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19 July, 2024

PROFILE: Julie Rogers MBA, Director of Sales Asia Pacific of Ponant

By Grant Jones

With increasing interest from Australians in expedition cruises, Julie Rogers MBA, Director of Sales Asia Pacific of PONANT, shares with Travel Weekly the new experiences she is excited about in cruise.

Is there any significant increase in Australians/New Zealander’s heading north to the Arctic instead of the Antarctic?

We have seen a steady growth in sales to the Arctic over the past few years and our trade partners have embraced the ‘Paris to Polar Bears’ with PONANT Advantage. With the direct flight from Perth to Paris, this provides even more opportunity for our West Coast guests to explore the Arctic with PONANT.

What are the added attractions (polar bears etc)?

The Arctic’s diversity is one of the main attractions, spanning from Iceland’s volcanic landscapes, through Svalbard’s polar bear habitats, to Greenland’s vast ice sheets and ecosystems, showcasing varied wildlife and indigenous cultures. Le Commandant Charcot is the world’s only luxury ice breaker and has the ability to travel deep into the frozen sea ice to reach the Geographical North Pole and to witness unique wildlife experiences. Only a few weeks ago, guests onboard Le Commandant Charcot witnessed 68 polar bears in the one location, in the Northeast Greenland National Park.

We have also seen a dramatic increase in demand for our Northern Lights voyages from the Australian and New Zealand market. To see the Northern lights from onboard a ship is truly impressive – it provides the most favourable conditions for brilliance of colour. I personally saw Northern lights in the Baffin Sea in late August, which was a lovely surprise. The captain made an announcement at 11.55pm and we had an incredible opportunity to witness the natural light show. PONANT has curated Northern lights Arctic voyages from November through to March due to meet this surge in interest.

Are these repeat customers, or new to cruise?

It is actually both. Customers seeking the North Pole are usually first-time PONANT Cruises, whilst to Svalbard and Greenland guests have usually already explored Antarctica with PONANT.

What is the demographic, and is that stable or coming down?

We welcome all ages on PONANT but are definitely seeing a lower age group being attracted to the Luxury Expedition Voyages. We are also a favourite for solo travellers and solo friends who take advantage of the Free Solo Supplement. We currently have 62 voyages in The Arctic with Free Solo Supplement.

What about kids?

Children under the age of 18, sharing a cabin with two adults, from the age of six are welcomed onboard free of charge, only port charges are applicable. It is important to note we do not have child-care facilities onboard.

Luxe is on the up, is this one of the attractions, rather than “roughing it”. Or at least being able to get back to a warm ship and shower straight after exploring.

PONANT’s promise is to deliver privileged access to nature’s finest treasures; aboard a cocoon of comfort and luxury. We expertly blend authentic expedition experiences premium onboard inclusions, for example our in room amenities are Diptyque products.

On board attractions include the food, what dishes from Alain Ducasse are standouts and was there a particular focus.

Le Commandant Charcot proudly boasts the only Alain Ducasse restaurant at sea, Nuna. The menu at Nuna offers international cuisine with a delicate French flair. It would be difficult to choose just one item, but I do enjoy all of the creative and artistic desserts. Almost too good to eat – but then the dining room is filled with oohs and aahs!

How did the exclusive itineraries come about, and why choose these?

With over 35 years’ experience we have attracted the best of the best in the industry to create and deploy new experiences for our guests. Each year the Expedition Team embark on scouting missions to develop locations we can incorporate into future expeditions. We deploy eight of our expedition ships to the Arctic each year, with so much inventory this allows us to offer a wider choice to consumers who want to visit popular destinations but also explore areas far away from crowded tourist sites. Part of the joy of exploring the Arctic is the interaction with the local peoples, PONANT has several sponsorship programs with each village to ensure they continue to thrive in their remote locations.

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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