Ponant

News

Ignored and disrespected – why the cruise industry is angry as wave season hopes are all but dashed

Health Minister Greg Hunt has extended the ban on overseas travel and foreign flagged cruise ships for a further three months, all but dashing hopes of a wave season this year. The announcement came as […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Sep 2 2021
News

Ponant goes tropical – the luxury line reveals new sailings to destinations like Okinawa and Zanzibar

Luxury French line Ponant has announced new itineraries for 2022 and 2023 for cruisers looking for a tropical getaway. Visiting places like Okinawa, one of Japan’s subtropical islands, Zanzibar and Melanesia, the itineraries are aimed […]

WORDS BY Bernadette Chua . Jul 2 2021
News

Indigenous tour operators face tough times without cruise passengers in the Kimberley

Indigenous operator, Wijingarra Tours on the Kimberley coast, is struggling to survive with 70 per cent of its bookings cancelled – thanks to the international cruise ship ban and the pandemic. “Its been really tough […]

WORDS BY Teresa Ooi . Jul 2 2021
News

Welcome to your new post-pandemic cabin

As some travellers head out on their first cruises in Europe, they will face many new health protocols and enhanced cleaning procedures to make their journeys safer. While vaccinations, temperature checks, social distancing and wearing […]

WORDS BY Teresa Ooi . Jun 17 2021
News

Tourism minister Dan Tehan promises review as cruise ship ban expires in 13 days

Australia’s Tourism Minister Dan Tehan has promised a mid-June review of the ban on foreign flagged ships, raising hopes that the 2021 cruise season may see a sailings restart. And in even more promising news, […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Jun 1 2021
News

Ponant reinvents fly-cruise so Australians can sail from New Zealand

Australians will soon be able to cruise from New Zealand and the South Pacific after luxury French line Ponant revealed bubble sailings between November 2021 to early 2023. The push to get Australians back onboard […]

WORDS BY Bernadette Chua . May 25 2021
News

Exclusive: Home Affairs says all foreign-flagged cruise ships must employ Aussie staff

The government is insisting cruise ship operators wanting to sail Australian waters must employ Australians to take on hospitality and other non-specialised jobs, despite a shortage of such staff across the country. The surprise ruling […]

WORDS BY Teresa Ooi . May 14 2021
News

Price rises on the cards as cruises set to resume in America and Europe

Cruise lines in America have been thrown a lifeline after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a letter saying lines will be able to resume sailing by the mid-Northern Hemisphere summer. But […]

WORDS BY Bernadette Chua . Apr 30 2021
News

Revealed: the extraordinary fight to save Australia’s 2021 cruise season

Europe will see a flotilla of ships set sail next month from Britain and around the Med. Asia has been sailing since November. Even America is planning a July restart after health authorities approved new […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Apr 30 2021
News

Cruise can come back now, says leading Australian health expert as lines await a Kimberley decision

One of Australia’s leading experts in communicable diseases says cruise can now return safely with new health protocols – even before the vaccine program is completed. Dr Ian Norton told Cruise Passenger: “As long as […]

WORDS BY Teresa Ooi . Apr 23 2021
News

Coral Expeditions changes itineraries in WA to avoid NT cruise ban as anger grows

They have only been lightly touched by the pandemic – they have just one active case this week – but the Northern Territory government has issued orders that make cruise stops in Darwin a near […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Mar 27 2021
News

Ponant adds second ship for Kimberley 2022 voyages

Luxury cruise line Ponant announced it would be adding itineraries as well as another ship in the Kimberley for 2022. There will be 26 voyages aboard the luxurious Le Soleal and Le Laperouse on 10-night […]

WORDS BY Bernadette Chua . Mar 9 2021