Le Boreal
Le Boreal: Exotic expeditions on a luxury yacht
Snapshot
A mega-yacht with 132 cabins, Le Boreal from France-based cruise line Ponant offers voyages that blend luxury and intimacy with well-being and discovery.
Superior materials and an elegant, tasteful décor combine to give off a subtle nautical mood. On board, crew members offer solicitous attention, giving guests the sense that they're sailing on their own private yacht.
Language spoken on board, you ask? English and French. The crew is bilingual, with many service staff from Asia.
Who will like sailing on Le Boreal
Le Boreal is best suited to those who want a relaxed yet chic, upscale environment that is more akin to a yacht than a traditional cruise ship. Foodies and those who enjoy smart, attentive service will like Le Boreal. The ship's wide-ranging itineraries make this a good choice for adventure-minded seafarers.
Cruise Critic adds: "Clientele varies dramatically according to the season, with younger families traveling during European school holidays and older couples attracted to the longer cruises to more remote locations."
Where Le Boreal sails
Le Boreal calls on ports in smaller towns and cities. Choose a cruise from Nome, Alaska, to Vancouver, BC, with stops in the beautiful Katmai National Park and Preserve and some of the Aleutian Islands. Or, view the Northern Lights on a cruise from Bergen to Longyearbyen, Norway. Argentina, the Panama Canal, Lisbon, Portugal, Greenland, Scandinavia, Alaska and Tahiti are among the highlights. Le Boreal offers some epic itineraries.
An all-inclusive experience
Here is what is included in your fare: all drinks, table wine for lunch and dinner, bottled mineral water, port charges, and Zodiac excursions when the ship operates special expedition-style cruises.
Here is what is not included: gratuities, Wi-Fi and spa treatments.
Accommodations
Of the 132 staterooms, there are three Prestige Suites, while 40 of the 94 deluxe cabins can be combined into 20 larger suites, each with two bathrooms and a separate living area and bedroom. All cabinetry is of elegant dark wood.
Each deluxe and standard cabin has a large ocean-view window, two beds that convert to a queen-size bed and a vanity desk. Rooms include a TV set, DVD player, refrigerator, and personal safe, mini-bar, hair dryer, and French bathroom products. Bathrooms sport marble appointments.
Your take
Have you cruised on Le Boreal? What was the highlight? We'd love to hear about your experience.
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Interested in a cruise on this ship?
If you're interested in a cruise on Le Boreal, contact a Cruiseable travel advocate at 1-877-322-3773 or by email. You'll get a better deal than you can get by contacting the cruise line directly.
Fast facts
Overheard
“Le Boreal is best suited to young-minded couples and singles who want sophisticated facilities in a relaxed but chic yacht-like environment quite different than most cruise ships, with very good food and decent service.”
