Emerald Cruises vs Ponant

The core difference

Emerald Cruises and Ponant sit on opposite sides of a clear dividing line in luxury small-ship cruising: one is a premium multi-product line built for rivers and coastal yacht voyages, the other is a French luxury expedition specialist built for remote destinations that most cruise ships cannot reach.

Emerald’s identity is contemporary versatility. Under the Scenic Group umbrella (Newcastle, NSW), the line operates Star-Ships on European rivers and the Mekong alongside the Azzurra superyacht in the Mediterranean, Adriatic, and Red Sea. The Star-Ships carry approximately 180 guests with the signature heated pool that converts to a cinema under the stars. The Azzurra carries 100 guests — the most intimate vessel in the comparison — with an infinity pool, watersport marina, and 88 per cent balcony staterooms. Three new superyachts join between 2026 and 2027. The positioning is premium luxury at a competitive price, appealing to active travellers in their 40s to 60s who want modern design without ultra-luxury pricing.

Ponant’s identity is French expedition luxury. Rebranded as Ponant Explorations Group in March 2025, the company operates thirteen ships ranging from the 32-guest sailing yacht Le Ponant to the 245-guest Le Commandant Charcot — the only luxury icebreaker afloat with PC2 ice class, capable of reaching the Geographic North Pole. Six Explorer-class ships carry Zodiac fleets and the Blue Eye underwater multi-sensory lounge. The Ducasse Conseil culinary partnership brings Michelin-star heritage to every vessel. Owned by Groupe Artémis (the Pinault family), Ponant is unambiguously French in language, cuisine, and cultural identity. The passenger mix is approximately fifty per cent French, with significant Australian and European contingents.

For Australian travellers, the choice crystallises around destination. If you want rivers and Mediterranean yacht cruising at Australian-owned value, Emerald delivers. If you want the Kimberley, Antarctica, French Polynesia, or the Arctic with French polish, Ponant is the only option from this pairing.

What is actually included

Ponant’s inclusion model is significantly broader than Emerald’s — and the gap is most pronounced in beverages.

Ponant’s fare covers all dining, an open bar at all hours (beer, wine, spirits, Henri Abelé Brut Champagne, cocktails, coffee, and soft drinks), a daily-restocked minibar, unlimited Wi-Fi, and 24-hour room service. On expedition sailings, one guided excursion per port per day is included — covering Zodiac outings, shore landings, and expert-led activities. Gratuities are not included but are voluntary (approximately EUR 10–12 per person per day). Shore excursions on non-expedition itineraries are additional.

Emerald’s river fare bundles all meals, selected beverages (house wine, beer, and soft drinks at lunch and dinner), one guided excursion per port, airport transfers, and gratuities. Premium spirits and cocktails carry supplements. The yacht product includes meals and excursions but charges for premium drinks. Wi-Fi is complimentary.

The practical difference for an Australian traveller on a week-long cruise: Ponant’s included champagne, spirits, and cocktails save approximately AUD $1,000 to $2,000 per couple. On expedition itineraries, Ponant’s daily included excursion adds significant further value — a Kimberley Zodiac landing or Antarctic shore visit would cost hundreds per person on a line that charges separately. Emerald’s inclusion of airport transfers on river cruises is a practical advantage not offered by Ponant.

Dining and culinary experience

Ponant’s culinary programme operates at a different level — and the gap reflects the price difference between the lines.

Ponant’s Ducasse Conseil partnership since 2016 delivers focused French excellence. On Explorer-class ships, Le Nautilus serves four-course à la carte dinners with amuse-bouche and regional wines; Le Grill offers poolside casual dining. On Le Commandant Charcot, the Nuna restaurant is widely cited as one of the finest at sea — Bernardaud porcelain, Ligne Roset furniture, and menus featuring soft-boiled eggs with caviar, saffron fettuccine with seafood, and French cheeses rivalling any brasserie in Lyon. Bread and pastries are boulangerie-quality. Pierre Hermé macarons and Kaviari caviar appear across the fleet.

