Inuits, Ice & Intrigue: Ponant's Le Commandant Charcot in East Greenland Cruise Review

We were then fitted for our polar parkas, a quick and easy process, before enjoying a welcome drink in the Scandi-stye Observation Lounge with its sprawling deck across the front of the ship and its comfortable, curved sofas in tones of muted blues and greys; this became a popular place over the week for pre- and post-dinner drinks.

This evening it was time for our first dinner in the buffet Grill Restaurant Sila, on deck 9 with a casual dress code; you can expect a lavish spread offering everything from curries, woks and noodles to fresh fish and sushi, beef carpaccio and poke bowls, and for dessert it was hard to resist the spread each night, offering the likes of chocolate mousse, fruit salad and an ice cream bar, as well as traditional French desserts such as mille-feuille, pear tarte tatin and much more. The second restaurant Nuna's menu on deck 5 is curated by none other than Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse and offers a more refined atmosphere with an à la carte menu and a smarter dress code, offering multi-course, fine French dining - think lobster, lamb shank, caviar, veal and more; this is where the three Gala Dinners were held. Both restaurants are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and of course there's also 24-hour room service with a separate menu. Regarding dress code it's worth mentioning that throughout the cruise, although Ponant's dress code online suggests 'elegant, casual clothes' during the day, guests were certainly much more on the side of casual including at dinner, with lots of outdoor gear, fleeces, trainers, etc - everyone is here for an expedition, after all!

To top off our first day, our dinner was happily interrupted by Captain Daher announcing humpback whales breaching on starboard side as we sailed away from the sun-dappled mountains of Reykjavik - a sign of the incredible experiences that were to come...

During our first sea day we were welcomed and introduced to the expedition team and Eli who alongside his girlfriend Arien are the Expedition Leaders on board Le Commandant Charcot. We started to get an insight into the unique journey we were embarking on - even the Danish Navy don't go this far north during this time of year! Today we also got the briefing for all the available activities for the week ahead and everything we needed to know such as what to wear and bring - everyone had lots of questions! We then took the chance to attend some lectures, learning about the Ammasalik region we were heading to and the unique nature of the ship itself, such as the fact that it's capable of pushing through ice ridges of 13 metres and through 2.5 metres of pack ice - pretty incredible.

The team made sure guests were prepared in the knowledge that all could change in a second and the importance of remembering we are on a fluid itinerary. As was repeated each day by Eli, 'if the weather, ice and wildlife allows'! The weather can change quite literally every hour. Eli also showed us a map of the different areas of ice, showing us which areas we'd be sailing among and which are attached to fjords (fast ice) - the most precious ice for wildlife. Some guests expressed concern about breaking through fast ice but Eli emphasised that the ship would only ever use it for anchoring. Le Commandant Charcot only breaks through drifting ice that is melting anyway and going south - 30 minutes later, often the current will move and cover our tracks, so there is no impact. The ice from the North Pole also gets released earlier now due to climate change, pushing the ice down to east Greenland which now has thicker ice earlier, meaning ice navigation is more unpredictable than ever.

Throughout the cruise, Ponant managed the French/English aspect fantastically - often lectures started in English in fact as some of the expedition team could not speak French - so this aspect isn't something potential guests should give a second thought! We enjoyed our first buffet lunch in Sila today which includes an extensive salad bar alongside a whole array of dishes, and we loved the Outdoor Grill which featured the likes of Greenlandic halibut, steak, carvery meats, and veggie options.

We were also fitted for our boots - you are given a number and group colour and then swap your slippers when heading outdoors - a very quick and easy process throughout the cruise and we were never waiting longer than a couple of minutes. Today's sea day meant we had time to sample the spa - and throughout the trip, it never seemed busy - we wondered where everyone was! We often had the indoor pool, sauna (which offers 180-degree views of the ice-covered landscapes outside) and snow room to ourselves - the latter perhaps because I am in the minority as a Scandinavian who finds this appealing! To counteract all the food and drink on board, we loved the spa's Detox Bar with detox tea, juices and smoothies and visited most days - my daily favourite became the carrot, ginger and apple juice, which felt nice and healthy against all the chocolate and champagne!

