and snorkelling (gear provided except wetsuits); kayaking (eight double kayaks per ship, limited places) and the four-day Image Masters photography programme cost extra; in the Kimberley a Mitchell Falls helicopter flight is an optional excursion. Source
Ponant includes sea kayaking (from age 16), snowshoeing (17), hiking (10) and the polar plunge (16) on Le Commandant Charcot, with limited places; diving and kayak outings are paid extras on some cruises. Source
What does a voyage cost?
Ponant prices Fjords et glaciers du Spitzberg, 7 nights on Le Lyrial round trip from Longyearbyen, 3 to 10 July 2027, from 9,720 € per person, double occupancy. Source
Seabourn does not publish a dated price on the pages read.
What does the fare include?
Seabourn's fares include all dining venues, premium spirits and fine wines, caviar and, on expeditions, Zodiac tours, landings, guided walks and snorkelling; optional shore excursions, kayaking, Image Masters, Seabourn Journeys and flights (unless a promotion includes them) are extra. Source
Ponant's fares include the cabin, full board, an open bar (premium spirits excepted), free wifi, port taxes and one activity per call except on Paul Gauguin; polar cruises add a parka to keep and loaned boots, while visas, paid excursions, spa treatments and premium drinks are extra. Source
What do solo travellers pay?
Seabourn charges a standard single supplement of 200%; an offer cuts it to as low as 125% on select sailings, with no end date given; Diamond Elite Club members pay as low as 150% or 175% by suite category. Single-guarantee SA and SV suites are sold on some sailings. Source
Ponant applies a single supplement automatically but waives it on a choice of cruises each season, marked 'Voyageur Solo 0%', giving a double cabin for one at no extra price. Source
How much is the deposit?
Seabourn does not state its deposit amount; final payment is due 120 days before departure for cruises of 21 days or less, 150 days for 22 to 69 days and 180 days for 70 days or more. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
What happens if you cancel?
Seabourn charges, on cruises of 21 days or less booked from 17 December 2024, a $100 per guest fee (returned as a Future Cruise Credit) up to 121 days before departure, then 15% from 120 to 91 days, 50% from 90 to 61, 75% from 60 to 46 and 100% from 45 days; longer cruises start the scale earlier; 100% non-refundable promotional fares get no refund. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
What insurance do you need?
Seabourn strongly recommends travel insurance that includes emergency evacuation cover and offers its optional SeabournShield Travel Protection Plan; it names no required minimum. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
Can children come?
Ponant accepts no children under 6 on expedition cruises and none under 8 on Le Commandant Charcot; its Kid Explorers club, run with the Maud Fontenoy Foundation, sails on Mediterranean cruises. Source
Seabourn does not publish this on the pages read.
When is each not the fit?
The limits below are published by each line on their own websites.
- Seabourn: not the fit if you use a wheelchair ashore: its Zodiacs have no wheelchair tie-downs and guests who cannot sit unassisted on the Zodiac pontoon cannot use them. Source
- Ponant: not the fit if you want helicopter flights: the helicopter on Le Commandant Charcot is used only for navigation and safety. Source
How do their reviews compare?
Their figures per platform, read 9 November 2026, each from a listing under the line's own name; a whole-company profile is marked. Figures are never added together.
- Seabourn: Trustpilot (whole company): 1.8 out of 5 from 32 reviews, newest 2 October 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ponant: Google (whole company): 4.8 out of 5 from 699 reviews; Trustpilot (whole company): 4.6 out of 5 from 644 reviews, newest 7 November 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
The lines at a glance
One card each, as on every Uncompromised Travel expedition page: what each sells, why to choose each, what to ask for and the limits each publishes.
Seabourn
- Best for
- Expedition ships with all-veranda suites
- What it sells
- Runs all-inclusive ocean and expedition cruises; its two expedition ships, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, carry 264 guests in 132 suites.
- Why choose them
- Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit are built to PC6 Polar Class standards and each carries 24 Zodiacs. Trustpilot (whole company): 1.8 out of 5 from 32 reviews, newest 2 October 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for the SBNSOLO offer, which cuts the single supplement to as low as 125% on select sailings.
- Not the fit if
- you cannot sit unassisted on a Zodiac pontoon: Zodiacs have no wheelchair tie-downs and such guests cannot use them.
