Superb journeys with French aptitude.
That could possibly be the tagline for Ponant, the small-ship cruise specialist recognized for upscale voyages to a few of the world’s most off-the-beaten-path locations.
Based by a bunch of French service provider mariners in 1988 with a single small crusing vessel, Ponant has grown into one of many world leaders in what is named expedition cruising — cruising to distant, hard-to-reach locations on hardy “expedition ships” that carry their very own touchdown craft. But it surely has completed it in its personal distinctive Ponant means.
Primarily based in France since its begin and lengthy in style amongst French-speaking passengers, Ponant has notably all the time supplied voyages with a uniquely French atmosphere.
From the elegantly introduced French delicacies you may encounter on board to the predominance of Francophone officers in key roles, you may know you are on a French vessel when crusing with Ponant.
Ponant ships now function as dual-lingual vessels — all the things from bulletins to off-the-ship excursions are carried out each in French and English — and also you’re as prone to be greeted with a “bonjour” on the eating room within the morning as a “good morning” from workers members who’re as prone to come from France as wherever else.
Your fellow passengers are as prone to be talking French as English, too.
Briefly, touring on considered one of Ponant’s upscale ships is one thing akin to staying at a luxurious boutique resort in France — only one that occurs to drift. You are getting a bit of style of France while you’re on a Ponant crusing along with a style of no matter vacation spot you might be visiting.
The time period “boutique resort,” in the meantime, is de facto the way in which to take a look at what you are getting while you e-book a Ponant ship. Ponant’s authentic vessel, Le Ponant, carried simply 32 passengers, an extremely small quantity for a cruise vessel, and the road — greater than virtually another — has been steadfast in not going huge with its ships. Many of the 13 vessels at present in its fleet have simply 100 or so cabins.
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As Ponant executives are fond of claiming, they’re “ships on a human scale” — providing a yachtlike intimacy for the restricted variety of passengers on any given crusing and being able to dock in really particular locations that greater ships cannot entry.
Together with such expedition cruising pioneers as Lindblad Expeditions, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Hurtigruten Expeditions, Ponant has been on the forefront of opening up a few of the most distant elements of the Arctic and Antarctica to tourism, together with little-visited elements of hotter locations resembling probably the most distant islands of the South Pacific and Western Australia’s Kimberley area.
However in recent times, it has gone even additional with the debut of the world’s first luxury icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot — the primary luxurious cruise vessel able to touring all the way in which to the North Pole. Here is what else it’s essential to learn about Ponant and its ships.
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3 issues TPG loves about Ponant
- Its array of uncommon itineraries, together with voyages to the North Pole
- The French aptitude of its ships
- The modern and trendy design of its vessels
What we might do with out
- The excessive value of some add-on excursions
The Ponant fleet
Amongst cruise strains that concentrate on upscale journeys, Ponant has one of many less complicated fleets.
All however three of the road’s 13 vessels fall into considered one of simply two teams: The Sisterships and the Explorer-class ships.
Each of those teams are made up of small, upscale vessels constructed across the similar time to the identical fundamental design. If one member of the group, all of them.
As well as, Ponant operates two small crusing ships that collectively make up a 3rd set of vessels in addition to a luxurious icebreaker that’s in a category all its personal — the latter particularly constructed for probably the most adventurous journeys to the world’s polar areas.
Like different manufacturers targeted on upscale cruises, Ponant operates ships which can be far smaller and extra intimate than the large floating megaresorts operated by the likes of Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line. At 10,944 gross tons, even the most important Ponant ships are greater than 20 instances smaller than the most important Royal Caribbean ships, as an example.
Apart from the road’s two crusing vessels (Le Ponant and Spirit of Ponant), the road’s ships are designed to hold simply 184 to 264 passengers apiece. The crusing ships are much more intimate, carrying simply 32 passengers and 12 passengers, respectively.
Nonetheless, whereas the ships are smaller than what you may discover at a mass-market line, they are not cramped. Certainly, the road’s new Explorer-class vessels, specifically, are notably spacious when measured by their space-per-passenger ratio. It is considerably larger than what you may discover on many mass-market ships. These vessels additionally function with a better ratio of workers members to passengers than mass-market ships.
