Ponant Suspends Operations

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, AussieBoyTX said:

The document hasn’t been updated, but several cruises are now missing. I noticed Le Laperouse’s first cruise is now June 17 (Darwin Broome).  Le Bougainville’s first cruise is June 1 (Valletta - Civitavecchia ). 
 

There night be other changes. I didn’t capture the old list. 

 

You seem to have figured out their website better than I – and I don't know where to find such a document.  [This is not sarcasm, I really wish I could find a list of cruises in date order rather than "our selection"]  But when I searched on May 2020, I got these fives cruises [all apparently with availability]:

 

[directionfinder]

4 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

You seem to have figured out their website better than I – and I don't know where to find such a document.  [This is not sarcasm, I really wish I could find a list of cruises in date order rather than "our selection"]  But when I searched on May 2020, I got these fives cruises [all apparently with availability]:

 

To find the document of the canceled cruises:

- go to Covid-19 Exceptional Measures (on Ponant internet page) 

- choose either "your cruise has been canceled...." or " you will soon embark ...."

- open "do you wonder if your cruise...." or " you have booked a ...." 

- in both text you will find the link to the canceled or postponed cruise! 

 

They talk about that they will update this list, but nothing happened since 8th April!

They used to promise that the customer will be contacted 30 days in advance about what will happen with your cruise, which I thought is fair. But they changed it to 7 days, which I think is very spontan!

 

[AussieBoyTX]

6 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

You seem to have figured out their website better than I – and I don't know where to find such a document.  [This is not sarcasm, I really wish I could find a list of cruises in date order rather than "our selection"]  But when I searched on May 2020, I got these fives cruises [all apparently with availability]:

 

 

 

Yeah, it's not easy. @directionfinder gave you how to find the list (which hasn't been updated).

 

You can sort the list by departure date, though. That "our selection" button has a dropdown that changes the sort order by departure date, price or cabin. Is that not available to you?

 

[AussieBoyTX]

Here are the current first sailings listed on Ponant's site as of May 6:

 

Le Lyrial -- May 22 -- From the city of Gods to the Serenissima

Le Bellot -- May 25 -- Historic Cities of the Baltic Sea

Le Soleal -- May 30 -- An Immersion in Japanese Culture

Le Dumont-d-Urville -- May 25 -- From Scotland to Scandinavia

Le Bougainville -- June 1 -- Sicily and Amalfi coast

L'Austral -- June 4 -- The Best of Spitsbergen

Le Champlain -- June 7 -- Ocean Voyage: Bergen - Reykjavik

Le Boreal -- June 16 -- From the Norwegian Sea to Spitsbergen

Le Laperouse -- June 17 -- Australia's Iconic Kimberley

Le Jacques Cartier -- June 19 -- Inaugural Season - The Best of the Norwegian Fjords

Le Commandant Charcot -- May 31, 2021 -- Inaugural cruise - In the wake of Captain Jean-Baptiste Charcot

Le Ponant (Shows no Cruises)

 

I know that some ships are chartered by Tauck (and others) over the summer. I didn't look into this extensively, but see that Tauck has Iceland sailings on Le Champlain from June 10 -- July 29. All show available for purchase.

[Jared Purdy]

I'd like to know how they can announce cruises when many countries haven't even declared when they're opening their boarders?  Carnival has also posted sail dates for Caribbean and Mexican destinations.  Do these guys know something that the politicians leading these countries don't know?

[AussieBoyTX]

42 minutes ago, Jared Purdy said:

I'd like to know how they can announce cruises when many countries haven't even declared when they're opening their boarders?  Carnival has also posted sail dates for Caribbean and Mexican destinations.  Do these guys know something that the politicians leading these countries don't know?

 

In Ponant's case, these are simply cruises not cancelled. Perhaps it's wishful thinking on their part, or a game of chicken, but every so often a cruise or two are removed from the list as Ponant decides they will be unable to operate the cruise.

 

Like you, I think it's unlikely the May cruises will happen and feel the same way about the June ones. Though I guess there are scenarios where some European cruises and perhaps the Japanese cruise could happen. At this point, I remain skeptical that Ponant will be able to crew their ships with anyone other than Europeans (which I suggested way earlier in this thread).

 

I also wonder bout Le Champlain's charters in Iceland. Tauck's COVID-19 page says they're cancelling all trips through the end of June and that would leave Le Champlain in Iceland, fully staffed, for a month after the Bergen-Reykjavik repositioning cruise before even the possibility of the first July Tauck charter operating.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I haven't been checking Ponant's offerings thoroughly, but I did notice about two weeks ago that a new cruise popped up for April 2022 [The Essential Azores on Le Champlain].  The only cruises that have been listed for 2022 are on Le Commandant Charcot [part of its maiden season announcement].  I'm glad they are bringing back that itinerary [it was scheduled for 2020 but was cancelled], but it's just odd how it popped up in a vacuum – no way to tell how Le Champlain is going to get there or where it will go afterward.

