Our L’Austral ship review today comes compliments of Pia, one of Viva’s Senior Destination Consultants. Pia was ecstatic to have the chance to explore Greenland on an expedition cruise aboard L’Austral in July last year and has provided us with a ton of excellent, first-hand info.
Pia is an avid and experienced expedition cruiser (see her Antarctic Photo Journey), so we think she's the best person to offer an in-depth, first-hand review of what it's like to take on the Arctic and visit Greenland and Canada aboard L’Austral.
Exploring the colourful town of Sisimiut, Greenland was a highlight for Pia
Incorporating Pia’s detailed insight, we review everything from the ship’s overall layout and vibe to cabin sizes and price-point options, activities, excursions, and onboard entertainment. We also review the food options and quality of service from the crew. All of this should help you decide if this is the right vessel for your next polar adventure.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
About L’Austral - ship size, layout & general overview
Cabins
Food
Activities & excursions
Is L’Austral suitable with kids?
Any downsides to report?
Fun stuff onboard L’Austral
What kind of traveller would enjoy this itinerary and ship?
What to take on a Greenland expedition aboard L’Austral
Pia’s expedition cruise itinerary – explore Greenland on L’Austral
L'Austral in Greenland
About L’Austral
L’Austral has been a popular choice for polar expedition cruises since it launched in 2011. Operated by the French cruise line company Ponant, it focuses highly on the French market, although, in the last few years, it has been broadening its horizons. About half of its occupancy, nowadays, hails from every corner of the globe.
The ship offers expedition cruises to various remote locations in South America and Asia. However, its bread-and-butter itineraries are to the polar regions. L'Austral is an ice-strengthened ship built and designed to explore remote and icy destinations. It is tailor-made for expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic.
Ship size, layout and general overview
L’Austral is a spacious ship which, in many ways, belies its diminutive size. It only carries 264 guests – which places it in the ‘small expedition ship’ category – yet, once onboard, it feels like a bonafide cruise liner.
The ship is sister to Le Boréal, Le Lyrial and Le Soléal, so if you’ve cruised on any of these, you’ll be familiar with the layout.
What sets L’Austral apart from other polar expedition ships, according to Pia, is that it provides some entertainment onboard and a more classic 'cruise' feel. This contrasts with most polar expedition ships of this size, which primarily focus on the destination.
Adventures in Greenland, Canada and Baffin Bay were definitely the highlight for Pia, yet the little extras aboard L’Austral were a welcomed touch.
The ship offers a fusion of classic cruising and expedition experiences – loads to do on land during the day and fabulous dance shows in the evening on board. If you love some nightly entertainment, a chance to dress up and enjoy French champagne and cocktails on your Greenland adventure, then L’Austral will hit the spot – Pia
Cocktails onboard L'Austral, cheers!
There’s a definite French vibe onboard L’Austral – the primary spoken language is French, although, as expected, the ship carries a multi-lingual crew. English-speaking guests will feel perfectly at home, too. If you love excellent wine, amazing cheeses and delectable food, however, you'll undoubtedly appreciate the French influence.
Although often described as a luxurious expedition ship, Pia confirms that L’Austral isn't excessively opulent. It's elegant without being over the top and comfortable in many aspects. Your choice of cabin matters, so read on to learn more about cabin options.
The only real drawback of the ship, from my perspective, is that it lacks a wraparound outer deck, so you can’t walk around too much. You can go up and down a flight of stairs on the stern, but to reach the bow, you must go inside, walk past all the cabins and exit to the front. It's not too annoying if you have a private balcony in your room (to get some fresh air), but it might bug you if you don't – Pia
Overall, if you're looking for a classic cruise experience with a healthy dose of 'expedition adventure' thrown in, L’Austral will suit you well.
Cabins aboard L'Austral
The cabins on L’Austral are spacious and well-appointed, with a bathroom and separate toilet. The bonus? All cabins have a Nespresso machine, which is perfect if you're the type to be non-functional until your first morning espresso in bed!
Staying in a cabin with a private balcony is a fab luxury, although you lose a little interior space to have it.
Unfortunately, cabins without balconies have their windows set forward. In theory, this should be great for photo-taking and landscape viewing, yet, in reality, the constant salt spray makes it often difficult to admire the view. In the balcony cabins, the windows are set back a little, so they tend to stay cleaner. You can just pop out on the balcony for the best view! – Pia
Pia stayed in a Prestige Stateroom on Deck 4 and loved her cabin. She particularly liked the bathroom layout and the fact that by opening the privacy screen she could drench the room with sunlight from the windows.