Each the space-per-passenger ratio and the staff-to-passenger ratio are measurements used as shorthand for the posh degree of a vessel.
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On the whole, Ponant ships are elegant and refined, typically with French touches that mirror the road’s French roots.
The road’s icebreaker, the 245-passenger Le Commandant Charcot, is especially luxurious, with a restaurant designed by the famed French chef Alain Ducasse, a chic spa, and high-end cabins and suites.
Le Commandant Charcot is also, fairly merely, the hardest passenger ship ever constructed for expedition cruising — the kind of cruising that includes touring to probably the most distant and hard-to-reach locations on the planet.
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A full-blown icebreaker of the type that till lately solely governments operated, it was constructed particularly to chop by means of the thick multiyear ice that’s discovered throughout elements of the polar ice cap, permitting it to journey all the way in which to the North Pole
Locations and itineraries
Seeking to get off the overwhelmed path in your subsequent cruise trip? Ponant could possibly be your line.
The expedition cruise specialist gives some of the numerous arrays of itineraries within the cruise enterprise. Its 13 small vessels function in each nook of the world together with a few of the most distant and hard-to-reach locations.
With a few of the world’s hardest polar-rated expedition ships, together with the only cruise vessel capable of reaching the North Pole, Ponant is a pacesetter in voyages to Antarctica and the Arctic — arguably the world’s two most difficult-to-access locations.
But it surely’s additionally recognized for some of the numerous arrays of unique voyages throughout distant elements of Oceania and the Pacific Islands and round little-visited elements of Africa, the Center East and archipelagos within the Indian Ocean.
It additionally gives journeys to extra conventional cruise locations such because the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, albeit sometimes with a concentrate on the quieter corners of such locations.
It’s a mixture of polar, tropical and subtropical voyages, all on comparatively upscale expedition vessels or small yachts, that’s uncommon within the cruise world.
Who sails Ponant
Ponant typically attracts massive numbers of French-speaking passengers — little doubt as a consequence of its standing as the one main France-based cruise line working ocean cruises. Its company sometimes embrace passengers from France, Belgium, Switzerland and different French-speaking international locations. Lately, nonetheless, the road has been drawing rising numbers of English-speaking passengers, too, and its sailings can have a notably worldwide taste with regards to the combination of clientele.
On a latest Ponant crusing that I used to be on in Canada, as an example, the practically 100 passengers on board got here from 14 completely different international locations, together with France, america, Canada, the UK, Germany, Mexico and China. French-speaking passengers had been within the majority, however solely by a tad. I’ve additionally sailed on Ponant ships that had been virtually completely full of French-speaking passengers and others the place French-speaking passengers had been within the minority. It typically is dependent upon the itinerary.
What passengers on Ponant ships have in widespread is that they often are well-heeled — these aren’t cheap vessels — and on the older aspect. The corporate’s core market is the 50-plus crowd, as that is the demographic that has the time and cash for the model’s high-end sailings which can be typically on the lengthy aspect. However Ponant additionally attracts some youthful vacationers, too.
On the whole, you may discover a whole lot of {couples} on Ponant ships and a few solo vacationers. You will additionally discover the occasional multigenerational group — a retired couple touring with their working-age grownup kids, as an example. What you will not discover is a large variety of kids.
Cabins and suites
What are the cabins on Ponant ships like? In a phrase, elegant.
Amongst manufacturers recognized for expedition-style voyages, Ponant gives a few of the most trendy and comfy cabins you may discover.
On the whole, Ponant cabins are modern and up to date, with a beneficiant quantity of area. In distinction to what you may discover on many cruise ships, additionally they all have home windows searching over the ocean. Not like on the vessels operated by some cruise manufacturers, there aren’t any windowless “inside” cabins on Ponant ships.
Almost each cabin and suite on each Ponant ship additionally comes with a balcony. This is not all the time the case with small cruise ships and expedition ships. The road’s seven latest ships are all-balcony vessels.
