Who Is the PONANT Traveler?
Updated: 23 hours ago
Before sailing with PONANT, I had an assumption that I suspect many people have: that it was primarily designed for an older generation.
I was 36 when I sailed Le Dumont-d’Urville, and I felt completely at home.
The experience did not feel stuffy or old-fashioned. It felt modern, personal and comfortable, while still being very strongly connected to French culture and PONANT's identity. I would happily do it again.
That experience changed the way I think about the question of who PONANT is actually for. Age is certainly part of the cruise market, but it is not what defines the PONANT traveler. The more important question is what you are interested in.
Curiosity Matters More Than Age
There was a broad range of interests among the passengers, but those interests naturally became focused around the itinerary. PONANT does this intelligently. The destination provides the subject matter, and the programming, excursions and experts give passengers different ways to engage with it.
For me, the common denominator is cultural curiosity.
PONANT has a strong intellectual component through science, history, arts and culture. That makes it particularly interesting for travelers who want something more from their trip than simply moving between beautiful destinations.
It also explains why age did not seem particularly important onboard. A traveler in their thirties who is interested in history, gastronomy or science can have just as much in common with someone in their sixties as with somebody their own age.
The atmosphere helps. Everything felt relaxed, extremely comfortable and luxurious without becoming formal or stuffy. Demographics during our conversations with our representatives show that the average age on PONANT is 58.
Giving the Body and the Mind Something to Do
One of the things I find particularly compelling about PONANT is the balance between physical and intellectual travel.
You can spend the morning exploring a destination and then attend a lecture or conversation that gives you another way of understanding what you have just seen. The body is engaged through excursions and exploration; the mind is engaged through experts, lectures, culture and history.
That combination is increasingly important to the kind of traveler we work with.
PONANT also has an unusual connection with classical music. As a classical pianist, I find it remarkable that a small-ship cruise company can create classical music festivals onboard featuring musicians of an exceptionally high level. That says something about the audience PONANT wants to attract.
This is not a product designed only around entertainment. There is an expectation that passengers are interested in something.
That does not mean you need to be an expert. You simply need to be curious.
Solo Travelers Should Not Be an Afterthought
I also think PONANT's approach to solo travelers deserves attention.
I have always felt strongly that solo travelers should not automatically be punished financially for traveling alone. I understand the business reason behind double occupancy, but from a hospitality perspective, I find it difficult to justify making somebody pay for a second person who is not there.
Consider someone who has lost a partner but still wants to travel. Why should that person suddenly have to pay twice simply because they are traveling alone?
PONANT has recognized the importance of the solo market through its single-supplement approach and selected offers for over more than 100 sailings. For me, that is an important sign of hospitality.
And socially, I think the ships work well for solo travelers because the atmosphere is naturally conducive to meeting people. The scale is intimate without being intrusive. You can have your own space, but you are also surrounded by people who are generally interested in the world and in the voyage itself.
That creates a very different social environment from a large ship where thousands of passengers can simply disappear into the crowd.
The Traveler We Would Match to PONANT
When we recommend a PONANT voyage, we are not starting with age.
We are asking what interests you.
Are you fascinated by art, history, science or culture? Do you enjoy gastronomy? Are you interested in nature and exploration but still want a high level of comfort? Do you enjoy meeting people from different countries? Do you appreciate being treated well without needing everything to feel formal?
If the answer is yes to several of those questions, PONANT may be an excellent fit.
The opposite is equally important.
If your main objective is a party atmosphere, the cheapest possible cruise fare, or simply using a ship as transportation between cities, I would probably look elsewhere. That is not a criticism of those preferences. It is simply about matching the product to the traveler.
For us, that is the central responsibility of an advisor. A beautiful itinerary is not automatically a good itinerary for every client.
PONANT makes the most sense to me for the culturally curious, intellectually engaged traveler who still wants to explore actively and be comfortable while doing it. That traveler might be 36, 56 or 76.
The age is secondary.
The curiosity is not.
The first guides to read to familiarise yourself with this incredible Brand
Marisa wrote a wonderful blog on her DeSalvio Travel website, diving into the type of traveler you are.
Is PONANT the Right Fit for You?
We help clients choose PONANT based on more than destination. We look at the ship, itinerary, excursions, onboard programming and the kind of traveler you are. If you are interested in PONANT but are unsure whether it matches your travel style, that is exactly the kind of question we are here to help answer.
Contact us when you feel ready, and we will begin, calmly and thoughtfully, exactly where you are in the process.
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