Emerald’s dining is contemporary and well-presented across the main restaurant on Star-Ships and the regionally sourced menus on the Azzurra. The kitchen sources local ingredients at each port — a genuine strength for both products. The food is consistently praised for quality and value. Two to three venues on each vessel offer focused rather than extensive choice.

Ponant wins decisively on culinary pedigree, wine programme, and the sheer quality of French technique aboard. Emerald delivers good food at a lower price point. For food-motivated travellers, Ponant’s Ducasse-trained kitchens represent a meaningfully superior dining experience.

Suites and accommodation

Different products with different space priorities — Ponant’s expedition cabins are designed for destination-focused travel, Emerald’s for onboard living.

Ponant’s Explorer-class cabins are functional rather than spacious. The standard Deluxe Balcony stateroom is 161 square feet of interior space plus a 43-square-foot balcony. Prestige Suites offer 291 square feet. The Owner’s Suite reaches 485 square feet of interior with a 323-square-foot terrace. On Le Commandant Charcot, accommodation is more generous — Prestige Staterooms start at 300 square feet plus a 55-square-foot balcony. The philosophy is clear: guests spend their days on Zodiacs and at shore landings, not in their cabins.

Emerald’s Star-Ship cabins range from approximately 160 to 315 square feet with EmeraldView indoor balconies in standard categories and step-out balconies in upper suites. The Azzurra offers staterooms from approximately 250 to 550 square feet with 88 per cent featuring step-out balconies. River cabins are constrained by vessel design but cleverly utilised. The yacht staterooms are competitive with Ponant’s at comparable categories.

The Azzurra’s entry-level accommodation is notably larger than Ponant’s Explorer-class equivalent. On the rivers, Emerald’s cabins are comparable in scale to Ponant’s but serve a different purpose — the river scenery is viewable from the cabin itself, making the stateroom more central to the experience.

Pricing and value

The price gap is substantial and reflects fundamentally different products.

Emerald’s per-diem runs approximately AUD $600 to $900 on Star-Ships and AUD $800 to $1,200 on the Azzurra. A seven-night Danube cruise starts from roughly AUD $4,500. A seven-night Mediterranean yacht voyage from roughly AUD $6,000.

Ponant’s per-diem varies enormously by ship and destination. Explorer-class expedition cruises average approximately AUD $900 to $1,500 per person per night. A 10-night Kimberley Fly, Stay & Cruise package starts from approximately AUD $14,850 including return flights, hotel, and all-inclusive expedition cruise. Mediterranean sailings on Explorer-class run approximately AUD $7,500 to $9,200 for shorter themed voyages. Le Commandant Charcot polar sailings command a significant premium.

The lines compete directly only in the Mediterranean — and there, a seven-night Ponant voyage costs roughly 40 to 70 per cent more than a comparable Emerald Azzurra yacht cruise. Ponant’s open bar, Ducasse cuisine, and Blue Eye lounge partially justify the gap. For expedition destinations — the Kimberley, Antarctica, French Polynesia — no Emerald comparison exists. Ponant operates in a category of one from this pairing.

Spa and wellness

Different approaches reflecting different ship philosophies.

Ponant’s signature wellness experience is the Blue Eye underwater lounge — two whale-eye-shaped glass portholes below the waterline, hydrophones capturing ocean acoustics, and Body Listening Sofas that vibrate with underwater sounds. It is not a spa in the traditional sense but a unique wellness-adjacent experience. Explorer-class ships offer compact spas with massage cabins and a hammam. On Le Commandant Charcot, the Nuan Wellness Lounge features Biologique Recherche treatments, the Ikuma sauna, the Siku snow room, and the Blue Lagoon heated outdoor pool where guests swim surrounded by polar ice.

Emerald’s wellness centres on the Star-Ship heated pool-cinema and active experiences — cycling excursions, watersports from the Azzurra marina, and small spa facilities with treatment rooms. The emphasis is on activity rather than pampering.

Ponant offers the more experiential wellness — swimming in a heated pool surrounded by Antarctic ice, listening to whale song through the hull. Emerald offers more conventional active wellness. Neither line is a spa destination, but Ponant’s unique experiences have no equivalent on Emerald.

Entertainment and enrichment

Both lines reject production shows — but their enrichment philosophies diverge.

