Le Bougainville

Le Bougainville is the third ship of the Ponant Explorers class, delivered to Ponant in Norway in early April 2019, making her a relatively recent addition to the fleet. Named after Louis Antoine de Bougainville, a French admiral and explorer, she carries the same heritage of French exploration that runs through all ships in the Explorers class.

Le Bougainville is small by modern cruise standards. At 10,000 GT, she measures 131 metres in length, with capacity for 184 passengers and 110 crew. She offers 92 staterooms across multiple cabin categories, with complimentary butler service in suite categories and an open bar covering unlimited fine wines, champagnes, spirits, and bottled water throughout the voyage. This is very much an expedition yacht rather than a mass market cruise ship.

The Explorers class ships are promoted as polar cruise yachts, with a shallow draft of just 4.5 metres designed to deliver an intimate, private yacht style experience in polar waters. Le Bougainville spans 7 decks and carries a retractable Marina Platform for watersports, along with a fleet of Zodiacs for tendering and landings in remote locations. Onboard, guests will find two restaurants, four lounges and bars, one swimming pool, and a wellness complex with beauty salon, spa, and fitness centre.

One distinctive feature sets her apart from almost anything else at sea. The Blue Eye is a world first underwater cruise lounge, sitting 2 to 3 metres below the waterline, offering underwater views through large curved windows shaped like cetacean eyes. Hydrophones capture ocean sounds within a 5 kilometre radius, and body listening sofas vibrate gently, letting passengers feel the rhythms of the sea around them. It's the kind of intimate, purposeful design touch that defines the Ponant approach throughout.

Le Bougainville suits discerning travellers after luxury expedition cruising to remote corners of the world, with the space and refinement to do it properly.

Cruised aboard this French expedition yacht? Log your Le Bougainville voyage on The Cruise Globe to trace the precise route that your specific cruise took!