this cruise was part of an APT tour to Antartica. A trip of a lifetime. Having read some of the reviews of Le Lyrial I feel the need to set the record straight. The ship is fantastic its Captain Erwan La Rouzic and Crew were extremely professional and certainly helped make the voyage a wonderful experience. The design of the ship made crossing the renowned Drake passage a much more comfortable experience than I thought it would be. The cabins were very well designed and the housekeeping staff did a very good job. The Expedition crew went above and beyond to grab every opportunity for the passengers to experience the real Antartica. Their knowledge and pure excitement when we found whales and seals and penguins certainly made for a great time.The zodiac and shore excursions were fantastic. The dining experience on board could not of been better being a bit of a foodie I am pretty fussy but the food did not disappoint and the wines served with every meal were more than acceptable. We had never heard of the Ponant Line before but it will not be the last time we travel with them. Not being a fan of large cruise ships the size is a great advantage, and they go to places a lot of other cruise ships don't go.