Paul Gauguin sold (kind off)

[dandee2]

 Ponant is buying Les Croisières Paul Gauguin.

Even as a subsidiary of Ponant which thus expands its range, Paul Gauguin cruises will remain an independent company, with its own brand, led by Diane Moore from the headquarters based in Bellevue, near Seattle. Ponant maintains its own commercial structure in the United States, run from New York by Navin Sawhney.

https://lemarin.ouest-france.fr/secteurs-activites/shipping/34763-ponant-rachete-les-croisieres-paul-gauguin

[Host Jazzbeau]

Cruise Critic has an article about this:

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/4326/

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Wow!  I presume that this means that the rest of the hotel company, with Richard Bailey at the head, didn't get sold.  At least that's the way I read it, although I guess we'll hear all about it soon.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

President Diane Moore stated that PG would remain a separate and distinct brand, no changes in Washington corporate nor any changes on-board.  

 

All is good ...

[Emdee]

Things always change when a cruise line is sold...for the good or bad. Time will tell.

 

 

[Emdee]

1 hour ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Wow!  I presume that this means that the rest of the hotel company, with Richard Bailey at the head, didn't get sold.  At least that's the way I read it, although I guess we'll hear all about it soon.

I remember weeping buckets in November 2009 when it changed hands from Regent. My only concern here is the PG staff and hope they find a safe haven.

[Cruisedreamer1]

Oh dear, thanks Emdee, that's what I thought too; the staff and crew. I hope the investors don't try to "drain" the resources of the line.  I wonder if this will impact on the 2020 Reunion cruise.

[sita]

1 hour ago, Emdee said:

Things always change when a cruise line is sold...for the good or bad. Time will tell.

 

 

My thoughts exactly!

[Emdee]

1 hour ago, Cruisedreamer1 said:

Oh dear, thanks Emdee, that's what I thought too; the staff and crew. I hope the investors don't try to "drain" the resources of the line.  I wonder if this will impact on the 2020 Reunion cruise.

I hope not....are you on this cruise?

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I presume that if I'm right about the rest of the company, the way the PG does pre- and post-cruise hotel stays may change again.  Not just use the IC properties in FP?

[DavidTheWonderer]

When we first sailed on the PG in 2000 there were a fair number of French passengers on board, in sufficient numbers that French was the second language of the ship. Now the French are not present in greater numbers than other European countries.  Perhaps with Ponant that will change.

Here is a cringe-worthy story about this.  In 2003 you will recall that there was a large anti-French sentiment in the US, largely because France refused to get involved in the Iraq war adventure.  So, "French fries" became "freedom fries", etc.  At that time the PG was French flagged, the ship's crew including the Captain were French (not the hotel staff), and course French Polynesia is a French protectorate.  And we had a fair number of French passengers.  So at the sailaway party the Captain welcomed the passengers in English, and then in French.  When he started the French welcome a small but loud handful of Americans started to boo.

[JIMinNC]

4 hours ago, DavidTheWonderer said:

When we first sailed on the PG in 2000 there were a fair number of French passengers on board, in sufficient numbers that French was the second language of the ship. Now the French are not present in greater numbers than other European countries.  Perhaps with Ponant that will change.

Here is a cringe-worthy story about this.  In 2003 you will recall that there was a large anti-French sentiment in the US, largely because France refused to get involved in the Iraq war adventure.  So, "French fries" became "freedom fries", etc.  At that time the PG was French flagged, the ship's crew including the Captain were French (not the hotel staff), and course French Polynesia is a French protectorate.  And we had a fair number of French passengers.  So at the sailaway party the Captain welcomed the passengers in English, and then in French.  When he started the French welcome a small but loud handful of Americans started to boo.

 

...and people wonder why people from other countries are often annoyed by American tourists. A few bad apples like these give us all a bad name. It was also enlightening (and somewhat troubling) to see how America is perceived by others now, talking to other passengers from around the world on our fall 2018 Mediterranean cruise and our June PG cruise. 

[pgcruises]

15 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I presume that if I'm right about the rest of the company, the way the PG does pre- and post-cruise hotel stays may change again.  Not just use the IC properties in FP?

Hi Wendy,

 

Paul Gauguin Cruises will continue to partner with the properties of Pacific Beachcomber to provide guests with the opportunity to experience the InterContinental Resorts of French Polynesia and The Brando pre- or post-cruise.  Here is a link to all the properties in our program: https://www.pgcruises.com/extend-trip.

