Luxury cruise line orders four new ships
French luxury small ship operator Ponant is expanding by nearly doubling the size of its fleet.
The line has signed a letter of intent for four luxury expedition cruise ships from Norwegian shipbuilder Vard.
The ice-class expedition ships will be about 10,000 gross tons and able to accommodate 180 passengers.
Interiors will be designed by Jean-Philippe Nuel, depicting an ‘ethnic chic universe’ using natural materials and colours, the line said.
The newbuilds are described as the ‘first step in a project to expand the company’s fleet’.
Ponant was acquired by Artemis last year.
Delivery of all four ships is scheduled between 2018-2019 and will join existing Ponant vessels Le Boreal, L’Austral, Le Soleal, Le Ponant yacht and Le Lyrial.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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