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.
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Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur is scheduled to open on 30 October, introducing the Hilton luxury brand to Malaysia with an all-suite hotel in the city’s Golden Triangle.
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Kuala Lumpur will welcome a significant new luxury address this month when Waldorf Astoria opens its first hotel in Malaysia.
Scheduled to receive its first guests on 30 October, Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur is an all-suite hotel occupying a reimagined address in the capital’s Golden Triangle district.
Its position at 73 Jalan Raja Chulan places it close to Bukit Bintang, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and the Petronas Twin Towers. For international visitors, that means many of the city’s principal shopping, dining and business destinations will be within easy reach.
The property will contain 268 suites, with even its entry accommodation conceived on a scale more readily associated with serviced residences.
One-bedroom suites begin at approximately 80sqm, providing separate living and sleeping areas suitable for both short visits and extended stays. At the top of the collection is the 745sqm Waldorf Astoria Suite, which will rank among Kuala Lumpur’s largest hotel accommodations.
Floor-to-ceiling windows will bring the city into the rooms, while the interiors combine generous living spaces, subdued textures and a contemporary interpretation of Malaysian design.
The all-suite model is an important distinction. Luxury city hotels increasingly compete not only on service and location but on the amount of private space they give guests. For travellers accustomed to villas, residences and apartment-style accommodation, a conventional hotel room can feel restrictive regardless of how beautifully it is finished.
Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur is responding with rooms intended to function as private urban retreats rather than simply places to sleep.
The hotel’s approach to service will be shaped around what it calls Layan Tetamu, a reinterpretation of the Malaysian tradition of welcoming and caring for guests. Hilton describes the philosophy as sincere, intuitive and highly personalised.
Food and beverage will be central to the hotel’s ambitions to become a destination for Kuala Lumpur residents as well as international guests.
The dining program includes collaborations with Garima Arora and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
Arora became the first Indian woman to receive a Michelin star and is known for using modern techniques to explore ingredients and culinary traditions from across Asia. Vongerichten oversees an international collection of restaurants and is recognised for combining French technique with influences drawn from Asia and other parts of the world.
One of the hotel’s principal venues will be JG KL by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The wider collection will encompass formal destination restaurants and more intimate social spaces, each intended to have its own identity rather than operate as a generic hotel outlet.
Wellness will be anchored by the Waldorf Astoria Spa and a separate wellness centre. The announced program includes personalised rituals, advanced treatments and facilities dedicated to exercise and recovery.
An outdoor swimming pool provides another retreat from the surrounding city, while the hotel will include event spaces designed for weddings, celebrations and major social occasions.
The result is intended to be more than a base for tourists. By combining large suites, restaurants led by internationally recognised chefs, wellness facilities and event venues, Waldorf Astoria is positioning the hotel as part of Kuala Lumpur’s social and dining landscape.
The opening also highlights the growing depth of luxury hospitality in the Malaysian capital.
Kuala Lumpur has traditionally provided compelling value compared with cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Room sizes are often more generous, while dining, spa treatments and private transport can remain comparatively accessible to Australian travellers.
The arrival of Waldorf Astoria adds another top-tier international brand to that equation. It also brings the brand’s residential style of hospitality to a city well positioned for stopovers, business trips and longer Southeast Asian itineraries.
Reservations are already open. The introductory Waldorf Astoria Indulgence Escape includes breakfast and 15,000 Hilton Honors points for members booking a minimum stay of two nights.
As with any newly opened hotel, early guests should confirm which restaurants, treatments and facilities will be operating during their stay. Major luxury properties often open in stages, with parts of the dining or wellness program introduced over the months that follow.
If the experience matches the scale of its suites and the strength of its culinary partnerships, Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur could establish itself quickly as one of the city’s most important luxury hotels.
Hotel summary
Hotel: Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur
Opening: 30 October 2026
Address: 73 Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
Accommodation: 268 suites
Suite sizes: From approximately 80sqm
Largest accommodation: The 745sqm Waldorf Astoria Suite
Dining collaborators: Garima Arora and Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Facilities: Waldorf Astoria Spa, wellness centre, outdoor pool, restaurants and event spaces
Opening offer: Breakfast and 15,000 Hilton Honors points for qualifying two-night stays
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