Briefly, Ponant vessels are a good selection in the event you’re on the lookout for a ship that may take you to probably the most distant elements of the world in type.
Ponant’s whole fleet of 13 vessels has been designed to really feel intimate and complex, with even the most important of its ships housing simply 132 cabins. Six of the road’s latest ships, the Explorer-class vessels, have simply 92 cabins apiece.
That is far fewer cabins than you may discover on most upscale ships. Many of the ships operated by luxurious line Seabourn, as an example, have 226 to 302 cabins.
From an experiential standpoint, that is great information, after all — who would not love a extra intimate trip expertise away from the crowds? But it surely additionally signifies that there’s restricted cabin stock for any specific crusing.
So in the event you discover a Ponant crusing you want, you should not wait too lengthy to e-book a cabin on it.
Eating places and eating
As is typical for small ships, Ponant vessels usually have simply two essential eateries: a proper restaurant with desk service in an inside space and a extra informal buffet eatery across the pool space.
On every of the road’s six new Explorer-class ships, as an example, passengers cut up their time between the primary Le Nautilus restaurant, which serves French and European delicacies, and the extra informal Le Nemo, a poolside venue.
Every of the road’s 4 Sisterships additionally has two essential retailers for eating: a chic essential eating room that may seat each passenger on the vessel directly, if want be, and a extra informal buffet that gives each indoor and outside seating across the pool.
Ponant’s most luxurious vessel, the icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot, additionally gives a selection of two essential eating places, with one being a really high-end essential eating room (Nuna) with a menu designed by Alain Ducasse, the famed French chef.
As I’ve personally skilled throughout Le Commandant Charcot sailings to the North Pole and ice-bound elements of Canada, Nuna is hands-down considered one of the best restaurants at sea. Meals at Nuna are included within the cruise fare, and you’ll dine there as many nights as you want — a significant perk of reserving this vessel, given the sky-high value of eating at Ducasse eating places on land.
Normally, the informal buffet eateries have each indoor and outside seating areas, and so they typically provide a extra elevated eating expertise within the evenings.
Amongst different eating choices, you may additionally normally discover a small continental breakfast (suppose pastries, fruit and yogurt) laid out for early and late risers in one of many lounges on every of those ships. These lounges will maintain a day tea with cookies and finger sandwiches on most days, too.
As well as, room service is obtainable across the clock on most Ponant ships.
The above applies to Ponant’s 11 greatest vessels. For the 2 small crusing ships, the eating choices are rather more restricted, although nonetheless upscale.
Eating on Le Ponant, the ship’s essential crusing vessel, takes place within the trendy Le Diamant restaurant, which gives effective delicacies made with native merchandise served with Veuve Clicquot Champagne and wines from artisanal producers within the areas the vessel visits.
Leisure and actions
Not like the large ships operated by mass-market cruise strains, Ponant vessels aren’t serving up a nonstop stream of leisure and actions throughout the day to maintain you busy — that is not what these journeys are all about.
On the road’s sailings to conventional locations such because the Mediterranean, most passengers are off the ship touring throughout the day, and it is comparatively quiet on board. On the road’s expedition-style voyages to such locations as Antarctica, daytime brings landings by Zodiac for exploring, sprinkled with the occasional onboard lecture concerning the vacation spot.
That largely leaves the evenings for extra conventional leisure, which on Ponant ships would possibly imply a musical duo performing within the background in a lounge or, sometimes, a extra formal musical efficiency within the ship’s theater.
Theaters, lounges and reveals
Every of the road’s greater ships (all however the two crusing vessels) has a small theater that’s house to musical performances, lectures, film screenings and, throughout expedition cruises, recaps of the day’s adventures.
All of those vessels even have a essential lounge and bar the place you may discover reside music at evening — a singer, possibly, or a musical duo. In addition they have secondary, typically less-visited, lounges at their tops overlooking the bow that supply reside music at evening.
Through the day, the primary lounges are house to occasional actions that vary from dance classes to trivia contests.