Tonight was the first Captain's Gala Dinner and some guests took the chance to dress up, but there were only a few tuxes and full-on evening wear - most women were in simple dresses and men in chinos and shirts. After a welcome from the captain we got an insight into why Ponant is famous for its food as we indulged in a mushroom truffle dish, cod with pumpkin, scallops, lobster and cheesecake accompanied by a crisp Chardonnay. In both Sila and Nuna for lunch there are two reds, two whites and a rosé to choose from, while at dinner there's one of each, as well as champagne, cocktails, whisky, and all other alcohol except the premium list included throughout.

Our Expedition Leader Eli had informed us earlier that himself or the captain may interrupt dinner, wake us up in the middle of the night, and so forth if something exciting arises - which we experienced at 4.45am the following morning! Over the tannoy the captain announced 'dear guests, sorry to wake you up, but you simply must look outside - we are arriving in the Ammasalik region to a most beautiful sunrise. Welcome to paradise.' We stepped outside on our balcony and my jaw quite literally dropped, as we were faced with a landscape that has to be seen to be believed - giant, glimmering ice floes packed in so tightly you could barely see the sea peeking through, framed by huge snow-topped mountains as the glow of the sunrise enveloped the landscape in gentle haze. It was completely silent bar the gentle hum of the ship breaking through the ice, and it's a moment that'll stay with me for a long time!

The next day, after the helicopter had scouted the area - which it did each day to look at the ice ahead and check for any wildlife - we arrived at our first stop! Tasiilaq, the 'capital' of east Greenland, is home to 2,000 people - which gives you an idea of the tiny scale of the east versus west Greenland, whose capital Nuuk is home to 20,000! Some guests disembarked in Zodiacs to explore Tasiilaq on two-hour guided walks or alternatively headed on a 'polar hike' which we opted for. Splitting into three groups for the hike, with walking poles given for those who needed them, we were handed crampons - which made us wonder what we were in for! But we needn't have worried, they remained firmly in our rucksacks.

This was our first taste of the incredible landscapes of the Ammasalik region as we traversed across snowy glaciers and up gently ascending mountains, spotting brown skuas and ptarmigans - and although our guide Ludo carried a rifle, polar bears are incredibly rare to spot near Tasiilaq due to them being hunted here. We then descended through the ice for magnificent views of glaciers, ice floes and volcanic rock, wrapped in atmospheric fog as we took in the scene of the ship and Tasiilaq below.

Later we explored Tasiilaq with a guided walk with one of the Ponant Expedition Team, Greenlandic guide and Tasiilaq local Jakkusaq, who showed us around, explaining how hunting and fishing is how most people make a living - fishing is increasingly more popular than hunting as the halibut industry is growing at an exponential rate and is far more lucrative than hunting. Animal lovers, be prepared as usually you can see dead polar bears and seals hanging to dry, but a national holiday meant most places were closed. As we walked among the colourful museums, church and shops - the different colours traditionally coordinated with different careers such as blue for fishermen, green for engineers, but now they simply stick to it for tradition's sake - some guests expressed concern at the ship arriving to this remote community and the impact on locals, but the team assured us it's overwhelmingly positive due to the tourism it brings as well as the fresh palettes of food, as the locals can't access fresh fruit or veg during the winter, and Le Commandant Charcot is the first ship that can bring it to them come May! Back on board Inuit Tobias from Tasiilaq showed us polar bear furs, seal skins, and traditional kayaks used for hunting and fishing which was fascinating. Each day Ponant offered a 4pm afternoon tea and we were always excited to see what they would come up with, and today was freshly-sliced braseola with sangria and a shot of gazpacho!

We were informed by Eli that our plan to go into Sermilik fjord was scuppered the next morning due to there being too much ice and because a narwhal, which is incredibly sensitive to noise, was spotted, so we were instead heading to Ammasalik fjord - as always, the weather, wildlife and ice rules the roost! As the weather was rainy but calm, two of the kayaking groups were able to head out but not all (all the information is given in the daily programme the night before, but even then it may change on the day - fluidity of guests, as always, is key).

For those not kayaking we headed out on Zodiacs to the tiny village of Kuummiit, home to 200 people with our guide Julien, who himself moved to Greenland 18 years ago from France and lives in a village of just 29 people. He was fascinating and explained in detail about the ice, wildlife and way of life here, such as the incredibly changeable nature of the weather - just the week before it had been 4 degrees cooler and snowing rather than raining and the group were able to walk straight off the ice as opposed to exploring on Zodiacs.

