Seabiscuit68

15 hours ago, jonikal said:

 

Congratulations!  Although it's pretty pathetic to have to have gone to these lengths to get satisfaction from Ponant. There is another organization that is very useful and that any travel companies, whether airline or cruise, hate to hear from - The US Dept of Transportation.   We had an amazing response once they looked at our very valid complaint and the airline, after many of our futile attempts to get reimbursed failed, gave us our refund plus extra for the crap we had gone through.  

 

 

Agree!  We were trying to get our refund for business class tickets from Fiji Airways, this was going on for two months.  In our last email to them we indicated that we had filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation.  The next day we had our refund.  

14 hours ago, Vesude said:

Good news. To what mailadresse did you contact Ponant? I have send so many mails to their main mail adress (contact@ponant.com) but they never responded. 

Very bad because they have our money in their pocket. 

Catherine Brin is the Customer Service Manager for US reservations.  She is the individual who originally emailed us  the FCC when the cruise was cancelled.    Nsawhney is CEO and hbellaiche is VP of Sales and Marketing.

cbrin@ponant.com

usreservations@ponant.com

nsawhney@ponant.com

hbellaiche@ponant.com

11 hours ago, Nonads said:

Our cruise to the Seychelles was cancelled by Ponant in March. We asked for a refund but only offered a FCC.Have tried all other routes ACCC , our insurance company have refused even tho we took out insurance when we booked the cruise in Feb 2019 way before Covid 19. Has anyone had full refund of their cruise money from Ponant ?  Time to honour your  T& Cs Ponant 

 

Our cruise was to French Polynesia was cancelled in March.  We've been requesting a refund since March 15th.  Over the last month I was posting a lot on Facebook and IG.  On IG they would respond to my comment requesting my contact but then I would never hear back. Finally after aggressive IG posts,  we heard back from US Reservations last week asking if we have made a decision on rebooking our cruise.   We responded once again that we wanted a refund in accordance with the contract.  We advised that if we do not get our refund by end of week we will be filing a complaint with the Federal Maritime Commission, filing complaint with the NY Attorney General, will be launching legal action as well as posting our experience with Ponant on social media.  We also copied our lawyer.  We were refunded fully within one week of sending this email.     

23 hours ago, DSmith91 said:

Seabiscuit68.....Can you put your link up please? We don't need it yet as we aren't due to sail till August, but just in case...thanks.

lil_stormi_pug is where my original post can be found.   2nd IG is Nedklo where I’m targeting cruise influencers and commenting on their Ponant/PG posts.  I’m going to do a similar post as my original on this account soon. 

4 hours ago, Vesude said:

We booked in 2018 also. Can you copy-paste that part of The T&C here?
I am going on with my fight! If anyone wants to join?

I’m in.  I’ve set up another IG account and continue to make comments on Ponant and PG IG.  I noticed that some of my earlier PG comments have been deleted. Anything we can do on a coordinated basis will have more impact. 

If you want others to know about Ponant and PG's unethical behaviour, we need to start posting on social media.  I've posted on IG.  Lil_stormi_pug  (Yup it is my dog's account but I have some followers and who have larger followers and are starting to comment).  I've tagged Ponant and PG.  Ponant and PG are actively posting on IG to attract new customers to their cruises.    We need to extend this beyond CC and hit them where it hurts in social media. Please consider commenting on my IG post highlighting Ponant/PG unethical business practices.  

If you want others to know about Ponant and PG's unethical behaviour, we need to start posting on social media.  I've posted on IG.  Lil_stormi_pug  (Yup it is my dog's account but I have some followers and who have larger followers and are starting to comment).  I've tagged Ponant and PG.  Ponant and PG are actively posting on IG to attract new customers to their cruises.    We need to extend this beyond CC and hit them where it hurts in social media. Please consider commenting on my IG post.   

I will be filing a credit dispute and will look into the Federal Martime Commission mediation. In the meantime, I'm posting on IG.  Based on Jared's update it seems to have attracted their attention.  Lil_stormi_pug on IG.  It's the IG I use for my dog (I know!) but it has some followers who have substantial followers and they are starting to comment on my post.  If they aren't going to refund the money, at least I can make sure to warn others about Ponant and PG.

I'm not satisfied with a credit.  Ponant has ceased operations indefinitely.  I was advised by Ponant that they may start operations again in late 2020 or 2021.  I will not be able to use the credit due to financial circumstances.  We are self-employed and will not have the funds for a vacation this year or probably next.   Not to mention that the timing of Ponant's possible restart corresponds to the expected second wave of COVID.  The fact of the matter is that Ponant sales contract PROVIDES FOR A REFUND if they cancel the cruise.   If there are others that are happy with the credit and are in better financial circumstances then that is their choice.  Our choice is a refund.   

While Ponant has indicated that they are choosing to not take loans, I think it is important to remember that Ponant is owned by the family holding company of billionaire Francois Henri Pinault.   It isn't even a public company.    The pandemic has very much brought to light those companies with values and integrity. Ponant is not one of them.   To me Ponant is no different than those large public companies such as Ruth Chris, Shake Shack that took the millions of dollars of loans meant for small businesses.  Ponant is withholding our money to support the company rather than having its billionaire owner backstop the cruise line.  I will think very carefully about my purchases in a post pandemic world and it will not include those wealthy companies  that acted to the detriment of those who needed the funds.   I will also make sure that I do not do business with any company that does not have its contract subject to the laws of the USA.  