Bathroom layout onboard L'Austral. The WC is separate.
Pia found the cupboard space to be plentiful and the safe to be convenient. It was a little too cold in Greenland in July to sit on the balcony for an extended period, but stepping outside for photos or fresh air on a whim was an absolute plus.
Pia's cabin onboard L'Austral - this is home for 14 days!
Housekeeping was on point, and the turndown service – complete with a little something sweet every night – is a gorgeous touch.
Cabin Types
L’Austral has 132 cabins, on Deck 3 – 6. All the Deluxe and Prestige cabins come with balconies.
There are eight Superior Staterooms without balconies but with more space, larger windows and an extra sofa – these are an excellent option for those who want to save a little on the fare or are travelling with children.
Then you have the ‘suites’ – both deluxe and prestige. The Deluxe Suites are about 50% larger than their stateroom counterparts. The Prestige Suite, on the other hand, are essentially two smaller cabins which combine to create two distinct spaces: an oversized bedroom and an oversized living room. You certainly get a lot more space at a higher price point and, if you book a suite on Deck 6, even butler service.
The crème-de-la-crème cabin option aboard L’Austral is the Owner’s Suite, which offers 45 square metres of abundant space, an XL balcony, and two bathrooms – one with a jacuzzi. This option typically sells out as soon as expedition itineraries are released. Get in fast if you're in the market for a delightful splurge in Greenland.
Food Aboard L'Austral
The food served onboard L’Austral is one of its best-selling pros and is consistently well-rated. There's an a-la-carte restaurant on Deck 2 and a buffet restaurant on Deck 6. The breakfast buffet did not change during Pia's cruise, although she says the options were plentiful, and there was always French champagne – so no complaints on that front!
Lunch in the buffet restaurant includes a station where daily specialities are cooked on the spot – from BBQ and sushi to salmon and pasta. In the a-la-carte restaurant, the lunch menu was typically consistent, although the dinner menu had variations throughout the cruise. Wine is always included, as is a variety of outstanding French cheeses and artisanal bread.
Overall, the food aboard L’Austral was excellent – plenty of choice, so you don't feel 'stuck' in a culinary rut. I particularly enjoyed the special multi-course dinners they put on several nights during our cruise – Pia
Weather permitting, you can enjoy al fresco meals on the outer deck, which is a fantastic experience.
Al fresco dining on L'Austral
Activities & excursions
L'Austral offers various itineraries, but generally, you can expect one onshore activity daily - anything from a Zodiac ride to a guided hike or walking village tour. It depends on the landing site on any given day.
Informative lectures on the nature and culture of Greenland are offered, but not daily. Pia thoroughly enjoyed a special guest presentation by nature photographer, Cindy Miller Hopkins, who offered bundles of tips on how to best capture the scenery, flora and fauna of the Arctic.
The Greenland itinerary enjoyed by Pia offers a variety of landings – enough options to keep everybody happy. Village visits provide an insight into local culture and cuisine, and there’s an assortment of short and longer hikes for you to choose from. Pia tackled some longer hikes and found them to be not too challenging. Throughout the two weeks, guests took Zodiac rides to explore icebergs close up and learn all about the varied landscapes.
It was surprising to discover that every landing site was unique, with different landscapes and rocky outcrops – you imagine the scenery to be all the same, but the variety was astonishing. The extra boat tour and hike at the UNESCO ice fjord of Ilulissat was spectacular – Pia
Three activities offered by L'Austral in Greenland - hiking, village visits & landing on an ice shelf!
On the more cultural side of the adventure, was a visit by the locals at one of Ponant’s favourite stopovers: the traditional hunting village of Kullorsuaq, one of Greenland’s northernmost settlements.
After a few hours spent on-land, admiring the town’s colourful houses, L’Austral guests were followed back onboard by the entire population of Kullorsuaq – yes, all 450 of them! The crew and guests were treated to a traditional musical performance and had the chance to mingle, socialise and share a tipple with locals. This is a highlight for the folks of Kullorsuaq – who don’t get to see too many visitors – and an even bigger highlight for ship guests.
Locals left their shoes at the door when they visited L'Austral
Another astonishing aspect of a Greenland expedition cruise in July is experiencing the midnight sun. Seeing bright sunshine at 2 a.m. feels odd and ethereal and something you won’t want to miss.
