Ponant Cruises
L'Austral
- Cruises
- 0
- From
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The verdict
Which should you choose?
L'Austral is a small Ponant Cruises ship carrying 264 passengers, in service since 2011. Le Soleal is a small Ponant Cruises ship carrying 264 passengers, in service since 2013.
Choose L'Austral if you want a better-rated spa and gym, a more active cruise or more adventure and nature: it outscores Le Soleal for spa & fitness (7.0 vs 5.0), active (9.0 vs 7.0) and adventure & nature (10.0 vs 8.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Le Soleal if you want more culture or a more family-friendly ship: it outscores L'Austral for cultural (10.0 vs 7.0) and family friendly (5.0 vs 4.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| L'Austral | Le Soleal | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Ponant Cruises | Ponant Cruises |
| Ship size | Small | Small |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2011 | 2013 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 10,944 | 10,944 |
| 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 | 41.5 |
| Cabins | 132 | — |
| Decks | 6 | 6 |
| Length | 465 ft | 466 ft |
| Beam | 59 ft | 59 ft |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | — | 1 |
| Upcoming sailings | — | 1 |
| Cruise lengths | — | 13 nights |
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 3 of the ten, Le Soleal on 2, with 5 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
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 Soleal
Le Soleal is the third ship from French luxury cruise line Ponant, specializing in smaller ships, also known as mega-yachts. With smaller ships, guests enjoy a higher staff to crew ratio, have simpler embark and debark procedures, and can visit smaller ports that do not have facilities for larger ships.
Sailing now
1 cruise on sale.
Questions
L'Austral or Le Soleal?
Which is bigger, L'Austral or Le Soleal?
They are the same size, 10,944 gross tons each. L'Austral carries 264 passengers and Le Soleal carries 264.
Which ship is newer, L'Austral or Le Soleal?
Le Soleal is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2013 against 2011 for L'Austral.
Which has more space per passenger?
They are level at 41.5 gross tons per passenger.
Which has more crew per passenger?
They are level, with one crew member for every 1.9 passengers.
Which is better for families?
Le Soleal scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 5.0 out of 10, against 4.0 for L'Austral.
Still deciding?
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