Ponant
- Best for
- Polar expeditions with French-style service
- What it sells
- Runs expedition cruises on its own fleet, including Le Commandant Charcot, the PONANT Explorers and Le Boréal, L'Austral, Le Soléal and Le Lyrial, from Antarctica and the Arctic to the Kimberley.
- Why choose them
- Le Commandant Charcot is a hybrid electric ship running on LNG, which it says cuts CO2 by 25%, nitrogen oxides by 85% and fine particles by 95%. Google (whole company): 4.8 out of 5 from 699 reviews; Trustpilot (whole company): 4.6 out of 5 from 644 reviews, newest 7 November 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a departure with the single supplement waived, marked 'Voyageur Solo 0%', for a double cabin to yourself at no extra price.
- Not the fit if
- you travel with children under 6, who are not accepted on expedition cruises (under 8 on Le Commandant Charcot).
- Published price
- From 9,720 € per person, double occupancy, Fjords et glaciers du Spitzberg, 7 nights on Le Lyrial round trip from Longyearbyen, 3 to 10 July 2027. Read 9 November 2026.
- Website
- ponant.com
Which other lines sell the same voyages?
The lines that sell voyages to the same regions are compared on What are the best alternatives to Ponant in 2026?
Seabourn vs Ponant: the questions people ask
How many guests are on board with Seabourn and Ponant?
Seabourn carries 264 guests on each expedition ship, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit. Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
How much does a voyage cost with Seabourn and Ponant?
Ponant prices Fjords et glaciers du Spitzberg, 7 nights on Le Lyrial round trip from Longyearbyen, 3 to 10 July 2027, from 9,720 € per person, double occupancy. Seabourn does not publish a dated price on the pages read.
What does the fare include with Seabourn and Ponant?
Seabourn's fares include all dining venues, premium spirits and fine wines, caviar and, on expeditions, Zodiac tours, landings, guided walks and snorkelling; optional shore excursions, kayaking, Image Masters, Seabourn Journeys and flights (unless a promotion includes them) are extra. Ponant's fares include the cabin, full board, an open bar (premium spirits excepted), free wifi, port taxes and one activity per call except on Paul Gauguin; polar cruises add a parka to keep and loaned boots, while visas, paid excursions, spa treatments and premium drinks are extra.
What is the cancellation policy with Seabourn and Ponant?
Seabourn charges, on cruises of 21 days or less booked from 17 December 2024, a $100 per guest fee (returned as a Future Cruise Credit) up to 121 days before departure, then 15% from 120 to 91 days, 50% from 90 to 61, 75% from 60 to 46 and 100% from 45 days; longer cruises start the scale earlier; 100% non-refundable promotional fares get no refund. Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
How much is the deposit with Seabourn and Ponant?
Seabourn does not state its deposit amount; final payment is due 120 days before departure for cruises of 21 days or less, 150 days for 22 to 69 days and 180 days for 70 days or more. Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
Is there a single supplement with Seabourn and Ponant?
Seabourn charges a standard single supplement of 200%; an offer cuts it to as low as 125% on select sailings, with no end date given; Diamond Elite Club members pay as low as 150% or 175% by suite category. Single-guarantee SA and SV suites are sold on some sailings. Ponant applies a single supplement automatically but waives it on a choice of cruises each season, marked 'Voyageur Solo 0%', giving a double cabin for one at no extra price.
How do I compare prices like for like?
Ask for a written quote for the same dates and the same cabin type, with every inclusion listed: flights, hotel nights, drinks, gratuities, kayaking or camping and the parka. The price lines above give what each line publishes and on what basis.
Can I book directly?
Yes. Each card links the line's own website; ask for a written quote that lists what the fare includes.
Where can I check these facts myself?
Every line on this page links the page of the line's own website it was read from, read 9 November 2026.
Is any company on this page paying to be here?
No. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel; none paid to be on it.
Read next
Built to answer the question in the main heading. What is shown: what each line published on its own website, read on 9 November 2026, with links to the pages read. Google and Trustpilot figures are shown where the listing carries the line's own name, from the Uncompromised Travel expedition cruise lines table. Lines are set out in the order the question names them. No score and no verdict. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel. How this site earns · How we work.