Wendai

Take away the stress and spend some time in BA.  It's a fabulous city.

Our first cruise with Ponant back in 2011 was very French - even a bit snooty.  But we persevered and Ponant has learned very quickly.  All cruises that we have been on in the last 5 years have had a good number of English speakers, and some more English than any other.  In most cases, lectures and excursions have been divided up between English and French groups.  It's only the general annoucements and things like Captain's dinners that have dual language.  In 2019 we ended up booking through Tauck and it was 100% English, mostly from the USA.  So, don't let the language thing put you off.  The French DO have a slightly different way of doing things. Enjoy the culture.

We're booked on that but I expect it will be cancelled.  It's doubtful that WA will let the ship in

Boreal now shows as heading for Papeete.  Mmmm!  Keep company with Le Soleal and Paul Gaugin?  Or is it ultimately heading to Antarctica?  If so, that's a very long way around from Svalbard.

Wow, thanks.  I didn't realise that route was possible unless you're an icebreaker.

Le Boreal was stuck in Svalbard for the longest time.  It now seems to be sporadically showing that it's in western Russia.  Is this right.  How did it get there?  Did it go through the northwest passage?  I can't see an AIS track through Panama or anywhere near Canada?

Ships on the move:

Noticed both Le Bellot and Le Boreal are on the move, heading to Iceland (according to MarineTraffic.com).

Earlier this week our cruise was formally cancelled and I was also offered a full credit and 20% discount valid for the next 18 months.  I sent a letter back quoting the relevant paragraphs in the T&C.  Today, I got this response:

"We are not offering any refunds.

As a French-flagged company, our Terms & Conditions are governed by French law, which was just changed to allow travel companies to offer a 100% future cruise credit for 12 months instead of a refund.  However, in an effort of good faith, we are offering a 120% future cruise credit which can be used over a longer period, up to 18 months.  Our decision to offer a future cruise credit, rather than a refund also supports our staff, both onboard and ashore during this crisis, while keeping our industry growing and our guests interested in travelling in the future.  We know a number of cruise lines are choosing to take loans and credit lines in order to pay refunds, which is a decision they make independently.  We have made a conscious choice not to borrow money and to ensure the longevity of our company. PONANT’s shareholder Francois Pinault, who also owns Kering and its portfolio of luxury brands, remains in strong financial standing and is committed to the long term, for our business. To reassure you please see a link below profiling our shareholder. While M. Pinault needs no introduction, the link here from Forbes is most helpful in understanding our level of commitment of resources for the longer term.

https://www.forbes.com/profile/francois-pinault/#75d0dc1c4d20"

Not happy.  The problem for me is this.  Firstly, I don't believe we will see the end of this virus stuff for many months, maybe a year.  Once that happens, what cruises will be available and where?  We already have a cruise booked and partly paid for (a charter from Ponant) which is happening in a year from now.  There are also other commitments for time and travel, leaving a scant little amount of time to use up this credit.  It is highly unlikely that we would be in a position to use the credit within the next 18 months.  Are there are legal types within our group that can suggest a course of action.

Just found this: http://crew-center.com/ponant-pause-all-cruise-operations-crew-will-get-financial-support

We have a cruise booked from 30-Mar in New Zealand, though no formal advice from Ponant yet.

We are scheduled to board Le Laperouse in Auckland on 30-March and have so far received a letter from Ponant, pretty much stating the obvious about travel from the 'bad' countries and symptoms.  They have added that a questionnaire will be required just before boarding.

At this point in time, we have no intention of cancelling, simply because there is just so much hype, overreaction, dissinformation, media promulgated fear, and I'm sure Ponant has enough toilet paper to go around.

My read of this is that sooner or later we will all be infected, just like everyone gets the common cold sooner or later.  Most of us breeze through it and most of us will probably not even know we are infected.  Our bodies will deal with like it does every day with numerous bugs and viruses.  Yes, some will fall ill, just like many fall very ill from a variety of reasons especially once their immune systems have been stressed.  And some will succumb.  But the risk is vveerrrrrry small - your are more likely to be hit by a bus crossing the street.  If you're really paranoid, then stay in bed - but - oh wait - that's not very good either.

Take a breath and just keep living the life.

