Last Updated on 05/04/26 by Rose Palmer
My dream trip to Antarctica was on the beautiful Ponant L’Austral, a purpose-built French expedition ship designed to provide the highest levels of luxury while exploring the southern and northern polar regions.
My first impression as I boarded the L’Austral was WOW! – what a beautiful ship she was. Much like a Chanel dress, the ship’s decor was understated and elegant, decked out in shades of taupe, cream, and grey, creating a soothing atmosphere.
For 18 days, this ship and my cabin gave me luxury and comfort that I never thought I would experience on an Antarctic expedition. Combine this with exquisite French cuisine, and I had the best luxury cruise experience I have ever had. All this, and no single supplement either. Perfect!
My Ponant L’Austral review
The stats:
Year built: 2011
Number of cabins: 132
Passenger capacity: 264
Number of crew: 150
Ice class rating: 1C
On my cruise, we had only 120 passengers, so the number of crew members outnumbered the passengers. I liked that the guests were a very international mix, with about half being French. The rest of the guests came from Australia, England, Scotland, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, China, and the US.
All announcements were made first in French and then in English, and all the guest-facing staff on board spoke both languages fluently. Detailed presentations were made in separate languages, with one session in French and one session in English.
The service on the ship was exceptional. My room steward was from Indonesia, and he spoke English very well, as did all the other room stewards and wait staff I spoke with. Whether I was in the dining room, at one of the bars, or at the buffet restaurant, the staff was always quick and pleasant.
Life on the L’Austral
The overall atmosphere on the ship was quiet and laid back, combined with a little bit of the fancier formality found on larger ships. Guests tended to dress nicer for dinner in the dining room (not so much for the buffet grill), and we had three evening dinners that were described as formal. While I did not see any tuxes, men wore jackets and women wore nicer dresses or pants outfits.
Each afternoon before an Antarctica excursion day, the expedition leader gave a presentation about the next day’s activities. He prepared us for the weather, described the zodiac landing site, and told us how long we would stay and what we should expect to see.
When we didn’t have landings, the sea days were a pleasant balance between downtime and scheduled activities. I liked that not every minute of the day was planned. There was plenty of time to read, play card games, watch a movie on the cabin TV, or chat and get to know other guests. Since it was a small ship, faces quickly became familiar.
I was especially impressed with our captain and how much he engaged with the guests. He greeted everyone as we boarded the ship, helped out at the marina with zodiac loading, and, in general, was very visible throughout the cruise. His easy-going and calm, charming manner set the tone for both the guests and his staff.
My cabin on the L’Austral
All the cabins on the L’Austral were outside cabins, the majority of which had balconies. I booked one of the Prestige staterooms with a balcony on deck 4. At 200 square feet, it was more than roomy enough for one person.
When I wasn’t exploring the Antarctic scenery, my cabin was my serene haven, where I enjoyed the views. Like the rest of the ship, the room was decorated in timeless taupe, cream, and grey with small accents of turquoise.
My king-sized bed was super comfy, and could be set up as two twins. A pillow selection menu let me choose the exact feather and down pillows I like. The room had international outlets on each side of the bed, but no USB ports
It was the little touches in the room that elevated the experiences. There was a Nespresso coffee maker, an electric tea kettle, a Bose Bluetooth speaker, 2 large umbrellas, and a TV with a nice selection of movies and music. Ponant also provided a reusable water bottle and filled glass bottles with water every day.
A safe, two robes, and slippers were ready for my use in the closet space, which was more than roomy enough even for two people. There was also drawer space for more storage.
The thermostat had good temperature control and heated or cooled the room as needed.
The cruise fare was completely all-inclusive, so all excursions, meals, drinks, and tips were included. This meant I could indulge in all the goodies in my filled minibar at will.
The fridge was filled with Coke, Coke Zero, tonic water, Perrier, Heineken, bottled juice, small bottles of Gordon’s London Dry Gin, Bacardi Rum, Smirnoff Vodka, and Johnny Walker Red Label Scotch Whiskey, and also an ice bucket with ice. I am not a big alcohol drinker, but my steward kept me refilled with Diet Coke and soda water daily.
The bathroom space was one of the largest I have had on a cruise, especiall the shower. The shower and sink area were separate from the toilet stall. along with high-end shampoo, conditioner, and shower gell, there was also a wet clothes line in the shower.
I also had a makeup mirror along with storage drawers and shelves in the bathroom, which gave me plenty of storage space. The hot water always had good pressure, which I also appreciate.
The last space I enjoyed was the private, covered balcony with two chairs and a small table. It was a great spot to watch the enormous table-top icebergs as they passed by.
Public spaces on the L’Austral
Along with the cabins, the ship also had plenty of public spaces for activities, lectures, eating, and lounging.
Deck 2 – Pondichéry
Aft
Restaurant Le Coromandel – this was the sit-down restaurant on the ship that could accommodate all guests in one sitting. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were served here every day at fixed times.
Breakfast and lunch offered a buffet along with a small à la carte menu. Dinner was a selection of à la carte dishes from a different menu every evening. A selection of red and white wines was available at lunch and dinner.
Breakfast 7:00 – 9:00 ; Lunch 12 – 1:30; Dinner 7:00 – 8:30
Marina – this was where we boarded the zodiacs and the tender. Staff were present to make sure we boarded the zodiacs safely.
Deck 3 – Calicut
Forward to aft:
Medical Centre – fortunately, I did not have to make a personal visit here.
Reception and Excursion desks -staff here were always very pleasant and helpful. This was the ship’s lobby space and was accented by a two-story Swarovski crystal waterfall sculpture.
Shop – a small space with a nice selection of clothes, jewellery, and Ponant-branded merchandise.
Water filling station – I filled my reusable water bottle here.