 

PS – @AussieBoyTX just gave me an idea for the above: maybe Tauck wants to put a group on that cruise so Ponant worked it out early?

[AussieBoyTX]

Ponant has updated the cancellations list as of May 7: https://wordpress.ponant.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CANCELLED_CRUISES_MAY7th.pdf

 

The website itself still shows some of the cruises as available for sale.

 

I may try to list the changes later today if I can find time.

 

Also, Ponant contacted us about our cancelled cruise in June. We were offered FCC for what we've already paid, plus an additional 20% bonus based on the price of the cruise. What's new is that the FCC is transferable to family and friends.

[directionfinder]

The list of canceled cruises on the US, UK and France pages has been updated today.

Both of my cruises with Le Soleal starting 26th June from Japan and the second one Petropavlovsk 10 th July has been canceled today from the German Ponant office. This cruises are not on the new list.

This means even more cruises are canceled.

[directionfinder]

AussieBoyTX, has your June cruise also be canceled today? 

[AussieBoyTX]

2 minutes ago, directionfinder said:

AussieBoyTX, has your June cruise also be canceled today? 

Yes, it was on Le Jacques Cartier and is on the list.

[AussieBoyTX]

It was a little easier than I expected. I believe these are the cruises added to the cancelation list:

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by AussieBoyTX

[AussieBoyTX]

On 4/27/2020 at 1:19 PM, AussieBoyTX said:

Le Lapérouse has been chartered to repatriate 300 Wallis & Futuna residents from New Caledonia. It will be over two sailings.The ship will apparently be at sea for fourteen days instead of the five required for the transit to help ensure there are no active COVID-19 cases on board.

 

Le Lapérouse left Noumea today for Mata Utu.

 

"More than 100 Wallisians and Futunans who were stranded in New Caledonia since last March embarked this Friday on the liner Lapérouse"

 

There are some nice pictures of the families in front of Le Lapérouse.

 

In French: Le Lapérouse: Head for Wallis and Futuna

Edited May 8, 2020 by AussieBoyTX

[AussieBoyTX]

FYI, spoke to Ponant regarding the use of the 20% COVID-19 commercial consideration. The use of the consideration is a “rebooking” and is not eligible for the 2020 “book with confidence” promotion. Instead of 10% down, payment at 30 days and free changes to other cruises before 30 days, 25% down is required, with payment in full at 90 days. IMO, that makes using the bonus of limited value until things are much more stable (maybe in 2022). 

[jland]

Received an email from Ponant Australia advising all cruises world wide are cancelled until the end of June. Has anyone else received an email with this info?

[AussieBoyTX]

3 minutes ago, jland said:

Received an email from Ponant Australia advising all cruises world wide are cancelled until the end of June. Has anyone else received an email with this info?

No, but that’s consistent with my conversation with them last week and the cruises listed on their website. They only show four arctic cruises in June today. 

[schnapperin]

With borders all over - and specially in Europe- are still closed and quarantine in place for those traveling from abroad for 14 days it was to be expected.

 

It seems that some restrictions might be lifting in parts of Europe around Mid June, but the border between France and Spain or Austria and Italy is to remain closed. So I can see some Greece island, French coastline cruise maybe in July - Island is supposed to be open with a negative test aswell.

[AussieBoyTX]

I wonder what Le Bougainville is up to? According to CruiseMapper, it arrived at Richards Bay, South Africa yesterday and now it's heading back to the north east.

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

8 minutes ago, AussieBoyTX said:

I wonder what Le Bougainville is up to? According to CruiseMapper, it arrived at Richards Bay, South Africa yesterday and now it's heading back to the north east.

 

Stocking up on South African wine?

[AussieBoyTX]

20 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Stocking up on South African wine?

 

Could be. They're now sailing like they're drunk. 🤪

 

[parischris]

Le Bougainville is 'ported' in the Seychelles, which has just announced that it is closed to cruise ships until 2022, so they are probably keeping close to Richards Bay for provisions and fuel until new orders are received from Marseille. 

[AussieBoyTX]

Le Bougainville has continued its journey and is approaching Cape Town.

[parischris]

Now heading to Las Palmas...

[AussieBoyTX]

The passengers on Le Lapérouse completed quarantine and disembarked in Wallis yesterday.

 

In French: In Wallis, the last returnees left Lapérouse yesterday

Edited May 26, 2020 by AussieBoyTX

[jmalux]

Plenty of new cancellations:

 

https://wordpress.ponant.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/REPROGRAMMATION_CROISIERES_PONANT_ETE2020_02062020-2.pdf