Ponant’s Icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot Embarks on Historic First Winter Cruise Along the St. Lawrence River

An icebreaker cruise ship has embarked on its inaugural winter voyage along the St. Lawrence River as of January 17, 2025, offering a unique experience to explore Canada’s winter landscape. This journey signifies a notable achievement in winter tourism, as it is the first international passenger cruise ship to operate on the waterway during the winter months.

The ship, Le Commandant Charcot, owned by Ponant, has a capacity for 245 passengers and is crewed by 215 members. Previously known for its polar expeditions to areas like Antarctica, this marks its first winter cruise through Quebec’s waterways. Approximately 150 passengers, mainly from francophone European countries, the UK, and the USA, boarded from St Pierre and Miquelon, a French territory situated near Newfoundland. The cruise’s itinerary includes a visit to Cap-aux-Meules in the Iles-de-la-Madeleine archipelago.

Promoting an immersive Canadian winter experience, the voyage includes activities like snowshoeing in Forillon National Park, ice fishing, and snowmobiling in La Baie (Saguenay). Passengers are also offered experiences such as skating in Old Quebec City and engaging with Mi’kmaq and Innu cultures through specially organized excursions.

Le Commandant Charcot is set to run four additional winter voyages through March, with its final itinerary concluding in Iceland after stops in Greenland. The ship is designed to minimize environmental impact by utilizing battery power in ecologically sensitive regions.

The current itinerary includes a stop at the Gaspe Peninsula on Tuesday, with further visits scheduled in Sept-Iles and La Baie in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean by Thursday, before concluding in Quebec City at the end of January.

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