WORLD’S ONLY LUXURY ICEBREAKER MAKES AUSSIE DEBUT AS PONANT UNVEILS FULL ANTARCTIC CIRCUMNAVIGATION
Le Commandant Charcot has made her first call to Hobart, as PONANT EXPLORATIONS announces an unprecedented 62-day circumnavigation of Antarctica for 2028.
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Hobart has welcomed a world-first in polar exploration, with the arrival of Le Commandant Charcot, the only luxury icebreaker operating anywhere on the planet.
The next-generation expedition vessel docked in Tasmania on February 14, marking her inaugural call to Australia and concluding a landmark half-circumnavigation of Antarctica.
Sailing from Ushuaia, the vessel traversed rarely visited regions of East Antarctica, including Adélie Land, Wilkes Land, the Shackleton Ice Shelf and Queen Mary Land, before arriving in Hobart.
The milestone underscores Tasmania’s position as a key global gateway to Antarctica and coincides with the unveiling of one of the most ambitious commercial polar voyages ever announced.
PONANT EXPLORATIONS has opened bookings for a full Antarctic Circumnavigation in early 2028, a 62-day, 23,000-kilometre journey that will see Le Commandant Charcot sail around the entire White Continent at the height of the austral summer.
Departing Ushuaia in January 2028, the voyage will unfold in two phases, with a pivotal stopover in Hobart before the vessel continues eastward back to South America.
Guests will navigate some of the most inaccessible coastlines on Earth, including the Ross Sea, the world’s largest marine sanctuary, as well as Charcot Island, Marie Byrd Land, Wilkes Land, Adélie Land and the remote Balleny Islands.
Captain Stanislas Devorsine, one of four captains of Le Commandant Charcot and a veteran of the Southern Ocean, described the Australian debut as a significant personal and professional milestone.
“This is a deeply personal moment for me. I spent many years in Hobart and had the privilege of commanding L’Astrolabe for a decade, at the heart of the long-standing French-Australian collaboration in Antarctica.
“When PONANT EXPLORATIONS launched this project in 2018, I was proud to share my icebreaker experience as Le Commandant Charcot was being designed. To stand here today, on board this extraordinary ship, is truly a fantastic moment,” Captain Devorsine said.
He added that the forthcoming circumnavigation marks a defining chapter in modern polar exploration.
“For more than twenty years, I dreamed of circumnavigating Antarctica. From my earliest days with PONANT EXPLORATIONS, I’ve been deeply connected to that vision.
“Today, seeing Le Commandant Charcot poised to complete a full circumnavigation of the White Continent isn’t just a milestone for us, it’s a turning point in the story of modern polar exploration,” he said.
Delivered in 2021, Le Commandant Charcot is the only passenger vessel in the world with a PC2-class hull, enabling navigation through multi-year ice up to 2.5 metres thick.
Powered by hybrid-electric propulsion using liquefied natural gas, the 245-guest vessel pairs technical capability with a refined onboard experience, including a 1:1 guest-to-crew ratio, gastronomy by Alain Ducasse, and dedicated onboard scientific laboratories supporting research in marine biology and polar ecosystems.
Following her Australian debut, the vessel departed Hobart on February 17, continuing her programme via the French Southern and Antarctic Lands en route to Cape Town.
For luxury travellers seeking the rarest form of expedition cruising, the 2028 circumnavigation represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to retrace the routes of Shackleton, Scott, Amundsen and Jean-Baptiste Charcot, aboard a vessel designed to redefine what is possible in Antarctica.
For Central Element, the start of work at Pearl represents another step in the company’s growing eastern suburbs pipeline.
All three vehicles will form part of a broader charitable initiative benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the American Red Cross and Starlight Children’s Foundation
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Avani will make its New Zealand debut in September with a lakefront hotel in Queenstown, adding a contemporary lifestyle option to one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most competitive luxury resort markets.
Avani Queenstown is being positioned as the brand’s New Zealand flagship. Its Lake Wakatipu setting gives guests direct access to the scenery that drives the destination while keeping the restaurants, bars and adventure operators of central Queenstown close at hand.
The timing is significant for Australian travellers. A September opening arrives as the ski season gives way to spring hiking, cycling and wine touring, allowing the hotel to establish itself before the peak summer period.
Queenstown’s appeal has broadened beyond adrenaline tourism. Private aviation, high-end lodges, destination dining, golf and Central Otago pinot noir now attract travellers who want both wilderness and polished service. A lifestyle hotel must bridge those worlds without becoming interchangeable with an urban property.
The Avani brand generally emphasises informal public spaces, contemporary design, social dining and wellness rather than traditional grand-hotel ceremony. In Queenstown, the key test will be whether those elements remain connected to the lake, mountains and local makers.
Travellers considering an early stay should ask which restaurants and facilities will be operating from opening day, whether construction or commissioning work remains, and how lake-view room categories differ. Opening dates can move, so flexible flights and cancellation terms are sensible.
Season also changes the experience dramatically. Winter brings ski traffic, cold-weather logistics and premium weekend rates; spring and autumn offer quieter trails and wineries; summer brings long daylight hours but also Queenstown’s busiest visitor period.
For Avani, the property establishes a base in a globally recognised destination within easy reach of Australia. For Queenstown, it adds another internationally branded hotel at a time when discerning visitors increasingly expect a strong sense of place rather than luxury by checklist.
Fact box
– Hotel: Avani Queenstown
– Location: Lake Wakatipu waterfront, Queenstown, New Zealand
– Opening: Scheduled for September 2026
– Operator: Minor Hotels
– Significance: Avani’s Queenstown debut and New Zealand flagship
– Best for: Short luxury breaks, skiing, hiking, wine touring and lake experiences
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