The Ponant military discount is 5% off the cruise fare on every sailing — Antarctica, the Arctic, the Geographic North Pole, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Kimberley, Tahiti and beyond. Ponant does not offer a military rate of its own, so Military Cruise Deals provides it, and it comes off after Ponant’s current promotions, including the Ponant Bonus of up to 30%. Active duty, retirees, veterans, military spouses, and friends and family in other cabins all qualify.
Updated October 2026 by Mitch Bank, owner of Military Cruise Deals — booking military and veteran cruises since 2001.
Ponant Cruises with a Military / Veteran Discount at a Glance
| Discount amount | 5% off the cruise fare |
| Applies to | Every Ponant sailing — Le Commandant Charcot polar expeditions, the six Explorer-class ships, the Sisterships, and the sailing yacht Le Ponant |
| Blackout dates | None |
| Stacks with Ponant promotions | Yes — taken off Ponant’s best available rate, including the Ponant Bonus (up to 30%) and the current $1,000 Tempting Tahiti shipboard credit |
| Who qualifies | Active duty, retired, veterans, military spouses — plus friends and family in any cabin |
| Proof required to book | None at time of booking |
| Already booked with Ponant? | Transfer the booking to us — same ship, same stateroom, same rate, lower price |
| Fleet | 12 small luxury expedition ships and yachts, 32 to 264 guests |
| Book by phone | 866-964-5482 |
On This Page
- Ponant military discount at a glance
- How much is the Ponant military discount?
- Does Ponant offer a military or veteran discount?
- Who qualifies
- Today’s special offers on Ponant
- Where Ponant sails — by destination
- Ponant expedition cruises: Antarctica, the Arctic and the North Pole
- Why book with us
- The Ponant fleet
- Staterooms and suites
- Dining and the French touch
- What’s included on every Ponant cruise
- Is Ponant right for you?
- Ponant military discount FAQ
How Much Is the Ponant Military Discount?
Our discount is 5% off the cruise fare on every Ponant cruise — no exceptions, no blackout sailings.
Because Ponant is luxury expedition cruising, 5% adds up fast.
| Ponant voyage | Typical fare per guest | Your 5% discount | Savings for two |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7-night Mediterranean (Explorer class) | ~$6,800 | ~$340 | ~$680 |
| 7-night Iceland (Le Bellot) | ~$8,800 | ~$440 | ~$880 |
| 10-night Antarctica (L’Austral) | ~$18,700 | ~$935 | ~$1,870 |
| 12-night Weddell Sea (Le Commandant Charcot) | ~$32,800 | ~$1,640 | ~$3,280 |
| 12-night Geographic North Pole (Le Commandant Charcot) | ~$45,900 | ~$2,295 | ~$4,590 |
Fares are Ponant’s published “from” prices per person, double occupancy, as of October 2026, and change daily.
And it comes off after Ponant’s own promotions are applied — not instead of them.
Does Ponant Offer a Military or Veteran Discount?
Ponant does not publish a standing military or veteran discount of its own.
What Ponant does run is a rotating set of promotions — the Ponant Bonus (up to 30% off when you book early), no single supplement on select departures, back-to-back savings of up to 20%, shipboard credits, and Ponant Yacht Club loyalty savings for past guests.
Our 5% Ponant military discount applies on top of all of them. You get Ponant’s best available rate, then our discount comes off that.
Who Qualifies for the Ponant Military Discount?
- Active military — all U.S. and Canadian branches
- Retired military — 20+ years of service, or medically retired
- Veterans — Honorable Discharge with 2+ years of service, or 6 months in an active war zone
- Military spouses — including spouses of deployed or deceased service members
- Everyone in the cabin receives the rate
Who Qualifies for Our Military and Veteran Discount on All Ponant Cruises?
Everyone listed above, AND all friends and family traveling with them, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE NOT IN THE SAME CABIN.
Today’s Special Offers on Ponant Cruises
The Ponant Bonus: Save Up to 30% When You Book Early
- Up to 30% off the cruise fare on most sailings — the earlier you book, the bigger the savings, and the bonus shrinks as each ship fills. Not valid on Owner’s Suites.
- Combinable with Ponant’s other select programs — and with our 5% military and veteran discount.
Tempting Tahiti: $1,000 Shipboard Credit
- $1,000 shipboard credit per stateroom ($500 for solo travelers) on select Le Jacques Cartier French Polynesia sailings, August 2026 through December 2027.
- Book by October 31, 2026. Combinable with the Ponant Bonus and Ponant Yacht Club savings.
Montréal to Nuuk Grand Voyage: 50% Off the Second Sailing
- Book the March 13, 2027 Le Commandant Charcot sailing back-to-back with the February 27 or March 27, 2027 departure and save 50% on the March 13 voyage. Book by March 13, 2027.
Complimentary Hotel Night on select Le Commandant Charcot sailings — a free pre- or post-cruise night in Helsinki (Baltic sailings) or Montréal (St. Lawrence sailings).
