We discuss new destinations, balancing adventure and luxury, and the importance of sustainability with Deb Corbett, CEO APAC of cruise line Ponant.
It’s been a very busy time for boutique expedition cruising company Ponant, with the arrival of new vessels, new collaborations, new destinations and a growing fan base. New CEO for the APAC region, Deb Corbett, explains what it takes got keep the line innovating and thrilling its guests.
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Having been with Ponant for seven years, what changes or developments within the company have you found most impactful?
The covid era has brought many opportunities in the luxury space and we have been successful at evolving in the right direction at Ponant. The luxury and expedition markets are growing much faster than the global mass market, and we see the demand continuing to grow year on year.
In 2021, we delivered and launched the world’s only luxury icebreaker into the market, right in the middle of the pandemic. Le Commandant Charcot carries a maximum of 245 guests to some of the most remote parts of the polar regions outside of the peak season, reaching places like the Geographic North Pole, East Greenland or Antarctica’s Weddell Sea to observe the Emperor Penguins in complete luxury.
The ship’s interior was designed by hotel architect and interior designer Jean-Philippe Nuel and features a spa experience by Biologique Recherche, a heated panoramic outdoor pool, duplex suites with butler service and two high-end restaurants including Nuna (Earth in Greenlandic), the first and only gastronomic restaurant at sea by world-renowned chef Alain Ducasse, who created over 300 dishes specially for this ship.
In 2022, our flagship vessel, the three-masted sailing yacht Le Ponant, was refurbished and renovated, bringing her guest capacity down from 64 to 32, increasing our crew-to-passenger ratio to 1:1, one of the highest in the industry. This intimate well-appointed luxury yacht delivers Ponant’s signature ‘barefoot luxury’ to small groups of travellers in iconic destinations like Croatia, Greece, Corsica, the Seychelles and the Caribbean. More recently Le Ponant was awarded the Relais & Chateaux label, the first and only experience at sea under the luxury hospitality label, which we are incredibly proud of.
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This year we have also joined forces with iconic Australian luxury brand Paspaley for a new era of boutique luxury expedition travel, launching Pasparley Pearl by Ponant, which is due to commence operations in January 2025. A new experience at sea for a small intimate number of 30 guests, exploring the hidden gems of Raja Ampat, East Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia’s Kimberley and Far North.
Finally, adding to our portfolio, the Spirit of Ponant, Ponant’s latest addition to its fleet, is a 24-metre catamaran offering unique luxury sailing experiences with all the refinements and personalised services that are the hallmarks of Ponant voyages.
I’m also proud to have seen the evolution of the Ponant Foundation, which was launched in 2018 to conserve the oceans and poles and to promote exchanges between populations. We commit to supporting innovative initiatives led by researchers, NGOs, start-ups or businesses working to preserve oceans, build scientific knowledge about the polar regions and interact with indigenous populations.
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Another pioneering program is Ponant Science, which supports scientific research. Working closely with scientists from around the world, we give them the opportunity to carry out their research in often inaccessible regions. I feel fortunate to be involved in helping the company achieve its mission: explore in order to better understand, share and help protect.
Ponant is known for its luxury expeditions. What new on-ship experiences can passengers look forward to?
Enriching our expedition itineraries with bespoke, money-can’t-buy experiences on board is something we are offering more and more to our guests. We partner with iconic names and brands to add to the experience at sea, providing often unique and one-off itineraries. For instance, we have partnered with the Paris Opera Ballet to co-host our guests on a handful of departures next year, inviting some of their dancers to perform on board, host dance workshops and talks and bring the magic of ballet onboard every day, whilst exploring. Next year we will be sailing the Baltic Sea with the Paris Opera Ballet.
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Another exciting onboard experience is our upcoming Japan voyages featuring exceptional gastronomy partnerships. Next year one of our Japan sailing will host award-winning Japanese chef Mitsuru Tsukada, offering guests one-of-a-kind gastronomy moments with gala dinners, curated menus, food and cooking demonstrations whilst exploring the coastline of his homeland.
How does Ponant ensure that the on-ship experiences cater to both luxury and adventure-seeking travellers?
When not off the ship exploring in a Zodiac or walking around a port of call led by our expedition leaders and destination specialists, our guests can enjoy a variety of outdoor spaces designed to blend with the natural surroundings and featuring amenities like heated pools with sun lounges on the upper decks, and panoramic lounges offering prime viewing spots for observing wildlife. Additionally, 95% of our staterooms and suites offer guests the privacy of their own balconies for more viewing and immersion opportunities.
Guests can indulge in relaxation and comfort with state-of-the-art spas featuring massage cabins, saunas and hammam facilities, and unique facilities like a Snow Room on Le Commandant Charcot. These spas collaborate with renowned French brands such as L’Oréal Paris, Clarins, SOTHY’s and Biologique Recherche, ensuring high-quality wellness treatments after a day of exploring.
