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That included sailing into frigid gusts and plowing through ice floes.
As the ice grew thicker, we entered a cove known as Ha!
Aerial view of the Le Commandant Charcot ship sailing through Quebec.Credit:Paul Brady/Travel + Leisure
Bay, the edges of which were frozen solid.
The crew of theCharcotdrove the ship firmly into thefast icewe came to a stop about a mile from shore.
The expedition cruise company Ponant is banking on travelers embracing the coldas long as theyre comfortably looked after.
Icy views of Quebec from a guest room balcony.Paul Brady/Travel + Leisure
Not that we expected anything like that in Quebec.
Huot’s family has run a silk scarf shop in Petit Champlain for more than 40 years.
The crew lowered a gangway and local port staff came to greet us on electric snowmobiles.
Other passengers were equally awed.
“I’ve been getting Instagram pings from engineering geeks because there’s nothing else like it.
This feels like a once in a lifetime experience.
From our base in Ha!
I’d come north expecting wild landscapes and mountains of snow and ice.
The Staterooms
TheCharcothas 123 staterooms in seven categories.
More opulent are choices like Prestige and Grand Prestige suites.
Near the spa, theres a Detox Bar that serves smoothies and teasbut no spirits.
Shore Excursions
Nice asCharcotmay be, this is why you’re aboard.
It was exactly everything I had hoped for when I signed up for the trip.
(Speaking of, internet on board is included and powered by Starlink.)
That’s in addition to a smaller indoor pool with a lap-swimming feature.
Interior of the main on board dining room.Paul Brady/Travel + Leisure
A theater plays host to evening concerts and talks from the ships team of naturalists and other visiting experts.
One behind-the-scenes amenity is a fully functioning science lab on deck three.
That may work for some mature teens, but I wouldnt call theCharcotparticularly family friendly.
Interior of the main lounge.Courtesy of PONANT
And that was before we strapped on snowshoes.
Among its features are three wheelchair-accessible cabins: 626, 628, and 818.
In terms of traveling in Quebec, many places I visited appeared to be readily accessible.
Passengers who disembarked in Quebec headed to an on shore excursion.Paul Brady/Travel + Leisure
Lounge chairs lay around the on board indoor pool.Gilles TRILLARD/Courtesy of PONANT
Scenic views of Quebec from the sauana.Paul Brady/Travel + Leisure
