Ponant Yacht Cruises...SB's 3 Little Sista's Updated?

Came across Ponant Yacht Cruise Line.

http://en.ponant.com

Aside from their motorsailer, they've 5 seemingly ultra-lux ships with 122 cabins/suites.

Viewing their videos and perving their website, this line seems to be what SB was at the height of the 3 little sister ship era, but updated to 21st Century standards with a French twist.

It looks lovely and enticing. Particularly since we preferred the smaller SB ship experience to the larger Odyssey class ships.

Any SB veterans have experience cruising on this line and if so, how did you ike it and, how might it compare in your opinion with SB?

I did not find a CC forum board for Ponant. If there is one, I missed it.

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You will find some threads on Ponant and their ships under "other cruise lines."

I have SB friends who liked it alright. But they did note, as others have noted recently on some SB threads when I brought them up as a possible alternative for Alaska, the service is much different. And to my way of thinking, what made the little SB ships so special for many of us is the warm, personal service that the small size of the ships made possible. But just having a small ship alone does not mean the service WILL be like the little sisters --- just that it MiIGHT be like the little sisters. I love the comment made by the CC poster ( sorry I forgot who) when there was a discussion re: trying Windstar once the little ships are all entrenched in their new home ---the hardware may be the same but it is the software that sets Seabourn apart.

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I believe that actually rather clever ( said from someone who made a career creating tech solutions and know a little about both) comment came from Baychilla, currently known as Emperor Norton. I totally agree with him, the physical ship can be the same but the crew is what makes / breaks the experience.

From what I have read if you do not speak fluent French you will not enjoy Ponant. Interesting how many threads on this board have folks looking for alternative lines. We still see no reason to look elsewhere although the 2016 itineries leave us wondering why the same repetition is necessary.

Having tried ponant, i would never go back,it is far,far from SB's little sisters.

Yes the boat is stunning, but that for us is where it ended!

Shockingly rude attitude of french staff, nothing replenished in suite, which was one of the largest, but still tiny by SB standards, and the most patchy food quality on a cruise i have ever known. We were shot down by a waiter when we wanted to pre order something for the following day. He remarked, chef wont be very happy!!! This was to pre order a burger,as we were sick of the same repetitive buffet at lunch and after we had heard a french guest doing the same, without question.

Very unaccomodating, no daytime activities, very poorly organised.

To get a feel of the totally haphazard running of the cruise check out the new edition of mighty cruise ships, it totally reflected how clueless and badly organised on many occasions the line is.

Inclusive wines, were the same TWO for ten days, and you could not sit where you wanted in the restaurant, as tables were reserved. However,when we came to reserve, it wasnt possible to do so,even though we had the second to top suite on board!

IMHO this line is run by the french, poorly, and should be kept to the french!!

If you go on SB for the people, the service and the food, then IMHO, you would be wasting money on Ponant.

 

IMHO this line is run by the french, poorly, and should be kept to the french!!

 

Tilly, I'm repeating myself from a post I made earlier today on another thread, but my in laws are French and they were extremely disappointed by Ponant. From the small suites with tiny bathrooms, to the inconsistent food and generally poor service.

It's interesting that you mention lack of organisation. This was a huge problem on their second Ponant cruise (yes, they went back for more!).The team seemed to have little to no knowledge of the ports and it sounds like it was a complete shambles.

Definitely not a cruise line we would consider as an alternative to Seabourn.

Nigella, you are correct in not considering it.

I mention the French only as it seemed on our cruise that they were treated very much more favourably than the English or Americans. It is very interesting hearing the same from a french are point of view.

Thanks for your comments, it seems We will all stick to Seabourn!!

Did anyone notice the dreadful interiors of the ships from watching the videos?

Looks like a cheap nightclub.

Having read quite a few reviews of this line, nearly all were negative and for similar reasons. Whilst obviously this is all 'subjective', it is certainly enough to make me not want to try Le Ponant.

The real crime is that the ships have good looking exteriors sailing neat itineraries.

I am sad to say that imo there will never be a replacement for the triplets. That unique combination of ship size, warm service, great food and intimacy between passengers and crew is impossible to replicate in today's economy. I can only be glad I got to experience so many days about them and that I have one final cruise left.

For those in UK Le Soleal is featured this week on Mighty Cruise Ships on the Quest Channel.

Very interesting particularly when they visited poorly charted ports that they hadn't previously called at and were not sure whether they had enough depth of water below the hull!!

wripro I totally agree with what you say about the 3 little Seabourn ships

not comparable at all...in any way shape or form. We have been on L'Austral, Levant & Diamant, all on Tauck charters. L'austral is the strangest of them all (and I assume the new builds are the same.) The balcony cabin had only a bistro style table & A chair (ONE.) The bathroom was extraordinarily claustrophobic and had one of the strangest features I've encountered. Advertised as a "shower with a view," it had a rolling shade to open so that you could see the ocean as long as the blinds to the balcony were open. HOWEVER, the rolling shade was operated from the OUTSIDE of the bathroom, so that if your roomie decided to give you a big surprise.....well you can figure it out. It was the source of many jokes while on board. The staff was very standoffish and the entertainment was silly in my very humble opinion. While Tauck provided all of the tours and guidance which is always top notch, I certainly wouldn't seek out this line for travel.

I sailed Le Ponant a few years ago. The best thing about the ship was getting off! :D