A five-star cruise ship docked in Reykjavík
The first hybrid cruiser to sail in the Arctic and the only icebreaker to have been built as a passenger ship is regularly docked at Skarfabakki harbor in Reykjavík.
Goes where other cruisers can't
The Charcot can go to various places where regular cruise ships can't go. Captain Pat Marchesseau explains the characteristics of the ship, but being an icebreaker means that the ship can travel to places that other cruise ships cannot, having just come from a cruise through remote areas of Greenland.
The captain Patrick Marchesseau. mbl.is/Eggert Jóhannesson
The ship is named after the French doctor and polar explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot, who died with the ship “Pourquoi Pas?” in a storm off the coast of Iceland in December 1936.
Like a five-star hotel
The ship’s infrastructure is similar to a five-star hotel, which includes a cinema, spa, fitness center, cognac parlour, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, and a relaxation facility.
The head chef of the restaurant on board must update the menu every day in line with the availability and what is available at each location. When the ship is in the harbor in Reykjavík, Icelandic ingredients are bought so passengers get the freshest produce every time.
The menu in the restaurant of Le Commandant Charcot incorporates the freshest local ingredients and hence changes every day. mbl.is/Eggert Jóhannesson
Researchers on board
Le Commandant Charcot has 245 passengers and 215 crew members. Marchesseau says the passengers are diverse, but each trip is accompanied by a group of four scientists who work on board to carry out research.
The ship has two research labs, which facilitate the scientists' work and allow them to share their progress with passengers. The passengers can also help with more accessible tasks, such as examining and recognizing seabirds.
After a nice swim in the pool guests can relax and watch the sea. mbl.is/Eggert Jóhannesson
