Ponant Cruises' New Summer Brochure

The new Summer 2012 Cruises brochure published by Compagnie du Ponant, is now available to the UK marketplace featuring over 80 sailings, from 4-14 nights, operating between March and October next year.

The Art of Yacht Cruises is elegantly reflected in the contemporary, 130-page brochure, promoting an alternative lifestyle of discovery, enjoyment, subtlety and relaxation, which has been the philosophy of Compagnie du Ponant for over 20 years. A range of magical destinations are on offer and also a choice of themed cruises from music and golf, to gastronomy, family and soft expedition.

With moorings inaccessible to larger ships, unusual itineraries and high standards of personal service, Compagnie du Ponant, the only French cruise line, now operates a fleet of five, individual ships of character: Le Ponant (64 passengers), Le Levant(90 passengers), Le Diamant (226 passengers) and Le Boreal and L'Austral (264 passengers).

Voyage-only fares include: The cruise with all meals, from dinner on the day of embarkation to breakfast on the day of disembarkation; Welcome aboard and captain’s cocktail parties, gala dinner; Mineral water, tea, filter coffee, white, red and rosé wines served with meals; 24-hour room service; Evening entertainment and events, and/or organised shows; and porterage from the quayside to the ship and vice versa.

For more information visit http://www.ponant.com/ or contact the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Looking Ahead

By World of Cruising editor Simon Veness

New year, new perspective. That's what cruising gives us every year, and 2011 promises to be no exception.

We had such a wide range of new ships in 2010 - from the chic boutique vessels of Le Ponant and Seabourn to the massive leviathans of Royal Caribbean and NCL - that the follow-up is likely to be more narrow-focused.

There WILL be some big new vessels - the Disney Dream (above) later this month and 130,000-ton Carnival Magic foremost among them - but there will be more accent on the luxury end of the market, with new tonnage from Oceania Cruises (the Marina later in January), Ponant Cruises (sister ship L'Austral), Seabourn (the third Odyssey-class vessel, Seabourn Quest), Celebrity Cruises (their fourth Solstice-class ship, Celebrity Silhouette) and sail-cruise specialist Sea Cloud (the all-new Sea Cloud Hussar).

We will obviously be looking forward to all of them - and bring full reveiews of each in due course - but we will be taking particular note of the new Disney vessel, the Marina, Seabourn Quest and Celebrity Silhouette as we continue our trend for highlighting the very best of the cruise world.

Having also become the leading publication for adventure cruising and expedition-style voyaging, we are sure to have some more fantastic ideas and features that take you to the more far-flung outposts of the world - notably Antarctica, the Arctic north, Tahiti and French Polynesia, Costa Rica and Vietnam, all of which represent beguiling travel opportunities.

I will be intrigued to see what kind of new features Disney's 'Imagineers' have come up with; how Oceania increase the scale but maintain the style with their first new-build; if Seabourn can continue to set the mark for the six-star market; and whether Celebrity can continue the march of their impressive Solstice class.

It all adds up to a mouth-watering prospect for the next 12 months - just make sure you follow it all with us!

Happy Cruise New Year!

We all look forward to a New Year in one way or another but 2010 promises to be better than most, and not just because the financial and economic scene shows signs of getting back on a healthier, even keel.

As I have already written, there is an amazing variety of new ships to anticipate, with several that should be genuinely ground-breaking (notably Oceania's Marina and NCL's Norwegian Epic).

There should also be plenty of good deals to be had, too, as cruise lines look to tempt people back to sea-going holidays after the recession-hit days of 2008/09 (so be sure to check with our sister company The Cruise Line Ltd for all the best offers - and look early and often in January as many lines are already flagging up their New Year 'Sails'!).

There is also more focus than ever before on attracting first-time cruisers to this holiday style, with companies big (like Royal Caribbean, NCL and P&O) and small (the likes of Compagnie du Ponant, Pandaw Cruises and Hurtigruten) putting out some tempting campaigns to lure newcomers.

