Ponant off on the wrong foot

[Mike2131]

9 days ago (well past final payment date for our 12/11/11 sailing) they tell us we have to have a medical form for the trip. Their answer is that it should have been attached to our itinerary for our TA to coordinate, but somehow it wasn't. Is that our fault?

 

OK fine. Our TA emailed it and there is a passenger portion and then there is a physician portion! We filled out the passenger portion and they have rejected it. They say they will deny boarding unless it is filled out by a physician.

 

I don't not have a regular physician and I am certainly not going to go have a physical to go on a cruise - Antarctica or not. What if someone does not have a physician on religious grounds (not my situation)? Are they allowed to discriminate against them?

 

Incredible inefficiency and incompetence. Should we sail on this expedition, I will probably be a really tough critic. Should you choose to book with this company, I hope your experience is better than ours so far.

[steamboats]

Michael,

 

It´s stated on their website under "Formalities" (go to a certain cruise date):

 

"In addition, it is mandatory to return the medical questionnaire, provided at time of booking, at the latest 90 prior departure. This questionnaire is very important in order to respect mandatory safety rules in polar zones. Any false information on this questionnaire may lead to a refusal of your embarkation at the port of departure, without any possible recourse."

 

First part is about insurance and potential evacuation costs.

 

Anyway, how was your cruise?

 

steamboats

[Mike2131]

Michael,

 

It´s stated on their website under "Formalities" (go to a certain cruise date):

 

"In addition, it is mandatory to return the medical questionnaire, provided at time of booking, at the latest 90 prior departure. This questionnaire is very important in order to respect mandatory safety rules in polar zones. Any false information on this questionnaire may lead to a refusal of your embarkation at the port of departure, without any possible recourse."

 

First part is about insurance and potential evacuation costs.

 

Anyway, how was your cruise?

 

steamboats

 

 

I wrote my review about a week ago, but as of yesterday I did not see it posted. Probably due to the holidays.

 

Organization is still not their strong suit, but I gave the cruise an overall rating of 4 stars and 5 for both rates and value for the money. If you are considering this cruise, by all means avoid 3rd deck balcony cabins (see the review for an explanation).

[steamboats]

Michael,

 

Thanks, I´ll be watching out for the review. We´re leaving in less than two weeks. And we do have a cabin on deck 4.

 

I just read a raving review on a German website.

 

And my husband has been on a cruise out of Venice. So he´s knowing the ship already. Let´s say French people are not known as being the best in organizing ;). "Laissez faire" but all in all it usually works out.

 

steamboats

[Mike2131]

Michael,

 

Thanks, I´ll be watching out for the review. We´re leaving in less than two weeks. And we do have a cabin on deck 4.

 

I just read a raving review on a German website.

 

And my husband has been on a cruise out of Venice. So he´s knowing the ship already. Let´s say French people are not known as being the best in organizing ;). "Laissez faire" but all in all it usually works out.

 

steamboats

If you get the "Drake Shake", you'll be glad you are not on Deck 3. We were in 325 and the first day out our cabin and probably 6 others flooded. We had what was described as an average passage - 8 meter seas (probably between 25 and 30 feet) There is a design flaw with the balcony door that allows water into the cabin not only around the seal but also under the sill. It ran all the way through the cabin and into the hall. 2 floods between breakfast and lunch and we were transferred to a cabin on Deck 6. Since the capacity is limited because of the restriction on the number of passengers on shore at a time, there were fortunately unsold cabins so they could move us.

 

Later in the cruise sailing up the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula at night (a relative term in the Antarctic summer), we had 12 meter seas (I estimate about 40 feet) and it was quite a ride - especially with no stabilizers deployed due to ice and wildlife.

 

As a reward, we got the Drake Lake on the return to Ushuaia.

 

Enjoy the trip and make sure you aske the Hotel Manager, Christian, whether he has put the Drake Shake drink I suggested on the bar menu.

[bellebaby]

Michael,

 

It´s stated on their website under "Formalities" (go to a certain cruise date):

 

"In addition, it is mandatory to return the medical questionnaire, provided at time of booking, at the latest 90 prior departure. This questionnaire is very important in order to respect mandatory safety rules in polar zones. Any false information on this questionnaire may lead to a refusal of your embarkation at the port of departure, without any possible recourse."

 

First part is about insurance and potential evacuation costs.

 

Anyway, how was your cruise?

 

steamboats

 

 

I wrote my review about a week ago, but as of yesterday I did not see it posted. Probably due to the holidays.

 

Organization is still not their strong suit, but I gave the cruise an overall rating of 4 stars and 5 for both rates and value for the money. If you are considering this cruise, by all means avoid 3rd deck balcony cabins (see the review for an explanation).

 

I've been waiting for your review! I will look for it. Glad you had a good experience.

 

Mary

[Mike2131]

I've been waiting for your review! I will look for it. Glad you had a good experience.

 

Mary

Sorry you could not join us, but the Drake and the landings would have been too much of a challenge with your foot.

 

Hopefully you can take the voyage in the future, but it seems like Ponant has joined Silverseas in really cranking up the fares for expedition sailings. Oh well, we'll see what the economy does.

 

Take care and happy cruising.

