Antarctica has been #1 on my "bucket list" for as long as I can remember. Le Soleal and its crew made the Antarctic a one of a kind experience. From the captain's greeting as we boarded the ship to the ship itself, the crew, the food, the shore excursions and more, I will always remember my visit to Antarctica. If you choose to venture so far south, go with Ponant. You won't regret it!

Prior to the cruise we had been warned that setting foot on the continent might not ne possible given ice. My goal was to set foot on it at least once and I would die a happy cruiser. Not only did we landed once, but we did so nine more times. Unlike other cruises, the captain had the freedom to change the itinerary to capture the best weather, the stay within sighting distance of a pod of Orcas, and maneuver us among magnificent icebergs. We saw tens of thousands of penguins as well as elephant seal, whales and Orcas. The knowledgeable crew gave daily lectures on the birds, mammals, penguins, and types of ice we would see.

And the fine touches were the icing on the cake. One day our zodiac rounded the side of an iceberg where we were greeting by crew in another zodiac with champagne. Read more