Despite the weather we loved being out on deck taking photos of the ship crashing through the ice as we left the fjord in the afternoon, and throughout the cruise we saw guests out on the open decks whatever the weather - it truly is spectacular just witnessing the ship crush enormous ice floes and bergs; the best view being from the helipad, which was open almost all the time apart from when the helicopter was landing in the early morning or evening. After warming up with a dip in the warm saltwater Blue Lagoon (at the back of deck 9 in the Inneq outdoor restaurant) - very atmospheric surrounded by fog and ice! - we played games in the Observation Lounge and enjoyed a chat to the captain who was incredibly friendly and built a fantastic rapport with guests. My husband was overjoyed when he discovered during our evening turndown that our daily sweet treat was today a traditional French cannouuelle, his favourite!

The next morning we spotted the expedition team putting down hydrophones to listen under the ice, and driving on their snowmobiles measuring the thickness of ice, with the helicopter also up checking. We took the chance to visit the bridge, something we did nearly everyday during the cruise. Situated on deck 8, a green sign on the front of the door signalled guests were welcome, and only once did we see the sign red. Often the Expedition Leader and members of the Expedition Team were here, as well as the captain of course, and they were always so helpful and patient answering all of our endless questions. We then got the green light to explore on the ice; the plan was to stay here for two days here in the hard-to-pronounce Qenertevartiavit, and so we geared up ready to go! Those who were doing the 'polar raid', a two-day, one-night camping and snowshoeing trek, also headed out - it was unfortunately fully booked with a long waiting list so booking early is essential if you're keen for this experience, which the guests who experienced it assured us was mind-blowing. We had a couple of hours to walk around and explore around the perimeter of the ice (this is marked out), and being surrounded by the vast landscape of ice floes, icebergs and snow-topped mountains with not a gust of wind under a bright blue sky was simply incredible, including watching Inuits ice fishing near which a crowd gathered around a Greenland shark, which the Inuits were annoyed to have caught! The shark can live up to 500 years old and is toxic when eaten if not rotten for weeks to allow to ammonia to amass, so nothing they could eat or sell which is the main priority for Inuits when they hunt and fish.

With time before our dog sledding we opted to try out Nuna for an à la carte lunch accompanied by the scene of sun-dappled mountains through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and I must say it was a step up. We indulged in a fantastic Iberico pork with chimichurri and melt-in-the-mouth tuna tataki which paired perfectly with a Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris blend - finishing with what my husband commended as the 'best rice pudding he has ever had'! As someone who usually isn't a fan of the dish even I was converted...I don't know how they did it!

Then, in the distance, we heard the yelp of three packs of Greenland dogs! Six mushers had travelled for two days from three local villages to meet us and the dogs were desperately barking and yelping, they were so eager to run. Six groups went out at a time on slightly different routes; we met our musher and the four of us settled on the sled and I sat the front meaning I got a fantastic view. The experience was rather unnerving at first as the dogs bashed into each other and got their legs caught in the ropes, however once they got their groove it was really quite relaxing as our musher led the dogs over the ice, the only sound their panting and the gentle whipping (of the snow next to the dogs, which stops them fighting) and whistling of the musher, for a magical hour I'll never forget. As we returned, we were greeted with the sultry tones of an opera singer up on the deck and afternoon tea on the ice - a giant Baked Alaska and a glass of hot Glögg - traditional Nordic mulled wine!

Later once everyone had headed back inside the weather remained glorious and so the team had prepared another surprise as all guests stepped out onto the ice for champagne and caviar accompanied by a saxophonist, with a wonderfully convivial atmosphere as everyone mingled on the ice under the sun. This evening was another highlight as we attended a Q&A with Jakkusaq, Julien and Tobias about life in Greenland, everyone was fascinated and the hour simply wasn't enough! Later that evening, we sat out on the balcony - bright sunshine still at 11pm - taking in the utter stillness of the pack ice surrounded by the towering mountains. The remoteness of where we were hit home and we felt privileged to be in such a location.

