What is Le Lyrial like?
Le Lyrial is Ponant's most luxurious-feeling ship of those we saw in Svalbard — silvers, faux furs in the lounge, a bar selection that tells you which end of the market she sits at. She was not originally designed for expedition, though, and the absence of a mudroom shows it.
Ship at a glance
Specifications, as published by the operator
- Operator
- Ponant
- Guests
- 244 maximum (Ponant's French-language page states 245)
- Crew
- 145
- Cabins
- 122 staterooms and suites across six guest decks
- Ice class
- 1C
- Length
- 142 m
- Gross tonnage
- 10,944 UMS
What we observed on our visit
- Where we toured her
- Longyearbyen, Svalbard, July 2025
- Mudroom
- None at all — boots are kept in the cabin, which has storage for a jacket, and Zodiacs board from a stern platform
- Lounge style
- A lounge for sitting rather than lectures — silvers, faux furs and a premium bar selection
- Dining
- An indoor dining room and a two-storey outdoor area aft overlooking the pool and wake, used for barbecues
- Pool and hot tubs
- Pool on one of the top decks
- Stands out for
- The most luxurious feel of the six ships — and the clearest sign she was not designed for expedition
We have toured this ship but not sailed her. A full review will follow when we do.
How luxurious is she?
Luxurious — silvers, faux furs in the lounge, and you can tell it is a more premium line from the bar selection alone. There is a pool up on one of the top decks. She was docked in town, so we walked straight aboard.
Does she have a mudroom?
No. She was not originally designed for expedition, and it shows: there is no mudroom. Each stateroom has somewhere for boots and plenty of storage for a jacket, but that is not the same thing, and it was a disappointment.
She does carry Zodiacs, boarded from a platform at the stern where the guide team helps you across.
What are the cabins like?
The cabins are smaller than the ships we saw the day before, and laid out more like a conventional ocean cruise ship — balcony, small sofa, bed, bathroom nearest the door, closet opposite. Everything well kept.
What is the dining like?
Two good dining areas: a lovely indoor dining room, with the cheeses already out for that evening’s buffet when we walked through, and a two-storey outdoor area aft where you can take lunch overlooking the pool and the wake. They do an outdoor barbecue there too.
Related reading
Written by your expedition advisor
Erika Commisso · Travel Experience Architect
CLIA Elite Cruise Counselor · ASTA Verified Travel Advisor · Signature Travel Expert
Chris and Erika have sailed ten expedition voyages and toured seven more expedition ships. Favorite explorations so far: Antarctica, Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Alaska, the Galápagos, the Scottish Hebrides, Churchill and French Polynesia.
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