Also available on select sailings: no single supplement for solo travelers (excluding Owner’s Suites), and up to 20% off back-to-back voyages on the same ship.
These offers change frequently. contact us or call 866-964-5482 and we’ll tell you exactly which offers apply to the sailing you have in mind — and then take our 5% off on top.
Ponant Cruises To:
Ponant sails to more than 500 destinations on all seven continents. Call 866-964-5482 or contact us for today’s Ponant sailings and prices — your military and veteran discount is applied to every one:
- Antarctica — 10 to 30-night expeditions, mostly round-trip from Ushuaia, plus the Ross Sea from New Zealand and Hobart crossings
- The Arctic and the Geographic North Pole — Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, the Northwest Passage and the North Pole on Le Commandant Charcot
- The Mediterranean — Greece, Croatia, Italy, Malta, Spain and Portugal, on 7 to 10-night voyages
- Northern Europe and Scandinavia — the Norwegian fjords, the Baltic, the British Isles, Scotland and the Faroes
- Australia and the Kimberley — 10-night Darwin–Broome expeditions on Le Jacques Cartier
- Tahiti and the South Pacific — French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Fiji and Melanesia
- Asia — Japan, Indonesia and Southeast Asia
- The Americas and the Caribbean — the St. Lawrence and Canada, Central America and Costa Rica, the Caribbean, the Amazon and South America
- Africa, the Indian Ocean and the Middle East — the Seychelles, Southern Africa, the Red Sea and North Africa
Ponant Expedition Cruises: Antarctica, the Arctic and the North Pole
Expedition cruising is what Ponant does best. Every expedition voyage carries a team of naturalist guides, and you go ashore by Zodiac — to the penguin colonies of the Antarctic Peninsula, the glaciers of Svalbard, or the sea ice of the high Arctic.
- Antarctica — the 10-night Emblematic Antarctica voyage from Ushuaia starts around $18,700 per person, and most Antarctica voyages include the charter flights and transfers. Le Commandant Charcot sails the deep Weddell Sea and beyond the Antarctic Circle, and will make the first full circumnavigation of Antarctica in 2028.
- The Geographic North Pole — 12-night round-trip voyages from Longyearbyen on Le Commandant Charcot, July–September 2027 and 2028.
- The Arctic — Svalbard, Greenland’s Disko Bay, Northeast Greenland, Iceland and the Northwest Passage.
- The Kimberley — Australia’s remote northwest coast, May–September.
Our 5% military discount applies to every one of them.
Why Book Your Ponant Cruise with Military Cruise Deals?
We’ve been booking military and veteran families on cruises for more than 25 years.
We hold an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and have 900+ recent five-star reviews.
We are luxury and small-ship specialists — not a call center — and we can help you compare Ponant with Silversea, Seabourn, Lindblad and the other expedition lines, then save you money on whichever you choose.
Your payment is processed directly by Ponant — we never hold your money as a middleman.
And if you’ve already booked directly with Ponant, you can transfer that booking to us. Same ship, same stateroom, same booking number, same rate. You just pay less.
🏅 Call us at 866-964-5482 and ask for Mitch, or contact us. Our 5% discount applies to every Ponant sailing.
The Ponant Fleet
Ponant is a French luxury expedition line, and every ship in the fleet is small — no more than 264 guests — so you get into harbors, fjords and polar bays that big ships cannot reach. Ponant is part of the Ponant Explorations Group, which also owns Paul Gauguin Cruises.
- Le Commandant Charcot — 245 guests, 215 crew. The world’s first hybrid-electric polar exploration vessel powered by liquefied natural gas, and the first French ship to reach the Geographic North Pole. Launched 2021.
- The Explorer class — Le Lapérouse, Le Champlain, Le Bougainville, Le Dumont d’Urville, Le Bellot and Le Jacques Cartier. 184 guests and 118 crew each, every stateroom with a balcony, and the Blue Eye — a multi-sensory underwater lounge below the waterline.
- The Sisterships — Le Boréal, L’Austral, Le Soléal (264 guests each) and Le Lyrial (245 guests). Ponant’s original expedition ships, with a strong polar track record.
- Le Ponant — a three-masted sailing yacht with just 32 guests, and the world’s first sailboat awarded the Relais & Châteaux label.
Staterooms and Suites
Ponant’s staterooms are light, airy and very French — pale wood, white linens and big windows. On Le Commandant Charcot and the Explorer-class ships, every stateroom and suite has a private balcony, and the minibar and room service are included.
- Deluxe Staterooms — about 204 sq. ft. on the Explorers and 215 sq. ft. on Le Commandant Charcot, with a balcony
- Deluxe and Prestige Suites — about 290 to 430 sq. ft., with a separate sitting area
- Privilege and Grand Suites — about 344 to 516 sq. ft.
