Vicky Lubyk - Director Sales for Western Canada, Paul Gauguin Cruises
An evening soirée hosted by PONANT Explorations and Paul Gauguin Cruises in Vancouver brought touches of French flair and charm focused on discovering the pleasures and particulars of the world’s polar regions and French Polynesia by small ship expedition cruise.
Ellen McIlvaine, VP Sales, Americas for French-owned PONANT Explorations kicked the night off by thanking the more than 80 travel advisors gathered at the chic Rosewood Hotel Georgia in downtown Vancouver on 25MAR to learn more about both companies’ small ship voyages for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
For decades, PONANT Explorations and Paul Gauguin Cruises have focused on providing luxury small ship voyages sailing to some of the world’s most remote and beautiful destinations.
PONANT Explorations operates 14 luxury vessels with more than 400 departures and 450+ ports of call on all seven continents. With the addition of m/s Paul Gauguin, French Polynesia is the biggest destination in PONANT’s global portfolio of departures.
Speaking to advisors between courses at the chic Rosewood Hotel Georgia in downtown Vancouver on 25MAR, Vicky Lubyk, Director Sales Canada at Paul Gauguin Cruises, noted the flagship Paul Gauguin is purposely built to sail in the region and is Gauguin “longest continuously sailing luxury vessel in any destination,” with more than a quarter century of service.
With newly decorated spacious suites and staterooms (nearly 70% with private balconies), an onboard watersports marina, three dining venues, an extensive spa and five-star service provided by a largely Tahitian crew, this “‘Overwater Bungalow’ sails,” quipped Lubyk.
With the highest crew-to-guest ratios at sea, clients can sail several itineraries in French Polynesia, which Lubyk reminded guests is only two hours further than Hawaii.
Freshly arrived from her latest PONANT voyage in Greenland, Cindy Miller Hopkins, Photo Ambassador for PONANT Explorations, offered a compelling visual presentation of her favourite, and some of PONANT’s most popular cruise destinations, the polar regions.
Her photos of fluffy baby Emperor penguins, polar bears and marine life illustrate why PONANT Explorations plies the cold polar waters, but it’s the company’s small ship cruise style that sets it apart from the rest.
PONANT operates the world’s only luxury icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, which can travel to remote parts of the Arctic and Antarctica where few ships are able to go.
The Charcot can travel in 15 feet of ice, ferrying guests to the less-travelled eastern side of Antarctica as well as the Larsen Ice Shelf and Weddell Sea, parking her bow right into the ice so guests can get “up close and personal to the wildlife and the views,” said Hopkins.
Travellers also benefit from PONANT’s Explorers Club Program, which brings the value-add of scientific discovery to several sailings, including on the Charcot.
PONANT hosts members of the Explorers Club, founded in 1904, who offer onboard lectures while Science Grantees use the ship’s dedicated laboratories and provide guests with firsthand insights into their polar research.
Towards the end of the evening, as images of PONANT Explorations and Paul Gauguin Cruises’ destinations and ships floated on the screen behind, Lubyk spoke of some special offers to Canadian travel advisors.
They include fares inclusive of up to 30% in bonus savings, 5% Canadian Resident Savings on all-inclusive voyages, and zero single supplement for solo travellers. In addition, guests can take advantage of PONANT Yacht Club and Paul Gauguin Society Loyalty Savings.
This summer, kids 15 and under sail and fly free aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin. Clients need to be booked by 25APR, 2025, to take advantage of this exclusive offer, which is valid on select 2025 summer and December holiday sailings featuring the Moana Explorer Program, a fun and educational experience designed for kids aged 6-15.
Travel professionals can become Certified PONANT Explorer Advisors and gain access to marketing and sales tools via ponantexplorer.com