Our second day in Qenertervartivit awarded us with another day of amazing weather as we excitedly got ready for kayaking (all the gear - dry suit, lifejacket, and crocs - was laid out outside our cabins the night before) - and an early start meant we took the chance to enjoy a room-service breakfast of hot and freshly prepared pancakes and delicious omelettes. After walking to the edge of the ice floe for a brief explanation of how to steer the kayaks, we enjoyed a magical one-and-a-half hours gently paddling, a guide at the front and back, as we weaved between icebergs and floes, the water like a lake and edged by mountains that reflected off the mirror-like surface of the fjord. Our guide told us only approximately one in 20 groups have such weather so we felt very lucky indeed! On our way back we spotted a group enjoying meditation on the ice with the onboard fitness coach; there were various classes available between two and four times a day such as morning walks on deck, aqua aerobics, Pilates, and stretching classes. We visited the gym a couple of times and it was never busy; it was small but had everything you need with running machines, ellipticals, rowing machine, bikes, weights and mats. As the weather was so beautiful we enjoyed an al fresco lunch, and with truffle fondue and rosé served, the vibe was akin to a French ski resort!

It was then time for the infamous polar plunge. Held on the edge of the ice with a tent and platform set up, those not taking part gathered behind or on the ship - we were group 1 and I was pleased to get it over with! Tethered to one of the Expedition Team who was a coldwater expert, we all took it in turns one by one. Choosing to submerge or immerse, I chose to jump, and there was nothing quite like the shock of the -0.5 degree water - I struggled to make a sound for a few seconds! However after getting out the feeling was just euphoric, with everyone cheering us on, and warming up with a Baileys hot chocolate.

We popped into the Ponant Studio later that day, where guests can go everyday to flick through the professional pictures the photography team have taken; we ended up buying three photos at the end of the trip and there's also the chance to buy the 'best of the best' photos and a movie of the cruise at the end of the voyage. Ponant often have additional photographers and naturalists on board and our cruise hosted National Geographic photographer and naturalist Santiago Ramirez who held useful lectures about improving photos taken with a phone; he was always dotted about the ship helping guests with their photos and also ran an amateur photo competition of which he announced the results at the end of the cruise - great fun!

Later that day was time for the black and white themed Officer's Evening where guests could choose to sit with one of the officers on their table. Only about a quarter of the guests went for a full tux, most had more smart casual outfits, but we enjoyed the chance to dress up! After drinks and mingling in the lobby of deck 5 we enjoyed a delicious scallop ceviche, gnocchi, and salmon wellington as the ship sailed back to Tasiilaq to pick up the Greenlandic performers who hadn't been able to board the ship a couple of days before due to the weather. We were treated to a stirring performance of a Greenlandic choir singing and traditional drumming and it was a fantastic way to end the day.

As we sailed to our penultimate destination the following day we enjoyed a talk with Mathieu Petiteau, Ponant's previous Chief Engineer and now Newbuilding and R&D Director who gave us a fascinating insight into the process for Le Commandant Charcot to launch, its power sources and how exactly it crushes the ice. Eli then let us know we were about to arrive in the Blosseville Coast, a place that few people ever get the chance to visit - and with no communities, there was a good chance that we may come across the King of the Arctic: a polar bear!

It was then time for the most extravagant brunch I've ever had! Starting with detox juices or champagne, we were treated to a lavish buffet of lobster, all manner of other seafood, freshly-carved beef, a foie gras station, and a huge dessert station - for me, the croissant, smoked salmon, rocket and parmesan dish was a favourite! Much as this sort of holiday offers the chance to switch off from reality, one thing to note is that the included WiFi was excellent and super quick throughout the cruise - my husband even managed to watch the Europa League Final this day on his laptop much to my dismay! Sadly we missed out on visiting the science lab today, where there are up to 22 scientists collecting data about the polar regions during cruises on Le Commandant Charcot; a maximum of 12 people were allowed to visit and it filled up within just half an hour! So if you're interested in this, book a place as soon as you can.

This afternoon was one of the best lectures we attended with Julien, who explained in detail how hunting works in Greenland, from which animals they hunt (such as polar bears, whales, seals and more) to the strict quotas, to the repercussions of breaking these quotas. Some guests expressed concern about polar bear hunting but on average only 170 a year are killed and there are around 25,000 in the Arctic (and only in Greenland are they allowed to be hunted) and it's incredibly strict - in fact, he told us the story of an entire region getting banned from hunting for five years after two hunters illegally killed a whale and went over their assigned quotas.