Ponant’s enrichment is expedition-driven. Onboard naturalists, marine biologists, and historians deliver daily briefings and lectures. National Geographic Expeditions partnerships place expert photographers onboard select sailings. Smithsonian Journeys collaborations add scholarly depth. The Explorers Club partnership brings distinguished speakers. Evenings feature a musical duo, cocktails, and the Soirée Blanche (White Party) on warm-climate sailings. The dress code is Casual Chic with one or two gala evenings.

Emerald’s enrichment includes destination-focused lectures, local performer visits, and pool-cinema screenings on Star-Ships. The Azzurra offers social evenings with acoustic music. The content is lighter in weight than Ponant’s expedition programme — appropriate for the river and coastal yacht format.

Ponant’s enrichment programme has genuine academic depth — the expedition lectures, National Geographic partnerships, and naturalist teams create a learning environment that Emerald does not attempt. Emerald’s enrichment is pleasant but not the reason you book.

Fleet and destination coverage

Ponant’s fleet dwarfs Emerald’s in both numbers and geographic range — but Emerald offers a river product that Ponant does not.

Emerald operates approximately 14 vessels across rivers (Rhine, Danube, Main, Moselle, Rhône, Saône, Douro, Mekong) and oceans (Mediterranean, Adriatic, Red Sea). Three new superyachts arrive between 2026 and 2027. The river fleet has no Ponant equivalent.

Ponant operates thirteen ships across five classes plus Paul Gauguin (332 guests) year-round in French Polynesia. The fleet deploys simultaneously across the Mediterranean, Kimberley, French Polynesia, both polar regions, subantarctic islands, Asia, the Great Lakes, and Papua New Guinea. Le Commandant Charcot reaches the Geographic North Pole. Majority ownership of Aqua Expeditions adds river and ocean vessels in the Amazon, Mekong, Galapagos, and Indonesia.

Emerald’s unique advantage is European river cruising — a product Ponant does not directly offer (though Aqua Expeditions covers some rivers). Ponant’s advantage is expedition breadth — thirteen ships reaching destinations across every continent.

Where each line excels

Emerald excels in:

• River cruising. Star-Ships with the pool-cinema innovation deliver one of the best premium river products in Europe.
• Boutique yacht value. The Azzurra at 100 guests offers a private-yacht feel at prices below Ponant and other ultra-luxury competitors.
• Australian ownership. AUD pricing, Newcastle headquarters, and a domestic service infrastructure.
• Accessible pricing. Premium luxury without the ultra-luxury price tag.

Ponant excels in:

• Expedition destinations. The Kimberley, Antarctica, the Arctic, the Geographic North Pole, French Polynesia, and Papua New Guinea — destinations no Emerald vessel can reach.
• French culinary excellence. Ducasse Conseil-trained kitchens, boulangerie-quality bread, and an included open bar with Henri Abelé champagne.
• The Kimberley. Sixteen sailings for the 2026 season with Fly, Stay & Cruise packages from Australian capitals.
• Polar capability. Le Commandant Charcot is the only luxury icebreaker afloat.

Standout itineraries for Australian travellers

Emerald Cruises

Azzurra: Adriatic Discovery (7 nights, roundtrip Dubrovnik) — Intimate yacht cruising along the Dalmatian coast at a price below Ponant’s Mediterranean equivalents.

Star-Ship: Danube Delights (7 nights, Budapest to Passau) — The classic European river cruise on Emerald’s signature vessel with pool-cinema and included excursions.

Star-Ship: Mekong Explorer (7–14 nights, Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap) — Southeast Asian river cruising within easy reach from Australia.

Ponant

Le Jacques Cartier: Kimberley (10 nights, Broome to Darwin, May–September 2026) — Fly, Stay & Cruise from approximately AUD $14,850 including flights from five Australian capitals. King George Falls, Montgomery Reef, and Indigenous cultural encounters with daily Zodiac excursions included.

Le Jacques Cartier: French Polynesia (7–14 nights, roundtrip Papeete) — Society Islands, Tuamotus, Marquesas, and Cook Islands with Blue Eye lounge and included Zodiac excursions.

