FAQ

[Cancellation fees]

■Cruise service fees
・Up to 15 days after the date of Conclusion of the Contract: no cancellation fees
・From 15 days after the date of Conclusion of the Contract to 365 days before the cruise departure: JPY 25,000 per passenger per cruise
・From 364 days to 211 days before the cruise departure: 10% of the cost of the service
・From 210 days to 91 days before the cruise departure: 25% of the cost of the service
・Less than 91 days before the cruise departure: 100% of the cost of the service

■Fees for other services:
・Insurance benefits policies are non-refundable and non-cancellable.
・Individual/scheduled flights: CDP invoices the Passenger for the actual costs invoiced to CDP by the service provider at the time of cancellation.
・Group land-based services or Group air services under the Contract or Private/on demand services:
・Up to 15 days after the confirmation date: no cancellation fee,
・From 15 days prior to departure to 211 days prior to the cruise departure: 10% of the total cost of the services
・ From 210 days to 91 days prior to the cruise departure: 25% of the total cost of the services
・Less than 91 days prior to the cruise departure: 100% of the total cost of the services

Reservations for this charter cruise can only be made through travel advisors. Direct applications from this website are not available at this time. We will notify you by email once the travel advisors have been selected. * Selected travel advisors will be distributed on the website soon.

Inquiries regarding pre/post stays are only accepted if your cabin reservation has been completed. If you have not yet made a reservation, please book your cabin first before making an inquiry.

For guests taking consecutive cruises, each cruise fare is charged separately. We regret to inform you that no discount applies for consecutive sailings.

The "all-inclusive" package includes:
cabin accommodation,
full board,
The Open Bar: from boarding and throughout the cruise, a wide selection of drinks (mineral water, soft drinks, wines, beer, champagne, spirits, coffee, tea) is served freely and at any time of the day. Some premium alcoholic beverages listed on the menu are not included in the Open Bar.
free 24/7 *Wi-Fi Internet access,
an activity at each stopover,
access to all common areas.
 * The connection may be slow, and eventually interrupted, depending on certain geographical areas or circumstances beyond our control. 

Yes, port taxes are indeed included in the rate of your cruise.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner served on board are included in the cruise fare, from the dinner on the first day until the breakfast on the last day. Upon embarkation and throughout the cruise, drinks are served freely and at any time of the day. The Open Bar is valid for a wide selection of beverages (mineral water, soft drinks, wines, beer, champagne, spirits, coffee, tea). Some premium alcoholic beverages listed on the menu are not included in the Open Bar.

The spa and the fitness room are freely accessible on ship equipped with these facilities. You will be able to discover all the paid services (body care, facial care, hair care, hairstyling...) on the various spa menus.

The brut champagne Charles Heidsieck or Abelé 1757 (subject to availability) is included in the Open Bar.

The prices displayed on the website are per person, based on double occupancy. A single supplement automatically applies for individuals wishing to travel alone. 

In most cases, you are responsible for obtaining visas and necessary formalities for visiting certain countries. When certain visas are issued and charged directly on board, this information is indicated on our website.

No, it is not. Participation in overseas travel insurance is optional; however, we advise that you consider the specific nature of an expedition cruise when making your decision.

On the day of your cruise embarkation, your ship leaves the port mentioned on the first day of the itinerary. A few weeks before your departure, you receive your travel booklet with all the necessary information for the smooth running of your cruise, including a reminder of your itinerary and the name of the embarkation port.

It is possible for you to come to the place of departure for your cruise by your own means, or to call our services. Your round trip flights, your transfers between the airport and the port of embarkation and disembarking or your programs before and after cruise: HANKYU TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL accompanies you through the complete planning of your trip. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

The boarding schedule is indicated on the first day of your cruise itinerary. A few weeks before your departure, you will receive your travel booklet containing all the necessary information for the smooth running of your cruise, confirming in particular your boarding time. Usually, you will be welcomed on board from 4pm local time.

