In an historic first for an international cruise line, a Ponant exploration ship will sail the Saint Lawrence and visit several destinations in Quebec this winter.
Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot, a French-registered exploration vessel and ice-breaker, set sail from French-owned Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon on 17JAN for the first of five winter sailings.
The ship is slated to stop in Cap-aux-Meules in Îles-de-la-Madeleine, as well as Gaspé, Sept-Îles, La Baie (Saguenay) and Québec City, where passengers will disembark.
'These winter cruises aboard Le Commandant Charcot, completely unprecedented in nature, open the door to a new and unique experience, offering exceptional moments for our guests,' said Hervé Gastinel, CEO of Ponant Explorations Group. “We feel a deep connection to the Saint Lawrence region, which our ships have been visiting every summer for many years.”
“Cruise the Saint Lawrence is extremely proud of this North American premiere. Winter in Québec comes replete with wonders aplenty and passengers will have occasion to immerse themselves fully in our Nordic culture, marvel at our scenic splendour and engage in winter activities unique to the region,” said René Trépanier, Executive Director of Cruise the Saint Lawrence.
"This world premiere event aligns to perfection with our strategy to position the Saint Lawrence as an upmarket winter tourism destination ripe with a superlative blend of snowscapes, culture and Indigenous offerings ‒ all in a single region.”
The five Le Commandant Charcot voyages will last from 12 to 15 nights and take place from now until early March.
Seatrade Cruise said embarkation and disembarkation operations will be shared between Québec and Saint-Pierre-et Miquelon, while Saint Lawrence ports of call will welcome visitors with multiple, specially curated shore excursions and activities designed to ensure long-to-be-remembered experiences.
“These may include an electric assist bike adventure, a hike along the cliffs at Fatima in Îles-de-la-Madeleine, a snowshoe trek in Forillon National Park, an initiation into Mi’kmaq culture at Gaspé, an introduction to Innu traditions at Sept-Îles, an ice fishing or electric snowmobile adventure at La Baie (Saguenay) an ice skating Old Québec.”
