Ponant Explorations
Le Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier, the latest addition to the PONANT Explorers fleet, combines modern design and innovative technologies for an intimate and refined cruise experience.
THE ART OF EXPEDITION
Where refined luxury meets true exploration
Onboard, the atmosphere is contemporary French elegance rather than big-ship spectacle: a single open-seating restaurant, an indoor-outdoor lounge and bar, a spa, an aft sundeck with pool, a retractable marina platform for water activities and a fleet of Zodiacs ready for daily landings. Ponant's expedition cruising is all-inclusive – all meals, an open bar (including Charles Heidsieck as the house champagne), Wi-Fi and shore excursions led by a dedicated expedition team of naturalists and guides are all part of the fare.
Unique Experience
Refined and elegant furnishings
Open to the horizon
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Celebrating the treasures of nature
LIFE AT SEA
Life on board
Intimate, effortless, and deeply connected to the elements. A thoughtful blend of French culinary art, restorative wellness, and wide-open decks built for taking in the landscape.
An essential component of French culture, gastronomy naturally holds a special place on board.
THE SUITES
Staterooms and suites
Designed as private sanctuaries at sea, where soft neutral tones, natural light, and private balconies frame the ever-changing Kimberley coast.
Balcony stateroom
A private 4m² balcony with two armchairs Depending on the stateroom, either a sliding panoramic window or a glass door One king-size bed (180 x 190 cm) or two single beds (90 x 190 cm) A chaise longue A bathroom with shower
Balcony stateroom
A private 4m² balcony with two armchairs Depending on the stateroom, either a sliding panoramic window or a glass door One king-size bed (180 x 190 cm) or two single beds (90 x 190 cm) A chaise longue A bathroom with shower
DAILY EXPERIENCES
A day onboard
Whether on board or on land, every moment transports you to a unique universe, where refinement and wonder punctuate your day.
Start your day at the restaurant or in your cabin with a sweet or savoury breakfast: freshly baked pastries, golden breads of the day, homemade pastry creations, freshly squeezed juices.
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BEYOND THE HORIZON
The luxury of going further
There is a distinct sophistication to travelling with Ponant that unfolds beautifully over time. It is conveyed not through ostentation, but through a serene assurance, the recognition that, in a setting as remarkable as the Kimberley, elegance should harmonise with the natural beauty rather than overshadow it.
What sets Le Jacques Cartier apart is not merely its destinations, but the seamless transition it offers between adventure and indulgence. In an instant, you find yourself captivated by the expedition team's insights as they unveil the geological narrative of one of the planet's most ancient terrains. The next moment, you find yourself gazing at the coastline as it melts into the soft hues of evening light from the deck, or perhaps you step into Blue Eye, PONANT's underwater lounge, where the symphony of the marine world lingers, echoing long after the Zodiac has made its return.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Understanding Le Jacques Cartier Experience
Le Jacques Cartier is operated by Ponant, the French expedition cruise line.
Le Jacques Cartier carries up to 184 guests in 92 staterooms and suites, looked after by a crew of more than 100. She is the smaller of Ponant's two ships in the Kimberley, with 80 fewer guests than Le Soléal.
By Zodiac. Le Jacques Cartier waits in open water while you head off with Ponant's naturalist guides: up a river, across a reef, onto a beach. The tide here can rise and fall by more than 10 metres, so it is the tide, not the clock, that decides when you go. One guided outing per guest is included at every stop.
The Blue Eye is Le Jacques Cartier's underwater lounge. It sits below the waterline, with two large windows shaped like a whale's eyes and the sounds of the sea played into the room. Ponant describes it as the first multi-sensory underwater lounge. What you see through the glass depends on the water that day.
Le Jacques Cartier sails Ponant's Australia's Iconic Kimberley: ten nights between Broome and Darwin, in either direction. Leaving from Broome, you work your way along the coast by way of the Lacepede Islands, Collier Bay, Careening Bay, the Hunter River, Swift Bay, Vansittart Bay and Jar Island and the King George River, with one day at sea before Darwin.
Yes, all three are on Le Jacques Cartier's route. Montgomery Reef and the Horizontal Falls in Talbot Bay come during the two days in Collier Bay, and the King George River, with its twin falls, waits at the eastern end of the voyage. One caveat we always give: on this coast the tide and the weather have the final say, and the route can change on the day.
Le Jacques Cartier has a pool on the aft sundeck, a spa, a fitness room, a panoramic lounge and a theatre where the expedition team gives its lectures. Below the waterline there is the Blue Eye lounge, and at the stern a marina platform that lowers to the water.
Yes. Le Jacques Cartier has an infirmary with a doctor and a nurse on board. It's still worth remembering how remote this coast is: a serious case can mean evacuation by air, which is why we recommend comprehensive travel insurance that covers medical evacuation.
TALK WITH A SPECIALIST
A conversation, not a commitment
Have questions about life on board Le Jacques Cartier or Zodiac excursion logistics? Book a discovery call with a Kimberley specialist to get direct, practical answers grounded in true regional expertise.