All guests must have a valid identification document and necessary visas, depending on their nationality and the countries visited. The details of the required documents can be found in the "Formalities" section of your cruise description. Upon boarding, the identification document used to fill out the information form will be requested and kept until the end of the cruise to be presented by the ship's officers to the customs authorities at each port. In case of need during a stop, it will be available at the reception, where you must return it upon your return on board.

Information regarding the end of cruise disembarkation will be provided to you in the onboard journal and at the reception. We thank you for carefully reading it. Disembarkation usually takes place in the morning, after breakfast service.

The arrival and departure times at each port are indicated the day before in the logbook. Please note that the ship cannot afford to wait for latecomers. We rely on your understanding to respect the communicated schedules.

Upon arrival at any port, customs and immigration authorities board the ship. Once the checks are completed, guests and crew are allowed to disembark. Due to a lack of infrastructure in some ports, the ship may be required to anchor offshore. In this case, disembarkation is done by the ship's tenders or local boats. As there is a limited number of these boats, disembarkation is done in groups. Please pay attention to the announcements made on board.

Based on the programs proposed by the destination experts, one excursion per person, per port of call, is included in the cruise fare for all itineraries.Excursions may sometimes be altered or canceled without prior notice due to technical reasons or force majeure. No compensation will be provided if an excursion included in the cruise fare is canceled.

We do all we can to offer excursions that are accessible to the greatest number of people If you have any doubts about the feasibility of an excursion, please do not hesitate to contact one of our Trip Advisors HERE

On the day before your excursion, you will receive, in your stateroom, a ticket reminding you of the name of the selected excursion as well as the meeting time and place. On the day of the excursion, please bring this ticket with you as it will be collected at the beginning of the tour. In order to take part in the tours as a group with your family or friends, please let the Excursion Office know the numbers of your staterooms at the beginning of your cruise. You can cancel an excursion up to 48 hours prior to departure. (Please note that no discounts or compensation will be provided.)

 

In most ports of call, guests will have lunch onboard after returning to the ship.

On expedition cruises, approximately ten naturalist guides and specialists are always on board, each with expertise in specific fields such as history, geology, marine and terrestrial mammals, and ornithology.  Their objective is to share their knowledge with passengers during on-board conferences and excursions as well as landings in Zodiac boats, with the aim of making them true ambassadors of the regions they visit. They are also there to ensure safety during expedition activities, excursions and landings in Zodiac boats. They set off on scouting missions, prepare meticulously for every excursion, supervise and ensure the safety of passengers, etc.

We do everything we can to make these expeditions accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities and reduced mobility.

This charter cruise is an expedition cruise, and therefore we regret that we are unable to accommodate pregnant guests. This is due to safety concerns in the event of a premature birth, as such situations are difficult to manage in remote and isolated locations.

This charter expedition cruises children are accepted from 6 years old and must be fully independent during all the outside activities organised and during disembarkation in rubber boats, be sufficiently tall to sit on the inflatable sides of the boats, and old enough to understand, and immediately respond to the orders given by the persons in charge. As a result, children's participation in any activity in an inflatable boat shall be subject to the agreement of the Captain and of the Expedition Head, depending on the sea conditions, and the difficulty of disembarking at each location visited. The ships do not carry Parka’s in children’s sizes. Parents must arrange to bring a suitable Parka for children. In all cases, children and young people under the age of 18 are at all times on board or on land under the full and total responsibility of their parents or carers. 

One (or more) key cards will be distributed to you per stateroom. You just have to close your door for it to lock behind you. Therefore, be sure not to leave your key card inside when you leave your stateroom.

Each stateroom is equipped with adjustable air conditioning. Your stateroom attendant is at your disposal if you need to adjust the temperature.

Each of the staterooms  has a television with channels in different languages (depending on the geographical area). A selection of movies and documentaries is freely available.

An individual safe is located in each stateroom, where you can deposit your valuable items. For high-value items, we recommend using the ship's main safe and for this, please contact the ship's reception.

