Le Bougainville

The 2019-built MS Le Bougainville cruise ship is the 3rd of six Ponant-owned polar expedition vessels. Advertised as "expedition yachts," the "PONANT EXPLORERS-class" also includes her sisterships Le Champlain (2018), Le Laperouse (2018), Le Dumont d'Urville (formerly Le Kerguelen) (2019), Le Bellot (2020), and Le Jacques Cartier (formerly Le Surville) (2020). All ships are named after famous French sea explorers.

The vessel (IMO number 9814040) is France-flagged (MMSI 578001300) and registered in Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna.

History – Construction and Ownership

Compagnie du Ponant (CDP) is a French cruise company founded in April 1988 by former French Merchant Navy officers. All Ponant ships sail under the French flag. The company specializes in premium adventure cruising, targeting mainly French-speaking markets with all-inclusive packages. Most of CDP’s fleet is based in Antarctica between December and March. These luxury yachts offer modern facilities, 5-star hotel service, highly trained staff, and exotic itineraries visiting destinations worldwide, including the Caribbean, Baltic, Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, South America, and Australia.

On March 15, 2016, a shipbuilding agreement was signed with Vard Holdings Ltd (Norwegian subsidiary of Fincantieri) for four Explorer-class ships, each with a capacity of 184 passengers, scheduled for delivery in 2018-2019. This deal marked VARD Norway’s entry into cruise shipbuilding. On March 6, 2018, CDP ordered two additional Explorer-class ships (delivered in 2020), bringing the fleet to 12 vessels by the end of 2021.

Each of Ponant’s 10,000 GT superyachts measures 131 m (430 ft) in length and 18 m (59 ft) in width, with capacity for 184 passengers and 110 crew. The ships feature 7 decks (4 with cabins), 92 staterooms, an aft Sundeck with swimming pool, retractable Marina Platform for watersports, and a fleet of Zodiacs for tendering and landings in remote locations. The exterior design was created by Stirling Design International (France), and interiors by Jean-Philippe Nuel.

Decks and Cabins

Ponant Le Bougainville staterooms (92 total, across 9 categories) include 40 Balcony cabins (205 ft² / 19 m² plus 45 ft² / 4 m² veranda). The largest is the 2-room Owner’s Suite (485 ft² / 45 m² plus 320 ft² / 30 m² terrace). Each stateroom has a private balcony with lounge furniture (1 table, 2 rattan chairs) and 5-star amenities such as smart HDTV, DVD-CD player, minibar, King-size bed, and modern furnishings.

All suites have bathrooms with a sliding panel in the shower room, revealing a glass wall for unobstructed sea views. The largest suites (Owner’s and Grand Deluxe, aft on decks 5 and 6) feature a bedroom (King bed), master bathroom (Balneo bathtub, dual-sink vanity), guest bathroom, separate lounge (double sofa bed), dining area (4-seat table), and a private balcony with dual access. Prestige Suites are also two-room accommodations with two bathrooms (one with shower, the master with bathtub), two dressing rooms, a lounge (double sofa bed), and a double-width veranda.

The ship has 7 decks, 6 accessible to passengers and 4 with cabins.

Shipboard Dining – Food and Drinks

Dining options on Le Bougainville include:

• The outdoor Lido Grill (aft on deck 3) with 70 seats, serving grilled meats, salads, and desserts.
• The main Restaurant (aft on deck 4), 260 m² (2800 ft²) with floor-to-ceiling windows, buffet stations for breakfast and lunch, and waiter service for hot meals. It opens onto an outdoor terrace.
• Breakfasts and lunches are buffet-style; dinners are 4-course à la carte, waiter-served. Weather permitting, meals can be served outdoors.
• Afternoon Tea is served in the Panoramic Lounge (forward on deck 6). Coffee and tea are complimentary and available 24 hours a day.
• Special diets can be accommodated if requested in advance.