I know, I have had no response at all from Ponant.  I have sent several emails. Short of finding a lawyer and trying to figure out French law we seem screwed by Ponant.   I've reached out to a consumer reporter in Florida who said he would contact Ponant but I haven't heard back.  Ponant owner Pinault is married to Salma Hayek so next options may be to start blitzing on social media. 

14 hours ago, samiam1 said:

 

Ponant's stakeholder Pinault won't go hungry that's for sure , but I am effectively out of work till this blows over and need back my 10K.  What really bothers me, is that if a passenger violates a contractual term, the cruise lines usually show no mercy but somehow the cruise line can do as it pleases once it has your money.

I agree!  I need my $15k back.  We self-employed and business owners.  In Canada, they are talking about restrictions being in place for months, not weeks.   We're not going to be taking a cruise within 18 months.  If we're shut down for months, it will take time to earn back what we lost and replace savings that were used to get us through the crisis. 

Taking a closer look at Ponant's terms and conditions, it states that the contract is governed by French law.   Similar paragraph in Paul Gauguin terms and conditions, subject to French Polynesia laws.  

It seems clear to me too.  But not surprisingly Ponant are going to give us a hard time to get what we are legally and rightfully owed under the terms of the contract. 

We responded to Ponant's notice of cancellation and requested a refund as prescribed by their own terms and conditions. We received email that ignored our request for refund and reiterated that they were offering a credit on a future cruise.    I think this will be the same for the Paul Gauguin cruises.   We should start thinking about a coordinated legal response as well as targeted social media posts. 

Ponant is owned by Artemis, which is the holding company of French billionaire Francois Pinault (married to Salma Hayek).    He is the 3rd richest in France and 27th richest in the world. 
 

I guess that is how you become a billionaire. It is disgusting! 

We know that FP is closed to cruise ships and Ponant has not provided any communication with respect to our March 20th cruise being cancelled.  Worst cruise company! 

Wow that is crazy!  Yesterday morning Navin offered to transfer our sailing to another 2020 date. I’m glad I didn’t jump on it. Later that day PG posted that French Polynesia advised over night that it has now closed all ports to cruise ships until April 11th.  They only offer you something when it is in their best interest. Despicable company!!! 

To focus only on the medical risk (which I agree is small if you are healthy and not in high risk group) fails to consider other significant concerns.     You may not be able to dock in ports on your itinerary.  Six of the nine ports on our French Polynesia cruise are not permitting ships to dock.   No communication from Ponant on revised itinerary.   I'm not interested in being on cruise with 8 sea days out of 12 days. We selected that cruise specifically for the itinerary.

As COVID 19 concerns continue (which they will for a time), additional countries are considering blocking cruise ships from entry.  Even here in Canada, British Columbia's top doctor is suggesting that the cruise season in BC be delayed and not permit entry to cruise ships.

https://globalnews.ca/news/6653317/bc-top-doctor-delay-cruise-ship-season-covid-19/

The risk of being quarantined or stuck on a ship that never stops in a port are also significant concerns.    The point is that the vast majority of cruise companies are offering postponement as an option. Everyone has the right to make their own decision for themselves.   Ponant is not providing the option to individuals to make that decision while other cruise companies are.  This is about dealing with your customers in a honest and respectable manner which is not happening with Ponant.

By the way, Paul Gauguin now seems to be allowing postponement by providing a voucher for future cruise.   I think the TAs have been pressuring them.  So far, nothing from Ponant.

I have been posting on Facebook and Twitter.   I'm also posting to Edie Rodgriguez twitter, she is supposedly the American Brand Chairman for Ponant.    At least we can warn others.

Same here.  I've calling and emailing every day and no reply.  It is unconscionable!

I wholeheartedly agree! I've sent countless emails and having been calling every day.   I've also been posting on Facebook and Twitter.   They don't seem to be budging.  At this point, we have to decide whether we just go ahead and hope for the best.  

Bora Bora is still open.  Cook Islands, Samoa and Wallis & Futuna are closed.

I always heard positive things about PG.  Unfortunately it seems Ponant's acquisition of PG has negatively impacted the company.

Ponant lack of action is astounding!!!  I called them yesterday to clarify their COIV-19 cancellation policy and it only relates to the countries you mention above.  They had the gall to tell me that nothing has changed on my March 20th cruise. I pointed out that the vast majority of ports on our itinerary are closed.  She had no response other than things are fluid.

 I also pointed out that they are one of the few cruise companies that have not softened their cancellation policies (every other cruise line that we have sailed with previously Crystal, Windstar, Seabourn, Silversea have). 

It is like they are not even watching the news.  Canada's chief public health officer is advising Canadians to avoid cruises.   The CDC is saying the same thing for individuals over 60.  Everyone needs to decide for themselves based on their health and risk, but Ponant should not be forcing us by refusing to let us postpone the cruise.   

Ponant lack of action is astounding!!!  I called them yesterday to clarify their COIV-19 cancellation policy and it only relates to the countries you mention above.  They had the gall to tell me that nothing has changed on the cruise. I pointed out that the vast majority of ports on our itinerary are closed.  She had no response other than things are fluid.

 I also pointed out that they are one of the few cruise companies that have not softened their cancellation policies (every other cruise line that we have sailed with previously Crystal, Windstar, Seabourn, Silversea have). 

It is like they are not even watching the news.  Canada's chief public health officer is advising Canadians to avoid cruises.   The CDC is saying the same thing for individuals over 60.  Everyone needs to decide for themselves based on their health and risk, but Ponant should not be forcing us by refusing to let us post-pone the cruise.