[bellebaby]

Sorry you could not join us, but the Drake and the landings would have been too much of a challenge with your foot.

 

Hopefully you can take the voyage in the future, but it seems like Ponant has joined Silverseas in really cranking up the fares for expedition sailings. Oh well, we'll see what the economy does.

 

Take care and happy cruising.

 

My foot is much better now, but I agree, it wasn't the time for us to go. Maybe another time, or another "bucket list" cruise. You're right, I think the economy here and in Europe may dictate fares.

 

I look forward to reading about your adventure.

 

Mary

[bellebaby]

Hi, Mike

 

I just read your review... Very fair and balanced. Sounds like a great trip.

 

What's up next?

 

Mary

[steamboats]

Thanks, Mike, for the review!! I can only second Mary, fair and balanced!!

 

BTW how did they handle the parkas?? We haven´t been asked for seizes too (although we did get the health form ;)).

 

We have booked flights with Le Ponant including a two day pre cruise program in Buenos Aires.

 

steamboats

[Mike2131]

Thanks, Mike, for the review!! I can only second Mary, fair and balanced!!

 

BTW how did they handle the parkas?? We haven´t been asked for seizes too (although we did get the health form ;)).

 

We have booked flights with Le Ponant including a two day pre cruise program in Buenos Aires.

 

steamboats

We were not the only passengers who did not know how the parkas would be handled. A staggered schedule to go to the main lounge for sizing turned into a bit of a first-come-first-served approach. There were ship's staff members there with a rack of parkas for you to try on. They all had tape patches with the size on them. After you established your size, they checked you off their passenger list and you went to the shop where you got your parka and they checked you off that list. I think we also had to sign by our names to verify we had received them.

 

If you have transfers in Ushuaia (probably on their charter?), then the coach will probably come right onto the dock and the luggage challenge we experienced will not occur.

[Mike2131]

Hi, Mike

 

I just read your review... Very fair and balanced. Sounds like a great trip.

 

What's up next?

 

Mary

Hi Mary.

 

Despite some of the problems (make good stories now), we had a wonderful time and would travel on the L'Austral again.

 

The next adventure will probably not be a cruise. We are looking at an African safari in 2013.

[steamboats]

If you have transfers in Ushuaia (probably on their charter?), then the coach will probably come right onto the dock and the luggage challenge we experienced will not occur.

 

Yes, we´re on their charter which includes a bus trip to the Tierra Fuego National Park.

 

steamboats

[bartekmak]

We are booked to go on l,austral in January ,2013 in cabin #334 on deck 3.

Hopefully by then they will fix balcony flooding problem. It is pretty scary.

 

We would like to know all details of your Anctarctica trip. Can you describe your experience in more detail?

 

Maria

[Mike2131]

We are booked to go on l,austral in January ,2013 in cabin #334 on deck 3.

Hopefully by then they will fix balcony flooding problem. It is pretty scary.

 

We would like to know all details of your Anctarctica trip. Can you describe your experience in more detail?

 

Maria

Hi Maria,

 

If you go to Member Reviews and select L'Austral, you will find my review of the cruise. It will be under my CC name - mike2131. Any other questions, please post and I will be glad to answer them

 

It's a spectacular trip so you are in for a treat.

[steamboats]

We´re back from a absolutely great cruise!! O.k. we had a perfect weather and even the Drake was extremely smooth. We were so fast that we were able to stop at Cape Horn on the way back. On the way to the Antarctica we made an additional stop at Half Moon (South Shetland Islands) on the second day. All the zodiac excursions were extremely well organized. Food was great (we don´t talk about the service but obviously French people don´t bother with this). The only thing you should know is: forget about all itineraries and schedules - everything is a subject of change and the daily program can change hourly.

 

Mike, as we´ve been on the charter flight to Ushuaia plus the pre program in Buenos Aires our bags have been picked up at the hotel (in fact we had to leave them in front of our hotel room the night before) and were checked in automatically so we didn´t see them until after landing in Ushuaia. There we only had to identify our luggage and immediately dropped it again. Next time we saw it was in our cabin.

 

steamboats

[Mike2131]

We´re back from a absolutely great cruise!! O.k. we had a perfect weather and even the Drake was extremely smooth. We were so fast that we were able to stop at Cape Horn on the way back. On the way to the Antarctica we made an additional stop at Half Moon (South Shetland Islands) on the second day. All the zodiac excursions were extremely well organized. Food was great (we don´t talk about the service but obviously French people don´t bother with this). The only thing you should know is: forget about all itineraries and schedules - everything is a subject of change and the daily program can change hourly.

 

Mike, as we´ve been on the charter flight to Ushuaia plus the pre program in Buenos Aires our bags have been picked up at the hotel (in fact we had to leave them in front of our hotel room the night before) and were checked in automatically so we didn´t see them until after landing in Ushuaia. There we only had to identify our luggage and immediately dropped it again. Next time we saw it was in our cabin.

 

steamboats

Every cruise is different - weather, sea conditions, excursions, etc. I think the more experiences people can read, the better. I kept a log of the actual excursions vs. the projected stops and it was never the same. We expected that based our experience in the Arctic, but the late evening excursions were a first.

 

Glad you had a great cruise. Sounds like you hit all the green lights.