Viking vs Ponant: which is better for an expedition cruise?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 9 November 2026
No score and no verdict of ours: what Viking and Ponant each publish on their own websites, read 9 November 2026, topic by topic, each line linked to the page it came from.
Viking vs Ponant: which is better for an expedition cruise?
Neither is better for everyone: Viking takes 378 guests on each of its two expedition ships, which carry submarines, while Ponant sails a fleet of expedition ships and prices 7 nights in Svalbard, 3 to 10 July 2027, from €9,720 per person.
What is each line?
Viking runs river, ocean and expedition voyages on a fleet it says numbers more than 100 vessels; its expedition voyages began in 2022. 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?
Viking sails two expedition ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, which arrived in 2022. 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?
Viking takes 378 guests on each expedition ship, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
Where does each line sail?
Viking sells expedition voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula (Antarctic Explorer), the Antarctic Circle, the Northwest Passage from Nuuk and Canada and Greenland. 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?
Viking lists Viking Octantis as Polar Class 6 and says both expedition ships have Polar Class hulls. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
Who leads the landings?
Viking sails with a 36-person expedition team that includes visiting researchers from partner institutions. 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?
Viking carries nine tandem kayaks, seventeen Zodiacs, two Special Operations Boats and submarines that take 6 guests and a pilot; it does not say which are included in the fare. 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
Viking does not publish a dated price on the pages read.
What does the fare include?
Viking includes a shore excursion in every port and the Viking Expedition Kit with gear for relevant excursions, plus a keepsake expedition jacket on polar itineraries. 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?
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
Viking does not publish this on the pages read.
How much is the deposit?
Viking advertises a promotional $25 deposit (its fares are in U.S. dollars) on itineraries of 35 days or less departing from April 2027; it states no standard deposit. 2027 voyages are paid in full by 17 December 2026 or 120 days before departure, whichever comes first. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
What insurance do you need?
Viking offers a Travel Protection Plan administered by Trip Mate that covers emergency medical expenses and related transportation; it names no required cover or evacuation minimum. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
Can children come?
Viking lists no children under 18 on its ocean voyages; the pages read give no age rule for its expedition ships. 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.
- 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.
- Viking: Trustpilot (whole company): 1.7 out of 5 from 382 reviews, newest 8 November 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.
Viking
- Best for
- Large Polar Class ships with submarines
- What it sells
- Runs expedition voyages on two 378-guest Polar Class ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, to Antarctica, the Arctic, the Great Lakes and the Americas, within a fleet of more than 100 vessels.
- Why choose them
- Its expedition ships Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, launched in 2022, carry 378 guests each. Trustpilot (whole company): 1.7 out of 5 from 382 reviews, newest 8 November 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a submarine dive: each submarine takes 6 guests and a pilot.
- Not the fit if
- you travel with children: it lists no children under 18 on its ocean voyages; the pages read give no age rule for its expedition ships.
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?
Viking vs Ponant: the questions people ask
How many guests are on board with Viking and Ponant?
Viking takes 378 guests on each expedition ship, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris. Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
How much does a voyage cost with Viking 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. Viking does not publish a dated price on the pages read.
What does the fare include with Viking and Ponant?
Viking includes a shore excursion in every port and the Viking Expedition Kit with gear for relevant excursions, plus a keepsake expedition jacket on polar itineraries. 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.
How much is the deposit with Viking and Ponant?
Viking advertises a promotional $25 deposit (its fares are in U.S. dollars) on itineraries of 35 days or less departing from April 2027; it states no standard deposit. 2027 voyages are paid in full by 17 December 2026 or 120 days before departure, whichever comes first. Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
Is there a single supplement with Viking and Ponant?
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. Viking does not publish this on the pages read.
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.