As well as, Ponant’s six Explorer-class ships provide what are absolutely probably the most uncommon lounges ever discovered at sea. Dubbed Blue Eye, they’re curvy areas under the waterline with outsized viewing portals that allow you to gaze into the deep blue sea. In every case, they’re totally immersive experiences, with hull-mounted hydrophones pumping within the sound of the encircling ocean.
The pool deck and different venues
The road’s six new Explorer-class ships, which had been particularly designed to journey to tropical and subtropical locations, have probably the most outside lounge areas, together with pool areas and revolutionary hydraulic marinas on the again that permit for watery playtime (kayaks and paddleboards can be found). There are additionally outside swimming pools and lounge area on the 4 Sisterships.
Le Commandant Charcot, the road’s icebreaker, has a spectacular curving “blue lagoon” pool at its again that is heated as excessive as 100 levels Fahrenheit when the ship is in cold-weather areas (which is more often than not). Simply you’ll want to convey your gown for the freezing sprint again inside.
As well as, Le Commandant Charcot has a serene indoor pool space with floor-to-ceiling home windows overlooking the ocean and a bar serving up made-to-order smoothies and recent juices. The pool right here is full of seawater pumped in from the ocean and heated with the ship’s energy-conserving heating system.
Different inside areas which can be a part of the ships embrace small spas with remedy rooms, saunas and different therapeutic options. On Le Commandant Charcot, this features a snow room designed to pair with the adjoining sauna for hot-and-cold remedy. The sauna even has a glass wall overlooking the ocean.
You will additionally discover health rooms on every of the 11 greatest ships, and on most days, health and wellness lessons together with yoga held someplace on board (listed every day within the each day program).
The road’s two crusing vessels provide fewer leisure and exercise choices, as you would possibly count on given their small measurement. On Le Ponant, the road’s essential crusing vessel, public areas embrace an inside lounge and bar, an exterior bar and sundeck, a small wellness space, and a retractable marina for swimming and different aquatic enjoyable. Associated to the latter, Le Ponant sails with all kinds of toys for passenger use, from kayaks and stand-up paddleboards to scuba diving tools and even fishing poles.
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Kids’s program
Ponant ships usually do not draw many kids, however kids are welcome, with a number of age-related caveats. Kids below the age of 1 aren’t allowed on Ponant vessels, and the variety of kids between the ages of 1 and 6 allowed on traditional sailings (people who do not contain expedition-style landings) is restricted to 5 per voyage.
For expedition cruises, the age cut-off is stricter, with kids below the age of 6 not allowed (for Le Commandant Charcot, the cut-off age is 8). Kids who do come on such sailings should have the ability to embark and disembark the vessel through inflatable Zodiac boats, be sufficiently tall to take a seat on the inflatable sides of such boats, and perceive orders given by the folks answerable for such boats.
On choose sailings every year, the road gives a children membership program with actions which can be open to kids over the age of 4.
What to know earlier than you go
Required paperwork
Ponant operates worldwide itineraries the place a passport is required. Passports have to be legitimate for a minimum of six months past the date of the voyage’s finish. Be aware that it will be important that the title in your reservation be precisely as it’s said in your passport or different official proof of nationality.
Gratuities
Not like many cruise strains, Ponant doesn’t add an automated service gratuity to remaining payments. Tipping is left to the discretion of passengers.
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Wi-Fi
Ponant gives free Wi-Fi service to passengers on all its ships, with the caveat that every passenger solely can have a single system energetic on the web at any given time. If you wish to entry the web from each a cellphone and a pc whereas on board, as an example, you may need to log out from one of many units earlier than logging on with the opposite. Provided by means of the Starlink community since 2023, the web service is comparatively quick.
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Carry-on drinks coverage
Not like many strains, Ponant permits you to convey your individual wine, Champagne, beer and liquor onto ships at embarkation with no limits. The road additionally would not cost a corkage price.
Smoking coverage
On practically all Ponant ships, smoking (together with the smoking of digital cigarettes) is barely allowed in designated outside areas. It is forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies.
The one exception to this “outside solely” rule is on Le Commandant Charcot, the road’s icebreaker, which has an indoor cigar lounge the place passengers can smoke cigars solely (the smoking of cigarettes is just not allowed).