There is a door between some prestige staterooms to transform them into prestige suites. On the layouts of the ship, all prestige staterooms with an arrow across them can be transformed into prestige suites. For safety reasons, when the ship is at sea, the door is locked in either the open or closed position and cannot be operated by guests. If two Prestige staterooms have been booked in a suite configuration, the connecting door remains open and cannot be closed.

We are sorry, but the ship does not provide extra beds.

Yes, all of staterooms are equipped with Hollywood twin beds, which can be separated into two single beds upon request.

Yes, the 220 volt 50 hertz alternating current is distributed by sockets meeting European standards. Onboard power is 200 volt AC (European standard) and 110 volt AC (North American standard). For safety reasons, hair irons and clothes irons cannot be used in staterooms.

A number of electrical outlets are provided for our cruise guests to use in our common areas.

Electrical outlets are available to our passengers in the common areas.

The crew are bilingual in French and English. All signage and announcements made are in French and English. On certain cruises, crew members also speak other languages.

On board, each space has been designed with the wishes of everybody in mind. There are places where your privacy is respected, and other places where you can pass the time together with others. We hope you enjoy communicating not only with other passengers but also with the staff and naturalists.

For reasons of hygiene and safety, animals are not allowed on board.

PONANT ships are non-smoking, even on the stateroom balconies. Smoking is only allowed in the exterior parts of the ship designated for the purpose.

Bonuses for the staff is one of the customs of cruise ships and are left to your discretion. An anonymous envelope is left in your stateroom at the end of your cruise. You can leave it at reception in a box provided. For informational purposes only, the average tip left per day by our cruise guests is between €10 and €12 per passenger. It is then divided between the members of the crew.

Yes, your stateroom Officer will be able to take care of your laundry**. The washing and ironing of your clothes will take between 24 and 48 hours. Only ironing** can be delivered on the same day. As dry-cleaning is not possible on the ship, please only give us clothes that can be washed in water. ** These services are not free of charge and are billed directly to your stateroom account.

Gifts and souvenirs can be bought on board at the boutique. Please note that due to legal regulations, the boutique cannot be opened while the ship is docked at port of call. The items sold in the onboard shops are duty free. 

You can view the list of prohibited items on board by clicking here.

Ship deck plans are available on Ponant website. On board, the plans of all decks are available in the elevators.

We regret to inform you that there are no casino facilities provided onboard.

Breakfast can be enjoyed in the form of a buffet, or in your stateroom by request. For early-risers, a continental-breakfast option is available in the Grand Salon bar. This is also available for late-risers until 10 AM (timetables may be altered to accommodate onboard activities). Lunch is served in the restaurants in the form of a buffet. However, there is also a menu available offering other options. A formal à-la-carte dinner is served in the gastronomic restaurant in the evening. However, a buffet is available at Le Grill for guests wishing to dine in a more informal manner. There is a 24-hr room-service menu available.

Yes, coffee, tea and small cakes/pastries will be available in the morning, outside the restaurant opening times. A tea-time service is offered at the Grand Salon in the afternoons. More details will be given in the newsletter provided each evening in your stateroom.

From boarding and throughout the cruise, drinks* are served complimentary and unlimited. This also applies to the minibar and room service offerings.
* Excluding premium alcoholic beverages featured on the menu. 

Every day, the chefs and their teams offer a varied menu. Breakfasts and lunches served in buffet style showcase a wide selection of savoury and sweet dishes, as well as breads made daily by our French baker on board.

No, there is no currency exchange office on board the ships. We recommend you to exchange money at your bank or at international airports.

Upon boarding, an account will be opened for you, where all your onboard expenses will be recorded: at the shop, at the bar, at the spa, at the PONANT Studio, for laundry. We invite you to leave your credit card imprint at the reception. Thus, the bill with your credit card receipt will be delivered to your accommodation the day before disembarkation. At any time during your voyage, a partial bill can be issued by the reception upon request. Since onboard accounts are closed the day before disembarkation, any payment after 10pm the day before disembarkation must be made in cash. This also applies to individuals who have booked two or more consecutive cruises. You can also settle your expenses in cash at the reception.

