Ponant celebrates 30 years of luxury expedition cruisingPonant celebrates 30 years of luxury expedition cruising

The luxury expedition French company has also created a collection of limited-edition clothing and travel accessories for sale on board its fleet, plus a book outlining the company’s history is planned for release in autumn, as well as a documentary film that will close the year of celebrations.

It is also organising a series of exclusive events for travel partners in Brussels, Nice, Bordeaux, Lille, Marseille, Lyon and Paris.

Compagnie des Iles du Ponant was born in Nantes in 1988 by 14 seafarers aged between 23 and 29 years old, including founder Jean Emmanuel Sauvée.

Its first sailing ship Le Ponant arrived soon after followed by four sister ships Le Boréal, built by Fincantieri in 2010, L’Austral in 2011, Le Soléal in 2013 and Le Lyrial in 2015.

Le Soléal became the first French merchant ship to cross the Northwest Passage from Greenland to Siberia, with 200 passengers on board, in September 2013.

2018 sees the launch of the first two ships in the new Explorer series, Le Lapérouse and Le Champlain, followed by Le Bougainville and Le Dumont d’Urville in 2019.

In March 2018, Ponant announced an order for two additional Explorer newbuilds from Fincantieri's Vard, named Le Bellot and Le Surville arriving in 2020.

Charting a new frontier in cruising, last December Ponant ordered a luxury icebreaker with an electric hybrid system powered by liquefied natural gas, from Fincantieri's Vard. The 270-passenger, 30,000gt ship is scheduled for delivery in second quarter 2021.

It is the first electric hybrid cruise vessel with icebreaker characteristics and dual fuel propulsion, featuring high-capacity batteries and LNG storage on board. h

It will have three restaurants, spa and wellness facilities, 16 Zodiacs and two helicopters.

By 2021 Ponant’s fleet will number 12 ships with 2,000 crew members and 460 departures will chart Antarctic, Arctic, Alaska, Amazon, Orinoco, Scattered Islands, Kimberley, Papua New Guinea, and even the North Pole.

Ponant’s owners, Artemis Group are owners of luxury brands like Gucci, Chateau Latour, Bottega Veneta and many others.