Laundry
Not like some strains, Ponant doesn’t have self-service launderettes on its ships. Vessels provide extra-charge laundry and urgent providers. Be aware that dry-cleaning providers aren’t out there on Ponant ships.
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Electrical retailers
All the line’s vessels have each commonplace North American-style, 110-volt retailers in addition to European-style, 200-volt retailers in rooms. On the road’s essential crusing ship, Le Ponant, the one North American-style outlet in every cabin is within the cabin rest room.
Forex
The foreign money used on Ponant ships is the euro.
Ingesting age
You have to be 21 to devour alcohol on Ponant ships.
Costume code
Ponant would not have a proper costume code per se, however it recommends that passengers put on elegant informal clothes throughout the day into the night, and plenty of passengers do costume fairly elegantly.
On a handful of nights on each cruise which can be designated as gala evenings, the road encourages passengers to decorate much more elegantly. For these evenings, the road recommends cocktail clothes for ladies and a shirt and tie for males. Generally these gala evenings are designated as Officers’ nights, for which black-and-white outfits are the norm.
One hard-and-fast rule: Shorts aren’t permitted in the primary eating places on Ponant ships on any night.
The above costume suggestions apply even to the road’s most rugged expedition voyages to cold-weather locations resembling Antarctica and the North Pole. Not like some upscale cruise manufacturers that function extra informal sailings on polar journeys, Ponant nonetheless holds gala evenings on ships crusing on such expedition-style itineraries. This implies that you could be end up packing fairly a little bit of clothes for such journeys — each layers of out of doors expedition gear and extra formal put on for onboard time within the evenings.
One factor you will not need to pack on polar sailings is a polar parka, as Ponant offers one out to every passenger on such journeys (passengers then can preserve it on the finish of the voyage at no further cost). The road additionally has heavy-duty waterproof boots for Zodiac landings on board ships which can be out there for passenger use.
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Ponant cruise loyalty program
Ponant could also be a comparatively small line, however it gives a giant loyalty program that may convey you all kinds of nice perks.
The Ponant Yacht Membership, because it’s known as, has a number of standing tiers that include such beneficial advantages as important reductions on cruises, onboard spending credit and free onboard laundry service.
What’s extra, the Ponant Yacht Membership loyalty program is one the place you begin gaining access to a few of the greatest perks proper after your first cruise — one thing that is not all the time the case with cruise line loyalty applications.
Plus, the Ponant Yacht Membership program has some of the enjoyable tier-level naming constructions within the cruise enterprise. Significantly, who can flip down the chance to formally be titled an “admiral” or a “commodore” when cruising?
Incomes Ponant factors
The Ponant Yacht Membership points-earning system is about as easy as could be. Each time you sail on one of many line’s 13 vessels, irrespective of how lengthy the voyage, you’re going to get credit score for one crusing. Your standing degree in this system thus will rely completely in your whole variety of sailings and nothing else. Not like at some strains, your standing degree won’t be influenced by what number of whole days you sail or the kind of cabins you e-book.
That mentioned, there’s a not-so-obvious technique to accumulate extra credit for sailings than you would possibly suppose potential. Hidden within the effective print of the Ponant Yacht Membership program guidelines is the pronouncement that you would be able to get credit score for sailings you are taking with South Pacific cruise specialist Paul Gauguin Cruises.
That is as a result of the 2 strains are associated, as Ponant has owned Paul Gauguin Cruises since 2019.
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As for these perks, you may discover that even on the lowest, “Main,” degree of this system, which you earn after you verify your second cruise, there are some stable choices, together with a 5% low cost on any future cruise you e-book. That is an important perk, because it quantities to actual cash in your pocket.
The subsequent tier of this system, the “Admiral” rung after you verify your fourth cruise, brings a good greater low cost of seven.5% while you e-book a future cruise in addition to a cabin class improve while you sail, ought to a cabin for such an improve be out there. There’s nothing like a free improve to make a cruiser be ok with their loyalty to a line.
