Swan Hellenic vs Ponant: which is better for an expedition cruise?

No score and no verdict of ours: what Swan Hellenic and Ponant each publish on their own websites, read 9 November 2026, topic by topic, each line linked to the page it came from.

Swan Hellenic vs Ponant: which is better for an expedition cruise?

Neither is better for everyone: Swan Hellenic takes 152 or 192 guests and includes gratuities, one excursion per port and regional flights on select polar voyages, while Ponant prices its voyages online, such as 7 nights in Svalbard, 3 to 10 July 2027, from €9,720 per person; Swan Hellenic quotes on request.

What is each line?

Swan Hellenic runs what it calls cultural expedition cruises on three boutique expedition ships; Swan Hellenic Travel Ltd. is the tour operator for all trips it sells. 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?

Swan Hellenic sails SH Minerva (first sailed 2021), SH Vega (in service 2022) and SH Diana (its largest, christened 2023). 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?

Swan Hellenic takes 152 guests on SH Minerva, 152 on SH Vega and 192 on SH Diana. Source

Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.

Where does each line sail?

Swan Hellenic sells Antarctic Peninsula round trips from Ushuaia, Antarctic Circle and Ross Sea voyages, Falklands and South Georgia voyages, Svalbard, Greenland and Norwegian fjords voyages plus Raja Ampat voyages in Indonesia. 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?

Swan Hellenic says its ships feature a PC5 ice-strengthened hull. Source

Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.

Who leads the landings?

Swan Hellenic's experts include historians, scientists and naturalists who give daily lectures, plus a professional photographer; SH Minerva carries 117 staff and crew in all for 152 guests. It does not give the expedition team size. 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

What can you do off the ship?

Swan Hellenic leads kayaking in Antarctica and the Arctic for 1.5 to 3 hours a session for guests with prior experience; it also names snowshoeing, hiking, a polar plunge, snorkelling, diving and paddleboarding on relevant itineraries; it does not say which cost extra. 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

Swan Hellenic does not publish a dated price on the pages read.

What does the fare include?

Swan Hellenic's fares include all onboard meals, beverages, lectures, standard WiFi, gratuities, port taxes, one shore excursion per port, pre-cruise accommodation, regional flights on select polar voyages and parkas and boots in polar regions; premium alcohol, premium WiFi, spa, visas, insurance and international flights 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?

Swan Hellenic charges solo travellers a Single Supplement, waived on specific departures. 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?

Swan Hellenic asks a down payment of 20% of the cruise package price (30% for suites), with the balance due 120 days before departure (60 days for customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Source

Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.

What happens if you cancel?

Swan Hellenic charges a fee of 300 per person (USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD or NZD) up to 120 days before departure, 20% of the package price from 119 to 90 days, 75% from 89 to 61 days and 100% from 60 days, with saved passenger and security taxes refunded. Source

Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.

Is your money protected?

Swan Hellenic says Swan Hellenic Travel Ltd. has insolvency bonding with ACTA covering all cruise-only bookings and flight-inclusive cruise packages, to secure deposits and full payments. Source

Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.

What insurance do you need?

Swan Hellenic makes travel insurance mandatory for all passengers and recommends cover for cancellation, medical expenses, emergency evacuation and baggage that covers expedition activities; it names no minimum figure. Source

Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.

Can children come?

Swan Hellenic sets a minimum age of 6; its Antarctic and Arctic expeditions are not suitable for children under 8, with an exception for ages 6 and 7 under a parental liability declaration. Children 6 to 16 in a third or fourth berth pay 35% of the adult fare. Source

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

When is each not the fit?

The limits below are published by each line on their own websites.

• Swan Hellenic: not the fit if you have limited mobility: it says good mobility is essential, particularly for getting on and off the Zodiacs ashore. 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.

• Swan Hellenic: Trustpilot: 4.6 out of 5 from 179 reviews, newest 28 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.

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?

Richard Jasinski · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 9 November 2026 · updated 9 November 2026