Signature highlights
An intimate 264-guest expedition yacht with a 142.1-metre hull, ice-strengthened design and Zodiac-supported access to remote destinations. PONANT positions the ship for both polar landscapes and warmer coastal regions.
L’Austral
L’Austral is a 264-guest PONANT cruise ship, in service since 2010. This page lists 50 upcoming departures across 39 itineraries in Mediterranean, day by day and port by port. Its live AIS position is plotted on the map below and refreshed through the day.
✓ Travelers seeking a small luxury ship
✓ Guests preferring French-style dining and service
✓ Expedition travelers wanting substantial indoor lounges
Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their authors’ free licenses. Tap a photo for the credit and license.
L’Austral at a glance
Best for
- Travelers seeking a small luxury ship
- Guests preferring French-style dining and service
- Expedition travelers wanting substantial indoor lounges
- Couples who value balcony accommodation
- Passengers who enjoy quiet wellness facilities
Think twice if you want
- Travelers wanting large resort-style attractions
- Families seeking a dedicated supervised kids club
- Guests needing extensive nightlife and entertainment
- Passengers wanting many specialty restaurants
- Travelers who prefer only indoor pools
Live Position ● 44 minutes ago
Heading to: Valparaiso-SantiagoCurrently on: Ocean Voyage : Callao - Valparaiso (5 nights) — En route to Valparaiso (Chile) — last stop Callao (Peru)
Coming up
- Valparaíso end of cruise
13.0 knots
Position via AIS — updated periodically, not real-time.
About L’Austral
L’Austral is a small luxury expedition ship designed for intimate voyages in polar and coastal destinations. Its yacht-style profile, 264-guest capacity, mostly balcony accommodations, French-inspired dining and relatively shallow draft allow access to smaller ports and remote landing areas. Onboard facilities include restaurants, lounges, a theater, pool, spa, fitness area and boutique, while Zodiac operations support expedition-style exploration. PONANT currently lists 145 crew members serving 132 staterooms and suites.
Ship at a Glance
- Operator
- Compagnie du Ponant (PONANT)
- Builder / shipyard
- Fincantieri Ancona, Italy
- Registry / flag
- Wallis and Futuna
- Call sign
- FLTU
- IMO number
- 9502518
- MMSI
- 578000700
- Draft
- 4.7 m
Onboard Experience
For families
The ship is primarily designed around upscale expedition cruising and does not have a large-ship family-entertainment program. Some stateroom categories can accommodate up to three or four guests.
Pools, spa & wellness
Wellness facilities include a spa, fitness area, pool and outdoor relaxation spaces, with additional whirlpool facilities reported in current deck-plan references.
Accessibility
PONANT’s general terms identify reduced-mobility cabins within the L’Austral/Le Boréal/Le Soléal/Le Lyrial series; guests should confirm specific cabin and excursion suitability directly with PONANT.
Environmental features
PONANT states that L’Austral incorporated available environmental innovations at the time of design and that the company has continued enhancing the ship’s environmental performance.
Deck plans
Venues Cabins only Both · Tap a deck to see what's on it
Deck 7
Pool BarDeck 6
Grill Restaurant Pool Library Bar Prestige Stateroom Deluxe Suite Prestige Suite Owner's SuiteDeck 5
Fitness Spa Bridge Studio PONANT Prestige Stateroom Prestige SuiteDeck 4
Theatre Prestige StateroomDeck 3
Shop Reception Desk Medical Centre Bar Superior Stateroom Deluxe StateroomDeck 2
MarinaCabins & suites
| Category | Type | Cabins | Size | Balcony | Sleeps | Decks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior StateroomCategory SP3; window or porthole stateroom without a private balcony. | Oceanview | 8 | 226 sq ft | — | 3 | 3 |
| Deluxe StateroomCategory DEL; standard balcony stateroom. | Balcony | 28 | 193 sq ft | 45 sq ft | 2 | 3 |
| Prestige StateroomCategories PR4, PR5 and PR6; selected pairs can be configured as Prestige Suites. | Balcony | 92 | 193 sq ft | 45 sq ft | 2 | 4, 5, 6 |
| Deluxe SuiteCategory DS6. | Suite | 3 | 290 sq ft | 55 sq ft | 2 | 6 |
Dining, bars & venues
13 included 3 extra cost in the fare, by the line's own published policy.
Dining
Gastronomic Restaurant
Included
The ship's formal restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Grill Restaurant
Included
A more casual restaurant serving buffet meals and informal dining.
Bars & lounges
Main Lounge
Varies
The principal indoor lounge with bar service and space for onboard activities.
Open-air Bar
Varies
An outdoor bar serving drinks on the upper deck.
Panoramic Lounge
Varies
A forward-facing lounge adjoining the library and panoramic terrace.
History & sister ships
- 2010Entered service, built by Fincantieri Ancona, Italy.
- 2018The ship underwent its last reported refurbishment; detailed work by area was not published in the sources reviewed.