Each tiers, in addition to larger ranges, additionally include shipboard credit that rise as you rise by means of the echelons, together with different advantages which can be beneficial.
Be aware that, as is normally the case with cruise line loyalty applications, Ponant Yacht Membership prospects do not need to requalify for standing every year. Standing within the Ponant Yacht Membership program relies on the variety of sailings you’ve got taken over your lifetime, and such “factors” by no means expire. That signifies that somebody who hits the top-tier Commodore standing will stay at that top-tier degree ceaselessly (or till Ponant makes a change to this system).
Such “ceaselessly standing” is likely one of the nice allures of cruise line frequent cruiser applications. Many airline frequent flyer applications, in contrast, require loyalty members to requalify for standing every year.
How a lot does a Ponant cruise value?
Ponant sailings aren’t cheap, alas. Seven-night sailings within the Mediterranean begin at $4,590 per individual. That works out to roughly $1,300 per day for a pair sharing a room. A number of the line’s extra off-the-beaten-path sailings, resembling its expedition journeys to Antarctica, value way more. Ten-night Antarctica journeys begin at $13,410 per individual — practically $2,700 per day for a pair.
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Much more dear are the one-of-a-kind polar voyages the road gives on Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s solely luxurious icebreaker — together with the handful of epic voyages it operates every summer season to the North Pole. The latter sailings begin at a mind-boggling $41,920 per individual for a 15-night expertise. That works out to almost $6,000 per couple per day.
Nonetheless, as is typical for cruise strains on the excessive finish, Ponant features a lot in its base worth. Along with a room on board and all meals, the fares embrace most drinks on board, shipboard Wi-Fi, and (maybe most notably) expedition guide-led shore experiences throughout expedition-style cruises to such locations as Antarctica and the Arctic.
Be aware that Ponant generally costs excessive charges for further providers resembling transfers to the ship and constitution flights wanted to succeed in a ship in a distant space, or for add-on excursions that are not included as a part of the bottom bundle.
The right way to e-book
If you happen to’re positive what kind of cabin you need, on which ship, on which itinerary — and a few dozen different issues — you may head over to ponant.com and e-book instantly.
That mentioned, given the complexity of reserving a cruise — there are a whole lot of selections to make throughout the reserving course of, belief us — we all the time advocate that you simply use a seasoned travel agent who focuses on cruises.
A very good journey agent will quiz you about your specific pursuits, journey type and preferences, and steer you to the proper cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. An agent can even show you how to if something goes wrong earlier than, throughout or after your voyage.
If you happen to’re positive that Ponant is your line, search for a journey agent who focuses on journeys with the model. You need somebody who is aware of the entire line’s many itineraries intimately and, ideally, has sailed on or a minimum of inspected a few of the line’s vessels, too, to know the varied cabin sorts and onboard facilities.
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Whether or not you employ a journey agent or not, ensure to maximize your credit card spending when paying for the cruise through the use of a bank card that offers extra points for travel purchases. This could possibly be the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), which gives 3 Ultimate Rewards factors per greenback spent on journey and eating (excluding the annual $300 journey credit score). There’s additionally the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), which gives 2 Final Rewards factors per greenback spent on journey (and three Final Rewards factors per greenback spent on eating).
Backside line
Ponant is a pacesetter in small-ship sailings to a few of the world’s most distant locations, resembling Antarctica, in addition to extra conventional locations, such because the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, and it is recognized for a chic, upscale expertise. Among the many array of voyages that it commonly gives are a few of the most uncommon routings supplied by any cruise firm huge or small, together with what are at present the one sailings to the North Pole out there and distinctive routes throughout the Pacific and round Africa.
For a few of these very uncommon itineraries, such because the journeys to the North Pole, it’s just about the one possibility.
Primarily based in France and in style with French vacationers, Ponant can be uncommon amongst upscale cruise manufacturers in that it operates its vessels as dual-lingual ships, with all actions on board carried out in each French and English. If you happen to e-book a Ponant ship, you are signing up for an expertise that can have a notably French really feel, like a keep at a boutique resort in France. For a lot of Ponant followers, that is one of many model’s best allures.
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