The currency on board is the euro, but the US dollar is also accepted. The amount of bills is always indicated in both currencies.

Credit cards (Visa card, EuroCard/Master Card, and American Express) and cash are accepted. Traveler's checks and Diner's Club card are not accepted.

Le Jacques Cartier has a fitness room.
In order to maintain your physical fitness, depending on the program, you may be offered a group session of gentle gymnastics on the outdoor decks, in the pool, or at the theatre.

The water (sea water) in the outdoor pools of the relevant ships is heated.

You will find a boutique area on board. Whether it's for a gift for loved ones, or simply to treat yourself during the trip, the shops offer a selection of ready-to-wear products, technical equipment for polar and tropical expeditions, personalised exclusive collections, as well as a wide range of accessories and souvenirs related to your travel experience.

Letters and postcards can be dropped off at the reception desk, which will take care of sending them. Please make sure to write your stateroom number in the stamp area. The postage cost will be added directly to your bill.

To reach a correspondent around the world, a satellite communication system is available to you. The cost of communications is charged directly to your account (pricing depends on the navigation zone). Calls from your correspondents can be transferred directly to your accommodation or to any common area on the ships. You can also send and receive faxes. Contacting reception.

Free Wi-Fi internet access is available in all guest staterooms and common areas. One or several computers are at your disposal in the recreation centres. Please note that the Wi-Fi connection may be discontinued depending on the navigation area and landscapes that may block the vessel from satellite coverage, especially at high latitudes (no connection possible beyond 80° North or South), or for technical reasons beyond our control.

Jacques Cartie has a doctor and a nurse available on board, on which there is a nurse and a telemedicine service available: The schedules of consultation are listed each day in the log book (emergency consultation 24/7). During excursions, cruise guests are accompanied by a doctor or a nurse to provide first aid when away from the ship.

Consultations, medical or surgical treatments, and laboratory-based or medical imagery-based (radiology) analyses carried out on board by the doctor or the nurse have to be paid for. The price can vary according to the time and place of the consultation (hospital or stateroom). The prices for all treatments and procedures are displayed in the waiting room. Any medication must also be paid for by the passenger. If using medications on a regular basis make sure to bring adequate supplies for the duration of your cruise. The doctor on board is not authorised to distribute sick leaves and prescriptions. Only accounts and invoices are provided which may be used by the passenger to obtain a refund from his/her health insurance if his/her contract allows.

If you have any special treatment, we ask you to inform the reservation service when you register for the cruise, to note it on the information sheet before departure, then inform the on-board crew at the moment of departure and always keep your medication with you for the duration of the cruise.

Jacques Cartier  has stabilisers equipped with dynamic fins which adapt to the movements of the ship. This system allows the ship to anticipate and compensate for the pitching and tossing of the sea to achieve greater stability. Passengers suffering from seasickness will see their symptoms alleviated and are pleasantly surprised to not feel uncomfortable during their journey. However it is wise to bring travel motion medication with you for peace of mind.

Le Jacques Cartier has Two ADA staterooms. Posters, signage and stateroom numbers are translated into Braille. Despite these arrangements, each passenger should be able to be independent or travel with a close family member or friend who can give them whatever assistance they require during their trip. If a person has not been judged suitably fit for travel in complete safety, the ship reserves the right to refuse their embarkation. Disembarkation in difficult places or in a Zodiac® is subject to the approval of the Captain, who will always have the safety and wellbeing of the passenger in mind.

If you follow a specific diet (vegetarian, diabetic, low calorie, gluten-free, allergy...), it is essential to specify it when making your reservation. You will then receive adapted menus throughout your cruise.

Pre- and post-cruise programmes are offered before and after your cruise. Our short programmes enable you to travel stress-free and with complete peace of mind, while our multiple-night programmes give you the opportunity to discover and explore new regions or countries.

The pre and post programs, whether they take place before or after the cruise, must be booked in advance before departure. Could you please discuss the options with your Trip Advisor?