Other Boreal class ships
Where L’Austral sails, month by month
| Nov 26 |
Dec 26 |
Jan 27 |
Feb 27 |
Mar 27 |
Apr 27 |
May 27 |
Jun 27 |
Jul 27 |
Aug 27 |
Sep 27 |
Oct 27 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Antarctica | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mediterranean | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| South America | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Canada & New England | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Ports it visits most
Explore This Ship
Jump from L’Austral sailings into the broader destination network with cruise line and region hub pages.
Itineraries & Sailings
Ports of Call
Next: Apr 7, 2028
1 upcoming departure
8 Nights
Cruising the Mediterranean: Sicily, Sardinia, and Mallorca – with Smithsonian Journeys
All 39 itineraries and their departure dates
- 7th Opera Festival at Sea 5 Oct 2028
- Antarctica: The White Continent – with Smithsonian Journeys 16 Jan 2027
- Around the Emerald Isle 25 May 2027
- British archipelagos and Celtic shores 18 May 2027
- Canary Islands, Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula 7 Apr 2028
- Catalonia and the Balearic Islands 21 Apr 2028
- Charm and heritage of the North American shores 3 Oct 2027
- Cruising Southern Spain and Portugal – with Smithsonian Journeys 1 May 2027, 12 Oct 2028
- Cruising the Mediterranean: Sicily, Sardinia, and Mallorca – with Smithsonian Journeys 26 Apr 2028
- Emblematic Antarctica 17 Nov 2026, 17 Dec 2026, 27 Dec 2026, 15 Feb 2027
- Emblematic South American shores and cities 16 Mar 2027, 7 Mar 2028
- Expedition to the edge of the Ice Sheet 30 Jul 2027
- Expedition to the Thule Region 12 Aug 2027
- From Ireland to Scotland: A Journey through Celtic Lands 1 Jun 2027
- From the Catalan shores to the Italian coastlines 10 Sep 2028
- Green Shores: Exploring the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coastline 23 Aug 2028
- Iberian interlude 3 Jul 2028
- Iberian interlude 23 Jul 2028, 30 Jul 2028
- Iberian Peninsula and Morocco 8 Jul 2028
- Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands and Moroccan shores 16 Apr 2028
- Icelandic mosaic 9 Jul 2027, 16 Jul 2027, 23 Jul 2027
- In the heart of the Northwest Passage 28 Aug 2027
- Journey to Austral Lands and Valdes Peninsula 25 Feb 2027
- Madeira and the Azores 15 Jul 2028, 6 Aug 2028
- Mediterranean Island Voyage: Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and Elba – with Smithsonian Journeys 4 May 2028
- Mediterranean shores 24 Apr 2027
- Ocean Voyage: Rio de Janeiro-Santa Cruz de Tenerife 26 Mar 2027
- Rhythms of Spain: From the Canaries to Málaga 8 Apr 2027
- Sardinia and the Balearic Islands 28 Jun 2028
- Secrets of the Iberian Peninsula 1 Sep 2028
- Sicilian interlude 15 Jun 2028
- Spring Awakening on the Mediterranean 16 Apr 2027
- The Atlantic coast - with the Paris Opera Ballet 14 Aug 2028
- The best of Chilean Fjords 4 Nov 2026, 28 Oct 2027
- The Iberian Peninsula and Fortified cities of the Atlantic 8 May 2027
- The wild archipelagos of the North Atlantic 18 Jun 2027
- There is a little bit of Franz Schubert in all of us 20 Jun 2028
- Wild lands of Scotland, the Faroe Islands and Iceland 8 Jun 2027, 29 Jun 2027
- Wilderness from Greenland to the East Coast of Canada 16 Sep 2027
All Upcoming Departures
L’Austral FAQ
What flag does L’Austral sail under?
L’Austral is registered in Wallis and Futuna.
How many passengers does L’Austral hold?
L’Austral carries about 264 guests with roughly 145 crew.
How old is L’Austral?
L’Austral entered service in 2010 and was last refurbished in 2018.
What is the dress code on L'Austral?
PONANT recommends casual-elegant clothing, with cocktail attire for gala evenings. Shorts and bermuda shorts are not permitted in the evening at the gastronomic restaurant.
Are dining and drinks included?
Full board and the Open Bar are included, covering meals and a wide selection of drinks. Some premium alcoholic beverages and other premium menu items are excluded.
Are gratuities mandatory on L'Austral?
No. Gratuities are discretionary, and PONANT provides an envelope at the end of the cruise for guests who wish to leave one.
Is Wi-Fi included?
Yes. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available in staterooms and common areas, although connection quality can vary with location and navigation conditions.
Does L'Austral have accessible staterooms?
Three accessible staterooms are identified on decks 3, 4 and 5: cabins 307, 407 and 509. Guests must be able to travel independently or with a companion who can provide assistance.
Are children allowed on L'Austral?
Age rules depend on the cruise type. Children are generally accepted from age one on Classic cruises and from age six on Expedition cruises; a kids' club is available only when offered on a particular voyage.