Thought I would share a very positive review of a recent cruise.  We have just come off Le Laperouse essentially following the Sydney-Hobart yacht race, starting in Sydney on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart on 2-January.  It was the 75th anniversary of this iconic sailing event, and by all accounts it was fantastic with 154 boats competing.  Starting with Le Laperouse's ability to sail through a closed Sydney Harbour and then anchor withing 0.6mi of the turning mark to watch all the sailing competitors as they made their way out of the heads and turned south.   To organise this with Sydney Ports by Ponant, was no mean feat.  Then onboard for the whole trip were Peter Shipway (commentator and many, many time Sydney-Hobart competitor) to provide continual updates and colourful commentaries.  Along also were Sir James Hardy with his lovely wife Lady Joan.  Again, colourful commentaries and between them could probably fill volumes of 'war stories'.  The cruise stopped off at Flinders Island and Wineglass Bay in Tasmania where we had Zodiac excursions.  Excellent.  Then finally 4 days in Hobart amongst all the buzz of the arriving yachts and the race village.  A New Years party on board was superb, with fireworks not far off the stern.  As a cruise, this was a a short one and a specialty aimed at mostly yachties, but this was no 11 for us with Ponant (and 2nd on Le Laperouse) and every bit enjoyable from stat to finish.

8 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

In Iceland, which should be a real test of a satellite-system capability, internet access was surprisingly good.  We didn't try to stream video [we were in Iceland, after all, so why waste time on video when you have Nature at your beck and call?], but websites loaded quite nicely.

Yes, Iceland was magic.  And, it's a holiday, so turn the phone off.  Best to enjoy a nice glass of wine and appreciate what you can see.

Have been on a few Ponant ships and used Internet.  It's OK for text-only emails.  A Google search, not bad.  Loading a website acceptable if not too much graphics.  Facebook was OK at times.  Forget about 'surfing' the net and downloading videos, youtube, etc.  Connectivity is via VSat satellites and data priority will be for ship's own use.

We've just spent 10 days from Nice to Malta on Le Ponant.  Had an absolutely wonderful time.  But then, we are sailors, so cruising on a sailing ships was the main attraction.  However, since the winds were never strong enough, or in the right direction, the ship used motor all the time.  The sails were used more for steadying purposes rather than propulsion.  Cruise ships have to stick to schedules.  This is a sailboat, not a motorboat, so not stabilised.

HI mdroho34:

We've been on Lyrial a few times and a number of other Ponant ships.  On Lyrial July 2018 from Athens to Venice, all along the Croatian coast.  The waters were absolutely flat.  Even if the Med kicks up a bit, because you are relatively close to shore and in between islands, the seas are very small.  We have been on Le Boreal (a sistership) through the backside of a hurricane in the Berring Sea, and still all quite manageable.  No worries!

A vote for Ponant here. Basically, the smaller the better, though need to be big enough to deal with whatever mother nature throws at you. Ponant's ships are just about right in that regard. If rougher ocean crossings are in the plan (i.e. the Drake), chose cabinet as low as you can (deck 3) and the middle of the ship. That is where the least amount of motion will be. A few months ago, we sailed on Le Boreal through the back of a hurricane in the Bering Sea, far worse than the Drake for us in 2016. But still OK. The short spells in rough weather are a very small price to pay for the absolutely amazing scenery and wildlife that you then get to experience. This is where Ponant really excells.

Another big benefit I see is that the only things you pay extra for are: top shelf wines, anything you buy in the shop, and shore excursions where a 3rd party is involved. After your first cruise, the next best perk is free laundry on board. That is a real bonus.

Hi terry&mike: Absolutely loved your article as it brought back some delightful memories for us. We travelled on Le Lyrial in Feb 2016. Our cruise was the last of the season, finishing off in Montevideo after South Georgia. We didn't get to the Falklands. However, the naturalists were all going home too, so it was quite a party atmosphere aboard towards the end of the cruise.

Ponant is the only cruise line we have ever been on, as the thought of being on a ship with a few thousand of your closest friends did not appeal. We've done now 5 cruises with them and have another 6 booked. Yes, it is a bugger to have to plan far in advance.

We are stepping aboard the brand new ship Le Laperouse, in Iceland in a few weeks time. Hopefully it gets launched on time! Then later in July, we'll be aboard Lyrial again in the Med, sailing around the Greek islands and eventually to Venice. This will be a very different sort of cruise compared to the mostly expedition ones we have done so far.

The Ponant experience for us has been very good. Our first cruise was from Boston to Montreal in 2012. Ponant was still VERY French then, with only us and a few American travel writers as the only English speakers on board. We did get to feel the French snootiness a bit. My 1 year of high school French only helped a little. But, we persevered. Each cruise since then has been much better in that respect, with English speaking lectures and attempts at putting English speakers together on the same Zodiac's. Our Antarctic cruise had almost 50% Aussies. The most recent cruise in Alaska had many English speakers, but Aussies was the single biggest group after the French. A lady from Ponant told me last week that Aussies are the next biggest group of travellers on Ponant after the French. Anyway, rambling on...

Thank you again.

Cheers