Le Commandant Charcot: Antarctica (various durations, departing Ushuaia) — The ultimate polar expedition on the only luxury icebreaker afloat. For the most ambitious Australian traveller.

Ship-by-ship recommendations

Emerald Cruises

Emerald Azzurra (100 guests, 2022) — The most relevant comparison point with Ponant. More intimate than any Ponant ship, with a watersport marina and Mediterranean focus.

Emerald Star-Ships (approximately 180 guests) — The river fleet with no Ponant equivalent. Choose for European rivers.

Ponant

Le Jacques Cartier (184 guests, 2020) — The most versatile ship for Australian travellers — deployed to both the Kimberley and French Polynesia. Blue Eye lounge and Zodiac fleet.

Le Commandant Charcot (245 guests, 2021) — For polar expedition only. PC2 ice class and the Nuna restaurant. A unique vessel with no Emerald equivalent.

Le Soleal (264 guests, 2013) — Sistership-class Kimberley workhorse. Slightly larger and older than Explorer-class but a proven expedition performer.

For Australian travellers specifically

Both lines court the Australian market, but through different channels and with different strengths.

Emerald’s Australian proposition is deeply embedded. Scenic Group headquarters in Newcastle, NSW. AUD pricing. Australian phone support (1300 354 450). Significant Australian passenger mix aboard. The brand feels Australian in a way that Ponant — for all its Australian success — does not.

Ponant’s Australian proposition is expedition-focused. The North Sydney office (1300 737 178) supports the Kimberley programme — sixteen sailings per season, Fly, Stay & Cruise packages from five Australian capitals, and a product purpose-built for the Australian outbound market. Ponant runs Discovery Sessions in Australian cities with exclusive offers. The 2026 West Coast Odyssey (Broome to Fremantle) is a uniquely Australian product.

The practical recommendation: For European river and yacht cruising with Australian ownership, Emerald is the natural choice. For expedition destinations — particularly the Kimberley — Ponant’s Australian operation is mature, well-packaged, and specifically designed for the domestic market. Many Australian travellers will sail Emerald for Europe and Ponant for expedition — a complementary pairing that delivers the best of both worlds.

The onboard atmosphere

The cultural difference is pronounced.

Emerald’s atmosphere is contemporary and relaxed. The demographic trends 40s to 60s with a strong Australian and British mix. Smart casual dress. Active excursions and social pool areas. The Azzurra’s 100-guest count creates genuine intimacy. The feeling is modern, accessible, and Australian-inflected.

Ponant’s atmosphere is French. The passenger mix is approximately fifty per cent French, with significant Australian and European contingents. Announcements are delivered in French first, then English — a recurring point of feedback from English-speaking travellers. The dress code is Casual Chic with one or two gala evenings. The Soirée Blanche in warm climates is a signature social event. The feeling is intimate, cultured, and distinctly European. For English-speaking Australians, the French language dynamic is the single most discussed aspect of the Ponant experience.

Emerald will feel more familiar to most Australian travellers. Ponant will feel more exotic. Neither is wrong — the question is whether you want the comfort of Australian ownership or the adventure of French expedition culture.

The bottom line

Emerald Cruises and Ponant serve different travel purposes, and the choice between them is driven by destination and ambition.

Choose Emerald for river cruising with the pool-cinema innovation, boutique yacht cruising at 100 guests, Australian ownership with AUD pricing, and a competitive price point that puts small-ship luxury within reach. Accept that the culinary programme is good rather than exceptional, that there is no expedition capability, and that the geographic range — while broad — does not include the Kimberley, Antarctica, or French Polynesia.

Choose Ponant for genuine expedition access — the Kimberley, Antarctica, the Arctic, French Polynesia, and beyond. Choose it for Ducasse-trained French cuisine, an included open bar with champagne, the Blue Eye underwater lounge, and thirteen ships reaching destinations no Emerald vessel can approach. Accept the higher per-diem, the French language dynamic, and the reality that Ponant’s smallest ship still carries nearly double the guests of the Azzurra.

For Australian travellers, these lines complement beautifully. Emerald for the Danube and the Adriatic. Ponant for the Kimberley and the poles. Different waterways, different cultures, and the best of both traditions.