We spotted dolphins under the midnight sun, which was an extraordinary experience. We never wanted to sleep! But as the Captain said…you can catch up on sleep when you get home! – Pia
Midnight sun over ice-covered waters in Greenland
Is L'Austral suitable with kids?
Pia noticed a couple of families with teenagers on board during her expedition, although she found no children-specific activity on offer. L'Austral is well suited to families due to the larger cabin options. Still, if travelling with children, you might want to ensure they'd be happy to join you on all the offered onshore excursions – there would be no alternative options for them otherwise.
Hiking in Greenland - can you spot L'Austral through the fog?
Any downsides to report?
Being an experienced expedition cruiser means Pia noticed that more adventurous options like kayaking, or a polar plunge, were not offered by L’Austral. Given the target audience for these cruises, however, that’s not unusual.
Pia enjoyed the Zodiac outings but felt the overall enjoyment depended highly on the guide at the time. Some made shorter trips and returned to the ship sooner than others. Some offered up a lot more info than others. This points to a slight lack of consistency on the guiding front, although all the guides were friendly and as helpful as could be.
The vessel has no mudroom, which means you have to take the big jacket and life jacket back to your room. The boots, too, but you could always leave those outside the cabin - Pia
Exploring by zodiac amongst the icebergs
Fun stuff onboard L'Austral
After two days of splurging on French cheese and wine, Pia resolved to use the ship's gym every day. She says it is small, but if you go early (before breakfast), you'll likely have it to yourself.
Every morning, the staff offers stretch classes held in the theatre. These are very popular with the older guests, so felt a little cramped.
The theatre is where presentations and dance shows are held – the latter twice a day. Afternoon and evening shows keep the guests entertained between excursions, and the staff offers sporadic dance classes there, too.
The cruise director also put on fun stuff like bingo, quiz shows, fashion shows, and even karaoke –mainly in French. Ever wondered if your brain has retained any of your high-school French lessons? Karaoke night onboard L’Austral is an excellent time to find out!
What kind of traveller would enjoy this itinerary and ship?
The Baffin Bay cruise itinerary exploring Greenland and Canada on the L’Austral is not a hard-core polar expedition. It would suit anyone looking for a soft adventure to the far north. For this reason, and the slightly higher luxury level and price point, L’Austral suits more mature travellers and is most popular with couples and families. Most guests on Pia’s cruise were aged 50-80, with the oldest being a sprightly 92-year-old!
L’Austral doesn't offer shared cabins so you won't find many solo explorers onboard. If you're a solo traveller looking for a shared-cabin option on an Arctic cruise, contact us, and we can help you find a more suitable option (like this one).
A tender transfers guests to the L'Austral
What to take on a Greenland expedition aboard L’Austral
There’s nothing too specific to pack for a Greenland and Canadian Arctic cruise except a mosquito net. Arctic mosquitos in the heart of summer are something fierce. Remember that you will be going quite far north and, even in July, it will be cold.
Among the essentials – and this is mainly aimed at those who are experienced expeditioners – is a pair of binoculars. Many expedition cruise ships have them for guests to use, but not L’Austral, so don’t forget to take your own.
I didn’t pack my jeans because I thought they'd be too casual for this ship, but they would have been perfectly fine to take. Some guests do dress up, but you’re not obliged to. Also, you can enjoy room service in your cabin if you want a casual dinner alone and prefer not to dress up for a 'white night'. Mind you, our white night turned out to be super fun, so I'd recommend taking something suitable for that – Pia
White night onboard L'Austral was a night to remember for Pia!
Pia’s expedition cruise itinerary – explore Greenland on L’Austral
If you are interested in following in Pia’s icy footsteps, then check out our 14-day Baffin Bay Secrets Greenland expedition cruise aboard L'Austral. This comprehensive itinerary explores magnificent Baffin Bay, which is framed by both Greenland and Arctic Canada – you will be exploring both sides.
Pia's 14-day expedition cruise explored all the highlights of Baffin Bay
The itinerary offers a hybrid of activities, some more physical than others. There is something for everyone on offer. Some special activities, like the iceberg cruise, cost extra and sell out fast. If anything specific catches your interest and isn't included, consider booking it while you book your cruise.
Baffin Bay is one of five polar cruises offered by L’Austral.
We hope our ship review of L’Austral has helped you ascertain if this is the right ship for your next Arctic adventure. Looking for something different? Contact one of our Destination Specialists today, and they'll help you find it.