In terms of gastronomy experiences at sea, Ponant offers a refined culinary environment in collaboration with Ducasse Conseil, Michelin-recognised chef Alain Ducasse’s consultancy firm, offering guests a la carte creations in two restaurant settings, paired with sommelier-selected wines during dinner on any vessel. Additionally, Alain Ducasse himself curated more than 300 dishes served at Nuna, our gastronomic restaurant onboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s only luxury icebreaker, offering our guests access to the only restaurant at sea by Alain Ducasse whilst exploring the polar regions.
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What are some new or unique destinations that Ponant plans to introduce in the near future?
We are continuously looking for new places to visit and one of our latest exciting destinations is around Japan’s Seto Inland – Japan’s oldest sea route. This area is exclusive to small ships as the route is restricted to vessels under 200 meters in length, giving us the advantage of being able to explore this sublime region. We are currently expanding this route with additional visits on the Shikoku side of the inland sea.
In addition, Pasparely Pearl by Ponant will embark on several new expeditions in 2025, which will include destinations such as the Sepik River and a circumnavigation of New Britain Island in Papua New Guinea, as well as unlocking a library of over 30 unique destinations in Australia’s Kimberley region. Guests will have exclusive access to Pasparley’s operating pearl farms and be taken behind the scenes to learn about the artistry and craftsmanship behind the world’s most beautiful pearls.
Her expeditions will also venture further into the Indonesian Archipelago, with brand new expeditions to Raja Ampat and the Spice Islands, as well as expeditions between Dili and Bali, offering intimate and flexible itineraries.
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How does Ponant choose its expedition destinations, and what factors are most important in this decision-making process?
At Ponant we continually seek new destinations for inclusion in our expedition voyages. There are many factors that determine why we would want to visit a destination, be they historical, cultural or ecological.
The first, and most important step in the decision-making process is to engage with the local communities and/or stakeholders. Without their support, we won’t select the destination, regardless of how ideal it may appear. It is important that the local people want us to visit and that we leave the place better for our visit. Once we have the okay from the local people, we send experienced staff members to scout the destination to work with local people to develop bespoke experiences for our guests.
We also study the viability of the destination from a maritime and safety perspective. In poorly charted areas we have undertaken extensive bathymetric surveys to create our own maritime charts to ensure the safe passage of our vessels. This is often a lengthy and time-consuming process requiring significant resources, however for us at Ponant, safety is paramount.
Once everything has been assessed and set up, there’s nothing more exciting than visiting the destination for the first time with one of our vessels and our lucky guests.
Over the past 10 years in the Asia Pacific region, we have developed many destinations and continue to have a positive impact on the local communities we visit.
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Sustainability is a crucial aspect of modern travel. What are some of the latest sustainability technologies and practices that Ponant is implementing on its ships?
A lot of initiatives are implemented each year, and we continue to measure our impact very accurately and adapt to new environmental regulations and better ourselves. A few initiatives I can share with you are:
We have eliminated single-use plastics fleet-wide and have implemented strict waste management protocols onboard and offshore across all our operations. One of these initiatives also is onboard water bottling using recycled glass instead of plastic. For instance, these initiatives have allowed us to avoid the use of nearly 820,000 plastic bottles in 2023, the equivalent of 20 tons of plastic.
Our Ponant Explorer series ships (for example Le Jacques Cartier positioned in the Kimberley) have Comfort 1 certification for noise impact, issued by Bureau Veritas, one of the highest certifications in the world, allowing optimum comfort for our guests and marine life such as cetaceans when visiting regions such as the Kimberley, where large amounts of whales migrate during the high season.
Our dedication to sustainability onboard extends to supporting the scientific community by hosting scientific research missions onboard our luxury icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot. The ship features two science labs and dedicated equipment and accommodation to host various scientific missions throughout the year in the polar regions and allow for collaboration with experts in fields like marine biology and oceanography to enhance understanding of marine ecosystems and advocate for their protection. We are very proud to support the scientific community by giving them access to our polar regions each year.
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Can you discuss any specific initiatives or technologies that Ponant is using to reduce its environmental footprint?
We are thrilled to have been awarded the official Green Globe Certification, applicable to our entire fleet, becoming the first maritime cruise line to obtain the certification in March this year. The accreditation demonstrates Ponant’s ongoing commitment to innovation and adaptation of more sustainable practices in tourism. We prioritise minimising emissions of nitrogen, sulphur oxides, and CO², striving to reduce our environmental impact across all operations. We are increasingly adopting new energy sources including biofuels and LNG use and have recently completed the first test in France using collected recycled edible oils, a first in France.
Our onboard practices reflect a commitment to sustainability as we recycle 60% of packaging onboard, significantly exceeding global standards. Energy-saving measures are ingrained in our operations, from eco-responsible brochures to LED lighting that reduces electricity consumption by 75%.
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These efforts are complemented by initiatives like supporting the creation of Marine Protected Areas and utilising navigation software to optimise fuel efficiency. Through the PONANT Foundation, we foster partnerships with researchers, NGOs, and indigenous communities to advance ocean conservation and polar research, promoting sustainable practices that resonate with our commitment to environmental responsibility in the destinations we visit.
