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Ship comparison

L'Austral vs Le Boreal

The verdict

Which should you choose?

L'Austral is a small Ponant Cruises ship carrying 264 passengers, in service since 2011. Le Boreal is a small Ponant Cruises ship carrying 264 passengers, in service since 2010.

Choose L'Austral if you want a better-rated spa and gym or a more active cruise: it outscores Le Boreal for spa & fitness (7.0 vs 5.0) and active (9.0 vs 8.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.

Choose Le Boreal if you want a more family-friendly ship, a more romantic trip or better-rated dining: it outscores L'Austral for family friendly (5.0 vs 4.0), romantic (9.0 vs 8.0) and dining (9.0 vs 8.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.

Side by side

Specifications

marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.

L'AustralLe Boreal
Cruise line Ponant Cruises Ponant Cruises
Ship size Small Small
Maiden voyagenewer highlighted 2011 (better) 2010
Gross tonnage 10,944 10,600
Passengers 264 264
Crew 139 140
Passengers per crew memberfewer is better 1.9 1.9
Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier 41.5 (better) 40.2
Cabins 132 —
Decks 6 6
Length 465 ft 466 ft
Beam 59 ft 59 ft
Speed — 17 mph
Cruiseable ratingout of 10 8 / 10 8 / 10

Bliss scores

How they rate, out of 10

Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. L'Austral leads on 2 of the ten, Le Boreal on 4, with 4 level.

  • Active L'Austral: 9.0 Le Boreal: 8.0
  • Adventure & nature L'Austral: 10.0 Le Boreal: 10.0
  • Cultural L'Austral: 7.0 Le Boreal: 8.0
  • Dining L'Austral: 8.0 Le Boreal: 9.0
  • Entertainment L'Austral: 5.0 Le Boreal: 5.0
  • Family friendly L'Austral: 4.0 Le Boreal: 5.0
  • Party L'Austral: 5.0 Le Boreal: 5.0
  • Romantic L'Austral: 8.0 Le Boreal: 9.0
  • Spa & fitness L'Austral: 7.0 Le Boreal: 5.0
  • Staterooms L'Austral: 7.0 Le Boreal: 7.0

Ponant Cruises

L'Austral

Launched in 2011, L’Austral from France-based Ponant provides an intimate, luxurious cruise experience. Her small size makes her ideally suited for visiting ports that bigger ships can’t reach.

Highlights

  • Three lounges offering evening entertainment, bars and access to the open decks
  • Suites featuring ocean views and private balconies
  • Multiple observation areas
  • French sophistication at every turn

Ponant Cruises

Le Boreal

A mega-yacht with 132 cabins, Le Boreal from France-based cruise line Ponant offers voyages that blend luxury and intimacy with well-being and discovery.

Questions

L'Austral or Le Boreal?

Which is bigger, L'Austral or Le Boreal?

L'Austral is bigger at 10,944 gross tons, against 10,600 gross tons for Le Boreal. L'Austral carries 264 passengers and Le Boreal carries 264.

Which ship is newer, L'Austral or Le Boreal?

L'Austral is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2011 against 2010 for Le Boreal.

Which has more space per passenger?

L'Austral, with 41.5 gross tons per passenger against 40.2 on Le Boreal. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.

Which has more crew per passenger?

They are level, with one crew member for every 1.9 passengers.

Which is better for families?

Le Boreal scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 5.0 out of 10, against 4.0 for L'Austral.

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