Le Boreal was launched in 2009 by French small-ship cruise line Ponant. The ship decor gives the feel of a private yacht and is well suited to couples and solo travellers who enjoy relaxed sophistication with good food and service. The 10,700 tonne ship carries 264 passengers and 140 crew.

[fa type=”bed”] Accommodation

There are a total of 132 staterooms in nine categories. Most of the cabins are categorised as staterooms. The largest accommodation is the Owners Suite which is 485 square feet. All of the cabins have an outside view, mini-bar, twin beds that convert to a queen, flat-screen television, DVD player and individually controlled air conditioning.

[fa type=”cutlery”] Food

Le Boreal has two restaurants, the Gastronomic Restaurant and the Grill. The Gastronomic is the main dining room and features French Cuisine. The indoor/outdoor Grill offers open-seating for buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner.

[fa type=”ticket”] Activities

The wellness area on board includes a hammam, massage rooms, hair salon, beauty corner, spacious terraces and a fitness room with has panoramic views of the ocean. There is a theatre for shows and lectures and a library on board.

[fa type=”group”] Families

There are no facilities specifically for kids on board Le Boreal. However, there is a small playroom and a children’s menu is available on request.

Verdict

– Cruise Passenger

The crew were excellent in discovering and spotting wildlife throughout the tour. The A&K crew work closely with the Le Boreal crew to make decisions where and when to visit different spots and their work to manage the travel speed during great weather to provide buffer when wildlife was spotted was very much appreciated. Only one of the landings/expeditions was a poor location or a bad use of time in the Greenland fjords. It is possible we were fortunate to spot wildlife on every other landing/expedition and this one was merely normal. I think we saw a total of 12 polar bears on our trip which was very exceptional and fortunate to the hard work of the crew to be watching and searching for wildlife 24×7. Be ready, the sightings may not occur until 1:00 or 3:00 in the morning, but when you have 24 hours of daylight in the Arctic Circle, it is much easier to stay up late. . – cowprintrabbit

– Cruise Critic

– Berlitz