Shipboard Entertainment – Fun and Leisure

Entertainment and leisure facilities include:

• The Marina (water sports platform, used in calm seas while anchored).
• Le Bougainville Atrium (2-deck open-floor area with Swarovski crystal chandelier).
• Main Lounge (200 m² / 2153 ft²) with LED screen, floor-to-ceiling windows, early breakfast service, Afternoon Tea with gourmet treats, evening entertainment with live performances, art auction (once per cruise), and aft terrace (the only designated smoking area).
• Boutique Shop (40 m² / 430 ft²) offering designer clothing, luxury jewelry, Ponant merchandise, and gifts.
• Theatre (188-seat show lounge for music and dance performances).
• Wellness Centre with Spa, Balneo Room, Hammam, Massage Room, Beauty Corner, Hair Salon, Relaxation Room, and terrace.
• Fitness Center with panoramic views.
• Leisure Area with kids’ playroom, Photo Gallery, and Internet stations.
• Swimming pool sun deck with loungers.
• Panoramic Lounge & Bar with Internet corner, grand piano, library, terrace, and nightclub/disco.
• Blue Eye Lounge (below waterline, with curved portholes shaped like cetacean eyes, projecting live marine footage, hydrophone sound system, and vibrating sofas for immersive ocean experiences).
• Sun Deck with bar, loungers, chairs, showers, and deck games (Shuffleboard, Golf Driving Net, 9-hole Mini-Golf).
• A fleet of Zodiacs for landings and exploration.

All decks are connected by stairs and elevators. The Navigation Bridge operates an open-bridge policy, accessible to guests when permitted by weather and security. Other facilities include a Doctor’s Office with 24-hour duty, laundry service (no dry-cleaning), and shipwide Wi-Fi. Smoking is allowed only in designated outdoor areas.

"Blue Eye" Underwater Lounge

The world’s first underwater cruise lounge, "Blue Eye," was designed exclusively for Ponant’s Explorer-class yachts. This innovative venue features vibrating sofas and an advanced sound system capturing sea acoustics.

• Located 2–3 m (6.5–10 ft) below the waterline, integrated into the hull.
• Underwater views via large curved windows shaped like cetacean eyes (1.6 x 3.4 m / 5 x 11 ft).
• Live marine footage projected onto digital screens covering the lounge walls.
• Hydrophones capture ocean sounds within a 5 km (3 mi) radius, transmitted into the lounge.
• "Body listening sofas" vibrate gently to let passengers feel the rhythms of the sea.
• Non-intrusive underwater projectors allow observation of marine life from decks and balconies.

The 7-deck ships also feature an infinity swimming pool, spacious sundeck, and a 3-position aft marina platform.

Itineraries

MS Le Bougainville offers unique itineraries to remote and exotic destinations worldwide, including the Caribbean, Baltic, Mediterranean, East Asia, Australia, Indian Ocean and Pacific islands (Oceania), Canadian Arctic, Amazon River (Orinoco), South America, and Antarctica. Each voyage includes lectures and media presentations by naturalists, focusing on regional wildlife and local cultures.

Between December and March, most of the CDP fleet operates in polar regions (Arctic and Antarctica).

The shipbuilder VARD (a subsidiary of the Italian company Fincantieri) constructed the vessel’s hull and superstructure at the shipyard in Tulcea, Romania. She was then towed to the VARD Soviknes shipyard in Alesund, Norway, for outfitting. Ponant Le Bougainville’s VARD hull number is 850.

VARD officially delivered the ship to Ponant Cruises on April 5, 2019. She departed Sovik, Norway, on April 8 en route to Malaga, Spain, for her maiden voyage on April 15. The vessel was officially inaugurated on June 4.

Ponant’s new cruise ship series features ice-strengthened hulls and advanced marine expedition technologies. Among them is the long-range 3D sonar "FarSounder 1000," installed in the bow and integrated into the bridge navigation system. This forward-looking sonar helps the ship safely navigate icy waters by detecting and mapping hazards such as icebergs and shallow coral reefs.

Interestingly, this Ponant vessel shares her name with the 2015-launched "CMA CGM Bougainville," one of the world’s largest container ships (capacity 17,722 TEU) operated by CMA CGM Line.