In fact, the appeal of the small, deluxe, niche operators like Ponant and Pandaw should be uppermost in the minds of those looking for that 'something new' factor in 2010.

One I am especially looking forward to investigating for the terrific feedback they have already generated in a relatively short time is Chilean specialist Nomads of the Seas and their unique ship the Atmosphere (pictured above).

The appeal of touring the majestic Chilean fjords in the company of this ship's purpose-built style is immensely appealing and should be one of the highlights of the year for us at World of Cruising, so stay tuned for our report in due course.

I would especially recommend taking a look at their website, http://www.nomadsoftheseas.com/, for those who really want to get off the beaten cruise track, enjoy some of the world's most spectacular scenery and wildlife, sample the tastes and culture of a truly unique region and do it all in some of the highest quality possible in the 'soft' adventure-cruising category.

Can you tell I'm looking forward to 2010?!

Great choice for 2010

We're accustomed to a wonderful variety of new ships to look forward to each year, but 2010 promises to deliver an absolutely bumper crop of newbuilds, as much for their variety as anything else.

From the 150,000-ton Norwegian Epic (above, with its Aqua Park) and the 220,000-ton Allure of the Seas (sister to the recent Oasis), to the boutique little Independence of American Cruise Lines (3,000 tons) and the chic Le Boreal of Compagnie du Ponant (10,600 tons), this is a line-up that truly offers something for everyone.

The year starts with the latest vessel for Costa Cruises, the Costa Deliziosa, a sister to the Luminosa and the second in this intermediate class of ship for the Italian-based line. MSC Cruises then add the MSC Magnifica, the fourth in their Musica-class vessel, and their 10th ship in all. Quite an upgrade on their traditional, three-ship fleet of just nine years ago!

Celebrity follow up with Celebrity Eclipse in April, the third in their growing and impressive Solstice-class, and, in the same month, P&O Cruises add their biggest ship to date, the 116,000-ton Azura.

May should be a big month for small-ship lovers, with the arrival of the Independence to boost their unique style of American river and coastal cruising. This will be the third vessel of this style and it is obviously proving a big successful with those who enjoy their cruising small-scale.

Le Boreal is the other attractive smaller option, with a truly sumptuous new look for this chic French line. Well worth considering in 2010.

The pace doesn't slow down in June, though, as we welcome the huge Epic of NCL (their biggest-ever ship) and the Seabourn Sojourn of the Yachts of Seabourn, who made a huge splash (ho, ho!) in 2009 with their Odyssey, a ship hailed as a real 'game-changer' in the deluxe end of the cruise market.

Holland America join the newbuild party in July with their Nieuw Amsterdam, an old name for their latest and possibly their smartest (and the fourth ship actually to bear that name) to date. A sister to the Eurodam, this will be the 81st vessel to enter HAL service. Quite a run!

The autumn sees the arrival of Allure of the Seas, and the second of the mind-boggling Project Genesis series of Royal Caribbean. Our World of Cruising magazine hailed Oasis as 'the world's first space ship' recently, as a tribute to both the space-age look and huge amount of space involved in this vessel, and Allure should provide more of the same. Or, as I said last month - It's a cruise ship, Jim, but not as we know it!

One ship which I will be eagerly awaiting is the new Marina of Oceania Cruises in October, with this smart, upmarket line promising to deliver a mid-range ship full of innovation and style and providing a real challenge to the ultra-deluxe lines but with a slightly lower price tag. Definitely one to watch.

Finally, venerable Cunard will debut their latest offering the new Queen Elizabeth toward the end of the year, a 92,000-ton vessel that will maintain the line's great tradition but build on the modern styling that the Queen Victoria showed us last year, or 'the gracious new Cunarder,' as they like to say.

So, if that little lot isn't enough to get everyone excited about the possibilities for cruising in 2010, I don't know what will.

Merry Christmas everyone, and a happy Cruise New Year!

