When it comes to exquisite cuisine and beverages, Ponant employs the greatest chefs and mixologists to satisfy every guest's palate. In partnership with 21 Michelin Star holder, Alain Ducasse, Ponant serves innovative cuisine fleetwide, delighting your sense of taste.
We ate like royalty aboard Le Commandant Charcot, enjoying caviar and truffles daily served with almost every meal. Ponant may have a high price point for travelers, but they don't cut corners when it comes to luxury, especially while dining.
Unlike other cruise companies, Ponant is all-inclusive with no hidden costs or fees. Every restaurant onboard Le Commandant Charcot is included in your vacation, including room service. If you prefer top-shelf spirits, you will have to pay out of pocket, however, there are plenty of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages that are included during your stay.
I have gathered photos of daily menus as well as beverage menus to share what you might expect to eat during your stay with Ponant. Not only will you enjoy your travels on land during excursions, but you will also find joy in experiencing a culinary adventure onboard.
No worries if you have any dietary restrictions, Ponant serves vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free options with labeled menu items for easy ordering.
Beverage Menus
There are a total of three bars onboard Le Commandant Charcot: Main Lounge on Deck 5 Mid, Panoramic Lounge on Deck 9 Forward, and Inneq Bar on Deck 9 Aft. You may also enjoy fine whiskey inside the Cigar Lounge on Deck 5 Mid, for a fee. Nuna Gastronomic has their own drink menu, perfect to pair with dinner.
Shown here is the beverage menu in the Panoramic Lounge. (You may click on the images for an enhanced view)
We typically enjoyed cocktails mid-day after a long excursion and with dinner, having sampled every cocktail that was included during our stay. The only time we purchased a drink out-of-pocket was a glass of whiskey while enjoying a cigar inside the Cigar Lounge.
When we were not attending science and photography lectures, we spent the majority of our time enjoying fresh smoothies and hot tea at the Relaxation Area and Detox Bar, located on Deck 9 Mid. Because our ship only had 70 guests out of a possible 245, we had the entire bar to ourselves, only seeing two other people once out of the two-week trip. Because we were the only ones visiting the Detox Bar, it was easy to order every item on the menu. Our barista knew us by name, offered us multiple drinks upon ordering, and even allowed us to customize our own blends. I can't promise that you will have the same experience, but we truly loved our private, one on one visit to the Detox Bar.
We enjoyed our fair share of smoothies and freshly squeezed juices every day, sometimes for breakfast and/or a mid-day snack. We visited at least once a day and sometimes more, choosing the healthier alternative than drinking cocktails. Some of our favorite go-to blends were: The Amma, The Oriental, The Soothing, and The Refreshing.
Lunch and Dinner Menus
Le Commandant Charcot has one main dining room, Nuna Gastronomic located on Deck 5 Aft, one buffet, Sila located on Deck 9 Mid, and an outside grill, Inneq Bar located on Deck 9 Aft. Nuna Gastronomic and Sila are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner while Inneq Bar is open for lunch and has a permanent menu. If you would like to read more about these restaurants in depth, head on over to "Exploring Antarctica with Ponant: A glimpse of Le Commandant Charcot."
Eggs Benedict for breakfast inside Nuna. Often times, eggs were served with caviar.
We only ate at the buffet once, after realizing what we were missing out on at Nuna Gastronomic. Though the buffet and Inneq are convenient and quick (and the Poke Bowl at Inneq was so incredibly refreshing and flavorful), we favored Nuna's delightful cuisine. The meals during lunch were beautifully prepared and delectable.
Examples of lunch shown left to right: 1. Pan-seared gnocchi with vegetables stuffed piquillos 2. Pesto fettuccine pasta 3. Cannelloni pasta with beef marmalade and olives 4. Beef gravlax with tender herbs pasta topped with marinated egg yolk and croutons 5. Beef tagliata with taggiasche olives, pesto, and parmesan 6. Creamy red wine risotto with Corsican crispy pancetta and parmesan tuile.
Ponant changes their lunch and dinner menus daily with a few permanent options so that everyone can find something to enjoy. However, I highly suggest sticking with the changing menu and being adventurous by trying the grilled octopus, duck foie gras, or other unique items that you may not get back at home!
We enjoyed ourselves during this trip and we each ordered a soup, entree (appetizer), main, and dessert every night. By sharing each of our choices, we were able to explore the menu and enjoy all of the delicious fare.
You can view the daily menus via the Ponant app (download before going aboard) or on the television screens next to the restaurants before making your decision on where to eat for lunch and dinner.
(You may click on the images for an enhanced view)
Examples of dinner shown left to right: 1. Prawn and vegetable ravioli with carrot and ginger sauce 2. Duck foie gras with fig jelly and brioche 3. Sea scallops, spinach cream, Kristal caviar, and poutargue 4. Seared venison fillet with seasonal veggies and fruit, peppered sauce 5. Creamy morel mushroom risotto 6. Grilled octopus and beetroot
At the end of your meal, don't feel guilty saying "yes" to the amazing dessert options. Afterall, it is vacation and Nuna is a gourmet restaurant that uses premium ingredients in all of their dishes. So go ahead and indulge on all of the savory and sweet foods onboard Le Commandant Charcot, you won't regret it.
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