- Owner’s Suites — up to 1,237 sq. ft. on Le Commandant Charcot, plus the two-level Duplex Suites
Dining and the French Touch
Ponant’s menus are created with Ducasse Conseil, the consulting firm of chef Alain Ducasse. Le Commandant Charcot is home to Le Nuna, the only Alain Ducasse restaurant at sea, and guest chefs from top Paris restaurants sail on select voyages. Expect Kaviari caviar, Bordier butter, Valrhona chocolate and Pierre Hermé macarons.
The open bar is included all day — champagne, wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, coffee and tea — along with the minibar and room service.
Onboard you’ll also find a spa with Sothys treatments, a fitness room, a pool, a theater for lectures and shows, and — on the Explorer-class ships — the Blue Eye, an underwater lounge with large portholes below the waterline.
What’s Included on Every Ponant Cruise
- All meals, from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the last, plus room service
- Open bar all day — champagne, wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, water, coffee and tea
- In-room minibar stocked with drinks
- Free 24/7 Wi-Fi by Starlink throughout the ship
- Port taxes
- One included activity at every port of call — a naturalist-led hike or Zodiac outing, or an excursion with a local guide (pre-bookable about two months before you sail)
- Zodiac landings with the naturalist expedition team on expedition voyages
- Lectures by naturalists, scientists and special guests
- Access to all public areas, including the sauna and fitness room
- Charter flights and transfers on most Antarctica and North Pole voyages
Not included: gratuities (at your discretion — Ponant suggests about €10–12 per guest per day), spa treatments, laundry, and select premium wines and spirits.
… and our 5% military and veteran discount applies on top of all of it.
Is Ponant Right for You?
Choose Ponant if…
- You want Antarctica, the Arctic or the North Pole on a true luxury ship — not a converted research vessel
- You prefer small ships (184 to 264 guests) and quiet ports over big-ship crowds
- You love French cuisine and an open bar that includes champagne
- You want every stateroom to have a balcony (on Le Commandant Charcot and the Explorers)
Choose something else if…
- You want gratuities included in your fare and unlimited shore excursions in every port — look at Regent Seven Seas
- You want French Polynesia on a ship built for it — look at Paul Gauguin Cruises, Ponant’s sister line
- You want a larger ship with more restaurants and evening entertainment — look at Explora Journeys
Ponant Cruises Military Discount FAQ
How much is the Ponant military discount?
5% off the cruise fare on every Ponant sailing, with no blackout dates. It is applied after Ponant’s own promotions, so it stacks with the Ponant Bonus of up to 30% and other current offers.
Does Ponant have a military discount?
Not one of their own. Our 5% Military Cruise Deals discount is the military discount on Ponant, and it applies to every sailing on top of Ponant’s current promotions.
Can I combine the military discount with the Ponant Bonus and other Ponant offers?
Yes. Our 5% comes off Ponant’s best available rate after their promotions are applied — including the Ponant Bonus of up to 30%, the $1,000 Tempting Tahiti shipboard credit, back-to-back savings and Ponant Yacht Club savings.
Do I need to show proof of service?
Not at the time of booking. Just let us know you are active duty, retired, a veteran or a military spouse when you book.
Does the discount apply to friends and family in other cabins?
Yes. Everyone traveling with you gets the discount, even if they are not in your stateroom.
Does the discount apply to Antarctica and North Pole expeditions?
Yes — every Ponant sailing, including Antarctica, the Arctic, the Geographic North Pole on Le Commandant Charcot, the Kimberley and the Northwest Passage. On a $20,000-plus polar expedition, 5% is real money.
Is Ponant all-inclusive?
Very nearly. Your fare includes all meals, an open bar (including champagne), the minibar, room service, 24/7 Starlink Wi-Fi, port taxes, one included activity at every port of call, and Zodiac landings with the expedition team on expedition voyages. Gratuities are at your discretion — Ponant suggests about €10–12 per guest per day. Most Antarctica and North Pole voyages also include the charter flights and transfers.
How much does a Ponant cruise cost?
A 7-night Mediterranean voyage on an Explorer-class ship starts around $6,800 per person. Antarctica starts around $16,500–$18,700 per person, and the Geographic North Pole on Le Commandant Charcot starts around $45,900 per person.
Is Ponant the same company as Paul Gauguin Cruises?
Yes — Paul Gauguin Cruises is part of the Ponant Explorations Group, and we offer our 5% military and veteran discount on both.
I already booked directly with Ponant. Can I still get the discount?
Yes — transfer your booking to us. You keep the same ship, stateroom, booking number and rate, and we add the military discount.
Compare Other Luxury and Small-Ship Cruise Lines — Military Discounts Available
- All cruise lines with a military discount
- Paul Gauguin Cruises military discount
- Silversea military and veteran discount
- Seabourn military and veteran discount
- Regent Seven Seas military discount
- Explora Journeys military and veteran discount
- Crystal Cruises military discount
- All luxury cruise discounts for military and veterans