Previewing French Flair

It has been a busy week for the Veness Inbox. The PR releases came in thick and fast from Monday onwards, with news of Cunard about their forthcoming onboard 'Insights' lecture programme on Queen Mary 2 for 2010; Azamara Cruises and their rebrand to Azamara Club Cruises; P&O Cruises adding the small-scale Adonia to their fleet in 2011; and, my favourite, the latest information on the new ship from the chic Compagnie du Ponant company.

Going though them in order provides an interesting take on how the lines view themselves. For Cunard, it is all about providing that 'elite' touch with the kind of guest speakers who wouldn't be out of place at an Ivy League university. Human rights activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu is the 'highlight' of a lecture programme that also includes author and broadcaster Bill Bryson and comedy script writers Dick Clement and Ian le Frenais.

The following day came news that the small, upscale brand in the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd stable will now be known as Azamara Club Cruises in a relaunch aimed at giving them a more distinctive style that incorporates an 'immersive' approach to their destinations, including a lot more overnight stays, 2-day excursions and late-evening departures. Their new tagline is 'You'll love where we take you' and the more luxurious approach will include more all-inclusive aspects (like wine with meals, all gratuities and free bottled waters, specislity teas and coffees) and enhanced service.

P&O are insisting that 'small is beautiful' for them in announcing the 2011 arrival of Adonia (currently the 710-passenger Royal Princess of sister line Princess Cruises). This will be easily the smallest ship to sail for the UK cruise line since the 1970s and, as an adults-only ship (no children under 17), adds to the alternative face of P&O as opposed to their growing big,-ship, family-orientated offerings.

Adonia will begin sailing out of the UK from May 2011, and managing director Carol Marlow made some interesting comments with the announcement, insisting: “The addition of Adonia will deliver an elegant and welcoming ship with real small-ship charm. She will offer a truly intimate and traditional cruise experience, yet with all the comforts you would expect from a modern vessel. With this size of ship, our passengers will be able to get to know their fellow cruisers and crew easily as they travel to some of the most intriguing destinations on the map.

“Whilst larger ships have their own appeal, with the spectrum of bars, dining and entertainment choices they can offer, others really enjoy a smaller ship, with its more intimate ambience. No other cruise line offers this breadth of choice specifically for the British cruiser.”

And then there is Compagnie du Ponant. The French line have existed quite comfortably in relative isolation since 1991 as a niche operator with two small. contrasting vessels (three since 2004), one under sail and one more traditional, if still modernly stylish. The addition five years ago of the former Song of Flower of Radisson Seven Seas moved the company a step closer to the cruise mainstream and then, in 2008, they announced a decision to add a LOT more substance to the fleet with two 10,700-ton super-yachts.

The first of these, Le Boreal, arrives in May 2010, and du Ponant have announced the captain will be their highly-respected master mariner Jean-Philippe Lemaire, one of the company's longest-standing employees. The 132-cabin vessel, which will have an ice-hardened hull for Antarctic cruising, will be his fourth ship of the line, but the first major new project under his command.

He says: "I am very proud to have the privilege to captain Le Boreal for her first sea miles. It is exciting to be involved in a project which combines 'new technologies' with respect for the great maritime tradition that has made the reputation of the company. With all the conviviality of an intimate ship and French sophistication, Le Boreal is joining a Yacht Cruises tradition.

"From the shores of the Mediter­ranean to the boundaries of the great white Antarctic continent, we will be welcoming on board inquisitive travellers, eager to distance themselves from the well-trodden maritime routes. As her Captain, the challenge will be to perpetuate the 'spirit of Le Ponant' which drives our crews and never fails to seduce our passengers.”

It is an intriguing proposition. A line which has largely eschewed the cruise mainstream but which will have to at least touch upon it to find new passengers for their French flair. But, if they are able to translate the company's existing maritime joie de vivre to the newcomer, they should be able to command a lot of respect and offer a wonderful addition to the growing trend for small, upmarket cruise operators which offer that 'something different' factor for the well-travelled. Definitely one to keep an eye on in the coming months.