The four sister ships of the Ponant fleet - Boréal, Austral, Soléal and Lyrial - each carry between 224 and 264 guests (depending on the configuration of the cabins - some can be joined to create larger suites) and have been purpose built over the course of six years to a sleek and elegant specification. The fifth and original ship in the fleet, Le Ponant, is a 64 guest sailing ship.

All ships sail under the French flag, but the French-based company still aims for a truly international clientele, attracted by gastronomic excellence and a sophisticated ambience. On certain sailings, large groups will change the balance of languages spoken, but the ships operate bilingually throughout the year.

They offer a stylish and luminous décor, with some beautiful artworks and furnishings in leather, suede and fabric, and in nautical colours that evoke the natural world.

Classic cruise itineraries are interspersed with voyages and expeditions way off the beaten track. Sailing in pristine waters, the 'clean ship' awards make complete sense, as does the state of the art dynamic positioning system which means that there is no need to drop an anchor which might damage a fragile ecosystem.

And there's more to come from Ponant, with no less than six new expedition ships on the way! The first pair are due to launch in summer 2018, with two more to come in 2019 and a further two in 2020.