See scientists at work in Greenland during luxury cruise

The Henriot Champagne flutes clinked softly in the Inuri observation lounge as Le Commandant Charcot carved through North-East Greenland’s sea ice – a frozen wilderness so remote and forbidding that only Russia’s nuclear icebreakers dare venture here so early into the summer.

But, despite lashings of caviar, this wasn’t just another luxury cruise.

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Science beneath the ice

Through the panoramic windows, passengers watched scientists David Grémillet and Nicolas Loiseau prepare for what most would consider an impossible dive: plunging beneath the Arctic ice to sample DNA and photograph marine life in waters that had never been scientifically explored.

“We do this because, although we have been studying arctic seabirds for the past 27 years, these studies were mainly land-based,” Grémillet told fascinated guests during one of his onboard presentations.

“All sites we sampled during this cruise were more or less unknown to science.”

This is exploration cruising at its most authentic – where paying passengers don’t just observe polar landscapes, but become witnesses to genuine scientific breakthroughs.

Aboard Ponant Exploration’s Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s only luxury icebreaker, travellers in June found themselves part of something extraordinary: real-time Arctic research that’s reshaping our understanding of climate change.

The ship itself embodies this unique fusion of comfort and scientific purpose.

This Polar Class 2-rated vessel doesn’t just offer luxury amenities – it houses two working laboratories where continuous seawater sampling and dry lab equipment analysis happen around the clock.

Science officer Jean-Philippe Savy, also a senior researcher at the Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), ensures the research meets the highest academic standards.

German passenger Jutta Wolters captured the magic perfectly: “Being able to speak and listen to experts such as these scientists about climate change and other environmental threats who shared our Greenland journey into the arctic provided another layer to the immersive experience on board.”

Discoveries and warnings

What passengers discovered through the scientists’ work was both breathtaking and sobering.

During their high-risk dives beneath the sea ice, the research team made remarkable discoveries: Greenland sharks gliding at 20m depths, vibrant nudibranchs (sea slugs) and starfish thriving in the frigid waters, and diverse planktonic organisms creating complex ecosystems beneath the ice.

“Ice formations support complex ecosystems,” Nicolas Loiseau explained to guests, his underwater photography revealing an alien world of beauty and abundance hidden beneath the frozen surface.

But the scientists also shared urgent findings about how rapidly this world is changing.

Grémillet’s research revealed that the Arctic region is warming four times faster than other areas – not just shrinking the ice cap that reflects the sun away from earth, but also experiencing increasingly severe storms that break up sea ice, impacting both natural environments and local communities.

The scientific presentations became compelling storytelling sessions, with researchers sharing tales of “sentinel species” that serve as early warning systems for climate change.

Passengers learned about Arctic Cormorants that have become 10 times more efficient at hunting and temperature regulation compared to baseline measurements – a remarkable example of adaptation in action.

In contrast, the region’s most numerous species, Little Auks, face an uncertain future.

Grémillet explained the stark difference: “The former is a good example of a winning species in the context of climate change because it is highly flexible in terms of diet and behaviour, whereas the latter is a beautiful loser – less flexible diet and strong constraints on behaviour because of its tiny size and immense energy requirements.”

The food chain itself is transforming before their eyes.

“Icy waters are home to large, fatty copepods which Little Auks love to feed upon,” Grémillet said.

“As sea-ice vanishes, and water temperature increases, those species are replaced by invaders from the South; smaller and leaner copepods which are less energetically rewarding, and gelatinous plankton like jellyfish and ctenophores, which is unpalatable to most seabirds.”

Expanding the mission

This scientific programme represents more than just educational entertainment for passengers.

Ponant Exploration’s commitment runs deep: in 2024 alone, the group invested €2.2 million to facilitate 30 missions involving 81 scientists across four vessels.

Three projects are directly funded by the Group, with all data shared openly with scientific institutions. The programme is expanding rapidly.

Last year, three ships embarked research teams: L’Austral and Le Soléal in the Antarctic, and the m/s Paul Gauguin in Polynesia.

By 2025, five ships welcome researchers, including Le Bellot, and by 2026, the programme will grow to regions such as the Kimberley and the Seychelles.

The research extends beyond the ship itself.

The team actively involves Greenlandic communities, especially those in Ittoqqortoormiit, to help conduct research during periods when scientists return to France.

This collaboration ensures that local knowledge and perspectives inform the scientific work. The implications stretch far beyond the Arctic.

As Grémillet noted, North Atlantic marine populations face significant changes, with copepod populations – critical for food chain stability – changing rapidly.

Some species are adapting their migration patterns in response to warming, which will further impact current biodiversity in the Arctic. Yet there’s hope in the scientists’ message.

While the prognosis appears bleak, Grémillet emphasised that “on a world-wide scale, stopping bottom-trawling fishing, which has significant impact on marine habitats, resources and predators such as seabirds, would dramatically improve the global marine ecosystem”.

For travellers seeking more than just scenic beauty, this represents the pinnacle of exploration cruising.

Passengers don’t merely observe the Arctic – they participate in its scientific exploration.

Between formal presentation conferences and informal interactions at shared meals, guided lab tours, and watching scientists prepare for their dangerous dives, guests become part of a mission that contributes to understanding how Arctic marine ecosystems respond to climate change.

This research has implications for global ocean health and species conservation strategies worldwide.

And passengers get to witness it all unfold in real-time, from the comfort of the world’s most advanced luxury icebreaker, in waters where no other vessel can venture in June.

In an age of overtourism and superficial experiences, Le Commandant Charcot offers something increasingly rare: the chance to be present for genuine discovery, to witness science in action, and to understand your place in the larger story of our changing planet.

The Ponant Explorations Science programme promotes more responsible tourism while supporting oceanographic research and conservation efforts that extend far beyond polar regions.

Previously, data generated through the continuous recording equipment on Ponant Exploration’s cruises was only available to those onboard the ship, accessible with a USB key.

There is now an onshore data centre that gathers all the data from Le Commandant Charcot, which can be made available to anyone around the world who requests access.

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