 

Kind Regards,

Paul Gauguin Cruises

[pgcruises]

19 hours ago, Emdee said:

I remember weeping buckets in November 2009 when it changed hands from Regent. My only concern here is the PG staff and hope they find a safe haven.

Hi Emdee,

 

Paul Gauguin Cruises team will continue to be based in Bellevue and will continue to be led by Diane Moore, and no changes are planned for our amazing staff on board.

 

Kind Regards,

Paul Gauguin Cruises

 

[pgcruises]

19 hours ago, Cruisedreamer1 said:

Oh dear, thanks Emdee, that's what I thought too; the staff and crew. I hope the investors don't try to "drain" the resources of the line.  I wonder if this will impact on the 2020 Reunion cruise.

Hi Cruisedreamer1,

 

The Paul Gauguin Cruises team will continue to be based in Bellevue and will continue to be led by Diane Moore, and no changes are planned for our amazing staff on board. Nothing is planned to change in terms of brand or service for Paul Gauguin Cruises. And, we look forward to another fun Reunion Cruise in 2021!

 

Kind Regards,

Paul Gauguin Cruises

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Thanks for responding, pgcruises!

[pgcruises]

Thank you Wendy!

[Emdee]

24 minutes ago, pgcruises said:

Hi Emdee,

 

Paul Gauguin Cruises team will continue to be based in Bellevue and will continue to be led by Diane Moore, and no changes are planned for our amazing staff on board.

 

Kind Regards,

Paul Gauguin Cruises

 

Not concerned about the planned but the unplanned.

As we all know any acquisitions end up with fallout.

Much as I appreciate your effort to allay our fears only time with tell...

[Cruisedreamer1]

Hopefully, all the things that make the PG service special will remain like all inclusive beverages, no cost specialty restaurants and fares,

[Cruisedreamer1]

Yes, change is difficult and we remain hopeful and wish the change over is uneventful and not too painful for all.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

As always I'm optimistic and see the pluses in everything.  

[miss lily]

My husband and I have been sailing on the PG every year since 2004. We do multiple BTB sailings each year totalling approximately 250  nights on her. We were on the first sailing following after Regent ended its' reign. There were many skeptics among the less than 200 fellow passengers on that sailing. All was and has been wonderful for the past ten years. We have made many new friends that we continue sailing with every year. We return over and over again because we feel so comfortable and special. 

Our memory treasure trove is bursting with many of the best times and experiences of our lives. 

Captains Toni, Rajko and Davor have shown us safe and wonderful times in so many places over and over again. My husband learned to waterski in Tahaa with Dominique and we laughed until we couldn't laugh anymore with Rajko during an extremly ROUGH voyage to Australia as well as to the Marquesas. We were on the Tere Moana with Rajko and Jacques on her second sailing and I returned solo the following year for another bouncy sailing.

SIDE NOTE: We are meeting Rajko and his wife in Amsterdam to spend the day in early September. We are so excited; we haven't seen him since 2014.

DIANE MOORE and her team: She is a wonderful leader and I am certain nothing will change about that. Her experience and warmth makes me feel as though we know each other well. Her many years of knowledge and experience will make the transition with Ponant seamless and purely positive.

DICK BAILEY: WE met very soon after Pacific Beachcomber took over. He was on a sailing with us; he agreed to meet me and my notes for coffee and intently listened to all I had to say. The rest is history. He is a brilliant businessman, consumate professional, true visionary and warm individual. I am smiling as I write this. 'Mr. Bailey' has been truly wonderful to us.

All on the PG as well as at all of his many properties truly admire and respect him. I suspect the new future is bittersweet for him and in the best interest of the PG.

FUTURE: We are booked on several saiings on the PG in early 2020. I am sure that with the management of Diane Moore and her team along with innovative growing Ponant,  PG Cruises will continue to be a part of the fabulous memory building for us and all others sailing on her.

[Emdee]

Miss Lily, do you remember the dark days of 2005/2006 when Grand Circle was involved?

the food was mediocre there were cutbacks only the staff shone . Ponant needs to  remember that the success of the PG are based on two things the beauty of the location and the staff who run it. 

[DavidTheWonderer]

20 hours ago, Emdee said:

Miss Lily, do you remember the dark days of 2005/2006 when Grand Circle was involved?

...

I certainly do.  Dark days indeed.  But Ponant is a very different operation than the circle jerks, so there is reason to be optimistic.

[Emdee]

True Ponant is but a lot more expensive.