Paul Gauguin Cruises 'defers' pair of newbuilds

The decision has been taken by parent company Ponant with no mention of a new time frame on a future delivery date.

The approximately  €300m order was first reported here in November 2019.

'In this period of uncertainty and with our additional capacity arrived on the market, we decided to pt this project on stand-by,' commented Herve Bellaiche, group chief commercial, marketing and comms officer at Ponant.

Bellaiche said, 'we are focussing on the very promising success of Le Commondant Charcot and our other new ships - Le Bellot and Le Jacques Cartier.'

In French Polynesia, Paul Gauguin, renovated earlier this year by French designer Jean-Philippe Nuel, will sail five signature routes; Tahiti and the Society Islands, Cook Islands and Society, Society and the Tuamotus, Marquesas and Society Islands. The company recently launched sales for its 2023 cruises which explore the South Paciific from January to May.