If you're eyeing an expedition cruise to Antarctica or Australia's Kimberley coast, French line Ponant keeps popping up for good reason: its 13 small ships carry some of the most comfortable accommodation in the small-ship game, and nearly every cabin comes with a balcony.
Start with the basics. Ponant ships have no windowless inside cabins at all — every room looks out at the ocean. The seven newest vessels (six Explorer Class ships built between 2018 and 2020, plus the icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot) are all-balcony ships. The four older 'Sisterships' each carry just eight ocean-view cabins out of 132, so even there you're almost guaranteed fresh air from your own balcony. Only the two sailing yachts, the 16-cabin Le Ponant and six-cabin Spirit of Ponant, lean heavily on window-only rooms, which makes sense given how close their cabins sit to the waterline.
Space is another selling point. On the Explorer Class ships, standard balcony cabins run 204 square feet including a 43-square-foot balcony, with a king bed that splits into two singles, a small seating area and a walk-in shower. Le Commandant Charcot — the world's only purpose-built luxury cruise icebreaker, capable of reaching the North Pole — steps things up: its smallest rooms measure 215 square feet, dressed with faux-wood panelling, built-in furniture and dark granite bathrooms.
Suites are where things get interesting. The Explorer ships pack four suite categories into just 92 cabins, from 290 to 484 square feet, and can add 18 more by combining pairs of cabins via sliding walls — up to 31 suites per sailing. Those combined 'Prestige Suites' are especially handy for families: two bathrooms, a king bed on one side and a convertible sofa for up to two more guests on the other. Charcot is the suite-heavy flagship, with 61 standalone suites including four two-deck Duplex Suites and a 1,238-square-foot Owner's Suite sleeping six.
Perks scale with the category. Suites come with Champagne and fruit on arrival; higher tiers add butler service, priority boarding, spa treatments, premium drinks and private airport transfers — standard on Deck 6 suites across the Explorers, Sisterships and Charcot's Grand, Privilege, Duplex and Owner's suites.
One caveat worth knowing before you book: these ships are tiny (the Explorers have just 92 cabins each, versus 226-302 on comparable Seabourn vessels), so inventory is thin and suites go first — cruise folk say ships 'sell from the top and the bottom.' If a specific sailing or suite catches your eye, book early rather than waiting for a price drop.
The upshot: if you want remote destinations without roughing it, Ponant makes balcony cabins easier to secure than most luxury expedition rivals, and its suite range punches above its ships' size. Just move fast on the top categories.
