CWORLDWIDE EXPEDITION CRUISES PONANT EXPLORATIONS’ Epic Ross Sea Expedition aboard Le Soléal Designed for those who seek the sublime, this voyage blends pioneering exploration with refined luxury. Le Soléal — PONANT EXPLORATIONS’ sleek expeditionclass vessel — navigates through pack ice and past towering tabular icebergs en route to the vast Ross Ice Shelf — the largest floating body of ice on Earth. The itinerary reads like a polar dream: visits to the historic huts of Shackleton and Scott, encounters with Adélie and emperor penguins, and landings at Cape Adare, Terra Nova Bay, and Franklin Island. Each moment is enriched by onboard experts — glaciologists, marine biologists, and polar historians — whose insights deepen the experience and awaken a sense of reverence. Beneath the awe-inspiring vistas, daily rhythms are practical and purposeful: dawn Zodiacs that slip into iceberg-scattered channels, guided snowshoe walks across blue-rimmed floes, and evening briefings that translate field observations into lasting understanding. Scientific engagement is more than windowdressing — passengers may assist researchers with sightings, photographic records and non-invasive sampling, while lectures and small-group discussions illuminate polar processes, climate signals and the ethics of exploration. Safety and responsiveness underpin every landing, with experienced expedition teams and modern rue 16 TO THE EDGE OF THE MAP There are journeys that redefine the horizon—and PONANT EXPLORATIONS’ Epic Ross Sea cruise is one of them. Venturing deep into Antarctica’s most remote reaches, this extraordinary expedition aboard Le Soléal offers a rare passage into the mythic Ross Sea, a region steeped in polar legend and untouched majesty. | Wild Horizons Magazine - Winter 2026 ©StudioPONANT / Morgane Lanco
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