Ponant Antarctica review: Le Lyrial trip report

Le Lyrial: cabins and onboard feel

What this means for you: Expect a calm, comfortable base rather than a flashy ship. Storage, space and private balconies matter more here than onboard entertainment.

Le Lyrial has been in service since 2016, and our Captain Remi Genevaz has been with the ship since the build in 2015, and with the company since 1996. There are 122 staterooms and suites, the latter on Deck 6 with butler service, and there were several solo travellers among the 160 passengers on this voyage.

Our stateroom on Deck 5 had two single beds, plenty of storage space, a good size bathroom, dressing table, toiletries, hairdryer, bathrobes and slippers, and a minibar which was restocked daily if required. There was also a flat screen TV showing the progress of the ship's journey as well as TV shows and films, both in English and French, and a small balcony with table and chairs.

Included throughout the ship is free wi-fi, and there is a small library area with two computers on Deck 6. This is also where the Panoramic Lounge is located, which has a small bar area and a terrace ideally located at the front of the ship for wide open views.

At the rear of the vessel is the grill restaurant, La Comète, where we ate breakfast and lunch most days. There is also a small heated swimming pool, although the loungers were stored and the pool bar closed due to our destination.

The overall feel is more practical than indulgent, which suited this kind of trip well.

The small ship feel of Le Lyrial was perfect for me with the number of guests onboard. The atmosphere was really relaxed and guests got to know each other quickly, very sociable. We never had to wait at meal times and we were put in groups for the landings, each group had a specific time for their landing. Ponant did tend to keep all the French guests together and English-speaking guests together. This helped the guides with their commentary when taking us on the zodiacs. With the smaller ship, you meet fellow travellers and can dine with them, and there were several solo guests onboard.

Onboard life: wellness, lounges and the spaces you will use most

Spa and fitness

On the same deck as our stateroom there was the spa, with a small area for hairdressing and nails, a good-sized hammam or steam room and a small fitness area with three running machines, three bikes and a weight-lifting machine. There is a small leisure area used by children and teenagers which includes an Xbox.

Theatre and briefings:

Deck 4 has the theatre, which is used for lectures, shows and the Captain's welcome cocktail reception and farewell gala evenings. Daily briefings recap what you have done that day and cover plans for the following day. Presentations from the expedition leader and team give key information for all guests.

Main lounge: The area used most on the ship was the main lounge on Deck 3. This is where groups met for zodiac cruises and landings. There was a bar with a singer and a duo who played guitar and harp, plus quizzes, bingo and dance classes on selected days.

Dining and drinks

Deck 2 had the main restaurant, Le Céleste, which served breakfast, lunch and dinner and where we ate our evening meal most of the time. Room service was also available 24 hours a day, but with a smaller menu choice. Dining was à la carte, with a set menu for the Captain's Gala evenings, and with fine wines to accompany the meals. Drinks were included throughout, with the exception of premium spirits and certain cocktails. A Premium Pass was available at the cost of €20 per day, although both my sister and I found there was plenty of choice with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Expedition team, briefings and zodiac routine

What this means for you: Days are structured and well explained. If this is your first expedition cruise, the briefings and small zodiac groups help build confidence quickly.

Regarding the zodiacs, the crew were very helpful and it was well organised on day 1 for all guests to collect their parkas and boots. It was explained how the landings procedures operated, and there was never any issue - the crew helped all guests in and out of the zodiacs. One thing I would mention for this type of expedition, if the cruise line sends an order form to prebook the parkas and boots, guests DO need to complete this. (I had a Silversea guest who ordered the parkas, not the boots as they thought there would be plenty onboard, but then found there were not enough boots in one size onboard as they had not booked them.) The cruise lines do operate differently - we did not have to book anything pre-cruise with Ponant.

The Marina, also on Deck 2, is where we would go in our groups on the zodiacs, usually about 10 guests plus a naturalist guide who would inform us of the sights we were seeing. Some specialised in birdlife, some in marine life and some in geology.

Our Expedition Leader was John Frick, leading a team of 14 other expedition staff including two kayak guides, all experts in their fields with many seasons of expedition travel in Antarctica between them.

Our first day was spent at sea, with time for the compulsory boot fitting and decontamination of any outerwear, handing out of parkas which we could keep after our voyage and the mandatory visitor guidelines presentation and zodiac briefing required by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.

All of this meant that by the time we reached Antarctica, everyone understood what to expect and what was expected of us, which made the first landings feel calm rather than rushed.

Landings, wildlife and standout moments

What this means for you: Chinstrap, gentoo and Adélie penguins, elephant seals, Antarctic Sound icebergs, volcanic landscapes, and zodiac cruises close to the action.

Our first landing was at aptly named Penguin Island in the South Shetlands, home to chinstrap penguins, elephant seals and various birdlife including the kelp gull and giant petrel.

We then explored Livingston and Deception Island, with landings in Telefon Bay and a zodiac cruise in Walker Bay at Hannah Point. Cuverville Island, a landing in Dorian Bay and two zodiac cruises in Portal Point and Wilhelmina Bay gave us the chance to see penguins and seals up close, as well as the opportunity to hike across the snow.

The landing at Brown Bluff, a volcanic island and cruising around the icebergs of Antarctic Sound to view gentoo and Adélie penguins walking along the beach to reach the water were real highlights. The rock formations here, where the volcano was flattened by erupting through a glacier, reminded me of the Grand Canyon. It was spectacular.

It was one of those moments where the scale of Antarctica really lands and you realise how small the ship and the groups are within it.

Drake Passage, Ushuaia and the journey home

What this means for you: The Drake is part of the experience. Knowing what to expect helps you decide if an Antarctic voyage feels exciting or intimidating.

Some guests manage The Drake better than others. For example, I was fine crossing the Drake Passage, but my sister struggled with the motion. There was a medical facility onboard and on day 2, I went to buy the patches they had. Most guests seemed to have these in place behind the ear - and this was like a miracle solution for my sister. I just took general motion sickness tablets, and the position midship definitely helped - I would recommend this location on the ship. The only time I saw evidence of strong motion is when all the glasses in the bar slid both ways, and glasses and fruit bowl in our stateroom fell on the floor during the night.

The final stage of our journey was crossing the Drake Passage again to disembark in Ushuaia, nicknamed the city at the end of the world, ready for our flight back to Buenos Aires.

If you are wondering what the crossing is really like, our guide to crossing the Drake Passage for the first time explains what to expect.

We spent a further night in the city, which gave us the opportunity to explore on the morning of our departure day with a visit to the cemetery in Recoleta to see the burial site of Eva Perón, amongst other notable figures in Argentina.

This trip definitely gave me inspiration to travel on another expedition voyage. The Arctic next perhaps. Antarctica felt challenging in the right ways and deeply rewarding.

This type of expedition suits able-bodied travellers of any age. Accessibility is important to consider, as most activities involve zodiac landings and some walking on uneven ground.