Le Dumont Durville

Le Dumont D'Urville is the fourth ship of the Ponant Explorers class, built in 2019 and initially named Le Kerguelen before entering service as Le Dumont D'Urville. Measuring 131 metres in length, she carries 184 passengers with 110 crew and belongs to Ponant's collection of 10,000 GT superyachts. Unlike larger cruise ships, she was specifically designed with a shallow draft of 4.5 metres to deliver a private yacht-style polar travel experience, opening up destinations that conventional expedition vessels simply cannot reach, from narrow fjords to shallow polar inlets.

Each ship in the Explorers class carries the name of a famous French explorer, and Le Dumont D'Urville honours Jules Dumont D'Urville, an explorer and naval officer, reflecting Ponant's character as a French cruise line founded by former officers of the French Merchant Navy. That heritage shows through in the ship's overall design philosophy, blending genuine exploration capability with distinctly French style and a strong sense of maritime tradition.

Onboard, the ship balances expedition capability with refined comfort. She offers 92 staterooms across 7 decks, accommodating 184 guests, with two restaurants, four lounges and bars, a swimming pool, a wellness complex with spa and fitness, and a retractable Marina Platform for watersports. A fleet of Zodiacs supports passenger tendering and landings in remote areas. All cabins feature king-size beds and en-suite bathrooms, with complimentary butler service included for suite passengers, while fares run all-inclusive, covering unlimited fine wines, champagnes, spirits, and minibar items throughout the voyage.

Le Dumont D'Urville suits travellers after immersive expedition experiences in polar regions, remote coastlines, and smaller ports only small vessels can reach, without sacrificing accommodation quality or dining refinement.

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