This evening after a rather lavish afternoon tea of champagne, caviar and ice cold vodka shots, several guests took the opportunity to have dinner with one of the naturalists and as we enjoyed sushi platters the captain announced that as we had just hit another milestone - crossing the Arctic Circle! Later that evening as we were just about asleep, the captain's voice came over the tannoy at half past midnight to inform us we had arrived at Blosseville Coast and to head to deck 9 for the sunset. This incredible scene of thick ice as far as the eye could see with the pink sun peeking behind the mountains as we stood outside with several other guests in their pyjamas and parkas taking photos was yet another pinch me moment that we felt so lucky to be experiencing.

The next day we awoke to a blue-sky day, the mountains crystal-clear in the reflection of the water and an enormous 24km-wide glacier beyond - and Eli announced a polar bear had been spotted on the ice! The lectures planned were all cancelled and off we went in our groups in Zodiacs, slowly approaching the polar bear from the water, remaining 100 metres away as he slept on the ice, everyone in silence as we took in this once-in-a-lifetime moment. Back on board we spotted a second bear swimming to try and hunt a seal, watching through the amazingly clear Swarovski binoculars on deck 9.

After lunch, the captain had been inching closer to the polar bear over the afternoon, but once at a distance of 100 metres became stationary due to AECO rules of respecting the bear's environment. We all continued to watch, expecting him to walk away, but then, incredibly, he slowly walked towards the ship and ended up right next to us, curiously sniffing, standing on his hind legs, and inquisitively looking at the ship - he even reached and touched the hull! The whole ship was in complete silence, the sound of cameras clicking the only noise as we watched for about half an hour; afterwards even the expedition team were high-fiving each other, as this was so rare to get so close. An absolute life highlight!

Later that day we headed for the waffle and hot chocolate station in the glorious sunshine on the heated seats of the Inneq Bar before another surprise announcement that we'd be able to enjoy guided walks before limoncello spritzes and foccaccia on the ice! Quickly getting changed we headed out in groups on 45-minute walks on the ice - the snow was much deeper today and melting, but walking poles were given out to make it easier for guests. Traversing among the huge icebergs was incredible, we even heard a momumental crack coming from one of the bergs and then saw a giant crack in the ice which was slightly unnerving!

Our final day of exploration arrived and yet another polar bear! All the guests were up on deck 9 looking out through the binoculars before we headed out on our final Zodiac ride among the icebergs, but sadly the bear couldn't be seen behind the rocks he was sleeping behind. As we gently rode among the historic basaltic lava flows, we saw black guillemots, ptarmigans, and black kittiwates before a final surprise, as our guide opened up champagne to toast our final Zodiac cruise! This afternoon another polar bear was spotted, but further away this time - so a total of four on this trip! We spent time out on deck taking it all in before relaxing in the spa; I enjoyed a fantastic massage among a choice of six different options tailored to individual needs. The Outdoor Grill today was another foodie highlight of truffle and potato gratin and fresh Greenlandic halibut, and we enjoyed some very interesting lectures about whales and polar bears with the onboard naturalists before getting ready for our final Captain's Gala Dinner. We all toasted to an incredible trip and the captain gave us a final farewell speech.

On our final sea day as we headed back to Reykjavik, among the packing we took the chance to relax in the sauna - and as if to send us off on our final goodbye, we saw a pod of abut 10 orcas including babies feeding! We watched them for hours (after getting out of the sauna of course) and once again we couldn't believe how lucky we were, the cherry on top of a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

During the final briefing with Eli as he talked us through everything we'd seen and done, we really loved and resonated with his final message that he wanted us to have a 'personal relationship with the Arctic, sea ice and polar bears' and to 'be ambassadors for the Arctic and polar regions'. I can safely say all the guests felt the same as we disembarked the next morning, a hint of bittersweet sadness but overwhelmingly a feeling of gratitude. My husband and I cannot stop waxing lyrical about this trip and I'm not sure we want to! The memories of the wildlife, the landscapes, and the complete sense of utter remoteness - all juxtaposed with the ultra-luxurious and yet incredible technological innovations of the ship - are something we won't forget for a long, long time. If you are considering an Arctic cruise to Greenland please do not hesitate - I guarantee you'll have the trip of a lifetime.