Karikal Main Lounge and Bar – the central place to hang out, relax, and socialise. A daily quiz program and other activities were held here each day, along with afternoon tea from 4:00 to 5:00. This was also where we gathered per our assigned color-coded groups before boarding the zodiacs or the tender.
The main lounge also offered a continental breakfast each morning from 6:30 to 10:00 with yogurt, fruit, pastries, and juice.
Outside deck space – on the deck outside the Main Lounge was a nice sitting area for warm days. This was also where smokers could go. After donning all of our outdoor gear and Zodiac life jackets, we waited in this space until it was time to go down the stairs to the marina to board the Zodiacs.
Deck 4 – Chandemagor
Atrium– the second level of the lobby space with the Swarovsky crustal sculpture.
Aft
Theater La Cmpagnie – a large theatre that could seat all the guests at once. We had the informative lectures here, along with a few performances by the on-board entertainers. Our daily briefings, which told us the schedule for the next day, were also held here.
Deck 5 – Bengale
Forward to aft:
Bridge – the ship has an open bridge policy, and everyone is free to visit when the green ‘open’ sign is up.
Studio Ponant – this was where I could purchase photos or the cruise video that was produced by the ship’s photographers.
Ponant Yacht Spa and Beauty Parlor – the spa and beauty parlor offered all the typical services: massages, nail services, and hair treatments. The steam room was a nice treat after a cold Antarctic Zodiac excursion.
Fitness Center – a good spot to work off some of those French cuisine calories while looking out at the sea.
Outdoor deck space – a set of stairs from the deck 6 terrace leads to another smaller deck sitting area.
Deck 6 – Mahé
Forward to aft:
Panoramic outdoor terrace – this outdoor space was accessed from the Observation Lounge. It was a great spot to look at the scenery from the front of the ship.
Panoramic Lounge and Library – This observation lounge at the front of the ship was a very nice space to look at the scenery while staying warm. The bar also offered a large selection of non-alcoholic drinks and alcoholic drinks.
The library space had tables for card games, books to read, and a large variety of board games.
Le Rodringues Restaurant – at the front end of deck 6 was the buffet grill restaurant, which also served breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Breakfast 7:30 – 9:30 ; Lunch 12 – 1:30; Dinner 7:00 – 8:30
Pool and outdoor terrace – outside the grill restaurant was the pool and surrounding outside deck space. The staff also set up tables and chairs for al fresco meals on nice weather days. This was another good spot to look at the scenery as we were cruising.
Deck 7 – Zanzibar
Le Comptoir Outside Bar – Stairs leading up from the outdoor terrace on deck 6 led to another upper deck and bar space. On my cruise, it was not warm enough to take advantage of this area.
Food and drink on the L’Austral
The food on the L’Austral was outdone only by the scenery in Antarctica. One word says it all – French – at its best.
The dining room on the second floor and the grill on the 6th floor were both open for all three meals and served mostly the same dishes. Breakfast and lunch offered a large buffet selection in both locations, combined with make-to-order dishes
On sea days, I liked to sleep in, but I could still catch a continental breakfast in the main lounge until 10 AM.
I am normally not a fan of buffets, but these were great. I especially liked the many salad options and the freshly baked, crispy breads. Each day, the grill also offered a special dish or carving station. My favorite was the French cheeses paired with dried fruits and nuts set out at each meal.
One day, we had a cheese buffet in both the dining room and the Grill, consisting of about a dozen different cheeses. Paired with a fresh baguette, a little fruit, and one of the crisp French white wines, and I was in heaven.
Another favorite lunch was the light and fluffy Quiche Lorraine. Paired with a salad, a French baguette, and a crisp white wine, it was another perfect meal.
Dinners in the dining room were an event, especially for the Captain’s Welcome Gala, White Night, and the Captain’s Farewell Dinner. Each evening presented a different à la carte menu in the dining room. Even though the same dishes were offered in the grill buffet, it was nice to be waited on and served.
Desserts were always plentiful, beautifully presented, and were, of course, delicious. Another sweet favorite was the ice cream bar. Once I discovered the caramel ice cream paired with caramel topping, I made sure to have a little every day.
A daily afternoon tea was also set up in the main lounge at 4 o’clock. Usually, it consisted of a couple of varieties of bite-sized sandwiches and small desserts. Each day, the desserts were a different theme. Some of my favorites were pavlova, choux, chocolate, macarons, and the caviar tasting.
On sea days, I also liked to order room service breakfast, which I enjoyed while looking out at the ocean.
I can’t talk about the food at L’Austra without talking about the wine, the champagne, and the cocktails. All the alcohol was included in the cruise fare, and it flowed freely at every meal. The French wines I occasionally tried were very good, as were the cocktails.
The champagne also flowed freely, and it seemed like we celebrated some event almost every day with a glass of bubbly. The highlight was a champagne toast on our last zodiac tour on South Georgia Island.
Entertainment on the L’Austral
I thought my cruise on the L’Austral was a blend of a typical expedition cruise combined with some of the entertainment and luxury elements found on the large cruise lines.
The crew did a nice job offering activities for those who were interested, but there was also plenty of quiet downtime for relaxing, reading, or playing games. There was a morning workout or yoga in the theater, a daily quiz session, dance classes, and informative lectures by the expedition staff.
In the evenings, the staff put on different events. There was karaoke, a casino night, and dance parties. We also had a group of five musical performers who were extremely talented. I especially enjoyed the dance couple with their elegant performances.
My cruise on the L’Austral was a perfect experience in every way. The ship was beautiful, the food and drink were superb, and the service was attentive. Add to this the incredible scenery in Antarctica and South Georgia Island, and I had one of my most memorable trips ever.
The Ponant website has the most up-to-date offers and itineraries for their cruises.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose